17th Sunday in ordinary time-C
I was telling some people that we who believe in Christ should not think about becoming first in everything because second is the best for us. The second Adam Christ is the best; The second birth called baptism is the best and the second coming of Christ is the best. Then one lady asked me, "And that is why my husband always understands better the second time". I said, "I am making a spiritual statement and don't want to involve in family fued".
Once a little boy climed in a tall tree and refused to come down. So the fire fighters, police and all other tried their best to make the boy get down but nothing helped. The parents finally thought of the their priest and asked him to do something. The priest came and looked at the boy in the tree and he made a sign of the cross and there the boy immediately came down. The fame of the priest spread everywhere. Then a man who became a fan of the priest asked, "O Father, you are a holy man and with a sign of Cross, you made the boy come down from the tree". The priest looked at him and said, " I didn't make the sign of the cross. All I did was I just looked at the boy and said, "If you don't come down and I will cut the tree down".
Once a teenege girl prayed to God saying, "God, make me thin and if you don't, make my friends fat"
Once a little boy said, "My mom alwasys does her prayers for me at night?' What kind of prayers does she do? The boy said, "She says, "Thank God, he is in bed".
In today's gospel, the apostles are asking Christ saying, "We heard all other rabbis teaching prayers and different methods of spiritual worship to approach God, please help us to pray. We see you often going to lonely and deserted places and mountain tops to pray and please teach us to pray. The apostles witnessed how Christ whole persona changed as he was praying to God. They witnessed the transfiguration of the Lord, His face shining like the sun and His closths dazzing white. They witnessed before and after miracles and wonders, Christ did His prayers. Then Jesus taught them the most powerful, meaningful and amazing prayer called the Lord's prayer.
Once a mother noticed her son praying to God and often saying, "Tokyo...Tokyo". Then she asked why, the son said, "Mom, I have just now finished my exam and I ask God to make Tokyo the capital of France.
What is prayer? Suppose if you have a friend and knock at his door at mightnight and though in the beginning he refuses to give you what you want, because of your persistence, he will certainly give you anything. That is called prayer. The word 'Persistence' is also translated as boldness or shamlessness.
Prayer is more like having a conversation with your friend. God answers all our prayers. Sometimes He says, "Yes" to our prayers. Sometimes He says, "No" to our prayers and sometimes He says, "you got to be kidding".
God loves us so much and He answers all our prayers. Christ says when a son asks his dad for a fish, the dad is never going to give him a snake or for an egg, a scorpion. Imagine a man who is evil in nature knows how to give good things to his son and how much more your heavenly father will to those who ask Him the Holy Spirit. And God knows how to bless us all differently.
I remeber when I was in the seminary, we sent to help the students in the home for blind. One day as I was helping a blindstudent, the electricity went off and since it was mansoon, we knew the power was not going to come back that soon and as I was struggling to get out of the place. The blind boy said, "I can take you out from here". I said, "it is so dark". He said, "I am used to darkness and I thank God for that..." I was so amazed to hear his positive approach over his blindness and in everything there is life and even a dead clock shows correct time twice a day. God is good and let's put our complete trust and thank Him for everything not like that boy who thanked God saying, "Thank God for my baby brother but I asked for a puppy...." Amen.
Wednesday, July 20, 2016
Monday, July 11, 2016
Martha and Mary-16th C
Martha(The lady of the house)and Mary (The wise woman)
Once a man was visiting his grandpa in a senior's home and there he saw everybody sitting around and having fun. He went and joined them. Then he noticed one old man screamed ten and everybody clapped their hands and lughed and then another man said, 'Twenty-seven" and again, everybody laughed and clapped their hands. The man was curious and asked his grandpa what was going on. The grandpa said, "Since we have been living here for long time, we know each others' jokes and we just numbered them. When someone says a number, we know exactly what the joke is and we laugh. Then he said, "Why can't you try a numer?' he said, "I dont't know any number". you just say...between one and hundred and we know and he said, "seventy-seven". Nobody laughthed and there was a deep silence. He asked his grandpa what was going on. The grandpa looked at him and said, "Son, somebody can tell a joke and somebody can't.."
If anyone wants to try a number between 1 to 100... who said ninty-one, Please don't that is not a church joke.
In Today's gospel, we see how our Lord Jesus Christ with all His disciples is going from place to place to preach the kingdom of God. The mission of Christ is bringing the Good News of Salvation to all. And let everyone know God's unconditional love and kindness. Then He comes to a certain village called Bethany to the house of Lazarus, Martha and Mary. We see how Christ build a deeper connection with every living being. That is why we say that Christianity is not a religion, it is a relationship. We are called to build relationships and families not walls and barriers.
As He came to Betheny, there He was welcomed by Martha and Mary, the sisters of Lazarus whom Christ call out from the tomb saying, "Lazarus, come out and he did come out to life". Christ our Lord is still calling us all to come out to life and experience God and His love.
Once a woman by name Martha fell and hit her head on the driveway. The paramedics came and checked on her and make sure everything is fine, asked her, "What is today?" Without any hesistation, Martha said, "It's garbage day". Someone said, "Two scorpions living in the same hole will get alone than two sisters in the same house".
Christ our Lord looked at Martha and said, "Martha...Martha, you are worried about too many things and are distracted". She was a woman of multi-tasking. Multitasking means screwing of several things at once. Running around all day and doing nothing. Martha was so excited and wanted to prepare a meal for Christ and his disciples and she was so distracted and was anxious. Christ in a gentle way pointed out her anxiety saying, she has to focus on one thing and get rid of her self-accumulated distractions and anxiuouness. He helps her to turn herself inwardly and see what is necessary for her to make things right.
There is a story about a man riding an elephant through a village. The elephant would poke his trunk into everything while passing by and causig damage. So to prevent this, the man gave the elephant a stick to hold in his trunk. Thus he was able to ride through the village without the elephant casusing any trouble. We are sometimes like Martha get distracted and become anxious about things. But the important thing is knowing oursleves in the presence of God and focusing on what we are doing. We should know that we can not please everybody. Once a man who wanted to please his wife said, "Honey, you will be so proud of me that I ran all the way home behind a bus and saved five dollars. The wife looked at him and said, "If you were running behind a taxi you might have saved fifty dollars".
