16th Sunday in ordinary time, Wisdom 12:13,16-19, Romans 8:26-26, Mathew 13:24-43

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, The Gospel of the day presents three beautiful parables that reveal the mystery of the Kingdom of God: the parable of the wheat and the weeds, the mustard seed, and the yeast.

Jesus says: "The kingdom of heaven may be compared to a man who sowed good seed in his field."

God never plants evil. Everything He created was good.

Genesis tells us: "God saw everything that He had made, and behold, it was very good."

God continues sowing good seeds every day. These good seeds include: love, faith, forgiveness, generosity, compassion, humility, honesty, purity, hope, kindness

Every good inspiration in our hearts is a seed from God.

Jesus continues: "While everyone was asleep, his enemy came and sowed weeds among the wheat." Jesus clearly identifies the enemy. It is Satan.

From the very beginning, Satan has been planting weeds.

In the Garden of Eden, God said, “Do not eat from this tree." Satan sowed doubt. "Did God really say that?" He injected confusion. He injected pride. He injected disobedience. Ever since then, Satan has continued sowing weeds.

Today, those weeds appear as: jealousy, hatred, lust, greed, anger, addiction, revenge, gossip, pride, selfishness, discouragement, hopelessness

Notice something important. The devil rarely begins with actions. He begins with thoughts. A negative thought enters. Then imagination. Then desire. Then habit. Then sin.

That is why St. Paul says, "Take every thought captive." Our greatest battlefield is not outside. It is inside our minds.

We Must Discern the Seeds We Entertain

Every day, many thoughts enter our hearts. Some are from God. Some are from our own emotions. Some are temptations from the evil one.

Therefore, every Christian must ask: Where did this thought come from? Does it lead me toward Christ? Or away from Him?

For example, a thought says: "I should forgive." That is God's seed.

Another thought says: "Take revenge." That is a weed.

One thought says: "Pray." Another says, "You are too busy."

One says, "Help the poor." Another says, "Keep everything for yourself."

The Christian life is choosing which seed to water.

Why Doesn't God Remove Evil Immediately?

And we see, the servants ask: "Do you want us to go and gather the weeds?"

The master replies: "No."

This surprises us. Wouldn't it be better to remove evil immediately? Jesus says no. Why?

Because immature servants cannot always distinguish wheat from weeds.

In pulling weeds, they might uproot wheat.

There is another lesson hidden in this parable.

The servants were eager to pull out the weeds. Sometimes we are like those servants.

We are quick to judge others. We decide who is holy and who is sinful.

We label people. We condemn them.

But Jesus reminds us that only God sees the whole story.

The person we criticize today may become tomorrow's saint.

God alone knows every heart. Only He knows who can still repent. Many saints were once sinners. St. Augustine lived a sinful life. St. Paul persecuted Christians. Mary Magdalene had a broken past. Had God judged immediately, they would never have become saints.

And you know, many misunderstand God's silence.

They think: "I don't pray." "I drink excessively." "I cheat." "I gossip." "I never attend church." "Nothing bad has happened." "So God must not care." This is dangerous thinking.

God's patience is not permission. It is mercy. The harvest has not yet arrived.

Ecclesiastes reminds us: There is a time for everything. Jesus says: The harvest is the end of the age. God waits. But he does not forget. Every action will be judged. Nothing escapes His eyes.

The Final Separation

Jesus explains the parable Himself.

The harvest represents the final judgment. The angels will separate the wheat from the weeds.

This is not because God enjoys punishment. Rather, every person finally becomes what they have freely chosen. The separation is based on the life we live today. Every day, we are becoming either wheat or weeds.

The Mustard Seed- Jesus tells another parable. The Kingdom begins like a mustard seed. It is the smallest seed. Yet it becomes a large tree.

God often begins with small things. A five-minute prayer. A smile. A simple apology. One Rosary. One visit to the sick. One act of forgiveness. One honest confession. These appear small. But God grows them into something much greater. Never underestimate small acts done with love.

The Yeast-Jesus says: The Kingdom is also like yeast hidden in flour. Yeast is almost invisible. Yet it transforms the whole dough. Faith works similarly.

The Holy Spirit quietly transforms hearts. Christian influence is often hidden.

The battle is real. It’s the realistic picture of today’s world, both good and evil exist, and it’s up to us what to listen to and be watchful in every area of life because evil is at work…

15th Sunday in ordinary time, Isaiah 55:10-11, Romans 8:18-23, Mathew 13:1-23

"Words are powerful. They can build a person up or break a person down." A word of encouragement can change someone's life. A word of hatred can leave a wound for years.

If human words have such power, how much more powerful is the Word of God!

Today's readings invite us to rediscover the beauty, power, and transforming force of God's Word.

In the first reading, the prophet Isaiah gives us a beautiful image: "As the rain and the snow come down from heaven and do not return there until they have watered the earth... so shall my word be that goes out from my mouth; it shall not return to me empty."

Rain does not ask whether the earth deserves it. It simply falls. It softens hard ground, nourishes dry fields, awakens sleeping seeds, and brings life where there was barrenness.

In the same way, God's Word is heavenly rain. God never speaks meaningless words. His Word always has a purpose. It always carries life.

But if rain falls on concrete, it cannot penetrate. The problem is not the rain; it is the surface. This is exactly what Jesus explains in today's Gospel.

Jesus tells us about a farmer who scatters seed everywhere.

Human logic would say, "Be careful! Don't waste seed on the path, among rocks, or among thorns."

But God's love is different. The Sower throws seed everywhere because God never gives up on anyone.

He speaks to saints and sinners. He calls the faithful and the indifferent. He offers His grace to everyone.

Every Sunday, the same Gospel is proclaimed. Yet people leave the church differently. Some are deeply touched. Some forget the message before reaching home. Some are inspired for a few days. Others allow the Word to change their lives completely.

The difference is not the seed. The difference is the soil; the condition of your heart…it must be prepared so that word can sprout

We hear a lot of noises, but how many of us really hear the word that God is speaking to you?

Imagine a doctor giving life-saving medicine to four patients. All four hear the doctor's instructions. One ignores them, another starts but soon stops, a third lets other priorities get in the way, and only the fourth faithfully follows the prescription and recovers.

The doctor's advice was the same for everyone. The difference was not in the medicine but in the response.

So, it is with God's Word. Jesus' invitation, "He who has ears, let him hear," is a call to become more than listeners. It is a call to become doers of the Word, so that His message may take root in our hearts and bear abundant fruit.

We might ask: if God’s Word is so powerful, why do so many hearts remain untouched? Jesus’ parable answers: because the Word is personal and requires a human response.

Let’s ask, how many of us read the word of God daily, how many of us try to understand what Jesus says to us?

3. The Four Conditions of the Human Heart- Jesus is really describing four kinds of hearts.

The Path – A Closed Heart

Some people hear God's Word but never really listen.

Their minds are occupied with work, money, phones, worries, or entertainment.

The Word never enters because the heart has become hard.

Many people today hear the Gospel every Sunday but never allow it to challenge their way of living.

The Rocky Ground – A Shallow Heart

Others receive God's Word with enthusiasm.

They enjoy retreats. They love emotional moments. They make beautiful promises.

But when suffering comes...when people criticize them...when following Christ demands sacrifice...their faith disappears. Roots take time.

A tree survives storms because its roots go deep.

The Thorny Ground – A Distracted Heart

Jesus says that worries, riches, and worldly pleasures choke the Word.

Notice that the seed actually grows. The problem is that something else grows faster.

This is perhaps the greatest danger today. Not persecution. Not atheism. But distraction.

We live in an age filled with endless notifications, social media, constant entertainment, consumerism, and anxiety. These are the modern thorns that slowly crowd out time for God.

Without realizing it, we can spend hours scrolling on our phones but only a few minutes listening to God.

The Word is not absent. It is simply crowded out.

The Good Soil – An Open Heart

Finally comes the good soil. This person listens. Reflects. Prays. Lives the Word.

The seed grows silently. Nobody sees the roots. But eventually everyone sees the fruit.

Jesus says some produce thirty, sixty, even a hundredfold. God never measures success by talent.

He measures faithfulness.

4. Mary: The Perfect Soil

Among all human beings, the Blessed Virgin Mary is the greatest example of good soil. When God's Word came to her through the angel, she did not merely hear it.

She welcomed it with faith: "Let it be done to me according to your word."

Because she received God's Word with an open heart, the Word became flesh within her.

This is also our vocation. Each time we hear the Gospel, Christ desires to take flesh in our thoughts, our words, our decisions, and our actions.

Conclusion

Today's readings leave us with one important question.

God is still sending His Word like rain upon the earth.

Jesus is still scattering the seed generously.

The seed has not lost its power.

The Sower has not stopped sowing.

The only question is: What kind of soil am I? Is my heart hardened by pride? Shallow because I avoid commitment? Crowded with the thorns of worldly distractions? Or open, humble, and ready to bear fruit?

14th Sunday, Zechariah 9:9-10, Romans 8:9,11-13, Mathew 11: 25-30

For what thing have you made a strong demand?

Thomas said, "Unless I see... unless I touch... I will not believe,"…he was adamant…stubborn.

Like any other disciple, he also had followed the Lord.

He had left everything to follow Jesus. For three years, he walked beside Him. He saw the blind receive sight, the dead raised, and sinners forgiven. He believed that Jesus was the Messiah. He had the right to get a share of everything that the lord gives.

We often criticize Thomas…telling the doubting one

The other disciples are rejoicing because they have seen the risen Jesus. And Thomas was absent.

So, he said, "Unless I see... unless I touch... I will not believe."

And Jesus appears only for him after eight days, and that encounter changed everything.

Tradition tells us that he journeyed thousands of miles from the Middle East to the shores of India,

We have heard the song, ‘sat samundar par ke mei tere piche piche aagayi…it’s a love of story of human beings who promises that I'm ready to travel for you even as far as 7 oceans…

But we have a person in the gospel who travelled many oceans and reached the land of Kerala in ad 52, but he was not in search of the love that he lost but instead, he was travelling to give the warmth of the love that he has experienced from the risen Lord…

We celebrate the feast of The Apostle Who Crossed the Sea for Christ- Thomas

Thomas might have known that there is no turning back…and travelled through the unknown land…

He carried nothing but the Gospel, his faith, and an unwavering conviction that Christ had conquered death, he is alive…

How do we carry our faith? Or what do we carry with us?

Imagine a situation when you are not having a Bible, Rosary, Mobile, how do you carry the faith?

Thomas’ travel, shows that it is a sign that the Church’s faith was meant to be carried—handed on, planted, and lived—until communities arise that can themselves become witnesses.

He did not seek wealth or power. He sought hearts. He travelled through unfamiliar lands, learned to live among different peoples, respected their cultures, and proclaimed the Good News with courage and compassion. He preached that every person, regardless of status or background, was loved by God and invited into a new life through Jesus Christ.

Today, nearly two thousand years later, we proudly call ourselves Christians. We celebrate our churches, our traditions, our feasts, and our rich heritage. But St. Thomas asks each of us a challenging question: Has the mission ended? Or how do you carry out the mission?

The mission of Christ did not end with the apostles. It continues through every baptized believer. Mission is not only about travelling to distant countries. It begins where we are—in our homes, our schools, our workplaces, our neighbourhoods, and our communities.

Today, missionary work takes many forms. It is the parents who patiently teach their children to pray. It is the teacher who forms not only intelligent minds but also compassionate hearts. It is the young person who chooses honesty in a world tempted by corruption. It is the doctor or nurse who treats every patient with dignity. It is the priest and religious who dedicate their lives to proclaiming the Gospel. It is the lay faithful who become witnesses through acts of kindness, forgiveness, and service.

Missionary work is also present in the digital world. Social media, podcasts, videos, blogs, and online conversations have become modern mission fields. While falsehood, hatred, and division spread rapidly across digital platforms, followers of Christ are called to fill these spaces with truth, hope, encouragement, and love. A thoughtful message, a word of comfort, or a testimony of faith can touch hearts far beyond our own communities.

How many of you put the word of God in your WhatsApp status?

Some of our other teachers of other religion they put videos in fb about their guru…they all try to proclaim their faith but we feel ashamed of it…I don’t get any money or subscription and it takes time to create the image also…dear friends, what I am trying to say is…we have to share the faith that we have received. And we are called only for this.

The greatest challenge today is not that people have never heard the name of Jesus. The greater challenge is that many have heard His name but have not yet encountered His love through His followers. People are looking for authentic witnesses. They long to see Christians whose lives reflect the Gospel they proclaim.

Gandhi ji said, I love Christ not Christians…because they don’t live what their master asked to do.

So dear friends, we have to build Churches by Faith, not by bricks…

What does it mean to “establish churches” in a place where the faith is new?

Later on, a time, if the Govt says you can’t practice prayers here, even if the church building is demolished, the faith should exist to continue…

Yesterday the place where I went for burial, a man told me don’t come here again for prayers…dear friends, it’s not easy to plant faith in a land where lot of blind faith exists.

Today if church is grown up in different parts of India the world, it’s because of the contribution received from the faithful. Last Sunday I got one 500 note from the offering. When God gives us, we have to give to the Lord and for his works. Normally 10%is the normal but at least one percentage.

The Church in India stands today because one apostle responded to the call of Jesus. The future of the Church will depend on whether we answer that same call today.

We are not called to sit in the locked rooms…like other disciples. It was Thomas who strengthened them.

If you have doubts like Thomas, do not hide. The Gospel invites you to come to the Lord—especially when the wound of your heart needs light. 

So today, we do not celebrate Thomas because he doubted.

We celebrate him because he did not remain in his doubt.

…whenever our faith is shaken, when doubts arise in our hearts, let us look at the wounds of the risen Lord…so that we also may feel like Thomas and say -"My Lord and my God!"

13th Sunday in ordinary Time- 2 kings 4:8-11, 14-16, Romans 6:3-4, 8-11, Mathew 10:37-42

A young man stands before Jesus. Behind him are his parents, his home, his dreams, and the security of everything he has ever known. In front of him is Jesus—without wealth, without power, without any promise of an easy life. Jesus looks into his eyes and says, "Whoever loves father or mother more than me is not worthy of me... Whoever does not take up his cross and follow me is not worthy of me."

What a painful choice! Jesus knows that following Him may cost friendships, family approval, comfort, reputation, and even life itself. He never hides the cost of discipleship. He speaks with honesty because real love always requires sacrifice.

Yet Jesus also knows something we often forget: the greatest tragedy is not to lose comfort; it is to lose Him.

Every one of us has experienced moments when we had to choose between what is easy and what is right, between pleasing people and pleasing God. Those choices can break our hearts. But Jesus walks beside us carrying His own cross. He never asks us to carry a burden that He Himself has not carried first.

Then, almost unexpectedly, the tone of the Gospel changes. Jesus begins to speak about simple acts of love.

"Whoever welcomes you welcomes me."

"Whoever gives even a cup of cold water to one of these little ones... will certainly not lose their reward."

What a beautiful contrast! Jesus has just spoken about crosses, sacrifice, and losing one's life. Now He speaks about a cup of cold water. Why?

Because the Christian life is not made holy only by dramatic sacrifices. It is made holy by daily love.

A mother who stays awake beside her sick child. A son who forgives his aging father. A teacher who patiently encourages a struggling student. A neighbour who shares a meal with someone who is lonely. A stranger who offers a glass of water to someone thirsty.

To the world, these are ordinary gestures. To Jesus, they are acts of love offered to Him.

The emotional beauty of this passage is this: Jesus never overlooks love. He notices every hidden sacrifice, every silent tear, every unnoticed kindness, every cross carried without complaint. Even when the world forgets, Christ remembers.

Perhaps the deepest message of this Gospel is that following Jesus may cost us everything, but in Him we never lose anything that truly matters. We may lose comfort, but we gain peace. We may lose approval, but we gain His friendship. We may lose our lives in loving others, but we discover the life that never ends.

In the end, Jesus is saying:

"Love Me above everything, not because I want to take your loved ones away, but because I want to be the source of every love you have. Carry your cross with Me, and I will carry you. Welcome others in My name, and you welcome Me. Give even the smallest act of love, and I will treasure it forever."

That is the Gospel's invitation—not simply to believe in Christ, but to love Him so deeply that every sacrifice becomes meaningful and every act of kindness becomes an encounter with God.

In 2 Kings, the Shunammite woman recognizes something spiritual in the stranger. She says, “Look, I am sure that this man who regularly passes our way is a holy man of God,” and she urges her husband to feed and host him. But notice the detail: she doesn’t merely offer a meal—she goes further and says, “Let us make a small roof chamber with walls… a bed, a table, a chair, and a lamp.”  It is a complete, attentive welcome. A room with light. A place to rest. A household reoriented around someone who carries God’s word.

Then Elisha responds to her generosity with God’s promise: “At this season, in due time, you shall embrace a son.” 

