TWENTY-FIFTH SUNDAY IN YEAR A

GOD IS BOTH JUST AND MERCIFUL

Christianity is not about a certain belief or a dogma. It is all about a living person. As Christians, we follow Jesus a living and loving person. He is with us now and forever. He teaches us the loving kindness, forgiveness of God our Father. He came to bring us the Good News.

Once a surgeon (doctor) who came out of an operation theatre said to the family that was eagerly waiting for, “I have a good news and a bad news and which one do you want to hear first?”
And the family said, “we want to hear the good news”. “The good news is that the operation went really well. Even though this is my first operation, it went well.” and they all thanked him for his wonderful job and they asked him, “doctor, what is the bad news?” The doctor said, “The bad news is that the patient is dead”.
In Christianity, Jesus brings us only good news. Yes, the good news is that we all belong to all our father and we are all treated equally in His kingdom.

In today’s gospel, we come to now that God is both just and merciful. He is slow to anger and ready to forgive. His love and forgiveness surpass everything.
He is a just god. We will be judged according to our actions and there will be no partiality.
Once a teenage boy who was standing in front of the judge was asked, “do you agree that you drove more than the posted limit. You drove forty kilometres more than the posted limit?” And the boy agreed and then you will be fined $600.00 or three months in prison and the boy agreed to pay the six hundred dollars. Then there happened an unexpected thing, the judge one who gave the judgement of paying six hundred dollars, got out of the chair and took off his judge garment and went over to the clerk and paid the six hundred dollars on behalf of the teenager. Yes, the judge was the father of the teenager. Even though, he was the dad, he gave the right judgement.
Our God is a just judge and he judges all according to our actions and doings. In today’s gospel, we meet with the owner of the vineyard who was just with all his labourers. He pays them as they agreed upon. But some of the labourers are not happy not because he was just but because he was generous and merciful with others. In the gospels, Jesus speaks about last judgement that will take place according to our actions. When we do good, we will be given life-everlasting.

And at the same time, our god is full of mercy and compassion. He is a merciful god. Once there lived a holy man and across from his house lived a woman who was leading an immoral life. every time the holy man saw that woman, he thought to himself, “she is a prostitute and she will surely be punished and be given eternal punishment for her actions. And one day the woman died and some years later, the holy man also died and he went to heaven where upon seeing the woman enjoying life everlasting, was shocked and was mad at god. Then he asked God, “god, from the beginning… I was doing everything well. I prayed, fasted and observed all the spiritual rituals and on the other hand, she did nothing but lived a low life. How come she is here in heaven with me? And God looked at him and said, “Son, you are here because of your good works and she is here because of my compassion and love. She at the last moment of her life asked my forgiveness and love. Am I not allowed to do what I want to do?

Yes, god is both just and merciful. He loves both sinners and holy, poor and rich, big or small. God let his rain come down on both good and bad, he let his sun shine on both good and bad.
And if we get closer to him, we will come to know that he has only good news and He is just and merciful.

Once a doctor who did a knee operation said to the patient, ’I have a good news and a bad news for you”. what is the good news doctor? Asked the patient. The good news is the operation went well and the bad news is I did it on the wrong knee”

Let us focus on the good news of Christ and get closer to him everyday by our love and kindness towards our neighbour. Amen.

TRIUMPH OF THE CROSS(Exaltation of the Cross)

The power of the Cross

Today we celebrate the feast of the exaltation of the Cross. After dying on the Cross, Jesus made the Cross Holy. And today all people bow before the Cross.

Once a man by climbing in a tall coconut tree, refused to come down. First the police came and pleaded with him to come down, but nothing happened. Then the firefighters came and they tried their best to bring him down but he refused. Then at last, a catholic priest was asked to help him. The priest came and made a sing of the cross, then the man immediately came down. And everybody praised and worshiped the cross. Then they asked the priest to explain the power of the cross. The priest simply said, "by making the sign of the Cross, I indicated to him, "if you do not come down, I will surely cut the tree down".

Today Snoop Dogg has more crosses on his body than the Holy Father. Without knowing the power of the cross, many people are using the cross for everything. the fashion and the tattoo industries manipulate the usage of the cross today. For example, cross is used as nose, ear and even navel rings.

The very blessing of the sign of the cross has power. when we bless ourselves, we say in the name of the father and of the son and of the Holy Spirit. when we say the word father, we touch our forehead and by touching the forehead, we ask God who is the creator to bless us so that we may think well and good.