Looking at Martha, Jesus says, "You have to focus on what you are doing and you are not going to tell Mary what to do. She has chosen better part for herself and that will not be taken away from her".
Mary is not doing anything better than Martha but Mary knows what she is doing. And she is focusing well on what she is doing.
It's easy to think that Mary is better than Martha. It's not about who is better than who. It's all about how we dedicate and focus on what we are doing.
Who are we? Are we Martha or Mary?
We could be Martha or Mary. We could be Martha sometime and Mary other times but the important thing is we should know that we do everything for the glory of God and thus paying attention to what we are doing. It's like a mother from Scotland called his son in toronto and asked, "Son, how to like your new country and toronto?" The son said, "Mom...I don't understand the people of toronto especially in the night time, they hid their heads against the wall and scream... I don't understand. What do you do son. I just focus on what I do, I just lay on my bed and play my bagpipe".
Let us focus on what we do and glorify God in Christ, Amen.
Once a man was visiting his grandpa in a senior's home and there he saw everybody sitting around and having fun. He went and joined them. Then he noticed one old man screamed ten and everybody clapped their hands and lughed and then another man said, 'Twenty-seven" and again, everybody laughed and clapped their hands. The man was curious and asked his grandpa what was going on. The grandpa said, "Since we have been living here for long time, we know each others' jokes and we just numbered them. When someone says a number, we know exactly what the joke is and we laugh. Then he said, "Why can't you try a numer?' he said, "I dont't know any number". you just say...between one and hundred and we know and he said, "seventy-seven". Nobody laughthed and there was a deep silence. He asked his grandpa what was going on. The grandpa looked at him and said, "Son, somebody can tell a joke and somebody can't.."
If anyone wants to try a number between 1 to 100... who said ninty-one, Please don't that is not a church joke.
In Today's gospel, we see how our Lord Jesus Christ with all His disciples is going from place to place to preach the kingdom of God. The mission of Christ is bringing the Good News of Salvation to all. And let everyone know God's unconditional love and kindness. Then He comes to a certain village called Bethany to the house of Lazarus, Martha and Mary. We see how Christ build a deeper connection with every living being. That is why we say that Christianity is not a religion, it is a relationship. We are called to build relationships and families not walls and barriers.
As He came to Betheny, there He was welcomed by Martha and Mary, the sisters of Lazarus whom Christ call out from the tomb saying, "Lazarus, come out and he did come out to life". Christ our Lord is still calling us all to come out to life and experience God and His love.
Once a woman by name Martha fell and hit her head on the driveway. The paramedics came and checked on her and make sure everything is fine, asked her, "What is today?" Without any hesistation, Martha said, "It's garbage day". Someone said, "Two scorpions living in the same hole will get alone than two sisters in the same house".
Christ our Lord looked at Martha and said, "Martha...Martha, you are worried about too many things and are distracted". She was a woman of multi-tasking. Multitasking means screwing of several things at once. Running around all day and doing nothing. Martha was so excited and wanted to prepare a meal for Christ and his disciples and she was so distracted and was anxious. Christ in a gentle way pointed out her anxiety saying, she has to focus on one thing and get rid of her self-accumulated distractions and anxiuouness. He helps her to turn herself inwardly and see what is necessary for her to make things right.
There is a story about a man riding an elephant through a village. The elephant would poke his trunk into everything while passing by and causig damage. So to prevent this, the man gave the elephant a stick to hold in his trunk. Thus he was able to ride through the village without the elephant casusing any trouble. We are sometimes like Martha get distracted and become anxious about things. But the important thing is knowing oursleves in the presence of God and focusing on what we are doing. We should know that we can not please everybody. Once a man who wanted to please his wife said, "Honey, you will be so proud of me that I ran all the way home behind a bus and saved five dollars. The wife looked at him and said, "If you were running behind a taxi you might have saved fifty dollars".
Looking at Martha, Jesus says, "You have to focus on what you are doing and you are not going to tell Mary what to do. She has chosen better part for herself and that will not be taken away from her".
Mary is not doing anything better than Martha but Mary knows what she is doing. And she is focusing well on what she is doing.
It's easy to think that Mary is better than Martha. It's not about who is better than who. It's all about how we dedicate and focus on what we are doing.
Who are we? Are we Martha or Mary?
We could be Martha or Mary. We could be Martha sometime and Mary other times but the important thing is we should know that we do everything for the glory of God and thus paying attention to what we are doing. It's like a mother from Scotland called his son in toronto and asked, "Son, how to like your new country and toronto?" The son said, "Mom...I don't understand the people of toronto especially in the night time, they hid their heads against the wall and scream... I don't understand. What do you do son. I just focus on what I do, I just lay on my bed and play my bagpipe".
Let us focus on what we do and glorify God in Christ, Amen.
Thursday, July 7, 2016
15th sunday-c
Good Samaritan...
Good evening every one, I am so happy to welcome you all for today's Holy Mass. Our special welcome to all our summer parishioners, cottagers, visitors, parishioners and every one here today.
Good evening/morning every one, we are happy to welcome all our visitors to this beautiful church of St. Jean de Brebeuf/St. Paul the Apostle/ Our Lady of Good Counsel.
Last week I visited a family and their three boys were so curious to know what I was doing before becoming a priest. I know if I say to them, I went to school until I became a priest, they won't be interested to hear my story. So I had to make up some good interesting stories. So I said, "Before becoming a priest, since I come from India, I used to be a monkey-trainer. After quitting my monkey-trainer job, they got mad because I quit my job...I said, I was a snake-charmer. Children are more interested to know about snakes and monkeys. So they asked me to bring a lion or tiger from India.
Once a man as he was driving, saw a woman in a pouring rain trying to change a flat tyre. So he thought to himself, 'I should be a good samaritan' and right away went over and helped her. After an hour of hard work in the pouring rain, he said, "Everything is good and your tires are changed..." She looked at him and said, "sh..sh..sh...talk low". "why?" he said. she said, "My husband is taking a nap in the back seat".
