Five Talents-33rd Sunday
There is a beautiful story about Blessed Mother Theresa. What happened was, once she went to Ireland and she gave a spiritual talk in the cathedral in Dublin. She spoke simple of love for the poorest of the poor and of love for Christ through them. Then the very next day, a man called a priest and said, “Father, I would like to get back in Church”. The priest who tried his best to bring back people to church asked him, “What made you to decide to come back to church”. The man said, “last night Mother Teresa spoke to me”. What do you mean. There was about ten thousand people last night in church and what do you mean she spoke to you?’ I know her words were meant to me and me alone. What did she say, “she said God bless you”.
I have been saying these words thousands of time every day and I could not convince you. But father, she said it from the bottom of her heart”.
When mother began her mission work, she said, my hand is Christ’s hand, my smile is Christ’s smile and my life is Christ’s life. She thus became one in Christ.
Today’s parable is one of the most powerful parables in the gospel. It’s about every one of us. As the master goes away to a distant country, he put his servants in charge of his property. He gives them his talents according to their ability and capacity so that as he comes back, they could return to him with interest. The person who received five talents returns them to the master with five more talents. The master is proud of him and saying, “ you good and trustworthy slave. you have been trustworthy in a few things and I will put you in charge of many things. Then He says “enter into the joy of your master”.
Talents could be money or gifts. But today I would like to invite you all to reflect upon the five talents that are given to us all and the five talents were awakened in us on the day of baptism. I would like to look at the five talents as your five senses namely seeing, hearing. tasting. touching and smelling. On the day of baptism, these five senses were awakened. we became new creatures namely children of God. we were given a special gift to see divine things around, hear divine words and touch and smell and taste the goodness of the Lord.
Our body and soul begin to change because of these five senses. As we invest more and more our five senses into spiritual matters, we become another Christ more kind and compassionate; we become more loving and forgiving; we begin to look at life, living and death with our heightened spiritual awareness.
Tuesday, November 18, 2014
Monday, November 10, 2014
St.John lateran
Lateran Basilica
Good morning every one, today the Holy Catholic Church celebrates the feast of the dedication of St. John Lateran basilica, the mother of all churches, the cathedral of the Pope. So to prepare ourselves to celebrate these sacred mysteries, let us call to mind our sins and ask God’ blessing and forgiveness.
1. Once a man came across three masons who were cutting large stones. When the man asked the first mason what he was doing, he said, “I am hammering this stupid rock, I can not wait till 5 when I can go home”. When he asked the second mason who looked a little more interested of what he was doing, said, “I am cutting and shaping these stones. It is not a bad work, but I will be sure be glad when it’s done” The third mason who was hammering the rock looked so interested of what he was doing. He looked so satisfied and the man looked at the third mason and asked what he was doing. He said, “I am building a temple!” I am so happy that one day people will come to this temple to praise and worship God. I am so glad to do this job.
“Three men, three different attitudes, all doing the same job.”2. In today’s gospel, Jesus our Lord the Only Son of God who taught us to call God Father says, “stop making my Father’s house a market place...” thus He was chasing away the people who selling and buying things. Then the people said to Him, “what sign can you show us for doing this?” Jesus answered them, “destroy the temple, and in three days I will raise it up”. Jesus was speaking of the temple of His body.
3. Human body is the temple of the Holy Spirit.
A. What is body according to Christian term?The time came, when the Lord God formed a man's body. He made it from the dust of the ground. Then he breathed into it the breath of life. And man became a living person....
And that is why every time we celebrate a final service at the cemetery, we say, “you are dust and unto dust you shall return”. And God breathed the breath of life into the human body. Thus the body carries the breath of life namely the image and likeness of God our Father. So human body itself becomes holy and it is the temple.
B. It’s the temple
In the time of Jesus, every Jewish male was expected to make a pilgrimage to Jerusalem temple for the Passover festival every year. There they were sacrificing animals and other things to please God forgetting that obedience is better than sacrifice.
