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Bow down low and worship the Lord Your God first and foremost, then His Grace will be upon you and your family. For all the importance and titles you have received can you restore life by your touch? Is the faith of your members in your family or your ministry thriving because of your actions? So what if you belong to an all powerful Executive Committee if you and the team members are not true disciples first after your Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ? Who opt to take shortcuts and cut corners instead of carrying your cross to follow Him on the narrow path? If you want to remain popular then perhaps you are best suited for the political arena!

Those who choose to follow Christ will strive to deepen their relationship with Him a little more each and everyday. They will not need to ask how this is to be done because they know it takes sacrifice and discipline to live out their daily lives according to His Will. They hear His voice, He knows them and they follow Him. That deep connection opens up Heaven for them and the grace of the God comes down upon them. Angels are sent to minister to them. Is this wonderful experience of our Lord Jesus Christ Himself not available to all of us?

We need to reach out to Jesus with all our heart, mind, soul, then He will take us by our hand and surely say to us, “Your faith has saved you, my child.” Amen

First reading

Genesis 28:10-22 ·
Jacob’s dream of the ladder at Bethel

Jacob left Beersheba and set out for Haran. When he had reached a certain place he passed the night there, since the sun had set. Taking one of the stones to be found at that place, he made it his pillow and lay down where he was. He had a dream: a ladder was there, standing on the ground with its top reaching to heaven; and there were angels of God going up it and coming down. And the Lord was there, standing over him, saying, ‘I am the Lord, the God of Abraham your father, and the God of Isaac. I will give to you and your descendants the land on which you are lying. Your descendants shall be like the specks of dust on the ground; you shall spread to the west and the east, to the north and the south, and all the tribes of the earth shall bless themselves by you and your descendants.
Be sure that I am with you; I will keep you safe wherever you go, and bring you back to this land, for I will not desert you before I have done all that I have promised you.’ Then Jacob awoke from his sleep and said, ‘Truly, the Lord is in this place and I never knew it!’ He was afraid and said, ‘How awe-inspiring this place is! This is nothing less than a house of God; this is the gate of heaven!’ Rising early in the morning, Jacob took the stone he had used for his pillow, and set it up as a monument, pouring oil over the top of it. He named the place Bethel, but before that the town was called Luz.
Jacob made this vow, ‘If God goes with me and keeps me safe on this journey I am making, if he gives me bread to eat and clothes to wear, and if I return home safely to my father, then the Lord shall be my God. This stone I have set up as a monument shall be a house of God.’

Gospel

Matthew 9:18-26
‘Your faith has restored you to health’

While Jesus was speaking, up came one of the officials, who bowed low in front of him and said, ‘My daughter has just died, but come and lay your hand on her and her life will be saved.’ Jesus rose and, with his disciples, followed him. Then from behind him came a woman, who had suffered from a haemorrhage for twelve years, and she touched the fringe of his cloak, for she said to herself, ‘If I can only touch his cloak I shall be well again.’ Jesus turned round and saw her; and he said to her, ‘Courage, my daughter, your faith has restored you to health.’ And from that moment the woman was well again.
When Jesus reached the official’s house and saw the flute-players, with the crowd making a commotion he said, ‘Get out of here; the little girl is not dead, she is asleep.’ And they laughed at him. But when the people had been turned out he went inside and took the little girl by the hand; and she stood up. And the news spread all round the countryside.

Why do we hesitate and look back to all we have, even when what we possess does not lead to growth in our faith or love for ourselves or others? Instead many choose to live in the past, they find comfort in what they can predict even if it meant continuing to live in their sins! Of rejecting the Lord God in their lives and remaining dead spiritually. Those who strive to follow our Lord should not remain in an environment where sin and debauchery thrives otherwise they will find themselves consumed. Where the Lord leads follow! Do not ever look back otherwise you will find yourself going nowhere and lifeless.

Discipleship in Jesus is not always smooth sailing. Difficulties and challenges can arise at any time and with them comes stormy exchanges, hurts and even pain. Do we turn to Jesus in faith to help us through it knowing that He is always with us. For He alone is the answer, He alone is safe passage to peace, love and joy. Even though we walk through the darkest valley, we will fear no evil, for He is with us; His rod and His staff, they comfort us. He prepares a table for us in the presence of our enemies and anoints our heads with oil. His goodness and love will follow us all the days of our lives. Amen Alleluia!

First reading

Genesis 19:15-29
The destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah

The angels urged Lot, ‘Come, take your wife and these two daughters of yours, or you will be overwhelmed in the punishment of the town.’ And as he hesitated, the men took him by the hand, and his wife and his two daughters, because of the pity the Lord felt for him. They led him out and left him outside the town.
As they were leading him out he said, ‘Run for your life. Neither look behind you nor stop anywhere on the plain. Make for the hills if you would not be overwhelmed.’ ‘No, I beg you, my lord,’ Lot said to them ‘your servant has won your favour and you have shown great kindness to me in saving my life. But I could not reach the hills before this calamity overtook me, and death with it. The town over there is near enough to flee to, and is a little one. Let me make for that – is it not little? – and my life will be saved.’ He answered, ‘I grant you this favour too, and will not destroy the town you speak of. Hurry, escape to it, for I can do nothing until you reach it.’ That is why the town is named Zoar.
As the sun rose over the land and Lot entered Zoar, the Lord rained on Sodom and Gomorrah brimstone and fire from the Lord. He overthrew these towns and the whole plain, with all the inhabitants of the towns, and everything that grew there. But the wife of Lot looked back, and was turned into a pillar of salt.
Rising early in the morning Abraham went to the place where he had stood before the Lord, and looking towards Sodom and Gomorrah, and across all the plain, he saw the smoke rising from the land, like smoke from a furnace.
Thus it was that when God destroyed the towns of the plain, he kept Abraham in mind and rescued Lot out of disaster when he overwhelmed the towns where Lot lived.

Gospel

Matthew 8:23-27
Jesus rebuked the winds and the seas, and all was calm

Jesus got into the boat followed by his disciples. Without warning a storm broke over the lake, so violent that the waves were breaking right over the boat. But he was asleep. So they went to him and woke him saying, ‘Save us, Lord, we are going down!’ And he said to them, ‘Why are you so frightened, you men of little faith?’ And with that he stood up and rebuked the winds and the sea; and all was calm again. The men were astounded and said, ‘Whatever kind of man is this? Even the winds and the sea obey him.’