In today's gospel, a famous scribe or lawyer of Moses' teachings comes to Christ and asks, "Teacher, what should I do to inherit eternal life?" What should I do to go to paradise?
Once a teacher looked at children and said, "Children, what should I do to go to heaven? If I give money to the poor, will I go to heaven? Children said, "No". If I sell all my property and give to the needy, will I go to heaven? they all said, "No". Then what should I do to go to heaven? One little boy said, "To go to heaven, you have to die".
Once someone said, "Everybody wants to go to heaven but nobody wants to die". Yes, one has to die of himself to go to heaven. Dying of oneself demands to keep God first and that is why to the scribe, Christ our Lord says, "Love the Lord your God with all your heart, mind, body and soul..."
Once a teacher said, "So we are all descended from Adam and Eve. And one boy said, "But my dad says we came from Apes. Then the teacher said, "That is probably true for your family James".
What happens when we love the Lord our God with all of who we are and with all of what we have... the purpose and meaning of our existence will be known to us. We will never be depressed or anxious of things that are happening around us. As we love the Lord our God, we extend that love towards us because we know that we are the temple of the Holy Spirit, the living God. We know per sure that we are all children of God.
Christ our Lord then gives the second commandment saying, " love your neighbour as yourself" Once a man put a big sign on his property saying, "Trespassers will be shot and survivors will be shot again". someone said, "good fences make good neighbour. Now they say, "Good neighbor is one who does not put a password on his wifi"
Once a man was awakened at two o'clock in the morning by a loud pounding on the door. He got up and went to the door where a drunken stranger, standing in the pouring rain, was asking for a push. It is two o'clock in the morning and you need a push, no way... thus he went to bed closing the door behind. "who was that?" asked the wife. Some drunken guy asking for a push. The wife said, "When we had trouble once , someone else helped and why don't you be a good samaritan and help him. So the husband got up and dressed and went in the rain saying, "Are you still out there?" "Yes"..do you still need a push? yes came the answer."Where are you?" asks the husband. The man said, "Over here on the swing,"
Today's good samaritan parable gives three philosophies that inspire us to know what is going on around us.
1. The philosophy of theives who robbed the traveller: What is yours is mine; I will take it by force: that is we see today, Terrorists and others, for their own sake and advantage, they take from others by force.
2. The philosophy of the Jewish priests and levite: What is mine is mine and I will not part with it. Because of their utter selfishness, the priest and the levite did not pay any attention to the wounded traveller. It was all about them...the Me..myself and I philosophy. What is mine is mine and I will not part with it.
Once a group of students who prepared to become ministers and pastors were given the assignment of preaching on Good Samaritan parable. They were asked to go from one building to another to preach and in between they put a sick man to find out how the students were going to react. The sad thing was everyone was so into their preparation and preaching and not even a single one helped the sick man. What is mine is mine and I will not part with it,
3. The philosophy of the samaritan: What is mine is yours as well, too and I will share with you. Kindness is the only language that the deaf can hear and the blind can read. We need more kindness and compassion today.
Conclusion: Anyone who is in need is our neighbor. Anything we do to the least of our brothers and sisters, we do to Christ our Lord.
It's always the story of our redemption: St. Origen said... sin, fall and redemption. The man who was half-dead is Adam, the priest and Levite are laws and prophets and the good samaritan is Christ the Savior. Not our good work, not our following the religion and prophets will save us but only Christ the redeemer.
Good evening every one, I am so happy to welcome you all for today's Holy Mass. Our special welcome to all our summer parishioners, cottagers, visitors, parishioners and every one here today.
Good evening/morning every one, we are happy to welcome all our visitors to this beautiful church of St. Jean de Brebeuf/St. Paul the Apostle/ Our Lady of Good Counsel.
Last week I visited a family and their three boys were so curious to know what I was doing before becoming a priest. I know if I say to them, I went to school until I became a priest, they won't be interested to hear my story. So I had to make up some good interesting stories. So I said, "Before becoming a priest, since I come from India, I used to be a monkey-trainer. After quitting my monkey-trainer job, they got mad because I quit my job...I said, I was a snake-charmer. Children are more interested to know about snakes and monkeys. So they asked me to bring a lion or tiger from India.
Once a man as he was driving, saw a woman in a pouring rain trying to change a flat tyre. So he thought to himself, 'I should be a good samaritan' and right away went over and helped her. After an hour of hard work in the pouring rain, he said, "Everything is good and your tires are changed..." She looked at him and said, "sh..sh..sh...talk low". "why?" he said. she said, "My husband is taking a nap in the back seat".
In today's gospel, a famous scribe or lawyer of Moses' teachings comes to Christ and asks, "Teacher, what should I do to inherit eternal life?" What should I do to go to paradise?
Once a teacher looked at children and said, "Children, what should I do to go to heaven? If I give money to the poor, will I go to heaven? Children said, "No". If I sell all my property and give to the needy, will I go to heaven? they all said, "No". Then what should I do to go to heaven? One little boy said, "To go to heaven, you have to die".
Once someone said, "Everybody wants to go to heaven but nobody wants to die". Yes, one has to die of himself to go to heaven. Dying of oneself demands to keep God first and that is why to the scribe, Christ our Lord says, "Love the Lord your God with all your heart, mind, body and soul..."
Once a teacher said, "So we are all descended from Adam and Eve. And one boy said, "But my dad says we came from Apes. Then the teacher said, "That is probably true for your family James".
What happens when we love the Lord our God with all of who we are and with all of what we have... the purpose and meaning of our existence will be known to us. We will never be depressed or anxious of things that are happening around us. As we love the Lord our God, we extend that love towards us because we know that we are the temple of the Holy Spirit, the living God. We know per sure that we are all children of God.
