21st Ordinary Sunday


UNVEILING OUR UNDERSTANDING

God calls people and empowers them who are cooperating with him in his mission but thrusts out those who are not doing so. The First Reading speaks of God expelling Shebna, the royal steward of the palace, during the reign of king Hezekiah of Judah, for his arrogance and pride, and replacing him with Eliakim the son of Hilkiah. St Paul sees God as beyond all definitions, imaginations, and human concepts. God is really all pervading, omniscient and omnipotent. No humans can know God fully: what God thinks and what His ways are. God is not indebted to anyone in any way. Therefore, we can only praise, thank and glorify God. When Jesus asks Peter a question about his identity, Peter answers correctly, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” Jesus re-names Simon into Peter, to signify what he is going to be: ‘the rock-like foundation of the Church.’ Jesus empowers Peter and his successors with heavenly powers to bind or lose anything on earth and in heaven. Let us believe in God and cooperate with Him in his mission.

Liturgical materials for the 21st Sunday in Ordinary Time.


Shorts for WhatsApp status & FB Stories - 
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Queenship of Mary


MARY OUR MOTHER AND QUEEN

Pope Pius XII established this feast in 1954. But the Blessed Virgin Mary’s queenship has roots in Scripture. At the Annunciation, Gabriel announced that Mary’s Son would receive the throne of David and rule forever. At the Visitation, Elizabeth calls Mary “mother of my Lord.” As in all the mysteries of Mary’s life, she is closely associated with Jesus: Her queenship is a share in Jesus’ kingship. We can also recall that in the Old Testament the mother of the king has great influence in court. In the fourth century Saint Ephrem called Mary “Lady” and “Queen.” Later Church fathers and doctors continued to use the title. The Dominican rosary and the Franciscan crown as well as numerous invocations in Mary’s litany celebrate her queenship.

The feast is a logical follow-up to the Assumption and is now celebrated on the octave day of that feast. In his 1954 encyclical To the Queen of Heaven, Pius XII points out that Mary deserves the title because she is Mother of God, because she is closely associated as the New Eve with Jesus’ redemptive work, because of her preeminent perfection, and because of her intercessory power. As we celebrate the Queenship of Mary, Let us honour Our Mother and Queen and imitate her in the closeness of God in our lives.

Feast of Queenship of Mary -

Mary's Queenship Song - https://youtu.be/J-9YRUUM2IA
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20th Ordinary Sunday


PERSEVERENCE IN FAITH

Today, the gospel speaks about the virtue of perseverance. Perseverance in prayer with faith is the sign of deep faith. The Canaanite woman sets an example in this regard. In spite of Jesus’ repeated negative answers to her plea, she kneels before Jesus and says “Sir, help me”.This gesture of humility made her persevere in her asking and win favor.

According to Isaiah’s understanding everyone who keeps the Sabbath and holds fast to God’s decrees and covenants will encounter God’s favour. The Canaanite woman whose daughter is possessed by a demon probably knows that she too has a right before God. What Jesus is checking as he interacts with the woman is whether she has faith in him which is the sole condition to win God’s favour in the new era of salvation brought by Jesus for admittance into the new community of believers. The woman passes the test brilliantly as she has a tremendous understanding of the God of Israel and gets her daughter healed. Faith is our deciding point in our relationship with Jesus. What is the quality of our faith? Does it match the faith shown by the woman who was not of Jewish faith?

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August 15 Twin Feasts


FREEDOM TO FREE OTHERS

The feast of the Assumption of Mary and the Indian Independence Day occurring on the same day is a happy coincidence. Incidentally these two events also share a common theme which is Freedom. India became an independent nation on 15 August 1947 after almost a century of active British rule over India. The Assumption of Mary was declared a dogma of faith on 1st November 1950 by Pope Pius XII and the feast was to be celebrated on 15 August. Mary was assumed into heaven because she was totally free from sin, even from the original sin as her immaculate conception testifies. The dogma of Assumption states that Mary after finishing the course of her life on earth was taken up in body and soul to heavenly glory. Mary’s glory is associated with her Son Jesus. Mary not only gave birth to Jesus but also accompanied him as a faithful disciple. From the cradle to the tomb Mary remained as a pillar of strength for her Son. It is only fitting that God the Father did not allow her body to be corrupted for she is the only one preserved from the stain of any sin.

Liturgy for August 15 Twin Feasts - 



Bless our Country - https://youtu.be/16YLCO0J9oM

Wish you all a very Happy Feast of Assumption & Independence Day. 

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19th Ordinary Sunday


STRENGTHENING FAITH AMID STORMS

Do we encounter God in the midst of the trials and storms of our lives? The Prophet Elijah in the First Reading is terrified as he flees for his life and desperately seeks God’s presence. The disciples in the Gospel are gripped by the fear of a storm, and Peter while walking on the waters sinks fast as fear overwhelms him. In both instances, they experience the presence of the Divine who comes to them as refuge and deliverer. God comes to us in the middle of our storms of sin, suffering, brokenness, depression and darkness. Some storms of life are part of God’s sanctification plan for us, compelling us to trust Him. Let us, therefore, learn to listen to the invitation of God and depend on Him who always extends a loving hand towards us, especially during the storms in our lives.

Liturgical materials for the 19th Sunday in Ordinary Time.
https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1dGXpET1kW710qezR3y-NRlBSMX_0_9ZQ?usp=sharing

Response Hymn - https://youtu.be/1nKMf-fAGes

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Transfiguration of the Lord


A TIME FOR TRANSFORMATION

The Transfiguration of Jesus is one of the major mysteries in the life of Jesus. Jesus takes with him the trio Peter, James and John, up the mountain of Tabor and reveals to them the glory of his true identity as the Son of God. The experience gives the threesome a foretaste of heaven. This is signified by his dazzling white clothes. Peter wants to preserve the moment. He wants to erect tents. He is overwhelmed and terrified by the experience, yet he does not want it to end. The experience strengthens the faith of the disciples Peter, James and John. Their experience is narrated to us so that we too can deepen our faith. Let us pray that our faith may be increased and thus we may experience the Lord in the celebration of this Holy Eucharist and in the events of our everyday life.

Liturgical materials for the Feast of Transfiguration of the Lord.

The feast due to its importance in the Liturgical calendar replaces the 18th Ordinary Sunday Liturgy.

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