“All of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death.” 

Therefore, Christians are not simply “improved”—they are united with Christ: buried with Him, raised so they can walk in newness of life. 

This matters for today’s Gospel, because Jesus is asking for a love that doesn’t just remain in sentiment. He is forming disciples who can handle the hard demands of love.

 “Whoever loves father or mother more than me is not worthy of me… and whoever does not take up the cross and follow me is not worthy of me.” 

Jesus isn’t teaching hatred for family. He is teaching that love must be ordered. —when human relationships, security, or comfort are placed above Christ—love becomes misdirected.

“Whoever welcomes you welcomes me” 

The Shunammite woman prepared a room: walls, bed, table, chair, lamp. 

Think of what those items mean spiritually.

Now compare that with the Gospel’s “cup of cold water.” A cup is small. Yet it is not meaningless. Jesus says even that has eternal weight if it is given “in the name of a disciple.” 3

So, the readings together teach: God doesn’t only reward grand religious acts. He also responds to the ordinary acts where love chooses another person over self.

…the newness of life that baptism begins is meant to show up in ordinary choices—how you treat guests, how you serve the overlooked, how you refuse to be ruled by selfish desire. 

Make room—especially when it costs you convenience

Today, “making room” can mean:

• welcoming someone who is new and anxious,
• refusing to speak with contempt about the vulnerable,
• sharing what you can without keeping score,
• giving time, attention, or practical help when it interrupts comfort.

Jesus’ words are direct: even a small act given sincerely is not lost. 

Put Christ first—so love becomes ordered, not divided

When Christ is first, parents don’t become idols; children don’t become idols; even your own preferences don’t become an idol.

Baptism is where that reordering begins: you are baptized into Christ’s death and therefore begin to live a new kind of life.  Cross-bearing: the refusal to let self dominate

Jesus says, “take up the cross and follow me.” In Christian terms, this means that when following Christ conflicts with comfort, pride, or control, the disciple chooses Christ.

The Shunammite woman made a room for God’s messenger, and God promised her life in a new way. Paul teaches that baptism places believers into Christ’s death and resurrection, so we truly can walk in newness of life. And Jesus teaches that the path of discipleship is cross-bearing love: welcoming others because we welcome Him, and giving even the smallest good so that none of it is wasted.

Today's readings are beautifully connected by one central message: when we make room for God in our lives, He fills our lives with new life, abundant grace, and eternal hope.

The first reading introduces us to the generous woman of Shunem. She noticed that Elisha was a man of God. She did not merely admire him from a distance; she acted. She persuaded her husband to prepare a small room for him—a bed, a table, a chair, and a lamp. It was a simple room, but it was prepared with love and faith. She expected nothing in return.

Yet God is never outdone in generosity. Through Elisha, the Lord rewarded her hospitality with the promise of a son, something she had long desired but had almost given up hoping for.

This story teaches us an important truth: whenever we make space for God, God creates new possibilities in our lives. Sometimes we prepare a room in our home; more importantly, we prepare a room in our hearts. A heart filled with prayer, kindness, forgiveness, and faith becomes a dwelling place for God.

Today we can ask ourselves:

• Is there room for Christ in my daily life, or has my heart become too crowded with worries, ambitions, and distractions?
• Am I willing to put Christ first, even when discipleship requires sacrifice?
• Do I believe that even my smallest acts of kindness have eternal value?

Mother Teresa once said, "Not all of us can do great things, but we can do small things with great love." That is exactly what today's Gospel teaches. A room prepared for God's servant. A cup of cold water. Small actions become great when offered with love.

12th Sunday ordinary time, Mt 10:26-33, Jeremiah 20:10-13, Romans 5:12-15

Matthew 10 is known as the Missionary Discourse. Jesus has just chosen and commissioned the Twelve Apostles and is sending them out to preach the Kingdom of God, heal the sick, and call people to repentance. Before sending them, Jesus prepares them for a difficult reality. He tells them that they will not always be welcomed. They will face rejection, persecution, false accusations, and even betrayal by family members (Mt 10:16-25).

It is in this context that Jesus says: "So have no fear of them..." (Mt 10:26) of whom?

1. "Have no fear of them" (v26-) the same people who opposed Jesus, who were unwilling to accept the gospel.

Jesus says: "Nothing is covered up that will not be uncovered."

The enemies of the Gospel may seem powerful for a time, but the truth of God's Kingdom will eventually be revealed. The disciples received Jesus' teachings privately, but now they must proclaim them publicly.

Christians must not hide their faith. The Gospel is meant to be shared openly and boldly.

Jesus was not always treated peacefully, though he did everything for the people. Knowing the challenges ahead of the mission, Jesus today instructs his disciples, saying, ‘Do not be afraid…

What are the things we normallwe normally fear? Fear of rejection, fear of failure, fear of suffering, fear of losing loved ones, fear of the future, and sometimes even fear of standing up for what is right.

We live in a world where anxiety and uncertainty surround us. Every day we hear news of violence, injustice, sickness, broken relationships, and economic struggles. Many people carry silent battles within their hearts. Some smile on the outside while suffering deeply within.

Into this reality, Jesus speaks a powerful message: “Do not be afraid.”

In the first reading, we meet the prophet, Jeremiah. He was not living a comfortable life. Because he spoke God's truth, people mocked him, rejected him, and even plotted against him.

Jeremiah says: "I hear the whisperings of many: ‘Terror on every side!’"

Imagine the loneliness he felt. The very people who should have supported him were waiting for him to fail. Yet Jeremiah does not surrender to despair. In the middle of his suffering, he makes a remarkable profession of faith: "But the Lord is with me, like a mighty champion."

What a beautiful image! God is not distant. He is not merely watching from heaven. He stands beside His faithful servant as a mighty warrior and protector.

Many of us have experienced moments like Jeremiah. Perhaps family members misunderstood us. Perhaps we were criticized for doing what was right. Perhaps we felt abandoned by friends or colleagues. In such moments, God reminds us: You are never alone.

Jesus continues this message of encouragement.

2. "Do not fear those who kill the body" (v. 28)

Jesus distinguishes between physical life and eternal life. In the baptism, we have died with Christ…

People can harm the body, imprison, ridicule, or even kill believers. But they cannot destroy the soul.

Fear of God should be greater than fear of human beings. Eternal values are more important than temporary suffering.

3. The Sparrows and the Hairs of Your Head (vv. 29-31). Jesus uses two beautiful images.

"Not one sparrow falls to the ground without your Father's knowledge."

In the time of Jesus, sparrows were considered almost worthless birds/ cheapest birds sold in the market. Yet God notices every one of them.

- If God cares for tiny sparrows, how much more does He care for His children? Each disciple matters…

"Even the hairs of your head are all counted."

This means that God knows us completely. He knows our tears, our struggles, our disappointments, and our hidden wounds.

God knows each person so intimately that even the hairs on their head are counted.

This passage reveals God's loving providence. Nothing in our lives escapes His attention.

4. Acknowledging Christ Before Others (vv. 32-33)

Jesus concludes today's Gospel with a challenge: "Everyone who acknowledges me before others, I also will acknowledge before my Father in heaven."

Christian discipleship requires courage. Today, many people are afraid to speak about their faith.

The early Christians faced persecution. The martyrs faced death. The saints endured suffering.

What gave them strength? Not their own power. They knew that Christ was with them.

The same Lord who strengthened Jeremiah, the same Lord who encouraged the apostles, the same Lord who conquered sin and death, is with us today.

To acknowledge Christ means to remain faithful to Him in words and actions, even when it is difficult.

How Do We Acknowledge Christ Today?

Through Our Words-Speaking about our faith. Sharing the Gospel. Defending Christian values

Through Our Actions-Saint Francis of Assisi is often quoted as saying: "Preach the Gospel at all times; when necessary, use words." People should recognize Christ through: Our honesty, Kindness, and forgivenesand forgiveness,

Through Our Decisions-Sometimes acknowledging Christ means: Refusing corruption. Choosing honesty over profit. Forgiving instead of seeking revenge, standing for truth when others remain silent.

During Jesus’ time, there were not many religions; most of them were Jewish, and many had no faith in anyone. In today’s context, we know people have many faith traditions. It’s not that easy to communicate to a person what the real faith ithe real faith is and who the real God ithe real God is.

There is a proverb that says, “A dead goat does not fear a knife”. When you are dead to this world and alive for Christ, you no longer fear what the world may do to you.

We feel shame to wear a rosary; we feel shame to carry the Bible, wear habits-white dress on Sundays…

A child who is in LKG knows the Android phones, but he is not taught how to make the sign of the cross…

A child who knows the names of all the football players does not know the names of the Bible books…

This world will attract us with a lot of things that give us some happiness, and we all like to get them.

It’s here Jesus says, if anyone acknowledges me before men, I too will acknowledge him before my father…

To hand over the faith, the first Christians shed their blood; they were not worried about their job or studies. Have you ever tried to tell at least one person who doesn’t know about Jesus? Trust in the providence of God and try to proclaim Jesus through our words and deeds, and it’s our way of life.

Let’s believe that Mission belongs to God. And God is in total control of it. So, we need not worry

But we have to remember that we all are sent…and we have to do the work that is entrusted to us…

It's God who provides everything for his work…Even after providing the necessary resources for his work, if we don’t do…then we have to fear not anything else but God himself. The question is- are we acknowledging our identity as the disciples of the Lord? We should be people giving witness to the Lord… let's pray for this.

11th Sunday in ordinary time, Mathew 9:36-10:8, Exodus 19:2-6, Romans 5:6-11

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ,

Jesus looked at the crowds and was filled with compassion because they were "harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd." His heart was moved by their suffering, loneliness, and spiritual hunger. Then He called His disciples and sent them out to heal, serve, and proclaim the Kingdom of God.

The message for us is simple: God's mission begins with compassion. Before Jesus sent the disciples, He taught them to see people with His eyes and love them with His heart. As Christians, we are called not only to pray for the harvest but also to become labourers in God's harvest field.

Jesus reminds us: "Without cost you have received; without cost you are to give." We have freely received God's love, mercy, and blessings; therefore, we must freely share them with others through kindness, service, encouragement, and witness to our faith

In the first reading from Exodus, God reminds the Israelites of what He has done for them:

"I bore you on eagles' wings and brought you to myself."

What a tender image! God is not a distant ruler. He is a loving Father who carries His people. After rescuing Israel from slavery, He gives them a mission:

"You shall be my treasured possession... a kingdom of priests and a holy nation."

God did not choose Israel because they were powerful or perfect. He chose them because He loved them. Their identity and mission flowed from that love.

The same is true for us. Through Baptism, we have become God's treasured possession. Before we do anything for God, we belong to Him. Before the mission comes the relationship. Before service comes grace.

In the second reading from Romans, St. Paul the Apostle takes us even deeper into the mystery of God's love.

He says, “While we were still weak, Christ died for the ungodly."

This is the heart of the Gospel.

Human love often waits until a person becomes worthy. God's love does the opposite. Christ loved us when we were sinners. He came to us in our weakness, our failures, and our brokenness.

The Cross is the greatest proof that God does not love us because we are good; rather, His love makes us good.

Many people struggle with feelings of unworthiness. They think, "God cannot love me because of my mistakes." Today's reading says exactly the opposite. Christ died for us not when we were righteous, but while we were still sinners.

If God loved us at our worst, imagine how much He desires to walk with us today.

Having been chosen and saved, we now come to the Gospel from the Gospel of Matthew.

Jesus looks at the crowds and sees people who are

"Harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd."

Notice what moves Jesus first. Before He teaches, before He heals, before He sends the disciples, He is filled with compassion.

Compassion is more than pity. It means allowing another person's suffering to touch one's heart. Jesus sees beyond the crowd. He sees their wounds, fears, loneliness, and spiritual hunger.

The world today is filled with people like those crowds:

• Young people searching for meaning. Families carrying hidden struggles.
• Elderly people are suffering from loneliness. People are burdened by anxiety, fear, and disappointment. Many who have never experienced the love of Christ.

Jesus still looks upon them with compassion.

Then He says: "The harvest is plentiful, but the labourers are few."

The problem is not the harvest. The problem is the shortage of workers.

God's grace is already at work in people's hearts. Many are waiting for someone to listen, encourage, accompany, and witness to Christ. The Church's mission is urgent because the human heart continues to thirst for God.

Jesus then calls the Twelve and sends them out.

This is remarkable. The disciples themselves are ordinary people—fishermen, tax collectors, men with weaknesses and limitations. Yet Jesus entrusts them with His mission.

The lesson is clear: God does not wait for perfect people before sending them. He calls ordinary people and equips them with extraordinary grace.

The same Jesus who called the apostles calls each one of us today.

Some are called to preach. Some are called to teach. Some are called to serve the poor.

Some are called to strengthen families. Some are called to be witnesses in workplaces, schools, and communities.

Every Christian has a mission. And Jesus gives a beautiful instruction: "Without cost you have received; without cost you are to give."

Everything we have is a gift—our faith, our talents, our forgiveness, our salvation. Since we have freely received God's mercy, we must freely share it with others.

A smile, a word of encouragement, a visit to the sick, a prayer for someone in need, an act of forgiveness—these become ways of extending Christ's compassion to the world.

Dear friends, Today's readings invite us to remember three truths:

1. We are chosen by God — like Israel, we are His treasured possession.
2. We are saved by God's love — Christ died for us while we were still sinners.
3. We are sent on a mission — to bring Christ's compassion and healing to others.

May the Lord open our eyes to see people as He sees them, fill our hearts with His compassion, and make us joyful missionaries of His love.

A true disciple sees the needs of others with compassion and responds generously with the love of Christ. Amen.

Scripture: John 6:51-58

The Body and Blood of Christ…

The people did not understand and said to each other, "How can this man give us his flesh to eat?"

People approached Jesus for getting healing, pardon, comfort, and relief for the soul…but they could not understand when he said- I am the bread of life….many went back

People merely followed him to get the normal bread that we see feeding 5000

Taking the bread and wine in his hands, he said, Do this in remembrance of me….

Unless you eat the flesh of the Son of man and drink his blood, you have no life in you;

Jesus makes a claim only God can make: He is the true bread of heaven that can satisfy the deepest hunger we experience.

The manna in the wilderness sustained the Israelites on their journey to the Promised Land. It could not produce eternal life for the Israelites. We read in the gospel that they all died…

Do you hunger for the "bread of life"? We do labour for the daily bread. But do we try for the bread of life?

Like our body needs physical food, our soul also needs the spiritual food, i.e., the body and blood of Jesus Christ.

 It’s the Eucharist that unites us each day…

-Corpus Christi is the celebration of the abiding presence of a loving God as Emmanuel – God-with --us – which I told in the last week…word, became flesh. Wants to stay with us 

In the Holy Eucharist, we have the promise of Emmanuel God, “I am with you always, till the end of the age” (Mt 28: 20) being fulfilled.

 We believe in the “Real Presence” of Jesus in the Holy Eucharist because-

1) Jesus promised it after miraculously feeding the 5000.

 2) Jesus instituted the Holy Eucharist during his Last Supper. 

3) Jesus commanded his disciples to repeat it in his memory. 

4) “Nothing is impossible for God.”

 We explain the Real Presence of Jesus in the Holy Eucharist by “transubstantiation,” which means that the substance of the offered bread and wine is changed by Consecration to the substance of the risen Jesus’ glorified Body and Blood by the action of the Holy Spirit, and its accidents (like color, shape, taste etc.), remain the same. This is what Jesus also did at the last supper, taking the normal bread…

  For today’s world, it is irrational and stupid to think that bread and wine will change to become the body and blood of Jesus.

Bishop Fulton Sheen says, “The greatest love story of all time is contained in a tiny white Host”!

 St. Therese at her first communion, how happy she was…she prepared for it to receive the lord in the bread… she prepared and waited for many days to receive the Lord

 How happy you were when you received the first communion in white cloth. How is it now?

 There is no catholic church without the Eucharist.

 The children who came to the church asked me, we get big roti from the gurudwaras but why are you not giving us this small roti? Why are you becoming so miser?

How to receive the body and blood of Jesus…Paul says do it with preparation

We can see many people do not receive Holy Communion even after coming for mass…

Judas received Jesus at the last supper, but he went out and spat it out…if we receive Jesus without preparation, it will not give us grace…

St. Paul reminds us that your body is the temple of God, and it must be Holy.

Preparation is needed- before coming to Mass or after reaching church during adoration.

Read the readings of the day…

Keep an intention for every mass…

Show me one way by which I can become more like you…

Eucharist is divided into two

Liturgy of the Word-

Here, the lord is speaking to you individually

We are reminded of what God has done for us in history

1-Remembe1-Remember how the Lord has led you throughout the desert for 40 years

When the host is being prepared, try to place your desires, needs, prayers…

Why is a drop of water a drop of water poured with the wine? The fullness of God and human weakness

We are trying to offer ourselves completely to the Lord…

Liturgy of the Holy Communion

Even the angels in heaven would be jealous of it because, even after being with God, they don’t get the body and blood of the Lord as we do.

