Your righteousness must go deeper (Mt 5:20)
The powerful invitation of the Sermon on the Mount, that we continue to listen to in the gospel reading of today, is to embrace the previous revelation of God and to be available to the God who is here and now. It is also an invitation to embrace the Law and to go beyond it. And to be part of the Kingdom of God, your righteousness has to be go beyond that of the scribes and Pharisees (Mt 5:20).
This is the time of New Dispensation. Righteousness is not legalism. The word ‘righteousness’ could be translated as justice, uprightness, virtue, perfection. Matthew is constantly proposing a new and deeper meaning of righteousness. It is not mere conformity to law, but a response to the plan of […]
Year A
Year A Sunday Sermons
Sermon for 2nd Sunday in Ordinary Time – Year A Homily
2nd Sunday in Ordinary Time – Year A
The Life Journey of John the Baptist (Jn 1:29-34)
In the liturgical calendar, we are back to the ordinary time. But in our gospel reading there is an attempt to make the liturgy of today special. Perhaps it is just to remind us that every Eucharistic celebration is special! As we are in Year A, we should have been listening to the Gospel of Matthew. But our gospel text for today came from the Gospel of John, as is the case every year on the 2nd Sunday in ordinary time. The liturgy of the 2nd Sunday invites us once again to focus on the figure of John the Baptist as if to bridge the season of Advent and Christmas with the rest of the year. What can we learn from John the Baptist? John invites us to […]
Sermon for 3rd Sunday in Advent – Year A Homily
Spirituality of Waiting
3rd Sunday in Advent – Cycle A
While still in London, one day, I had to travel across the city on a weekday during the morning rush hour to preside at a Eucharistic celebration. The internet estimated that my journey would take about an hour and a half, but I left a little bit late. As I sat anxiously on the London Tube (underground train) wishing to push that train to run faster, I began to have a look at the people who sat around me: a few were trying to catch up with their make up, some were catching up with their breakfast, others were catching up with the news, and still others either fidgeting with an electronic toy (like the mobile phone or ipad), or listening to music. And suddenly an insight came to me, as […]
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 […]