January 7: Friday after Epiphany
1 John 5:5-13 / Luke 5:12-16
3 Monday (The Most Holy Name of Jesus):
The context: Today’s Gospel describes the beginning of Jesus’ mission of preaching and healing in Galilee, an ideal spot because it was the most fertile land in Palestine and well-populated with 204 villages around the Sea of Galilee housing Jews and Gentiles. The Jews there largely belonged to the tribes of Asher, Naphtali, and Zebulon. The people were open to new ideas because they had been exposed to various religious beliefs and the culture of traders from all over the known world.
January 6; Thursday after Epiphany
1 John 4:19 - 5:4 / Luke 4:14-22
January 5th; Wednesday after Epiphany
1 John 4:11-18 / Mark 6:45-52
January 4: Tuesday after Epiphany
1 John 4:7-10 / Mark 6:34-44
God is love; Whoever loves knows God.
3rd January, Monday after Epiphany
Do not trust every spirit; Test each spirit to see if it is of God.
1 John 3: 22-4:6; mt 4:12-17;23-25
***
Have we ever felt called by God to do something? Did we “test the spirit” by seeking the counsel of our pastor or some other spiritual person? "No prophetic message ever came just from the will of man, but men were under the control of the Holy Spirit as they spoke the message that came from God.” 2 Peter 1:21
***
The gospel of today speaks of the beginnings of Jesus’
ministry. He preaches his gospel of repentance-conversion first to the
semi-pagan Jews of Galilee: he becomes their light. The signs that the kingdom
of God has begun with him are that the sick are cured, that he goes to the poor
and the suffering. John says in the first reading that our love of neighbour
and our obedience to the commandments will also be signs that the kingdom has
come among us.
***
In every hospital, there is an A&E Department. As the name indicates, it is where accidents victims are sent to and emergencies cases are attended to. The images that we can imagine are probably what we have seen in movies, or if we have been there, we would know what the place is like.
For example, it could be an old lady with an ECG monitor, a man in oxygen mask, a young mother grieving over the death of her child, etc. The underlying question of the patients and their loved ones seemed to be this: Why is this happening to me? This is also the same question that we will ask when we ourselves become ill or when our loved ones become seriously ill.
On this Monday after Epiphany, the gospel proclaims to us that in Jesus, we see God our healer. But physical illness and suffering can be alleviated by medicine. A greater suffering is the suffering of the heart, an emotional and a spiritual kind of suffering. That kind of suffering and pain can only be addressed with the healing that Jesus came to bring.
The prophecy of Isaiah gives us an idea of what is this kind of healing when it says: The people that lived in darkness has seen a great light; on those who dwell in the land and shadow of death, a light has dawned.
In other words, Jesus the true Light shines on us to heal
our broken and hurting hearts so that we can get up and walk in the light of
love. The healing light of Christ continues to shine in the Sacraments of the
Eucharist, Reconciliation and the Anointing of the Sick. Let us open our hearts
with confidence in the light that God our Healer wants to give us.
***
Prayer
Lord our God, your kingdom began to take shape when your Son
showed his care for the sick and for all those who suffer. Help us to love
people and to care for them, especially for the poor, the dispossessed, and the
misfits of life. Let this be the sign that his Spirit is working in us and that
your Son is present among us, he who is our Lord forever. Amen
A. Solemnity of Mary, Mother of God (Option 1)
God sent his Son, born of a woman,
to enable us to become God's children.
Through the Spirit of the Son we can cry out to God:
"Father, my Father!"
May Jesus, this Son, be always with you.
R/ And also with you.
Thomas O’Loughlin
Octave of Christmas, 31st December
1 John 2:18-21 / John 1:1-18
Christmas Octave, 30th December
1 John 2:12-17 / Luke 2:36-40
Shun the world's attractions; The world passes; God alone remains
Octave of Christmas, 29th December, St. Thomas Becket
1 John 2:3-11 / Luke 2:22-35
Christmas Octave: 28th December, Holy Innocents, Martyrs
1 John 1:5 - 2:2 / Matthew 2:13-18
We are already the children of God;
we need not be afraid in his presence.