According to the Bible, where is the temple located today? It’s not in Jerusalem. It’s our own body. As we know, temple is a holy place where God resides. And in the temple, prayers and offering should be done. As we look at our body as the holy temple of God, our way of approaching ourselves and others will change. we will have more respect and love for our body.
C. It is the temple of the Holy Spirit
St. Paul calls that the body is the temple of the Holy Spirit. It’s because our body since it has the breath of God keeps producing the fruits of the holy spirit such as love and kindness; knowledge and wisdom; understanding and good will.
Conclusion:
Good morning every one, today the Holy Catholic Church celebrates the feast of the dedication of St. John Lateran basilica, the mother of all churches, the cathedral of the Pope. So to prepare ourselves to celebrate these sacred mysteries, let us call to mind our sins and ask God’ blessing and forgiveness.
1. Once a man came across three masons who were cutting large stones. When the man asked the first mason what he was doing, he said, “I am hammering this stupid rock, I can not wait till 5 when I can go home”. When he asked the second mason who looked a little more interested of what he was doing, said, “I am cutting and shaping these stones. It is not a bad work, but I will be sure be glad when it’s done” The third mason who was hammering the rock looked so interested of what he was doing. He looked so satisfied and the man looked at the third mason and asked what he was doing. He said, “I am building a temple!” I am so happy that one day people will come to this temple to praise and worship God. I am so glad to do this job.
“Three men, three different attitudes, all doing the same job.”2. In today’s gospel, Jesus our Lord the Only Son of God who taught us to call God Father says, “stop making my Father’s house a market place...” thus He was chasing away the people who selling and buying things. Then the people said to Him, “what sign can you show us for doing this?” Jesus answered them, “destroy the temple, and in three days I will raise it up”. Jesus was speaking of the temple of His body.
3. Human body is the temple of the Holy Spirit.
A. What is body according to Christian term?The time came, when the Lord God formed a man's body. He made it from the dust of the ground. Then he breathed into it the breath of life. And man became a living person....
And that is why every time we celebrate a final service at the cemetery, we say, “you are dust and unto dust you shall return”. And God breathed the breath of life into the human body. Thus the body carries the breath of life namely the image and likeness of God our Father. So human body itself becomes holy and it is the temple.
B. It’s the temple
In the time of Jesus, every Jewish male was expected to make a pilgrimage to Jerusalem temple for the Passover festival every year. There they were sacrificing animals and other things to please God forgetting that obedience is better than sacrifice.
According to the Bible, where is the temple located today? It’s not in Jerusalem. It’s our own body. As we know, temple is a holy place where God resides. And in the temple, prayers and offering should be done. As we look at our body as the holy temple of God, our way of approaching ourselves and others will change. we will have more respect and love for our body.
C. It is the temple of the Holy Spirit
St. Paul calls that the body is the temple of the Holy Spirit. It’s because our body since it has the breath of God keeps producing the fruits of the holy spirit such as love and kindness; knowledge and wisdom; understanding and good will.
Conclusion:
Tuesday, November 4, 2014
All suols day
All Souls day.
Saint Augustine said, “When I die bury me anywhere you like but remember to pray for me at the Altar”All Souls day. Today we celebrate all souls day.
It is a special day set apart so that we may pray and offer Holy Mass for our departed beloved ones who are currently going through purification before entering into heaven.All religions strongly believe in the immortality of the soul and offer special prayers for the dead.
The catechism of the Jews called Talmud says prayer brings greater blessing for the dead.
“Remember us who have gone before you in your prayers” is an unique sentence found on every catacomb of the believers.
The book of revelation says that nothing unclean shall enter into heaven.
There are people like John Paul the second or Mother Theresa as they die, they go to heaven. It’s because they completely put their trust in God Almighty. They frequent the church’s sacraments and practice their faith by loving God and others. And as they die, Jesus invites them into heaven saying, “You who did everything well, come into my father’s house.....”
