Reflections

On this day the Church celebrates Jesus’ entrance into Jerusalem to accomplish his paschal mystery. There he would be arrested, imprisoned, falsely accused, condemned, scourged, crowned with thorns, burdened with the cross, pushed around, nailed to the cross, would die and be buried. It was also there that he would triumph by his resurrection. Jerusalem…

1 Sm 16:1b,6-7,10-13a; Eph 5:8-14; Jn 9:1-41. After smearing the clay on the eyes of the blind man, Jesus commanded him to go and wash in the pool of Siloam. In many occasions Jesus simply said the word and the person was healed. To the daughter of Jairus, Jesus took her hand and commanded, “Little…

This mystery in the life of Christ is so important that we read this gospel two times a year: on the 2ndSunday of Lent and on August 6th. While Jesus was still walking among them, the apostles tended to take him as simply human with extraordinary powers. The transfiguration was intended to help them see…

Gen 2:7-9; 3:1-7; Rom. 5:12-19; Mt. 4:1-11.  On this first Sunday of Lent, we are presented with the temptations of Jesus. We saw that the Father affirmed Jesus as His Son after the Baptism at the Jordan. Is the Messiah Son of God? Then he must be powerful. Let us see because he is very hungry…

For “repentance”, we need to review the parable of the Prodigal Son in Lk 15. “v.18: I shall get up and go to my father and I shall say to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. v.19: I no longer deserve to be called your son; treat me as one of…

Lev 19:1-2, 17-18; 1 Cor. 3:16-23; Mt 5:38-48 In the world, vengeance is the rule of human retaliation. When someone throws an insulting word at me, I usually answer back not with one word, but a barrage of insulting words. If someone punches me once, I take it my right to throw many more punches…

Sir. 15:15-20; 1 Cor. 2:6-10; Mt. 5:17-37. Two Sundays ago on the 4th Sunday in Ordinary Time, our Lord gave us the Beatitudes which paint the ideal perfection of Christian life. He calls blessed the poor in spirit, the meek, one who hungers and thirsts for righteousness; blessed are the clean of heart, the merciful and…

Is 58:7-10; 1 Cor 2:1-5; Mt 5:13-16 “You are the salt of the earth.” The salt gives flavor to food and is also a food preservative. Do I give flavor to the life of my brothers and sisters? Or do I make life distasteful, or even bitter for others? Do I make life enjoyable for…

Mal.3:1-4; Heb. 2:14-18; Lk. 2:22-40 Concerning the first-born son, in Ex. 13:2 it is written: v.2 “Consecrate to me every first-born that opens the womb among the Israelites, both of man and beast, for it belongs to me….v. 12 “You shall dedicate to the Lord every son that opens the womb, and all the male…

Is. 8:33-9:3; 1 Cor.1:10-13,17; Mt. 4:12-23 Our Gospel passage today opens with the note that John the Baptist had already been arrested. Jesus took that as the sign the he was now to go out and begin his public ministry. He was now to make Capernaum his headquarters in the house of Simon Peter. (Many…