May the Lord Jesus be always with you.
R/ And also with you.
St. John, Apostle & Evangelist, December 27
1 John 1:1-4 / John 20:2-8
Advent, 24th December, Friday
2 Sam 7:1-5, 8-12, 14, 16 / Luke 1:67-79
Advent, 23rd December, Thursday
Malachi 3:1-4, 23-24 / Luke 1:57-66
I will send my messenger; "He will prepare the way for me.”
Christmas Stories from Father Tony Kadavil
1) Origin of the Christmas celebration: Many scholars believe that Christmas came to be placed on December 25th in order to counteract a pagan celebration called the Birth of the Unconquered Sun. The Romans called their winter holiday
Greeting (See Second Reading)
In our
own time God has spoken to us
through his own Son,
the radiant light of God's glory
through whom he made everything.
May this Son, Jesus the Lord, be with you.
R/ And also with you.
Advent, 22nd December, Wednesday
1 Sam 1:24-28 / Luke 1:46-56
Hannah takes Samuel to the Temple; Hannah dedicated Samuel to God.
Advent 4th Week: Dec 20-24
Dec 20 Monday:
The context: Today’s Gospel describes the story of the Annunciation, explaining how God began to keep the promise
Advent, 21st December, Tuesday
Zephaniah 3:14-18 / Luke 1:39-45
The time is near; My lover comes leaping over the hills.
Advent, 20th December, Monday
Isaiah 7:10-14 / Luke 1:26-38
Isaiah prophesies; A virgin shall bear a son.
Advent 18th December, Saturday
Jeremiah 23:5-8 / Matthew 1:18-24
Jeremiah prophesies: A descendant of David will rule as king.
Michel de Verteuil
General comments
17th December, Friday
Genesis 49:2, 8-10 / Matthew 1:1-7
Jacob prophesies; Judah will hold the Royal Scepter.
Michel de Verteuil
General Comments
Dec 13 Monday (St. Lucy, Virgin, Martyr)
The context: After casting out the animal-merchants and moneychangers from the Temple immediately after the Palm Sunday procession,
3rd Week of Advent, Thursday, Dec 16
Isaiah 54:1-10 / Luke 7:24-30
Isaiah talks about God's mercy; "I will take you back with love."
3rd Week of Advent, Wednesday, Dec 15
Isaiah 45:6-8, 18, 21-26 / Luke 7:19-23
Isaiah’s prophesies; Turn to me and be saved.
3rd Week of Advent, Tuesday, Dec 14
Zephaniah 3:1-2, 9-13 / Matthew 21:28-32
Zephaniah’s prophesies; I will prepare a humble people.
3rd Week of Advent, Monday, Dec 13
Numbers 24:2-7, 15-17 / Matthew 21:23-27
Balaam prophesies; A star shall advance from Jacob.
2nd Week of Advent, Saturday, Dec 11
Ecclesiasticus 48: 1-4, 9-11 / Matthew 17: 10-13
Great are you, Elijah: You are destined to return.
2nd Week of Advent, Friday, Dec 10
Isaiah 48:17-19 / Matthew 11:16-19
I am your God; I will show you the path to follow.
2nd Week of Advent, Thursday, Dec 9
Isaiah 41:13-20 / Matthew 11:11-15
I am the Lord your God; I will turn deserts into marshes.
Dec 6 Monday (St. Nicholas, Bishop)
2nd Week of Advent, Tuesday, Dec 7
Isaiah 40:1-11 / Matthew 18:12-14
God is indeed coming; He will gather the lambs in his arms.
2nd Week of Advent, Monday, Dec 6
Isaiah 35:1-10 / Luke 5:17-26
Our God is coming; He will save us.
One page synopsis: Mary’s prophecy, given in her Magnificat, “Behold all generations will call me blessed,” was fulfilled when the Catholic Church declared four dogmas of Faith about her: 1-The Immaculate Conception,
May our love for one another
prepare us for the Day of the Lord,
when Jesus Christ returns.
