Daily Catholic Reflection: Thursday, September 1, 2022, Thursday of the Twenty-second Week in Ordinary Time, Year C

I Corinthians 3 :18-23

Responsorial Psalm, PS 24:1BC-2, 3-4AB, 5-6

Luke 5 : 1-11 Full Readings

Saint Giles

 Leave Everything and Follow Christ

Let us reflect today on the call of the first Apostles. The Gospel today teaches and invites us to follow Christ and participate in the universal mission of fishing souls for God. After Peter and his companions, the two sons of Zebedee, has spent the whole night fishing without catching anything, Jesus tells them to cast into the deep, and behold, they had a great catch. This catch was very shocking that Simon Peter, in his actions in those few moments with Jesus–embracing his command, falling to his knees, acknowledging his sinfulness, and choosing to follow–demonstrated a great awakening in spiritual maturity. At last he tells them that from then they are to be fishers of people; they left everything and followed Jesus. What can we learn from this call of first Apostles?

Daily Catholic Reflection: Wednesday, August 31, 2022, Wednesday of the Twenty-second Week in Ordinary Time, Year C

1 Corinthians 3: 1-9,

Psalm 33: 12-13.14-15.20-21,

Luke 4:38-44 Full Readings

Saints Joseph of Arimathea and Nicodemus

He Rebuked the Fever

Yesterday, we were reflecting on the question, 'Which demon is possessing you?' and let us continue today in the same Spirit to reflect on which fever is putting you down. When Simon Peter brought Jesus to his home for the Sabbath meal (right after Jesus preached in the synagogue in Capernaum), his mother-in-law was instantly healed when Jesus rebuked the fever which had put her down and immediately she stood up and started serving them. Jesus miracles continues draw much crowd to him because of his enormous power over the demons and forces of nature. The power of his word was revealed. What he speaks is as good as done. Jesus, the Logos and Word of God, is the one who created all the laws of nature. With Jesus, there is nothing we cannot conquer even those terminal illnesses beyond cure. Jesus a simple rebuke, a single word from him is enough to makes us whole again.

Daily Catholic Reflection: Tuesday, August 30, 2022, Tuesday of the Twenty-second Week in Ordinary Time, Year C

1 Corinthians 2:10b-16,

PS 145:8-9, 10-11, 12-13AB, 13CD-14

Luke 4:31-37 Full Readings

Saint Jeanne Jugan

 Which Demon is possessing you?

Today's Gospel presents to us Jesus rebuking and chasing away demons from a possessed man. It might be a surprise that demons recognised Jesus as the Holy one of God, but it was not a true confession rather it was a way of defending themselves in order not to be cast out of the man.  Jesus however, doesn't even give them  a chance  to say any more word but he shut them up and drove them out of the man. Jesus not only shows power over evil forces but also the power and the authority of his word.

Daily Catholic Reflection: Wednesday, August 24, 2022, Feast of Saint Bartholomew, Apostle, Year C

Revelation 21:9b-14,

PSALM Ps145:10-11.12-13ab.17-18,

John 1:45-51 Full Readings

Saint Bartholomew

 Avoiding Prejudice

Today we celebrate the feast day of Saint Bartholomew, one of the twelve whom scripture scholars identifies as Nathaniel whom we see being brought by Philip to Jesus in the Gospel today. Philip after finding the Messiah, he invited his friend Nathaniel, "Come and See." How often do we invite others to Jesus, or are we like the Pharisees and Scribes who block people's way to Jesus and the kingdom of heaven? Nathaniel had prejudice about Nazareth and that's why when Philip tells him that he had found the Messiah, Jesus of Nazareth, he asked, "can anything good come from Nazareth?" What a prejudice! However, his prejudice is cleared by Jesus' response by telling Philip whom he really is (“Here is a true child of Israel. There is no duplicity in him”) and that he had seen him under the fig tree before Philip had called Him. Jesus' response imbues faith in Nathaniel and make the first recorded confession of belief in Jesus as the Son of God and Savior, “Rabbi, you are the Son of God; you are the king of Israel.” When we are full of prejudices and doubts, do we bring them to Jesus to clear them by shedding his light on our minds so that we can understand? or where do we find our answers from?