And so, let’s try to receive the lord in a state of sin…

The heart should be cleansed always, and that’s why we have confession…

We keep the lord in the tabernacle…after receiving the lord, he is in your body, which is a tabernacle…

Why do we keep the communion plate? Because the bread is blessed. It should not fall into the ground…

But how do we receive him each day?

When the mass is celebrated, how many of us attend it meaningfully?

Many use their mobiles in the church when the mass is going on, coming late very often,

Your child’s tuition is important for you, i.e., why you say he has not come to church…gone for tuition, or for work…many excuses…Let us love the Eucharistic Jesus who gives us life…

Holy Trinity-Feast, one God but three persons. Today’s readings will tell us how they are related and what their activities are. God the Father, God the son, God the Holy Spirit…unless through faith no one can grasp this mystery. If we know them today, it’s just because of the gift of faith…

Gospel Reading: John 3:16-18

 Last Sunday, we saw how the Holy Spirit came upon the disciples and how they were changed…

 As we know, the disciples were Jews. Jews believed in strict monotheism – One God.

They professed this belief in One God, daily in the synagogue

On Pentecost Day, they also encountered a deep Divine experience in the Holy Spirit.

The disciples – strict monotheists – began to understand the mystery of God in a new light…

God is One. There are three Persons: the Father is God, the Son is God, the Spirit is God

Today’s feast invites us to live in the awareness of the presence of the Triune God within us:

We believe God the Father came for the people of Israel, and Jesus came before 2000 years, and now it’s the Holy Spirit who leads the church, and how can these three be together?

Are they one? Are they present today? Or is it only the Holy Spirit present?

The mystery of the Holy Trinity is a basic doctrine of Faith in Christianity, understandable not with our heads but with our hearts. In the human body, each nerve has its own functions in the same way the Trinity functions differently…but one

They were together before the beginning of creation- Gen 1:2- read…

If God were sitting in the heavens, it would not be easy for human beings to grasp this power. That is why we read in John 3:16-

“For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.

In the first reading, the People of Israel experience the love of the Father even when they sin against Yahweh…

In the second reading, Paul experiences God in Jesus Christ…

God so loved the world-why?  The gift of his only Son to the humans and his death on the cross reveal God’s infinite love for them and his desire to share his divine life of love with his people.

Jesus' mission is to reveal the glory of God to us - a Trinity of persons - God the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit - and to unite us with God in a community of love.

Jesus speaks about the Father who has sent him

Jesus speaks about the Holy Spirit whom he will send

References to the Trinity in the Old Testament are less. But the New Testament gives clear teachings on the Holy Trinity.

1)    At the Annunciation, God the Father sends His angel to Mary, God the Holy Spirit comes upon her, the Power of the Most High overshadows her, and God the Son becomes incarnate in her womb.

2) At the baptism of Jesus, when the Son receives baptism from John the Baptist, the Father’s Voice is heard, and the Holy Spirit appears as a Dove.

3)  At the Ascension, Jesus gives the missionary command to his disciples to baptize those who believe, in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.

4) In John, chapters 15--18, we have a detailed account of Jesus’ teaching of the role of each Person of the Holy Trinity: a) God the Father creates and provides for His creatures. b) God the Son redeems us and reconciles us with God. c) God the Holy Spirit sanctifies us, strengthens us, teaches us, and guides us to God.

When God met with Moses on Mount Sinai and made a covenant with the people of Israel, he revealed the nature of his character – I am who I am

Three are one… and have the unity…united in love. Our life should be united in love.

It’s the trinity that leads us…always with us

First commandment- one God….

 1) All prayers in the Church begin in the Name of the Holy Trinity and end glorifying the Trinity. 

2) All Sacraments are administered (we are baptized, confirmed, anointed, our sins are forgiven, our marriage blessed, and our Bishops, priests, and deacons ordained) in the name of the Holy Trinity.

3) Church bells ring thrice daily, reminding us to give glory to the Holy Trinity for the Incarnation of Jesus and His Redemption of all of us.

4) We bless ourselves, and the priest blesses us, in the Name of the Holy Trinity.

 Let us practice the Trinitarian relationship of love and unity in the family relationships of father, mother, and children

Acts 2:1-11; 1 Corinthians 12:3-7, 12-13; John 20:19-23

Pentecost is often called the birthday of the Church, because on this day frightened disciples became courageous witnesses of Christ.

Before Pentecost, the apostles were weak, afraid, confused, and hiding behind locked doors. But after receiving the Holy Spirit, they came out with courage, joy, wisdom, and power.

What changed them? It was not education. It was not human strength. It was the presence of the Holy Spirit.

In today’s Gospel, John tells us that the disciples were gathered in fear behind closed doors. Jesus entered and said, “Peace be with you.” Then He breathed on them and said, “Receive the Holy Spirit.”

This is very important. The Spirit enters where there is fear. The Spirit enters where doors are closed. The Spirit enters hearts that are wounded, tired, and discouraged.

Many people today live like those disciples: locked in fear about the future, locked in anxiety, locked in anger, locked in addictions, locked in broken relationships, locked in hopelessness.

Pentecost reminds us that no locked door is stronger than the Holy Spirit.

On that day, Peter preached boldly, thousands were baptized, and the mission of the Church began publicly. And today, the Church exists because the Holy Spirit gives it life.

The resurrection of Jesus was not the end of God’s plan. Jesus rose from the dead, ascended into heaven, and then sent the Holy Spirit.

The Holy Spirit continues to guide the Church through the sacraments, prayer, Scripture, and the life of the Church.

That is why Pentecost is not only about the past. It is about what God continues to do today.

Pentecost Reminds Us That We Need the Holy Spirit Every Day.

The Church celebrates Pentecost solemnly because human beings cannot save themselves by their own strength.

We need the Holy Spirit: to pray, to forgive, to resist temptation, to understand God’s will, and to live holy lives.

A Christian without the Holy Spirit becomes spiritually weak, like a lamp without oil.

The same Spirit who changed the apostles can change us today: fear into courage, anger into peace,

• selfishness into love, despair into hope.

That is why the Catholic Church celebrates Pentecost not as a small feast, but as a great Solemnity filled with joy, prayer, and hope.

The miracle of Pentecost was not only that the apostles spoke many languages, but people from different nations understood the same message of God’s love.

The Holy Spirit creates unity. Today, our world is divided: families are divided, communities are divided, nations are divided, and even hearts are divided.

Without the Holy Spirit, people speak but do not understand one another. With the Holy Spirit, hearts begin to listen, forgive, and love.

In the second reading from First Epistle to the Corinthians, Paul speaks about different gifts to different people

Some are gifted to teach. Some to serve. Some to sing. Some to comfort the suffering. Some to pray deeply. Some to guide others.

Not everyone has the same gift, but everyone has received something from the Holy Spirit.

Very often, people say, “I am ordinary.” “I have no talent.” “I cannot do great things for God.”

But Pentecost tells us that the Spirit works through ordinary people. The apostles were simple fishermen, yet they changed the world because they allowed the Holy Spirit to work through them.

It was not the same fire that each one received. Instead, each one had their own anointing… don’t follow or imitate the anointing of the other…

There is a difference between anointing and following…

The problem is not that God refuses to give His Spirit. The problem is that many hearts are closed.

A lamp cannot give light if it is disconnected from electricity. In the same way, a Christian without the Holy Spirit becomes spiritually weak.

Dear brothers and sisters, before Jesus ascended into heaven, He made a beautiful promise to His disciples. He said, “I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Helper to be with you forever.”

Why did Jesus say they needed a Helper?

Because Jesus knew that human strength alone is not enough to live a true Christian life.

The disciples had walked with Jesus for three years. They saw miracles. They heard His teachings. They even witnessed His resurrection. Yet after all this, they were still afraid and confused. After the death of Jesus, they locked themselves inside a room out of fear.

Jesus understood something very deeply: Without the Holy Spirit, people easily become weak, fearful, selfish, discouraged, and spiritually lost.

That is why He promised the Helper — the Holy Spirit.

The word “Helper” means: one who strengthens us, guides us, comforts us, teaches us, defends us, and walks with us.

Changes in the Life of a Person Guided by the Holy Spirit

1. Fear Changes into Courage- Before Pentecost, the disciples hid behind closed doors. After Pentecost, they openly preached Christ.

2. Confusion Changes into Wisdom- Without God’s Spirit, people often make decisions based only on emotions, anger, pride, or worldly desires. The Holy Spirit gives wisdom: to choose good over evil, to recognize truth, to avoid sin,

3. Selfishness Changes into Love- Human nature often thinks only about “me” — my comfort, my success, my desires. But the Holy Spirit teaches us: to care for others, to serve, to sacrifice, to love even difficult people.

A Spirit-filled person becomes more patient, kind, humble, and merciful.

4. Weakness Changes into Spiritual Strength- Many people want to pray but feel spiritually dry. Many want to avoid sin but fail repeatedly. The Holy Spirit strengthens the inner person.

When guided by the Spirit, prayer becomes alive, faith becomes stronger, and temptation becomes easier to resist,

5. Division Changes into Unity- At Pentecost, people from many nations understood one message. The Holy Spirit united them.

The Spirit heals: broken families, wounded friendships, divisions in communities, hatred between people. Where the Holy Spirit is present, peace begins to grow.

If we allow the Holy Spirit to lead us, our lives will slowly change:

The greatest miracle of Pentecost is not the wind or the fire. The greatest miracle is a transformed human heart. Amen.

Ascension of the Lord, Mt 28:16-20, Acts 1:1-11, Ephesians 1:17-23

There was an old man who ran a small ferry boat across a river. Every day, he would carry people back and forth. But he never stayed on the other side. One day, a traveller asked him, “Why don’t you settle there? That place is much better than this muddy shore. The man smiled and said, “I didn’t buy this boat to settle there but to help others cross the river”.

That is what Jesus did. He did not come here on earth to stay forever. He came to take us, to lead us back to the Father. And so, the Ascension is so important. It was not just a goodbye but he was reminding us that we are just pilgrims here on Earth.

Today, we see the eleven disciples go to Galilee, to the mountain where Jesus had told them to meet Him. It was the same place where they began their mission.

“When they saw Him, they worshipped; but some doubted.” Faith and doubt stand together in the same heart.

He called them together and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me.” Death did not silence Him. Darkness did not overcome Him. The One standing before the disciples is the Lord of heaven and earth.

You will be my witnesses not only in Jerusalem…but to the ends of the world.

Before his death, Jesus had asked them to stay in Jerusalem. And today he is telling them to go… Go out to the whole world and proclaim the gospel to all creation…

After the ascension of Jesus, we don’t see the physical presence of Jesus here on Earth.

Dear friends,

In order to strengthen the disciples, Jesus appears before them even after his death. The vision of the risen Jesus energised them and gave them hope. Jesus continued to appear before his disciples over a period of 40 days.

And today we see that before going to the Father, Jesus makes the disciples aware of what they are to do…

“Make disciples of all nations.” The Gospel is not for a few privileged people; it is for humanity.

Jesus wants all to know the truth and all souls should be saved…

Over the centuries, many thousands of missionaries have literally followed Jesus’ missionary instructions. Because of what they did, you and I became Catholic Christians today.

Ascension reminds us of so many things. One is, ascension reminds us of our own mission. This does not mean that we have to go to other nations and become missionaries. But rather, we can stay right where we are and try to influence people around us.

One question? Have you told to anyone about the person of Jesus?

So, its really praiseworthy the works of the missionaries. You find difficulty in conveying the message to one, then just imagine…how the church is grown through the centuries…

“You are witnesses of these things” (Lk 24:48) …of what?

Of eth… that Jesus has done and spoken…and we have to hand it over to the coming generations so that they may know the works of God.

And for this we come to church to worship him, to know more about him, to become his witness

Christian mission is not about increasing numbers. It is about bringing people into a relationship of love with God.

Pk movie seen explain…some students asked, we can’t see God, then how can we get connected with him? Since it’s a faith matter, I didn’t further explain.

Here Jesus himself has given us way to the Father…

“Teach them to obey everything I have commanded you.”

And what did Jesus command?

Love one another. Forgive seventy times seven. Feed the hungry. Welcome the stranger. Carry the cross. Serve the poor. Be merciful. Trust the Father.

The mission of the Church is not simply preaching with words; it is revealing Christ through the way we live.

He promises His presence. … and behold, I am with you always, until the end of the age.”

The Great Commission is therefore not just a mission; it is a relationship.

And Jesus promised that he would be with them always to the end of time.

Remember, he will be with those who carry his commandment. Which one?

If you do what he said last…final commission…teach, baptise…

How can we be effective witnesses for Christ? Jesus told his disciples, "You shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you - and you shall be my witnesses... to the end of the earth" (Acts 1:8).

So, stay in Jerusalem until the Holy Spirit comes…next week is the Pentecost. Let’s pray and prepare for the Holy Spirit…

 Sixth Sunday of Easter- John 14:15-21

Jesus says, " If you love me, you will obey my commandments’. What is his commandment? It’s to love one another as he loved us. Then why is he saying, ‘commandments? Which ones? We have only 10 commandments, and we know it’s given by God to Moses…so how does Jesus say ‘my commandments'?

By saying this, Jesus wants to tell us that he is God, he says, My Father and I are one’ I am in the Father, and the Father is in me, which we saw in the last week. No one can go to the Father except through me

The question is –do you really love Jesus? Jesus says, " If you love, you will obey my commandments’. And the commandments are:

Which is easier, to obey the OT Laws or the NT commandments? You may say-NT commandment. ‘Love one another,’ but I would say- easy was OT laws. It was just 10

How did the people of Israel obey the laws? Did they really love God? In OT, we see they were not faithful to God; they disobeyed and lived a life as they wished, forgetting God

Jesus knew that the laws of God cannot be obeyed by human efforts. For this, we need divine assistance. Without that, we can’t live the NT laws…such as -to give God first place in your heart…-looking without lust…-if a man beats your right cheek…-if a person asks sth…don’t deny…Walk two miles…                  

In OT, they were depending on themselves, one’s own effort to obey the laws…. but in NT, it’s not possible with our own effort, and that’s why Jesus said ‘I will give you a helper. (Vs. 16) read…The 

Holy Spirit is the promise and gift of Jesus. It’s not our merit that we received the Holy Spirit, but it's Jesus himself giving to all of us. He said, ‘I will pray to the Father…

1-Holy Spirit will help us to obey the commandments

The criteria for love are: do you keep his commandments? Do you love your enemies? Do you help the needy?

With human strength, we can’t obey his commandments. So, with the help of the Holy Spirit, you can follow the commandments

2-Holy Spirit is our counsellor, the counsellor is the one who guides or motivates us to understand the truth

In a court, we have to respond correctly

3-Holy Spirit is the indwelling presence of God. He will dwell with you, and he is in you.

In OT, the Holy Spirit was not always. He comes and goes…That’s why once David prayed, God do not take the Holy Spirit from me…St Paul says, " You are the temple of the Holy Spirit.

4-Jesus says, I will not leave you, orphans

Imagine the situation of the disciples. During the last supper, Jesus says he will not be with them for some time. See the last three years, they have left everything and were with him. So, if Jesus says so, what will they do? Do you understand their situation?

 [go to the people] Ask a child- if your father leaves you in the church, telling- I will send someone to help you…come home, I am going somewhere…what do you feel? Left me, orphan…

When I am asking, others are thinking, it’s a question for him alone. What about you? Ask to a lady…

Imagine- you are a housewife, you are not doing any job, you don’t have money…today your husband is telling, I am going but I shall send someone to help you…and you are waiting…but how long? how do you feel it? Left me, orphan…

Do you feel abandoned or left alone? Many people today carry this silent pain. Some feel orphaned in their families. Some feel emotionally abandoned in marriage. Some feel unseen despite living among crowds. Some carry grief after losing loved ones. Some pray for years and wonder whether God has forgotten them.

To every wounded heart, Jesus says: “I will not leave you orphaned.”

But one condition…I will not leave you orphan, if you obey my commandments…

It is a promise for every believer today. Christ never abandons His people.

Jesus says: “If you love me, you will keep my commandments.”

How do we know that we love Jesus?

A mother sacrifices sleep for her child because she loves.

A father works tirelessly for his family because he loves.

A true friend remains loyal in difficult times because love demands faithfulness.

In the same way, Jesus says, “If you truly love me, let your life reflect that love.”

The disciples listening to Jesus that night could not fully understand His words. Soon they would see Him arrested, crucified, and buried. Their world would collapse. But after the Resurrection and Pentecost, they would realize that Jesus had spoken the truth. He had never left them alone.

