Dear Friends and Readers

August 28, 2017 6:00 am

I have a break from my busy schedule – my holidays. I tried to write my homilies daily, but it is very difficult to publish my homilies, because there is a very weak access to the internet, so please forgive me this small break. I will be back on the 4 of September. I’ll keep You in my prayers and I am sure that U will find in a God’s word a lot of inspiration meditating on it without my suggestions. See U soon

with blessing
Fr. Jay

My heavenly Father

August 27, 2017 6:00 am

“He said to them, ‘But who do you say that I am?’ Simon Peter said in reply, ‘You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.’ Jesus said to him in reply, ‘Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah. For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my heavenly Father. And so I say to you, you are Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church, and the gates of the netherworld shall not prevail against it.’” (MT 16: 15-18)  

Our Lord came to us with a mission from His “heavenly Father.” And all the time Jesus respected His Father’s will; everything in His mission was to tell us about His Father’s love for us and how important we are to Him as His children. Jesus recognized the Father’s will in every moment of His life: “For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my heavenly Father. And so I say to you, you are Peter . . . .” 

“You are Peter and upon this rock I will build my Church and the gates of the netherworld shall not prevail against it.” (Gospel Acclamation) 

The greatest among you must by your servant

August 26, 2017 6:16 pm

“The greatest among you must be your servant. Whoever exalts himself will be humbled; but whoever humbles himself will be exalted.” (MT 23: 11-12)

It is a lesson so understood in marriages and families: “the greatest among you must be your servant.” Who truly loves is not looking to be served but to serve others. Couples who serve each other and parents who serve their children follow the example of Jesus, who didn’t come to be served but to serve.

“You have but one Father in heaven; you have but one master, the Christ.” (Gospel Acclamation) 

Tested him by asking

August 25, 2017 8:05 am

“When the Pharisees heard that Jesus had silenced the Sadducees, they gathered together, and one of them, a scholar of the law, tested him by asking, ‘Teacher, which commandment in the law is the greatest?’” (MT 22: 34-36) 

The Pharisees were not interested in finding an answer, they “tested him by asking.”  When we pray, when we talk, and when we are in relationships with others, we should be honest, never testing. “Guide me in your truth.” 

“Teach me your paths, my God, guide me in your truth.” (Gospel Acclamation) 

How do you know me? 

August 24, 2017 6:00 am

“But Nathanael said to him, ‘Can anything good come from Nazareth?’ Philip said to him, ‘Come and see.’ Jesus saw Nathanael coming toward him and said of him, ‘Here is a true child of Israel. There is no duplicity in him.’ Nathanael said to him, ‘How do you know me?’ Jesus answered and said to him, ‘Before Philip called you, I saw you under the fig tree.’ Nathanael answered him, ‘Rabbi, you are the Son of God; you are the King of Israel.’” (JN 1: 46-49) 

We are known perfectly to Our God, Our Creator and Our Saviour. He knows not only our dreams, our past and our present but also our future. When we are connected with Him daily–when we pray, meditate and listen to Him, we do what we should do. 

“Rabbi, you are the Son of God; you are the King of Israel.” (Gospel Acclamation) 

Are you envious because I am generous?

August 23, 2017 6:00 am

“’My friend, I am not cheating you. Did you not agree with me for the usual daily wage? Take what is yours and go. What if I wish to give this last one the same as you? Or am I not free to do as I wish with my own money? Are you envious because I am generous?’ Thus, the last will be first, and the first will be last.” (MT 20: 13-16)

Our Lord is generous, and whatever He does for us comes from His heart full of love . The time is less important to Him than to us, and He can give the same to the last one as to the first one: “thus, the last will be first, and the first will be last.” He never breaks the agreement—“did you not agree with me for the usual daily wage,” but as a merciful Lord, He can do much more for us.  

“The word of God is living and effective, able to discern the reflections and thoughts of the heart.” (Gospel Acclamation) 

for the sake of my name

August 22, 2017 6:00 am

“And everyone who has given up houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or children or lands for the sake of my name will receive a hundred times more,
and will inherit eternal life.” (Mt 19: 29) 

It is not about losing; it is about receiving “a hundred times more.” God is never jealous of what we have—He always wants to give us more; the problem is: are we really interested in receiving it? We receive not “a hundred times more” to have it but receive “a hundred times more” for being united in Our Lord’s name. We become rich in relationship with Him. 

“Jesus Christ became poor although he was rich so that by his poverty you might become rich.” (Gospel Acclamation)

Then come, follow me

August 21, 2017 6:00 am

“If you wish to be perfect, go, sell what you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.” (MT 19: 21)  

Only Our Lord knows perfectly how to reach “treasure in heaven.” The more we have, the more difficult it is. The more we give and the more we are a gift of self, the closer we are “to be[ing] perfect.” When we follow Him, we will be where He is. 

“Blessed are the poor in spirit; for theirs is the Kingdom of heaven.” (Gospel Acclamation) 

O woman, great is your faith!

August 20, 2017 6:00 am

“‘It is not right to take the food of the children and throw it to the dogs.’ She said, ‘Please, Lord, for even the dogs eat the scraps that fall from the table of their masters.’ Then Jesus said to her in reply, ‘O woman, great is your faith! Let it be done for you as you wish.’ And the woman’s daughter was healed from that hour.” (MT 15: 26-28)

How amazing is a mother’s love. Her gift of self and her unconditional love for her daughter gave her wisdom and touched Our Lord’s heart: “O woman, great is your faith! Let it be done for you as you wish.” Her only right to beg came from her love. When we love we can expect the same kind of miracles because Our Lord “cured every disease among the people.”  

“Jesus proclaimed the Gospel of the kingdom and cured every disease among the people.

Let the children come to me

August 19, 2017 6:00 am

“’Let the children come to me, and do not prevent them; for the Kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these.’ After he placed his hands on them, he went away.” (MT 19: 14-15)

Our love, the way that we respect each other, our gifts of selves and our rituals are the best insurance for our children. But when we pray together, when we go often to the church and when God is invited into our family more like a member of our family, not a rare guest, we reveal “to little ones the mysteries of the Kingdom” and remind them that “the Kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these.” 

“Blessed are you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth; you have revealed to little ones the mysteries of the Kingdom.” (Gospel Acclamation)