Once two Buddhists monks were going to a village to preach and when they came to a river bank, they saw a beautiful woman standing, afraid of crossing the river. And one of the priest helped her by carrying on his shoulder. when they went back to the monastery, the other monk went to everybody and said, "we, monks are not even allowed to look at women but this monk carried her on his shoulder". so the monk who helped her said to him, "I left her on the bank long time ago and why are you still carrying her in your mind?"

Our mind is a powerful weapon that should be trained and disciplined well, if not, we have to face so much challenges. And that is why when we touch our forehead we ask God to bless us and thus we may think divine things and be good to all.

When we say the word son, we touch our heart and ask Jesus to bless us so that we may love everyone as our brother and sister and accept them without any condition.

once a rabbi asked his disciples, "how do you know that the night is gone and the day is here?" And every one came up with different answers. One said, "when you see a tree in distance and if you could say whether it is a fig tree or a peach tree, then you may say that the night is gone and the day is here" then the other said, "when you see an animal in distance and if you could say whether it is a sheep or a goat, then you may say that the night is gone and the day is here". But the Rabbi was not satisfied with their many answers and said, "when you see the face of your own brother or sister in any human being, then you may proudly say that the night is gone and the day is here".

Today we have so many problems in society because we struggle to accept others as our brothers and sisters. So many wars, killings are going on and on because of the difficulty of acceptance. By touching our heart, we ask Jesus to bless us so that we love everyone as our brothers and sisters.

And by saying the word Holy Spirit, we touch our both shoulder and ask the Holy Spirit to bless us so that we may put our faith and love in action. Faith without action is dead.

Once a holy man prayed to God saying, 'God, I am a very faithful person and I am old now and I have to look after my family. Since I do not have money, please let me win a lottery and God said, "yes, you will win a lottery". Months passed and years passed, he never won a lottery and one day out of desperation, the man prayed to God saying,"God, give me a break..." And that night, god appeared to him and said, "you give me a break. if you want to win a lottery, you should at least buy a ticket".

Any one who says, "Lord, Lord, will not enter into the kingdom of God but only those who put their faith into action" says the Lord.

The cross has the power and when we bless ourselves with the sing of the Cross, let us remember to ask God to bless us, ask Jesus to be with us and ask the Holy Spirit to guide us. Amen.

Twenty-third sunday in year A

SIN...FORGIVENESS AND LOVE (Matthew 18:15-20)

Once there was a huge fight among a fifty-dollar bill, a twenty-dollar bill and a dollar. The fifty-dollar bill said, "My boss is the best because he takes me to big malls and where I see nice and beautiful things". And the twenty-dollar bill said, "My master is the best because he takes me to nice restaurants and show places". And the dollar was sad and said, "My master never takes me to big malls or any show place. He only takes me to Church".

Because of arguments and fights, one may sin against another. Sin is something that we do on purpose. Sin is something that we do against God, others and ourselves.

In today's gospel, Jesus says if our brother or sister sins against us, we should first talk to him, if he doesn't listen to us, then with the help of two or three witnesses, we should point out his wrong doings. If he refuses then, we should let the church know. Even if he refuses to listen to the church, then we should let him be a tax-collector or gentile to us.

We may approach this gospel according to our modern times. When our brother or sister does something bad or wrong, we should help him to go to counselling. we should help him for one on one counselling. As we know there are so many methods of counselling available today such as behaviour, talk and psycho-therapy. when he does not do it or he refuses to go to one on one counselling, then we should try with group therapy. For example, it is like alcohol anonymous. He may find somebody with his same condition there and thus he may come out of his struggles and problems. This may help him to find the love and kindness of Jesus the lord. When he does not do group therapy, then we should help him to do some community action or service. By helping the helpless, one may come to know of himself, others and God.

when nothing works, then we have to let him be tax-collector or gentile. Here comes a big difference between society and Christianity. when a person does wrong or goes against the law, then he will be punished and he will be sent to prison or jail. But Jesus tells us to call him tax-collector or gentile. It means we should love the person more and more. yes, we should do like our master. Once, according to the gospels, while Jesus was walking with his apostles, saw a man in a tax booth, counting money, He right away had compassion for him and with love, called him to follow. He immediately left everything behind and followed Jesus Christ. Yes, Matthew the tax collector became one of the apostles and gospel writer. Jesus also had special love for the gentiles. For example, woman at the well. Jesus who gives life-giving water asked her for water.

when we like Jesus love our brothers and sisters who go against us, whatever we bind or loose on earth, will be bound or loosed in heaven. Jesus promises that we may have life-everlasting. We should never hate or abandon our brothers or sisters for their wrong doings instead we should love them more and more like Jesus does. Then we may proudly say that we belong to Christ the Lord. Amen.