Christ our Lord then gives the second commandment saying, " love your neighbour as yourself" Once a man put a big sign on his property saying, "Trespassers will be shot and survivors will be shot again". someone said, "good fences make good neighbour. Now they say, "Good neighbor is one who does not put a password on his wifi"
Once a man was awakened at two o'clock in the morning by a loud pounding on the door. He got up and went to the door where a drunken stranger, standing in the pouring rain, was asking for a push. It is two o'clock in the morning and you need a push, no way... thus he went to bed closing the door behind. "who was that?" asked the wife. Some drunken guy asking for a push. The wife said, "When we had trouble once , someone else helped and why don't you be a good samaritan and help him. So the husband got up and dressed and went in the rain saying, "Are you still out there?" "Yes"..do you still need a push? yes came the answer."Where are you?" asks the husband. The man said, "Over here on the swing,"
Today's good samaritan parable gives three philosophies that inspire us to know what is going on around us.
1. The philosophy of theives who robbed the traveller: What is yours is mine; I will take it by force: that is we see today, Terrorists and others, for their own sake and advantage, they take from others by force.
2. The philosophy of the Jewish priests and levite: What is mine is mine and I will not part with it. Because of their utter selfishness, the priest and the levite did not pay any attention to the wounded traveller. It was all about them...the Me..myself and I philosophy. What is mine is mine and I will not part with it.
Once a group of students who prepared to become ministers and pastors were given the assignment of preaching on Good Samaritan parable. They were asked to go from one building to another to preach and in between they put a sick man to find out how the students were going to react. The sad thing was everyone was so into their preparation and preaching and not even a single one helped the sick man. What is mine is mine and I will not part with it,
3. The philosophy of the samaritan: What is mine is yours as well, too and I will share with you. Kindness is the only language that the deaf can hear and the blind can read. We need more kindness and compassion today.
Conclusion: Anyone who is in need is our neighbor. Anything we do to the least of our brothers and sisters, we do to Christ our Lord.
It's always the story of our redemption: St. Origen said... sin, fall and redemption. The man who was half-dead is Adam, the priest and Levite are laws and prophets and the good samaritan is Christ the Savior. Not our good work, not our following the religion and prophets will save us but only Christ the redeemer.
15th sunday-C
Good Samaritan...
Good evening every one, I am so happy to welcome you all for today's Holy Mass. Our special welcome to all our summer parishioners, cottagers, visitors, parishioners and every one here today.
Good evening/morning every one, we are happy to welcome all our visitors to this beautiful church of St. Jean de Brebeuf/St. Paul the Apostle/ Our Lady of Good Counsel.
Last week I visited a family and their three boys were so curious to know what I was doing before becoming a priest. I know if I say to them, I went to school until I became a priest, they won't be interested to hear my story. So I had to make up some good interesting stories. So I said, "Before becoming a priest, since I come from India, I used to be a monkey-trainer. After quitting my monkey-trainer job, they got mad because I quit my job...I said, I was a snake-charmer. Children are more interested to know about snakes and monkeys. So they asked me to bring a lion or tiger from India.
Once a man as he was driving, saw a woman in a pouring rain trying to change a flat tyre. So he thought to himself, 'I should be a good samaritan' and right away went over and helped her. After an hour of hard work in the pouring rain, he said, "Everything is good and your tires are changed..." She looked at him and said, "sh..sh..sh...talk low". "why?" he said. she said, "My husband is taking a nap in the back seat".
In today's gospel, a famous scribe or lawyer of Moses' teachings comes to Christ and asks, "Teacher, what should I do to inherit eternal life?" What should I do to go to paradise?
Once a teacher looked at children and said, "Children, what should I do to go to heaven? If I give money to the poor, will I go to heaven? Children said, "No". If I sell all my property and give to the needy, will I go to heaven? they all said, "No". Then what should I do to go to heaven? One little boy said, "To go to heaven, you have to die".
Once someone said, "Everybody wants to go to heaven but nobody wants to die". Yes, one has to die of himself to go to heaven. Dying of oneself demands to keep God first and that is why to the scribe, Christ our Lord says, "Love the Lord your God with all your heart, mind, body and soul..."
Once a teacher said, "So we are all descended from Adam and Eve. And one boy said, "But my dad says we came from Apes. Then the teacher said, "That is probably true for your family James".
What happens when we love the Lord our God with all of who we are and with all of what we have... the purpose and meaning of our existence will be known to us. We will never be depressed or anxious of things that are happening around us. As we love the Lord our God, we extend that love towards us because we know that we are the temple of the Holy Spirit, the living God. We know per sure that we are all children of God.
Christ our Lord then gives the second commandment saying, " love your neighbour as yourself" Once a man put a big sign on his property saying, "Trespassers will be shot and survivors will be shot again". someone said, "good fences make good neighbour. Now they say, "Good neighbor is one who does not put a password on his wifi"
Once a man was awakened at two o'clock in the morning by a loud pounding on the door. He got up and went to the door where a drunken stranger, standing in the pouring rain, was asking for a push. It is two o'clock in the morning and you need a push, no way... thus he went to bed closing the door behind. "who was that?" asked the wife. Some drunken guy asking for a push. The wife said, "When we had trouble once , someone else helped and why don't you be a good samaritan and help him. So the husband got up and dressed and went in the rain saying, "Are you still out there?" "Yes"..do you still need a push? yes came the answer."Where are you?" asks the husband. The man said, "Over here on the swing,"
Today's good samaritan parable gives three philosophies that inspire us to know what is going on around us.
1. The philosophy of theives who robbed the traveller: What is yours is mine; I will take it by force: that is we see today, Terrorists and others, for their own sake and advantage, they take from others by force.
2. The philosophy of the Jewish priests and levite: What is mine is mine and I will not part with it. Because of their utter selfishness, the priest and the levite did not pay any attention to the wounded traveller. It was all about them...the Me..myself and I philosophy. What is mine is mine and I will not part with it.
Once a group of students who prepared to become ministers and pastors were given the assignment of preaching on Good Samaritan parable. They were asked to go from one building to another to preach and in between they put a sick man to find out how the students were going to react. The sad thing was everyone was so into their preparation and preaching and not even a single one helped the sick man. What is mine is mine and I will not part with it,
3. The philosophy of the samaritan: What is mine is yours as well, too and I will share with you. Kindness is the only language that the deaf can hear and the blind can read. We need more kindness and compassion today.
Conclusion: Anyone who is in need is our neighbor. Anything we do to the least of our brothers and sisters, we do to Christ our Lord.