You go, I go, or you go I will follow, have we not used this lines many times in our lives? For one we were reluctant to go ourselves for whatever reason. We decide then that if we are compelled to go we want companionship. Some would even say, if we have to suffer let’s suffer together. Then there is the aspect that I do not want to take the lead, for I am not comfortable with the unknown, so at least if there are pitfalls along the way, then whoever takes the lead will either fall first or lead me round them to safety. Or I simply don’t want the responsibility of leading others for then I will likely be held accountable for any thing that goes awry. All these lines are used more often than not in matters of faith; spoken or unspoken! The worst of it all is that when it is time to really follow or go we are then nowhere to be found.

Too difficult and just too hard! For Jesus Himself said that ‘foxes have holes and the birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay his head.’ Signifying that the road we take in following Him as disciples will be hard and challenging. How often have I said that I know better then to….but fall nonetheless and repeat my sins and shortcomings. I shout and scold when I should be patient and understanding . Or how to lead others when I am tempted to give in to my own desires instead of sacrificing my time and talents for them. What other excuses have we come up with to remain spiritually dead? Have we forgotten then that Jesus also told us that His yoke is easy and His burden light, when we take His yoke upon us? Telling us that He is with us through it all, carrying our burdens with us and giving us the grace to do so.

We are called to be leaders, like Father Abraham , to be obedient unto the Lord our God. Always having faith and trust in Him so that we too like him can intercede for sinners; and by our example lead them home to our Heavenly Father. We can surely accomplish this and more, when we live in the Spirit through the power of our Risen Lord Jesus Christ. Amen

First reading

Genesis 18:16-33 ·
Abraham negotiates with the Lord

From Mamre the men set out and arrived within sight of Sodom, with Abraham accompanying them to show them the way. Now the Lord had wondered, ‘Shall I conceal from Abraham what I am going to do, seeing that Abraham will become a great nation with all the nations of the earth blessing themselves by him? For I have singled him out to command his sons and his household after him to maintain the way of the Lord by just and upright living. In this way the Lord will carry out for Abraham what he has promised him.’ Then the Lord said, ‘How great an outcry there is against Sodom and Gomorrah! How grievous is their sin! I propose to go down and see whether or not they have done all that is alleged in the outcry against them that has come up to me. I am determined to know.’
The men left there and went to Sodom while Abraham remained standing before the Lord. Approaching him he said, ‘Are you really going to destroy the just man with the sinner? Perhaps there are fifty just men in the town. Will you really overwhelm them, will you not spare the place for the fifty just men in it? Do not think of doing such a thing: to kill the just man with the sinner, treating just and sinner alike! Do not think of it! Will the judge of the whole earth not administer justice?’ the Lord replied, ‘If at Sodom I find fifty just men in the town, I will spare the whole place because of them.’
Abraham replied, ‘I am bold indeed to speak like this to my Lord, I who am dust and ashes. But perhaps the fifty just men lack five: will you destroy the whole city for five?’ ‘No,’ he replied ‘I will not destroy it if I find forty-five just men there.’ Again Abraham said to him, ‘Perhaps there will only be forty there.’ ‘I will not do it’ he replied ‘for the sake of the forty.’
Abraham said, ‘I trust my Lord will not be angry, but give me leave to speak: perhaps there will only be thirty there.’ ‘I will not do it’ he replied ‘if I find thirty there.’ He said, ‘I am bold indeed to speak like this, but perhaps there will only be twenty there.’ ‘I will not destroy it’ he replied ‘for the sake of the twenty.’ He said, ‘I trust my Lord will not be angry if I speak once more: perhaps there will only be ten.’ ‘I will not destroy it’ he replied ‘for the sake of the ten.’
When he had finished talking to Abraham the Lord went away, and Abraham returned home.

Gospel

Matthew 8:18-22
The Son of Man has nowhere to lay his head

When Jesus saw the great crowds all about him he gave orders to leave for the other side. One of the scribes then came up and said to him, ‘Master, I will follow you wherever you go.’ Jesus replied, ‘Foxes have holes and the birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay his head.’
Another man, one of his disciples, said to him, ‘Sir, let me go and bury my father first.’ But Jesus replied, ‘Follow me, and leave the dead to bury their dead.’

Today on the solemnity of St Peter and St Paul we call to mind, two powerful evangelisers who helped shape and build our Church on the foundation of Rock, our Lord and saviour Jesus Christ. All simply through their great insatiable love of and for Him.

Both were flawed and very much less than perfect men yet it is the Lord our God that chose and qualified them. As we peer into their conversion stories we see our very own, of how Jesus set all our hearts aflame with the fire of His love. We see the parallels hardships and challenges both Apostles faced, both were jailed and set free by the angel of the Lord for it was not yet time to receive their crowns of righteousness, to live in His presence for all eternity. And so they persevered in their journey to the very end, proclaiming and sharing the love of their Lord with all.

We are called to do likewise, that is to be powerful witnesses of His love. And we can do so because it is our Lord Jesus Christ who will qualify and sanctify us; if we simply open our hearts to Him. His grace is sufficient for us. Amen

First reading

Acts 12:1-11 ·
‘Now I know the Lord really did save me from Herod’

King Herod started persecuting certain members of the Church. He beheaded James the brother of John, and when he saw that this pleased the Jews he decided to arrest Peter as well. This was during the days of Unleavened Bread, and he put Peter in prison, assigning four squads of four soldiers each to guard him in turns. Herod meant to try Peter in public after the end of Passover week. All the time Peter was under guard the Church prayed to God for him unremittingly.
On the night before Herod was to try him, Peter was sleeping between two soldiers, fastened with double chains, while guards kept watch at the main entrance to the prison. Then suddenly the angel of the Lord stood there, and the cell was filled with light. He tapped Peter on the side and woke him. ‘Get up!’ he said ‘Hurry!’ – and the chains fell from his hands. The angel then said, ‘Put on your belt and sandals.’ After he had done this, the angel next said, ‘Wrap your cloak round you and follow me.’ Peter followed him, but had no idea that what the angel did was all happening in reality; he thought he was seeing a vision. They passed through two guard posts one after the other, and reached the iron gate leading to the city. This opened of its own accord; they went through it and had walked the whole length of one street when suddenly the angel left him. It was only then that Peter came to himself. ‘Now I know it is all true’ he said. ‘The Lord really did send his angel and has saved me from Herod and from all that the Jewish people were so certain would happen to me.’

