FR REMI HOMILIES/REFLECTIONS AND SERMONS

Homily for Tuesday of the 17th week in Ordinary time year II  July 30 2024 Jeremiah 14:17-22; Psalm 79; Mathew 13:36-43 Repentance attracts mercy In yesterday's reading, God conveyed to Jeremiah that Israel had become worthless due to her neglect of her "natural habitat." Much like the prodigal son, we often recognize the error of our ways only when we face the severe consequences of our actions. We may persist on a misguided path until we reach its futile end. In today's first reading, Israel comes to her senses. Her plea for mercy is marked by an acknowledgment of her insignificance, foolishness, wickedness, and the unparalleled supremacy of God. This is a crucial lesson for us. While it is true that God is merciful and always welcomes back a sinner who returns to their senses, we must not misconstrue this as God condoning our sins. God's patience is an opportunity for repentance, not a license for obstinacy. The key lies in seeking mercy. True repentance involv

HOMILY FOR MONDAY OF THE SEVENTEENTH WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME, YEAR I (STS. MARTHA MARY AND LAZARUS - JULY 29, 2024) Jer.13:1-11; Dt.32; Luke 10:38-42 Do not be dismayed: Trust God still Today we celebrate the memorial of Sts. Martha, Mary and Lazarus. Not much is said of them in the scripture. The faith of Martha and Mary was instrumental in the raising of their brother Lazarus back to life. First they believed that Jesus is able to heal the sick and so when Lazarus was sick, they sent message to Jesus for him to come heal his friend. The statement of Martha and Mary “Lord if you have been here my brother would not have died”, showed that Jesus was expected to have arrived earlier than he actually did. Truly, message was sent to Jesus when Lazarus was sick, for him to come and heal him. The obvious delay of Jesus did not upset Martha and Mary or make them hostile to Jesus for coming “late”. They could have welcomed Jesus with a countenance filled with disappointment at his lateness or th

Homily for the 17th Sunday in ordinary time year B July 28 2024 2kgs 4:42-44; Psalm 145; Ephesians 4:1-6; John 6:1-5 Overcomin the fear of Insufficiency  It is prudent to assess one's capacity before undertaking any project. Embarking on a project without adequate resources often leads to abandonment and subsequent embarrassment. While this principle is generally sound, today's readings teach us that it should not be applied to acts of charity. Planning and executing charity based solely on one's capacity limits the potential of God's abundance. To truly answer the call to give, we need not be sufficient, but willing. The God of abundance will bless our willingness and make it sufficient. As the psalmist proclaims, "You open your hand, Lord, and you satisfy us." Today's first reading and gospel share a common theme. In both narratives, the master instructs that food be distributed to many, despite the servant's reluctance due to the limited supply. How

HOMILY FOR SATURDAY OF THE 16TH WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME YEAR II (JULY 27 2024) Jer.7:1-7; Ps.24; Matthew 13:24-30 Evil does exist: keep overcoming it When God created us, he charged us to be fruitful. Being fruitful means to expand God’s kingdom here on earth. We constantly face interruptions from within and from outside towards fulfilling this God-given purpose. In the gospel reading of yesterday (Matthew 13:18-23) Jesus taught us that lack of openness to God’s Word constitutes distraction from within towards being fruitful. Hence, while others seeds could not grow, those that fell on good soil produced fruits in many folds. The different soils represent the different dispositions of our hearts. In today’s gospel, Jesus gives another parable about the kingdom of God. This parable draws our attention to those distractions from outside that want to make us fruitless. In this parable, an enemy sowed weeds alongside the good seeds in a man’s field. We know that weeds daunt the growth of pla

HOMILY FOR FRIDAY OF THE 16TH WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME YEAR II (STS. JOACHIM AND ANNE JULY 26 2024 Jer.3:14-17; Jer.31; Matthew 3:18-23 Tenets of Parenting Today, we celebrate the memorial of Sts. Joachim and Anne, the parents of the Blessed Virgin Mary. Clearly no reference is made to them in the scripture. But that does not mean that they are unimportant; rather it goes to show that everything is not in the Bible. The bible is not a historical book but an account of God’s gradual revelation of himself and man’s growing attempts to behold this revelation. However, Jesus says that it is from the fruits that a tree is known. We celebrate this couple for their obvious good work in training a child that God found worthy of being His mother. It is not the case that it was the training that they gave the Blessed Virgin Mary that qualified her to be the mother of God; rather, by bringing her up in uprightness, they  cooperated with the grace of God in her life. The submissiveness of Mary to the

Homily for Thursday of the 16th week in Ordinary time year II July 25 2024 Feast of Saint James St. James, one of the first four Apostles called by Christ Jesus, was the son of Zebedee and the brother of John. He was privileged to witness significant events in Christ's public life, including the Transfiguration and the agony in the Garden. Due to their fervent zeal, Jesus named James and his brother John the "Sons of Thunder." James carried out his apostolate in Judaea and Samaria, preached the Gospel in Spain, and upon returning to Jerusalem, was martyred by beheading under Herod Agrippa around 42 A.D. He was the first Apostle to suffer martyrdom. His remains were later brought to Santiago de Compostela in Spain, which became a renowned pilgrimage site and a sanctuary of faith for all of Europe. In today's Gospel, James and John, with the assistance of their mother, requested to sit at Jesus' right and left in His kingdom. Jesus responded, "Are you able to d

Homily for Wednesday of the 16th week in Ordinary time year II July 24 2024 Understanding God through Listening  For the past two days, the gospel readings have focused on the theme of listening. Yesterday, Jesus elevated those who listen to Him to the status of being His mother, brothers, and sisters. But what does this listening entail? Jesus answers this question in today's gospel through the parable of the sower. In this parable, the same seeds react differently when they encounter various types of soil. The seed represents the Word of God, and the different soils symbolize the various dispositions of our hearts. Listening is not merely hearing someone speak; it involves properly disposing one's heart to wholeheartedly receive what is being said. The Word of God is alive and active everywhere, destined to bring about transformation when it meets an open heart. When the heart is not open, the Word does not force itself, and transformation is hindered. It is possible to hear