Homily - 4A Sunday in Ordinary Time (29 January 2023) Blessed are the merciful

 

4A SUNDAY HOMILY, MATTHEW 5:1-12, JANUARY 29, 2023

1) STORY
Mary was trying to find her first job and decided to apply to a company which was looking for staff.  It was a rainy day and while riding on the bus she noticed other girls her age going to the same place to apply for work.  As she was getting off the bus, a middle-aged woman in front of her slipped and fell on the curb.  The other girls saw this but went on while Mary stopped to help her get up.  The woman asked Mary if she could help her to her office.  Mary did help her but was worried she might be late and lose her chance for a job.  When they arrived at the company, the middle-aged woman introduced herself as Mrs. Chan and thanked Mary for being so kind and helpful.  When it was Mary’s turn to see the employment manager, she entered the office and was astonished to see Mrs. Chan who warmly welcomed her.  Mary got the job.

2) GOSPEL, MATTHEW 5:1-12
A) BLESSED ARE THE MERCIFUL

Jesus was merciful.

i) He told us about the merciful Samaritan in the parable of the Good Samaritan, (Luke 10:25-37).

i) When Jesus was on the cross, he promised the thief that he would be with Jesus in paradise (Luke 23;42-43).

B) YOU WILL BE SHOWN MERCY

Jesus tells us we will be rewarded when we are merciful toward others.  “If you forgive others their sins, your heavenly father will forgive you" (Matt.6:14).

3) APPLICATION TO LIFE
A) BE MERCIFUL

i) We should be merciful to those who are good to us and also to those who are not.

ii) We are merciful by our kind attitude towards others, by our gentle words, and by our caring actions.

B) YOU WILL BE SHOWN MERCY

i) Jesus will bless us when we follow his example. 

ii) We will have peace in our hearts knowing we are doing good.

iii) People will recognize and reward our acts of mercy.

4) CONCLUSION
Mary was rewarded by showing mercy to the lady in need. Jesus taught us by word and example to be merciful.  God will reward us for being merciful in word and deed by giving us peace of heart.

Homily - 3A Sunday in Ordinary Time (22 January 2023) Come follow me

 

3A Sunday Homily, Matthew 4:12­-23,  January 22, 2023

1) STORY
During the war, after fierce fighting in a small town, a soldier found a beautiful statue of Jesus with his two hands missing.  He did not want to throw it away, yet he feared to place it anywhere as it was.  He solved this problem by putting it at the entrance of the town with a sign in front of it, “LEND ME YOUR HANDS.”  In today’s gospel Jesus asks us to lend him our hands.

2) GOSPEL: MATTHEW 4:12­-23
A) COME AFTER ME

Christ asks us to follow him.  We do this because

i) He is the light of the world leading us to happiness.  The first reading tells us that "The people who sat in darkness have seen a great light."

ii) He is the bread of life who gives us the spiritual strength to live as his friend in a world filled with temptations and difficulties.

B) I WILL MAKE YOU FISHERS OF MEN

Christ wants us to bring people to him.  Many do not know that he exists and is the source of the gifts which they are searching for happiness, joy and peace.

3) APPLICATION TO LIFE
A) FOLOWING JESUS

We follow Jesus, our teacher and guide, by listening to his instructions as found in the bible and by ideally reading it each day.  We hear this word during Mass.

B) BRING OTHERS TO JESUS

We bring others to Jesus:
i) By word

We should share with others what we know about Jesus, how he helped people when on earth, and how he continues to help us each day.  He is the source of our happiness, joy, and peace.

ii) By our actions

We bring others to Jesus by our kind and caring acts, by willing to listen to those in pain, and by helping those in pain, and by helping those in need.

4) CONCLUSION
In the story we learned that we are the modern hands of Jesus.  We follow Jesus by listening to him as he speaks to us through the bible, by praying to him, and by receiving the Eucharist.  We bring others to Jesus by our kind and caring words, by listening to those in pain, and by helping those in need.  Jesus is the source of our joy, happiness and peace.

 

Homily - 2A Sunday in Ordinary Time (15 January 2023) Be Gentle

 

2A SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME, JOHN 1:29-­34, JANUARY 15, 2023

1)  STORY
A king loved his son very much.  The son was hunchback, and the king made every effort to find a cure for him.  He consulted a wise man and was told to have a statue made resembling his son.  However, it was to have a straight back and the statue was to be placed in the palace garden.  Each time the boy saw this statue he would say, “That’s me.” Gradually the boy was able to straighten his back and have a normal posture.  The statue became his model which he imitated.


2) GOSPEL: JOHN 1:29­-34
A) JESUS, THE LAMB OF GOD

John the Baptist pointed out Jesus as the Lamb of God because Jesus was like a lamb, gentle, obedient and humble.  We know that Jesus was gentle towards the sick, blind, deaf, the hungry, children and all those in need.

B) JESUS TAKES AWAY THE SINS OF THE WORLD

John the Baptist also said that Jesus, the Lamb, would take away the sins of the world.  We know that Jesus forgave sinners, his disciples who fled when he was most in need, those who put him to death, and the thief on the cross.


