FOURTH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME, YEAR B

Deuteronomy 18:15-20
Psalm 94:1-2.6-9
1Corinthiand 7:32-35
Mark 1:21-28

THE MOUTHPIECE OF GOD

God never ceases to speak to his people. He always chooses intermediaries  through whom he makes his will and word known to his people. In the first reading, He promised that he would raise a prophet like onto Moses to his people. Such prophet would be his mouthpiece. As such, the people must listen to him, just as they would listen to God Himself (Deut. 18:15-20).

Hence, the psalmist says: “O that today you would listen to his voice, harden not your hearts”. For St Paul, we must give an undivided attention to God. We must devote ourselves to him alone and seek to please him in all things (1Cor. 7:32-35).

In the gospel reading, Jesus taught the people with authority unlike the scribes. His words made deep impression on his listeners, producing powerful effects of healing and deliverance of those possessed by the devil (Mark 1:21-28).

Jesus Christ remains the great prophet of all times. Nevertheless, he has given the authority to the Church to teach all nations. In this respect, two implications are worth noting. First, the Church must avoid the temptation of preaching herself or teaching something contrary to God’s Word. Second, we must listen to the Church, for she is the mouthspiece of the Lord.

Let’s ask ourselves: how do we pay attention to the teachings of our Pope, bishops and priests? How do we react to the interventions of our bishops in socio-political issues? Let’s remember what Jesus said: whoever listens to you listens to me, and whoever rejects you rejects me, and whoever rejects me rejects the one who sent me” (Luke 10:16).

May the Lord give us a listening ear and a docile heart so as to put his Word into practice.
Amen

3RD SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME, YEAR B

Jonah 3:1-5.10
Psalm. 24:4-9
1Corinthians  7:29-21
Mark 1:14-20

An Urgent Call To Conversion

The readings of today speak about conversion or repentance. In the first reading, the people of Nineveh repented at the proclamation of the prophet Jonah (Jonah 3:1-5.10). In the second reading, St Paul calls on the Corinthians to turn away from the things of this world, because the world as we know is passing away (1Cor. 7:29-21). The gospel reading also bears the imprint of the call to repentance. It is interesting to note that Jesus began his public ministry when John the Baptist was arrested and jailed. But the message of John and that of Jesus remained the same: repentance (Mark 1:14-20).

From the readings, two things are worth noting about conversion or repentance. First, the call to conversion is an urgent call. “Only forty days and Nineveh will be destroyed” (first reading). “Our time is growing short” says Paul. “The time has come and the Kingdom of God is at hand. Repent and believe in the gospel” proclaims Jesus. Thus, conversion is now. It is a daily affair. One cannot say: “I will repent tomorrow.”

Second, conversion implies a twofold movement: turning away from and turning to. When the people of Nineveh heard the proclamation of the prophet Jonah, they turned away from their evil ways and turned to God. When the disciples heard Jesus’ call, they turned away from their nets and profession and turned to Jesus. They followed him.

Ask yourself what do you have to turn away from in order to turn to God? What do you do that is not compatible with the Gospel: attachment to worldly things and pleasures, double allegiance, gossip, unsincerity, etc.? Remember, the time is now. Repent and live! May God bless you!

SECOND SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME, YEAR B

1 Samuel 3:3-10.19
Psalm 39(40)
1 Corinthians 6: 13-15.17-20
John 1: 35-42

OUR CHRISTIAN CALL

Life is a vocation. The Christian life is also a vocation. It begins with the encounter with a person, Jesus Christ. In any vocation, it is God who calls and man responds. In today's first reading, it is God who calls Samuel by his name (1Sam. 3:3-10.19). In the gospel reading, it is Jesus who initiates the conversation by asking the two disciples of John: "What are you looking for?" Then, he told them : "Come and see" (John 1:35-42)

Christian life is therefore a call to be with the Lord. Being with him requires certain attitudes. Two of these are proposed to us in today's readings:

1. Listening
Like Samuel, we need to listen to God who speaks to us. Eli the priest taught the young boy to respond to the unknown voice: "Speak, Lord, your servant is listening". God continues to speak to us, but we find it difficult to respond to him, because our life is full of noise. Even in prayer, we like speaking to God without allowing him to speak to us.

Mother Teresa of Calcutta once said: "God is the friend of silence. He cannot be found in noise and restlessness." Do you want to find God, do you want Him to speak to you? Learn the art of silence.

2. Bringing others to Jesus
The encounter with Jesus is a wonderul experience one cannot keep for himself alone. It must be shared. That was what Andrew did. When he met Jesus the Messiah, he told his brother Simon and brought him to Jesus.

We too must bring others to Jesus. Witnessing is that which authenticates our faith. Ironically, the more Christian chruches multiply, the more immorality abounds in our world today. Hence, St Paul advices us to avoid immorality. God has called us to dedicate our bodies to him (1Cor. 6:13-15.17-20). May he bless and keep all of us.

Amen.

SOLEMNITY OF EPIPHANY

Isaiah 60:1-6
Psalm 71
Ephesians 3:2-3.5-6
Matthew 2:1-12

THE MANIFESTATION OF GOD

We celebrate today the Epiphany of our Lord Jesus Christ. The word “epiphany” means manifestation, revelation or showing forth. Through a star, God revealed the birth of his Son to the magi in the east. God became man for the salvation of all. Therefore, he manifests himself to all.

There is no stranger in God’s plan of salvation. He leaves no one out. To the shepherds, he revealed himself in a manger. To the pagans of St Paul’s time, he revealed his love through the proclamation of the Gospel (Eph. 3:2-3.5-6). To us too, He manifests himself in various ways, especially in the events of our life and in the celebration of the Eucharist. God adapts himself to the concrete  conditions of each one of us.

When the wise men saw the star, they left their country and followed it until they found the infant Jesus. When King Herod received the news through the magi, he was perturbed and wanted to kill the new born king so as to secure his reign (Matt. 2:1-12). No matter what our intentions are, God will reveal himself to us anyway.

What makes the difference is our response to him. Our response must be to accept Jesus as our Star, the Light that enlightens our life. When we accept him, we become little candles that radiate the light of Christ to the world. We must therefore rise and shine, as the first reading commands us (Is. 60,1-6). Rising and shining are characteristic of the sun, which gives light, life and warmth to all. We are therefore called to shine in the world, covered by the darkness of sin, wickedness, selfishness, injustice, corruption, violence, hatred, unforgiveness, etc.
May we be "epiphany" wherever we find ourselves.

Amen.