Misunderstood? Look at Jesus!

Luke 2:22-35

When the time came for Mary’s purification offering at the Temple, as required by the laws of Moses after the birth of a child, his parents took him to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord; for in these laws God had said, “If a woman’s first child is a boy, he shall be dedicated to the Lord.” At that time Jesus’ parents also offered their sacrifice for purification—“either a pair of turtledoves or two young pigeons” was the legal requirement. That day a man named Simeon, a Jerusalem resident, was in the Temple. He was a good man, very devout, filled with the Holy Spirit and constantly expecting the Messiah to come soon. For the Holy Spirit had revealed to him that he would not die until he had seen him—God’s anointed King. The Holy Spirit had impelled him to go to the Temple that day; and so, when Mary and Joseph arrived to present the baby Jesus to the Lord in obedience to the law, Simeon was there and took the child in his arms, praising God. “Lord,” he said, “now I can die content! For I have seen him as you promised me I would. I have seen the Savior you have given to the world. He is the Light that will shine upon the nations, and he will be the glory of your people Israel!” Joseph and Mary just stood there, marveling at what was being said about Jesus. Simeon blessed them but then said to Mary, “A sword shall pierce your soul, for this child shall be rejected by many in Israel, and this to their undoing. But he will be the greatest joy of many others. And the deepest thoughts of many hearts shall be revealed.”


Food for thought!

Full of the Holy Spirit, Simeon mentioned something that we must consider. He said that Jesus shall be rejected by many in Israel. In his life he was misunderstood almost on a daily basis. Right from the beginning Jesus was misunderstood. Although he made the world, the world did not recognize him when he came. Even in his own land and among his own people, the Jews, he was not accepted. Only a few would welcome and receive him. (John 1:10-12). Jesus was the most misunderstood man that ever lived. Many things he said were misunderstood; also many of his deeds, the miracles, were also misunderstood.

Jesus was misunderstood by his inner family; by his disciples; by his wider family; by the romans; and by the world. By looking at the misunderstandings of Jesus, we will come to understand the dynamics of own misunderstanding, its pain, and know how to deal with it. Sometimes, a sword pierces our souls when we are rejected. This is so because it is hard to understand how someone we love or trust could ever misunderstand and reject us. To fully understand why misunderstanding and rejection occur, we must take a look Jesus. Even good people like Jesus can be misunderstood and rejected!

When you are called to have influence, you are constantly in the limelight. Because your life is on display for all to see, there will be times that you will be falsely accused and persecuted for doing what God has called you to do. People who have stepped up to make a difference for God in the world must expect to be stepped on by critics and cynics.

If Jesus, the Son of God, was one of the most misunderstood people on the planet, God will most certainly allow you to walk through the frustration of being misunderstood. You cannot make public impact without public scrutiny and criticism. I have found that the ones who are willing to criticize are usually the ones who aren’t doing anything to help or make a difference in the world. Notice also that critics are usually those with loud voices and little accomplishments. Encourage yourself in the Lord by remembering that even Jesus was misunderstood and truly empathizes with you in your frustration. You are not alone and knowing that God is for you will make all the difference!

Jesus grew strong!

Luke 2:36-40

When the day came for them to be purified as laid down by the Law of Moses, the parents of Jesus took him up to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord. When Jesus’ parents had fulfilled all the requirements of the Law of God, they returned home to Nazareth in Galilee. There the child Jesus grew strong, robust lad, and was known for wisdom beyond his years; and God poured out his blessings on him.

Food for thought!

Today's Gospel reading is very revealing; it ends by telling us that Jesus grew, a robust lad, and was known for wisdom beyond his years. What this means is that Jesus was a true human being, he was truly human; Jesus had a body and soul, the two elements that define human beings. A normal human being must have a normal body and soul. And if Jesus was truly human, he can help us understand how normal life should be.

How did Jesus care for his body and soul, so much so that he was growing strong in body and wise in spirit? For many of us, we're missing out, either on our bodies or our souls. It always seems like there is so much, or too much to do. In the end, there never seems like a lot of time to rest or take care of our bodies and souls. Many times we're at extremes, we starve our bodies or our souls, we give more attention to one at the expense of the other. 

Which brings me to the question: What did Jesus do for Himself to keep the balance? Looking through the Gospels, there seem to be three key themes related to Jesus' self-maintenance.


1. Jesus grew up in a family. It is the truth that Jesus was not raised by Mary alone nor was he raised by Joseph alone. It took two, a man and a woman, Joseph and Mary, to raise the child Jesus. We are saying that it takes both parents, the mother and the father together, to raise a child. This is the normal environment; this is how we too are called to raise our children. All the other arrangments are simply that, “other”. Today, we thank the Lord for our families; families that raised us; families that raise us when we fall and faill.


2. Jesus took time alone. The Gospel of Luke reads, "The reputation of Jesus continued to grow. Large crowds gathered to hear him and to be healed of their sicknesses. But Jesus often withdrew to some place where he could be alone and pray; this was his time to feed his soul and spirit." When we make time for our spirits, we are more able to cope with life's joys and challenges.


3. Jesus cared for his body. The Gospel of Mark tells the story of a woman who anointed Jesus with perfumed oil in Bethany. Some of the apostles questioned this extravagance. But Jesus replied, "Let her alone. Why do you criticize her? She has done me a kindness."


Some of us have great disdain for spending time caring for our body; we think this is an extravagance. As a result, many people are disconnected from their body; getting a holiday or a massage or a pedicure never crosses our mind. When we take care of our bodies, not only will we be better able to serve others, we will also be more in touch with our spirits. It's a win-win, really.


Because Jesus knew how to take care of Himself, He was better able to care for others. You can't care for others if you don't care for yourself.

Love and you will know!

John 20:2-8

Now on the first day of the week Mary Magdalene came running to Simon Peter and the other disciple, the one whom Jesus loved, and said to them, “They have taken the Lord out of the tomb, and we do not know where they have laid him.” 3 So Peter went out with the other disciple, and they were going toward the tomb. 4 Both of them were running together, but the other disciple outran Peter and reached the tomb first. 5 And stooping to look in, he saw the linen cloths lying there, but he did not go in. 6 Then Simon Peter came, following him, and went into the tomb. He saw the linen cloths lying there, 7 and the face cloth, which had been on Jesus ' head, not lying with the linen cloths but folded up in a place by itself. 8 Then the other disciple, who had reached the tomb first, also went in, and he saw and believed.

Food for thought

The part that love plays in this story is extraordinary. It was Mary, who loved Jesus so much, who was first at the tomb. It was John, the disciple whom Jesus loved and who loved Jesus, who was first to believe in the Resurrection; when John saw the scene, he believed. Why? Because he was the disciple who loved Jesus most; he is the only disciple who followed Jesus until the end, on the cross. All the other disciples run away. Love gave John the power to follow Jesus to the cross; love gave John the eyes to read the signs and a mind to understand that Jesus had risen. No wonder, two days after Christmas, we remember and celebrate John, the beloved disciple and the disciple of love.

Here we have the great law of love. Love is the great interpreter. Where there's love there's understanding; if you love someone, you will understand them; you can't understand someone you hate. Indeed, we only hate those people we don't love. If you don't understand someone, like your spouse, your boss or colleague at work, it is because you don't love him or her enough. You will never understand someone whom you don't love.

It is good news to know that love is true, and truth is immortal. We can suppress love / truth, accuse it of being a lie, condemn it, torture it, crucify it, bury or hide it in some grave, but on the third day love / truth will rise again.

Remember this and do not give up on Love / Truth even when everybody seems to give up on it. Do not give up on Love; do not give up on Truth. Do not give up on doing what is right. Do not go corrupt because everybody around you has gone corrupt. Truth will always be true. Justice will always be just. Right will always be right even when the world around us would have it otherwise.

We must learn to believe in the sun even when it is not shining, knowing that sooner or later it will shine again. It is the end of the story that counts.

Be ware of people!

