Nov 11 Monday (St.
Martin of Tours, Bishop) https://www.franciscanmedia.org/saint-martin-of-tours/ : Lk
17:1-6 1 And he said to his disciples, “Temptations to sin are sure
to come; but woe to him by whom they come! 2 It would be better for him if a
millstone were hung round his neck and he were cast into the sea, than that he
should cause one of these little ones to sin. 3 Take heed to yourselves;
if your brother sins, rebuke him, and if he repents, forgive him; 4 and if he
sins against you seven times in the day, and turns to you seven times, and
says, `I repent,’ you must forgive him.” 5 The apostles said to the Lord,
“Increase our faith!” 6 And the Lord said, “If you had faith as a grain of
mustard seed, you could say to this sycamore tree, `Be rooted up, and be
planted in the sea,’ and it would obey you. For USCCB video
reflections:https://youtu.be/an3n2hFh-_g?list=PLpTzvCOJa7DCwTEFRKioXB2l1OX9fULB0
The context: In today’s Gospel passage, Jesus
gives us two warnings: 1) We should not give scandal to anyone. 2) We need to
practice unconditional forgiveness. Jesus also stresses our need for trusting
Faith in God’s power if we are to avoid giving scandal and to practice
forgiveness.
The great sin of scandal: Literally, scandal is a trap or
stumbling block. The catechism defines it as any saying, action or omission
which causes an occasion of sin for another. Giving scandal to children and
beginners in the Faith is a serious sin because it causes a chain reaction of
sins for years, affecting so many, taking away the life of grace from the
victims. That is why Jesus says that it would be better for its perpetrators to
have their necks inserted in heavy circular millstones and to be drowned in the
sea than to suffer God’s punishment for this sin.
The necessity of practicing forgiveness: Jesus commands his
followers to forgive their offending brothers and sisters repeatedly, as often
as they are repentant. Further, we need to offer fraternal correction to the
offender with charity, without humiliating him or offending his feelings. At
the same time, we should not allow the offender to violate our just rights.
Sincere forgiveness leads us to forget the particular offense and to extend the
hand of friendship, which in turn helps the offender to repent. Jesus concludes
his instructions by reminding his followers that avoiding scandals and
forgiving the offenders are possible only if they have the trusting faith in
God which enables Him to work miracles in their lives.
Life messages: 1) We need to avoid giving
scandal to any one because it causes a series of sins and does damage to a
number of innocent victims. 2) We should ask God to enlarge our hearts to
forgive others and to help us to be ready to grant forgiveness to those who
have offended us. (Fr. Kadavil) (http://frtonyshomilies.com/)
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Nov 12 Tuesday (St. Josaphat, Bishop, Martyr) https://www.franciscanmedia.org/saint-josaphat/ : Lk
17:7-10: 7 “Will any one of you, who has a servant plowing or
keeping sheep, say to him when he has come in from the field, `Come at once and
sit down at table’? 8 Will he not rather say to him, `Prepare supper
for me, and gird yourself and serve me, till I eat and drink; and afterward you
shall eat and drink’? 9 Does he thank the servant because he did what was
commanded? 10 So you also, when you have done all that is commanded you, say,
`We are unworthy servants; we have only done what was our duty.’ For
USCCB video reflections: https://youtu.be/hxQsTWYdIOo?list=PLpTzvCOJa7DCwTEFRKioXB2l1OX9fULB0
The context: Today’s Gospel gives Jesus’ warning on
complacency in the spiritual life through a parable about a slave and his
relationship with his master. The slave had the duties of a cook as well
as those of a fieldworker. Jesus says that the master wanted him to do
fieldwork till evening, then prepare the supper and serve him at the table.
Since both were parts of his duty, he need not expect a “thank you” from the
master. This parable was a warning also to the Pharisees, who thought
that God was indebted to them because of their scrupulous observance of the
Mosaic Law.