And this is our hope too. There are moments when life feels like Good Friday — painful, confusing, heavy with sorrow. We may feel abandoned by people, misunderstood, or exhausted by struggles. Yet the Gospel reminds us that Easter always follows the Cross. Christ remains alive. His Spirit continues to breathe hope into broken hearts.

Jesus assures us: “I am with you.” Christianity is not merely the memory of a man who lived two thousand years ago; it is the living relationship with the risen Lord who continues to dwell among His people through the Holy Spirit.

Today the world still asks us: Why do you believe? Why do you continue to pray despite hardships? Why do you forgive? Why do you serve the poor? Why do you remain hopeful in a broken world? Because Christ is living.

Look at the apostles before Pentecost — fearful, hiding behind locked doors. But after receiving the Holy Spirit, they become bold witnesses who preach openly and joyfully. The same Spirit is given to us. The Spirit did not stop working in the first century; He continues to renew the Church today.

Dear friends, our life changes only when the Holy Spirit dwells in us, Holy Spirit has to come. Lets wait and pray…

Fifth Sunday of Easter, Acts 6:1-7, 1Peter 2:4-9, John 14:1-12

Jesus is speaking during the Last Supper, just before His suffering and death. The disciples are anxious, confused, and afraid. They sense that something is changing. Their Master, whom they have followed for three years, is speaking about going away. Their hearts are troubled. That is why Jesus begins with these comforting words:

“Do not let your hearts be troubled. Believe in God; believe also in me.”

How many of us come today with troubled hearts? Some carry family burdens. Some are anxious about the future. Some feel lonely. Some are grieving losses no one else can see. Some are tired of trying to be strong. Jesus speaks the same words to us today: “Do not let your heart be troubled.” He knows our tears. He knows our fears. He knows the silent battles we fight. And still He says, Trust me. I am preparing a place for you.

Do you remember- Jesus did not get any room when he was born, but here, he says,

“In my Father’s house, there are many dwelling places (rooms). If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you?”

What is the “Father’s house”? - being with the Father always…heaven

Why did Jesus say “many rooms”?

There is space for all nations, races, backgrounds, and repentant sinners. No one is rejected who comes through Christ.

It is a message of hope:

• room for Peter who will deny Him
• room for Thomas who doubts
• room for Mary Magdalene who wept
• room for the thief on the cross
• room for us

b) To remove fear of abandonment- The disciples feared separation. Jesus says, I am not leaving you to be homeless. I go to prepare a place for you.

c) To reveal personal love. Jesus does not say, “I prepare a crowd space.” He says, " A place for you.

This means God knows each person personally. Each soul is wanted. Each life matters. Heaven is not anonymous; it is intimate communion.

d) To teach that earthly life is temporary- We often become attached to this world, but Jesus reminds us that our true citizenship is with God. Earth is a journey; heaven is home.

2. “I go to prepare a place for you”-He prepares it through: His Passion, His Cross, His Resurrection, His Ascension, His intercession before the Father

Three questions that troubled them…

Peter asked, Lord, where are you going? Jesus said, you can’t come now…but later

Philip said, ‘show us the Father? Jesus said, I have been with you and still…

Thomas asks: ““Lord, we do not know where you are going. How can we know the way?”

Thomas represents many of us. थॉमस हममें से कई लोगों का प्रतिनिधित्व करता है।

We ask: How do I reach God? How do I know truth? How do I live rightly? How do I find peace?

Jesus gives one of the greatest statements in all Scripture: “I am the way, the truth, and the life.”

He does not say:

• I know the way, I will teach the way, I show one possible way

But He says: I AM the way.

That means salvation is not merely a method, philosophy, or rulebook. Salvation is relationship with a Person.

4. Jesus is the Way to the Father-a) Because Jesus came from the Father and revealed the Father perfectly. Only the One who comes from God can bring us to God.

b) and we know Jesus removes sin. Sin separates humanity from God. Jesus, through His Cross, bridges the separation. He is the way because He reconciles us.

5. The relationship between Jesus and the Heavenly Father

a) Jesus is distinct from the Father, yet one with Him

Christian faith teaches: The Father is God, The Son is God, The Holy Spirit is God

Not three gods, but one God in three Persons.

Jesus is not the Father, yet He shares fully in the Father’s divine nature.

So, Jesus can pray to the Father, obey the Father, and be sent by the Father—yet remain one with Him.

b) Jesus perfectly reveals the Father

Before Christ, people knew God partially through prophets and law.

In Jesus, God becomes visible in human life.

When you see Jesus: forgiving sinners, healing the sick, blessing children, weeping with mourners

• washing feet, dying in love —you see the heart of the Father.

c) The Father works through the Son

Jesus says: “The Father who dwells in me does His works.”

The miracles of Jesus are not independent acts. They reveal the Father acting through the Son.

Healing the blind = Father’s compassion

Raising Lazarus = Father’s life-giving power

Forgiving sins = Father’s mercy

d) Jesus returns to the Father. When Jesus says He is going to the Father, He speaks of:

• death, resurrection, ascension, glorification

He returns to the eternal communion He always had, now carrying redeemed humanity with Him.

 6. Why these matters for us today. Many people think of God as distant, hidden, unreachable.

Jesus says: If you want to know God, look at Me.

Want to know if God is merciful? Look at Jesus.

Want to know if God cares for suffering? Look at Jesus.

Want to know if God welcomes sinners? Look at Jesus.

Want to know the road home? Follow Jesus.

The deepest longing of the human soul is not success, wealth, or power—it is the Father’s house.

Jesus came from the Father to bring us back to the Father.

So, stay with Jesus, and He will bring you home.

Fourth Sunday of Easter, Acts 2:36-41, 1 Peter 2:20-25, and John 10:1-10

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ,

Today’s Gospel from The Gospel of John is filled with tenderness and hope. Jesus gives us one of the most comforting images in all of Scripture:

“I am the gate for the sheep.”

To understand these words, we must imagine the life of a shepherd in the time of Jesus.

At night, the sheep were gathered into an enclosure made of stones. There was only one opening — one gate. Often, the shepherd himself would sleep across that entrance. No wolf could enter without crossing over him. No sheep could leave unnoticed.

So when Jesus says, “I am the gate,”

He is saying: “No one can reach you without passing through Me.”

“I stand between you and the darkness.”

“You are not abandoned.”

What a beautiful image of God’s love.

Many people today feel unsafe inside their own hearts.

There is fear about the future, anxiety about family, pressure from society,

silent loneliness, and wounds nobody else can see.

Some people are surrounded by others yet still feel lost.

And into this confusion, Jesus speaks softly:

“Whoever enters through me will be saved.”

There are moments in life when the soul becomes tired.

A person can smile outside and still feel lost inside.

A family can sit together at the same table and still carry silent wounds.

A heart can pray every day and still whisper, “Lord, where are You?”

Today’s readings speak directly to those hidden places in us.

In the Gospel from The Gospel of John, Jesus says: “I am the gate. Whoever enters through me will be saved.”

What a tender image.

Jesus does not say, “I am a wall.” He says, “I am the gate.”

A gate is where someone waits for you. A gate is where someone welcomes you home. A gate is where the lost are gathered safely again.

And Jesus speaks these words as the Good Shepherd — not a distant ruler, not a harsh judge, but a shepherd who knows every wound of His sheep.

A shepherd walks ahead of the flock. He sees danger first. He searches when one sheep is missing.

He does not abandon the weak.

Many people today feel like sheep without a shepherd: confused by the noise of the world,

wounded by betrayal, exhausted by anxiety, carrying guilt that nobody else sees.

And into that confusion, Christ says: “I came so that they may have life, and have it abundantly.”

Not merely existence. Not survival. But life filled with grace, meaning, peace, and hope.

Then we hear Saint Peter in the first reading from Acts of the Apostles speaking to the crowds after Pentecost. His words strike their hearts:

“God has made both Lord and Christ this Jesus whom you crucified.”

And the people are deeply shaken. Scripture says they were “cut to the heart.”

That is the beginning of conversion.

Sometimes God must first break open the hardness around our hearts before He can heal us. Sometimes we spend years running from God, only to discover that the Shepherd was following us the whole time.

The crowd cries out: “What are we to do?”

And Peter answers: “Repent and be baptized.”

In other words: Come home. The gate is still open.

My dear friends, Christianity is not about pretending to be perfect. It is about allowing the Good Shepherd to carry us when we are wounded.

That is why the second reading from First Epistle of Peter becomes so moving. Peter speaks about Christ who suffered for us:

“He himself bore our sins in his body upon the cross.”

Jesus is not a shepherd who watches suffering from far away.

He enters it.

He knows rejection. He knows loneliness. He knows betrayal. He knows pain.

There are people here today carrying crosses silently: a mother praying for her children,

a father struggling to provide, someone grieving a loved one, someone fighting temptation,

someone smiling in public but crying in private.

Listen carefully to Peter’s words: “By His wounds you have been healed.”

Not by His power alone. Not by His miracles alone. But by His wounds.

Because every wound surrendered to God can become a place of healing.

And then Peter says something unforgettable:

“You had gone astray like sheep, but you have now returned to the shepherd and guardian of your souls.”

Even when life becomes uncertain, the Good Shepherd watches over His people with love and care.

Many voices in the world try to lead our hearts away from peace. Some voices bring fear, confusion, or hopelessness. But the voice of Jesus is different. His voice heals, forgives, and gives hope. He knows each of us personally — our struggles, our wounds, and even the silent tears we carry within our hearts.

Jesus tells us, “I came so that they may have life, and have it abundantly.” He does not promise a life without suffering, but He promises a life filled with meaning, grace, and hope. True peace cannot be found in wealth, success, or worldly things; it is found only in walking with Christ, the Shepherd who never abandons His flock.

Sometimes we wander far from God through weakness or sin, yet the Shepherd never stops calling us back. The gate of mercy always remains open. Jesus invites us to listen to His voice in prayer, in Scripture, and in the Eucharist. When we follow Him with trust, we discover that we are deeply loved, protected, and guided toward eternal life.

3rd Sunday of Easter, Acts of the Apostles 2:14, 22–33; Peter 1:17–21; Luke 24:13–35,

There are moments in life when everything feels shattered—when hope seems buried, and the future looks like a road leading nowhere. The disciples on the road to Emmaus knew that feeling. Their hearts were heavy, their steps slow, their conversation filled with disappointment. The one they trusted… the one they believed would redeem Israel… was gone.

And yet, in the quiet dust of that road, something extraordinary was happening.

A stranger drew near. They didn’t recognize Him at first. Because their hearts were closed…

Isn’t that true in our own lives?

We walk our own Emmaus roads—why is this happening to me? My prayers are not heard…

Jesus knows everything that’s happened in Jerusalem but still he is asking them, what happened?

He does so because he wants to know our stories…he wants to know what we know about him

He is always walking beside us, but often we don’t recognise him…

They recognised him when he broke the bread….

So, they said to each other, ‘Weren't our hearts burning while he was explaining the scriptures?

Dear friends, when we try to read the word of God, when we try to live the word of God, he will reveal to us…

The disciples on the road to Emmaus didn’t just hear about Jesus; they recognised Him. That recognition changed everything.

The joy of recognition: Think about what happens to the disciples:

They don’t just feel better—they are transformed.

They don’t just understand—they burn inside.

Real encounter with Christ creates movement.

They don’t just stay—they run back to Jerusalem.

That same experience continues—especially in the Eucharist.

Maybe it’s the silence after receiving Communion.

Maybe it’s a line from Scripture.

But deep inside, there’s a realization: He is here… for me.

Breaking of the word and breaking of the bread, both are happening in our Eucharist. Eucharist has two parts, first for word and second part for bread. Do you understand this…?

What exactly did Jesus explain?

1. The Messiah had to suffer/ The disciples expected a triumphant political saviour.

2. Suffering leads to glory/Jesus explains that suffering is not the end—it leads to resurrection and glory. 👉 This changes their whole understanding:

3. The whole Scripture points to Him/ “Beginning with Moses and the Prophets” means:

4. A new way of reading Scripture/ Before this, the disciples knew the Scriptures—but didn’t understand them.

After Jesus explains: “Were not our hearts burning within us while He talked to us on the road?”

• You cannot fully understand Scripture without Jesus at the centre

👉 “Stay with us” actually Jesus should have said this, let me stay because its night but instead they are asking Jesus …Lord stay with us!

-Spiritually, this means: They feel the darkness of confusion, grief, and uncertainty

“Lord, don’t leave me in this darkness.”

Without knowing that it’s the Lord, they asked stay…let us with knowledge say-Lord stay with us

-The Eucharistic encounter begins with a longing for Jesus to remain.

The Road to Emmaus is not just a story—it is a model of the Christian life. Through this journey, Jesus Christ teaches believers how faith grows, how He is encountered, and how disciples are formed.

So, the journey teaches us-

1. Jesus walks with us—even when we don’t recognize Him

 2. The Word of God enlightens the heart/ Faith grows through listening to God’s Word.

Before we can truly recognize Jesus, our minds and hearts must be opened by Scripture.

 3. We often misunderstand God’s plan/The disciples expected a different kind of Messiah.

 4. Jesus waits for our invitation. They say, “Stay with us.”

He does not force Himself—He enters where He is welcomed.

5. Every encounter leads to mission-They immediately return to Jerusalem to share the Good News.

Faith is not meant to be kept. When we meet Christ, we are sent to witness and proclaim.

Dear friends, “Every Mass is an Emmaus journey:

The very purpose of Jesus coming into this world is to become the Eucharist…birth to death eth that happened…

So, we should be aware how much respect and preparation we give for Mass on daily and Sundays?

When the mass is celebrated how many of us attend it meaningfully? Many use the mobiles in the church when the mass is going on, what is more important for us?

While meeting a CM or police do you attend the calls? Do you go out?

Many of us come late very often in the church? If you have an exam at 10 in the school, will you reach there after 10:30? If your son has got a surgery and if you want to admit in the OT at 7:30, will you delay for that? Or will you say any complaint against the doctor...?

If you have an interview at 10 am will go late? If there is film at 3 pm, will you go late?

Your child’s tuition is important for you i.e. why you say he has not come to church…gone for tuition, or for work…many excuses…

Then what about your God who died for you?

Only when we give value for the Lord, he will also care for you…

-Today we saw two disciples going away from Jerusalem…

Don’t go away from Jerusalem…. i.e. From the presence of the Lord. Let’s wait for the Holy Spirit…

Divine Mercy 26, Second Sunday of Easter John 20:19-31

The disciples were gathered behind locked doors, afraid, confused, and burdened with guilt after abandoning Jesus. Into that fear, Jesus comes—not with anger, not with condemnation—but with mercy. His first words are: “Peace be with you.”

This is the first sign of Divine Mercy:  God comes to us not when we are perfect, but when we are broken.

The disciples had failed Jesus. They didn’t understand Jesus, i.e. they ran away, they doubted.

-After the resurrection of Jesus, he has appeared to many, but today we see a unique character, i.e. the doubting Thomas- he says, "Unless I see - I will not believe"

 - Do you know the joy of the resurrection? The Risen Lord revealed the glory of his resurrection to his disciples gradually and over a period of time. Even after the apostles saw the empty tomb and heard the reports of Jesus' appearance to the women, they were still weak in faith and fearful of being arrested by the Jewish authorities.

-In that situation, Jesus came and stood among them and said to them, "Peace be with you."

-He strengthened them and reminded them -As the Father has sent me, even so I send you. You are called not to sit in this dark room. Go out and preach the goodness to all creations and baptise them…

- 23 If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven; if you retain the sins of any, they are retained." And this mercy is proclaimed even today, which we celebrate is as the Divine Mercy Sunday.

But we know Thomas was not with them, so he did not believe, and he was adamant

 -Thomas might have gone out to watch the situation outside, the proceedings of the Romans

- Other disciples told him that they had seen the Lord, but still he doubted…

- Thomas said, "Unless I see in his hands the print of the nails, and place my finger in the mark of the nails, and place my hand in his side, I will not believe."

- He wanted a personal encounter with Jesus …today we also should ask for this grace- a personal encounter- it’s not because of him or her that I believe, but I know it’s my Jesus…

Jesus, throughout his ministry, tried to build the faith of the disciples; after his death and resurrection, he continues to do it. That’s why he appeared to Thomas also

-27 Then he said to Thomas, "Put your finger here, and see my hands; and put out your hand, and place it in my side; do not be faithless, but believing."

28 Thomas answered him, "My Lord and my God!" -by touching the wounds of Jesus, Thomas recognised the divinity and humanity of Jesus

 29 Jesus said to him, "Have you believed because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and yet believe." -29- How do we believe? Are you a blessed one?

People normally think, we become blessed when we have eth, position, wealth, talents…

In the first and second readings, we saw the life of early Christians.