Matthew 10:17-22

Jesus told his disciples: Beware of people! For you will be arrested and tried, and whipped in the synagogues. Yes, and you must stand trial before governors and kings for my sake. This will give you the opportunity to tell them about me, yes, to witness to the world. When you are arrested, don’t worry about what to say at your trial, for you will be given the right words at the right time. For it won’t be you doing the talking—it will be the Spirit of your heavenly Father speaking through you! Brother shall betray brother to death, and fathers shall betray their own children. And children shall rise against their parents and cause their deaths. Everyone shall hate you because you belong to me. But all of you who endure to the end shall be saved.

Food for the soul!

What is it that you get from these words of Jesus? some people will impugn your motives, others will smear your reputation"? What is it that Jesus is telling his chosen people of yesterday and today and for ever? What is it that Jesus is telling you and me, if not that life is not meant to be easy? That life and living is hard even for those that follow Jesus.

Jesus is revealing to us THE WAY LIFE IS. Jesus is saying that life is difficult to everybody, including his disciples. This is the badnews. The goodnews is that our GOD IS IN CHARGE. However, God being in charge does not mean a suspension of the way life is.

These are two realities difficult to grasp: God in charge; the way life is. Let us take an example. The lion or crocodile will always eat fresh, even of humans. God will not change that. Women will always feel pain in child birth. God will not change that. We will always feel sad when our dear ones die. God will not change that because this is the way life is, the way God made life to be.

God's care is not to be seen as rescue FROM the way life is. It is rather guidance THROUGH the way life is. God does not save us from getting into trouble, He empowers us to go through trouble. God didn't save Stephen from hatrage and martyrdom. But God “filled [him] with grace and power to work miracles and great signs among the people.” This is what God does: He empowers us in our troubles. Jesus assures us: “When you are arrested, don’t worry about what to say at your trial, for you will be given the right words at the right time. For it won’t be you doing the talking—it will be the Spirit of your heavenly Father speaking through you!”

As someone said, when you get into some storm, remember that "God has not forgotten you...He has not abandoned you in your time of desperation. He often works best in your brokenness...a humble heart is more moldable in His hands. Stop worrying about details...quit trying to figure it out - God knows what He's doing. HE IS IN CONTROL. ..EVEN WHEN LIFE ISN'T. Trust that when your world seems to be falling apart...it's really just falling into place in the hands of your Almighty God." In God’s hands intended evil becomes eventual good.

Today, the day after Jesus was born, we are celebrating St. Stephen, the first martyr. As Jesus warned, no one should be naïve. St. Stephen was the first but not the last to suffer for following Christ's teaching. You and I must never be naïve, either. Some people will impugn our motives, others will smear our reputation…proclaiming so much love, experiencing so much hate! But don't quit. Don't cave in. It is all well worth it in the end.

Whatever you're going through, you’ll get through it. It won’t be painless. It won’t be quick. But God will use this mess for good . In the meantime don’t be foolish or naive. Be ware of people. Don’t despair either. With God’s help you will get through it.

“All of you who endure to the end shall be saved.”

On Christmas Giving & Getting!

Luke 1:67-79

Then Zachariah was filled with the Holy Spirit and prophesied, blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel; he came and set his people free. He set the power of salvation in the center of our lives, and in the very house of David his servant, just as he promised long ago through the preaching of his holy prophets: Deliverance from our enemies and every hateful hand; Mercy to our fathers, as he remembers to do what he said he'd do, What he swore to our father Abraham--a clean rescue from the enemy camp, so we can worship him without a care in the world, made holy before him as long as we live. And you, my child, "Prophet of the Highest," will go ahead of the Master to prepare his ways, Present the offer of salvation to his people, the forgiveness of their sins. Through the heartfelt mercies of our God, God's Sunrise will break in upon us, Shining on those in the darkness, those sitting in the shadow of death, then showing us the way, one foot at a time, down the path of peace.

Food for thought!

He set the power of salvation within reach!
Filled with Holy Spirit, Zechariah spoke very good news to us, news that help us understand why God came and dwelt among us. It was, as Zechariah put it, to set the power of salvation within the center of our lives, that is, within reach.

This is what the gospel on Christmas day will tell us, "And the Word was made flesh and dwelt among us." Yes, God Almighty came to dwell among us: 1Jo 1:1-2

From the very first day, we were there, taking it all in-- we heard it with our own ears, saw it with our own eyes, verified it with our own hands. 2 The Word of Life appeared right before our eyes; we saw it happen! And now we're telling you in most sober prose that what we witnessed was, incredibly, this: The infinite Life of God himself took shape before us.
Since the first Christmas, God is within reach for all of us. Let us also be within reach of God. Let us not run away from him or from those who need our presence. Let us reach out to one another. This could be the best Xmas gift you ever gave.

One thing that is associated with the celebration of Christmas everywhere is giving. Christmas is the feast of giving. Christmas is the one time in the year when everyone is sure to give and receive a present, even if be only a Christmas card. People spent a lot of time and money shopping for the perfect Christmas gift. We put up Christmas trees to surprise family members with our gifts and to be surprised with theirs. Santa Claus is the perfect symbol of Christmas because Santa is the one who gives and gives and never gets tired of giving.

Christmas is a feast of giving even from God's point of view. For at Christmas we celebrate the mystery that "God so loved the world that he gave his only Son" (John 3:16). God gives, and the people of God give, and that is Christmas. No matter how well or how poorly our lives seem to be going, we can give; there is nobody that is too poor as not to afford to give anything; nobody is too rich that s/he cannot get anything from anyone. We all need to give and get from each other.

It is easy to send flowers, it is easy to send a parcel, but to give the gift of ourselves, to make out the time to be with somebody, that is the gift that many people long for but do not receive at Christmas. We can, in addition to the flowers and parcels, give of ourselves, our presence, our time. We must find the time to visit and be visited by the people. This is the greatest gift because its value cannot be calculated in terms of money. And all of us can afford it.

Happy Christmas! Happy new beginning!

John 1:1-18

In the beginning there was Christ, with God. He has always been alive and is himself God. He created everything there is—nothing exists that he didn’t make. Eternal life is in him, and this life gives light to all mankind. His life is the light that shines through the darkness—and the darkness can never extinguish it. God sent John the Baptist as a witness to the fact that Jesus Christ is the true Light. John himself was not the Light; he was only a witness to identify it. Later on, the one who is the true Light arrived to shine on everyone coming into the world. But although he made the world, the world didn’t recognize him when he came. Even in his own land and among his own people, the Jews, he was not accepted. Only a few would welcome and receive him. But to all who received him, he gave the right to become children of God. All they needed to do was to trust him to save them. All those who believe this are reborn!—not a physical rebirth resulting from human passion or plan—but from the will of God. And Christ became a human being and lived here on earth among us and was full of loving forgiveness and truth. And some of us have seen his glory—the glory of the only Son of the heavenly Father!

Food for thought

In both the reading from Hebrews (1:1-6) and John (1:1-18) we find two statements that help us to understand and celebrate Christmas. The letter to the Hebrews says, “Long ago God spoke in many different ways to our fathers through the prophets, in visions, dreams, and even face to face, telling them little by little about his plans. But now in these days he has spoken to us through his Son to whom he has given everything and through whom he made the world and everything there is.” And from the Gospel we read: “In the beginning there was Christ, with God. He has always been alive and is himself God. He created everything there is—nothing exists that he didn’t make.”

From these two statements we learn that Jesus was there in the beginning; and that everything was through him and by him; and that at Christmas, Jesus was came and dwelt among us. This means that Christmas is about the Second Beginning; it is about God beginning again what he did in the First Beginning when He created the world and everything there in. In the First Beginning, God made everything through his Son, the Word, Jesus Christ “through whom he made the world and everything there is.” It means that at the first Christmas, God sent us Jesus in order to make again the world and everything there is.