May his grace and love be always with you.
R/ And also with you.
1st Week of Advent, Saturday, Dec 4
Isaiah 30:19-21, 23-26 / Matthew 9:35 - 10:1, 6-8
1st Week of Advent, Tuesday, Nov 30
Isaiah 11:1-10 / Luke 10:21-24
The Spirit rests upon him; He will defend the rights of the helpless.
1st Week of Advent, Friday, Dec 3
Isaiah 29:17-24 / Matthew 9:27-31
1st Week of Advent, Thursday, Dec 2
Isaiah 26:1-6 / Matthew 7:221, 24-27
On the second and third Sundays of Advent, the church gives us John the Baptist as a model of someone who knows how to wait.
1st Week of Advent, Wednesday, Dec 1
Isaiah 25:6-10 / Matthew 15:29-37
The Lord will feast his people; He will wipe away all tears.
St. Francis Xavier, Patron of Missions and Missionaries, Dec 3
1 Cor 9:16-19, 22-23 / Mark 16:15-20
Today the Church celebrates the feast of St Francis Xavier, the Co-patron of India and of all missions and missionaries all over the world.
1st Week: Nov 29-Dec 4:
Nov 29 Monday:
Context: Jesus’ healing of the centurion’s slave, described in today’s Gospel, shows us how God listens to our Faith-filled prayers and meets our needs. Centurions were reliable, commanding, brave captains in charge of 100 soldiers. They were used to giving and receiving commands.
1st Week of Advent, Monday, Nov 29
Isaiah 2:1-3 / Matthew 8:5-11
Isaiah looks to the future; All nations will live in peace.
Romans 10:9-18 / Matthew 4:18-22
Daniel 7:15-27 / Luke 21:34-36
Introduction: Today is a day of national thanksgiving in the USA 1) for the blessings and protection God has given us. 2) for our democratic government and prosperity, we enjoy 3) for our freedom of speech and religion, and 4) for the generosity and goodwill of our people.
34th Week, Friday, Nov 26
Daniel 7:2-14 / Luke
21:29-33
34th Week, Thursday, Nov 25
Daniel 6:12-28 / Luke 21:20-28
Daniel is thrown into the lions' den; God rescued Daniel.
34th Week, Ordinary Time, Wednesday, Nov 24
Daniel 5:1-6, 13-14, 16-17, 23-28 / Luke 21:12-19
Words appear on the palace wall; Daniel explained the words.
34th Week, Tuesday, Nov 23
Daniel 2:31-45 / Luke 21:5-11
The king has a strange dream; Daniel interpreted the king's dream.
34th Week, Monday, Nov 22
Daniel 1:1-6, 8-20 / Luke 21:1-4
Daniel remains faithful; God rewarded Daniel.
33rd Week, Saturday, Nov 20
1 Maccabees 6:3-13 / Luke 20:27-40
Antiochus dies grief-stricken; He paid dearly for his sins against Israel.
33rd Week, Friday, Nov 19
1 Maccabees 4:36-37, 52-59 / Luke 19:45-48
Judas goes to Jerusalem; He purified and rededicated the Temple.
33rd Week, Thursday, Nov 18
1 Maccabees 2:15-29 / Luke 19:41-44
Mattathias and his sons flee; They left everything for their faith.
33rd Week: Nov 15-20:
Nov 15 Monday (St. Albert the Great, Bishop, Doctor of the Church):
33rd Week, Wednesday, Nov 17
2 Maccabees 7:1, 20-31 / Luke 19:11-28
Seven brothers are martyred; Their mother exhorted them to persevere.
33rd Week, Tuesday, Nov 16
2 Maccabees 6:18-31 / Luke 19:1-10
Old Eleazar is martyred; He left an example to the young.
33rd Week, Monday, Nov 15
1 Macc 1:10-15, 41-43, 54-57, 62-64 / Luke 18:35-43
32nd Week, Saturday, Nov 13
Wisdom 18:14-16; 19:6-9 / Luke 18:1-8
The sea becomes a dry road; Israel saw what God did and rejoiced.