It's always the story of our redemption: St. Origen said... sin, fall and redemption. The man who was half-dead is Adam, the priest and Levite are laws and prophets and the good samaritan is Christ the Savior. Not our good work, not our following the religion and prophets will save us but only Christ the redeemer.
Good evening every one, I am so happy to welcome you all for today's Holy Mass. Our special welcome to all our summer parishioners, cottagers, visitors, parishioners and every one here today.
Good evening/morning every one, we are happy to welcome all our visitors to this beautiful church of St. Jean de Brebeuf/St. Paul the Apostle/ Our Lady of Good Counsel.
Last week I visited a family and their three boys were so curious to know what I was doing before becoming a priest. I know if I say to them, I went to school until I became a priest, they won't be interested to hear my story. So I had to make up some good interesting stories. So I said, "Before becoming a priest, since I come from India, I used to be a monkey-trainer. After quitting my monkey-trainer job, they got mad because I quit my job...I said, I was a snake-charmer. Children are more interested to know about snakes and monkeys. So they asked me to bring a lion or tiger from India.
Once a man as he was driving, saw a woman in a pouring rain trying to change a flat tyre. So he thought to himself, 'I should be a good samaritan' and right away went over and helped her. After an hour of hard work in the pouring rain, he said, "Everything is good and your tires are changed..." She looked at him and said, "sh..sh..sh...talk low". "why?" he said. she said, "My husband is taking a nap in the back seat".
In today's gospel, a famous scribe or lawyer of Moses' teachings comes to Christ and asks, "Teacher, what should I do to inherit eternal life?" What should I do to go to paradise?
Once a teacher looked at children and said, "Children, what should I do to go to heaven? If I give money to the poor, will I go to heaven? Children said, "No". If I sell all my property and give to the needy, will I go to heaven? they all said, "No". Then what should I do to go to heaven? One little boy said, "To go to heaven, you have to die".
Once someone said, "Everybody wants to go to heaven but nobody wants to die". Yes, one has to die of himself to go to heaven. Dying of oneself demands to keep God first and that is why to the scribe, Christ our Lord says, "Love the Lord your God with all your heart, mind, body and soul..."
Once a teacher said, "So we are all descended from Adam and Eve. And one boy said, "But my dad says we came from Apes. Then the teacher said, "That is probably true for your family James".
What happens when we love the Lord our God with all of who we are and with all of what we have... the purpose and meaning of our existence will be known to us. We will never be depressed or anxious of things that are happening around us. As we love the Lord our God, we extend that love towards us because we know that we are the temple of the Holy Spirit, the living God. We know per sure that we are all children of God.
Christ our Lord then gives the second commandment saying, " love your neighbour as yourself" Once a man put a big sign on his property saying, "Trespassers will be shot and survivors will be shot again". someone said, "good fences make good neighbour. Now they say, "Good neighbor is one who does not put a password on his wifi"
Once a man was awakened at two o'clock in the morning by a loud pounding on the door. He got up and went to the door where a drunken stranger, standing in the pouring rain, was asking for a push. It is two o'clock in the morning and you need a push, no way... thus he went to bed closing the door behind. "who was that?" asked the wife. Some drunken guy asking for a push. The wife said, "When we had trouble once , someone else helped and why don't you be a good samaritan and help him. So the husband got up and dressed and went in the rain saying, "Are you still out there?" "Yes"..do you still need a push? yes came the answer."Where are you?" asks the husband. The man said, "Over here on the swing,"
Today's good samaritan parable gives three philosophies that inspire us to know what is going on around us.
1. The philosophy of theives who robbed the traveller: What is yours is mine; I will take it by force: that is we see today, Terrorists and others, for their own sake and advantage, they take from others by force.
2. The philosophy of the Jewish priests and levite: What is mine is mine and I will not part with it. Because of their utter selfishness, the priest and the levite did not pay any attention to the wounded traveller. It was all about them...the Me..myself and I philosophy. What is mine is mine and I will not part with it.
Once a group of students who prepared to become ministers and pastors were given the assignment of preaching on Good Samaritan parable. They were asked to go from one building to another to preach and in between they put a sick man to find out how the students were going to react. The sad thing was everyone was so into their preparation and preaching and not even a single one helped the sick man. What is mine is mine and I will not part with it,
3. The philosophy of the samaritan: What is mine is yours as well, too and I will share with you. Kindness is the only language that the deaf can hear and the blind can read. We need more kindness and compassion today.
Conclusion: Anyone who is in need is our neighbor. Anything we do to the least of our brothers and sisters, we do to Christ our Lord.
It's always the story of our redemption: St. Origen said... sin, fall and redemption. The man who was half-dead is Adam, the priest and Levite are laws and prophets and the good samaritan is Christ the Savior. Not our good work, not our following the religion and prophets will save us but only Christ the redeemer.
Tuesday, June 28, 2016
14th Sunday-C
14th Sunday-C "The harvest is plentiful..."
Once I was talking to someone saying how Benjamin Franklin opened the first post office in Halifax, Canada in 1753. Once he said, "In wine, there is truth; in beer, there is freedom and in water, there is bacteria. Then I said, "The only thing that duct tape can not fix is men". He said, "What about women?" . "Women can fix any man in no time".
Once a priest was so frustrated because he could not collect enough money to fix the roof, so he said, "Every one in this parish will go to hell...." And one man in the back began to laugh. The priest said it again, "If you do not change your ways, every one in the parish will go to hell..." The man at the back began to laugh lauder. So the priest looked at him and asked him, "Why?" He said, "I do not belong to this parish. I am just a visitor". We do not consider anyone being visitor here, you are all parishioners.
Dear friends in Christ, in today's gospel Christ our Lord says, 'The harvest is plentiful but the laborors are few; therefore ask the Lord of the harvest to send more laborers into His harvest".
But today we meet with two groups of people; people who are worried about the church saying, "People don't come to church anymore...The people who are coming to church are getting older". The truth is more than 95 percent of the people do believe in God. What happened to people, when 9/11 happened? So many people came back to Church and many stayed behind and are still practicing their faith. The harvest is plentiful. We don't need to be afraid of people not coming to Church.