If God can begin again, you and I can, through Jesus, also begin again; if God can be born again, we too can be begin life all over again; through Jesus and with Jesus we can make again our world and everything there in. Paraphrasing the words of Joyce Meyer, I can say: if I were bold enough to give a one-sentence Christmas message right now — if I had only a few seconds to share with you one idea that might change your life at this Christmas — here’s what I would say: Whoever you are, wherever you are, whatever you’ve been through, it’s never too late to begin again. I believe this one sentence is more than a speech or a sermon; it is the core message of Christmas. Regardless of your past failure or your present struggle, God offers you and me a new beginning at Christmas. This is what Jesus has come to do: to empower us begin again.

And Christ became a human being and lived here on earth among us and was full of loving forgiveness and truth. And some of us have seen his glory—the glory of the only Son of the heavenly Father!

At one time or another, all of us get lost in some way: a failed vocation, a failed marriage, a broken dream, a disappointing career, a financial setback, or a family struggle causes us to hang our heads low and wonder where things went wrong. The truth is: “If you’re not dead, then you’re not done!” With Jesus all of us can write a new chapter for our life, for our family, for our career and for our community.

So, why not claim this Christmas as a day of the new beginning! Make this Christmas your new beginning; your Day One. Remember this: According to 2 Corinthians 5:17, “When someone becomes a Christian, he becomes a brand new person inside. He is not the same anymore. A new life has begun!”

“Take the first step in faith. You don’t have to see the whole staircase, just take the first step.” —Martin Luther King, Jr.

With God, it is never too late. It’s never too late to dream. It’s never too late to pray. It’s never too late to believe. It’s never too late to love. It's never too late to forgive. And it’s never too late to begin again.

Xmas News!

Luke 2:1-14

About this time Caesar Augustus, the Roman emperor, decreed that a census should be taken throughout the nation. (This census was taken when Quirinius was governor of Syria.) Everyone was required to return to his ancestral home for this registration. And because Joseph was a member of the royal line, he had to go to Bethlehem in Judea, King David’s ancient home—journeying there from the Galilean village of Nazareth. He took with him Mary, his fiancée, who was obviously pregnant by this time.

And while they were there, the time came for her baby to be born; and she gave birth to her first child, a son. She wrapped him in a blanket and laid him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the village inn.

That night some shepherds were in the fields outside the village, guarding their flocks of sheep. Suddenly an angel appeared among them, and the landscape shone bright with the glory of the Lord. They were badly frightened, but the angel reassured them. “Don’t be afraid!” he said. “I bring you the most joyful news ever announced, and it is for everyone! The Savior—yes, the Messiah, the Lord—has been born tonight in Bethlehem! How will you recognize him? You will find a baby wrapped in a blanket, lying in a manger!” Suddenly, the angel was joined by a vast host of others—the armies of heaven—praising God: “Glory to God in the highest heaven,” they sang, “and peace on earth for all those pleasing him.”

Food for thought!

Life is not about Advent only; there's life beyond Advent. Life is not about waiting only; it is also about arriving. Life is not only about giving; it is also about getting . We have been waiting for Christmas, and now Christmas is finally here. As the Reading puts it,

“The time of darkness and despair shall not go on forever; the people who walk in darkness shall see a great Light—a Light that will shine on all those who live in the land of the shadow of death.”

I know that some of us are always living in Advent, in waiting, in expectation, in shaddows, and sometimes in real darkness. Yes, for some poeple life is a constant night that knows no dawn; for some people life is lived under the shaddow of death and dying. It is to such people that the angel makes this announcement tonight: “Don’t be afraid! I bring you the most joyful news ever announced, and it is for everyone! The Savior—yes, the Messiah, the Lord—has been born tonight”
Please, note the angel’s words: I bring you the most joyful news ever announced, and it is for everyone! This “everyone” includes YOU and ME; it means all people. We are all included in the joy of Christmas.

Did you notice what the Angel is calling Jesus? Savior! The angel is not calling Jesus a prophet or a priest or a teacher, or even a saint but a Savior! If our greatest need had been knowledge, God would have sent a teacher. If our greatest need had been technology, God would have sent a scientist. If our greatest need had been money, God would have sent a banker, if our greatest need had been economy, God would have sent an economist. If our greatest need had been pleasure, God would have sent an entertainer. If our greatest need had been military, God would have sent a general. If our greatest need had been for justice, God would have sent a judge. But, our greatest need was forgiveness and redemption, and, therefore, Godyybb sent a Savior! Yes, Jesus has come to save you and me.

For unto us a child is born; unto us a son is given; and the government shall be upon his shoulder. These will be his royal titles: “Wonderful,” “Counselor,” “The Mighty God,” “The Everlasting Father,” “The Prince of Peace.” His ever-expanding, peaceful government will never end. He will rule with perfect fairness and justice from the throne of his father David. He will bring true justice and peace to all the nations of the world. This is going to happen because the Lord of heaven’s armies has dedicated himself to do it!

And everyone rejoiced with her!

Luke 1:57-66

By now Elizabeth’s waiting was over, for the time had come for the baby to be born—and it was a boy. The word spread quickly to her neighbors and relatives of how kind the Lord had been to her, and everyone rejoiced with her. When the baby was eight days old, all the relatives and friends came for the circumcision ceremony. They all assumed the baby’s name would be Zacharias, after his father. But Elizabeth said, “No! He must be named John!” “What?” they exclaimed. “There is no one in all your family by that name.” So they asked the baby’s father, talking to him by gestures. He motioned for a piece of paper and to everyone’s surprise wrote, “His name is John!” Instantly Zacharias could speak again, and he began praising God. Wonder fell upon the whole neighborhood, and the news of what had happened spread through the Judean hills. And everyone who heard about it thought long thoughts and asked, “I wonder what this child will turn out to be? For the hand of the Lord is surely upon him in some special way.”


Food for thought!

When the word had spread around that Elizabeth had given finally given birth, “everyone rejoiced with her.” These words are very important. Very few people rejoice at others' success; very few celebrate others' achievements; very few see and say any good about others. Instead, people envy each other; gossip about each other. But not so with those people in the gospel reading: they openly shared her joy. 

We shouldn't envy those who succeed in life or whom God has blessed. We should instead celebrate, because God blesses everybody, at different moments, of course. We only have to wait our turn. Wait for your turn. In the meantime, don't envy others but rather celebrate their success and achievement.

Remember that benevolent people have a distinct advantage over the envious. People who get caught up in envy are tormented, not only by various ills that befalls them, but by the good that happens to others. Those who are joyous with life and in life are better prepared to handle any situation because of the inner serenity they have acquired by watching for the beauty and abundance that is around them.

Joy makes for a long life and makes it worth living. Enjoy yourself and be happy; don't worry all the time. Worry never did anybody any good, and it has destroyed many people. It will make you old before your time. Envy and anger will shorten your life. (Eccl. 30:22-24)

His mercy goes on from generation to generation, to all who fear him!

Luke 1:46-56

Mary responded, “Oh, how I praise the Lord. How I rejoice in God my Savior! For he took notice of his lowly servant girl, and now generation after generation forever shall call me blest of God. For he, the mighty Holy One, has done great things to me. His mercy goes on from generation to generation, to all who fear him. How powerful is his mighty arm! How he scatters the proud and haughty ones! He has torn princes from their thrones and exalted the lowly. He has satisfied the hungry hearts and sent the rich away with empty hands. And how he has helped his servant Israel! He has not forgotten his promise to be merciful. For he promised our fathers—Abraham and his children—to be merciful to them forever.” Mary stayed with Elizabeth about three months and then went back to her own home.

Food thought!

As we get ready to celebrate Christmas, Mary reminds us that “God's mercy goes on from generation to generation, to all who fear him.” What does this mean? It means that God’s mercy reaches from age to age for those who fear him. It means that God’s mercy is not limited to race, sex, religion, time or space. God’s mercy extends to all and everybody WHO FEAR GOD. The only thing we need to have it is fear of God. The fear of the Lord is also the beginning of wisdom (Proverbs 1:7).

In Christ and because of Christ, we are all equally dear before God. There is no man or woman, learned or illiterate; we are all loved by God. This is what Paul tells the Galatians that, “There is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free, nor is there male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.” (Gal 3:28).

