Feb 24 Monday: Mk
9:14-29: 14 And when they came to the disciples, they saw a great
crowd about them, and scribes arguing with them. 15 And immediately all the
crowd, when they saw him, were greatly amazed, and ran up to him and greeted
him. 16 And he asked them, “What are you discussing with them?” 17 And one of
the crowd answered him, “Teacher, I brought my son to you, for he has a dumb
spirit; 18 and wherever it seizes him, it dashes him down; and he foams and
grinds his teeth and becomes rigid; and I asked your disciples to cast it out,
and they were not able.” 19 And he answered them, “O faithless generation, how
long am I to be with you? How long am I to bear with you? Bring him to me.” 20
And they brought the boy to him; and when the spirit saw him,
immediately it
convulsed the boy, and he fell on the ground and rolled about, foaming at the
mouth. 21 And Jesus asked his father, “How long has he had this?” And he said,
“From childhood. 22 And it has often cast him into the fire and into the water,
to destroy him; but if you can do anything, have pity on us and help us.” 23
And Jesus said to him, “If you can! All things are possible to him who
believes.” 24 Immediately the father of the child cried out and said, “I
believe; help my unbelief!” 25 And when Jesus saw that a crowd came running
together, he rebuked the unclean spirit, saying to it, “You dumb and deaf
spirit, I command you, come out of him, and never enter him again.” 26 And
after crying out and convulsing him terribly, it came out, and the boy was like
a corpse; so that most of them said, “He is dead.” 27 But Jesus took him by the
hand and lifted him up, and he arose. 28 And when he had entered the house, his
disciples asked him privately, “Why could we not cast it out?” 29 And he said
to them, “This kind cannot be driven out by anything but prayer.” USCCB video reflections: https://youtu.be/d35uonIP-B0?list=PLpTzvCOJa7DCtgpPT22G8NClHeoKpWu5Q
The context:
Today’s Gospel passage describes an exorcism and healing which Jesus performed
after coming down from the mountain of Transfiguration.
Why did the Apostles
fail to heal the epileptic? The father of the epileptic boy
complained to Jesus about the inability of His Apostles to cure his son.
They failed to heal the boy because: 1) although they had been given the power
of healing, they failed to vitalize or activate it by prayer as Jesus did; 2)
they did not have strong, trusting and expectant Faith in God’s power; 3) as
Jesus remarked, exorcism requires not only healing power but also a life of
prayer and penance. Jesus heals the epileptic by a word of Divine command: Jesus demanded strong Faith from
the boy’s father as a condition for healing. Immediately the father of
the child cried out and said, “I believe; help my
unbelief!” Then Jesus commanded the evil spirit, using His
Divine authority: “You dumb and deaf spirit, I command you, come
out of him, and never enter him again.” As the evil spirit left the
boy, he was healed of his epilepsy.
Life messages: 1)
God will work daily miracles in our lives, provided we pray with trusting
Faith. 2) Jesus offers us freedom from bondage to sin, evil
habits and addictions. 3) Let us make full use of the protection and help God
offers to those who seek Him with Faith in His power and trust in His mercy.
(Fr. Tony) (http://frtonyshomilies.com/) L/20
Feb 25 Tuesday: Mk 9:
30-37: 30 They went on from there and passed through Galilee. And
he would not have any one know it; 31 for he was teaching his disciples, saying
to them, “The Son of man will be delivered into the hands of men, and they will
kill him; and when he is killed, after three days he will rise.” 32 But they
did not understand the saying, and they were afraid to ask him. 33 And they
came to Capernaum; and when he was in the house he asked them, “What were you
discussing on the way?” 34 But they were silent; for on the way they had
discussed with one another who was the greatest. 35 And he sat down and called
the twelve; and he said to them, “If anyone would be first, he must be last of
all and servant of all.” 36 And he took a child, and put him in the midst of
them; and taking him in his arms, he said to them, 37 “Whoever receives one
such child in my name receives me; and whoever receives me, receives not me but
him who sent me.” USCCB video
reflections: https://youtu.be/ARVeFzmvNzo?list=PLpTzvCOJa7DCtgpPT22G8NClHeoKpWu5Q
Context: Today’s
Gospel outlines the criteria for greatness. Jesus’ Apostles shared the
Jewish hope that the Messiah would be a political ruler, and that they would
hold important portfolios in the Messianic kingdom. Hence, in today’s passage,
Jesus warns his Apostles and the future hierarchy in his Church against the
natural human tendency to pride and ambition. He exhorts the spiritual leaders,
as well as all believers in responsible positions, to be humble, trusting and
innocent, that is, like children.
