3rd Sunday in Ordinary Time (Lk 1:1-4; 4:14-21)
Good News to the poor
One of the popular books that have inspired me a great deal is The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People by Stephen Covey. Supposedly, the book has sold more than 25 million copies in 38 languages since its first publication in 1989. I must say, the book has played an important role in improving my effectiveness, and I have used it to train many young people in Africa and India. The second habit of highly effective people, according to Stephen Covey is to, “Begin with the End in Mind!” This, simply means having a personal vision of life, setting realistic goals, and even writing out a personal mission statement.
We are in the beginning of the ordinary time of the liturgical year. Today we are beginning to listen to the […]
Sunday Sermons
Sunday Sermons and Homilies
Sermon for New Year – Year A, B, C – Homily
New Year – Mary, Mother of God
“May the Lord Bless you” (Num 6:24)
Today is a day of blessing. In this New Year, God has blessed us with another opportunity to grow in love, to come closer to Him, and to experience Him in the person of Jesus.
Today is a day of blessing. We honour Mary – she who was blessed among women – as the mother of God. “When the appointed time came, God sent his Son, born of a woman…” (Gal 4:4).
Today is a day of blessing. On this eighth day after Christmas we remember the naming ceremony of Jesus. We bless and honour the holy name of Jesus. We acknowledge that there is power and blessing in the name of Jesus. As St Paul tells us in Phil 2:9, 10: “And for this God raised him high, and […]
Sermon for 3rd Sunday in Advent – Year C Homily
3rd Sunday in Advent – Cycle C
Spirituality of the Essential
The message of John the Baptist in the gospel text of last Sunday (2nd Sunday in Advent – year C) was, “Prepare a way for the Lord…” (Lk 3:4). After hearing this message, we see in the gospel text of today people going to him and asking him, “What must we do” (Lk 3:10). How do we prepare for the coming of the messiah? His general message to everyone is ‘Charity’. His message to the tax collectors is, ‘Justice’. And to the soldiers, “Be content!” John the Baptist seems to be well aware of the situations of each group and quite down to earth in his proposals.
So I too went to John the Baptist. “What about me? What must I do?” I asked. He said, “Live simply. Live a spirituality […]
Advent Sermons: Homilies for the Four Sundays of Advent
Advent Sermons: Homilies for the Four Sundays of Advent
Right from the 4th Century Christians have had this special time of preparation towards Christmas, and they called it, adventus. In Latin, it simply means, ‘coming’. Like the season of Lent (before Easter) traditionally this season also was observed as a time of fasting and prayer (before Christmas). That is why, much like the season of Lent, you can see the priest wearing violet during liturgical celebrations, and in some part of the world even weddings are not officiated in church during this season.
The four Sundays of Advent revolve around similar themes: coming of Jesus and waiting. Click on the following links to access a variety of sermons for this season.
Coming of Jesus: Three possible Meanings
They confessed their Sins: Preparing to Welcome Jesus
Spirituality of Waiting
Waiting in Integration
Jesus Comes Here and Now
Spirituality of […]
Sermon for 29th Sunday in Ordinary Time – Year B Homily
The Power of Suffering and Service
29th Sunday – Year B
Pleasure, Possessions and Power
We are created to be happy. Our pursuit of happiness revolves around, and often misled by, the three P-wants: Pleasure, Possession, and Power. Pleasure is the ability to enjoy positive mental and physical states. Possession is the endowment to have access to the fundamental needs of human beings. And power is the possibility to have agency over the environment and people around us. The 3 P’s may contribute to happiness, and at the same time, an exaggerated focus on them could leave us unhappy. This is our struggle: to balance our need and want for pleasure, possession and power.
The core content of the temptations of Jesus, in the Synoptic Gospels (Mt 4:1-11; Mk 1:12-13; Lk 4:1-11) and […]