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RELIGION LITURGY AND LIFE

Archive for the month “February, 2025”

22 Feb 2025

7th Sunday ir Ordinary Time

We pray this weekend for the well being of our Holy Father Pope Francis as he remains in hospital.  The readings for this Sunday teach us about mercy, forgiveness, and love. These themes show us how to live like Jesus in our everyday lives. The readings call us to live a hope filled life of mercy, just like David showed mercy to Saul in the first reading. Mercy means choosing kindness over revenge. It means forgiving others, even when it is hard.  The First Reading from the first book of  Samuel tells us that David, finding Saul asleep, refuses to harm him, saying it’s wrong to strike the lord’s anointed. He takes Saul’s spear and jug, proving his mercy and faithfulness from afar. The Second Reading 1 Corinthians tells us that The first Adam was earthly, the last Adam (Christ) is a life-giving spirit. We, once earthly, will transform to bear the likeness of the heavenly man.

This weekend we think about the things the Lord asks us to do in following Him, nothing is more difficult that the teaching  “Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you. To the person who strikes you on one cheek, offer the other one as well, and from the person who takes your cloak, do not withhold even your tunic. Give to everyone who asks of you, and from the one who takes what is yours do not demand it back. Do to others as you would have them do to you It is much easier to sacrifice our wants for the needs of others, then it is to avoid lashing out at someone but that is what Jesus is calling us to do.  The point of this kind of prophetic speech by Jesus is to stimulate his audience (and us) to reflect on the whole pattern of behaviour in human relationships. Jesus is not really suggesting rules to be followed literally in certain circumstances. Rather, we are being invited to reflect on how we can respond to unreasonable demands and personal injuries with nothing but generosity and abandoning all claims to retribution and restitution.  What we are talking about in this Gospel is not some ethical system for the good of society or for our own self-interest but something way beyond this.

What Jesus gives us is the very principle behind the creation of the universe: God’s infinite love for us all. This is the extraordinary challenge that he lays before us: To love the people around us just as he loves us, just as he loves them.  It is not easy and we won’t achieve it often but we know that this is what God wants from us and it is something that deep in our hearts we are glad to do. The way God treats us should be the guideline for our life as Christians. God is infinitely compassionate and merciful, he is extraordinarily patient with our many shortcomings and he puts up with all sorts of foolishness on our part.  What Jesus is suggesting are responses to insults and injuries which break cycles of violent retaliation and provide pathways to peace and reconciliation. By doing this, Jesus says, we can allow the utter generosity of God to shine through us. Doing good only to those who do good to us is not enough to convey the generosity and welcome of God. Only acting with overwhelming generosity and compassion allows the mercy, generosity and compassion with which God meets each of us to be clearly seen in concrete actions It is our task as a true disciple to imitate our master, to imitate the behaviour of God himself. In the words of Micah this is what God asks of us: only this, to act justly, to love tenderly and to walk humbly with our God.

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15 Feb 2025

6th Sunday in Ordinary Time

The readings for this Sunday  focus on blessings, as exemplified in the Beatitudes. They challenge traditional ideas of blessings by highlighting the blessedness of those who are poor, hungry, those who weep and those who are persecuted while affirming the hope and rewards found in trusting God. In the First Reading Jeremiah tells us that all those who put their trust in people are like barren bushes in the desert. He also tell us that those who trust in the Lord are like fruitful trees by the water that produce much fruit.  The Second Reading from Corinthians tells us that  If Christ is not raised, our faith is useless and we remain in sin. But Christ is risen, the first of those who have died the first fruits of all who have fallen asleep and he is the foundation of our faith and the reason for our Hope.