Second reading

2 Timothy 4:6-8,17-18 ·
All there is to come now is the crown of righteousness reserved for me

My life is already being poured away as a libation, and the time has come for me to be gone. I have fought the good fight to the end; I have run the race to the finish; I have kept the faith; all there is to come now is the crown of righteousness reserved for me, which the Lord, the righteous judge, will give to me on that Day; and not only to me but to all those who have longed for his Appearing.
The Lord stood by me and gave me power, so that through me the whole message might be proclaimed for all the pagans to hear; and so I was rescued from the lion’s mouth. The Lord will rescue me from all evil attempts on me, and bring me safely to his heavenly kingdom. To him be glory for ever and ever. Amen.

Gospel

Matthew 16:13-19
You are Peter and on this rock I will build my Church

When Jesus came to the region of Caesarea Philippi he put this question to his disciples, ‘Who do people say the Son of Man is?’ And they said, ‘Some say he is John the Baptist, some Elijah, and others Jeremiah or one of the prophets.’ ‘But you,’ he said ‘who do you say I am?’ Then Simon Peter spoke up, ‘You are the Christ,’ he said ‘the Son of the living God.’ Jesus replied, ‘Simon son of Jonah, you are a happy man! Because it was not flesh and blood that revealed this to you but my Father in heaven. So I now say to you: You are Peter and on this rock I will build my Church. And the gates of the underworld can never hold out against it. I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven: whatever you bind on earth shall be considered bound in heaven; whatever you loose on earth shall be considered loosed in heaven.’

O Sacred of Jesus mould my heart after Yours. Your great love for me has set me free to live in Your peace, love and joy. Let me never wander from You and if I do so a little too far, bring me back safely into Your loving arms. You are my Lord and my Shepherd what else will I ever want or need?

O Sacred of Jesus mould my heart after Yours. That I may love my brethren as You do. Even if they mock me, question my integrity or question my faith and love for You my Lord, I will stand firmly grounded in Your love for me. For I know without any doubt that You are with me through it all. Help me to love and care for them as You have loved and cared for me. Let my eyes always be opened to search out and tend to the poor, sick and the downtrodden.

O Sacred of Jesus mould my heart after Yours. May those who look to see into my heart find Yours beating next to mine. Sacred heart of Jesus pray for me. Amen

First reading

Ezekiel 34:11-16 ·
I will look after my flock myself and keep all of it in view

The Lord God says this: I am going to look after my flock myself and keep all of it in view. As a shepherd keeps all his flock in view when he stands up in the middle of his scattered sheep, so shall I keep my sheep in view. I shall rescue them from wherever they have been scattered during the mist and darkness. I shall bring them out of the countries where they are; I shall gather them together from foreign countries and bring them back to their own land. I shall pasture them on the mountains of Israel, in the ravines and in every inhabited place in the land. I shall feed them in good pasturage; the high mountains of Israel will be their grazing ground. There they will rest in good grazing ground; they will browse in rich pastures on the mountains of Israel. I myself will pasture my sheep, I myself will show them where to rest – it is the Lord who speaks. I shall look for the lost one, bring back the stray, bandage the wounded and make the weak strong. I shall watch over the fat and healthy. I shall be a true shepherd to them.

Second reading

Romans 5:5-11 ·
Now we have been reconciled by the death of his Son, surely we may count on being saved by the life of his Son

The love of God has been poured into our hearts by the Holy Spirit which has been given us. We were still helpless when at his appointed moment Christ died for sinful men. It is not easy to die even for a good man – though of course for someone really worthy, a man might be prepared to die – but what proves that God loves us is that Christ died for us while we were still sinners. Having died to make us righteous, is it likely that he would now fail to save us from God’s anger? When we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, we were still enemies; now that we have been reconciled, surely we may count on being saved by the life of his Son? Not merely because we have been reconciled but because we are filled with joyful trust in God, through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have already gained our reconciliation.

Gospel

Luke 15:3-7
There will be rejoicing in heaven over one repentant sinner

Jesus spoke this parable to the scribes and Pharisees:
‘What man among you with a hundred sheep, losing one, would not leave the ninety-nine in the wilderness and go after the missing one till he found it? And when he found it, would he not joyfully take it on his shoulders and then, when he got home, call together his friends and neighbours? “Rejoice with me,” he would say “I have found my sheep that was lost.” In the same way, I tell you, there will be more rejoicing in heaven over one repentant sinner than over ninety-nine virtuous men who have no need of repentance.’

The Lord sees into our hearts and He knows what we have done and what we have failed to do. Still His mercy and love abounds and He will judge us fairly, often giving us opportunities to live and grow otherwise forfeited by our own actions for having sinned against Him. And we must resist the anxious voices of even those closest to us to take immediate action on matters which goes against trust and obedience to the Lord our God.

For unless we have complete faith and trust in our Lord and choose the narrow road which He sets before us; we might find ourselves still able to perform many wonderful things in His name simply because we are doing them for His children’s sake but we ourselves might not enter His Kingdom. Our hearts must be changed inwardly that we desire always to hear His Word and Will for us. For there will always be the temptation to conform to the standards of the World, which demands we do NOT waste precious time on things which we cannot see or touch! Like time for prayer, quiet time to contemplate scripture, adoration, sharing of the Word and so on. Whose Will be done then?