32nd Week, Friday, Nov 12
Wisdom 13:1-9 / Luke 17:26-37
32nd Week, Thursday, Nov 11
Wisdom 7:22-8:1 / Luke 17:20-25
32nd Week, Wednesday, November 10
Wisdom 6:1-11 / Luke 17:11-19
Desire God's word; Seek God's wisdom.
The Dedication of the Lateran Basilica, November 9
Ezekiel 47:1-2, 8-9, 12 / 1 Cor 3:9-11, 16-17 / John 2:13-22
We are God's chosen people; He called us out of darkness into light.
32nd Week: Nov 8-13:
Nov 8 Monday:
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.
32nd Week, Monday, November 8th
Wisdom 1:1-7 / Luke 17:1-6
Wisdom is a kindly spirit; God's wisdom pervades everything.
31st Week, Saturday, Nov 6
Romans 16:3-9, 16, 22-27 / Luke 16:9-15
31st Week, Friday, Nov 5
Romans 15:14-21 / Luke 16:1-8
31st Week, Thursday, Nov 4
Romans 14:7-12 / Luke 15:1-10
Our lives belong to God; We'll have to give an account to him.
31st Week, Wednesday, Nov 3
Romans 13:8-10 / Luke 14:25-33
Paul sums up the commandments; Love your neighbor as yourself.
31st Week: Nov 1-6:
Nov 1 Monday (All Saints Day): Mt 5:1-12: (Not a Holy Day of Obligation in the USA) The feast and its objectives: All baptized Christians who have died and are now with God in glory are considered saints.
Give praise to the Lord
who gives bread to the hungry
and raises up those who are bowed down.
It is he who protects the stranger
and upholds the widow and orphan.
May this loving God be with you always. R/ And also with you.
A. In the Hands of God
Jesus here among us offered himself for us.
He is living for ever
to intercede for all of us who come to him.
May his grace and peace be always with you.
R/ And also with you.
30th Week, Saturday, Oct 30
Roman 11:1-2, 11-12, 25-29 / Luke 14:1, 7-11
30th Week, Friday, Oct 29
Romans 9:1-5 / Luke 14:1-6
Paul talks about his own people; My heart pains for them.
Saints Simon and Jude, Apostles, Oct 28
Ephesians 2:19-22 / Luke 6:12-19
We are part of a holy building; Christ holds the building together.
30th Week, Wednesday, Oct 27
Romans 8:26-30 / Luke 13:22-30
Paul talks about the Spirit; The Spirit helps us in our weakness.
The feast and its objectives: All baptized Christians who have died and are now with God in glory are considered saints. All Saints Day is intended to honor the memory of countless unknown and uncanonized saints who have no feast days.
30th Week: Oct 25-30:
Oct 25 Monday:
The context: Today’s Gospel tells us how Jesus healed a woman in the synagogue who had been suffering for 18 years from what seems to have been curvature of the spine.
30th Week, Tuesday, Oct 26
Romans 8:18-25 / Luke 13:18-21
Paul talks about future glory; Nothing matches the glory that awaits us.
We are gathered in the name of Jesus,
of whom the Father said:
"You are my Son,
today I have become your father."
May the grace and peace of the Lord Jesus
be always with you.
R/ And also with you.
30th Week, Monday, Oct 25
Romans 8:12-17 / Luke 13:10-17
We are heirs with Christ; If we share his cross, we'll share his crown.
29th Week, Saturday, Oct 23
Romans 8:1-11 / Luke 13:1-9
Evil no longer enslaves you; Christ's spirit dwells in you.
29th Week: Oct 18-23:
18th Monday (St. Luke, Evangelist)
Resume: St. Luke was a Syrian by race, born in Antioch as a Gentile. He became a Christian and follower of St. Paul.
29th Week, Friday, Oct 22
Romans 7:18-25 / Luke 12:54-59
I desire to do good; But I lack the power to do it.
29th Week, Thursday, Oct 21
Romans 6:19-23 / Luke 12:49-53
Paul exhorts the Romans; Turn to Christ as you once turned to sin.
