Twenty-First Sunday in Ordinary Time

Also Read: Mass Readings for 25 August 2024 Homily for 25 August 2024 – Sunday

First Reading: Joshua 24: 1-2a, 15-17, 18b

“Now if you are unwilling to serve the Lord, choose this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your ancestors served in the region beyond the River or the gods of the Amorites in whose land you are living; but as for me and my household, we will serve the Lord.” (15)

Whom do we serve? -Let us decide, today! Let us recognize how we choose the gods of vanity, pride, arrogance, selfishness, lies, anger, sloth, timidity, etc. Let us shun these false gods and sanctify our hearts, now! -So that our worship and thanksgiving are acceptable to our One True and Eternal God! Let us live worthily in the land of the Lord’s pasture.

We ask this through the Holy Spirit, in the name of Jesus Christ, Amen!

Responsorial Psalm: Psalms 34: 2-3, 16-23

The Lord is near to the brokenhearted and saves the crushed in spirit. (18)

The Lord redeems the life of his servants; none of those who take refuge in him will be condemned. (22)

Alleluia, Amen!

Second Reading: Ephesians 5: 21-32

Be subject to one another out of reverence for Christ. Wives, be subject to your husbands as you are to the Lord. (21-22)

In the same way, husbands should love their wives as they do their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself. (28)

St. Paul gives us instructions for the Christian household! If we have a reverence for Christ we will walk in this teaching! Yet, today we see Christian marriages under attack due to an ignorance of this precept. We must remember it is: “…being subject to ONE ANOTHER out of reverence for Christ.” (v.21) Neither one is superior or inferior to the other, but they are brought together by God to sanctify each other! To Love God, we must first Know God! To Know God we must first seek Him. To seek the Lord God, we must first humble ourselves! If today we have encountered the Lord and have seen His love; we are blessed.

One Bible Commentary explains that St. Paul tried to change the concept of inequality prevalent in his times 2000 years ago! Sadly, due to similar misconceptions and referencing out of context, this inequality still exists today. Therefore it’s all the more easier for the evil one to attack us!

Let us protect the Reverence for Christ in our Hearts First. The Angel of the marriage will protect us in Christ! Let us quote in full context and acknowledge what the Lord speaks to us truly.

We ask the Holy Spirit (our most reliable Therapist!) to grant us good counsel, through the intercession of Mother Mary. Amen.

Alleluia: John 6: 63c, 68c

Alleluia! Simon Peter answered him, “Lord, to whom can we go? You have the words of eternal life. (68) Alleluia!

Gospel: John 6: 60-69

Simon Peter answered him, “Lord, to whom can we go? You have the words of eternal life. We have come to believe and know that you are the Holy One of God.” (68-69)

On our behalf, St. Peter proclaimed these words of faith in Jesus Christ! Let us renew our faith and remain steadfast. We ask the Lord to grant us the grace and courage to practice our faith in obedience and humility!

In Jesus’ name, Amen!

Twentieth Sunday in Ordinary Time

Also Read: Mass Readings for 18 August 2024 Homily for 18 August 2024 – Sunday

First Reading: Proverbs 9: 1-6

Wisdom has built her house, she has hewn her seven pillars. (1)

“You that are simple, turn in here!” To those without sense she says, (4)

Lay aside immaturity and live, and walk in the way of insight.” (6)

The author of Proverbs describes the Wisdom of God in this proverb. Wisdom is personified as a gracious lady who invites the simple! Being simple does not mean being foolish but rather being of an open and humble disposition. To open the heart, mind, and spirit to the Lord; we need to approach him in humility. He knows our intentions and will bless our efforts accordingly.

We the people of the New Testament, have been blessed by Jesus Christ with the Holy Spirit. He dwells in us and we ought to humbly bend our minds so that we can hear his quiet counsel in the stillness of our soul.

In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Responsorial Psalm: Psalms 34: 2-3, 10-15

My soul makes its boast in the Lord; let the humble hear and be glad. (2)

Keep your tongue from evil, and your lips from speaking deceit. Depart from evil, and do good; seek peace, and pursue it. (13-14)

Alleluia, Amen!

Second Reading: Ephesians 5: 15-20

Be careful then how you live, not as unwise people but as wise, making the most of the time, because the days are evil. So do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is. (15-17)

In the letter to the Ephesians, St. Paul describes the life of a true disciple. “For once you were darkness, but now in the Lord you are light. Live as children of light.” (v.8) As “Children of Light” he warns us then, to live wisely! While we may wonder what the purpose of God is for us, we are given a clue in this passage today! As we make most of the time, one step at a time; we will realize His purpose for us! Everyone who has fulfilled God’s purpose in their lives has done so by being obedient in the small daily actions without being given a fully structured blueprint of every detail or step to be followed! It is while on the job, in the grind, that the will of God can be discerned! We know many great saints and people of God who followed His Will; the greatest example is Mother Mary!

In verses 6-9, St. Paul also warns us about being deceived by empty words! Empty words could be our negative self-talk and/or the enemy’s words slipping into our language! Let us not be deceived but remain rooted in the Word of God and believe what He says about us – “Children of Light”! 

Let us ensure that we produce fruits that are good and right and true. Let us not be greedy or drunk on anything that may lead us away from His purpose! Being greedy is equaled to idolatry, (V.5) which could be greed for food, money, name, power, validation, attention, and so on. Being drunk is equaled to debauchery. (v.18) The enemy knows our weaknesses; it is time we know them too! 

In the name of Jesus Christ, Amen! 