And there are people, though given so many chances to know and love God, reject the presence of God. They reject the love and forgiveness of God. They do not believe in the existence of God. These people are condemned to everlasting punishment or hell. They are gone forever or for eternity. There is no salvation for them.
And finally there are people who like us fall into sin and get up. They break the commandments and feel sorry for their sins. They believe in God but because of their human nature go away from Him. As they die with their venial sins, they are neither going to heaven nor hell but the place called purgatory.
what is purgatory?It is a place of purification where their souls will completely be purified and thus the soul of the dead become holy and beautiful.
The Church’s teaching: The Church's official teaching on Purgatory is plain and simple. There is a place or state of purification called Purgatory, where souls undergoing purification can be helped by the prayers of the faithful (Council of Trent). Some modern theologians suggest that the fire of Purgatory is an intense, transforming encounter with Jesus Christ and his fire of love. They also speak of Purgatory as an "instant” purification immediately after death, varying in intensity from soul to soul, depending on the state of each individual
Prodigal son’s suffering: As he lost everything and was suffering, he said to himself, “There are so many hired men in my father’s house have enough food to eat and enjoy and here I am starving without anything to eat. I am going to go to my father and say, “father, I have sinned against you and against heaven”. That is called the purification. The souls will be purified with the fire of Christ’s love. As we offer prayers, sacrifice of Mass, almsgiving in their names, their souls be purified and thus enter into eternal bliss. So let us sacrifice Mass and be with them. Amen.
Saint Augustine said, “When I die bury me anywhere you like but remember to pray for me at the Altar”All Souls day. Today we celebrate all souls day.
It is a special day set apart so that we may pray and offer Holy Mass for our departed beloved ones who are currently going through purification before entering into heaven.All religions strongly believe in the immortality of the soul and offer special prayers for the dead.
The catechism of the Jews called Talmud says prayer brings greater blessing for the dead.
“Remember us who have gone before you in your prayers” is an unique sentence found on every catacomb of the believers.
The book of revelation says that nothing unclean shall enter into heaven.
There are people like John Paul the second or Mother Theresa as they die, they go to heaven. It’s because they completely put their trust in God Almighty. They frequent the church’s sacraments and practice their faith by loving God and others. And as they die, Jesus invites them into heaven saying, “You who did everything well, come into my father’s house.....”
And there are people, though given so many chances to know and love God, reject the presence of God. They reject the love and forgiveness of God. They do not believe in the existence of God. These people are condemned to everlasting punishment or hell. They are gone forever or for eternity. There is no salvation for them.
And finally there are people who like us fall into sin and get up. They break the commandments and feel sorry for their sins. They believe in God but because of their human nature go away from Him. As they die with their venial sins, they are neither going to heaven nor hell but the place called purgatory.
what is purgatory?It is a place of purification where their souls will completely be purified and thus the soul of the dead become holy and beautiful.
The Church’s teaching: The Church's official teaching on Purgatory is plain and simple. There is a place or state of purification called Purgatory, where souls undergoing purification can be helped by the prayers of the faithful (Council of Trent). Some modern theologians suggest that the fire of Purgatory is an intense, transforming encounter with Jesus Christ and his fire of love. They also speak of Purgatory as an "instant” purification immediately after death, varying in intensity from soul to soul, depending on the state of each individual
Prodigal son’s suffering: As he lost everything and was suffering, he said to himself, “There are so many hired men in my father’s house have enough food to eat and enjoy and here I am starving without anything to eat. I am going to go to my father and say, “father, I have sinned against you and against heaven”. That is called the purification. The souls will be purified with the fire of Christ’s love. As we offer prayers, sacrifice of Mass, almsgiving in their names, their souls be purified and thus enter into eternal bliss. So let us sacrifice Mass and be with them. Amen.
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