Child-like qualities: Children
are basically innocent and honest. They are naturally humble because they
depend on their parents for everything. They trust and obey their parents
because they know their parents love them. Hence, Jesus advises his disciples
to forget their selfish ambitions and to spend their lives serving others in
all humility, with trusting Faith in a loving and providing God. Then
they will be great in the Kingdom of Heaven.
Life Messages: 1)
We need to practice humility in thoughts, words and actions. “Learn
from me for I am meek and humble of heart.” “What is the essential
thing in the religion and discipline of Jesus Christ?” St. Augustine asks, and
then responds, “I shall reply: first humility, second humility and third
humility.” 2) We should not seek recognition and recompense for the service we
do for Christ and the Church as parents, teachers, pastors etc. 3) Trusting
Faith resulting from true humility is essential for all corporal and spiritual
works of mercy. 4) Since children reflect the innocence, purity, simplicity and
tenderness of our Lord, and since they are given the protection of a guardian
angel, we are to love them, train them and take care not to give scandal to
them. 5) We need to try to treat everyone with love and respect because,
“Beside each believer stands an angel as protector and shepherd leading him to
life,” (St. Basil) (CCC #336(Fr. Tony) (http://frtonyshomilies.com/) L/20
Feb 26 ASH WEDNESDAY: Ash
Wednesday (dies cinerum) is the Church’s Yom Kippur or the
“Day of Atonement.” Its very name comes from the Jewish practice of doing
penance wearing “sackcloth and ashes.” The Old Testament tells us how
the people of Nineveh (Jon 3:5), King Ben Hadad of Syria (1 Kg 20:31-34), and
Queen Esther (4:16) fasted wearing sackcloth and ashes. In the early Church,
Christians who had committed serious sins were instructed to do public penance
wearing sackcloth and ashes. The Church instructs us to observe Ash Wednesday
and Good Friday as days of full fast and abstinence. Fasting is prescribed to
reinforce our penitential prayer during the Lenten season. The prophet Joel, in
the first reading, insists that we should experience a complete conversion of
heart and not simply regret for our sins. In Psalm 51, our Responsorial Psalm
today, the Psalmist acknowledges his sin and begs God for His Mercy. Saint
Paul, in the second reading, advises us “to become reconciled to God.”
Today’s Gospel instructs us to assimilate the true spirit of fasting and
prayer.
The blessing of the
ashes and the significance of the day: The priest dipping his thumb
into ashes (collected from burnt palms of the previous year’s Palm Sunday),
marks the forehead of each with the sign of the cross, saying the words, “Remember
that you are dust and to dust you will return” or “Repent and
believe in the Gospel.” By marking the sign of the cross with ashes on
the foreheads of her children, the Church reminds us a) that our bodies will
become dust when buried and ashes if cremated, and b) that our life-span
is very brief and unpredictable; 2- gives us a strong warning that we will be
eternally punished if we do not repent of our sins, become reconciled with God,
asking His pardon and forgiveness, and do penance; and 3- offers us a loving
invitation to realize and acknowledge our sinful condition, return to our
loving and forgiving God with true repentance as the prodigal son did and
ask Him for the renewal of our life.
Ash Wednesday
messages: # 1: We need to purify and renew our lives during the period
of Lent by repentance, which means expressing sorrow for sins, turning away
from occasions of sin, and returning to God. We need to express our repentance
by being reconciled with God daily, by asking for forgiveness from those whom
we have offended, and by giving unconditional forgiveness to those who have
offended us. # 2: We need to do prayerful fasting and little acts of penance
for our sins and share our blessings generously with others, following the
example of Jesus’ 40 days of fasting and prayer before his public ministry.
Fasting reduces our “spiritual obesity” or the excessive accumulation of “fat”
in our soul in the form of evil tendencies, evil habits and evil addictions. It
also gives us additional moral and spiritual strength and encourages us to
share our blessings with the needy. USCCB video reflections: https://youtu.be/XWiPfsgHUkg?list=PLpTzvCOJa7DCtgpPT22G8NClHeoKpWu5Q (Fr.