The teaching: We are God’s servants because God owns
everything, and all our possessions have been loaned to us by a generous
God. Our efforts and accomplishments are nothing in comparison with the
blessings of God which we have received. All our devotions, prayers and works
of charity form only a negligible part of our return to God, and the power to
do them is another of His gifts to us. We can never adequately repay the
gifts God has given to us. The Blessed Virgin Mary was fully aware of
this truth, and that is why she responded to God’s messenger saying: “Behold
I am the handmaid of the Lord” (Lk 1:38). St. Bernadette of
Soubirous (1844-1879), the girl whom the Blessed Mother appeared in Lourdes,
France lived a life in obscurity as a contemplative nun. A journalist was able
to track her down and eventually got the permission of the Prioress to
interview her. One question that the journalist asked of her was why she opted
to live in obscure life when she was so well known all over the world. In
answer Bernadette compared herself to a house broom which has been put aside in
a closet after it had been used to clean the room.
Life messages: 1) We need to offer our prayers
of thanksgiving and acts of charity to God so that we may grow in God’s
grace. 2) We need to consider our service to our neighbors as a sacred
duty we owe to God in return for His innumerable blessings. 3) God’s love
and generosity should compel us to give Him the best that is in us as our acts
of thanksgiving(Fr. Kadavil) (http://frtonyshomilies.com/)
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Nov 13 Wednesday (St. Francis Xavier, Cabrini,
Virgin) https://www.franciscanmedia.org/saint-frances-xavier-cabrini/ : Luke
17: 11-19: 11 On the way to Jerusalem he was passing along
between Samaria and Galilee. 12 And as he entered a village, he was met by ten
lepers, who stood at a distance 13 and lifted up their voices and said, “Jesus,
Master, have mercy on us.” 14 When he saw them he said to them, “Go and show
yourselves to the priests.” And as they went they were cleansed. 15 Then one of
them, when he saw that he was healed, turned back, praising God with a loud
voice; 16 and he fell on his face at Jesus’ feet, giving him thanks. Now he was
a Samaritan. 17 Then said Jesus, “Were not ten cleansed? Where are the nine? 18
Was no one found to return and give praise to God except this foreigner?”
19 And he said to him, “Rise and go your way; your faith has made you well.” For
USCCB video reflections: https://youtu.be/wXqgLd-KE6I?list=PLpTzvCOJa7DCwTEFRKioXB2l1OX9fULB0
The context: Jesus was on the border
between Galilee and Samaria when he was met by a band of ten lepers, both Jews
and Samaritans. By describing Jesus’ miraculous healing of the ten
lepers from a physically devastating and socially isolating disease,
today’s Gospel presents a God Who desires only gratitude from us for
the many blessings we have received from Him and Who feels pain at our
ingratitude. The Gospel story tells of a single leper (a
“Samaritan heretic”), who returned to thank Jesus for healing him, while the
others went their way, the Jews perhaps under the false impression that healing
was their right as God’s chosen people. They did not seem to feel
indebted to Jesus for the singular favor they had received. Instead,
they hurried off to obtain a health certificate from the
priests. “Where are the other nine?” Jesus asked
the Samaritan leper. “Did only one come back to say
‘thank-you?’” Today’s reading also presents Faith and healing
going hand in hand, as do Faith and reconciliation.
Life messages: 1) We need to learn to be
thankful to God and to others. Often we are ungrateful to God. Although
we receive so much from Him, we often take it all for granted without
appreciating His gifts. Often we are ungrateful to our parents and consider
them a nuisance, although in the past we were dependent on them for
literally everything. Similarly, we owe a great debt of gratitude to our
friends, teachers, doctors and pastors — but we often fail to thank them.
Hence, in the future, let us be filled with daily thanksgiving to God and to
others for the countless gifts we have received. Let us pray:
“Please, God, heal my heart of ingratitude.”
