Homily - 14A Sunday homily (09 July 2023) Be gentle toward others

 

TOPIC:  BE GENTLE TOWARD OTHERS

1. STORY

The sun and wind had a dispute over which of the two was the stronger. One day an opportunity arose to settle the dispute.  A person dressed in a coat was walking down a country road. The sun said to the wind that the one who could make the person remove the coat faster would be the winner.  The wind went first.  He blew and blew, but the more he blew, the tighter the person held on to the coat. Finally, exhausted, the wind gave up.  Then the sun took over.  It merely shone on the person and within minutes, the person took off the coat. The moral of the story is you can achieve more by gentleness than by violence.

2. GOSPEL, MATTHEW 11: 25-30

A) LEARN FROM ME

Jesus is our great teacher who taught us by his words.  He taught us forgiveness in the story of the prodigal son.  He taught us about how some people need extra help by the story of the Good Shepherd.  He taught us to help others by the story of the Good Samaritan.  Jesus taught us by his work. He cared for the needy, the lame, the blind, the hungry and the sick.  He comforted those in sorrow and forgave the sinners.

 

B) I AM GENTLE AND HUMBLE OF HEART

Jesus was gentle. 

i) He was understanding when dealing with the problems and difficulties of others.

ii) He was forgiving and not critical of those who were sinners.

iii) He helped people become better.  Jesus was humble as he always obeyed his Father's will.

 

3. APPLICATION TO LIFE

A) LEARN FROM JESUS

i) Many people teach us by their words and actions such as our parents, relatives, friends, and school teachers.  We are taught by what we read from newspapers, magazines, what we watch on TV and the computer, and what we hear on the radio.

ii) We must remember that our great teacher is Jesus.  He teaches us when we attend Mass, read the bible, and other spiritual books.  He teaches us through our Pope, bishop and priests.  He teaches us through our parents and good friends. 

B) BE GENTLE TOWARD OTHERS

We are gentle toward others by our words:

i) When we use kind, forgiving, encouraging, and supportive words.

ii) When we avoid using nasty, harsh, and hurtful words.

iii) When we are gentle toward others by works.

a) When we help those in need by using our time and money to make life a bit easier for them.

b) When we give our time to listen to people, to make a phone call showing our concern, and to visit the sick in the hospitals.

 

4) CONCLUSION 

Just as the warm sun was stronger than the powerful wind, so too was Jesus powerful as he treated people by his word and actions and taught us to treat others by our words and actions in a gentle way.  We follow Jesus' good example by using kind and encouraging words and by treating people with care and respect.

Video - Revelation chapter 2

 

Audio script

2/Revelation, Chapter Two.

Revelation Chapter 2

1.      Seven letters

They deal with 3 problems: 1. False teaching; 2. Persecution; 3. Complacency

2.      2:1-7 Ephesus

It is praised for its endurance, criticized for less love and encouraged to repent.

3.      2:8-11 Smyrna

It is praised for enduring suffering.  It is not criticized and encouraged to be faithful unto death.

4.      2:12-17 Pergamum

It is praised for being faithful, criticized for believing in Balaam and encouraged to repent.

5.      2:18-29 Thyatira

It is praised for its faith and endurance, criticized for tolerating the evil Jezebel and encouraged to repent.

Homily - 13A Sunday homily (02 July 2023) Choose Jesus

 

TOPIC: CHOOSE JESUS

1. STORY

Three-year-old Mary's uncle asked her to choose a gift on her birthday.  He offered her a choice to select one of two ten-dollar bills.  She noticed one was bigger than the other and was about to select the larger one when she paused and asked her mother for help.  Her mother told her to select the smaller one which she did.  Her mother then explained to her that the smaller one was a US ten-dollar bill worth much more that the larger one which was a Hong Kong one. Mary made the right choice.

 

2. GOSPEL, MATTHEW 10:37-44

A) CHOOSE JESUS

Jesus told his apostles that he was more important than anyone else including the members of his family.  They must be willing to leave them in order to follow him.

B) WELCOME THE DISCIPLES OF JESUS

Jesus tells us that when a disciple of Jesus is welcomed by anyone, it is the same as welcoming Jesus himself and one will be rewarded by Jesus for such a welcome.

 

3. APPLICATION TO LIFE

A) WHY WE SHOULD CHOOSE JESUS

We should choose Jesus for two reasons:

i) Jesus will remind us that it is our duty to love our parents and family members.  He will remind us of the importance of the fourth commandment, "Honor your father and your mother."

ii) Jesus will give us the strength to carry out this command. Though we may be burdened with many other responsibilities such as caring for one’s own family, or working long hours, Jesus will help as we pray, hear his Word and by receiving the Eucharist.