Alleluia: John 6: 56

Alleluia! Those who eat my flesh and drink my blood abide in me, and I in them.

The Holy Eucharist is the food and drink we most desire!

Alleluia!

Gospel: John 6: 51-58

“For my flesh is true food and my blood is true drink. (55)

We can begin to grasp the mystery of the Holy Eucharist today, because we receive the true body and blood of Christ, and the Holy Spirit reveals Him to us! The Jews could not comprehend this great mystery at that time. (v.52) But we are blessed to be able to receive Christ Jesus in us through the Holy Eucharist! The Lord GOD who creates the tiniest speck of sand on the shores, the intricate folds of the orchids, the humungous mountains, valleys, and the galaxies; created the Holy Eucharist for us mere mortals!

“It is the spirit that gives life; the flesh is useless. The words that I have spoken to you are spirit and life.”(63)

We ask the Lord God that we may renew our life in the Spirit through the Holy Eucharist. In the name of Jesus Christ Our Lord, Amen!

Nineteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time

Also Read: Mass Readings for 11 August 2024 Homily for 11 August 2024 – Sunday

First Reading: First Kings 19: 4-8

Then he lay down under the broom tree and fell asleep. Suddenly an angel touched him and said to him, “Get up and eat.” He looked, and there at his head was a cake baked on hot stones, and a jar of water. He ate and drank, and lay down again. (5-6)

He got up, and ate and drank; then he went in the strength of that food forty days and forty nights to Horeb the mount of God. (8)

Elijah the prophet of God was fearful for his life because of Jezebel’s threatening message. He ran into the wilderness by himself, not taking even his servant. There an angel came to his aid. We know that we too encounter God’s angels in our lives. The angels support us spiritually, emotionally, mentally, and maybe also by offering us food! We thank the Lord GOD today for these angels in our lives. The angels help us regain our strength to journey this life and realign our path to the purpose set by GOD.

We Thank The Lord for his angels. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Responsorial Psalm: Psalms 34: 2-9

I sought the Lord, and he answered me, and delivered me from all my fears. Look to him, and be radiant; so your faces shall never be ashamed. (4-5)

Alleluia, Amen!

Second Reading: Ephesians 4: 30 – 5: 2

³⁰ And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, with which you were marked with a seal for the day of redemption. ³¹ Put away from you all bitterness and wrath and anger and wrangling and slander, together with all malice, ³² and be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ has forgiven you. (30-32)

We grieve the Holy Spirit when we remain in wrath. Due to the wrath burning in us, we allow it to spread fumes of wrangling, bitterness, and so on. Instead when we douse this searing anger with the squirt of forgiveness and mercy, we liberate ourselves! We must remember that the vengeance is the Lord’s. It’s best to leave the judging and accounting to the Lord of Lords. By reminding ourselves of this truth, we can renew our minds.

In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Gospel: John 6: 41-51

⁵¹ I am the living bread that came down from heaven. Whoever eats of this bread will live forever; and the bread that I will give for the life of the world is my flesh.” (51)

In the Holy Eucharist, Jesus gives himself to us! God created a very unique mode for us to remain with him as his children, through the life, death, and the resurrection of Jesus Christ His son. Because He lived in the flesh, we have the same flesh to eat. When we partake of the Holy Eucharist we become one with Christ! This great mystery of our faith has to be experienced and cannot be fully explained.

We pray that our faith in the Holy Eucharist may be renewed and that the love of this great sacrament may be deepened among many more people. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Eighteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time

Also Read: Mass Readings for 04 August 2024 Homily for 04 August 2024 – Sunday

First Reading: Exodus 16: 2-4, 12-15

Then the Lord said to Moses, “I am going to rain bread from heaven for you, and each day the people shall go out and gather enough for that day. In that way I will test them, whether they will follow my instruction or not. (4)

Each day the Lord tests us! We have been given the day with its instructions, but do we follow what the Lord asks us? Each day we are to gather enough for the day, neither more nor less! Let us submit to the Lord’s instructions daily, for the Lord feeds us the manna we require even today. Our test is whether we are faithful to go and search for it! When we hear His Word, are we obedient to it?

We ask the Holy Spirit to guide us! In Jesus’ name, Amen!

Responsorial Psalm: Psalms 78: 3-4, 23-25, 54

He rained down on them manna to eat and gave them the grain of heaven. (24)

Alleluia!

Second Reading: Ephesians 4: 17, 20-24

You were taught to put away your former way of life, your old self, corrupt and deluded by its lusts, ²³ and to be renewed in the spirit of your minds, ²⁴ and to clothe yourselves with the new self, created according to the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness. (22-24)

Through our baptism, we have been given new life in Christ! We know that we receive the manna in the Holy Eucharist today! Let us be renewed in the spirit of our minds. Once our house is swept and cleaned we must allow God in! Yes, God does not force his way into our hearts, mind, spirit, and soul. It is our effort to look for Him; that he watches out for and will quietly nestle in the humble recesses of our obedient hearts, mind, spirit, and soul!

Let us stay vigilant in action and prayerful in thought. In Jesus, name, Amen

Alleluia: Matthew 4: 4b

But Jesus answered, “It is written, ‘One does not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.’”

Alleluia!

Gospel: John 6: 24-35

Jesus said to them, “I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never be hungry, and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty.

Christ Jesus, gives himself as the manna in the Holy Eucharist, to us! We must turn to Christ, for any lack we may experience today! We also pray for each other as we journey the narrow way towards the Lord. Let us remain united in prayer and ask the Lord for strength, courage, and faithfulness.

In Jesus’ name. Amen!