Once in a Oklohoma church, a minister tried his best to bring people to church but week after week...the church was losing people. At one point, he put an ad in the local news paper saying, "Our Church is dead and there will be a special funerel on Sunday afternoon and all the members and others are invited". People could not believe the ad and theyd wanted to know what was going on, so they all came. After the funerel celebration for the dead church, he opened the coffin and invited all to pay their last respect. Everyone was curious to see what was in the coffin and everyone who looked inside was so shocked. Because in the coffin, he placed a big Mirror.
Once somebody said to me, "O Father, you are so nice to us..." And I said, "Yes, of course, You are so wonderful and I am so happy to see you and once you settle down, then I will make you feel guilty and miserable". Once somebody asked a woman, "Do you ever wake up grumpy?" She said, "No, I just let him sleep".
The harvest is plentiful. Today we have more than billion people experiencing the love, kindness and forgiveness of God almighty. Today more than billing people believe in Christ the only Son of God. There are so many people coming to know Christ personally and do practice their faith.
Once a priest asked John Paul the Second, "Your Holiness, what should we do to increase vocation to priesthood...we do not have many priests?" Do you know what he said? He said, "Live your own vocation joyfully..." Yes, when we celebrate our coming to Church and practicing our faith, the others may be influenced and do come to Church.
The other church where I was hundred years ago, I used to see people after Mass looking contipated... so unhappy.
Once as a man was retiring from his job, the boss said, 'you were a very good builder and you did everything well. Before your retirement, I want you to build one last house for me. The man was not happy but accepted and did not use all his skills. He used cheap materials and did not take enough time to go through things. Anyhow he finished building the house and gave the key to the boss and said, "Now let me go". The boss then said, "This key belongs to you and as an appreciation of your hard work, I would like to give you this house to you".
As we step into this Church, we all become laborers of His field. The harvest is plentiful and it is up to us to go out and gather the harvest...So everything that we do, let us do for the glory of God.
And there is another group of people who keep saying, " Why are these people coming to Church? They should not be here and so on. Once a man came to me and said, "Father, that family should not sit in the front pew." And I asked, "why?" Do you know what he said. He said, "They look always happy". We do not like humour, joy and fun in Church. Bur everytime you come... the priest says, "To celebrate the Holy Mass..." We would like to celebrate Mass but like to be sad.
Once a rich man announced saying, "If any one swims across my swimming pool which is filled with sharks and allagators, I will give you anything you want". By then a man jumped in the pool and was smimming as fast as he could avoiding the sharks and allegators and reached the otherside safely. The rich man looked at him and said, "you did well...my son. Now ask me anything you want, I will give you. I promise I will give you" The man said, "More than anything, I want to know who pushed me into the water".
Sad laborors never reap a good harvest and that is why once St. Teresa of Avila said, "A sad nun is a bad nun...I am afraid of one sad nun than a legion of devils".
We could easily feel low thinking that the harvest is plentiful and what can I do by myself. Today the great sin of the church is the sin of silence. We have to share our faith-story with one another. If we make a small change in one person's life, that will bring life in many like that little boy who was throwing a star fish into the ocean and when he was asked what he was doing he said, "I am making a difference". People laoughed at him saying, "there are so many starfish on the shore and how can you make a difference. For that he took a small starfish throwing into the sea said, "I make a difference for this small one..." we should always remember that only a little drop of water makes a mighty ocean.
We are here to share the joy of the gospel with one another. We are His laborors. Intead of saying that the church is getting old and dying, instead of saying, these people and those people should not come to church, let us focus on Christ the Messiaha who says that the Harvest is plentiful, therefore let us go into the field and spread the good news of salvation. Amen.
Once I was talking to someone saying how Benjamin Franklin opened the first post office in Halifax, Canada in 1753. Once he said, "In wine, there is truth; in beer, there is freedom and in water, there is bacteria. Then I said, "The only thing that duct tape can not fix is men". He said, "What about women?" . "Women can fix any man in no time".
Once a priest was so frustrated because he could not collect enough money to fix the roof, so he said, "Every one in this parish will go to hell...." And one man in the back began to laugh. The priest said it again, "If you do not change your ways, every one in the parish will go to hell..." The man at the back began to laugh lauder. So the priest looked at him and asked him, "Why?" He said, "I do not belong to this parish. I am just a visitor". We do not consider anyone being visitor here, you are all parishioners.
Dear friends in Christ, in today's gospel Christ our Lord says, 'The harvest is plentiful but the laborors are few; therefore ask the Lord of the harvest to send more laborers into His harvest".
But today we meet with two groups of people; people who are worried about the church saying, "People don't come to church anymore...The people who are coming to church are getting older". The truth is more than 95 percent of the people do believe in God. What happened to people, when 9/11 happened? So many people came back to Church and many stayed behind and are still practicing their faith. The harvest is plentiful. We don't need to be afraid of people not coming to Church.
Once in a Oklohoma church, a minister tried his best to bring people to church but week after week...the church was losing people. At one point, he put an ad in the local news paper saying, "Our Church is dead and there will be a special funerel on Sunday afternoon and all the members and others are invited". People could not believe the ad and theyd wanted to know what was going on, so they all came. After the funerel celebration for the dead church, he opened the coffin and invited all to pay their last respect. Everyone was curious to see what was in the coffin and everyone who looked inside was so shocked. Because in the coffin, he placed a big Mirror.
Once somebody said to me, "O Father, you are so nice to us..." And I said, "Yes, of course, You are so wonderful and I am so happy to see you and once you settle down, then I will make you feel guilty and miserable". Once somebody asked a woman, "Do you ever wake up grumpy?" She said, "No, I just let him sleep".
The harvest is plentiful. Today we have more than billion people experiencing the love, kindness and forgiveness of God almighty. Today more than billing people believe in Christ the only Son of God. There are so many people coming to know Christ personally and do practice their faith.
Once a priest asked John Paul the Second, "Your Holiness, what should we do to increase vocation to priesthood...we do not have many priests?" Do you know what he said? He said, "Live your own vocation joyfully..." Yes, when we celebrate our coming to Church and practicing our faith, the others may be influenced and do come to Church.