Daily catholic Reflection: Tuesday, August 23, 2022, Tuesday of the Twenty-first Week in Ordinary Time, Year C

2 Thessalonians 2: 1 -3a.14-17,

Psalm 96:10.11-12a. l2b- 13,

Matthew 23:23-26 Full Readings

Saint Rose of Lima

 Religious Congruence

Religious congruence simply means that one has to practice what he or she teaches, and it is a very important practice if one has to be an authentic Christian. Today's Gospel presents to us a critique to the Pharisees and Scribes by Jesus. Jesus rebukes them for just washing outside the cup while the inside is very dirty. This can be termed as hypocrisy which is simply lack of congruence (outside not reflecting the inside). Jesus tells them and he tells us today too, to first wash the inside of the cup and the outside will be clean too.

IT IS GOOD TO GIVE THANKS: Homily on the Thanksgiving Mass of the Newly Ordained Priest by Br Wilson Karugaba, MHM

Sirach 50:22-24

Psalm 145:2-11

1 Corinthians 1:3-9

Luke 17:11-19

It is Good to Give Thanks

Indeed, when we consider all that the Lord has done for us , the very least we can do is to thank him, and give our lives in full worship of him everyday, full surrender to him and service to him and his people! We must always proclaim with confidence and boldness with the psalmist today:  "Every day I will praise you (God) and extol your name for ever and ever."  This is why we are gathered here today, to give thanks together with Father (N) to give thanks to God not only for what God has done for us in our lives but most especially for the gift of priesthood which God has given to our brother Father (N). Yesterday, Father (N) was Ordained a priest of the Roman Catholic Church, he did not choose himself to be a priest but it is God who chose him. On Father (N's) part, he fully accepted the call of God and chose to live the life of priesthood. It is indeed a beautiful life to be a priest, because it is the Lord’s own life that you have chosen to live. Thanks Father for accepting the call of God to live as his Son lived here on earth. And this impels not only him but also all of us, even as today's readings invite us, to give thanks to God almighty; this is truly a day the Lord has made, which is why we rejoice and are glad in it.

Daily Catholic Reflection: Sunday, August 21, 2022, Twenty-first Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year C

Is 66:18-21

Ps 117:1, 2

Heb 12:5-7, 11-13

Lk 13:22-30           Full Readings

Saint Pius X

The Narrow Gate

This Sunday's readings and reflection is an invitation to reflect deeply on our last encounter with the Lord as we knock on the door of heaven asking the Lord to let us in. Sometimes, we do not take serious our last reckoning and things of the end of time thinking that they are speculations, that there is no such thing like life after death, or heaven or hell and some think that life ends here on earth. But this is not true, we can be certain that there will be life after death and that God will take his judgement seat and judge us according to the way we loved and struggled to pass through the narrow gate that leads to heaven. Even if sometimes we may doubt of the existence of eternal life and God himself, I am always convinced of Blaise Pascal's wager which encourages to believe in God and his promises whether he exists or not for if one believes in God and he indeed exist, he will gain eternal happiness, if he does not exist, he loses nothing; but if one does not believe in God but he (God) exists, such a person will will receive eternal suffering. Brethren, let us, as we believe and live have a conviction that eternal life given by God exists and encouraged by Pascal let us weigh the gain and the loss in wagering that God is. Let us estimate these two chances. If you gain, you gain all; if you lose, you lose nothing; that is the best thing in believing in eternal life.

Daily Catholic Reflection: Saturday, August 20, 2022, Memorial of Saint Bernard, Abbot and Doctor of the Church, Year C

Ezekiel 43:1-7a,

Ps 85:9ab and 10.11-12.13-14,

Matthew 23 : 1-12  Full Readings

Saint Bernard of Clairvaux 

Am I Pharisaic?

Today's reflection is an invitation to self examination, and examination of our consciences about to what extent are you and me pharisaic. Such reflection will shed light on our hearts and then lead us to a personal decision on the kind or relationship we are to have with God and with our brethren. Through out the gospels we see many traits and characters of the the Pharisees which Jesus challenges radically, but focusing on today's gospel let us see some of them.