Over the next two Sundays the Gospel reading is from the “Sermon on the Plain,” a parallel to Matthew’s “Sermon on the Mount.” While similar, both evangelists are writing for different audiences. How many in the crowd who heard Jesus were attracted to the good news he was sharing? Did they become his disciples too? Did what he said change their notion of God? Have the beatitudes  changed us? After listing the four situations in life that make people blessed, Luke then lists their opposites, declaring the “woes.” The word for “blessed” is not a description of happiness as we know it; but is a gift bestowed by God. You don’t earn the blessings; you just need them and God notices. Those who have nothing no material wealth, or food, who are weeping and hated, because of Jesus, will receive God’s favour. St. Luke addressed his gospel to the downtrodden and the lowly. He sees the tremendous value that the poor have because they recognize that all they have comes from God, they are generous with others as they know  that God will provide for them if they give the little they have to those who have greater needs then themselves. St. Luke also quotes Jesus as saying, “Woe to the rich.” Jesus is not concerned with the amount of money a person has.  He’s concerned with the false sense of security that money and possessions often give people and we see that in todays crazy world.

Many people are tempted to trust in their material possessions and wealth instead of trusting God. Riches and the comforts of the world can leave us in the spiritual wilderness. The beatitudes call us to a better way of living and they call us to live our lives for others in accordance with the Gospel values and, in this way we will be blessed in the eyes of God.  We will not end up as famous or wealthy people but we will most definitely end up as people who are appreciated by others known for the lives we lead as people who  have the faith filled attitude of the Beatitudes.

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08 Feb 2025

5th Sunday in Ordinary Time

This Sunday we celebrate the 5th Sunday in Ordinary time and we remember and pray for all those who are sick as we celebrate the world day for the Sick on 11th February. We ask God through the intercession of Our Lady of Lourdes to bless our sick and all those who look after them. The 5th Sunday in Ordinary Time readings highlight important themes. These themes help us understand our faith and God’s call in our lives. In the  First Reading from Isaiah  Isaiah saw the Lord on His throne, felt unworthy, but was cleansed by a seraphim. When God asked for a messenger, Isaiah offered to go. In the Responsorial Psalm I will thank and praise God for His kindness and truth. He answers me and gives me strength. All will praise Him for His great glory and enduring kindness.

The Second Reading from Corinthians tells us that Christ died for our sins, was buried, and rose on the third day. Saint Paul says He appeared to many, including me. By God’s grace, I preach, and you believed. Our Gospel story for this Sunday recounts the story of the of Peter’s calling to be a fisher of men. After a fruitless night’s fishing, Peter obeys the word of Jesus and catches a huge number of fish. He feels unworthy before Jesus; but he is now called to be a fisher of men. Peter recognises the hand of God in what has happened and at the same time realises his own sinfulness but Jesus comes to show us the mercy of his Father. Jesus did not come to be a hermit with an unreachable address in the desert; rather, his whole mission moves in the opposite direction, for he has come “to seek out and save the lost” (Luke 19:10). So Jesus travels into our lives not away from them.  He entertains sinners he enters their homes, meets their families, eats at their table, listens to their stories, and calls all of us to a new way of life when he says follow me. Throughout his life Jesus is never far from sinners he is not far from all of us as well for are sinners too. Jesus doesn’t write us off because we are sinners; Jesus has other plans because he knows that we sinners have a future, not just a past. Simon Peter received his call while he was doing his work. He said, “Yes,” and responded by changing his life.

Every day, in the midst of our routines, at work, home, school there are opportunities to respond to Jesus’ call to follow him. In innumerable ways our Christian vocation must guide what we say and what we do. In all  our decisions big and small, we are asked to live what we profess as Jesus’ followers; to be attentive to what God may be asking of us at that moment of our lives. This may entail being faithful to the commitments we already have; responding to a need we see, or taking the opportunity to witness to what we believe. Our responses may seem small and insignificant. They may be small, but they are never insignificant! In addition, who knows where the next “Yes” we say to Christ may lead us?  Our call as disciples is not only to personal holiness but also to partnership with Christ in transforming the world with words and actions of  justice, peace, integrity, forgiveness, mercy, tolerance, hope and love. We must allow ourselves to be caught and taught by Jesus. The response that is asked for, is to be prepared to give up everything in our quest to know Jesus. In spite of our sense of sinfulness, unworthiness and lack of faith in ourselves, we are called to trust in God’s choice of us and in God’s faith in us who are his beloved daughters and sons.

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