The other church where I was hundred years ago, I used to see people after Mass looking contipated... so unhappy.
Once as a man was retiring from his job, the boss said, 'you were a very good builder and you did everything well. Before your retirement, I want you to build one last house for me. The man was not happy but accepted and did not use all his skills. He used cheap materials and did not take enough time to go through things. Anyhow he finished building the house and gave the key to the boss and said, "Now let me go". The boss then said, "This key belongs to you and as an appreciation of your hard work, I would like to give you this house to you".
As we step into this Church, we all become laborers of His field. The harvest is plentiful and it is up to us to go out and gather the harvest...So everything that we do, let us do for the glory of God.
And there is another group of people who keep saying, " Why are these people coming to Church? They should not be here and so on. Once a man came to me and said, "Father, that family should not sit in the front pew." And I asked, "why?" Do you know what he said. He said, "They look always happy". We do not like humour, joy and fun in Church. Bur everytime you come... the priest says, "To celebrate the Holy Mass..." We would like to celebrate Mass but like to be sad.
Once a rich man announced saying, "If any one swims across my swimming pool which is filled with sharks and allagators, I will give you anything you want". By then a man jumped in the pool and was smimming as fast as he could avoiding the sharks and allegators and reached the otherside safely. The rich man looked at him and said, "you did well...my son. Now ask me anything you want, I will give you. I promise I will give you" The man said, "More than anything, I want to know who pushed me into the water".
Sad laborors never reap a good harvest and that is why once St. Teresa of Avila said, "A sad nun is a bad nun...I am afraid of one sad nun than a legion of devils".
We could easily feel low thinking that the harvest is plentiful and what can I do by myself. Today the great sin of the church is the sin of silence. We have to share our faith-story with one another. If we make a small change in one person's life, that will bring life in many like that little boy who was throwing a star fish into the ocean and when he was asked what he was doing he said, "I am making a difference". People laoughed at him saying, "there are so many starfish on the shore and how can you make a difference. For that he took a small starfish throwing into the sea said, "I make a difference for this small one..." we should always remember that only a little drop of water makes a mighty ocean.
We are here to share the joy of the gospel with one another. We are His laborors. Intead of saying that the church is getting old and dying, instead of saying, these people and those people should not come to church, let us focus on Christ the Messiaha who says that the Harvest is plentiful, therefore let us go into the field and spread the good news of salvation. Amen.
Friday, June 24, 2016
Graduation Mass
GRADUATION
GRADUATION MASS
Now I am going to tell you a story about a boy who was very ordinary and simple but He was holding on to something very important. Because of the very thing, He attracted so many people. Even masters and leaders came to listen to him. When they asked for what he was holding on to, he gave them all freely. some of them could touch it and others could only smell it and some others could only feel it and every one according to his or her way of approach. But they all experienced it.
The boy name is Jesus. At the age of twelve, when He was found in the temple of Jerusalem sitting among all the wise and smart people and all those rich and spirit filled people, He gave them all more than a thing called "Faith". Yes, He gave them all faith.
you were all given through the sacrament of baptism. people who are committed to the love of God can taste it, experience it and even see it. During these eight years at St. Paul's school, you have been given faith again and again in many ways. every time you went to school, every time you spent time with your friends and every time you came to church to celebrate Christ, you received faith and now you are going away from the school not leaving your faith behind but taking your faith with you.
when you keep your faith alive, you will grow and multiply as thirty, sixty and hundredfold. keep your faith alive and you will be stronger in everything and today's gospel invites you to deepen your faith in Christ our Lord. So let us keep your faith and multiply. Amen.
GRADUATION MASS
Now I am going to tell you a story about a boy who was very ordinary and simple but He was holding on to something very important. Because of the very thing, He attracted so many people. Even masters and leaders came to listen to him. When they asked for what he was holding on to, he gave them all freely. some of them could touch it and others could only smell it and some others could only feel it and every one according to his or her way of approach. But they all experienced it.
The boy name is Jesus. At the age of twelve, when He was found in the temple of Jerusalem sitting among all the wise and smart people and all those rich and spirit filled people, He gave them all more than a thing called "Faith". Yes, He gave them all faith.
you were all given through the sacrament of baptism. people who are committed to the love of God can taste it, experience it and even see it. During these eight years at St. Paul's school, you have been given faith again and again in many ways. every time you went to school, every time you spent time with your friends and every time you came to church to celebrate Christ, you received faith and now you are going away from the school not leaving your faith behind but taking your faith with you.
when you keep your faith alive, you will grow and multiply as thirty, sixty and hundredfold. keep your faith alive and you will be stronger in everything and today's gospel invites you to deepen your faith in Christ our Lord. So let us keep your faith and multiply. Amen.
Tuesday, June 21, 2016
13th Sunday-C
Following Christ Jesus-13th Sunday "C"
Good morning/evening every one, I am happy to welcome all our summer parishioners, visitors, parishioners and every one here today. Christ Jesus called us all in a special way to follow Him. So let us prepare ourselves to celebrate His Sacred mistery called to mind our shortcomings and sins.
Once a man as he walked with his friends said, "Look at new my dog. This is a very special one and now you will understand how..." Then he threw a piece of wood out in the water and his dog right away ran on the top of the water and picked it up and brought it back to him. The dog was so amazing walking on the water. The man said, "What do you think about my special dog.." His friend looked at him and the dog and said, "How come your dog doesn't know swimming".
Today's gospel invites us to reflect on and know that Christ Jesus is constantly calling us to follow Him but the call is not like any other ordinary invitation but a special and extraordinary Call.
As Christ our Lord is going along the road with all of His apostles, followers and others, a scribe comes to Him and says, "I will follow you wherever you go..." In other words, "I am ready to sacrifice my phiscal comfort to be with you". Christ who knows the inner thoughts of all... does not advice him to follow instead He talks about the physical discomfort he is going to face saying, "Foxes and birds have shelters. Creatures have their basic comfort and the son of man (Ben Adam) does not have even a place to lay His head.