The world may classify us according to our accent or according to the colour of our skin or accordint to the circumstances of our birth; but before God we are not, as long as we fear Him. God deals with all of us and each one of us that fear him, as equally beloved. This is why Jesus told us the parable of the lost sheep: God leaves the 99 sheep to go after one that is lost. Why? Because for God all the sheep are equally dear; loosing one is loosing one too many. 

“So then, my friends, because of God’s great mercy to us…offer yourselves as a living sacrifice to God, dedicated to his service and pleasing to him. This is the true worship that you should offer.” (Romans 12:1)

We all need mercy, because we all stumble and fall and require help getting back on track. We need to offer unconditional mercy to each other and be willing to receive it from each other. God says, “When people sin, you should forgive and comfort them, so they won’t give up in despair.” (2Corinthians 2:7)

God’s mercy to us is the motivation for showing mercy to others. Remember, you will never be asked to forgive someone else more than God has already forgiven you. Whenever you are hurt by someone, you have a choice to make: Will I use my energy and emotions for retaliation or for resolution? You can’t do both. 

We are mothers of Jesus!

Luke 1:26-38

In the sixth month of Elizabeth's pregnancy God sent the angel Gabriel to a town in Galilee named Nazareth. He had a message for a young woman promised in marriage to a man named Joseph, who was a descendant of King David. Her name was Mary. The angel came to her and said, “Peace be with you! The Lord is with you and has greatly blessed you!”

Mary was deeply troubled by the angel's message, and she wondered what his words meant. The angel said to her, “Don't be afraid, Mary; God has been gracious to you. You will become pregnant and give birth to a son, and you will name him Jesus. He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High God. The Lord God will make him a king, as his ancestor David was, and he will be the king of the descendants of Jacob forever; his kingdom will never end!”

Mary said to the angel, “I am a virgin. How, then, can this be?”

The angel answered, “The Holy Spirit will come on you, and God's power will rest upon you. For this reason the holy child will be called the Son of God.Remember your relative Elizabeth. It is said that she cannot have children, but she herself is now six months pregnant, even though she is very old. For there is nothing that God cannot do.”

“I am the Lord's servant,” said Mary; “may it happen to me as you have said.”And the angel left her.

Food for thought!

Yesterday, we had the same gospel reading as today. I suggest for our meditation to focus on something we didn't touch yesterday, that is, being the mother of Jesus!

First a short story. 

Some nursery school kids were preparing a Christmas play. Little Cynthia did not like the part she was assigned to play. She wanted to change parts with her friend Monica. When the teacher asked her why, she answered, "Because it is easier to be an angel than to be the mother of Christ." The little girl is certainly right. To be the mother of Christ is no light matter. 

The call of God is something that cannot be unnoticed or hidden. God will mark you. Just as Mary was marked by God: “The Lord is with you and has greatly blessed you!” In the natural, Mary did not have anything more than the rest of us have, but in the Spirit, she had something unique to her: a call from God to be mother of Jesus.

Yet difficult as it sounds, that is exactly what we are all called to be. In fact, we could say that even though Jesus was born in Bethlehem, his real desire is to be born in the hearts of believers, to be re-produced by believers. Mother of Christ is a title we usually reserve for Mary. 

But Mary is mother of Christ in two senses. She is mother of Christ in the physical sense that she carried Jesus in her womb and gave birth to him. This is an unrepeatable event and an honour that no other human being could share with her. But she is also mother of Christ in a spiritual sense. In a spiritual sense the role of being mother of Christ is available to all Christians. We all, men, women and children, can and should become mothers of Christ.

What is this spiritual motherhood of Christ and how does it happen? For the answer we need to go right back to Jesus himself.

Then his mother and his brothers came; and standing outside, they sent to him and called him. A crowd was sitting around him; and they said to him, "Your mother and your brothers and sisters are outside, asking for you." And he replied, "Who are my mother and my brothers?" And looking at those who sat around him, he said, "Here are my mother and my brothers! Whoever does the will of God is my brother and sister and mother."(Mark 3:31-35)

Three times Jesus mentions “mothers” to show us that (a) he expects his followers to be not only his brothers and sisters but his mothers as well, and (b) the way to be the mother of Jesus is by doing the will of God. Spiritual motherhood of Christ is attained by saying yes to God, just as Mary did. It means that to become mothers of Christ we need to make the prayer of Mary our own:

“I am the Lord's servant,” said Mary; “may it happen to me as you have said.”

This prayer of Mary has been known as the world's greatest prayer. It is the prayer that brought God down from heaven to dwell in the soul and body of a lowly young woman. It is the prayer that brought about the greatest event in human history, God becoming human in Jesus. It is a prayer that changed forever the course of human history some 2000 years ago. This prayer is so very different from what has been called the world's most common prayer, the prayer in which we try to get God to do our will. The world's most common prayer says, "My will be done," whereas the world greatest prayer says, "Thy will be done."

Yes, little Cynthia was right. It is not easy to be the mother of Christ. But in today's gospel Mary shows us how. It is in hearing God's word and saying yes to God even when God's will seems to go against all our plans and hopes for the future. As Christmas draws near, Mary reminds us that the best Christmas, in fact the only true Christmas, is that Christ be born not in the little town of Bethlehem but in the inner sanctuary of our hearts.

Greetings, favored woman!

Luke 1:26-38

The following month God sent the angel Gabriel to Nazareth, a village in Galilee, to a virgin, Mary, engaged to be married to a man named Joseph, a descendant of King David. Gabriel appeared to her and said, “Congratulations, favored lady! The Lord is with you!” Confused and disturbed, Mary tried to think what the angel could mean. “Don’t be frightened, Mary,” the angel told her, Gabriel appeared to her and said, "Greetings, favored woman! The Lord is with you!"! Very soon now, you will become pregnant and have a baby boy, and you are to name him ‘Jesus.’ He shall be very great and shall be called the Son of God. And the Lord God shall give him the throne of his ancestor David. And he shall reign over Israel forever; his Kingdom shall never end!” Mary asked the angel, “But how can I have a baby? I am a virgin.” The angel replied, “The Holy Spirit shall come upon you, and the power of God shall overshadow you; so the baby born to you will be utterly holy—the Son of God. Furthermore, six months ago your Aunt Elizabeth—‘the barren one,’ they called her—became pregnant in her old age! For every promise from God shall surely come true.” Mary said, “I am the Lord’s servant, and I am willing to do whatever he wants. May everything you said come true.” And then the angel disappeared.

Food for thought

Webster’s Dictionary defines the word “favor” as the “preference for one person over another.” Mary was favoured by God over all other women. The angel greeted her by saying: "Greetings, favored woman! The Lord is with you!" The question is, why was Mary favored? She was favored for a reason: “You are to conceive and bear a son, and you must name him Jesus.” Mary was favoured so that she would conceive and bear the Son of God.

You may have found in your life that there is a supernatural favor which seems to follow you wherever you go that cannot be explained. Receive it like Mary did: “I am the Lord’s servant, and I am willing to do whatever he wants.” Walking in God's favor is not arrogance as long as you recognize it as GOD’S favor. There is nothing wrong with realizing that God has marked you with something special, something extraordinary. By receiving this favor, you are proclaiming the goodness of your heavenly Father!

Are you walking in the fullness of the favor God has for you? Take some time to evaluate the favor or favors you have already seen in your life. Thank Him for the doors He has opened and allowed you to walk through. And as you evaluate your favors, remember that every favor has a corresponding reponsibility; we are favored in order to do something for God.

Prayer: 

Thank you, God, for all that you have done for me in my journey thus far. You have truly shown your faithfulness and grace in my life when it seems like it was the last thing I deserved. Continue to lead me in the paths you have for me and help me lead with confidence and humility in the favor you have given me.

Speak more with your silence!

