Fr MC’s Homilies and Podcast
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I am a Catholic diocesan priest of the Archdiocese of Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia currently serving in the Church of the Holy Family, Kajang. Here is where I will post my daily reflexions, homilies, rumination and podcasts.
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Channel Posts
| 2 | Gospel of 8 September 2026
Feast of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary
Matthew 1:18-23
How Jesus Christ came to be born
This is how Jesus Christ came to be born. His mother Mary was betrothed to Joseph; but before they came to live together she was found to be with child through the Holy Spirit. Her husband Joseph; being a man of honour and wanting to spare her publicity, decided to divorce her informally. He had made up his mind to do this when the angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, ‘Joseph son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife, because she has conceived what is in her by the Holy Spirit. She will give birth to a son and you must name him Jesus, because he is the one who is to save his people from their sins.’ Now all this took place to fulfil the words spoken by the Lord through the prophet:
The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son and they will call him Emmanuel,
a name which means ‘God-is-with-us.’
Reflexion
What unites us as human beings? Strip away the differences of culture, language, status or belief, and one simple fact remains: every one of us has a birthday. We enter the world on a particular day, at a particular hour, and from that moment our story begins. Our Lord Jesus Christ chose to share this fundamental human experience. He was born on Christmas Day so that He might be fully human while remaining fully divine. He did not merely appear; He was born of a woman, the Blessed Virgin Mary. And if Mary is truly the Mother of God, then she too must be fully human. She is not an angelic being, nor some ethereal intermediary suspended between heaven and earth. She is one of us. And because she is one of us, she too has a birthday.
Scripture is silent about the details of Mary’s birth. Yet to dismiss the feast simply because the Gospels do not record the event would be to undermine her humanity. And if Mary is not truly human, then either we turn her into a goddess, or we render her Son less than fully human. Both positions are unacceptable to the faith we have received. The Church, therefore, has long celebrated 8 September as the birthday of the Blessed Virgin Mary—exactly nine months after the Feast of her Immaculate Conception on 8 December. How did the Church settle on these dates when no historical records survive? Tradition tells us that 8 September marks the consecration of the Church of St Anne in Jerusalem, the site long venerated as the birthplace of Our Lady.
Saint Augustine, that towering Doctor of the Church, saw in Mary’s birth an event of cosmic and historic significance. He called it the necessary prelude to the birth of Christ: “She is the flower of the field from whom bloomed the precious lily of the valley.” Through her birth, he said, “the nature inherited from our first parents is changed.” In the child of Joachim and Anne, the long night of our exile begins to yield to dawn. The pure vessel is prepared. The stage is set. The story of salvation is already in motion.
Through the birth of the Ever-Virgin, the eternal Son, the Second Person of the Most Holy Trinity, could take our flesh and become man. And through the Incarnate Word, humanity—once an outcast—has been raised to the dignity of adopted sons and daughters of the Heavenly Father. We have received the promise of glorious resurrection and eternal life in the company of the angels. In Mary, all human nature is exalted. Her nativity is not a private family celebration; it is the announcement of joy to the whole world.
So today the Church keeps her birthday with gladness. We honour the purest of creatures, the one whose coming prepared the way for Emmanuel, God-with-us. As we welcome the birth of the Mother, let us prepare our hearts to welcome, once again, the birth of her Son. The flower has bloomed; the lily is about to appear. May the joy of this feast strengthen our hope and draw us closer to the mystery of the Incarnation that has changed everything. | 21 |
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| 4 | Gospel of 7 September 2026
Monday of the Twenty-Third Week in Ordinary Time
Luke 6:6-11
Is it against the law on the sabbath to save life?
On the sabbath Jesus went into the synagogue and began to teach, and a man was there whose right hand was withered. The scribes and the Pharisees were watching him to see if he would cure a man on the sabbath, hoping to find something to use against him. But he knew their thoughts; and he said to the man with the withered hand, ‘Stand up! Come out into the middle.’ And he came out and stood there. Then Jesus said to them, ‘I put it to you: is it against the law on the sabbath to do good, or to do evil; to save life, or to destroy it?’ Then he looked round at them all and said to the man, ‘Stretch out your hand.’ He did so, and his hand was better. But they were furious, and began to discuss the best way of dealing with Jesus.