Once a non-Catholic said, "What is going on in your church. People stand, sit, kneeldown, bow, walk and again repeat the same. It's so exhausting". Our rituals may look exhausting for others but the physical discipline helps us to unite our body and mind and be one with God. The very word 'Disciple' comes from discipline. Discipline demands giving up something to achieve something greater. But by complaining, nothing is going to be achieved.
Once a priest had a parishioner who never stopped complaining for each and everything. One day he, in order to make her happpy, said, "Every one says that your potetoes are the best, you are growing every healthy potetoes.... that is wonderful". She replied saying, they are true but I am not happy because, if I don't have bad ones how will I feed the pigs".
Physical discipline helps us to lot to improve our self-confidence. For example, setting goal to lose weight or getting up at certain time or doing physical exercise and so on.
There are two kinds of people. Morning people and people who want to shoot morning people.
To the second person, Jesus says, "Follow me". He responds saying, "Let me go and bury my father..." It's about emotional challenge.
Once a man prayed to God saying, "God, please help me, I am suffering..." and God appeared to him and said, " I am going to help you and before that, get me a glass of water from that house..." He went into the house and thirty five years later, because he fell in love with the woman in that house and had two children, called the Lord again saying, "Lord, help me, I am suffering". God looked at him and said, "Where is my water".
How is our emotional attachment with others? does it help to say, "yes" to the Lord or stop us from loving him wiht all our heart, mind, body and soul. Any human connection should help us to find God each and every day and thus grow spiritually and have deeper inner peace. They say, "One non-church goer can easily influence negatively and stop others from going to church and it takes at least four church goers to influence one non-church goer to bring back to church.
The thir person also says to Christ, " Let me go and kiss good bye to my momy and daddy."
Many of you have seen Mormon missionaries riding their bicks, wearing dark pants, white shirts and ties. Let me tell you more about their life-style. They do not see their families during the two years of their mission service. They are allowed to call home only on Christmas and Mother's day. Their day begins at 6.30 in the morning with Bible study and prayer. Then they work until 9.30pm. This becomes their routine for six days a week. No Tv, No movies or dates for two years. Though we have some serious theological issues with mormons, we can not deny their mission commitment. Commitment is the key and that is why they are growing so rapidly in Canada today.
Conclusion:
Are we like the apostles saying, "Yes.." to the Lord when He calls us and follow Him or like these three people who had different challenges and went away from the Lord. Christ needs committed, dedicated disciples like you and me and keep saying, "Yes, Lord I will follow you by my words and needs". So let us follow the Lord who is our way, the truth and life.... Amen.
Good morning/evening every one, I am happy to welcome all our summer parishioners, visitors, parishioners and every one here today. Christ Jesus called us all in a special way to follow Him. So let us prepare ourselves to celebrate His Sacred mistery called to mind our shortcomings and sins.
Once a man as he walked with his friends said, "Look at new my dog. This is a very special one and now you will understand how..." Then he threw a piece of wood out in the water and his dog right away ran on the top of the water and picked it up and brought it back to him. The dog was so amazing walking on the water. The man said, "What do you think about my special dog.." His friend looked at him and the dog and said, "How come your dog doesn't know swimming".
Today's gospel invites us to reflect on and know that Christ Jesus is constantly calling us to follow Him but the call is not like any other ordinary invitation but a special and extraordinary Call.
As Christ our Lord is going along the road with all of His apostles, followers and others, a scribe comes to Him and says, "I will follow you wherever you go..." In other words, "I am ready to sacrifice my phiscal comfort to be with you". Christ who knows the inner thoughts of all... does not advice him to follow instead He talks about the physical discomfort he is going to face saying, "Foxes and birds have shelters. Creatures have their basic comfort and the son of man (Ben Adam) does not have even a place to lay His head.
Once a non-Catholic said, "What is going on in your church. People stand, sit, kneeldown, bow, walk and again repeat the same. It's so exhausting". Our rituals may look exhausting for others but the physical discipline helps us to unite our body and mind and be one with God. The very word 'Disciple' comes from discipline. Discipline demands giving up something to achieve something greater. But by complaining, nothing is going to be achieved.
Once a priest had a parishioner who never stopped complaining for each and everything. One day he, in order to make her happpy, said, "Every one says that your potetoes are the best, you are growing every healthy potetoes.... that is wonderful". She replied saying, they are true but I am not happy because, if I don't have bad ones how will I feed the pigs".
Physical discipline helps us to lot to improve our self-confidence. For example, setting goal to lose weight or getting up at certain time or doing physical exercise and so on.
There are two kinds of people. Morning people and people who want to shoot morning people.
To the second person, Jesus says, "Follow me". He responds saying, "Let me go and bury my father..." It's about emotional challenge.
Once a man prayed to God saying, "God, please help me, I am suffering..." and God appeared to him and said, " I am going to help you and before that, get me a glass of water from that house..." He went into the house and thirty five years later, because he fell in love with the woman in that house and had two children, called the Lord again saying, "Lord, help me, I am suffering". God looked at him and said, "Where is my water".
How is our emotional attachment with others? does it help to say, "yes" to the Lord or stop us from loving him wiht all our heart, mind, body and soul. Any human connection should help us to find God each and every day and thus grow spiritually and have deeper inner peace. They say, "One non-church goer can easily influence negatively and stop others from going to church and it takes at least four church goers to influence one non-church goer to bring back to church.
The thir person also says to Christ, " Let me go and kiss good bye to my momy and daddy."
Many of you have seen Mormon missionaries riding their bicks, wearing dark pants, white shirts and ties. Let me tell you more about their life-style. They do not see their families during the two years of their mission service. They are allowed to call home only on Christmas and Mother's day. Their day begins at 6.30 in the morning with Bible study and prayer. Then they work until 9.30pm. This becomes their routine for six days a week. No Tv, No movies or dates for two years. Though we have some serious theological issues with mormons, we can not deny their mission commitment. Commitment is the key and that is why they are growing so rapidly in Canada today.
Conclusion:
Are we like the apostles saying, "Yes.." to the Lord when He calls us and follow Him or like these three people who had different challenges and went away from the Lord. Christ needs committed, dedicated disciples like you and me and keep saying, "Yes, Lord I will follow you by my words and needs". So let us follow the Lord who is our way, the truth and life.... Amen.
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