16th sunday

16th Sunday-B 

Good evening/morning everyone. Someone said you are from India, could you do anything Indian? I said, "Of course and thus I took out my cell phone and made two telemarketing calls" 

Once a preacher preached on alcoholism saying, "If I have all the wine in the world, I will take it and throw it in the river". "If I have all the vodka, Brandy, whiskey in the world, I will take them and throw them in the river". 'If I have all the Molson and Corona in the world, I will take them and throw them in the river". Then there was a long pause and then when the choir director announced the final hymn, there was a big roar of laughter because she said, "our final hymn today is "Let us all gather at the river". 

The next weekend, he talked on forgiveness and asked, "If you have any enemy at all, please raise your hands, almost everybody raised their hands, except the choir director. What is with the choir director? The pastor asked her why and the ninety-two-year-old fragile woman said, "It's because I outlived all my stupid enemies".  

Everybody clapped hands for her and then the pastor invited her to the front and said, "Since you don't have any enemy at all. We are not going to give you any hymn. Why don't you choose three hymns for yourself", the ninety-two-year old lady was so happy and looked at them all and especially the men and said, "Him, Him and Him". 

Friends in Christ Jesus, 

It's because of Christ, we have happiness and joy and it's because of Him, we have a sense and meaning in our life and it's only because of Him, we have the courage to call God almighty, 'Father'. 

Christ our Lord called so many people to follow Him but among the many, He chose only twelve and called them Apostles. He then sent the apostles to continue His mission of preaching and healing. Upon their return from the mission, He took them to a lonely place where they could relax and take it easy. But on the other hand, Christ our Lord who even sacrificed His life for humanity, saw a big crowed coming toward Him and He had compassion for them. They were like sheep without a Shepherd and thus He began to teach them many things. 

People were like sheep with a shepherd 

Once a Japanese soldier was put in a prisoner war camp with a Canadian prisoner. The soldier was beaten up bad because he was considered as a traitor. He Canadian soldier bandaged his wounds and gave his food to him and it went on for many days and then one day the Japanese soldier was beaten very bad and the Canadian soldier knew that he was going to die. So, he said, "Why don't you accept Christ in your life and you will be saved" Do you know what the Japanese soldier said, " If Jesus is nice like you then I will..." 

There are so many people today like sheep without a shepherd, I mean, the good shepherd. They are beaten by so many things. They are facing so many challenges and difficulties every day, may be, it's because of their family situation, their health problems and their financial challenges. As they know that they are not alone, the shepherd is with them and will not abandon them, their whole understanding of life and living will be different. 

Then they could say with boldness, 

"Even though I walk through the darkest valley, I fear no evil. You are with me. Your rod and staff, they comfort me. Yes, the Lord is our Shepherd and we shall not want. Surely goodness and mercy will follow us all the days of our life and we shall dwell in the house of the Lord our whole life long. Amen