Lord I hear You call my name, I have come to do Your Will. Amen

First reading

Genesis 16:1-12,15-16 ·
Hagar bears Abram a son

Abram’s wife Sarai had borne him no child, but she had an Egyptian maidservant named Hagar. So Sarai said to Abram, ‘Listen, now! Since the Lord has kept me from having children, go to my slave-girl. Perhaps I shall get children through her.’ Abram agreed to what Sarai had said.
Thus after Abram had lived in the land of Canaan for ten years Sarai took Hagar her Egyptian slave-girl and gave her to Abram as his wife. He went to Hagar and she conceived. And once she knew she had conceived, her mistress counted for nothing in her eyes. Then Sarai said to Abram, ‘May this insult to me come home to you! It was I who put my slave-girl into your arms but now she knows that she has conceived, I count for nothing in her eyes. Let the Lord judge between me and you.’ ‘Very well,’ Abram said to Sarai ‘your slave-girl is at your disposal. Treat her as you think fit.’ Sarai accordingly treated her so badly that she ran away from her.
The angel of the Lord met her near a spring in the wilderness, the spring that is on the road to Shur. He said, ‘Hagar, slave-girl of Sarai, where have you come from, and where are you going?’ ‘I am running away from my mistress Sarai’ she replied. The angel of the Lord said to her, ‘Go back to your mistress and submit to her.’ The angel of the Lord said to her, ‘I will make your descendants too numerous to be counted.’ Then the angel of the Lord said to her:

‘Now you have conceived, and you will bear a son and you shall name him Ishmael,
for the Lord has heard your cries of distress.
A wild-ass of a man he will be,
against every man, and every man against him, setting himself to defy all his brothers.’

Hagar bore Abram a son, and Abram gave to the son that Hagar bore the name Ishmael. Abram was eighty-six years old when Hagar bore him Ishmael.

Gospel

Matthew 7:21-29
The wise man built his house on a rock

Jesus said to his disciples: ‘It is not those who say to me, “Lord, Lord,” who will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the person who does the will of my Father in heaven. When the day comes many will say to me, “Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, cast out demons in your name, work many miracles in your name?” Then I shall tell them to their faces: I have never known you; away from me, you evil men!
‘Therefore, everyone who listens to these words of mine and acts on them will be like a sensible man who built his house on rock. Rain came down, floods rose, gales blew and hurled themselves against that house, and it did not fall: it was founded on rock. But everyone who listens to these words of mine and does not act on them will be like a stupid man who built his house on sand. Rain came down, floods rose, gales blew and struck that house, and it fell; and what a fall it had!’
Jesus had now finished what he wanted to say, and his teaching made a deep impression on the people because he taught them with authority, and not like their own scribes.

Whether we like it or not many are watching our every move, how we dress, how we speak and what we do. Why do you think Social media is so popular? Because the world can glimpse into our own personal lives and either ‘like’ or ‘dislike’ what they see. Yes unless of course we have certain privacy settings on. Regardless whether on or offline the fact remains that people are watching and it is simply a fact not some conspiracy theory. More so if you are a leader of sorts, because they hang on your every word. So then what fruits will they see? Yes they and not what we see in ourselves. For many boasts about their accomplishments though very little is actually done for the Lord and there are those who do not boast at all yet have done much in the eyes of our Lord Jesus Christ. We might think of ourselves as fruitful, though that counts for nothing unless everyone else are witnesses to the fruits we bear for our Lord.

Will they see in us our faithfulness and constant drive to be Holy as our Heavenly Father is Holy;such that it inspires them to do likewise? Or when they see the joy and peace on our faces because the joy of the Gospel is at the very centre of our lives; will they not be moved to do the same? By our loving care for the those in need spiritually or physically challenged we bring the hope and peace of Christ into their lives; are these not the fruits we bear for the Lord profess we love?

Merciful Lord and saviour You have been faithful in fulfilling all Your Promises. Let my love for You shown in the fruits I bear speak of my own faithfulness to You. Amen

First reading

Genesis 15:1-12,17-18 ·
Count the stars: such shall be your descendants

It happened that the word of the Lord was spoken to Abram in a vision, ‘Have no fear, Abram, I am your shield; your reward will be very great.’
‘My Lord,’ Abram replied ‘what do you intend to give me? I go childless…’ Then Abram said, ‘See, you have given me no descendants; some man of my household will be my heir.’ And then this word of the Lord was spoken to him, ‘He shall not be your heir; your heir shall be of your own flesh and blood.’ Then taking him outside he said, ‘Look up to heaven and count the stars if you can. Such will be your descendants’ he told him. Abram put his faith in the Lord, who counted this as making him justified.
‘I am the Lord’ he said to him ‘who brought you out of Ur of the Chaldaeans to make you heir to this land.’ ‘My Lord,’ Abram replied ‘how am I to know that I shall inherit it?’ He said to him, ‘Get me a three-year-old heifer, a three-year-old goat, a three-year-old ram, a turtledove and a young pigeon.’ He brought him all these, cut them in half and put half on one side and half facing it on the other; but the birds he did not cut in half. Birds of prey came down on the carcases but Abram drove them off.
Now as the sun was setting Abram fell into a deep sleep, and terror seized him. When the sun had set and darkness had fallen, there appeared a smoking furnace and a firebrand that went between the halves. That day the Lord made a Covenant with Abram in these terms:

‘To your descendants I give this land, from the wadi of Egypt to the Great River, the river Euphrates.’

Gospel

Matthew 7:15-20
You will be able to tell them by their fruits

Jesus said to his disciples: ‘Beware of false prophets who come to you disguised as sheep but underneath are ravenous wolves. You will be able to tell them by their fruits. Can people pick grapes from thorns, or figs from thistles? In the same way, a sound tree produces good fruit but a rotten tree bad fruit. A sound tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor a rotten tree bear good fruit. Any tree that does not produce good fruit is cut down and thrown on the fire. I repeat, you will be able to tell them by their fruits.’

God is faithful to those who are faithful and obedient unto Him. He provides for and in abundance according to the choices we make to follow His will for us. But the greatest reward of all, is simply to have a deep and meaningful relationship with Him. For in that deep and loving relationship our life is complete and lived to the full. We shall not need neither shall we want.