29th Week, Wednesday, Oct 20
Romans 6:12-18 / Luke 12:39-48
Salvation is not automatic; We need to cooperate with God's grace.
29th Week, Tuesday, Oct 19
Romans 5:12, 15, 17-21 / Luke 12:35-38
Paul talks about sin; Through one man sin entered the world.
Paul describes his situation; Luke alone is with me.
St. Luke,
Evangelist, Oct 18
2 Tim 4:10-17 / Luke 10:1-9
28th Week, Saturday, Oct 16
Romans 4:13, 16-18 / Luke 12:8:12
Abraham is our father; He saw hope where others didn't see it.
28th Week, Friday, Oct 15
Romans 4:1-8 / Luke 12:1-7
Paul talks about Abraham; Abraham's faith was his glory.
28th Week, Ordinary Time, Thursday, Oct 14
Romans 3:21-30 / Luke 11:47-54
Paul talks about salvation; Salvation is a gift from God.
28th Week, Wednesday, Oct 13
Romans 2:1-11 / Luke 11:42-46
Paul discusses Christian responsibility; We are accountable to God.
28th Week, Ordinary Time, Tuesday, Oct 12
Romans 1:16-25 / Luke 11:37-41
Paul talks about God; Creation witnesses to its creator.
The Word of God is alive and active;
it can judge our secret emotions and thoughts.
It is the Lord Jesus who speaks this word to us.
May he always be with you.
R/ And also with you.
28th Week, Monday, Oct 11: St. John XXIII
Romans 1:1-7 / Luke 11:29-32
Paul discusses his calling; God called me to preach to the Gentiles.
27th Week, Saturday, Oct 9
Joel 4:12-21 / Luke 11:27-28
God reassures the people; What you can’t see now, you will see later.
27th Week, Ordinary Time, Friday, Oct 8
Joel 1:13-15; 2:1-2 / Luke 11:15-26
Joel warns the people; The day of the Lord is coming.
27th Week, Ordinary Time, Wednesday, Oct 6
Jonah 4:1-11 / Luke 11:1-4
Jonah loses his perspective; He couldn’t see beyond his own world.
27th Week, Ordinary Time, Tuesday, Oct 5
Jonah 3:1-10 /
Luke 10:38-42
God calls Jonah again: This time Jonah
obeyed.
A Peanuts cartoon shows
Charlie Brown in a dejected state. He is depressed because he failed to come to
the rescue of his sister when the playground bully was taunting her. Linus
tries to cheer Charlie up, saying, “You know what you would do, if you had it happen
all over again.” Charlie says, “Yeah, I’d probably do the same thing.” Many of
us feel the same way about certain things. We think change is impossible.
Today’s reading, however, suggests otherwise. God is a persistent
lover. His mercy is infinitely more generous and his grace is infinitely more
powerful than our sinfulness.
*****
How convinced are we that we can change if we just keep trusting and
trying? “Big shots are only little shots who keep shooting.” Christopher Morley
***
In
Jonah’s experience, God’s word is very powerful if we bring it to people in the
name of God and if they are open to it.
***
It's one thing
to know that we have a bad habit, or an addiction, but yet it is another thing
to kick it out or to change our habits. One simple example is watching TV. We
can get into the habit of just sitting in front of the TV and let time fly, and
slowly it becomes an addiction. And short of throwing away the TV, we might
find it real difficult to kick this bad habit or the addiction of wasting time
and watching rubbish. So, what is the key to change, to conversion, to
repentance? Relying simply on will-power might be out of the question, because
we know how often will-power has failed us when it comes to an addiction. yet the key is also in the will-power. The
will-power must be empowered by the truth; only then can the will-power respond
to the call for conversion and repentance. The people of Nineveh repented
because they heard the truth from Jonah, and they responded.
That is also
what Jesus is highlighting in today's gospel. The one thing needed and which is
necessary is to listen - to listen to the truth and to be open to it. Listening
to the truth and being open to it is what is needed if we are to respond to
God's call to conversion and repentance. May our hearts be opened to that
truth.
