A Jesuit Adventure

  My dear friends today we celebrate the Solemnity of Christ the King and this also marks the last Sunday in ordinary time Year A. The first reading today taken from the prophet Ezekiel is addressed to the Israelites who were living in exile in Babylon. The reading is directed at the “shepherds” which is a common metaphor for kings, or political leaders. These “shepherds” have failed in their responsibilities. Instead of feeding their sheep, they have been fattening themselves. They have neglected the sick, the injured, the lost. Their rule has not been kind but harsh. The “scattered” sheep is a clear reference to the exile. Scattered sheep are evidence of a poor shepherd. Because the leaders whom the Lord appointed as shepherds over the people of Israel have done such a bad job, God himself shall take up the role of shepherd. The Hebrew word בָּקַר  (baqar) indicates a careful, deliberate search. The Lord, the Good Shepherd, has not forsaken those who are scattered in ...

  My dear friends today we celebrate the 33rd Sunday in Ordinary Time year A and in the Archdiocese of Bombay to raise consciousness of the evil of domestic violence and to pledge support for those victimized by abuse, this Sunday is celebrated as Violence-free Family Sunday. The 1st reading is taken from the book of Proverbs which is a collection of proverbial sayings. The extract is a part of the advice that is given by the unknown King Lemuel’s mother to her son, telling him what he should look for in a wife. And she does set forth very high standards for the wife of a king. The passage gives us a description of a capable wife or as some other translations would have it a woman of strength or a virtuous woman. The woman of Proverbs surely is a role model that other women can look up to.  The wife in Proverbs 31 is not confined only to the kitchen. While she takes care of her husband and household chores, she is quite active outside the home as well. She is a successful ...

  My dear friends today we celebrate the 32nd Sunday in Ordinary Time year A. The first reading today is taken from the Book of Wisdom.  This Book is so called, because it deals with the excellence of Wisdom, the means to obtain it, and the happy fruits it produces. Unfortunately, wisdom in today’s world is quite out of fashion. Undoubtedly, we have a lot more information at our fingertips than we ever had. We are technologically more superior than we have ever been however, are we wiser today than we were in the past? Not quite sure of that. In an age of artificial intelligence, we are getting more accustomed to quick-fix remedies than long-term solutions. The reading, therefore, reminds us: that the pursuit of wisdom is not only noble, but very necessary. The text personifies wisdom and gives us its description. Wisdom can be found by those who search for her. She makes herself known to those who desire knowledge of her. Searching for wisdom does not make one weary inst...

  My dear brothers and sisters today we celebrate the 31st Sunday in Ordinary Time year A. And for all of you who are not priests or religious you can sit back and relax a bit today as the readings are addressed more to the religious leaders and the priests. The first reading is taken from the post-exilic prophet Malachi. Malachi preaches after the second Temple was built in 515 BC by those who returned from exile. When they first returned to Judea from their captivity in Babylon, the Jews rigorously guarded against pagan idol worship in their land. But over time, they gradually gave in to this sin. In the process, they also began to lose sight of God’s purposes for them. It was during this period that Malachi was sent to instruct and guide God’s people toward a purer life. God, through Malachi, strongly rebuked the priests of his day for not showing respect and honour to Him in their sacrifices even though they called God Father and Master. The altar was the place of sacrific...

  My dear friends today we celebrate the 30th Sunday in Ordinary Time Year A. The first reading taken from the Book of Exodus continues giving more specific social and religious laws after the Ten Commandments are proclaimed. The first law refers to the offering of sacrifices to pagan gods. Whoever offered sacrifice to any gods instead of to Yahweh alone, was liable to death. While this law was often broken this penalty was rarely applied although we do see this happening when Elijah executed the prophets of Baal in the book of 1 Kings. The second law refers to our treatment of aliens or migrants or strangers. A good measure of our moral character is found in how we treat a stranger. People often find it easy to treat their own flesh and blood well, but God commands us to have a concern for others – including the stranger. The third law refers to the treatment of widows and orphans. The widows and orphans were the weakest and most vulnerable members of society. Because of their spe...

  My dear friends today we celebrate the 29th Sunday in Ordinary Time Year A. In the first reading taken from the prophet Isaiah, we are introduced to a very important figure in Biblical history – Cyrus of Persia. The context for the reading is the Babylonian exile, which began in 587 B.C. when Babylonia destroyed Jerusalem and forced the Jewish people into exile in Babylon. Many years later, in 539 B.C., Babylon fell to Cyrus of Persia, whose policies would prove to be quite different from those of the Babylonians. He encouraged the captured people to retain their culture and traditions, including their religions. Cyrus issued an edict allowing the Jewish exiles to return to Jerusalem and rebuild their temple. He even returned the temple vessels to the exiles for use in the new temple and provided financial backing for their return. Yahweh addresses Cyrus, revealing that he has chosen to anoint him. To be anointed means to be set apart for the role or task to which Yahweh has ca...

  When was the last time you had a lavish meal? At a wedding most probably. Don’t worry if you do not remember it exactly as the readings on this Twenty-Eight Sunday in Ordinary Time will surely refresh your memory. The 1st reading taken from the prophet Isaiah is a writing of praise to Yahweh for doing wonderful things and introduces an entirely new vision—that of a great banquet hosted by Yahweh, the Lord of hosts which means God of the armies of heaven. He will invite not only Israel but “all peoples.” The reading speaks of a feast of rich food and wine which given the situation of the people would be very rare and luxurious something that one could think of only during a wedding banquet. Isaiah’s vision imagines the meal in eschatological terms. In Isaiah’s vision, on this mountain, the Lord of hosts will bring an end to death on earth, wipe away tears and remove the disgrace of his people and all the people of the world will partake in the ritual feast. The meal on Mt. Zio...