To enter into that relationship however takes sacrifice, discipline and committment. It requires that we sometimes have to make difficult choices not to follow the status quo in order to follow Him and His way. For instance it may seem like a good idea to have a couple of drinks to loosen inhibitions so as to have a more open discussion at our church meetings, really? Can the Holy Spirit not illumine minds to have such open discussions if you call upon Him? (Eph 5:8) All we need is the Lord our God! There are many other paths we might choose, to cut corners, to shorten prayer time, shorten or even take away time for reflection, Adoration and so on. All in the ‘spirit’ of efficiency and moving things along. Is the Lord in charge then of our lives or have we decided that we know better? The road to perdition is indeed wide and many take it! Let us instead choose the narrow the gate in which the Holy Spirit directs us to take, even if it is hard rocky road ahead. For the end destination is what matters. How wonderful that we will find the Lord at the very end of it.

Lord Jesus guide my steps always. Amen

First reading

Genesis 13:2,5-18 ·
Abram settles in the land of Canaan and builds an altar to the Lord

Abram was a very rich man, with livestock, silver and gold. Lot, who was travelling with Abram, had flocks and cattle of his own, and tents too. The land was not sufficient to accommodate them both at once, for they had too many possessions to be able to live together. Dispute broke out between the herdsmen of Abram’s livestock and those of Lot’s. (The Canaanites and the Perizzites were then living in the land.) Accordingly Abram said to Lot, ‘Let there be no dispute between me and you, nor between my herdsmen and yours, for we are brothers. Is not the whole land open before you? Part company with me: if you take the left, I will go right; if you take the right, I will go left.’
Looking round, Lot saw all the Jordan plain, irrigated everywhere – this was before the Lord destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah – like the garden of the Lord or the land of Egypt, as far as Zoar. So Lot chose all the Jordan plain for himself and moved off eastwards. Thus they parted company: Abram settled in the land of Canaan; Lot settled among the towns of the plain, pitching his tents on the outskirts of Sodom. Now the people of Sodom were vicious men, great sinners against the Lord.
The Lord said to Abram after Lot had parted company with him, ‘Look all round from where you are towards the north and the south, towards the east and the west. All the land within sight I will give to you and your descendants for ever. I will make your descendants like the dust on the ground: when men succeed in counting the specks of dust on the ground, then they will be able to count your descendants! Come, travel through the length and breadth of the land, for I mean to give it to you.’
So Abram went with his tents to settle at the Oak of Mamre, at Hebron, and there he built an altar to the Lord.

Gospel

Matthew 7:6,12-14
Treat others as you would like them to treat you

Jesus said to his disciples: ‘Do not give dogs what is holy; and do not throw your pearls in front of pigs, or they may trample them and then turn on you and tear you to pieces.
‘So always treat others as you would like them to treat you; that is the meaning of the Law and the Prophets.
‘Enter by the narrow gate, since the road that leads to perdition is wide and spacious, and many take it; but it is a narrow gate and a hard road that leads to life, and only a few find it.’

Today on the feast of the Nativity of St John the Baptist we should call to mind our own birth, our birthright as children of God our Father. Our call to Holiness and the unique calling for each of one of us to share the message of salvation to all; that Christ Jesus our Lord is the light for all nations and He alone will lead us all into the Kingdom of Heaven.

St John the Baptist greatest of all prophets laid down his life for the Glory of the Lord our God. He prepared the way for our Lord Jesus Christ by turning the hearts of men back to the Lord our God, as he preached repentance and initiated such a baptism as an outward sign and declaration of the willingness of those who desired to make straight their paths. A response to the call of our God put into action.

And so today we reflect on our similar calling to that of St John the Baptist. To be courageous beacons of light for Christ our Lord and Saviour. While not all of us will be called to share in His martyrdom for Christ, we are all called to die to ourselves, our wants, our concupiscence, to be Holy as our Heavenly Father is Holy. And to lead the many children who have strayed back to Him. Amen

First reading

Isaiah 49:1-6
I will make you the light of the nations so that my salvation may reach to the ends of the earth

Islands, listen to me, pay attention, remotest peoples. The Lord called me before I was born, from my mother’s womb he pronounced my name.

He made my mouth a sharp sword, and hid me in the shadow of his hand. He made me into a sharpened arrow, and concealed me in his quiver.

He said to me, ‘You are my servant (Israel) in whom I shall be glorified’; while I was thinking, ‘I have toiled in vain, I have exhausted myself for nothing’; and all the while my cause was with the Lord, my reward with my God. I was honoured in the eyes of the Lord, my God was my strength.

And now the Lord has spoken,

he who formed me in the womb to be his servant, to bring Jacob back to him, to gather Israel to him:

‘It is not enough for you to be my servant, to restore the tribes of Jacob and bring back the survivors of Israel; I will make you the light of the nations so that my salvation may reach to the ends of the earth.’

Second reading

Acts 13:22-26
Jesus, whose coming was heralded by John

Paul said: ‘God deposed Saul and made David their king, of whom he approved in these words, “I have selected David son of Jesse, a man after my own heart, who will carry out my whole purpose.” To keep his promise, God has raised up for Israel one of David’s descendants, Jesus, as Saviour, whose coming was heralded by John when he proclaimed a baptism of repentance for the whole people of Israel. Before John ended his career he said, “I am not the one you imagine me to be; that one is coming after me and I am not fit to undo his sandal.”
‘My brothers, sons of Abraham’s race, and all you who fear God, this message of salvation is meant for you.’

Gospel

Luke 1:57-66,80
‘His name is John’

The time came for Elizabeth to have her child, and she gave birth to a son; and when her neighbours and relations heard that the Lord had shown her so great a kindness, they shared her joy.

Now on the eighth day they came to circumcise the child; they were going to call him Zechariah after his father, but his mother spoke up. ‘No,’ she said ‘he is to be called John.’ They said to her, ‘But no one in your family has that name’, and made signs to his father to find out what he wanted him called. The father asked for a writing-tablet and wrote, ‘His name is John.’ And they were all astonished. At that instant his power of speech returned and he spoke and praised God. All their neighbours were filled with awe and the whole affair was talked about throughout the hill country of Judaea. All those who heard of it treasured it in their hearts. ‘What will this child turn out to be?’ they wondered. And indeed the hand of the Lord was with him.

Meanwhile the child grew up and his spirit matured. And he lived out in the wilderness until the day he appeared openly to Israel.