Daily Catholic Reflection: Thursday, August 18, 2022, Thursday of the Twentieth Week in Ordinary Time, Year C

Ezekiel 36:23-28; 

Psalm 51 : 12-13.14- I 5.18-19, 

Matthew 22: 1-14                     Full Readings 

Saint Louis of Toulouse

                    

The Wedding Garment

Today's Gospel presents to us a King who gave a feast for his son's wedding. He invited his guests but surprisingly at the time of the feast none of them turned up while giving different reasons. The king was really angry with them. The king then sent servants who went to the streets and collected everyone they came across to come  to come to the wedding. Among those who came, one was without a wedding garment. He was bound and  thrown outside to where there is grinding of teeth and suffering.

Daily Catholic Reflection: Wednesday, August 17, 2022, Wednesday of the Twentieth Week in Ordinary Time, Year C

Ezekiel 34: 1-11,

Ps 23:1-3a.3b-4.5.6,

Matthew 20: 1-16a Full Readings

Saint Joan of the Cross

Are You Contented?

Actually, it may be very rare to find a contented person because most of us are always in competition with each other and this makes anyone who is contented a special person. Being contented in what we have, who we are and in everything we have achieved is a strong pillar in our journey towards spiritual maturity, because contentment brings gratitude to God while having in mind that even what we have is not our right but is by the mercy God. A non contented person will always be in a competition with everyone even with himself and most probably will be full of envy and jealousy toward those who may be have more than he has. This is where Satan enters in us and makes us walking devils. Today's gospel teaches us to be contented in what God God has given us and made us as a step forward to holiness and gaining eternal life.

Daily Catholic Reflection: Wednesday, August 10, 2022, Feast of Saint Lawrence, Deacon and Martyr, Year C

 

2 Corinthians 9:6b-10,

Psalm 112:1b-2.5-6.7-8.9,

John 12:24-26 Full Readings

Saint Lawrence

Dying to Oneself For Christ

Brethren, today we celebrate the feast day of Saint Lawrence, the deacon and martyr of the Church who gave up his life, his wealth and all he had for the service of the people and to follow the way of Jesus Christ. Today's readings invite us to imitate him by giving us the fruits of dying to oneself or self denial and self giving. In the first Reading Paul tells us that the one who sows more will reap more and the one who sows less will reap less; in other words, you reap what you sowed. The central message here is that one who denies and gives up oneself to sow much, he or she will reap much and one who one who does nothing or little, he or she will get nothing or just the  little he sowed. For us Christians, we sow much we put offer all our lives to serve Jesus and his Kingdom, and at the end reap much, which is the eternal life.

Daily Catholic Reflection: Tuesday, August 9, 2022, Tuesday of the Nineteenth Week in Ordinary Time, Year C

 Ezekiel 2:8—3:4,

Ps 119:14.24.72. 103.111.131,

Matthew 18:1-5. 10.12- 14 Full Readings

Saint Teresa Benedicta of the Cross

 Becoming Great in the Kingdom of God

My dear brethren, today's readings present to us three powerful images which depict a message concerning our relationship with God's word and communing with Him.

The first reading presents to us Ezekiel eating the scroll which was presented to him by God. The scroll had the word of the Lord written on it and it was sweet as honey. This image brings a message about the sweetness of the Word of God. This is also depicted in the psalm today, that the word of God is sweeter than honey. The sweetness comes because it is always joy to receive the word of God as we see in Jeremiah 15:16. Brethren, how do we receive the word of God. Most often we go for mass or for service and the word of God is proclaimed to us, do we internalise it and savour it's sweetness or do we just hear and it passes away or because of routine, has lost value in us?