Luke 1:5-25

My story begins with a Jewish priest, Zacharias, who lived when Herod was king of Judea. Zacharias was a member of the Abijah division of the Temple service corps. (His wife, Elizabeth, was, like himself, a member of the priest tribe of the Jews, a descendant of Aaron.) Zacharias and Elizabeth were godly folk, careful to obey all of God’s laws in spirit as well as in letter. But they had no children, for Elizabeth was barren; and now they were both very old. One day as Zacharias was going about his work in the Temple—for his division was on duty that week—the honor fell to him by lot to enter the inner sanctuary and burn incense before the Lord. Meanwhile, a great crowd stood outside in the Temple court, praying as they always did during that part of the service when the incense was being burned.


Zacharias was in the sanctuary when suddenly an angel appeared, standing to the right of the altar of incense! Zacharias was startled and terrified. But the angel said, “Don’t be afraid, Zacharias! For I have come to tell you that God has heard your prayer, and your wife, Elizabeth, will bear you a son! And you are to name him John. You will both have great joy and gladness at his birth, and many will rejoice with you. For he will be one of the Lord’s great men. He must never touch wine or hard liquor—and he will be filled with the Holy Spirit, even from before his birth! And he will persuade many a Jew to turn to the Lord his God. He will be a man of rugged spirit and power like Elijah, the prophet of old; and he will precede the coming of the Messiah, preparing the people for his arrival. He will soften adult hearts to become like little children’s, and will change disobedient minds to the wisdom of faith.” Zacharias said to the angel, “But this is impossible! I’m an old man now, and my wife is also well along in years.” Then the angel said, “I am Gabriel! I stand in the very presence of God. It was he who sent me to you with this good news! And now, because you haven’t believed me, you are to be stricken silent, unable to speak until the child is born. For my words will certainly come true at the proper time.” Meanwhile the crowds outside were waiting for Zacharias to appear and wondered why he was taking so long. When he finally came out, he couldn’t speak to them, and they realized from his gestures that he must have seen a vision in the Temple. He stayed on at the Temple for the remaining days of his Temple duties and then returned home. Soon afterwards Elizabeth his wife became pregnant and went into seclusion for five months.


“How kind the Lord is,” she exclaimed, “to take away my disgrace of having no children!”


Food for thought!


Zachariah, a priest, had married a woman of priestly descent. The gospel says that the two, “Zacharias and Elizabeth were godly folk, careful to obey all of God’s laws in spirit as well as in letter. But they had no children, for Elizabeth was barren; and now they were both very old. ” Two holy people, righteous in God’s eyes, careful to obey all of the Lord’s commandments and regulations, and yet, UNABLE TO HAVE A CHILD OF THEIR OWN.


This fact says a lot. It means that bad things can happen to good people; even God fearing people like this couple, can be barren. Only God knows why this happens; only God knows when the right time for us to be blessed. It has nothing to do with sins; it is not that Zachariah and Elizabeth were sinners; on the contrary, they were two holy people.


Despite their situation, the couple served the Lord. Zachariah never stopped going to the Temple. Sometimes we give up too soon, too easily. Just because we are not getting what we think we should get, or because we are being what we think we should be. One thing stands out: it was in God’s house that God’s message came to Zacharias. So, don't stop going to the Lord. Yes, the message of the Lord comes to those who know how to listen; who know how to wait on the Lord.

We do well to learn to listen in quite places; opportunity sometimes knock very softly (Mother Theresa). Our prayers are strong when we are silent; when there is peace of mind, there is inner strength which is unfailing. Someone once said that in all of our Christian life we’re prepared to hear God speak to us, but nothing prepares us for His silence. In other words, many of us are ready to listen to the Word of God but not ready to listen to the Silence of the God. Like Zacharias we sometimes do well to keep our mouth shut.


Did you know that our mind is most efficient only when it is cool, not hot. In a heated state of mind, emotions take over, which may prove costly; power comes from quietness. God’s silence is an opportunity for us to enter into the silence of our own. It is our invitation to shift our relationship from one that demands words to an intimate relationship where no
words are necessary.

Remember that the less you speak, the more you are heard!

Plan A is fine but plan B is better!

Matthew 1:18-24

These are the facts concerning the birth of Jesus Christ: His mother, Mary, was engaged to be married to Joseph. But while she was still a virgin she became pregnant by the Holy Spirit. Then Joseph, her fiancé, being a man of stern principle,* decided to break the engagement but to do it quietly, as he didn’t want to publicly disgrace her. As he lay awake considering this, he fell into a dream, and saw an angel standing beside him. “Joseph, son of David,” the angel said, “don’t hesitate to take Mary as your wife! For the child within her has been conceived by the Holy Spirit. And she will have a Son, and you shall name him Jesus (meaning ‘Savior’), for he will save his people from their sins. This will fulfill God’s message through his prophets— ‘Listen! The virgin shall conceive a child! She shall give birth to a Son, and he shall be called “Emmanuel” (meaning “God is with us”).’” When Joseph awoke, he did as the angel commanded and brought Mary home to be his wife.

Food for thought!

Sometimes Plan A doesn’t work out. Have you noticed that to be true in your life? Whether it’s a little plan or a big plan, your daily schedule or your career strategy, plans have a way of disappointing us. The dinner is burned. The job is unrewarding. The contract ends. The spouse is boring.

Many people fall apart when their plan A falls apart. This is what we see in today's gospel reading. Mary, was engaged to be married to Joseph. But before the two lived together, she was found to be pregnant. And this was the end of their plan A, which was to get married, have children and live happily there after.

And then the unexpected happened. Mary was found pregnant, and not by Joseph. Then Joseph, her fiancé, being a man of stern principle, decided to quietly break the engagement and disappear. Sounds familiar? You probably know someone who is still stuck in a distant disappointment of their plan A. (You may be stuck there yourself.)

Joyce Meyer has a very good reflection on this. She says: Well, I have good news for anyone disappointed or disillusioned by his or her original plan. I’ve discovered that Plan B is often better than Plan A ever could have been. I may not have realized that truth in the midst of Plan A unraveling, but when I looked back on it— weeks, months, or even years later— I couldn’t believe how much better the situation turned out to be. As a matter of fact, there have been many times when I got on my knees and thanked God that He didn’t let Plan A work out. I was so much happier because Plan B was so much better. That’s why I think it’s important to remember that sometimes B stands for better.

This is definitely the case with Joseph and Mary. Thank God their plan A “failed” because God had for them plan B, which was far better than plan A. Thanks to plan B that Jesus was born to be our God with us. Yes, sometimes plan B is better, bcause “B” stands for better. Plan A was fine. Plan B was better. My plan A was fine. But my plan B is far better. Your plan A was ok; but your plan B may be much better.

Joseph and Mary's story teaches us a simple but valuable lesson: hold on to your plans loosely — there may be a better plan ahead. This is especially true in the life of a believer. As children of God, we know that God has a plan for our lives, as Jeremiah 29: 11 reminds us: “For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” 

From real people for real people!

Matthew 1:1-17

An account of the genealogy of Jesus the Messiah, the son of David, the son of Abraham.


Abraham was the father of Isaac, and Isaac the father of Jacob, and Jacob the father of Judah and his brothers, and Judah the father of Perez and Zerah by Tamar, and Perez the father of Hezron, and Hezron the father of Aram, and Aram the father of Aminadab, and Aminadab the father of Nahshon, and Nahshon the father of Salmon, and Salmon the father of Boaz by Rahab, and Boaz the father of Obed by Ruth, and Obed the father of Jesse, and Jesse the father of King David.
And David was the father of Solomon by the wife of Uriah, and Solomon the father of Rehoboam, and Rehoboam the father of Abijah, and Abijah the father of Asaph, and Asaph the father of Jehoshaphat, and Jehoshaphat the father of Joram, and Joram the father of Uzziah, and Uzziah the father of Jotham, and Jotham the father of Ahaz, and Ahaz the father of Hezekiah, and Hezekiah the father of Manasseh, and Manasseh the father of Amos, and Amos the father of Josiah, and Josiah the father of Jechoniah and his brothers, at the time of the deportation to Babylon.


