AD SENSE

4 Sunday B - Zeal and Authority for the Mission


Tony Kayala, c.s.c.: 

Zeal: The components for right motivation, they say, are
 
a) Passion (zeal, intensity, enthusiasm),
b) Direction (remember even the terrorists and ISIS have passion, but not the right direction. St. Paul had a great passion as a persecutor until the Damascus experience)
c) Perseverance (persistence, never give up. Abraham Lincoln faced every sort of setback, adversity and failure from 1832 to 1856 but was elected President in 1860) 

Zeal without direction can be due to excessive emotional or ideological or childhood issues. That's where some inner exorcisms are required to cleanse our inner world of many demons that direct our paths and ways and styles. To have the right authority directed by the Lord and his word, one has to constantly check one's motives for action or preaching.

Jesus spoke and acted with authority: St. Claire had developed the meaning of authority as authoring life, giving birth, or empowering people to bring forth. For her authority was always for service. When we say s/he is an authority on that subject, we mean to say that person has explored, researched, understood the matter in such a way s/he can talk about teach about it as if the matter has become his/her own. 

3 Sunday B - Come, follow me

Third Sunday B: Homilies and Stories
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Thomas O’Loughlin
Introduction to the Celebration

During this coming year we are going to read our way through the gospel preached by St Mark. And today we hear about Jesus’s first actions in inaugurating the kingdom of God. He proclaimed the good news that we should repent and begin life afresh; and he gathered about him the first members of his new people.
Here, now, today, we are gathering as that new people, gathering around him and listening to him in the Liturgy of the Word; and then with him we are going to offer thanks to our heavenly Father in the Liturgy of the Eucharist.
 

2 Sunday B - Come and See - Homilies


Tony Kayala, c.s.c.

As much as Jesus had to leave Nazareth (home and comfort, familiarity and family) to come to the Jordan (last Sunday) to be baptized, the disciples too have got to "leave" in order to "come" (No arrival without a departure). We are used to checking out a product before buying or a person before hiring or we "see" and choose (come). We check it out before stepping out. Abraham and other prophets have to leave for an uncertain task and territory; Abraham must first accept to sacrifice his only son, then he will see God's plan. He didn't doubt in God's promise of progenies like the sands and the stars even though the only son was going to be sacrificed! Joseph had to first accept Mary pregnant as she was and then he will see God's plan. Come so that you may see. Step in, walk in, follow me, leave behind ....so that you may see plans, actions, results for you. "Come" is an invitation and "see" is the promise. You can trust the Lord for his promises.

Then the uncertain, doubtful, denying Simons will have to become Cephases and solid rocks on which the Lord can build his Church.

Baptism of Our Lord 2015


Thomas O’Loughlin
Introduction to the Celebration

Today marks the beginning of the public life and ministry of Jesus Christ as he set out to do the Father’s will and announce the arrival of the kingdom of God. And the moment of the beginning of the messianic work of Jesus is marked by the moment of his baptism in the Jordan. He is acclaimed on earth by the prophet John and links himself to John by being baptised by him. He is acclaimed from heaven by the voice of the Father and the presence of the Spirit. As the people who have heard his preaching and accepted his call, who have confessed him as the Christ, and set out to follow his way, let us pause and consider the words addressed to Jesus: ‘Thou art my beloved Son, with thee I am well pleased.’ 

Epiphany 2015


Story: A husband asked his wife, "Why would God give the wise men a star to guide them?" She replied, "Because God knows men are too proud to ask directions."

"When the song of the angels is stilled, when the star in the sky is gone, when the kings and princes are home, when the shepherds are back with their flocks, the work of Christmas begins: to find the lost, heal the broken, feed the hungry, rebuild the nations, bring peace among people, make music in the heart." So wrote Howard Thurman.
  

More from last year’s post: