Key message:
Listen to Jesus now, avoid regrets later.
Homily:
Takeaway from first reading:
Opening story:
Jason, father of two girls was a very hardworking person. He brought up his daughters with full love and care. He gave them good education, specialised tuition in their weak subjects, taught them music and dance. All was going good till the girls went to college. As their college was in another city, they had to move to a hostel. In their college life, they learnt the filthy way of life and spoiled their morals. They did not hold on to any of morals taught by the father and quickly forgot him. To cater for their filthy expenses, they started thieving. As days progressed, they chartered out plans for bank burglaries and executed them. Soon they were caught and jailed. Father was devastated. As he looked at this daughters behind the bars, he cried “Did I sacrifice my life, just to see you like this?”
Almighty Father took care of the children of Israel in their every need. He brought them out of Egypt with a mighty hand with ten unfathomable miracles. Like a father he protected them from all his enemies. But they could not gather strength during the time of trials by remembering and meditating the miracles which Almighty God had done for them. They complained and murmured against God and did not obey his commandments. How much it would have pained the heart of our Father?
During times of trial do we remember the good things that God has done for you and continue to trust Him or start to murmur and complain against our good God?
Takeaway from second reading:
The Apostle Paul says, “Do not worry about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”
The golden rule to handle problems in life is provided here – It says not to worry, simply pray. When we have problems, we start worrying about it. But the rule to handle the problem is not to worry and cast our cares on the Lord. Powerful prayer is acknowledging to Jesus that we are not sufficient enough to handle our responsibilities and submitting ourselves to him for His providence.
If we pray and continue to worry, then do we really trust God?
Takeaway from Gospel reading:
Jesus summarises the Old Testament and the New Testament in today’s Gospel.
God chose the people of Israel as His own. He freed them from Egypt with a mighty hand. He was taking care of them like a mighty warrior. He gave them the ‘Ten commandments’, committed to a loving bond ‘Hereafter I will be your God and you will be my people’. He sent many prophets among them. All the prophets faced opposition and rejection. Finally He sent His own son, our Lord Jesus. He was put to death by the hands of His own people.
Let’s meditate on:
“Therefore I tell you, the kingdom of God will be taken away from you and given to a people that produces its fruit.”
There is nothing worse than losing the kingdom of God and regretting it later. Almighty God has plans for us to prosper, not to harm us.
God gives us a choice, either to bear fruit or to dry and wither. But knowingly, many of us choose to dry and wither, instead of obeying to bear fruit.
Walking with God by committing to daily Morning Prayer, meditating on God’s love and thanking Him wholeheartedly by having little talks with him is a beautiful life. More than us, people around us will be able to recognise our fruits. When we lead a life without thinking about God or giving importance to Him, our energy will fade. We will soon become hard to live with and negative.
Let’s learn to obey the little voice in us in little things and God will enable us to do big achievements for Him.
Tips for leading a fruitful life:
1. Keep yourself committed to God always.
2. Pray with thanksgiving always. When you have a problem, give thanks to God for He is blessing you with victory in the same. For example, if you need a job, give thanks to God for your job is on its way. Give thanks to Him, for He is already working on arranging the job suitable for you.
3. Pray without worrying and watch God work it out for you.
4. As long as we are worrying, we are not trusting God. Only if we trust God and pray then will we be able to enjoy the peace that surpasses all understanding. Others will be wondering how in this time of trial also they are able to live with so much peace.
5. Instead of meditating on movie songs, let’s meditate on Worship songs and get more energy.
6. Presence of God is the most precious one, which we can work for. God is waiting to fill us with His presence, to do mighty God exploits for Him. Let’s wait for His presence and wait in His presence.
Learn to listen to the small still voice. It’s a beautiful experience when we walk hand-in-hand with God.
Here again we are reminded that the source of all disorder has already been overthrown – that the power to take life has been overthrown by the power that gives life to us, and that the vineyard of the Lord cannot fail to produce the wine that sustains eternal life.
On whatever day a voice of alarm may ask ‘who is in charge now?’ we can therefore say:
‘Hush – it is always the Lord – who knows far more always than we ever could, and forgets none of us!’
Key message:
Listen to Jesus now, avoid regrets later.
Homily:
Takeaway from first reading:
Opening story:
Jason, father of two girls was a very hardworking person. He brought up his daughters with full love and care. He gave them good education, specialised tuition in their weak subjects, taught them music and dance. All was going good till the girls went to college. As their college was in another city, they had to move to a hostel. In their college life, they learnt the filthy way of life and spoiled their morals. They did not hold on to any of morals taught by the father and quickly forgot him. To cater for their filthy expenses, they started thieving. As days progressed, they chartered out plans for bank burglaries and executed them. Soon they were caught and jailed. Father was devastated. As he looked at this daughters behind the bars, he cried “Did I sacrifice my life, just to see you like this?”
Almighty Father took care of the children of Israel in their every need. He brought them out of Egypt with a mighty hand with ten unfathomable miracles. Like a father he protected them from all his enemies. But they could not gather strength during the time of trials by remembering and meditating the miracles which Almighty God had done for them. They complained and murmured against God and did not obey his commandments. How much it would have pained the heart of our Father?
During times of trial do we remember the good things that God has done for you and continue to trust Him or start to murmur and complain against our good God?
Takeaway from second reading:
The Apostle Paul says, “Do not worry about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”
The golden rule to handle problems in life is provided here – It says not to worry, simply pray. When we have problems, we start worrying about it. But the rule to handle the problem is not to worry and cast our cares on the Lord. Powerful prayer is acknowledging to Jesus that we are not sufficient enough to handle our responsibilities and submitting ourselves to him for His providence.
If we pray and continue to worry, then do we really trust God?
Takeaway from Gospel reading:
Jesus summarises the Old Testament and the New Testament in today’s Gospel.
God chose the people of Israel as His own. He freed them from Egypt with a mighty hand. He was taking care of them like a mighty warrior. He gave them the ‘Ten commandments’, committed to a loving bond ‘Hereafter I will be your God and you will be my people’. He sent many prophets among them. All the prophets faced opposition and rejection. Finally He sent His own son, our Lord Jesus. He was put to death by the hands of His own people.
Let’s meditate on:
“Therefore I tell you, the kingdom of God will be taken away from you and given to a people that produces its fruit.”
There is nothing worse than losing the kingdom of God and regretting it later. Almighty God has plans for us to prosper, not to harm us.
God gives us a choice, either to bear fruit or to dry and wither. But knowingly, many of us choose to dry and wither, instead of obeying to bear fruit.
Walking with God by committing to daily Morning Prayer, meditating on God’s love and thanking Him wholeheartedly by having little talks with him is a beautiful life. More than us, people around us will be able to recognise our fruits. When we lead a life without thinking about God or giving importance to Him, our energy will fade. We will soon become hard to live with and negative.
Let’s learn to obey the little voice in us in little things and God will enable us to do big achievements for Him.
Tips for leading a fruitful life:
1. Keep yourself committed to God always.
2. Pray with thanksgiving always. When you have a problem, give thanks to God for He is blessing you with victory in the same. For example, if you need a job, give thanks to God for your job is on its way. Give thanks to Him, for He is already working on arranging the job suitable for you.
3. Pray without worrying and watch God work it out for you.
4. As long as we are worrying, we are not trusting God. Only if we trust God and pray then will we be able to enjoy the peace that surpasses all understanding. Others will be wondering how in this time of trial also they are able to live with so much peace.
5. Instead of meditating on movie songs, let’s meditate on Worship songs and get more energy.
6. Presence of God is the most precious one, which we can work for. God is waiting to fill us with His presence, to do mighty God exploits for Him. Let’s wait for His presence and wait in His presence.
Learn to listen to the small still voice. It’s a beautiful experience when we walk hand-in-hand with God.
Here again we are reminded that the source of all disorder has already been overthrown – that the power to take life has been overthrown by the power that gives life to us, and that the vineyard of the Lord cannot fail to produce the wine that sustains eternal life.
On whatever day a voice of alarm may ask ‘who is in charge now?’ we can therefore say:
‘Hush – it is always the Lord – who knows far more always than we ever could, and forgets none of us!’
Thara Benedicta your comments on today’s readings are wonderful and are most helpful. You are so good. You have such amazing insight. Thank you.