And after the deportation to Babylon: Jechoniah was the father of Salathiel, and Salathiel the father of Zerubbabel, and Zerubbabel the father of Abiud, and Abiud the father of Eliakim, and Eliakim the father of Azor, and Azor the father of Zadok, and Zadok the father of Achim, and Achim the father of Eliud, and Eliud the father of Eleazar, and Eleazar the father of Matthan, and Matthan the father of Jacob, and Jacob the father of Joseph the husband of Mary, of whom Jesus was born, who is called the Messiah.


So all the generations from Abraham to David are fourteen generations; and from David to the deportation to Babylon, fourteen generations; and from the deportation to Babylon to the Messiah, fourteen generations.


Food for thought!


An account of the genealogy of Jesus is intended to show us that Jesus came FROM real people, and came FOR real people. All the names in Jesus' pedigree are of real people, known by history as having lived many years ago. Jesus is not a myth; he is a descendent of Jacob the father of Joseph the husband of Mary, of whom Jesus was born, who is called the Messiah.

There is another angle to saying that Jesus came from real people, who struggled with life like the rest of us. Jesus did not come from super human people; he came from stuggling people like the rest of us. This is why we find among Jesus' descendants both saint and sinner, both men and women. Indeed, God can use for his purposes even those who have sinned greatly. "I came" said Jesus, "not to call the righteous, but sinners" (Matthew 9:13).

As Jesus told us yesterday, tax-collectors and harlots are going into the Kingdom of Heaven. Did you notice that all the women mentioned in Jesus' genealogy are somehow strange? (1) Rachab, or as the Old Testament calls her, Rahab, was a prostitute of Jericho (Josh.2:1-7). (2) Ruth was not even a Jewess; she was a Moabitess (Ru.1:4), belonging to an alien and a hated people. (3) Tamar was a deliberate seducer and an adulteress; she seduced her father-in-law and got herself impregnated by him (Gen.38). (4) Bathsheba, the mother of Solomon, was the woman whom David seduced from Uriah, her husband, with an unforgivable cruelty (2Sam.11-12).

The presence of these women among the descendants of Jesus means that Jesus came not just FROM good men and women but came also FOR sinning men and women. Jesus came FOR all, men and women, jews and non-jews; Jesus came for people like you and me. No wonder that he was crucified among two sinners.


“Sick people need the doctor, not healthy ones! I haven’t come to tell good people to repent, but the bad ones.” (Mark 2:17)

Harlots go into Heaven before you!

Matthew 21:28-32

Jesus said: "What do you think? A man had two children, He went to the first and said, `Child, go and work in my vineyard today.' He answered, `I will not.' But afterwards he changed his mind and went. He went to the second and spoke to him in the same way. He answered, `Certainly, sir.' And he did not go. Which of these two did the will of his father?" "The first," they answered. Jesus said to them: "This is the truth I tell you--the tax-collectors and harlots go into the Kingdom of Heaven before you. For John came to you in the way of righteousness, and you did not believe in him; but the tax-gatherers and harlots did believe in him. And when you saw this, you did not even then change your minds, and so come to believe in him."

Food for thought!

Jesus told this parable in the temple in Jerusalem just days before they would arrest him and put him to death. For three years he had been preaching to the people, inviting them to repent and believe the Good News. He had discovered that, in fact, it was “public sinners” like the tax-collectors and prostitutes who responded to his invitation. The religious leaders, the High Priests, Scribes and Pharisees, even after they perceived the divine origin of the message of Jesus, not only opposed it but went as far as plotting to kill Jesus himself. And they did kill him! The “religious people” are sometimes the most irreligious people around.

Based on his own experience, Jesus uses this parable to teach us that there are two very common classes of people in this world. First, there are the people whose profession is much better than their practice. Second, there are those whose practice is far better than their profession. One group has no fine words but they have fine works. The other group has fine words but no corresponding fine works.

There are those of us who have the fine words, fine profession of faith; we go to church every Sunday and say to God "Amen! We believe." We wear badges and medals. But sometimes when it comes to concrete action in support of our profession, we are found wanting.

There are those who have no fine words: who barely profess any faith, baarely go to church, or pray. But when there is injustice they will be the first to rise up and condemn it. When there are people out in the cold they will be the first to donate a blanket. Wherever there is famine or earthquake they will deny themselves food and money to contribute to help the victims. These people have no fine words to say about God but when they do things such as these, they are doing what we are supposed to be doing.

It is not that going to church is bad. It is only the beginning. Going to church or to prayer groups and Bible groups can never take the place of works, and fine words are never a substitute for fine deeds. The son who said he would go, and did not, had all the outward marks of a Christian that goes every Sunday to church, but on Monday his or her actions live much to be Christian.

“Knowing the correct password—saying ‘Master, Master,’ for instance—isn’t going to get you anywhere with me. What is required is serious obedience—doing what my Father wills." (Matthew 7:21-23)

Jesus is teaching us still that we can all change our mind either for a YES or for a NO; either for the better or for the worse. If until yesterday we were a NO people, today we can be a YES people. In other words, it is not how one has lived in the past that counts, but how one is living today; it is not what you did in the past that matters, it is what you're doing today that counts. You cannot claim to say, I used to pray, or to go to church, or sing in the choir, or be and do good. The good you were or you did in the past years is canceled out or confirmed by what you are doing this morning. This is what Ezkiel reminds us in 18:26-28

If a good person turns away from his good life and takes up sinning, he'll die for it. He'll die for his own sin. Likewise, if a bad person turns away from his bad life and starts living a good life, a fair life, he will save his life. Because he faces up to all the wrongs he's committed and puts them behind him, he will live, really live. He won't die.

This brings us to the main point. First, Jesus is saying that in life it all depends not on yesterday, not on tomorrow, but on today. We are free to CHANGE OUR MIND. And when we change our mind, we ERASE, DELETE all the past. For that reason, we do well to note that the most important day of our life, is not yesterday, is not tomorrow, is TODAY.

Be nice to your spouse today, forget about the past, and don't mind about tomorrow; be your best today; sing your best today; pray today as if you never prayed in your life and as if there is no tomorrow. Maximize the present moment. 

Tell Jesus the truth & Jesus will tell you the truth!

Matthew 21:23-27

When he had returned to the Temple and was teaching, the chief priests and other Jewish leaders came up to him and demanded to know by whose authority he had thrown out the merchants the day before. “I’ll tell you if you answer one question first,” Jesus replied. “Was John the Baptist sent from God or not?” They talked it over among themselves. “If we say, ‘From God,’” they said, “then he will ask why we didn’t believe what John said. And if we deny that God sent him, we’ll be mobbed, for the crowd all think he was a prophet.” So they finally replied, “We don’t know!” And Jesus said, “Then I won’t answer your question either.

Food for thought!

Tell Jesus and Jesus will tell you!

They came to Jesus with a question; they wanted to know some truth about Jesus. They demanded to know by whose authority he had thrown out the temple merchants the day before. But before Jesus told them the answer, he demanded to know what they knew: I'll tell you if and when you tell me. Jesus said to them! And that is always the principle. For Jesus to tell us the truth, we must tell him first the truth.

Before you question Jesus get ready for Jesus' own question; before you ask Jesus, Jesus will ask you. For instance, before you ask forgiveness from Jesus, Jesus will ask you to forgive; before you ask Jesus to get, Jesus will ask you to give; before you ask Jesus to give to you, Jesus will ask you to give away. Before you get, you will loose; before you to gain you will undergo pain.

Never tell Jesus that you don't know, when you do. Know that the first step to getting anything from Jesus is a simple one: Tell him the truth and behave based on that truth. It may make you quite unpopular; it may make you uncomfortable at times but it is the only way to get answers from Jesus. Telling Jesus the truth is a simple act, but one of the most courageous. It will set you free and on a path to a life that is absolutely unstoppable. Remember what Jesus said in John 8: 31-32: “If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”

What truth are you afraid to admit? What are you really afraid will happen if you admit the truth? Whose approval are you so afraid of losing if you said the truth? Are you like the people in today's gospel reading, who said among themselves: “If we say, ‘From God,’” they said, “then he will ask why we didn’t believe what John said. And if we deny that God sent him, we’ll be mobbed, for the crowd all think he was a prophet.” So they finally replied, “We don’t know!”?