The higher we rise up in leadership in our church the humbler we must be. For men and women chosen by the Lord our God know in their hearts that all they have comes from Him alone. We must acknowledge our limitations, be aware of our shortfalls and allow Jesus our Lord to fill in the gaps. We embrace our sufferings and pains for Christ as a necessary means to grow in Holiness and offer them up for His flock and for His glory.

Everything we will ever need for our misson to share the joy of the Gospel, His mercy and love will be provided for by our Heavenly Father. All necessary graces we will receive from our Lord and saviour Jesus Christ. The Lord indeed is my shepherd there is nothing I shall want. Amen

First reading

2 Corinthians 12:1-10 †
‘My power is at its best in weakness’

Must I go on boasting, though there is nothing to be gained by it? But I will move on to the visions and revelations I have had from the Lord. I know a man in Christ who, fourteen years ago, was caught up – whether still in the body or out of the body, I do not know; God knows – right into the third heaven. I do know, however, that this same person – whether in the body or out of the body, I do not know; God knows – was caught up into paradise and heard things which must not and cannot be put into human language. I will boast about a man like that, but not about anything of my own except my weaknesses. If I should decide to boast, I should not be made to look foolish, because I should only be speaking the truth; but I am not going to, in case anyone should begin to think I am better than he can actually see and hear me to be.
In view of the extraordinary nature of these revelations, to stop me from getting too proud I was given a thorn in the flesh, an angel of Satan to beat me and stop me from getting too proud! About this thing, I have pleaded with the Lord three times for it to leave me, but he has said, ‘My grace is enough for you: my power is at its best in weakness.’ So I shall be very happy to make my weaknesses my special boast so that the power of Christ may stay over me, and that is why I am quite content with my weaknesses, and with insults, hardships, persecutions, and the agonies I go through for Christ’s sake. For it is when I am weak that I am strong.

Gospel

Matthew 6:24-34
Do not worry about tomorrow: your holy Father knows your needs

Jesus said to his disciples: ‘No one can be the slave of two masters: he will either hate the first and love the second, or treat the first with respect and the second with scorn. You cannot be the slave both of God and of money.
‘That is why I am telling you not to worry about your life and what you are to eat, nor about your body and how you are to clothe it. Surely life means more than food, and the body more than clothing! Look at the birds in the sky. They do not sow or reap or gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not worth much more than they are? Can any of you, for all his worrying, add one single cubit to his span of life? And why worry about clothing? Think of the flowers growing in the fields; they never have to work or spin; yet I assure you that not even Solomon in all his regalia was robed like one of these. Now if that is how God clothes the grass in the field which is there today and thrown into the furnace tomorrow, will he not much more look after you, you men of little faith? So do not worry; do not say, “What are we to eat? What are we to drink? How are we to be clothed?” It is the pagans who set their hearts on all these things. Your heavenly Father knows you need them all. Set your hearts on his kingdom first, and on his righteousness, and all these other things will be given you as well. So do not worry about tomorrow: tomorrow will take care of itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.’

Too often we complain about the hardships we face at work and at home. About the stubbornness and laziness of everyone else. Even about the many tasks we have to get done if we are serving in Church and the challenges we face in getting help to accomplish them. How much of all these bring glory to God? How much of it brings the love and joy of the Gospel to the folks around us? How does the light of Christ shine through us in all of it?

If we truly love our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, we know that His abounding love for us never ends;and so there will be no obstacles or challenges too great to overcome. No pain or suffering too heavy for us to bear for His glory. How many sanely folks will boast about their afflictions, the pain and sufferings they endured for a God that others cannot grasp or comprehend let alone see with their own eyes? Yet the sanely wants have been the Saints that have gone before us. They bore their crosses and followed Jesus to the very end. Their treasure is to be found in the Kingdom of God and they have received their Heavenly inheritance.

My treasure is to be found in You Lord Jesus and so I offer you my heart, mind and soul. Amen

First reading

2 Corinthians 11:18,21-30
If I am to boast, let me boast of my own feebleness

So many others have been boasting of their worldly achievements, that I will boast myself. But if anyone wants some brazen speaking – I am still talking as a fool – then I can be as brazen as any of them, and about the same things. Hebrews, are they? So am I. Israelites? So am I. Descendants of Abraham? So am I. The servants of Christ? I must be mad to say this, but so am I, and more than they: more, because I have worked harder, I have been sent to prison more often, and whipped many times more, often almost to death. Five times I had the thirty-nine lashes from the Jews; three times I have been beaten with sticks; once I was stoned; three times I have been shipwrecked and once adrift in the open sea for a night and a day. Constantly travelling, I have been in danger from rivers and in danger from brigands, in danger from my own people and in danger from pagans; in danger in the towns, in danger in the open country, danger at sea and danger from so-called brothers. I have worked and laboured, often without sleep; I have been hungry and thirsty and often starving; I have been in the cold without clothes. And, to leave out much more, there is my daily preoccupation: my anxiety for all the churches. When any man has had scruples, I have had scruples with him; when any man is made to fall, I am tortured.
If I am to boast, then let me boast of my own feebleness.

Gospel

Matthew 6:19-23
Store up treasure for yourselves in heaven

Jesus said to his disciples: ‘Do not store up treasures for yourselves on earth, where moths and woodworms destroy them and thieves can break in and steal. But store up treasures for yourselves in heaven, where neither moth nor woodworms destroy them and thieves cannot break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.
‘The lamp of the body is the eye. It follows that if your eye is sound, your whole body will be filled with light. But if your eye is diseased, your whole body will be all darkness. If then, the light inside you is darkness, what darkness that will be!’

Yesterday I was present at a youth conference as part of a prayer team. What struck me is that the challenges, difficulties many of them face such as fidelity to Christ, Holiness, having a prayer life and not having a deep meaningful our Lord; echoes that of their parents.

The Lord prompted me to tell one youth, “I know that you love me, but do you realise just how much I truly love you?” “If you did will you not naturally want to spend more time with me?” “Would you still feel inadequate and lost?” And to another do not look to perfection in others. Instead strive to grow in your own Holiness by deepening your relationship with Jesus who loves you dearly. Your constant anger and swearing comes about because you do not know Jesus intimately, desire to know Him and be changed by His love. Many needed to be reminded of Christ’s love for them, to encounter Him more profoundly through His Word and to pray as children of God Father who loves them ever so dearly.