2) We need to celebrate the Holy Eucharist as the supreme
act of thanksgiving. When we celebrate Holy Mass together, we are
thanking God for the great gift of His Son, whose sacrifice formed us into the People
of God. We thank God for the gift of the Spirit, through
whom we bring the presence of the Lord to others. 3) We all need
healing from our spiritual leprosy. Although we may not suffer
from physical leprosy, when we suffer from the “spiritual leprosy” of
sins, Jesus, our Savior, wants to heal us through the Sacrament of
Reconciliation. (Fr. Kadavil) (http://frtonyshomilies.com/)
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Nov 14 Thursday: Lk 17:20-25: 20 Being
asked by the Pharisees when the kingdom of God was coming, he answered them,
“The kingdom of God is not coming with signs to be observed; 21 nor will
they say, `Lo, here it is!’ or `There!’ for behold, the kingdom of God is in
the midst of you.” 22 And he said to the disciples, “The days are coming when
you will desire to see one of the days of the Son of man, and you will not
see it. 23 And they will say to you, `Lo, there!’ or `Lo, here!’ Do not
go, do not follow them. 24 For as the lightning flashes and lights up the sky
from one side to the other, so will the Son of man be in his day. 25 But first
he must suffer many things and be rejected by this generation. For
USCCB video reflections: https://youtu.be/CifCRaFfKl8?list=PLpTzvCOJa7DCwTEFRKioXB2l1OX9fULB0
The context: The Jews believed that the sudden
and unexpected arrival of the promised Messiah would be accompanied by special
signs. They also believed that he would be a political Messiah who would
rule Israel forever after overthrowing all other rulers. Hence, they
asked Jesus about the signs accompanying his arrival as the Messiah – if he
were the Messiah.
Jesus’ reply: Jesus replied that the kingdom of God was
already within them and that was the greatest messianic
sign. The Greek word we translate as “within” means both within
you and among you. Considering the kingdom of God as
within you, we are to understand that the Messiah is going to rule the hearts
and minds of individuals, creating a revolution in human hearts and converting
them from stony hearts to Spirit-filled loving, merciful and compassionate
hearts. Considering the kingdom of God as among you, we are to understand
that God Himself is present among His people in the person of Jesus of
Nazareth, representing the kingdom of God and doing God’s will in the most
perfect way. Jesus also warned the Pharisees not to search for the
Messiah anywhere else. He would appear again in Jesus’ Second Coming,
quite unexpectedly, and as unmistakably as a flash of lightning that “lights up
the sky from one side to the other.”
Life messages: 1) Let us be Kingdom
people by allowing Jesus the true Messiah to have complete control of our
lives. Let us allow Him to rule our lives by giving priority to him in all our
actions. (Fr. Kadavil) (http://frtonyshomilies.com/)
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Nov 15 Friday (St. Albert the Great, bishop) https://www.franciscanmedia.org/saint-albert-the-great/ : Lk
17: 26-37: 26 As it was in the days of Noah, so will it be in
the days of the Son of man. 27 They ate, they drank, they married, they
were given in marriage, until the day when Noah entered the ark, and the flood
came and destroyed them all. 28 Likewise as it was in the days of Lot —
they ate, they drank, they bought, they sold, they planted, they built, 29 but
on the day when Lot went out from Sodom fire and sulphur rained from heaven and
destroyed them all — 30 so will it be on the day when the Son of man is
revealed. 31 On that day, let him who is on the housetop, with his goods in the
house, not come down to take them away; and likewise let him who is in the
field not turn back. 32 Remember Lot’s wife. 33 Whoever seeks to gain his life
will lose it, but whoever loses his life will preserve it. 34 I tell you, in
that night there will be two in one bed; one will be taken and the other left.
35 There will be two women grinding together; one will be taken and the other
left.” 37 And they said to him, “Where, Lord?” He said to them, “Where the body
is, there the eagles will be gathered together.” For USCCB video
reflections: https://youtu.be/n-kU2XLcURI?list=PLpTzvCOJa7DCwTEFRKioXB2l1OX9fULB0
The context: In today’s Gospel, Jesus is
prophesying three endings: 1) the end of his public life, 2) the destruction of
Jerusalem, and 3) the end of the world. He warns his listeners to be
ready and not to think that they can postpone their preparations, because when
the end strikes it will already be too late. Through this prophecy and
warning, Jesus asks us, too, 1) to be ready to meet him as our Judge at his
Second Coming, whenever that may take place, and 2) to be prepared to meet him
and to give an account of our lives at the moment of our death, which is also
unknown to us.