-Early Christians overcame their desire to have more possessions because they believed in life after death and their faith in the risen lord. So they shared it with the needy

-When we are too much attached to things/ persons to such an extent that we cannot give them up, it is rather such things that possess us. When the risen Lord possesses us, we will have the grace to 'give up' things, relationships, habits....

-Jesus had not made any elaborate plans or bank accounts to get his work continued. Imagine how much money it would take to have people gathering in many places in his name regularly! Cost and effort would be enormous. Think of the number of people gathering in different corners of the world today!--- It continues by the power of the word, shared with faith! HE IS MORE POWERFUL AFTER HIS DEATH! HIS WORK CONTINUES. Even the simplest can be part of his great team!

We know that the Church celebrates God’s mercy throughout the year is through the Sacrament of Reconciliation.  Finding time for Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament is another good way to receive and give thanks for Divine Mercy.

Jesus showed them his wounds: The wounds are his identification mark- that he died. WE Christians also must have some wounds that we have endured for being like Jesus!

Jesus knows that what they have done to him, but still he tells them, peace be with you

Jesus knows that they need the Holy Spirit; only then will they be able to share the forgiveness that the Lord gives them.

Nafrat ki bazarom mei mohabat ki dhookan khola hei mene…  he forgives his opponents…do we?

Unless we have the Holy Spirit, we won’t be able to forgive others. As we celebrate the feast of the divine mercy, let's pray for this grace. And let’s prepare ourselves till the Pentecost that we may be filled with the Holy Spirit.

They were asked to stay in Jerusalem till they received the Holy Spirit, but they didn’t listen to his words and went away…-on the road to Emmaus, they meet him…but realise only during the breaking of the bread

So, let us continue our faith journey always under the guidance of the Holy Spirit

Thomas sought to touch the Lord…in his wounds, but the Lord Himself touched his heart!

We all have received the mercy of the Lord… Having received the Mercy of God, we are not meant to keep it to ourselves.

Jesus says, “As the Father has sent me, so I send you.”

This is our mission. We are the people who have experienced his mercy, who experience his mercy daily…. we have a duty to give to everyone.

Easter Sunday, Acts 10:34-43, Colossians 3:1-4, John 20:1-9

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ,

Today, the Church does not simply announce an event.

She opens a tomb. She rolls away a stone.

She invites us to stand in the silence of dawn with Mary Magdalene and hear the heartbeat of eternity.

The Gospel of John tells us that “while it was still dark,” Mary came to the tomb. It was dark not only in the sky — it was dark in her soul. The one she loved had been crucified. Hope had been buried. The world had become cold and empty.

Have we not stood there too?

There are moments when life feels sealed behind a stone:

the death of someone we love,

a broken family,

a wounded heart,

a silent prayer,

a future we no longer understand.

Mary came carrying grief.

Peter came carrying shame after denying Jesus.

John came carrying confusion.

And yet… the tomb was empty.

Not because someone stole the body.

Not because death had won.

But because love is stronger than death.

That is why Saint Peter stands in the first reading from Acts of the Apostles and boldly proclaims:

“We ate and drank with Him after He rose from the dead.”

Peter is no longer afraid. The man who once trembled before a servant girl now speaks before nations. Why? Because he has seen the Risen Christ. Easter changes cowards into witnesses, sinners into saints, and graves into gardens.

And then Saint Paul speaks to us in Letter to the Colossians:

“Seek what is above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God.”

Paul is telling us something profound:

If Christ is risen, then our lives cannot remain buried in fear, hatred, jealousy, bitterness, or sin. Too many people are alive physically but dead spiritually. Easter is God’s invitation to rise again.

The Resurrection is not only about what happened to Jesus.

It is about what can happen to us.

The stone can move. The darkness can break.

The wound can heal.

The sinner can begin again.

My dear friends, notice something beautiful in today’s Gospel. John enters the tomb, “he saw and believed.” He believed before fully understanding.

That is Easter faith.

Sometimes we do not understand why God allows suffering.

Sometimes we cannot explain the cross we carry.

Sometimes all we can do is stand before an empty tomb with tears in our eyes.

But Easter whispers:

“The story is not over.”

The Cross was Friday.

The silence was Saturday.

But Sunday came.

And because Sunday came:

death does not have the final word,

sin does not have the final word,

evil does not have the final word.

Christ has the final word.

Today, the Risen Jesus stands among us and says:

“Do not be afraid.”

To the weary heart, He says: “I am alive.”

To the broken family: “I can restore.”

To the sinner: “My mercy is greater.”

To those mourning someone they lost: “The tomb is not the end.”

This is why Christians sing Alleluia even through tears. Because we know that beyond every Good Friday, there is an Easter morning prepared by God.

So today, let us leave this church like Peter — courageous witnesses.

Let us leave like Mary Magdalene — running to announce hope.

Let us leave like John — believing with all our hearts.

And when the world asks us, “Why do you still hope?”

May we answer:

Because the tomb is empty.

Because Christ is risen.

Because love has conquered death forever.

Happy Easter.

Alleluia! Alleluia!

Good Friday, 2026

If you are the son of God save yourself and come down…They simply mocked him, not realising the price that Jesus paid for each one of us.

And this question echoes in our hearts today:

Why didn’t Jesus save Himself? This is the most important question.

Could Jesus have come down from the Cross? Yes.

When He was arrested, He said: “Do you think I cannot call on my Father, and He will at once put at my disposal more than twelve legions of angels?” (Matthew 26:53)

Jesus had the power. But He chose not to use it.

Why?  Because His mission was to save others, not Himself

If Jesus had saved Himself, we would not be saved.

The Cross was not a failure—it was the mission.

“The Son of Man came… to give his life as a ransom for many” (Mark 10:45)

He stayed on the Cross because He saw you… and me.

He has healed many, he turned the water into wine, he walked over the water, he raised the dead…he could have saved himself but we know he decided to be on the cross for us.

The greatest miracle that he has done is he has not done anything for himself.

Four nails are not a barrier for him. We know that…but still, we see that he was obedient to his father till his death.

Gospel of John, Jesus says, “No one takes my life from me… I lay it down freely.”

Jesus came to share with us the love of his Father. Jesus wants to tells the whole world that he loves us. Other than loving everyone, he didn’t do any harm to anyone. He just loved everyone and asked us to love as he loved, ‘love one another as I have loved you’.

Unless we understand the depth of someone’s love, you will not die for him.

Imagine you are standing at the foot of the Cross.

You hear the insults…You see the wounds…You feel the silence of heaven…

And then you hear His voice from the cross: “Father, forgive them… for they do not know that they are doing’.

Not anger. Not revenge. Only love.

Who does He forgive?

• Those who mocked Him
• Those who tortured Him
• Those who crucified Him

This is not human love. This is divine love.

Good Friday challenges us: Can we forgive those who hurt us? Can we love when it is painful?

Even today people do not realise a God who came into the human history in real form.

The people who crucified Jesus were not all evil people. Many were ordinary people—religious, educated, even devout. Yet they failed to recognize Him.

Why?

1. Because they expected a different kind of Messiah

They were waiting for a powerful king—someone who would defeat the Romans, establish a kingdom, and bring political glory.

They could not accept a God who suffers.

They wanted a God of power…But God revealed Himself in humility.

In the Gospel of John: “He came to his own, and his own did not receive him” (John 1:11).

So let us pray for those people who get the grace to know who Jesus is whenever and wherever they get a chance to look into the cross of Christ.

Now I am just trying to tell some history of it. Plz be with me…

They killed him…by crucifying him on the cross. Why they killed a person like a criminal, who has not sinned? Jesus has lived only for 3 years with the people and the Gospel says that he travelled in the villages doing good and at the end he was killed.

For this we need to know the time of Jesus, the situation of Jews they were slave to Romans, the present India under British

It was during the reign of Romans that Jesus was born, died and the apostles all lived. Jesus wouldn’t have killed on the cross if he was not born during the time of Romans

Pax-Romana- Roman Peace- they were very strict with keeping peace in the city. If anybody speaks or act against Romans Pilate used to kill them on the cross

When people live in slavery, they would naturally make their own small groups. There were 4 different groups- tax collectors, Sadducees, Pharisees, and zealots

-To tax collectors Jesus said ‘don’t take extra money from the poor. If somebody stops you earning from daily wage, will you be happy with them?

-Sadducees – it was this group whom Jesus sends out from the temple, will they like him?

-Pharisees- who always kept the law and to whom Jesus asks them- will you not help someone who falls into a pit; Jesus supports his disciples who without washing their hand eats…etc Jesus knowingly disobey their rules. Will they like him?

-zealots- who wants to kill the Romans with their sword to whom Jesus says Forgive your enemies, walk with him one more mile etc. will they also like him? These were the four groups and they didn’t like Jesus.  

Only a few people really liked and loved Jesus who followed Jesus, who saw his miracles and believed in him but they also lost their hope when Jesus didn’t do anything against the Romans soldiers on Palm Sunday. Now in reality there is no one in Jerusalem who really loves and support Jesus. All the disciples ran away because of the fear…and only Mary, Magdalene and John follow the cross of Jesus

How do you feel when your parents, children and friends and relatives don’t stand with you when you are alone in your sufferings? How much pain Jesus must have undergone? From the cross, he asked to his Father also, oh God why have you forsaken me?

Jesus spent three years of his life among these people. We have to imagine how Jesus might have managed to escape from the hands of these people during his life time! They could have killed him much before, and they tried also but each time he escaped

It was the time of Jewish Passover in Jerusalem. The disciples were sure that if Jesus goes to Jerusalem, they will kill him and therefore the disciples tell him not to go but we know everything goes according to what is written in the scriptures

It was the rule that all the Jews must reach Jerusalem for the feast of pass over. On Sunday Jesus entered Jerusalem, the next three days he spends time in Bethany. And on Thursday he had the last supper with his disciples. And the temple guards catch in him in secret at night; the Jewish leaders bring him before four courts at night which was against the Jewish law.

And they don’t find any wrong in him, and found him saying- blasphemy (kufar) that he is the son of God. Jesus said the truth but they didn’t know him. Though they didn’t have the power to kill a person they sought the help of Pilate to kill him. And Pilate finds in him nothing wrong and he wants to free him but still the Jewish leaders insisted and shouted crucify him, crucify him. Pilate gave them a choice also- Barabas or Jesus? But they asked for Barabas a criminal

So many Jews gathered in Jerusalem around 20 lakh. There is a possibility for calamities (bipath). And Pilate wanted his power should not be shaken and he washed off his hands telling I don’t have any role in this man’s blood. You do as you wish…and they gave him the cross…

And there are many things that happen on the way to Calvary- meeting his mother, veronica wipes, Simon helps, I am not explaining it.

And on the cross also Jesus says seven words…

1.      “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.”

2.      “Truly I tell you, today you will be with me in paradise.”

3.      “Woman, here is your son… Here is your mother.”

4.      “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?”

5.      “I thirst.”

6.      “It is finished.”

7.      “Father, into your hands I commit my spirit.”

Even the last drop of blood was shed for each one of us.

Standing beneath the cross, when the last drop of blood was poured into his eyes, he recognised the son of God and the soldier said loudly before all ‘truly he was the son of God’.

Let us not wait for miracles to happen in our life that we may believe in him.

Stand at the foot of the cross…you will understand the plan of God why he died on the cross and how he saved us.

Pilate said, ‘I don’t see any guilt in this man to be killed…the guilt is that he loved us till his death.

So, today let’s pray for this grace that we may take up our daily crosses for the sake of our Lord and become partakers in his suffering.

Dear friends, God so loved the world that anyone who believes in him must not be lost. He loves each one of us…. Isaiah 50:5-It was for our sin, he suffered, pain he took up

Think, why are you following him? Is it because you want to see the miracles or to get some physical needs or healings…?

Palm Sunday-Isaiah 50:4-7, Philippians 2:6-11, Mathew 26:14-27:66

Dear brothers and sisters,

Today, we stand at the threshold of the most sacred week of our faith—Holy Week. We begin with palms in our hands, but we will soon walk the road of the cross. Today is a day filled with deep contrasts: joy and sorrow, praise and betrayal, hope and suffering.

The Word of God we have heard from Isaiah 50:4–7, Philippians 2:6–11, and Matthew 26:14–27:66 draws us into the very heart of Christ—a heart that loves even when it is rejected, that remains faithful even when it is broken.

We began with the cries of the crowd: “Hosanna! Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord!” The people welcomed Jesus as a king. They waved palms, laid their cloaks on the road, and rejoiced with great hope. But, my dear friends, how quickly the human heart can change. The same voices that shouted “Hosanna” would soon cry out, “Crucify Him!”

This is not just their story—it is ours too.

How often do we welcome Christ when things are good, when prayers are answered, when life is comfortable? And yet, when the cross appears—when suffering comes, when prayers seem unanswered—do we still stand with Him? Or do we turn away?

In the first reading, the servant in Isaiah says, “I did not turn backward… I gave my back to those who beat me.” This is the image of Christ—silent strength, unwavering obedience. He does not run from suffering. He embraces it because He trusts in the Father.

And then St. Paul gives us that beautiful hymn: “He emptied Himself… becoming obedient unto death—even death on a cross.” Imagine that: the Son of God, who had everything, chose to become nothing—for us. He humbled Himself, lowered Himself, suffered humiliation, rejection, pain… all out of love.

This is not a weakness. This is divine love.

And in the Passion narrative, we walk step by step with Jesus:

the betrayal by Judas…

The denial by Peter…

The abandonment by His disciples…

The injustice of the trial…

The cruelty of the soldiers…

And finally, the agony of the cross.

Every moment is filled with pain—but also with love.

Jesus knew all of this would happen. And still, He chose to walk that path. Why? Because He was thinking of you. Of me. Of every broken heart, every sinner, every lost soul. He carried the cross not because He had to—but because He loved us too much not to.

So today, as we hold our palms, we must ask ourselves:

Will I only be a Palm Sunday Christian—joyful in praise but absent in suffering?

Or will I walk with Jesus all the way to Calvary?

Holy Week invites us not to be spectators, but participants.

Let us walk with Him:

• In His silence, let us learn to trust.
• In His suffering, let us find meaning in our own crosses.
• In His forgiveness, let us learn to forgive others.

And above all, let us not run away from the cross. Because it is only through the cross that we reach the resurrection.

My dear brothers and sisters, the story does not end on Good Friday. The darkness of the cross will give way to the light of Easter. But we cannot skip the cross—we must pass through it.

So today, let us place not only palms in our hands, but also a firm decision in our hearts:

to remain with Christ…

to follow Him faithfully…

to love Him even in suffering…

Because the One who died for us will also rise for us.

Amen.

5th Sunday of lent, Ezekiel 37:12-14, Romans 8:8-11, John 11:1-45

We have a God who can raise you up, even if you die…

In the first reading from the Prophet Book of Ezekiel, the people of Israel feel like dry bones—without hope, without a future. But God speaks into their darkness: “I will open your graves… I will put my Spirit within you, and you shall live.” God does not abandon His people.

This promise becomes real in the Gospel of John, in the story of Lazarus.

Martha and Mary’s hearts are broken when they hear the death of their brother Lazarus and the friend of Jesus.

Even though they believe in Jesus, they say, “Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died.”

How often do we feel the same? Lord, where have you been when I was in need of you?

Here we have to note that, both Martha and Mary say the exact same words to Jesus:

“Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died.” (Gospel of John 11)

But the Gospel shows us that Jesus responds differently, and the difference is not in the words—it is in the heart behind the words.

Martha says, “I know he will rise again in the resurrection.” She was thinking intellectually.

But after listening to Martha Jesus says, ‘I’m the resurrection and life and those who believe in me will have eternal life etc. Jesus did not move, he stood there…

Then Martha comes to Mary and tells that the master is calling you…actually it was a lie. Jesus did not say Martha to call Mary.

Martha knows how my sister is praying, how she gives care to the word of God…

She knows that if Mary tells, Jesus would surely listen to her… [early experience -Luke 10:38–42- Mary, who sat at the Lord’s feet and listened to his teaching. Mary has chosen the better part, which shall not be taken away from her.”

And when Mary comes to Jesus, the scene changes completely.

She falls at Jesus’ feet. She weeps. And she repeats the same words—but not faith statements. They are a cry of the heart.

And the Gospel adds something very important: “When Jesus saw her weeping, and the Jews who came with her also weeping, He was deeply moved in spirit and troubled.”

It was not just the words. It was the sight of her tears

Mary does not argue. She does not explain. She simply feels. And this is what moves Jesus.

And Jesus is “deeply moved” because: He sees the pain of losing someone loved…

That is why, just a few verses later, we hear the shortest and most powerful line in Scripture:

“Jesus wept.”

And Jesus met both of them…

He teaches Martha: “I am the resurrection and the life.” But with Mary, He does not teach—He shares her tears.

The way we approach Jesus matters a lot.

Sometimes the prayer that moves the heart of Jesus may not be the perfect one—but the one spoken through tears. Have you prayed before the Lord shedding your tears?

