Saturday, August 10, 2024

19th Sunday in Ordinary Times - The Seven Sacraments


As I was preparing for the homily, I was struck with an insight. The text of today deals with the seven sacraments, and today’s readings offer us a comprehensive view of their significance in our Christian lives.

The first reading speaks of the difficult situation Elijah faced. We, too, often find ourselves in similar moments, feeling discouraged and questioning the meaning of life. Especially during times of pain, challenges, and difficulties, we may find ourselves asking, like Elijah, "What am I doing with my life?" We become drained of energy and say, "It's enough; I can’t go on." Just as God fed Elijah and gave him strength, we also need to be anointed by God to regain the strength to bounce back. While the sacrament of Anointing is often seen as preparation for death, it is equally important as a source of strength to live.

The Lord chose Elijah to be His prophet and sent him on a mission. Similarly, God chooses each one of us, and through the sacrament of Baptism, we receive the grace to belong to Him forever. We are all called to fulfill an important mission in our lives. By constantly reminding ourselves of this vocation, we can uphold our values and stay true to our purpose.

The second reading tells us that we are anointed by the Holy Spirit with many gifts. These are the gifts we received during the sacrament of Confirmation. Filled with the Holy Spirit, we cannot afford to live in sin, harbor bitterness, or give in to anger. God has given us the sacrament of Confession to cleanse us from these sins and failures.

This preparation brings us to our encounter with Jesus in the Eucharist. He is the true Bread of Life, who invites us each week to partake in this special sacrament. The Eucharist helps us build a deep relationship with Jesus. As we receive His Body and Blood, we gradually become more like Him, for as the saying goes, "We are what we eat." This divine nourishment that Jesus provides daily leads us to eternal life. Our encounter with Jesus helps us overcome our failures, vulnerabilities, and restores our values.

How beautiful it is to realize that today’s readings connect us to the journey of the sacraments. Whether have embraced the sacrament of matrimony or given the privilege of Holy Orders, or living out our Christian vocation in another way, we must remember that we are all chosen individuals, all endowed with the gifts of the Holy Spirit, all given the opportunity to cleanse our sins, all strengthened through anointing, and all nourished by the life-giving bread, Jesus Himself. Taste and see that the Lord is Good, Praise the Lord!


Wednesday, December 27, 2023

Feast of the Holy Innocents



The feast today once again prompts us to ponder the perennial question that each of us contemplates continuously: Why must the innocent endure suffering?

The first reading distinctly addresses those who profess to dwell in the light and assert their innocence, yet persist in causing harm to others, living contrary to the truth. These individuals are the deceivers, and it is they who bear responsibility for the suffering of the innocent.

Herod deceived the Magi, seeking to eliminate Baby Jesus. When outwitted by the Magi, he turned violent, massacring all the innocent infants. Driven by his fear of his own future, Herod obliterated the future of these children. Sadly, this tragedy persists in the present, with ongoing wars claiming the lives of numerous children. Our world is not markedly different; Herod-like figures persist in extinguishing the lives of the innocent, jeopardizing the future of humanity.

Liars dominate our world, manipulating the narrative through the media, ostensibly for the greater good of society but with the true agenda of undermining the future. Our children embody that future, and the absence of children in the Church raises questions about its future. Truth is consistently buried. The peril lies in our growing acceptance of these lies and liars, enabling us to coexist in this world without acknowledging the problem.

Why should the innocent suffer? They need not and should not. If each of us, with courage, upholds the truth within our families, refrains from falsehoods, and concurrently strives for a positive future for our children, we can contribute to a better world. Simultaneously, as we fulfill our societal responsibilities, we can trust that God will intervene at the opportune moment, safeguarding the future of humanity by championing the pure and the innocent.