Truth awakens us from the deep slumber of lies. In pretending we don’t know, as these people in the gospel reading did, we live a lie. And we cannot live on lies forever.

And they answered Jesus and said, We cannot tell you. And he said unto them, Neither do I tell you.

I am a voice, shouting!

John 1:6-8.19-28

God sent John the Baptist as a witness to the fact that Jesus Christ is the true Light. John himself was not the Light; he was only a witness to identify it. The Jewish leaders sent priests and assistant priests from Jerusalem to ask John whether he claimed to be the Messiah. He denied it flatly. “I am not the Christ,” he said. “Well then, who are you?” they asked. “Are you Elijah?” “No,” he replied. “Are you the Prophet?” “No.” “Then who are you? Tell us, so we can give an answer to those who sent us. What do you have to say for yourself?”


He replied, “I am a voice from the barren wilderness, shouting as Isaiah prophesied, ‘Get ready for the coming of the Lord!’”


Then those who were sent by the Pharisees asked him, “If you aren’t the Messiah or Elijah or the Prophet, what right do you have to baptize?” John told them, “I merely baptize with water, but right here in the crowd is someone you have never met, who will soon begin his ministry among you, and I am not even fit to be his slave.” This incident took place at Bethany, a village on the other side of the Jordan River where John was baptizing.

Food for thought!

I am not the Christ; I am not Elijah; I am not the Phrophet! Then who are you?

I invite you to think about your name. Yes, I mean what you were given as a baby, especially at Baptism. Are you Joseph, Mary, John, Annet, or what? In today's gospel reading, the Jewish leaders sent priests and assistant priests from Jerusalem to ask John about his name, whether he was the Messiah, the Elijah or the Phrophet. And John denied it flatly. Why?

John denied it all because he was not any of those people; he was not the Christ, was not Elijah and was not the Prophet. He was himeself. Just as you and me are not Joseph, not Mary, not John...! Because we were given names of Joseph or Mary didn't make us into a Joseph or a Mary. I can't compare with the original Joseph, the husband of Mary or the Joseph of the Old Testament; you cannot compare with Mary, the mother of Jesus, or any of the Marys in the Bible. None of us can compare with the original owner of our name. We hold holy names of holy people who lived holy lives.

If we are not any of those people whose names we hold, who are we? This is the question they asked John: “Then who are you? Tell us, so we can give an answer to those who sent us. What do you have to say for yourself?” Please, look at what John said in reply: “I am a voice from the barren wilderness, shouting as Isaiah prophesied, ‘Get ready for the coming of the Lord!’”

John is what he is doing: a voice shouting in the wilderness, saying to the people, Get ready for Jesus! That is what John is. The same to us; we are what we are doing; and we are doing what we are. If what we are doing is good, we are good; if what we do is evil we are bad people. In other words, we are not good simply because we carry a good or holy man's name; we are good and holy because we do good and holy acts.

Matthew 7:17-20
Different kinds of fruit trees can quickly be identified by examining their fruit. A variety that produces delicious fruit never produces an inedible kind. And a tree producing an inedible kind can’t produce what is good. So the trees having the inedible fruit are chopped down and thrown on the fire. Yes, the way to identify a tree or a person is by the kind of fruit produced.

Elijah has already come, but he wasn't recognized!

Matthew 17:10-13

His disciples asked, “Why do the Jewish leaders insist Elijah must return before the Messiah comes?” Jesus replied, “They are right. Elijah must come and set everything in order. And, in fact, Elijah has already come, but he wasn't recognized, and they chose to abuse him. And I, the Messiah, shall also suffer at their hands.”

Food for thought!

Elijah does come and get everything ready, but they didn’t recognize him! This statement is both informative and a regret. It’s informative because it tells us that Elijah did come; it’s a regret because it laments that Elijah was missed.

The very people whose duty was to receive Elijah, the religion scholars, missed him; they didn't know him when they saw him. They treated him like dirt, the same way they are about to treat Jesus! Why and how did this happen? Why do we miss that for which we have been waiting? Why do we read the the Bble and get nothing out it?

This is like asking, why do some students, whose duty is to learn miss the point? Why do couples, who married in order to live together and love each other miss the point? Why do the religious people, whose duty is to love and serve God miss the point? Why do we miss the point?

You have probably heard the phrase, “What you see is what you get.” This saying calls to mind a law of life that has nothing to do with what is being seen and everything to do with who is doing the seeing. In other words, we see what we want to see; we learn what we want learn; we are what we want to be.

That is why, if and when you read the Word of God with an expectant heart, prepared to slow down, and really meditate on what the Lord is saying, you’ll get so much more out of your time with God. But if you read the Word of God with an attitude of “Oh, I’ve read this story before,” and then just skim over the words, you get nothing out of it.

As someone once said, “Age is not a question of years. The years may wrinkle your skin but it is the lack of interest that wrinkles your soul.” This same analogy holds true with how interestingly life unfolds for you. Nothing is interesting in life, in school, in marriage, if you are not interested in life. Yes, sometimes we wait for Elijah that’s right in front of us; we may be searching for the kingdom of heaven, which is right within us all the time, yet often we recognize it not. Nothing is interesting if you are not interested!

Are you stuck too?

Matthew 11:16-19

“What shall I say about this nation? These people are like children playing, who say to their little friends, ‘We played wedding and you weren’t happy, so we played funeral but you weren’t sad.’For John the Baptist doesn’t even drink wine and often goes without food, and you say, ‘He’s crazy.’ And I, the Messiah, feast and drink, and you complain that I am ‘a glutton and a drinking man, and hang around with the worst sort of sinners!’ But brilliant men likeme youJesus' can justify your every inconsistency!”

Food for thought!

In today's gospel reading Jesus describes some people that are stuck. They just can't get moved; they are like children sitting in the marketplace. One group shouts to the other, ‘We played wedding music for you, but you wouldn't dance! We sang funeral songs, but you wouldn't cry! These people are just stuck in life; nothing moves them; nothing inspires them; joyful songs don't inspire them; and neither do mourning songs.

Yes, sometimes we too get stuck in life, unable to move forward or progress; unable to make a difference, not only in our life but also in the life of those we love. The basic question is do we know what we want, what we need, what we have to do? Do we know what will make us happy and alive and good?

The people in the gospel didn't get inspired by the other children in the park. In fact, they could not get inspired. Why? It is because, as Valorie Burton tells us, “What you say about your life and your circumstances is even more powerful than what others say.” It means, others cannot get you moving if you don't want to move; it means that others cannot inspire you if you are not interested in being inspired. What you say to yourself is far more powerful than what others say to you or about you.

How you tell the story of your challenges, the statements you make about yourself, what you say to yourself about yourself can either propel you forward or hold you back. Describe past challenges as events you have overcome, survived, or thrived in spite of. Refuse to make anyone who hurt you the centerpiece of your story. They do not get a starring role in your story. Give God the starring role. Describe the ways in which God grew you, enlightened you, protected you, or helped you through the situation.

If ever you were willing to listen, listen now!

Matthew 11:11-15

“Truly, of all men ever born, none shines more brightly than John the Baptist. And yet, even the lesser lights in the Kingdom of Heaven will be greater than he is! And from the time John the Baptist began preaching and baptizing until now, ardent multitudes have been crowding toward the Kingdom of Heaven, for all the laws and prophets looked forward to the Messiah. Then John appeared,and if you are willing to understand what I mean, he is Elijah, the one the prophets said would come at the time the Kingdom begins. If ever you were willing to listen, listen now!

Food for thought!

If ever you were willing to listen, listen now!
Is there any truth that I am not willing to listen to? Because this is what Jesus was telling the people of his time. He was telling them the truth about God, about himself, about life, and they were stubbonly refusing to accept. That is why he said those words: “If ever you were willing to listen, listen now!” Listen, NOW.