Tony) (http://frtonyshomilies.com/) L/20
Feb 27 Thursday: Lk
9:22-25: 22 Jesus said to his disciples, “The `Son of Man must
suffer greatly and be rejected by the elders, the chief priests, and the
scribes, and be killed, and on the third day raised. 23 And he said
to all, “If any man would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his
cross daily and follow me. 24 For whoever would save his life will lose it; and
whoever loses his life for my sake, he will save it. 25 For what does it profit
a man if he gains the whole world and loses or forfeits himself? USCCB video reflections: https://youtu.be/_SqG_l5CU40?list=PLpTzvCOJa7DCtgpPT22G8NClHeoKpWu5Q
The context: After
Peter had made his famous declaration of Faith in Jesus as God and the Messiah,
Jesus plainly warned his disciples about his suffering death and
Resurrection. But the Apostles were unwilling to accept such a fate for
their master. Hence, Jesus declared the three conditions of discipleship
which he expected from his followers, as given in today’s Gospel.
The triple
conditions: 1) Deny
yourself. 2) Take up your cross. 3) Follow Me. 1) Denying
oneself involves a) cleansing of the heart by the eviction of self
from the heart and the cleansing of all evil tendencies and addictions from the
heart, with the help of the Holy Spirit, b) the enthronement of God in the
heart and the dedication of oneself to Him, and c) the surrendering of one’s
life to the enthroned God through the loving, selfless service of others for
God’s glory.
2) Taking up
one’s cross means, not only accepting gracefully from God our
pains and suffering, but also accepting the pain involved in serving others, in
sharing our blessings with them, and in controlling our evil tendencies.
Carrying one’s cross becomes easier when we compare our light crosses with the
heavier ones given to terminally ill patients and to exploited people living
under subhuman conditions. The realization that Jesus carries with us the
heavier part of our cross also makes our cross-bearing easier and more
salvific.
3) Follow Me means
to follow Jesus by obeying the word of God and adjusting one’s life
accordingly. The disciple should be ever ready to obey as Jesus directs
him or her through His words in the Bible and through the teaching authority He
has instituted in the Church.
The paradox of
saving/losing and losing/saving life: According to Bible commentators, the
word “life” is here used, clearly, in a double sense: the earthly life of man
in flesh and time and his eternal Life of happiness in Heaven. Hence,
what Jesus means is that whoever wishes to save his (earthly), life will lose
his (eternal), Life. But whoever loses his (earthly), life by spending it
for Jesus and the Gospel, will save his (eternal), Life. Life message: We need to love the
cross, wear the cross, carry the crosses we are given and transform these
God-given crosses of our life into the instruments of our salvation by working
with the Holy Spirit. (Fr. Tony) (http://frtonyshomilies.com/) L/20
Feb 28 Friday: Mt
9:14-15: 14 Then the disciples of John came to him, saying,
“Why do we and the Pharisees fast, but your disciples do not fast?” 15 And
Jesus said to them, “Can the wedding guests mourn as long as the bridegroom is
with them? The days will come, when the bridegroom is taken away from
them, and then they will fast.” USCCB
video reflections: https://youtu.be/oEuy-ukV9h0?list=PLpTzvCOJa7DCtgpPT22G8NClHeoKpWu5Q
The context: Today’s
Gospel passage gives Jesus’ reply to the question asked by a few disciples of
John the Baptist about fasting and feasting. Prayer, fasting and
almsgiving were the three-cardinal works of Jewish religious life. Hence,
John’s disciples wanted to know why they and the Pharisees fasted, while Jesus’
disciples were seen feasting with him and never fasting.
Jesus’ reply: Jesus responded to their sincere question
using three metaphors: the metaphor of the “children of the bridal chamber,”
the metaphor of patching torn cloth and the metaphor of wineskins (Mark
2:18-20; Luke 5:33-35). In today’s Gospel passage taken from Matthew,
Jesus compares his disciples with the children of the bridal chamber.
