FR REMI HOMILIES/REFLECTIONS AND SERMONS

Homily for Saturday of the 25th Week in Ordinary Time Memorial of St. Jerome (Priest and Doctor of the Church) Zechariah 2:1-5,10-11a. Jeremiah 31:10,11-12ab,13. Luke 9:43b-45. "The Lord will keep us, as a shepherd keeps his flock," is our Responsorial Psalm. A word of encouragement that God will never abandon us. A good shepherd will risk his/her life to protect his/her flock. God is ever faithful. Let us do good and avoid evil always, and God's word will be made manifest in our lives. Procrastination, they say, is the thief of time. In addition, procrastination is not just man's apology but a graveyard in which opportunities are buried. Even while the people were marvelling at everything Jesus did, He made them realise that his passion and death were inevitable.  He set his face to go to Jerusalem despite what awaits him there. He was being realistic. He knows that roses have thorns, and while it is true that flowers are always admired by all, Jesus is also aware of...

Homily for the Feast of Saints Michael, Gabriel, and Raphael (Archangels).  Daniel 7:9-10, 13-14. Psalm 138:1-2a,2bcd-3,4-5. John 1:47-51. Today, we celebrate the feast of three archangels, who are mentioned in the Bible by name: Michael, the protector of the people of God, Gabriel, the messenger of good news, and Raphael, the healer in the Book of Tobit. This feast recalls the dedication of the Basilica of St. Michael the Archangel in Rome in the fifth century. The archangels are higher in ranks than the angels. The angels are sent by God to deliver minor messages while the archangels deliver major messages. The name Michael signifies, "Who is like God?" And was the war cry of the good Angels in the battle fought in heaven against Satan and his followers. The Bible describes St. Michael as "one of the chief princes," and as leader of the forces of heaven in their triumph over the powers of hell. He has been especially honoured and invoked as Patron and protector by...

HOMILY FOR THURSDAY OF THE 25TH WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME Haggai 1:1-8; Ps.149; Luke 9:7-9 God’s business comes first The importance of working for God is highlighted in today’s first reading. The people said to themselves that it was not yet time to build the house of God that laid in ruin. They said this so that they may have ample time to build their individual houses and personal concerns. It became the case that the things of God become second fiddle; that is, it was after one has satisfactorily attended to his or her personal concerns, that the person may consider working for God. But the Lord revealed the foolery of such thought in today’s first reading. We can never find satisfaction in what we do for ourselves if we have abandoned God’s business. This reminder is very apt at this time when the harshness of the present economic situation has forced virtually everyone to double their hustle. Hardship and the determination to survive have boost the initiative of many on how to make e...

Homily for Wednesday of the 25th Week in Ordinary Time.  Memorial of St. Vincent de Paul (Priest).  Ezra 9:5-9. Tobit 13:1b-2,3-4a,6efgh,6ij,8. Luke 9:1-6. In the first reading, we have the prayer of Ezra. In his prayer, he felt the guilt of the iniquities against God. He did not dissociate himself from the condition of his people. Rather, his prayer is in terms of "our iniquities" and "our guilt" (Ezra 9:6). Recognition of the past guilt is of no value unless it issues in the determination to return to God like the prodigal son. God is merciful, and this is reflected in Ezra's prayer. Like Ezra, our prayers should not be self-centred. We should be concerned about others. We ought to intercede for others. Jesus, in today's Gospel, sent his Apostles on a mission to preach the kingdom of God and to heal, saying, "Take nothing for your journey, no staff, nor bag, nor bread, nor money; and do not have two tunics" (Luke 9:3). The preacher of the Gospel ...

REFLECTION/Homily for Tuesday of the 25th Week in Ordinary Time26TH SEPTEMBER 2023 Ezra 6:7-8,12b,14-20. Psalm 122:1-2,3-4ab,4cd-5. Luke 8:19-21. The first reading tells of the rebuilding of the temple of Jerusalem after the Jews who were in exile in Babylon returned to Jerusalem. God wanted the temple to be rebuilt for him. The temple of Jerusalem was to be the visible dwelling place of God on earth. It is true that God is present everywhere. Yet, in his condescension, God manifests his presence in a special way in his sanctuary. Each one of us is building a temple for God, not a material one, but a spiritual one. It must occupy all our time, our energies, and our skills. Jesus tells us in today's Gospel, "My mother and my brethren are those who hear the word of God and do it" (Luke 8:21). In saying this, He is calling us beyond our natural families and to be fully part of the divine family of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. These words are not slight to Mary...

Reflection/Sermon/Homily for Monday of the 25th Week in Ordinary Time 25th September 2023  Ezra 1:1-6. Psalm 126:1-2ab,2cd-3,4-5,6.  Luke 8:16-18. We begin our first reading from the Book of Ezra. It speaks of the return of the Israelites who were in exile in Babylon to Judah. They were in exile for seventy years. Their return was the Lord's doing. God went as far as using a pagan king to rebuild the house of the Lord, saying that the Jews who were in Babylon can return to Jerusalem and rebuild the house of the Lord (cf.Ezra 1:2-3). God can use anyone to accomplish his mission. God is still staring the life of so many to consecrate their life to him, to rebuild the temple of the Lord, that is, the spiritual temple, the people of God.  Jesus, in today's Gospel, compares us to a lamp on the stand. He encourages us to stand out. No one lights a lamp and puts it under the bed. We are supposed to light, dispelling the darkness of our world. We are not to hide our talents and g...

God Does Not Think the Way People Do.(Sermon/Homily for 25th Sunday in Ordinary Time Year A 24th September 2023 Isaiah 55:6-9. Psalm 145:2-3,8-9,17-18. Philippians 1:20c-24,27a. Matthew 20:1-16. Theme: God Does Not Think the Way People Do. The message of today's Gospel may confuse us. Looking at the Gospel from the human point of view, it appears that the owner of the vineyard was unjust, especially to those who were first invited to work in his vineyard. The first reading puts us on our guard against trying to pull God down to our level. The prophet Isaiah tells us in the first reading, "For my thoughts are are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, says the Lord. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts" (Isa.55:8-9). God's thoughts are not our thoughts. But his thoughts are far from ours as heaven is far from the earth. In today's Gospel, Jesus told his disciples the parabl...