Episodes
Friday Feb 24, 2017
February 26 - Eighth Sunday in Ordinary Time : Do Not be anxious
Friday Feb 24, 2017
Friday Feb 24, 2017
First Reading Isaiah 49:14–15
Can a mother forget her infant? Even should she forget, I will never forget you
Responsorial Psalm Psalm 62:2–3,6–9
Only in God be at rest, my soul.
Second Reading 1 Corinthians 4:1–5
The Lord will bring to light what is hidden in darkness and manifest the intentions of the heart.
Gospel Reading Matthew 6:24–34
We are by nature prone to be anxious and troubled about many things. In Sunday’s Gospel, Jesus confronts us with our most common fears. We are anxious mostly about how we will meet our material needs—for food and drink; for clothing; for security for tomorrow. Yet in seeking security and comfort, we may unwittingly be handing ourselves over to servitude to “mammon,” Jesus warns. “Mammon” is an Aramaic word that refers to money or possessions. Jesus is not condemning wealth. Nor is he saying that we shouldn't work to earn our daily bread or to make provisions for our future. It is a question of priorities and goals. What are we living for? Where is God in our lives? Jesus insists that we need only to have faith in God and to trust in his Providence.
Wednesday Feb 15, 2017
February 19 - Seventh Sunday in Ordinary Time : Love your enemies
Wednesday Feb 15, 2017
Wednesday Feb 15, 2017
First Reading : Leviticus 19:1-2, 9-18
Psalm : Psalm 119:33-40
Second Reading : 1 Corinthians 3:10-11, 16-23
Gospel : Matthew 5:38-48
Jesus tells his disciples: “Do not take revenge on someone who wrongs you”. And this is the liturgical theme for today: “love your enemies”. Humanly speaking this is not an easy thing to do but Jesus wants us to aim higher than the tax collectors. We are to imitate God’s perfection. When people hate their enemies and resent them, they end up hurting themselves far more than they hurt their enemies. The person we hate has the power to rob us of our peace of mind and capacity to love. Our hatred is not hurting them at all. It only turns our own days and nights into a hellish turmoil. There is a Chinese Proverb which goes like this: "He who seeks vengeance must dig two graves: one for his enemy and one for himself". It’s the same lesson we find in the Letter to the Romans: “Do not let evil defeat you; instead, conquer evil with good” (Rom 12:21).
Wednesday Feb 08, 2017
February 12 - Sixth Sunday in Ordinary Time : Check your desires
Wednesday Feb 08, 2017
Wednesday Feb 08, 2017
First Reading Sirach 15:15–20
The eyes of God see all he has made.
Responsorial Psalm Psalm 119:1–2,4–5, 17–18,33–34
Happy are those who walk in the way of the Lord.
Second Reading 1 Corinthians 2:6–10
God has revealed this wisdom to us through the Spirit.
Gospel Reading Matthew 5:17–37
Today's Gospel invites us to understand the deeper meaning of religion and the difference between observing the “letter of the law” and “the spirit of the law”. It was Jesus’ teaching that it was not enough not to commit a sinful act (like murder or adultery); the only thing sufficient was never even to wish to commit a sinful act. It means that thoughts are just as important as deeds, and that it is not enough not to commit a sin; the only thing that is enough is not to wish to commit it. By Jesus’ standards a man is not a good man until he never even desires to do a forbidden thing.