Just like our Youths we adults need to truly contemplate on the great love of God our Father has for all of us. Jesus His Son is the light, the truth and the way for us into His loving embrace. We are reminded today through the Lord’s prayer of how the Holy Spirit we received is the spirit of sons and daughters for which makes us cry out ‘Abba Father! Amen

First reading

2 Corinthians 11:1-11
I was careful not to be a burden to you in any way

I only wish you were able to tolerate a little foolishness from me. But of course: you are tolerant towards me. You see, the jealousy that I feel for you is God’s own jealousy: I arranged for you to marry Christ so that I might give you away as a chaste virgin to this one husband. But the serpent, with his cunning, seduced Eve, and I am afraid that in the same way your ideas may get corrupted and turned away from simple devotion to Christ. Because any new-comer has only to proclaim a new Jesus, different from the one that we preached, or you have only to receive a new spirit, different from the one you have already received, or a new gospel, different from the one you have already accepted – and you welcome it with open arms. As far as I can tell, these arch-apostles have nothing more than I have. I may not be a polished speechmaker, but as for knowledge, that is a different matter; surely we have made this plain, speaking on every subject in front of all of you.
Or was I wrong, lowering myself so as to lift you high, by preaching the gospel of God to you and taking no fee for it? I was robbing other churches, living on them so that I could serve you. When I was with you and ran out of money, I was no burden to anyone; the brothers who came from Macedonia provided me with everything I wanted. I was very careful, and I always shall be, not to be a burden to you in any way, and by Christ’s truth in me, this cause of boasting will never be taken from me in the regions of Achaia. Would I do that if I did not love you? God knows I do.

Gospel

Matthew 6:7-15
How to pray

Jesus said to his disciples: ‘In your prayers do not babble as the pagans do, for they think that by using many words they will make themselves heard. Do not be like them; your Father knows what you need before you ask him. So you should pray like this:

‘Our Father in heaven,
may your name be held holy,
your kingdom come,
your will be done,
on earth as in heaven.
Give us today our daily bread.
And forgive us our debts, as we have forgiven those who are in debt to us.
And do not put us to the test,
but save us from the evil one.

‘Yes, if you forgive others their failings, your heavenly Father will forgive you yours; but if you do not forgive others, your Father will not forgive your failings either.’

Foundational practices of our faith enshrined in our love for the Lord our God are prayer, fasting and almsgiving all in humble servitude.

What good are all our acts of faith, love and charity if done for want of love from men, women and children? If all are done yet there is no growth in depth of love for God and of brethren? Giving even that little bit begrudgingly when there is more than one collection at Mass. Think of it why would the Parish do this if there was not indeed a real need? Sharing only with very ‘close’ friends what you have been doing for others yet citing discreetly why you do not share this fact with everyone;simply because we must not let our left hand know what our right hand is doing!

God our Father sees and knows everything, He sees into our hearts. He Blesses abundantly those who give with all of their hearts for love of Him and of brethren. For He knows that disciples of His Son our Lord and Saviour Jesus love and serve Him for His greater Glory. Amen

First reading

2 Corinthians 9:6-11 †
There is no limit to the blessings which God can send you

Do not forget: thin sowing means thin reaping; the more you sow, the more you reap. Each one should give what he has decided in his own mind, not grudgingly or because he is made to, for God loves a cheerful giver. And there is no limit to the blessings which God can send you – he will make sure that you will always have all you need for yourselves in every possible circumstance, and still have something to spare for all sorts of good works. As scripture says: He was free in almsgiving, and gave to the poor: his good deeds will never be forgotten.
The one who provides seed for the sower and bread for food will provide you with all the seed you want and make the harvest of your good deeds a larger one, and, made richer in every way, you will be able to do all the generous things which, through us, are the cause of thanksgiving to God.

Gospel

Matthew 6:1-6,16-18
Your Father who sees all that is done in secret will reward you

Jesus said to his disciples: ‘Be careful not to parade your good deeds before men to attract their notice; by doing this you will lose all reward from your Father in heaven. So when you give alms, do not have it trumpeted before you; this is what the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets to win men’s admiration. I tell you solemnly, they have had their reward. But when you give alms, your left hand must not know what your right is doing; your almsgiving must be secret, and your Father who sees all that is done in secret will reward you.
‘And when you pray, do not imitate the hypocrites: they love to say their prayers standing up in the synagogues and at the street corners for people to see them; I tell you solemnly, they have had their reward. But when you pray, go to your private room and, when you have shut your door, pray to your Father who is in that secret place, and your Father who sees all that is done in secret will reward you.
‘When you fast do not put on a gloomy look as the hypocrites do: they pull long faces to let men know they are fasting. I tell you solemnly, they have had their reward. But when you fast, put oil on your head and wash your face, so that no one will know you are fasting except your Father who sees all that is done in secret; and your Father who sees all that is done in secret will reward you.’

Our Church has never mandated how much each should contribute even though we are a non profit organisation and rely solely on the generosity of its Church members. Yet it is always thought of as rich with rich benefactors and so even though many can afford to give more will give their token amounts either in very small notes or coin. We should ask ourselves whom is it we are offering our token amounts to? Is is not the Lord our God Himself and His Holy Church? For its welfare; especially the poorest of the poor who depend on our Church to survive? If we are rich it is only because of our Lord Jesus Christ who has made us rich by giving us all of Himself. This is the generosity of our God! Those who are generous with Him and for Him will know of His generosity in their very own lives.

So it is with the mercy of the Lord our God. The more merciful we are, the more mercy we ourselves will receive from Him. Why curse those who hurt us or see them as enemies? Isn’t that what the devil wants? To separate, scatter and eventually destroy? Why allow ourselves to be his henchmen by hating and cursing our enemies to their doom and eventually following suit? Would it not be better to pray for our enemies so that the Lord might bless them, have their hearts of stone removed and replaced with hearts of flesh so that they too might learn to love as He loves us?