B) HOW TO WELCOME THE DISCIPLES OF JESUS

We welcome Jesus' disciples in two ways:

i) When we welcome a priest, a nun or a Catholic, we welcome Jesus. 

ii) When we help a needy person, we welcome Jesus.  He also tells us that by doing this we will be rewarded because we are following his example.  He will bring us peace, joy and happiness.

 

4. CONCLUSION

In the story, Mary was able to make the right choice of selecting the US dollar bill because of her mother's help. Jesus in today's gospel helps us to make the right choice of selecting him above all others including members of our family.  In doing so we actually love them more because Jesus reminds us of the importance of honoring our parents and family and he gives us the strength to do so no matter how many obligations we may have.  We welcome Jesus into our lives by welcoming his disciples such as priest, nuns, Catholics and the needy.  For this we will be rewarded with peace, joy and happiness.  We thank Jesus for his instruction and ask for his help to carry this out in our lives.

Video - Revelation chapter 1

 

Audio script

1/Revelation, Chapter One.

Revelation Chapter 1

1.      1:1-3 Revelation from God

God through Jesus and an angel reveals to John what must happen soon.

2.      1:4-8 Jesus is coming

John informs the 7 churches that Jesus is coming.

3.      1:9 John on the island of Patmos

John writes from Patmos when he is banished for preaching the Gospel.

4.      1:10-11 John writes to the 7 churches

Ephesus, Smyrna, Thyatira, Pergamum, Sardis, Philadelphia, and Laodicea.

5.       1:12-20 Jesus, the Son of Man

Jesus appears to John wearing a white robe with a gold sash on his chest.

Homily - 12A Sunday homily (25 June 2023) Proclaim on the housetops

 

TOPIC: PROCLAIM ON THE HOUSETOPS June 25, 2023

1. STORY

John, a primary school student, was living with ten other boys in a dormitory while attending boarding school.  Though he was a Catholic no students knew this.  One day a new student, Jim, a fervent Catholic, arrived.  The young students made fun of Jim when they saw him kneeling at his bed when saying his morning and night prayers. John remembered that his mother told him to say daily his morning and night prayers.  One evening when Jim was kneeling at his bed saying his night prayers, John also knelt by his bed and also said his night prayers.  When the other students saw this, they stopped making fun of Jim.  John and Jim followed the teaching of Jesus: "What I say to you in the darkness, speak in the light; what you hear whispered, proclaim on the housetops."

 

2. GOSPEL. MATTHEW 10:26-33

A) WHAT JESUS HAS TAUGHT US

Jesus has taught us many things.  Here are three examples:

i) He has taught us about God.

ii) He has taught us about men and women. 

iii) He has taught us about life. 

B) SPEAK IN THE LIGHT, PROCLAIM ON THE HOUSETOPS

Jesus instructs us to share his message with the whole world. He wishes us to bring this joyful news to those near and far.

 

3. APPLICATION TO LIFE

A) WHAT JESUS HAS TAUGHT US

i) There is a God who created us, loves us and cares for us.  He loves us so much that he has sent his only son Jesus, to save us. 

ii) We are God's children.  We must live a life of loving God, our others and ourselves.  We must resist the temptations of being proud, selfish, and revengeful. 

iii) We know that life is like a journey which has a beginning and an end.  We know that end of life is death which is not an end but the beginning of a new and happy life in heaven with God. 

B) HOW TO PROCLAIM THE GOOD NEWS.

i) We must proclaim the good news to our family, at work, with friends and with strangers. 

ii) We do this by telling others what we believe as Catholics. There is a God who loves us, Jesus is our savior, we must live a life of love and there is eternal life and death. 

iii) We do this by our actions.  We are respectful of others; we try to help the needy according to our ability and we are forgiving towards those who have offended us.

 

4. CONCLUSION

Little Jim was not afraid to say his prayers even though the other students made fun of him.  By his good actions he influenced his fellow student, John, live out his faith.  Jesus wants us to share what he taught us to the whole world.  We do this in our family, at work, with our friends and strangers.  We tell them about God, about Jesus and how to live properly.  We do this by our actions of being kind to people, helping the needy and forgiving those we may have offended us.  We thank Jesus and ask him for the strength to do as he has instructed us.

Homily - The Body and Blood of Christ homily (11 June 2023) The Body of Christ

 

TOPIC: THE BODY OF CHRIST

1. STORY

One morning at breakfast, five-year-old John and his brothers and sisters were told by their mother that they had no food in the house to eat.  There was no bread, no eggs, nothing to eat; but if they prayed to God, he would give them food.  So little John, on his way to school, entered the church and went up to the altar.  Looking around carefully and seeing no one there, he prayed to God in a loud voice saying, “Dear God, we have no bread, no eggs and no milk.  My mother said if we asked you for food, you would help us.”   Having finished praying, he left the church to school.  Upon his return home, he opened the door and saw bread, milk, eggs and other food.  He shouted with joy telling his mother that he prayed to God and his prayers were heard just as his mother had told him.  Yes, his mother replied but told him it was a kind woman who had heard him pray in church.  She purchased the food after hearing John prayed for help.  God helped them through this kind woman. God, through the Body of Christ, provides us with spiritual food.

