Towards Simplicity and Depth
(Mal 1:14-2:2, 8-10; 1The 2:7-9,13; Mt 23:1-12)
I had a dream. I insist it was only a dream.
White smoke was spewing out of the chimney of the Sistine chapel of theVatican. “Habemus Papam,” they announced. Next thing, I saw was, the new pope at his window. But he looked just ordinary: there was nothing of scarlet on him; he was dressed in normal clothes, no ring on his finger, no mitre, he just had a simple cross hanging down his neck. As the spontaneous cheer of the thousands gathered at St Peter’s went quiet, as the scene was beamed to millions in their homes across the globe, and as the cameras zoomed in, the new pope began to speak: “Simplicity and Depth”, he said […]
Sunday Sermons
Sunday Sermons and Homilies
Sermon for Cycle A – 30th Sunday Homily: Loving
30th Sunday of the Year
Love!
It is said that at the time of Jesus the rabbis could count up to 613 commandments contained in the Law: 365 were prohibitions (don’t do this!) and 248 were prescriptive (do this!). Some of the rabbis considered all these commandments to be equally important, while others continued to debate to identify the most important commandment. That is why the Pharisees and Sadducees had reasons to ask Jesus, “Which is the greatest commandment of the Law?” even if their intention was only to put Jesus to the test. Apparently Jesus gives an answer that is similar to those given by some of the rabbis of his time. For instance, there is a story about one rabbi Hillel, who lived a few years before Jesus. A gentile went to Rabbi […]
Sermon for Cycle A – 29th Sunday Homily
“Give to Ceasar what belongs to Caesar – and to God what belongs to God”
Being Good Christians and Honest Citizens
In many aspects of his public life Jesus seems to be a rebel. He blatantly disobeys the Sabbath law (Jn 5:1-19; Lk 13:10-16; Mk 3:1-6). Not only did he break the law but allowed his disciples to do the same (Mt 12:1-14). Jesus questioned the rationale of the Law of Moses and offered a new interpretation (Mt 5:1-7:29), even though he claimed, “I have come not to abolish them but to fulfil them” (Mt 5:17). Jesus challenged the powers-that-be: the priests, the lawyers, the scribes, the Pharisees and the Sadducees. And yet, in the gospel reading of today Jesus tells the Pharisees and the Herodians to continue ‘to pay taxes’ to the […]
Sermon for 25th Sunday in Ordinary Time – Year A Homily
God’s ways may not be fair, but they are full of love
It is not fair: At the Nairobi airport, I was once in the company of a large European family – the parents with seven children of varying ages – waiting to board a plane. At one point, the mother began to distribute chocolates to her restless children. Everyone was given a chocolate bar each. Finally, there was one left over. The mum gave it to the eldest girl. One of the other children, who might have been about four years old, blurted out in a spontaneous cry for justice, in a tone that was also uniquely childish, “Mom, that is not fair!” They all had a hearty laughter. While they admired the four-year old for her strong sense of justice, […]
Sermon for Cycle A – 24th Sunday Sermon: Experiencing Forgiveness
The need to experience forgiveness (Mt 18:21-35)
24th Sunday in Ordinary Time – Cycle A
When people (especially the young) ask me, why we Catholics have to go to a priest for confession, and why can’t we confess our sins directly to God, I try to offer them several reasons as to why I myself go for confession. One of the more meaningful answers that I give is: I want to hear through a human voice that God has forgiven me. This reason is consistent with the theology of sacraments – visible signs of internal grace.
When I was making the 30-day Ignatian Spiritual Exercises, one of the high points during that retreat was the celebration of the sacrament of reconciliation. After the first eight days of silence and prayer, memories of hurt and […]