Why Jesus wept?

Jesus already knows He will raise Lazarus. He has the power. He has the plan.

And yet… He weeps. Why?

Because he feels one with them. We have a God who can understand our tears.

This is not a distant God who watches our suffering and doing nothing.  

Dear friends, He can do anything for you at any moment of your life…

And we see, he goes with them to the tomb.

Before Jesus raises Lazarus, He tells others, “Roll away the stone.”

Sometimes we are waiting for God to act, while He is waiting for us to move- To forgive.

God is ready to heal him, give him life, but he expects us to take away, roll away the stone that blocks you…

St. Paul, in the Letter to the Romans, reminds us “The same Spirit that raised Jesus from the dead lives in you. Not around you, not near you, but Within you.

This means that resurrection is not only something we wait for—it is something we are invited to experience, even now.

Let us ask ourselves, ‘Where is my tomb? What have I buried?

Have you buried your dreams? Have you lost your hope?

Everything is possible if you have the realisation that the same spirit dwells within you.

People believed that resurrection would happen at the end of time when a person dies.

That’s why Martha says: “I know he will rise on the last day.”

But Jesus by saying “I am the resurrection,” Jesus is declaring: Death is not stronger than Him, the grave is not beyond His reach, no situation is truly final.

I am the resurrection and I stand before you.

That is why He stands before a tomb and call Lazarus out.

And says, “Whoever believes in me, even if he dies, will live.”

We have Physical death—which all of us face, And Eternal life—which Jesus gives beyond death.

So “I am the resurrection” means: Death may touch the body, but it cannot destroy the life Jesus gives.

“I am the resurrection” means: I am the source of life.

So, He asks Martha: “Do you believe this?”

He is asking each of us: Do you believe that I can bring life into your dead situations?

Calling his name Jesus said, Lazarus- “Come out.”

Come out of that fear that controls you. Come out of that guilt that weighs you down.

And do not stay in the grave. In the grave, its full of darkness. Don’t stay long in darkness.

Step into the light.

We see Jesus deliberately delays going to Lazarus. Sometimes you also may feel that why God is delaying…so that we may give glory to God and recognise the person of God.

Lazarus comes out of the tomb—but still bound in grave cloths. And Jesus says: “Unbind him, let him go.”

This is not only about Lazarus—it is about every disciple. Jesus gives life, but they must also leave behind what binds them. There are many things that do not allow us to go to Jesus.

Just after a week, Jesus is going to die on a cross, and he could have saved himself but, he doesn’t.

Sometimes we hear people say, how can your God save you who could not save himself?

People who don’t know him will go on making arguments? We can just pray for them…

To Martha, he is not saying, “I will give resurrection. “instead he says, “I AM the resurrection.”

Death has no authority over Jesus…that’s why God plans the salvation of mankind in this way. Let us pray that we may understand the paschal mysteries that God has revealed to us. Amen.

4th Sunday of Lent, 26, John 9:1-41, 1samuel 16:1,6-7, 10-13; Ephesians 5:8-14- Spiritual blindness

Jesus heals a man who was blind from birth, but through this miracle He teaches something deeper than physical healing.

When the disciples ask who sinned to cause the blindness, Jesus corrects them and shows that suffering is not always the result of personal sin. Instead, He says, “Neither this man nor his parents sinned; he was born blind so that the works of God might be revealed in him.”

Through this miracle, Jesus teaches us that suffering is not always a punishment. Sometimes God allows weakness or difficulty so that His glory may be revealed.

Jesus reveals that God can transform human weakness and suffering into a place where His power and glory become visible.

Jesus declares, “I am the light of the world.” By healing the blind man, He shows that He brings light not only to the eyes but also to the heart.

The man who was blind gradually grows in faith: first he calls Jesus “the man called Jesus,” later “a prophet,” and finally he believes and worships Him as the Son of Man. This shows that faith is often a journey—from limited understanding to a deep personal encounter with Christ.

His journey shows that faith often grows step by step until we come to a deep encounter with Christ.

[like the Samaritan woman in the last week].

At the same time, the story exposes the spiritual blindness of the Pharisees. Although they can physically see, they refuse to accept the truth about Jesus because of pride and rigid thinking.

They focus more on rules, like the Sabbath law, than on the miracle God has done.

The message Jesus wants to give us is this: true vision comes from faith and humility. When we recognize our need for God and open our hearts to Christ, He heals our blindness and fills us with His light. But if we remain proud and closed to the truth, we risk becoming spiritually blind. Jesus invites us to come to Him so that we may truly see—see God, see ourselves, and see the path that leads to life.

The first reading tells us that God sees the heart and chooses people according to His divine wisdom, not according to human standards.

When the prophet Samuel is sent to anoint a new king among the sons of Jesse, he is first impressed by the appearance of Eliab. But God corrects him with a powerful truth: “The Lord does not see as mortals see; they look on the outward appearance, but the Lord looks on the heart.”

Through this, God teaches us that human beings often judge by external qualities such as beauty, strength, or status, while God looks at the inner character, humility, and faithfulness of a person.

And we see that God often chooses the unexpected person for His mission. Among Jesse’s sons, the youngest, David, was not even considered important enough to be called at first; he was out in the field tending sheep. Yet God chooses him to become the king of Israel. This reminds us that God’s plans are different from human expectations. Those who seem small, weak, or unnoticed in the eyes of the world may be greatly valued and chosen by God for a special purpose.

Finally, this passage shows that when God calls someone, He also gives His Spirit to guide and strengthen them. God does not simply choose a person and leave them alone; He accompanies them with His grace and Spirit.

What matters most to God is a sincere and faithful heart. If we remain humble and open to Him, God can work through our lives and accomplish great things through us.

In the second reading, Paul reminds the believers that before knowing Christ they were living in darkness—meaning a life influenced by sin, ignorance, and separation from God. But now, through their faith in Jesus Christ, they have become “light in the Lord.”

Therefore, Paul urges them to live in a way that reflects this new identity. Being in the light means living with goodness, righteousness, and truth.

Paul says that the deeds of darkness are unfruitful and should not even be associated with believers.

Paul encourages believers not to remain spiritually asleep or indifferent but to rise up and live consciously in the light of Christ. we are called to reflect His light in our thoughts, actions, and daily lives, becoming signs of hope and truth in the world.

Dear brothers and sisters, this Lenten season is a time for that awakening. Jesus, the Light of the world, wants to heal our blindness, open our hearts, and lead us from darkness into His marvellous light. So, let us approach Him with humility and faith, Amen.

Third Sunday of Lent- John 4:5-42

We are just entering the summer season; we don’t feel much thirst today. Every human being knows what thirst feels like. When we are thirsty, nothing else matters until we find water.

Nowadays we have a borewell. So, water is available everywhere. In my childhood, the wells used to dry up, and we used to fetch water about half a km away… but we all went together and enjoyed the event.

But today we see a thirsty woman in the gospel who also goes for fetching water, but alone, that is also a time peak, noon, full hot, nobody normally goes…

Because she was thirsty not only for water…

Are we not thirsty for many things- smoking, alcohol, drugs, sex, immoral life, greed for money and wealth, etc….

Jesus clearly says, nothing in this world can satisfy your thirst for this world, but only I can, if you come to me…

The life-giving water that Jesus gives us is his blood

Like the Samaritan woman, like the prodigal son, like st Paul or like St. Augustine, we might have gone away from the path to quench our thirst…

Jesus, also, we can see here is thirsty, otherwise why is he asking for the water for her?

He is not only thirsty but also hungry, isn’t he? Otherwise, why send disciples to buy food?

He is thirsty for our souls…that’s what he says even on the cross before he dies- I thirst…

7 Jesus said to her, "Give me a drink." 

How does Jesus know that this woman would come to fetch water?

Today, Jesus is asking us also, maybe our time, some charitable works, or to fast, we have to understand what he is asking from me personally. He likes to spend some time with you, dear…

8 For his disciples had gone away into the city to buy food.

Usually, when we need something to buy, how do we do it? Will we all go or one or two?

9 The Samaritan woman said to him, "How is it that you, a Jew, ask a drink of me, a woman of Samaria?" For Jews have no dealings with Samaritans. 

There was enmity between these two groups for many years; no one was allowed to enter the territory of the other

10 Jesus answered her, "If you knew the gift of God, and who it is that is saying to you, `Give me a drink,' you would have asked him, and he would have given you living water." 

We have to know the gift of God. And we have to ask the Lord for it

 11 The woman said to him, "Sir, you have nothing to draw with, and the well is deep; where do you get that living water? 

She is calling the lord, ‘Sir’- Sir, you have nothing to draw with’- to God, who is the creator of eth she tells you has nothing to do with you.

12 Are you greater than our father Jacob, who gave us the well, and drank from it himself, and his sons, and his cattle?" 

We are only worried about physical things- well, cattle, etc.

13 Jesus said to her, "Everyone who drinks of this water will thirst again,

Which means, in this world you will always feel thirst for many things…but if you get God experience

 14 but whoever drinks of the water that I shall give him will never thirst; the water that I shall give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life." 

15 The woman said to him, "Sir, give me this water, that I may not thirst, nor come here to draw."

Only when we know who Jesus is, will we really ask for or thirst for this water (holy Spirit)

16 Jesus said to her, "Go, call your husband, and come here."

She only asked for water, but why is Jesus asking her to call her husband?

We are all in relation, so the person who is on the other side must also be made clear

Where two or three are gathered in my name and ask whatever….

17 The woman answered him, "I have no husband."

Never say ‘lie’ to the lord. Open your heart, open your life before the lord, only then can help you

18 for you have had five husbands, and he whom you now have is not your husband; this you said truly."

The woman didn’t say anything, but how did Jesus know this reality? Dear friends, he knows everything that we hide, whatever we undergo…

19 The woman said to him, "Sir, I perceive that you are a prophet.

See, her knowledge about Jesus is changing. First, she saw a stranger; now she calls him a prophet

 20 Our fathers worshipped on this mountain; and you say that in Jerusalem is the place where men ought to worship." What is the real worship? Where shall we worship?

Real worship is offering our bodies pleasing to God, being away from sin. She was having a sinful life…if we are living in sin, we are not really worshipping the lord

 21 Jesus said to her, "Woman, believe me, the hour is coming when neither on this mountain nor in Jerusalem will you worship the Father. 

This mountain and that mountain? That which human beings created for worship, or even the Jerusalem temple, all will be destroyed,

Now we all have only one place to worship the lord- in the Eucharist, in the Mass

 22 You worship what you do not know; we worship what we know, for salvation is from the Jews.

We can’t worship what we don’t know…we know who Jesus is, even then, why are we not finding time for the lord?

Now she realises Jesus as the Messiah- step by step…process

 26 Jesus said to her, "I who speak to you am he."

27 Just then, his disciples came. They marvelled that he was talking with a Samaritan woman, but none asked, "Why are you talking with her?" 

They didn’t ask anything because they know Jesus enters into or comes into everyone’s life

 28 So the woman left her water jar, and went away into the city, and said to the people…

She came for water, but now she has left and gone back…we have to leave certain things…

29 "Come, see a man who told me all that I ever did. Can this be the Christ?"

One person can make a great change for the rest of the community. She calls everyone. Are we living a life witnessing Jesus?

Because of your life, how many have come to Jesus?

Second Sunday of Lent, Mathew 17:1-9

Few days before Jesus asked his disciples ‘who do people say I am? And what do you say? Even after seeing all the miracles and healings, Jesus knew that people have different opinions; they are not sure who he is…

So, Jesus took three of them to the mount of Tabore where he was transfigured. And during the transfiguration they heard this voice,

God said, ‘he is my beloved son…and listen to him’.  These two things are very important for us.

Jesus wants that his disciples should know who really is and what is going to happen ahead.

On the way to Jerusalem, Jesus was preparing His disciples for His Passion and death.

But the disciples were discouraged and confused. They didn’t understand when he said this.

By showing them His divine glory, He assured them that His suffering would not be the end — that He truly is the Son of God and that the Cross would lead to glory.

The Transfiguration is a manifestation of Jesus’ divine nature hidden under His humanity.

Until then the disciples saw him as a Norman man, guru, a great teacher like anyone.

The dazzling light and the voice from heaven confirmed that Jesus is not merely a prophet but the eternal Son of God.

And they saw the appearance of Moses and Elijah beside Jesus:

Moses represents the Law; Elijah represents the Prophets.

Their presence signifies that Jesus is the fulfilment of both — the one to whom the entire Old Testament points.

In other words, the Transfiguration shows that God’s plan of salvation reaches its climax in Christ.

And this glory is given to all who follow the Lord. That is why John says, “We shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is.” (1 John 3:2)

During the days of lent we must hear this voice about us –are you the beloved son of God? is God happy with you, with our life, with your acts that you do etc.

In the gospel we see, first he chose the 72, then he chose 12 among them, and today we see among the 12 he chose 3 disciples in different places and we know at last there was only one who was close to his heart at last supper and he was there under the cross to whom Jesus gave his mother…how this disciple become closer to him? the question is- are you the beloved son of God, or are you closer to the heart of Jesus?

Dear friends, we can live a life pleasing to God only when we listen to his words.

How do we listen to the voice of God especially during this lent? Listen to his voice means, listen to what he has said to us through the gospels.

After the transfiguration of Jesus, the disciples saw only Jesus…it should happen in our lives too. There can be so many problems in our life but after every crisis we should able to see Jesus before us…

He is the son of God but Jesus is reminding his disciples that son of must be suffered…

If so, being his disciples, we can’t escape from the sufferings that our lord gives us.

Mostly we all pray to get rid of our sufferings but the real spirit of lent is that we must be able to get this strength to suffer that life gives us….

Lent is a time where we remember his sufferings through the way of the cross- why he suffered?

Paul is in prison for preaching the Gospel, yet he encourages Timothy — and us — not to be afraid or embarrassed to stand for Christ, even in times of suffering or persecution.

Jesus manifested his glory for two purposes: to strengthen his disciples in their faith and the prepare them to face the passion and (2) to give all his followers an aim in life – to share in his glory.  

In the first reading we see, ‘Abraham had everything but God asked him to leave everything and go to a place where God wishes…because God has his plans on us.

I will bless you and will make you a great nation. God has called us to be a holy nation…

We are to become a model for other people to look at so that we through our life should show others the ways of God how we are supposed to live…

We cannot live as we like, because God has given us a law to be followed.

God said to Moses, the place where you stand is holy so remove your sandals…In the state of holiness, one can see the glory of God…so, we have to away from sin.

What can blind us or keep us from recognizing God's glory and presence in our lives? Sin and unbelief ਅਵਿਸ਼ਵਾਸ for sure!

So, we need to stay awake spiritually - Gospel tells us that while Jesus was transfigured, Peter, James, and John were asleep. How much do we miss the glory of God because we are asleep spiritually? 

First Sunday of Lent, 2026 Mt 4:1-11

Dear friends, whom do you trust? God or in men?

In Genesis 3:1–7, we stand at a striking moment when trust in God was replaced by doubt.

The serpent does not begin with a command but with a question: “Did God really say not to touch it or smell it?” Temptation often starts this way, by planting suspicion about God’s goodness.

Eve looks at the fruit and sees that it is pleasing and desirable. What was once clearly forbidden now seems attractive. Sin always disguises itself as something good.

Adam and Eve’s fall was not simply about eating a fruit; it was about choosing their will over God’s will. They wanted to “be like God” without God. And the immediate result was not freedom but shame. Their eyes were opened, but instead of glory, they saw their nakedness.

 This is the consequence of every sin—it breaks relationship, first with God, then with one another, and even within ourselves.

It’s possible with everyone that we fall into temptation

Even Jesus was put into temptation…

But each time Jesus defeats the devil and passes the test by means of the word of God.

Dear brothers and sisters, have you lost trust in God’s word? Or whom do you listen to in your daily life?

Jesus did not choose his own path in life, but followed the will of his Father in heaven.

After Jesus was baptized by John the Baptist at the River Jordan, he was led by the Spirit of God to withdraw into the wilderness of Judea.

What compelled Jesus to seek solitude, away from his family and friends, for such a lengthy period of prayer and fasting? Was it simply a test to prepare him for his mission? Or did Satan want to lure him into a trap?

We know in the Old Testament, Moses and Elijah spent 40 days in the mount Sinai…

On a number of occasions God tested Abraham to prove his faith and to strengthen his hope in the promises that God made to him. Abraham obeyed willingly even when God asked him to sacrifice his only son Isaac, the son of promise.

Jesus was no exception to this pattern of testing and preparation for the mission his Father gave him.

When God placed Adam and Eve in the Garden of Paradise, he provided them with everything they needed to live and to fulfil the stewardship entrusted to them. In giving them the one command to not eat of the fruit of the tree of knowledge, God tested their love and fidelity.