 

2. GOSPEL, JOHN 6:51-58

A) I MYSELF AM THE LIVING BREAD COME DOWN FROM HEAVEN

Jesus helped people in many ways while on earth.  He cured the sick, calmed the storm on the sea, and multiplied bread feeding over 5,000 persons.  He not only has bread for our bodies, he has spiritual bread for our souls. 

B) IF ANYONE EATS THIS BREAD, HE SHALL LIVE FOREVER

Food brings us health.  The spiritual food Jesus provides for us gives us health forever which is eternal life.

 

3. APPLICATION TO LIFE

A) THE GREAT GIFT OF SPIRITUAL FOOD

i) Jesus freely provides this spiritual food, the Eucharist, at Mass. There is no need to go to a store to obtain this wonderful gift.  There is no need to spend a lot of time preparing it as is necessary with ordinary food.

ii) We should receive the Eucharist at each Mass we attend if at all possible. This food helps us to be spiritually strong so as to live our lives and be disciples of Jesus.

iii) We must always be grateful for this spiritual food provided by our caring Jesus.  We have done nothing to deserve it.

B) THE GIFT OF ETERNAL LIFE

We know that good food is an important way to stay healthy. Even though this is the case, we know that eventually our health will decrease with age.  This material food will give us health for a limited amount of time.  On the contrary, the Eucharist will give us health forever, that is, eternal life.  We do not know how this is possible, but we believe what Jesus tells us that this spiritual food will bring us eternal life.  How blessed we are.

 

4. CONCLUSION

Just as Jesus provided food for five-year-old John through a kind woman, so does Jesus provide us with spiritual food through the Mass. This food brings us health forever, which is eternal life.  We should receive the Eucharist every time we participate at Mass.  We should be grateful for this great gift.

Homily - Trinity Sunday homily (04 June 2023) The Trinity

 

TOPIC: THE TRINITY

1. STORY

St. Augustine of Hippo (in North Africa) was one of the greatest theologians in the Church.  After deliberating for a long time and puzzled by the mystery of the Trinity, he went out for a walk by the sea shore.  There he saw a boy making a small hole in the sand.  Using a shell, he started to pour the ocean water into the hole.  St. Augustine asked the boy what he was doing.  The boy said he planned to put the ocean water into the hole.  The saint responded that it would be impossible as the hole was so small and the ocean was so big.  The boy, who was really an angel, agreed with the saint.  He added that the saint’s mind was like the hole in the sand and God was like the mighty ocean water.  There was no way that the saint would be able to understand the mystery of the Trinity.

 

2. GOSPEL, 2 CORINTHIANS 13:11-13

A) THE GRACE OF THE LORD JESUS CHRIST, AND THE LOVE OF GOD, AND THE FELLOWSHIP OF THE HOLY SPIRIT BE WITH YOU ALL

We have never seen God.  Jesus, the only one who has seen God loves us so much that he has told us a great secret about God.  He has told us that in the one God there are three persons, the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. 

B) LIVE IN HARMONY AND PEACE

Jesus wants us to live in harmony and peace so as to imitate the life of the Trinity.  When we live this way, we will have peace, happiness and joy in our lives.

 

3) APPLICATION TO LIFE

A) THE MYSTERY OF THE TRINITY

i) We must be humble as there are so many things we do not understand but accept.  For example, we know that water can take three forms.  It can be ice, a liquid, or steam.  Our minds are like the hole in the sand, and God is like the ocean water.

ii) We must have faith in Jesus who tells us the truth just as we have faith in our parents, a teacher, or a doctor.

iii) We must be grateful to Jesus for sharing with us a secret we would never be able to know on our own. 

B) LIVE IN HARMONY AND PEACE

i) Because everyone is different, it is not easy to live in harmony and peace. One may like silence and another noise. One may want it hot and another cold.  One may like to be on time and another may come late.

ii) Be kind.  As all of us need kindness, we should use gentle and kind words when speaking to others.

iii) Be forgiving.  As conflicts may arise, there may be misunderstandings or harsh words spoken.  It is necessary to be forgiving.  This is important if we wish to live as Jesus wants us to live.

 

4) CONCLUSION

In the story, the brilliant St. Augustine learned that God’s wisdom is so great that we can only understand a small part of it.  Jesus tells us that there is one God with three persons, the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit.  We must imitate the harmony of the Trinity by living in peace and harmony.