We need to learn lessons from the past: Jesus gives the
example of the Flood during Noah’s time, when people ate and drank right up to
the moment of disaster. Similarly, He goes on, in the days of Lot, people
were leading their ordinary sinful lives when fire and brimstone rained down on
the wicked cities of Sodom and Gomorrah. Only Lot and his family, who had
been previously warned and directly assisted by the angels, escaped. The
same events would be repeated at the time of the destruction of Jerusalem (AD
70), and will be repeated again at the end of the world. Some will be
saved and others destroyed. Some will be prepared to meet their God and
will be rewarded, while the unprepared will be punished. The criterion of
selection will be our intimacy with Jesus in a life of grace. If we
really want to see the Kingdom of God on earth in our times, we need only look
at people’s lives. The Kingdom is there when people are reflecting in
their lives the vision of life and the values that Jesus revealed to us, that
is, loving God in offering loving service to all they encounter.
Life messages: 1) We need to stay ready always
by living holy and prayerful lives spent in doing good for others. 2) We
need to make reparation for our past sins and to prepare our lives to meet our
Savior as our Judge by living lives of penance and prayer and by doing works of
charity. (Fr. Kadavil) (http://frtonyshomilies.com/)
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Nov 16 Saturday (St. Margaret of Scotland) https://www.franciscanmedia.org/saint-albert-the-great/ St.
Gertrude, Virgins) https://www.franciscanmedia.org/saint-gertrude-the-great/ : Lk
18:1-8: 1 And he told them a parable, to the effect that they ought
always to pray and not lose heart. 2 He said, “In a certain city there
was a judge who neither feared God nor regarded man; 3 and there was a widow in
that city who kept coming to him and saying, `Vindicate me against my
adversary.’ 4 For a while he refused; but afterward he said to himself,
`Though I neither fear God nor regard man, 5 yet because this widow bothers me,
I will vindicate her, or she will wear me out by her continual coming.'” 6 And
the Lord said, “Hear what the unrighteous judge says. 7…8. For USCCB
video reflections: https://youtu.be/tdWH5rTVCtk?list=PLpTzvCOJa7DCwTEFRKioXB2l1OX9fULB0
The context: Today’s Gospel gives a parable
Jesus told during his last trip to Jerusalem. When Luke recorded this
passage, the Parousia or Second Coming of
Jesus had been delayed beyond what the early Church had expected.
Further, the Church was experiencing persecution from both the Jews and the
Romans. The persecuted early Christians were finding it increasingly
difficult to maintain their Faith. Today’s Gospel lesson, addressing the
issues of Faith in difficult times, must have reassured those disciples, as
Jesus reassured His own contemporaries, that God was listening to their
persistent prayers and would grant them justice and vindicate their Faith in
the end. Jesus presents the widow in today’s Gospel as a model of the trust
and tenacity with which all his disciples are to pray.
The parable: This parable is based on the corrupt Roman
legal practices prevalent in Palestine at the time of Jesus. The judge in
the parable was a magistrate appointed either by Herod or by the Romans.
Such judges were avaricious, corrupt, and without fear of God or the
public. By publicly badgering the judge every day, the woman was
trying to shame this shameless person. Finally, the unjust judge was
forced to yield. Hence, this parable is not only about the efficacy of
persistent prayer, but also about the character of God, His
Trustworthiness and Justice. His is a Justice that reaches out
to the poor and the weak, enabling them to fight against injustice. The
parable teaches us that the purpose of all our prayers is the augmentation of
our trusting Faith in a loving and caring God Who is our Father.
Life messages: 1) Prayer attunes our minds to God’s,
enabling us to do what God wants. The parable teaches us that our prayers
do not change God’s will. Instead, they bring our hearts into line
with His purposes. Sincere and persistent prayer makes us ready to
accept and live out His will in love and trust. 2) We should not expect to get
whatever we pray for: We prefer to get from God what we want when we want
it. God hears all our prayers. But He knows how and when to grant
our prayers. Only God sees time whole, and, therefore, only God knows
what is good for us in the long run. Hence, we have to leave it to God’s
decision saying, “Thy will be done,” and to express our trusting Faith in, and
dependence on, Him by persevering in our prayers. (Fr. Kadavil) (http://frtonyshomilies.com/)
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