Why did they fail to obey this one command of God? They listened to the voice of a rebel angel. Satan tempted them.

They were provided with everything in the garden but Jesus was in the desert having nothing…

Where did Jesus find the strength to survive the desert's harsh conditions and the tempter's seduction?

He fed on God's word and found strength in doing his Father's will.

Satan will surely tempt us also and he will try his best to get us to choose our will over God's will.

If he can't make us renounce our faith or sin mortally, he will then try to get us to make choices that will lead us, little by little, away from what God wants for us.

Jesus was tempted like us and he overcame sin not by his own human effort but by the grace and strength which his Father gave to him. He succeeded because he wanted to please his Father and he trusted that his Father would give him the strength to overcome the obstacles that stood in the way.

The devil urges Jesus to satisfy His hunger in His own way. But Jesus refuses to use His power for Himself. He answers, “Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.” He teaches us that our deepest hunger is not physical but spiritual.

The focus of the gospel passage is not so much the temptation of Jesus, but the testing of Jesus. How Jesus could resist the Satan…

Dear brothers and sisters, this Gospel speaks directly to our own struggles. We too face temptations of comfort, pride, and power. Often they come when we are tired, discouraged, or alone. The desert experience is part of every Christian life. But Jesus shows us the way: prayer, fasting, and trust in God’s Word.

The victory over temptation does not come from our strength alone, but from remaining rooted in God. If we walk with Christ in the desert, we will also share in His victory.

The easiest recourse to overcome temptation is: “To Pray”. The prayer our Father…don’t tempt us into temptation.

Ash Wednesday- Matthew 6:1-6, 16-18

Dear friends in Jesus Christ, today we begin the spiritual journey of 40 days.

Lent begins with the Ash Wednesday.

Today, During the Mass, the celebrant says these words: “You are dust and to dust you shall return,”

And you know that the ashes are made from the palms used at the previous Passion Sunday ceremonies.

Ashes remind us that our life is momentary on the earth.

No matter how great or glorious our background or life may be, in the end, all of us will have to face death and the end of our earthly existence.

So, we need to purify ourselves, our body and mind so that through proper repentance we can grow into the status of the sons and daughters of God. We can regain the dignity that God has given us. We are his chosen people who are to be holy and to be seen worthy in his sight.

It’s a time to be with the lord…in secret. Because Bible says whatever you do these days for the lord, will be rewarded. Not for pleasing others but the Lord. Human has the tendency to make a show off themselves- through reels, daily fb uploads, WhatsApp status etc.

First reading through Joel God says, return to me with all your heart…God wishes that we should understand his mind and live as he wishes

In the second reading, Paul reminds us; indeed, it’s the favourable time to seek God’s mercy and forgiveness.

What St. Paul told to the faithful among the Corinthians is also a reminder for all of us that we should not procrastinate or delay in our efforts to seek the Lord, as some among us may delay in doing so because we think that we still have ample amount of time in our lives to be forgiven from our many sins and wickedness.

During the days of Lent, let’s ask ‘Which are the areas where we need to come back to the Lord?

In order to make a proper examination of conscience, we have to practice three things during this Lenten season- we have to go deep into our prayer life, we have to fast from food and the things that disturbs us, and we have to do almsgiving, that’s we have to help the needy.

That’s why he reminds us,

1 "Beware of practicing your piety before men in order to be seen by them; for then you will have no reward from your Father who is in heaven.

Prayer, fasting and almsgiving should be done in secret. Its not a show time.

These actions can be performed only by those who really love God and his word

"Thus, when you give alms, sound no trumpet before you, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may be praised by men. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward. 3 But when you give alms, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing,

"And when you pray, you must not be like the hypocrites; for they love to stand and pray in the synagogues and at the street corners, that they may be seen by men. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward. 6 But when you pray, go into your room and shut the door and pray to your Father who is in secret; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you. "

And when you fast, do not look dismal, like the hypocrites, for they disfigure their faces that their fasting may be seen by men. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward. But when you fast, anoint your head and wash your face, that your fasting may not be seen by men but by your Father who is in secret; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you.

Brothers and sisters in Christ, the Lord can ask the account of our lives at any moment.

But we do not know how many days we have here on earth...so, we need to be prepared always.

Many people live a life as if there is no hope after our death. So, they do anything whatever they like.

But our lord has shows us a future life, eternal life by his resurrection

nobody thinks what will happen to our soul if we are not prepared

So, we must not wait until it is too late…

There are some few things that we can do during this lent. Some of them are-

… Reading a portion of the Bible daily

… Learn by heart, some verses of the Bible and make it a personal prayer

… Try to frequent Holy Mass / spend time with the Eucharistic Lord, as much as possible

… 40 simple acts of kindness

… Abstain from something that is “dear” it can be food items or social media items

… have family prayer/rosary

… Visit a hospital in our vicinity and help someone if possible

… Abstain from gossiping

… and try to please God and not men by your acts and words

So, let’s try to do everything to please God…he only can give you reward…because he alone sees you whatever you do.

With a sinful heart let us begin our journey and pray to God that please help me to be strong during the days of lent.

Great are those who teach and obey the commandments

Scripture: Matthew 5:17-37

The first reading emphasizes free will. A person is free to choose whether to follow God’s commandments or not. The respective outcomes of this choice are vividly described through two sets of graphic antitheses – fire and water, life and death.

Jesus’ mission is to continue what God has begun with revelation to the people of Israel, and to bring it to completion. The novelty of Jesus’ work lies not in the introduction of an alternative set of precepts to guide human life, but in teaching the right way to fulfill what had already been revealed.

17- I have come not to abolish them but to fulfill them. It was difficult for the Israelites to obey the OT 613 laws…Jesus gives us a new version of the old laws

18 For truly, I say to you, till heaven and earth pass away, not an iota, not a dot, will pass from the law until all is accomplished. Can you believe this? Whatever is written in the Bible will be fulfilled, it’s not I who say but Jesus says…

19 Whoever then relaxes one of the least of these commandments and teaches men so shall be called least in the kingdom of heaven; but he who does them and teaches them shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven.

-Do you want to become great in the kingdom of God?

 20 For I tell you, unless your righteousness exceeds that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. If you are living a normal life like others and if you don’t understand how a Christian should live, then Jesus says, you will not enter…

-The focus point of Jesus is ‘the kingdom of God’ which he often mentions

-To understand the teachings of Jesus first of all we need to know what the kingdom of God is? It’s the state where God reigns over our lives, God is the control of our actions, it’s the awareness that God is always watching over me etc.

21 "You have heard that it was said to the men of old (which means what OT teaches is), `You shall not kill; and whoever kills shall be liable to judgment.' 22 But I say to you that everyone who is angry with his brother shall be liable to judgment; whoever insults his brother shall be liable to the council, and whoever says, `You fool!' shall be liable to the hell of fire.

Jesus immediately identifies the root cause of murder – anger. Without anger, murder and violence would not occur at all; the commandment would be fulfilled and followed.

23 So if you are offering your gift at the altar, and there remember that your brother has something against you, 24 leave your gift there before the altar and go; first be reconciled to your brother, and then come and offer your gift.

-To be noted that it’s not you have any problem with others but if others have any problem with you, you have to take initiative to reconcile with the other

26 truly, I say to you, you will never get out till you have paid the last penny.

27 "You have heard that it was said, `You shall not commit adultery.' 28 But I say to you that everyone who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart. 

Again, Jesus identifies the root cause of adultery – lust. Using the metaphor of “tearing out the eye and cutting off the hand”, he emphasizes that sexual lust and other disruptions of the family life, such as divorce, must be avoided at all cost because they destroy the fundamental building block of the human community, the family.

 29 If your right eye causes you to sin, pluck it out and throw it away; it is better that you lose one of your members than that your whole body be thrown into hell.

30 And if your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away; it is better that you lose one of your members than that your whole body go into hell. 

Jesus made it very clear that the essence of God's law - flows from his love, goodness, and holiness. To get these Godly qualities one must follow it.

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ,

Last Sunday, I reminded you about our identity, Christian identity.

In today’s readings, a follower of Christ is reminded of this reality: who we are and how we are to live out that identity.

Jesus tells us in the Gospel of Matthew, “You are the salt of the earth… You are the light of the world.” These are not mere compliments; they are commissions.

Salt preserves and gives flavour. Light reveals and guides. Both are simple, everyday elements — yet both transform everything they touch.

When our words and deeds draw attention not to ourselves but to God, we fulfil the purpose of both the salt and the light.

But then we hear St. Paul in the First Letter to the Corinthians say something seemingly opposite: “When I came to you, brothers and sisters, I did not come with eloquence or human wisdom… My message and my preaching were not with wise and persuasive words, but with a demonstration of the Spirit’s power.”

Paul reminds us that being salt and light does not depend on human strength or brilliance. It is not about how impressive we are, but about how transparent we are to God’s presence. Salt works only when it dissolves; light shines most clearly when it is unobstructed. Likewise, the Christian’s influence grows as self-importance fades and the Spirit takes centre stage.

So, when He now tells His disciples, “You are the light of the world,” He is not replacing Himself, but sharing His light with them.

Just as the moon reflects the light of the sun, we are called to reflect the light of Christ in a world that often walks in darkness — the darkness of sin, fear, confusion, and despair. Our goodness, mercy, and faith become visible signs of God’s presence in daily life.

Light helps people see clearly. When Jesus calls us to be light, He is calling us to reveal God’s truth and love wherever we are.

Jesus continues, “A city built on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl.” In other words, our faith is not meant to be private or hidden.

We are not to hide our Christian identity out of fear or indifference. The world needs witnesses — people who live their faith joyfully and visibly. We don’t have to preach with loud words; our lives can be the sermon.

As St. Francis of Assisi said: “Preach the Gospel at all times, and if necessary, use words.”

A simple reflection: Imagine entering a dark room with a small candle. Even a tiny flame changes everything. Likewise, one act of kindness, one word of encouragement, one gesture of mercy — can illuminate someone’s darkness.

So, Jesus is really saying: “Be My reflection in the world. Let My light shine through you — wherever you go, in whatever you do.”

Jesus says “You are the salt of the earth,” Salt was precious in the ancient world — not only for flavour, but for preservation and purity.

In Jesus’ time, there were no refrigerators. Salt was used to preserve food and prevent it from spoiling.

So, when Jesus says, “You are the salt of the earth,” He is telling His followers:

“You are what keeps the world from rotting.”

In a world that can easily decay through sin, greed, and hatred, Christians are called to preserve what is good — to uphold truth, justice, and love. Through your faith, integrity, and compassion, you keep the world from losing its moral and spiritual health.

Salt gives flavor to food. Without it, everything tastes bland. Jesus is saying that our faith should give flavor and zest to life — our own and others’.

A Christian who lives with joy, hope, and love makes the world more beautiful and meaningful. When people encounter someone who radiates peace, patience, and kindness, they “taste” something of God.

In biblical times, salt was also used in purification — for sacrifices, healing wounds, and cleaning.

So, salt also symbolizes purity and healing.

 Jesus warns, “If salt loses its taste, how can it be made salty again?” In other words, if we lose our distinct Christian character — our integrity, our love, our moral courage — we become like tasteless salt: ineffective and irrelevant.

A disciple who blends in so much with the world that there is no difference between them and others no longer fulfils their mission. Our strength lies in being different — not in a superior way, but in a way that points to Christ.

Salt works only when it is poured out and mixed in. In the same way, we can’t be the salt of the earth if we stay isolated or fearful. We must enter into the world’s “messiness” — schools, workplaces, families, communities — and bring God’s love there.

Salt hidden in a container does nothing; faith kept private changes nothing.

A Reflection-Just as salt disappears into food but transforms its taste, so should we live humbly but powerfully — quietly influencing our families, schools, and communities with Christ’s love.

The world may not always see us working, but if we truly live as salt, it will feel the difference.

Jesus says, “they may see your good works and give glory to your Father in heaven” (Matthew 5:16). Let us notice carefully: Jesus does not say people will praise us; he says they will praise the Father. Parents feel honoured when their children do good; in the same way, our Heavenly Father is glorified when we live lives of love, mercy, and sacrifice.

Sometimes I used to ask myself, We Christians have built so many institutions in this world — hospitals, schools, colleges, orphanages, homes for the aged. Through these, we serve millions of people. But are they, seeing our works, glorifying our Heavenly Father? Or are some slowly drifting away from God? Are our institutions only giving education and treatment, or are they also giving witness to Christ?

Think of Saint Teresa of Calcutta: people who watched her pick up the dying from the streets did not praise her alone, but many began to believe again in Jesus, because they saw His love alive in her hands.

Saint Francis of Assisi lived this Gospel in a striking way. His simplicity, care for the poor, and joyful humility touched even hardened hearts. Many who met him did not merely admire Francis; they began to love Christ, because his life pointed away from himself and toward Jesus.

But today, we often see a counter-witness. We may go to church, we may pray, we may receive the sacraments — yet we are not ready to forgive. We ignore small mistakes of our family members. We carry anger in our hearts. Sometimes people look at us and ask, “Why does he go to church and still behave like this?”

Dear brothers and sisters, Christianity is not first about beautiful prayers or impressive buildings. It is about living love in ordinary moments — forgiving at home, speaking gently, helping quietly, and serving without seeking recognition. That is our mission: to become living witnesses, so that through our small acts of goodness, others may discover the goodness of our Father in heaven. Let our lives quietly teach others to say, “Thanks be to God.”

4th Sunday ordinary time, 1Feb-2026

Matthew 5:1–12

In the Gospel today, Again and again, he says, “Blessed” (Matthew 5:3–11). But the people he calls blessed are not those whom society celebrates. He does not say blessed are those who have everything. He says, “Blessed are the poor in spirit” (Matthew 5:3), “Blessed are those who mourn” (Matthew 5:4), and “Blessed are the meek” (Matthew 5:5).

Last Sunday I was telling about the spiritual updation or the acceleration of the gear…remember?

The Beatitudes are not just a list of blessings;

1-The Beatitudes describe the character of a true disciple

Pope Francis tells about these beatitudes as ‘Christian’s identity card’ because these sayings tell us what it means to be a follower of Jesus.

Today, many people have large houses, growing bank balances, and every comfort they desire. The world looks at them and calls them blessed. Yet many of them cannot sleep in peace. Their minds remain restless. Their hearts feel empty. We hear more and more of lives that seem successful from outside, yet collapse quietly inside. Even among the wealthy and admired, loneliness grows, anxiety deepens, and the number of suicides increases. These are painful signs that comfort alone does not bless the heart.

For him, blessing is not about how much we have, but about how free our heart is before God.

Each “Blessed are…” statement shows a quality that belongs to those who belong to Jesus.

2. They turn the world’s values upside down

In the world’s eyes:

• The powerful, the rich, and the successful are “blessed.”
• The poor, the meek, the persecuted are “unfortunate.”

But Jesus reverses this logic. He says that God’s blessing is upon those who are humble, merciful, pure-hearted, and peacemakers — those who may seem weak or insignificant, but who live close to God and depend on Him.

The Beatitudes teach that real happiness comes not from possessions or status, but from living in God’s grace and doing His will.

3. Each Beatitude shows a step in the journey of discipleship. Let’s briefly look at each one

1. “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.”

Poor in spirit- what is the spirituality or condition of your soul?

What is physical poverty? Imagine that I am poor having no money and I feel hungry. In the eyes of the world, I am poor and why my poverty? Because I have nothing of my own, nothing is in my hand. So I am begging…each time

Spiritual poverty is- I cannot do anything even pray, help, come for mass etc. so I depend on God, without his help I can’t do anything…

A person not depending on his own self but always depending on God is called spiritual poverty.

Moses was the man who faced this blessing and trouble who depended on himself. When he beat the rock, the water was flowing like anything but the second time he was not asked to beat the rock but Moses bet it and water didn’t come, Moses was over confident.

Jesus himself says, ‘you can do nothing apart from me’

Dead work- it is the spiritual activities that we do without depending on God. Whether it is Rosary, Mass, fasting, charity etc- → Recognize your dependence on God. True disciples know they need Him.

1. “Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted.” → Be sensitive to sin and suffering; you cry not because you lost something but of your sins…
2. “Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth.” → Practice gentleness and humility, not aggression or pride. Why we remember St. Therese here who was born in f
3. “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied.”
   → Desire goodness, justice, and holiness above all else.
4. “Blessed are the merciful, for they shall receive mercy.” → Show forgiveness and kindness, as God has shown to you.
5. “Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.” → Live with sincerity and integrity, with undivided love for God.
6. “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called children of God.” → Work to bring harmony, healing, and reconciliation wherever you are.
7. “Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake…” → Stand firm in faith, even when it costs you something, knowing your reward is eternal.

