A Jesuit Adventure

https://youtu.be/9BoGo_ZE3h8 My dear friends, it is possible to be very religious and yet miss the heart of faith. On this Fifth Sunday in Ordinary Time, the readings challenge us to move from outward religion to a faith lived through mercy, humility, and light. Isaiah spoke to the people of Israel during a time when they were very serious about religious practices like fasting and prayer, especially after returning from exile. However, their faith had become external. They observed rituals but ignored the poor, the hungry, and the suffering around them. Through Isaiah, God challenges this false spirituality and calls the people back to a faith lived through compassion and justice. In the reading, God clearly explains what true worship looks like. It is not just about fasting, prayers, or religious duties. God asks His people to share their bread with the hungry, welcome the homeless, clothe the naked, and care for those in need. These simple acts of kindness reveal a heart that truly ...

 https://youtu.be/xkj0S_7E0d4 What makes a life truly successful? In a world that measures success by power, wealth, and recognition, the readings on the Fourth Sunday in Ordinary Time in Year A invite us to look at life through God’s eyes. They remind us that God chooses the humble and calls the weak ‘blessed,’ revealing a very different path to true fulfilment. The first reading is taken from the prophet Zephaniah who lived during the reign of King Josiah of Judah, a time when the people had drifted away from God. Although there were outward religious reforms, many hearts were still filled with pride, injustice, and false worship. Zephaniah warns of the coming “Day of the Lord,” a time of judgment, but he also speaks words of hope for those who sincerely return to God. In the first part of the reading the prophet urgently calls the people to “seek the Lord, seek righteousness, seek humility.” , words which we will again hear in the gospel narration of the Beatitudes. This invitat...

 https://youtu.be/dKFx2dg_EZ4 My dear friends today we celebrate the Third Sunday in Ordinary Time Year A. Today’s readings remind us that God enters our darkness with light, calls us from division to unity, and invites us out of comfort into a deeper mission. In the first reading taken from the prophet Isaiah, Isaiah addresses the people of Israel when they were facing fear, political instability, and foreign threat. The northern regions of Zebulun and Naphtali were among the first to suffer invasion by the Assyrian empire. These lands experienced humiliation, loss, and despair. It is into this painful reality that Isaiah announces God’s promise. Isaiah does not deny the suffering of the people. Instead, he names it honestly. Yet the message quickly turns toward hope. The prophet declares that the same land once covered in darkness will see a great light. This light is not just physical brightness but a sign of God’s saving presence returning to His people. Isaiah speaks of joy li...

 https://youtu.be/lvUHubxa2iI My dear friends today we celebrate the Second Sunday in Ordinary Time Year A. The readings of today invite us to rediscover who Jesus truly is and who we are called to be in Him. They remind us that God’s call, God’s mercy, and God’s light are greater than our past, our failures, and our fears. The first reading, taken from the prophet Isaiah, is known as the Second Servant Song These words were spoken during the time of Israel’s exile in Babylon, when the people felt defeated, forgotten, and without hope. Into this situation, the prophet speaks of a mysterious “Servant of the Lord” chosen from the womb and formed for a special mission. The Servant is called “Israel,” showing that he represents the people as a whole. God says that bringing Jacob back is “too small a thing.” The Servant is also chosen to be “a light to the nations,” so that God’s salvation may reach “to the ends of the earth.” This reveals God’s heart: His love is not limited to one peo...

 https://youtu.be/MXRAyiM-3oY My dear friends, today we celebrate the feast of the Baptism of the Lord. Today’s Feast invites us to pause and remember who Jesus is and, through him, who we are. The readings remind us that baptism is not just a moment from the past, but a call that shapes our identity and our mission today. The first reading taken from the prophet Isaiah is known as the first Servant Song. It was written during a difficult time for the people of Israel, when many were living in exile and had lost hope. They were longing for freedom, justice, and God’s closeness. Through the prophet Isaiah, God promises a Servant who will bring justice, healing, and light—not through force, but through gentleness and faithfulness. The Servant is described as one chosen and upheld by God, filled with God’s Spirit. He does not shout or break the weak. Instead, he cares for the “bruised reed” and the “dimly burning wick.” This tells us that God’s way is not harsh or violent. The Servant...

 https://youtu.be/hszjrpbC858 We are all in search of something that gives direction and meaning to our lives—peace, clarity, security, hope, or love. On this Feast of the Epiphany, the readings reveal to us that Christ is the true light who comes to guide every nation and every heart. The first reading taken from the prophet Isaiah was written at a time when the people of Israel were returning from exile in Babylon. Jerusalem had been destroyed, the Temple lay in ruins, and the people felt weak, discouraged, and forgotten. Into this darkness, the prophet speaks powerful words: “Arise, shine; for your light has come, and the glory of the Lord has risen upon you.” It is a message meant to awaken hope in a tired people. The passage describes darkness covering the earth, but God’s light shining especially on Jerusalem. Wealth, gifts, and people flow in—not to glorify the city itself, but to show that God is at work there again. Gold and frankincense are mentioned as signs of honour, j...