Reflexion
The media learns how to adapt. There was a time when its main concern was to bring us the latest news, the truth and nothing but the truth. But today, its focus has changed. Our social media/controversy driven society is watching for the next scandal, the next outrage, the next offensive thing to be said or done. As a result of this, the media is no longer interested in looking for truth but for an opportunity to advance their agenda and make money.
The Pharisees, who knew the laws of God better than just about anyone, were not looking for ways to help, but ways to accuse. They had already passed judgment on the Lord and were now only looking for the evidence. They were looking for ways to call out the Lord as doing something technically unacceptable, while missing the much larger point that a man was being miraculously healed.
Of course, the Lord knew what they were up to. He knew that there would be trouble for doing the right thing. Yet He did it anyway. But first, He asks them a fundamental question they cannot answer: “Is it against the law on the sabbath to do good, or to do evil; to save life, or to destroy it?” The answer is obvious but the enemies of Jesus understood that in honestly giving the answer, they will indict themselves for their duplicity.
Where the Pharisees were afraid to answer, the Lord gives the answer by acting. He does not wait for public opinion to change, for things to cool down before He acts. He sees an opportunity to heal and He takes the opportunity. And a miracle occurs.
But the Pharisees’ response to this miracle is not astonishment and songs of praise, but more anger and talk of revenge. How absolutely heartbreaking.
Why is it that people who should know better would rather see harm than healing? Why are we sometimes out to get others? Is it envy that blinds us to our own wicked intentions and fails to see God’s hand working in others?
Let us never forget that the correct response to seeing the work of God happening among us is to rejoice and give thanks for it. Rather than look for opportunities to catch others in their weakness, let us look for opportunities to do good. Rather than seek out flaws in the work of others, let us recognise how God is working through this situation, through this person. For, the suffering of others should always be an opportunity for us to do good rather than do evil; to save life rather than destroy it. Let us not delight in the misfortunes of another, even if it happens to be someone you do not like. | 32 |
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| 6 | He was willing to be the voice of reason and Truth and even be at the receiving end of hostility and misunderstanding, if only he could convince his brethren to cease following the route to self-destruction.
In this Sunday’s Gospel, our Lord provides us with a concrete illustration of how love is translated into fraternal correction. He indicates the three escalating levels of fraternal correction. First, we are to correct the sinner privately. Then, if he refuses to listen, we bring one or two others. Finally, if necessary, the sinner must be brought to the Church. If he refuses even the correction of the Church, and if the matter is serious, he is to be excommunicated. This is what we have witnessed with the recent saga concerning the illicit ordination of bishops by the Society of St Pius X which led to the excommunication of all those involved in it. The last stage seems harsh and even at odds with the first two, but a careful reading would reveal that all three stages serve one single purpose. In the verses immediately preceding today’s text, our Lord speaks of searching for the one lost sheep. In a sense, brotherly and sisterly correction should follow the same idea. Therefore, correction’s goal is not retaliation but reconciliation, that is to lead back into the sheepfold the one who has gone astray and who has gotten lost along the way. St Thomas Aquinas teaches us, “fraternal correction is a work of mercy” and he cheekily adds, “Therefore even prelates ought to be corrected.”
Love isn’t something that makes us feel good. There are times when we are asked to love at a great cost. Pope Benedict XVI had always emphasised the intimate connection between charity and the Truth. Charity is always at service to the Truth, it can never be a cover up for a lie. In one of his homilies, the erudite Pope refers to an important part of the regalia of the bishop, his pastoral staff, and uses this to speak of the Church’s authority to correct – the crosier now seen as a disciplinary rod. “The Church too must use the shepherd’s rod, the rod with which he protects the faith against those who falsify it, against currents which lead the flock astray.” One can imagine the Pope reminding us of that age old adage, “Spare the rod and spoil the child.”
When the Church seeks to correct us, it is only because she wishes to inspire us to greater fidelity, not less. And when the Church extends the rod of authority, it is not to beat us into submission, but to gather us into the safety of the sheepfold. If the Church seeks to impose its sanction on us, it is only because she wishes to provide the moral parameters for our actions so that we may be guided back to the path of salvation. And that is why we should always be grateful that the Church continues to speak with the prophetic voice of Christ. For her motivation is never spite or meanness, but Love.