3) APPLICATION TO LIFE
A) BE GENTLE AND KIND

Jesus is our model, and we should imitate him by being gentle and kind towards others.  We know this gentleness especially when we speak using kind words and showing respect by our actions and attitude.  We must control our anger, our impatience, and our rough and rude ways when dealing with others.

B) FORGIVE OTHERS

It is difficult in our busy lives to completely avoid hurting others and being hurt by others, whether deliberately or not, in word and deed. Just as Jesus forgives us, we should forgive others.   We should ask for forgiveness if we have offended others.


4) CONCLUSION
Just as the king’s son was helped by seeing the statue in the garden, we are helped by seeing and following the good example of Jesus. Just as Jesus, the Lamb of God, was gentle, obedient and humble, we must also be gentle when dealing with others.  As Jesus forgives us our sins, we must forgive those who have sinned against us; and we must ask for forgiveness from those whom we have offended.  When we imitate Jesus, we will be blessed with his happiness and peace.

 

Homily - Epiphany of the Lord (08 January 2023) Helping others to find Jesus

 

TOPIC: HELPING OTHERS TO FIND JESUS
EPIPHANY OF THE LORD - Sunday Homily, Matthew 2:1-12, January 8, 2023

1) STORY
One day John’s family asked me to go to the hospital to anoint him as John was very sick.  He was in Room 1 on the first floor.   Several weeks later around 8pm, I received a call from the family asking me to visit John as he was in a critical condition.  I immediately went to the hospital looking for John in Room 1 on the first floor.  To my great surprise, he was not there.  The nurse told me via an intercom to try the tenth floor.  I went to Room 1 on the tenth floor to discover it was a baby’s ward.  I was now lost with no phone and no family contact number.  Then my “star” appeared in the form of a nurse. The nurse in the baby’s ward was willing to help me.  She guessed he was in Block C and we were in Block A.  She asked for permission to go through Block B to get to Block C where I finally found John thanks to her kindness. She was my “star” leading me to my goal.

2) GOSPEL: MATTHEW 2:1-12
A) THE MAGI

The Magi, wise men from the East, were looking for the newborn king of the Jews.  They needed help to find the new king.

B) THE STAR

“They saw his star and wanted to do him homage.”  The star led them to Bethlehem where they found the new born king of the Jews, Jesus.

3) APPLICATION TO LIFE
A) MODERN MAGI

There are many people searching for happiness, peace, a purpose in life and how to live a meaningful life.  Though they may not be aware of it, they are searching for God who alone can give them the desires of their heart.

B) MODERN STARS

People need help to find God just as the Magi needed help to find Jesus, and I needed the help of a nurse to find John.  God has sent us to be like stars leading people to Jesus.  We do this by our kindness towards others, by our willingness to help them, and the example of living a good life.  We have the power and responsibility to lead others to Jesus.

4) CONCLUSION
Just as I needed a star to help me find John and the Magi needed the help of a star to find Jesus, so too, do those looking for peace, joy and happiness need help in their search for these precious gifts.  We are modern stars helping by leading them to Jesus who alone can give them peace, joy, and happiness.

Homily - New Year's Day (01 January 2023) Mary, Mother of God

 

TOPIC: MARY OUR MOTHER
MARY, MOTHER OF GOD, Homily, LUKE 2:16-21 January 1, 2023

1) STORY
One day as Jesus was walking around heaven, he noticed some doubtful characters and wondered how they got there.  He went to ask St. Peter how this happened as Peter was instructed to let in only qualified persons.  St. Peter assured Jesus that he was carrying out his duty by standing at the gates and permitting only qualified persons to enter.  However, Peter informed Jesus that at night his mother Mary would open the back door of heaven and permit those less than qualified souls in.  She wanted all her children to get into their eternal home, heaven.

2) GOSPEL, LUKE 2:16-21
A) SHEPHERDS

The gospel tells us that the shepherds did three things when Jesus was born:

i) They went to Bethlehem in search of Jesus.

ii) They told others what they had seen.

iii) They glorified and praised God.  They set a good example for us.

B) MARY

The gospel tells us that “Mary kept all these things, reflecting on them in her heart.”  Jesus was the center of her life.

3) APPLICATION TO LIFE
A) We must always search for Jesus in our busy lives.  There are many distractions which could keep us from searching for him.  We must introduce others to Jesus who have never met him or have abandoned him.  We must praise and glorify God who is the creator of our world and who sent Jesus to save us.

B) MARY. Jesus was the center of her life.  We must make him the most important person in our lives, the center of our lives.  For some persons the center of their lives may be food, clothing, money, or entertainment.  We must reject these temptations.  Jesus gives us guidance, strength, peace, joy, and forgiveness.  He becomes the center of our lives when we communicate with him in prayer, we listen to his voice through the word of God, and we receive his spiritual food in the Eucharist.

4) CONCLUSION
Just as Mary helps people get to their eternal home, heaven, she helps us as we begin this new year.  We follow the example of the shepherds by telling others about Jesus and by praising and glorifying him by our words and deeds.  We keep Jesus as the center of our lives as Mary did.  She helps us to stay near to her son, Jesus.