Sometimes we choose not to believe some truths about ourselves, about our partners, about our friends, about life and death. Jesus was telling the people about the greatness of John; he is the greatest of all earth dwellers. However, Jesus was also telling them that the least in heaven is greater than the greatest on earth. Elsewhere Jesus would say, “stop rejoicing because the spirits are submitting to you. Instead, rejoice because your names are written in heaven.” (Luke 10:20).

It means that our greatness is not in our earthly achievements but spiritual ones. Sadly, there are many of us who are giving our best to a career or a worldly endeavor than to the things of God. Many times, we give our best time, energy, and focus to a job while our relationship with God gets the leftovers.

God deserves our best every day. If and when we spend the beginning of our day with God, and when we commit to do our best for Him in everything we do, He blesses everything we put our hand on. All our job, our family, our attitudes, and our actions all prosper when God is at the center of our life. This is the truth Jesus came to tell us.

Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need. (Matthew 6:33)

Come to Jesus and you will rest!

Matthew 11:28-28

Come to me and I will give you rest — all of you who work so hard beneath a heavy yoke. Wear my yoke — for it fits perfectly — and let me teach you; for I am gentle and humble, and you shall find rest for your souls; for I give you only light burdens.


Food for thought!

Jesus has something new today— something worth listening to. He says, “Come to me and I will give you rest.” To whom is Jesus talking? Who are the people Jesus is intiving to come to his rest? It is “all of you who work so hard beneath a heavy yoke.” Most of us relate to these people because we are people that are all the time tired; people who are exhausted. Our schedules have become so hectic, and the cares of our lives have become so heavy, that we are living burned-out, stressed-out lives.

So, if you lead a tired, run-down, worn-out life, read on. You don’t have to live in that prison anymore; Jesus came to set you free. In Hebrews 4:1, we are reminded that Jesus' promise of rest still holds today:
Although God’s promise still stands—his promise that all may enter his place of rest—we ought to tremble with fear because some of you may be on the verge of failing to get there after all.
What does this mean in practice? How can we get into this place of rest? Joyce Meyer has very good reply:

I’ve noticed I leave God’s rest when I think it’s my job to fix the problem or figure out a solution; however, when I realize that God can handle this situation better than I ever could and turn it over to Him, I return to that place of rest. It doesn’t mean that I never plan or problem-solve, but it means that I ask God for His wisdom and simply trust Him with the results. I believe the same will be true for you. If you will choose to let go of the pressure of having to be the person to fix everything and trust that God will have His way in your life, you will find a new level of rest that you have never experienced before. Ask yourself this question: “What do I spend more time doing … worrying or worshipping?” If the answer is worrying, leave those nets— that old lifestyle—behind and bring every worrisome situation to the Lord in prayer and worship Him . That is the key to rest. That is the key to a new beginning.

Rest isn’t wishful thinking—rest is the “promise” of God for your life. And you are not “too late” to receive it. It is never too late to learn to live peacefully! Whatever stresses or pressures you are going through today, you can cast those cares on the Lord (1Peter 5: 7) and receive His rest. You can enjoy your life because God loves you unconditionally and He cares for you. To him be praise and glory and honour and power, for ever and ever. Amen.

God wants us well & alive!

Matthew 18:12-14

Jesus said: “If a man has a hundred sheep, and one wanders away and is lost, what will he do? Won’t he leave the ninety-nine others and go out into the hills to search for the lost one? And if he finds it, he will rejoice over it more than over the ninety-nine others safe at home! Just so, it is not my Father’s will that even one of these little ones should perish.”

Food for thought!

God does not want us to get lost; he does not want us to perish. This is good news. God values us all and each one of us. God knows our value more than we do. He knows the value of each one of us. This is why Jesus told us that parable.

The parable reminds us that God created and owns 100% of creatures. Everything was created by God. “God created everything through him, and nothing was created except through him. ... All things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made” (John 1:3-4); “For by him all things in heaven and on earth were created, things visible and invisible, whether they are kings, lords, rulers, or powers. All things have been created through him and for him.” (Colossians 1:16).

In the beginning, all things created by God were good. “Since everything God created is good, we should not reject any of it but receive it with thanks.” (1 Timothy 4:4). In other words, in the begining God had all the hundred sheep, but then one of them got lost. It means that all the other creatures are still what God intended them to be. Only one creature, called man, got lost.

Man is the one sheep that got lost; man is the creature that wandered away from the plan that God made for it. As St. Paul puts it: “we all fall short of God's glorious standard.” (Romans 3:23). This is the bad news. The good news is that God left “the ninety-nine others and went out into the hills to search for the lost one.” This is what St. Paul says in Galatians 4:4-5, “But when the right time came, God sent his Son, born of a woman, subject to the law. God sent him to buy freedom for us who were slaves to the law / sin, so that he could adopt us as his very own children.” That is the good news!

Just so, it is not my Father’s will that even one of these little ones perish again.

God sees us from heaven!

Luke 1:26-38

God sent the angel Gabriel to Nazareth, a village in Galilee, to a virgin, Mary, engaged to be married to a man named Joseph, a descendant of King David. Gabriel appeared to her and said, “Congratulations, favored lady! The Lord is with you!” Confused and disturbed, Mary tried to think what the angel could mean. “Don’t be frightened, Mary,” the angel told her, “for God has decided to wonderfully bless you! Very soon now, you will become pregnant and have a baby boy, and you are to name him ‘Jesus.’ He shall be very great and shall be called the Son of God. And the Lord God shall give him the throne of his ancestor David. And he shall reign over Israel forever; his Kingdom shall never end!” Mary asked the angel, “But how can I have a baby? I am a virgin.” The angel replied, “The Holy Spirit shall come upon you, and the power of God shall overshadow you; so the baby born to you will be utterly holy—the Son of God. Furthermore, six months ago your Aunt Elizabeth—‘the barren one,’ they called her—became pregnant in her old age! For every promise from God shall surely come true.” Mary said, “I am the Lord’s servant, and I am willing to do whatever he wants. May everything you said come true.” And then the angel disappeared.

Food for thought!


Slowly but steadily, we are approaching Christmas. Today's gospel reading reminds us how it all started. The angel Gabriel was sent by God to a town in Galilee called Nazareth, to a virgin betrothed to a man named Joseph, of the House of David; and the virgin’s name was Mary. He went in and said to her. “Congratulations, favored lady! The Lord is with you!”


From heaven to Galilee to Mary. God saw Mary from heaven; God sees us from heaven. God knows our continent, our country, our village, our street address, our house, our heart. He knows each one of us personally. "Before I shaped you in the womb, I knew all about you. Before you saw the light of day, I had holy plans for you." (Jeremiah 1:15). Let us use Psalm 139 to think of and thank God and his love for us.


O Lord, you have examined my heart and know everything about me. You know when I sit or stand. When far away you know my every thought. You chart the path ahead of me and tell me where to stop and rest. Every moment you know where I am. You know what I am going to say before I even say it.You both precede and follow me and place your hand of blessing on my head.


This is too glorious, too wonderful to believe! I can never be lost to your Spirit! I can never get away from my God! If I go up to heaven, you are there; if I go down to the place of the dead, you are there. If I ride the morning winds to the farthest oceans, even there your hand will guide me, your strength will support me. If I try to hide in the darkness, the night becomes light around me. For even darkness cannot hide from God; to you the night shines as bright as day. Darkness and light are both alike to you.


You made all the delicate, inner parts of my body and knit them together in my mother’s womb. Thank you for making me so wonderfully complex! It is amazing to think about. Your workmanship is marvelous—and how well I know it. You were there while I was being formed in utter seclusion! You saw me before I was born and scheduled each day of my life before I began to breathe. Every day was recorded in your book!


How precious it is, Lord, to realize that you are thinking about me constantly! I can’t even count how many times a day your thoughts turn toward me. And when I waken in the morning, you are still thinking of me!