2nd Sunday of Easter
The Divine Mercy
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Happy feast of Easter! Easter is the prototype of all Christian feasts. It is such a great event that one day of celebration does not suffice. We needed eight days of liturgical celebrations. Yes, today we conclude the Octave of Easter.
On this 2nd Sunday of Easter, every year, we have the same gospel reading, though the other two readings vary. The gospel passage of today from John begins with the narration of the first appearance of the Risen Lord to his apostles on the day of Easter, it goes on then to narrate the appearance of the Risen Lord to Thomas who was absent on the day of the Easter. The latter incident takes place on the eighth day of Easter (like today). Thus the gospel text […]
Sunday Sermons
Sunday Sermons and Homilies
Easter Homily: an Event or an Experience
The Lord is risen indeed! Alleluia! Alleluia!
‘Alleluia’ is one expression that we hear so often during Easter. And when we hear a Catholic shouting out ‘Alleluia’ we think, they have become a Pentacostal. What does ‘alleluia’ mean? It simply means, ‘Praise the Lord’! But this praise is also filled with thanksgiving, joy and triumph. Several psalms begin and end with this expression. This is one of those expressions that has come to be used in Christian tradition in its original Hebrew expression, like ‘Amen’ and ‘Hosanna’. ‘Alleluia’ is an apt expression in the context of what we celebrate during Easter – it is simply to praise the lord for his triumph over death.
The Lord is risen indeed! Alleluia! Alleluia!
The celebration of Resurrection is the first feast that early Christians ever celebrated. In fact it was such a powerful event that they […]
Sermon for the Palm Sunday – Cycle C Homily
The King on a Pony en route to Die
Palm Sunday (Cycle C) – Lk 19:28-40
(Before the Procession)
Today we begin the week of weeks in the liturgical calendar: the Holy Week. Today we begin the commemoration of the high points in the history of salvation: the passion, death and resurrection of Jesus – the Paschal Mystery. Today we accompany Jesus on his solemn entry into Jerusalem where he will suffer, die and rise again. Yet, this day is a day of contradictions.
The King on a Donkey’s Back
In the gospel of Luke Jesus is on this single, long journey that he started from the little village of Nazareth (Lk 4:42-44) to the capital of the Jewish world – Jerusalem. Now he is almost there nearing his destiny. It is going to be a solemn entry, almost as if a King is […]
Sermon for the 5th Sunday of Lent – Cycle C Homily
Grace and truth have come through Jesus Christ
5th Sunday in Lent (Cycle C) – Jn 8:1-11
Sometime back, I was participating in a training in Spiritual Accompaniment. During the days of training we also had ample time for personal prayer and reflection. One of the meaningful discoveries that I made during that week was to pray by just doodling. After every period of prayer, I would make some pencil drawings to relive my moment of prayer. I realised that these ‘childish’ drawings helped me a great deal in deepening the feelings that I had experienced during prayer. I discovered that, perhaps, doodling could be a non-verbal expression of the process of integrating our thoughts and feelings.
In the gospel passage of today we see Jesus writing on the ground, in a manner that could be considered very similar to doodling. I would […]
Sermon for the 4th Sunday in Lent – Year C Homily
The Good Boy and the Bad Boy
4th Sunday in Lent (Lk 15:1-3, 11-32)
Today is one of those days, when I feel, a homily might steal the gospel reading of its depth. The parable that we heard read is a much-quoted story and we are all too familiar with it. Perhaps I might just challenge that familiarity, so that the Word of God may become alive in us today.
Usually in stories and movies, there are three types of main characters: the hero and/or the heroin – the protagonist, around whom the story revolves; there is the anti-hero – the antagonist who creates a conflict which the hero attempts to resolve; and the supporting characters, who contribute to the events that lead up to the conflict and the resolution. There would also be the minor characters (like the servants), and […]