Daily Catholic Reflection: Monday, August 8, 2022, Memorial of Saint Dominic, Priest, Year C

Ezekiel 1:2-5,24-28; 

Psalm 148:1-2,11-14; 

Mat 17:22-27.             Full Readings 

Saint Dominic

Where to Compromise

Jesus did not only preach and live the kingdom of God alone but he also showed an example of how we should live socially and even politically. In one instance he told us to give what belongs to Caeser to him and what belongs to God to God in a way of teaching us to always follow and give the demands of the state. In today's Gospel, Jesus instructs Peter to go fishing and open the mouth of the first fish caught, get a shekel and pay the tax which every male Jew was supposed to paying for upkeep of the temple. Jesus was not supposed to pay this tax because kings' sons are exempt from paying taxes, so Jesus was not obligated to pay a tax to a temple belonging to his Father. But, "so as not to offend these people," Jesus makes this unique and only miracle in the gospels from which he benefits.

Daily Catholic Reflection: August 7, 2022, Nineteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time Year C

Wisdom 18:6-9; 

Psalm 33:1,12,18-20,22; 

Hebrews 11:1-2,8-19; 

Luke 12:32-48.              Full Readings 

Saint Cajetan

Do not be Afraid, Little Flock

What consoling words these are! Firstly, Jesus tells us not to be afraid. Why? Because God has had much love for us that and given us his Kingdom, that whoever believes and follows his son Jesus will live in this kingdom. What are we then to do?

Daily Catholic Reflection: Saturday, August, 06, 2022, Feast of the Transfiguration of the Lord, Year C

Daniel 7:9-10.13-14,
Psalm 97: 1-2..5-6.9,
2 Peter 1:16-19,
Lk 9:28b-36                      Full Readings
Transfiguration of the Lord

Listen and Learn

Today, we celebrate the feast of transfiguration of Jesus. Peter, James and John are privileged to go with Jesus atop the mountain where he is transfigured before them. What a splendid sight it was: Jesus conversing with Moses and Elijah before their very eyes. They are beside themselves and are in awe at what unfolds. This is the way Christ is with each of us. When we least expect it, he gives us a wonderful dose of his grace to strengthen us in our walk with him. This privilege, however, isn’t simply for us to look at and admire; it is a call to respond to his invitation of love. Jesus was calling these three apostles to a deeper level of love and trust in him; he is doing so with us, too.

Daily Catholic Reflection: Friday, August 5, 2022, Friday of the Eighteenth Week in Ordinary Time, Year C

Nahum 1:15; 2:2; 3: 1 -3.6-7,

Psalm: Dt 32:35cd-36ab.39abcd.41,

Matthew 16:24-28 Full Readings

Dedication of Saint Mary Major Basilica

 What Profit Would There Be?

In today's Gospel Jesus tells us that whoever wants to follow Him should renounce him or herself and take up his or her cross and follow Him. He again tells us that whoever wants to save his or her  life at the expense of Jesus will lose it and whoever loses his or her life for the sake of Jesus will gain it, for what profit is it for one to gain the whole world and lose his or her life? This encourages us to put our investment in Jesus by picking up our crosses and following him daily.

Daily Catholic Reflection: Thursday, August 4, 2022, Memorial of Saint John Vianney, Priest, Year C

Jer 31:31-34

Ps 51:12-13, 14-15, 18-19

Mt 16:13-23                   Full Readings

Saint John Vianney

Thinking as God Does

Brethren, after Peter’s heartfelt and enlightened confession of faith: "You are the Christ, the Son of the living God," Jesus gave him a new name and mission. “Peter, upon this rock I will build my Church,” and so Peter was integrated into the mission of Jesus, sent by the Father. He would lead God’s people and hold the keys to the Kingdom, the keys that bind and loose, the keys that offer access to the New Covenant mediated by Jesus Christ through his paschal mystery which God had promised long ago to write at people's hearts as we see in the first reading. But as soon as Peter received this new mission, he was tempted to carry it out according to his criteria, not God’s criteria: “suffering, death, and rising on the third day.” Jesus struck back against Peter’s rash and pragmatic mindset, inviting him not to think like human beings but to think like God, who sacrificed his only Son. It is a testament to the criteria that a true disciple must embody, one of laying down one’s life for the other. Thus, Peter, because of his deep relationship with Jesus, had got it right when he said: “You are the Christ, the Son of the Living God.” But he was wrong when he advised Jesus not to tread the way of the cross.