“Consider your own call, brothers and sisters:

Paul reminds the Corinthians that God does not operate by the world’s categories of success, power, or intelligence. “Let the one who boasts, boast in the Lord.” (v.31)

Paul’s conclusion is that the Christian’s confidence and joy are grounded in what God has done, not in what we can do.

Here’s the parallel:

An elderly person was given a latest model of a mobile phone, on his birthday by his son who lived abroad.

 Seeing the phone, the man exclaimed: “Oh son! This piece of technology is just of no use for me!

I do not belong to your generation. This gadget is too complicated for me!”

I know that you will react by saying it is of no use for me. But knowing you, I have also attached a simple-to-use manual… a booklet, that I myself have prepared so that you can use the phone without any hassles. Wish you a happy time using the phone and hope to hear you soon!”

booklet which read “Manual for use” with its table of contents:

1. Usage instructions,

2. Safety instructions

3. Assembly and Installation instructions

4. Maintenance instructions.

5. Troubleshooting instructions

6. Service locations

7. Product technical specifications.

8. Warranty information

These 8 instructions were to help the man to make the best use of the product and get the maximum out of it. Seeing the 8 instructions, the man immediately exclaimed: “Oh, this is so wonderful!

These 8 instructions are just like the 8 beatitudes that Jesus had given, for make the best use of our life here on earth and get the maximum out of it!”

We have manuals for phone, vehicle, electrical things, for everything…and the service manual of Christian life is these 8 beatitudes, the Central teaching of Jesus. Just follow it, life will be happy…

The Beatitudes are a call to live differently: To put God first. To care for others with mercy and humility. To seek justice and peace. To trust God even in suffering.

To be blessed in the eyes of God is far more precious than being called blessed by the world…

May God bless you all…Amen.

Now when he heard that John had been arrested, he withdrew into Galilee;

John the Baptist's enemies had sought to silence him, but the good news of God's kingdom of salvation cannot be silenced.

As soon as John had finished his testimony Jesus began his in Galilee.

Each one is given with an opportunity to give testimony to Jesus in our daily lives. And Jesus will work in certain people’s life only when we give these life testimonies…

Lieutenant Sameul Kamalesan, a Christian officer, had been dismissed from the Indian Army for refusing to participate in the religious ceremonies of his regiment. On 25 November, the Supreme Court disposed of the challenge against his dismissal and endorsed the Army’s views that his conduct amounted to serious indiscipline inconsistent with leadership responsibilities. 

Those who know driving, better knows when can one shift the gear from 2nd to 3rd and 4th. Vehicle will automatically demand the shifting of the gear. This movement should be recognized in our spiritual life also. Some people continue to drive in the same speed with 2nd gear…

17 From that time Jesus began to preach, saying, "Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand."

In announcing the good news, Jesus makes two demands: repent and believe! 

“Repent! - Jesus uses exactly the same words as John the Baptist (3:2).

Only if you repent, you can believe in the gospel or you will understand the Good News

“Repent, for the kingdom of heaven has come near.”

This is not merely a call to feel sorry for past sins. The Greek word metanoia — repentance — means a complete change of heart and direction. Jesus is inviting us to turn around, to reorient our lives toward God, to see differently, and to live differently.

And as he was walking through the sea of Galilee, he saw them and said,

"Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men." 20 Immediately they left their nets and followed him.

This is one of the most striking moments in the Gospel. No debates, no hesitation, there are no explanations, no promises of comfort, no guarantees of success — just trust.

Why these people left eth? They have not seen the person of Jesus before, but still?

And yet, something in his voice, something in his presence, compels them. They leave their nets, their boats, even their father, and follow him immediately.

Today, how do, you choose people in the schools and in the companies? How many interviews do you attend how many degrees and qualifications you have to carry to get a job!

Last day when some parents came to take new admission, after seeing the school, they were making comments, no ac in in all the classes, no smart board in nursery etc. they all look at the external comforts, not thinking about the internal formation of their child…

What kind of person did Jesus’ call? They were ordinary men–fishermen.  He could have chosen scholars or wealthy people or great leaders, but he chose ordinary men. 

Their boat and father constitute their worldly security. Their boat, of course, represents their livelihood—their way to make a living—probably a comfortable living. Their father represents their connection to family, a precious connection, indeed.

The invitation is to become a disciple (a learner–a follower).  Jesus offers these men the opportunity to observe him at close hand on a daily basis. By doing so, they will learn more than his thinking. They will become familiar with his moods. They will unconsciously copy his manner of speaking—his gestures—his dealings with people. They will see how he solves problems and counters opposition. Slowly but surely, they will become like Jesus in thought, word and deed. That speaks powerfully about discipleship. It is not enough to learn facts about Jesus. We must spend time with him. Discipleship is less an affair of the head than of the heart.

23 And he went about all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues and preaching the gospel of the kingdom and healing every disease and every infirmity among the people.

-The gospel passage presents us with picture of Jesus continu­ously engaged in three activities: Proclaiming, Healing, Gathering.

Teaching and preaching –what is the difference between these?

Preaching is done to a great group.

Teaching is done to a small group. Teach and preach, both are important

Republic day…do we really enjoy the real freedom? Pray for its leaders

In the second reading, Paul says that there is no unity among the Corinthians and this division is because they are not united in Christ but earthly leaders. Sometimes people used to say ‘he is of that pastor; she is of this pastor etc.…. are we of any pastors? Are we not Christ’s?

Jesus chose to begin his ministry in this deeply divided land. The land was divided by foreign invasion, like divide and rule (the present India), all the lands are part of Galilee

Jesus tells, I will make you fishers of men- we know when we cast a net, there gets different typed of fishes…in the divided world, Jesus calls this fisher men to unite them…

Both inside the church and in the society also we can see a lot of divisions, its here Jesus tells us to become an instrument of unity.

For this we have to leave behind and throw away many nets like the disciples-daily habits, fears, comforts, etc.

And let us pray that God may make use of us and we may give witness to his gospel through our lives.

Last Sunday we saw the baptism of Jesus and the words from heaven saying, my beloved with whom I’m well pleased.  john saw the holy spirit descending on him in the form of a pigeon. And when Jesus was coming out of the Jordan, John said to all who were standing there,

"Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of …

If a great person comes to the church, how do we introduce him? We may say, the bishop of Jaipur diocese, the principal of St. Joseph’s school, the MLA of Hanumanngarh etc.…because we know them who they are. We are not saying in which car he came or what dress he is worn, or what food he likes etc. but we say the main thing.

But here John introduces Jesus telling- ‘the lamb of God’. John has not seen Jesus. It’s his first time that he meets Jesus. So how can he say that he is the Lamb of God? Because John is the one who is to introduce Jesus to others

What does this ‘lamb of God does?

We can say, from the time of Abel they used to make the animal sacrifice and they used to offer the best for God.

From the time of Abraham- the lamb provided by God to Abraham for sacrifice in place of Isaac (Gen 22:8-13).

We see the Israelites going to Jerusalem temple every year to offer an animal and shed its blood for their sins, for this they select the spotless animal. Knowing this, John is telling to the people- behold…

It is significant that John was the son of Zachariah, a priest of Israel who participated in the daily sacrifice of a lamb in the temple for the sins of the people (Exodus 29).

John recognized that Jesus was the perfect unblemished lamb offered by the Father in heaven as the one and only sacrifice that could cancel the debt of sin, and free us from death and the destruction of body and soul in hell.

4 things happen in the life of John with the meeting of Jesus

-First, he sees- Many people have heard about Jesus and they have seen the picture or statue of Jesus but we don’t see any changes in their life.

-Second he recognizes the person who he is- Realizes he is the son of God and the savior of the world. Many people know that Jesus is the son of God, he is a great teacher, he can heal us but many consider him as one among the teachers or Gurus

-Thirdly- he experiences the person of Jesus. He believes in Jesus. We have sacraments, esp. Eucharist, confession, we have Rosary, Bible etc. do we try to experience him more.

-Fourthly- he becomes one with Jesus. Gala 2:20- Paul says ‘it’s no longer I who lives but Christ lives in me-. Jesus says, I am the vine and you are the branches. ‘I am the living bread, whoever eats me, and I live in them’…

He could have attracted people to himself but he points others to Jesus telling he must grow and I must decrease

In our life also, we have these four stages. We need to think in which stage am I?

To give witness to the lord, we need this great experience. Without this, we won’t be, nobody will be able to give Jesus to the world.

We have to meet Jesus to grow in our spiritual life. For this-

-we have to read the word of God. He talks to us through his word. Do you read the word of God?

-we have to receive the Holy Eucharist

- We have to confess and stay away from sins

-and we have to pray always.

When we don’t take lunch, when we don’t take bath, when we don’t use mobile for one hour, we feel that as if we are missing something. In the same way, we should feel that we missed something when we don’t read Bible, when we don’t pray at home, when we don’t confess, when we don’t go for mass on Sundays…

People, who don’t miss this, are very far away from God, if we really love someone, surely, we will miss if we don’t meet or call at least once in a day or in a week…do you?

Each one on this earth is born with a special duty or purpose?

John says what his purpose was. 31- That he might be revealed to Israel.

Paul reminds us that we got this identity as Christians to live for God

– God knows us from our mother’s very womb. From the moment of conception God made each one of us a special child, entrusted with a particular task and mission in the world.

If we are not doing this, we are not giving glory to God and we are not responding to the call of God.

Every time before the reception of the Eucharist, we proclaim that he is the lamb who takes away my sins. Let’s be thankful to God always for forgiving and taking away our sins.

Dear friends, like john who pointed out Jesus to the world, we have a duty to show Jesus to others whatever way possible.

let’s pray that we may get the strength to live like john so that we may give Christ to the world.’

“I need to be baptized by you, and yet you come to me?” But Jesus insists: “Let it be so now; it is proper for us to do this to fulfil all righteousness.”

This is not a story about Jesus needing forgiveness; it is about Jesus entering fully into our human condition. He identifies Himself with us—broken, weak, and in need of God’s mercy—so that we might one day share His holiness.

Jesus steps into the Jordan, he is not washed of sin, but He sanctifies the waters for us.

when Jesus comes out of the water, the heavens open, the Spirit descends like a dove, and the Father’s voice is heard saying, “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased” (Matthew 3:17). Let us remain with that one word, beloved, because it carries the heart of today’s feast.

God does not speak these words after Jesus performs miracles or teaches the crowds. He speaks them at the very beginning. Jesus is beloved not because of what he has done, but because of who he is. His identity as Son comes before his mission. His relationship with the Father comes before his work for the world. This order is very important for our faith and for our daily life.

Through baptism, the same loving word is spoken over each one of us. Only those who know they are children can pray like that with trust. Baptism makes us children of God and gives us a new way of living, not from fear but from belonging.

Christian life begins with one’s baptism. Through baptism one becomes the member of the church, He gets all the rights and blessings form the lord, He is willing to take up the cross by receiving the baptism of the lord.

But why Jesus needs a baptism?

We need a baptism? Because we all are born with sinful nature, but Jesus was not

Only people who are sinners were receiving the baptism from John then why Jesus is going to John?

1. To gain the sinners he became one among the sinners though having no sin

St Paul became a gentile to gain the gentiles for Jesus…in the same way; Jesus became one among the sinners.

Pope Francis once reminded the faithful that every Christian should remember the date of baptism and thank God for the gift of faith (Angelus address on the Feast of the Baptism of the Lord, 7 January 2024).

I, Thomas (shan) was baptised on 17-11-1985.

 Many of us remember our birthday, feast, jubilee, anniversary etc. but we forget the day when God claimed us as his own. Baptism is not only an event from the past. It is a living truth that shapes how we think, how we pray, and how we face life each day. Do you remember your baptism date?

We listen to a lot of voices in our day-to-day life but do we listen the voice of God saying that you are my beloved, you need not worry…?

When we remember that we are beloved, prayer becomes simple, forgiveness becomes possible, and courage quietly grows in the heart. Let us live as God’s children, worrying less about what others say and holding firmly to what God has already said over us at baptism. You are my beloved.

Jesus, make me fully aware that I am your beloved. Amen.

The baptism of Jesus reminds us of our own baptism—the day when we, too, were claimed by God as His beloved sons and daughters.

In baptism:

• The heavens open for us.
• The Holy Spirit descends upon us.
• The Father calls us His beloved.

Every time we make the sign of the cross, we remember who we are and whose we are. Baptism gives us identity and mission:

• Like Jesus, we are called to serve humbly.
• Like Jesus, we are called to stand with those on the margins.
• Like Jesus, we are called to bring God’s love into everyday life—our homes, schools, workplaces, and communities.

The 500 Rs not was crushed, put down and trampled but still they said, we want it…because it had not lost its value. Value of Christian life is not diminished since the Holy Spirit is given to you though you might have gone away from the love of God.

We need Holy Spirit to lead a holy life…and it’s not because of our good and holy life, that we received the gift of the Holy Spirit…

May God bless you, Amen.

Epiphany means appearance or manifestation. First, the angels revealed Jesus to the shepherds. Baptism of Christ where the Father and the Holy Spirit gave combined testimony to Jesus ‘identity as Son of God. Later, at Cana he revealed his Divinity by transforming water into wine. These multiple revelations are all suggested by the Feast of the Epiphany. 

The magi were pagans still followed the star they saw …last day one of the youth was telling – Fr ji, I have not received baptism but I trust in Jesus. I too am a son of God, those who believe in Jesus is a Christian

It’s almost 2000 years that Jesus came to us …feast of Epiphany

A well-known story goes of a holy monk, who was once visited by a young man. I want you to tell me how to find God”. The monk was a muscular person. So, the monk took the man to the river. When they reached the place, the monk grabbed the young man by the neck, and held his head down water. At first the man thought, that this was a special ritual. Finally, after a long time of struggle, the monk pulled out the young man from the waters and told him:” When you desire God as much as you longed for the air, then you will have the Epiphany of God!”

The Lord makes Himself known to the one who desires and longs, sincerely, honestly and faithfully!

1. WHAT do we seek? -The Magi from the East had just one purpose in their long journey: to meet the New Born King and pay Him homage and worship. (Mt 2:2)

2. WHERE do we seek? - Following the Star – a sign to lead them to their destination (Mt 2:2b) As long as they followed the Star, they remained on the right track.

There were three groups of people who reacted to the Epiphany of Christ’s birth. The first group headed by King Herod tried to eliminate him, the second group, priests and scribes, ignored him and the third group, represented by the shepherds and the Magi, came to adore him.

(1) Let us make sure that we belong to the third group: 

a) By worshiping Jesus at Mass with the gold of our love, the myrrh of our humility and the frankincense of our adoration;

b)  By following the direction of the angel: as the Magi chose another route to return to their homes, a better way of life, abstaining from proud and impure thoughts,

c) By becoming stars leading others to Jesus, as the star led the Magi to Jesus (removing the darkness of the evil around us and radiating Jesus’ love through selfless service, unconditional forgiveness and compassionate care).

When Jesus came into the world the world knew him not and his own people received him not (John 1:10-11). Jesus was born in obscurity. Only the lowly shepherds recognized him at his birth. Some wise men also found their way to Bethlehem to pay homage to the newborn King of Israel.

Can you become the star for Jesus? The star was needed to manifest and illumine the lowly place, until they had reached their destination at the manger.  The wise men saw the star; they journeyed from Jerusalem to Bethlehem by the guidance of the star. From all this we learn that this was not an ordinary star, for no other star has this capacity to guide, not merely to move but to beckon, to “go before them,” drawing and guiding them along their way. The star remained after bringing them to the place, in order that the child might also be seen.

In their thirst for knowledge of God, the wise men from the East willingly left everything, their home and country, in pursuit of that quest. –sometimes I hear nobody at home so I did not come to church…We have lot of silly reasons

To know and to encounter Jesus Christ is to know God personally. In the encounter of the wise men with Jesus, we see the plan of God to give his only Son as King and Savior, not just for the Jewish people but for all the nations as well.

 Children, why they enjoyed reading Harry Potter novels and watching Harry Potter movies. The most common answer was, “Because you never know what’s going to happen next.” The same element of suspense marked the journey of the Magi, who never knew what road the Spirit was going to take them down

We should be like the magi every day searching for the lord…

Let’s offer a heart full of love, time and service to Jesus. He does not expect gold, silver incense etc. Let’s offer what we have

- Through His Commandments, Teachings of the Church, many people in our life and the situations of life

- Do I seek His Love in the wonderful sacraments that the Church offers

3. WHAT GIFTS do we offer Him?

In the Holy Mass…-Do we really offer Him our pains, struggles, our little sacrifices, our honest longings? … or, is the Holy Mass become just a customary ritual, without anything to offer

The Lord wishes, desires and deserves the best gifts from us.

There were three groups of people who reacted to the Epiphany of Christ’s birth. The first group headed by King Herod tried to eliminate him, the second group, priests and scribes, ignored him and the third group, represented by the shepherds and the Magi, came to adore him. To which group do you belong…?