1st Sunday in Advent
The Son of Man is Coming (Mt 24:44)
One of the advent hymns that I like most is:
We long to see thee so!
To see Thee newly-born.
We long for Christmas morn.
The sands of time run slow.
I like this hymn particularly because it arouses in me the nostalgia for homecoming. As a young boy studying in boarding schools this song reminded me of the joyful time of going back home for Christmas. I remember how the sands of time would run so slow, especially just before Christmas. However, in the past years, especially as a priest being busy during Christmas, unwrapping Christmas of its nostalgic feelings I have also begun to appreciate its spiritual depth. I am not in anyway playing down the importance of the sentimental aspects of Christmas – we have a reason to celebrate it even […]
Year A
Year A Sunday Sermons
Sermon for Pentecost Sunday – Year A, B, C: Receive the Holy Spirit
In the recent years I have been travelling across continents and living in different cultural contexts. The question, “Where do you come from,” has become so difficult for me to answer. I am sure, these days many people are in similar situation, thanks to the opportunities that the contemporary world offers. I am grateful to God for the variety of cross-cultural experiences that I have had, and I feel I am a citizen of the world. One thing that has made this possible, easy, and enjoyable, is the fact that I am a Christian, and a Catholic! Catholicism stands for universality.
Today we celebrate the birthday of this Church – the universal church. We celebrate the presence of the Spirit in this believing community today, just as it was present among the community in Jerusalem. In some countries this day is […]
Sermon for Cycle A – 33rd Sunday Homily
God is a gambler! He takes risks with me.
(Prov 31:10-13, 19-20, 30-31; 1The 5:1-6; Mt 25:14-30)
The Kingdom of God is like…
Often Jesus comes up with stories that speak a contemporary language. In the gospel, today, Jesus shows some sophisticated knowledge of market economy. He seems to be aware of investment, interest rates, and stocks. He would have surprised the disciples, to whom the parable is addressed, as a natural hedge-fund manager.
It would seem very trendy, therefore, to develop a sermon on entrepreneurship based on the gospel text of today. But interpreted within the larger agenda of the mission of Jesus the parable is not about anything material. “The kingdom of heaven is like…” (Mt 25:14), that is how the gospel narration begins. It is not even about one’s talents in music, public speaking or organisation! We shouldn’t be misled […]
Feast of All Saints
The Saints Inspire, and we can Imitate them
All Saints Day
Why Saints? Because they inspire us
In 2009, when the relics of St Thérèse of Lisieux were being taken around the UK, the euphoria of the people who went to pay homage took the sceptics by surprise. In this secular Britain, an estimated 290,000 people paid their respects to St Thérèse, in 20 churches. However, I must say, I heard the most cynical remarks about the relics only from my fellow priests. In any case, by then I was in London, and one of those nights I was called to help out with confessions at the Westminster Cathedral. As I sat at St George’s chapel, hearing the sincere confessions of some pilgrims, I watched the others file by the relics. But […]
Sermon for 18th Sunday in Ordinary Time – Year A Homily: Loaves & Fish
“And they all ate and were satisfied” (Mt 14:20)
One of my academic interests is to examine the psychological impact of Christian contemplative practice on people. A pattern emerges from the formal interviews that I have conducted, and the informal conversation that I have had. The participants speak of what I call, ‘a 3D spirituality,’ there is an upward movement of the heart towards God, there is an inward movement towards the self, and there is an outward movement towards others. This is something I strive for in my own personal life, and I offer opportunity for people to experience through my own ministry. These days I add a fourth dimension to this, inspired by the spirit of the Laudato Si’: the outward journey is also towards the rest of creation!
3D Spirituality. In the […]