***
A
hospitable family or person makes guests feel at home and gives them the best
available. But if we are truly hospitable, we are also listening to the guest
and to receive from him or her perhaps more than we give and in a deeper way.
We receive the guest as a person. God presents himself in the Bible as a traveller
on a journey. He asks for hospitality as a stranger or a poor person. Christ
also says that in the homeless we welcome him.
***
Jesus is on the way to
Jerusalem and his passion, when he dropped in at Mary and Martha's. He needed
some rest and comfort. Mary understood this better. He also understood that
there was a clash of temperaments. Mary may have been better but Martha was
good. Better is not the opposite of good. Some take this story to mean that
there are two ways of those who give their life for Christ. The contemplative
and the active. They read too much into the story. Jesus was not just a
contemplative. Hours of prayer and meditation are the best preparation for our
activity. To cut these hours for work is apt to make work empty, meaningless,
outward activity. The teacher or the preacher who comes from the presence of
God to the presence of men gives knowledge and light. For him, contemplation was
the source of all activity. His preaching and teaching, even his whole life had
its origin there. He was a contemplative in action.
***
Prayer:
Our loving God and Father, you
have invited us to stay with you, to listen to the message of Jesus your Son and
to accept from him your peace and love. May we welcome him wholeheartedly and
learn from him to welcome him too in people who appeal to us for forgiveness
and a bit of warmth, for patience and hope and joy. Let them not pass your
servants by. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen
27th Week: Oct 4-9:
Oct 4 Monday (St. Francis of Assisi)
(Mt 11:25-30): St. Francis of Assisi is the best known and the most loved thirteenth century Italian saint.
Respect Life Sunday (OCT 3, 2021)
Facts on attacks on human life: a) Abortion: The number of unborn children slaughtered in the wombs of their mothers in the last 25 years is 1200 million in the world and 37 million in the USA. (4400 per day in the US).
Sept 27 Monday (St. Vincent de Paul, Priest)
The context: Today’s Gospel describes Jesus’ criterion for greatness with advice to be accepting of others who do good in ways different from ours.
Guardian Angels, Oct 2
Exodus 23:20-23 / Matthew 18:1-5, 10
According to Christian tradition, every one of us has a guardian angel who accompanies us from the moment we’re born until the moment of our death, and stays at our side at every moment of our life. The idea of a spirit, of a supernatural entity that follows and supervises every human being, was already present in other religions and in Greek philosophy.
Isaiah
66:10-14/ Matthew 18:1-5
God makes a promise to Israel; "You will rejoice.”
26th Week, Thursday, Sept 30
Nehemiah 8:1-12 / Luke 10:1-12
Ezra reads God's law to the people; The people answered, "Amen!"
Archangels Michael, Gabriel, Raphael, Archangels, Sept 29
Daniel 7:9-10, 13-14 or Apocalypse 12:7-12a / John 1:47-51
Daniel has a vision; Myriads attended the Ancient One.
There is a variety of gifts,
but they come from the same Spirit,
all sorts of service, but to the same Lord,
many forms of work, but all of them, in all people,
the work of the same God.
In each one the Spirit manifests himself
for the good of all.
May the Lord Jesus give you this Spirit
and always be with you. R/ And also with you.
Zechariah 8:20-23 / Luke 9:51-56
26th Week, Monday, Sept 27
Zechariah 8:1-8 / Luke 9:46-50
God makes a promise; “I will rescue my people.”
25th Week, Saturday, Sept 25
Zechariah 2:5-9, 14-15 / Luke 9:43-45
God speaks through Zechariah; I am coming to dwell among you.
25th Week, Friday, Sept 24
Haggai 1:15 - 2:9 / Luke 9:18-22
25th Week, Thursday, Sept 23
Haggai 1:1-8 / Luke 9:7-9
25th Week, Wednesday, Sept 22
Ezra 9:5-9 / Luke 9:1-6
Ezra prays to God; We sinned, but you forgave us.