Sweet Saviour of mine, I am far from perfect. But I know that through Your mercy and love Lord I have hope of perfection in You. Amen

First reading

2 Corinthians 8:1-9 †
The Lord Jesus was rich but became poor for your sake

Now here, brothers, is the news of the grace of God which was given in the churches in Macedonia; and of how, throughout great trials by suffering, their constant cheerfulness and their intense poverty have overflowed in a wealth of generosity. I can swear that they gave not only as much as they could afford, but far more, and quite spontaneously, begging and begging us for the favour of sharing in this service to the saints and, what was quite unexpected, they offered their own selves first to God and, under God, to us.
Because of this, we have asked Titus, since he has already made a beginning, to bring this work of mercy to the same point of success among you. You always have the most of everything – of faith, of eloquence, of understanding, of keenness for any cause, and the biggest share of our affection – so we expect you to put the most into this work of mercy too. It is not an order that I am giving you; I am just testing the genuineness of your love against the keenness of others. Remember how generous the Lord Jesus was: he was rich, but he became poor for your sake, to make you rich out of his poverty.

Gospel

Matthew 5:43-48
Pray for those who persecute you

Jesus said to his disciples: ‘You have learnt how it was said: You must love your neighbour and hate your enemy. But I say this to you: love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you; in this way you will be sons of your Father in heaven, for he causes his sun to rise on bad men as well as good, and his rain to fall on honest and dishonest men alike. For if you love those who love you, what right have you to claim any credit? Even the tax collectors do as much, do they not? And if you save your greetings for your brothers, are you doing anything exceptional? Even the pagans do as much, do they not? You must therefore be perfect just as your heavenly Father is perfect.’

We want justice for the injustice brought upon us. For the hurt and pains caused, we want those who have done this to have either a taste or full measure of what they did to us. Why did they put us in this uncomfortable position to begin with? Revenge is sweet!

Not so says the Lord, mercy and forgiveness is far sweeter. For through mercy and forgiveness we find love. We disciples of our Lord Jesus Christ must mirror the love and mercy of our master. For He pleaded for us on the cross that we knew not what we are doing. Can we still claim ignorance after having been reborn in Him through our baptism? Through the outpouring of the Holy Spirit we are indeed a new creation. Able to withstand hardship, trials and challenges for love of our Lord and for one another.

People who look upon us see us for whom we truly are, for we do not hide behind masks. Our greatest and only desire is that they see the face of Christ when they gaze upon us. So that through all the sacrifices we make, all that we say and and do we bring glory to Lord our God. Amen

First reading

2 Corinthians 6:1-10 †
How we prove that we are God’s servants

As his fellow workers, we beg you once again not to neglect the grace of God that you have received. For he says: At the favourable time, I have listened to you; on the day of salvation I came to your help. Well, now is the favourable time; this is the day of salvation.
We do nothing that people might object to, so as not to bring discredit on our function as God’s servants. Instead, we prove we are servants of God by great fortitude in times of suffering: in times of hardship and distress; when we are flogged, or sent to prison, or mobbed; labouring, sleepless, starving. We prove we are God’s servants by our purity, knowledge, patience and kindness; by a spirit of holiness, by a love free from affectation; by the word of truth and by the power of God; by being armed with the weapons of righteousness in the right hand and in the left, prepared for honour or disgrace, for blame or praise; taken for impostors while we are genuine; obscure yet famous; said to be dying and here are we alive; rumoured to be executed before we are sentenced; thought most miserable and yet we are always rejoicing; taken for paupers though we make others rich, for people having nothing though we have everything.

Gospel

Matthew 5:38-42
Offer the wicked man no resistance

Jesus said to his disciples: ‘You have learnt how it was said: Eye for eye and tooth for tooth. But I say this to you: offer the wicked man no resistance. On the contrary, if anyone hits you on the right cheek, offer him the other as well; if a man takes you to law and would have your tunic, let him have your cloak as well. And if anyone orders you to go one mile, go two miles with him. Give to anyone who asks, and if anyone wants to borrow, do not turn away.’

Anyone who has lived with sin knows the heavy burden we carry riddled with guilt. Sometimes it feels as though the gravity of it disqualifies us from mercy of any sort. Know that all of us are so loved, that Christ Jesus our Lord was sent by God our Father to liberate us from all our sins. By His life, death and Resurrection we have been set free to live in His love.

The great gift of the Sacrament of reconciliation had been handed down over the generations so that we may know that we are forgiven. The love and sanctifying grace of the Lord our God is conferred upon us through the hands of His priests.

The love of Christ overwhelms us, such that we desire to live as disciples obedient unto Him. His love convicts us to remain true to our word such that all will know our yes means yes and our no means no. We are ambassadors of our Lord Jesus Christ to lead all who have strayed back to Him, that all may live fully in His love. Amen

First reading

2 Corinthians 5:14-21 †
From now onwards we do not judge anyone by the standards of the flesh

The love of Christ overwhelms us when we reflect that if one man has died for all, then all men should be dead; and the reason he died for all was so that living men should live no longer for themselves, but for him who died and was raised to life for them.
From now onwards, therefore, we do not judge anyone by the standards of the flesh. Even if we did once know Christ in the flesh, that is not how we know him now. And for anyone who is in Christ, there is a new creation; the old creation has gone, and now the new one is here. It is all God’s work. It was God who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the work of handing on this reconciliation. In other words, God in Christ was reconciling the world to himself, not holding men’s faults against them, and he has entrusted to us the news that they are reconciled. So we are ambassadors for Christ; it is as though God were appealing through us, and the appeal that we make in Christ’s name is: be reconciled to God. For our sake God made the sinless one into sin, so that in him we might become the goodness of God.

Gospel

Matthew 5:33-37
Do not swear: say ‘Yes’ if you mean Yes, ‘No’ if you mean No

Jesus said to his disciples: ‘You have learnt how it was said to our ancestors: You must not break your oath, but must fulfil your oaths to the Lord. But I say this to you: do not swear at all, either by heaven, since that is God’s throne; or by the earth, since that is his footstool; or by Jerusalem, since that is the city of the great king. Do not swear by your own head either, since you cannot turn a single hair white or black. All you need say is “Yes” if you mean yes, “No” if you mean no; anything more than this comes from the evil one.’