These people were selected friends of the bridegroom who feasted in the company
of the bride and groom during a week of honeymoon. Nobody expected them
to fast. Jesus declares that his disciples will fast when he, the
Bridegroom, is taken away from them. One of the fruits of the Spirit is joy,
and it is mentioned next after love in St Paul’s list, “love, joy,
peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control” (Gal.
5:22). Hence, we are to welcome the joys of Christian life as well
as the crosses it offers us. The Fathers of the Church interpret the image of
the bridegroom and bride as referring to Christ and his Church. Some explain it
topologically: as long as the Spouse is with us, we are not able to mourn; but
when by our sin he departs, then is the time for tears and fasting. Yet others
apply the words of Christ to the Holy
Eucharist. The parable does not condemn the strictness of John nor does it
condemn fasting. The disciples of Christ kept the fasts prescribed by the Law,
but they did ignore those imposed by the Pharisees.
Life messages: 1)
Fasting reduces the excessive accumulation of fat in our soul in the form of
evil tendencies and evil habits (= spiritual obesity). In addition,
fasting gives us additional moral and spiritual strength. It offers us
more time to be with God in prayer. It encourages us to share our food
and goods with the needy. We fast so as to share in the sufferings of the Body
of Christ (Col 1:24).
2) We need to be adjustable Christians with open and elastic
minds and hearts: The Holy Spirit, working actively in the Church and guiding
the teaching authority in the Church, enables the Church to have new visions,
new ideas, new adaptations and new ways of worship in the place of old
ones. So, we should have the generosity and good will to follow the
teachings of the Church (Fr. Tony) (http://frtonyshomilies.com/) L/20
Feb 29 Saturday: Lk
5: 27-32: 27 After this he went out, and saw a tax collector, named
Levi, sitting at the customs post; and he said to him, “Follow me.” 28 And he
left everything, and rose and followed him. 29 And Levi made him a great feast
in his house; and there was a large company of tax collectors and others
sitting at table with them. 30 And the Pharisees and their scribes murmured
against his disciples, saying, “Why do you eat and drink with tax collectors
and sinners?” 31 And Jesus answered them, “Those who are well have no need of a
physician, but those who are sick; 32 I have not come to call the righteous,
but sinners to repentance.” USCCB
video reflections: http://www.usccb.org/bible/reflections/index.cfm
The context:
Today’s Gospel episode of Matthew’s call as Jesus’ Apostle reminds us
of God’s love and mercy for sinners and challenges us to practice this
same love and mercy in our relations with others.
The call and the response: Jesus went to the tax collector’s
post to invite Matthew to become his disciple. Since tax collectors
worked for a foreign power and extorted more tax money from the people than the
area owed, they were hated and despised as traitors by the Jewish people and
considered public sinners by the Pharisees. Jesus could see in Matthew a
person who needed Divine love and grace. While everyone hated Matthew, Jesus
was ready to offer him undeserved love, mercy and forgiveness. Hence,
Matthew abandoned his lucrative job, because for him, Christ’s call to follow
Him was a promise of salvation, fellowship, guidance and protection.
Scandalous partying with sinners: It was altogether natural
for Matthew to rejoice in his new calling by celebrating with his friends.
Jesus’ dining with outcasts in the house of a traitor scandalized the Pharisees
for whom ritual purity and table fellowship were important religious practices.
Hence, they asked the disciples, “Why does your master eat with tax
collectors and sinners?” In answer to their question, Jesus stressed
his ministry as healer: “Those who are well do not need a physician;
the sick do.” Then, in Matthew’s account, quoting Hosea, Jesus
challenged the Pharisees, “Go and learn the meaning of the words, ‘I desire
mercy, not sacrifice’ (Hos 6:6)” Finally, Jesus clarified his
position, “I did not come to call the righteous, but sinners.”
Life messages: 1)
Jesus calls you and me for a purpose: Jesus has called us, through our Baptism,
has forgiven our sins and has welcomed us as members of the Kingdom. In fact,
He calls us daily through the Word and through His Church to be His disciples
and to turn away from all the things that distract us and draw us away from
God.
2) Just as Jesus did, and Matthew did, we, too, are expected
to preach Christ through our lives, by reaching out to the unwanted and the
marginalized in society with Christ’s love, mercy and
compassion. (Fr. Tony) (http://frtonyshomilies.com/) L/20