Tuesday, 1st Week in Ordinary Time                           “What is this? A new teaching with authority.”             Many people have exercised their authority in our lives. Webster Dictionary defines authority as being, among other things, a “power to influence thought and opinion… practical personal influence… convincing force.” So, the people who exercised their authority in our … Continue reading TEACHING WITH AUTHORITY

Monday, 1st Week in Ordinary Time                           The whole of scripture is a continuous invitation to repentance and to believe in the Gospel – that good news of the kingdom of God. It is an invitation to turn away from everything that keeps us selfish and self-centered, and to turn to God as the center … Continue reading REPENT AND BELIEVE

Baptism of the Lord                        We celebrate today the Feast of the Baptism of the Lord. Today’s gospel reading tells us that Jesus was baptized by John the Baptist in the Jordan River. And on coming up out of the water, heaven is torn open and the Holy Spirit descends upon Jesus, then, a voice … Continue reading FOR WHOM ARE YOU?

Baptism of the Lord                        Fr. Earl Meyer, in his book of homilies, tells an anecdote about the famous Spanish artist Pablo Picasso. Picasso was once sunning himself on a beach in France. A woman recognized him and sent her little boy over to him with a piece of paper to beg for a sketch … Continue reading YOU ARE MY BELOVED CHILD

Baptism of the Lord                        There is a song that says, “Love me for a reason, and let the reason be love.” Deep down, all of us long for that kind of love. We all want to hear from those who say they love us: “I love you because I love you. Love is the … Continue reading UNCONDITIONAL LOVE

Saturday after Epiphany                What is very striking about John the Baptist is his very clear perception of his role in God’s plan and his fidelity to this role up to the end. The very reason for his existence, it seems, is simply that: to be the herald, the precursor of the coming of the … Continue reading UNDERSTANDING OF OUR ROLES

Friday after Epiphany                    In the time of Jesus leprosy was a hideous disease without any means of prevention or cure. The incidence of leprosy has been greatly reduced in our own time because of modern medicine. Even serious cases have at least been arrested. In other words, leprosy does not pose the threat which … Continue reading LOVING GOD FOR HIMSELF

Thursday after Epiphany               “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me…”             What distinguishes Jesus from all other “miracle workers” is that he is empowered by the Spirit and not by any other force. And his anointing by the Spirit is meant to be concretized in a salvific mission … Continue reading ANOINTED BY THE HOLY SPIRIT

Wednesday after Epiphany                           St. John, in today’s first reading, says, “God is love, and whoever remains in love remains in God and God in him.” According to Jeremy Taylor: “Love is the greatest thing that God can give us; for he himself is love: and it is the greatest thing we can give to … Continue reading GOD IS LOVE

Tuesday after Epiphany                 A couple invited me to have dinner in a fancy restaurant. After a pleasant meal, we all agreed that the food was good and the service was excellent. Very much satisfied with the service rendered to us by the waitress, the husband instructed his wife to give a separate ‘tip’ to … Continue reading GRATUITY