Walking the path of love is never easy. The other path which is filled with bickering and jealousy, violence and revenge, hate and fear is often crowded, broad and smoothly paved. Few would always choose to walk the more difficult path of love. Although few may choose to walk this path, let us be assured once again, “for where two or three meet in my name, I shall be there with them.” Yes, we never walk the path of love by ourselves. We are never alone. The One who loves us beyond all telling, the One who ate with sinners, pagans and tax collectors, the One who offers His enemies forgiveness on the cross, walks along with us. And as He walks along with us and ahead of us, He continues to guide and correct us through the voice of the Church, His Body. We should expect no less from Him. | 41 |
| 7 | Gospel of 6 September 2026
Twenty Third Sunday in Ordinary Time Year A
Matthew 18:15-20
If your brother listens to you, you have won back your brother
Jesus said to his disciples: ‘If your brother does something wrong, go and have it out with him alone, between your two selves. If he listens to you, you have won back your brother. If he does not listen, take one or two others along with you: the evidence of two or three witnesses is required to sustain any charge. But if he refuses to listen to these, report it to the community; and if he refuses to listen to the community, treat him like a pagan or a tax collector.
‘I tell you solemnly, whatever you bind on earth shall be considered bound in heaven; whatever you loose on earth shall be considered loosed in heaven.
‘I tell you solemnly once again, if two of you on earth agree to ask anything at all, it will be granted to you by my Father in heaven. For where two or three meet in my name, I shall be there with them.’
Reflexion
One of the main complaints about the Church community life is that there are so much politics and drama. If only everyone, especially fellow Christians, could just learn to get along rather than get into each other’s hair. I would often remind people that the word “politics” comes from the Greek “polis” which means “people.” The reality is that “where two or three are gathered, there is bound to be politics and where there is politics, there are bound to be fights!” But our Lord also assures us that not everything is dark and glum about community life: “where two or three meet in my name, I shall be there with them.”
One may be scandalised to note that conflict takes place within the Church too. Aren’t Christians supposed to be peacemakers? Perhaps, but the truth is that conflict crosses all boundaries of religions, traditions, cultures and time. Even in the early Church, even in her earliest days there was conflict. The New Testament attests to this. The trouble is that most of us have difficulty dealing with conflict. Yes, there are a few among us that like to stir things up and then, either watch from the sidelines as others battle it out or else, jump right into the drama. However, most of us find conflict uncomfortable. I’m one of them. A parishioner once told me that I have a personality of a “pigeon.” I think she meant “dove.” That is why many think they can avoid conflict by choosing not to correct others.
Our desire to avoid conflict, our refusal to correct, may have less to do with charity than it has to do with a self-serving motive. In all honesty, it’s always difficult to correct because we don’t want to appear as the bad guy. We don’t want to sour existing bonds or ruin friendships. But silence and inaction are never the solution, and they both definitely do not flow from the well-spring of love. St Paul, in the second reading, writes, “Love is the one thing that cannot hurt your neighbour; that is why it is the answer to every one of the commandments.” Almost everyone would agree that love is the answer but to interpret love as inaction and silence is ludicrous. Love, in fact, places a duty on us to confront the evil. Ultimately, if we truly love them, we must always work for their salvation, which includes correcting them.
In today’s first reading, the prophet Ezekiel’s perception of his vocation as a prophet is more aptly described as that of a concerned brother watching out for his brothers and sisters in the faith. A prophet was considered to be the conscience of the nation, and we know from experience that the conscience often pricks and convicts. Ezekiel, therefore, compared his role to that of a sentinel or watchman who searches the moral horizon for impending disaster and then sounds the warning so that others take heed. He did not relish being thought of as a busy body who waits to pounce on every fault of his wayward brethren. His vocation flowed from his love of God and his love for his people. | 33 |
| 8 |  No text... | 42 |
| 9 | Because of His sacrifice on the cross, we can now forever cease labouring to attain God’s favour and rest in His mercy and grace.
Although we no longer are bound to observe the Sabbath of the old covenant, we now shift our focus to Sunday, the Day of the Lord’s Resurrection, the Day where He feeds us not with wheat or corn or ordinary bread but His own body and blood. On this day, as we commemorate St (Mother) Teresa of Kolkata, let us remember her wise words: “We cannot separate our lives from the Eucharist; the moment we do, something breaks”. Her life was a testimony of this truth as she famously declared that “The Mass is the spiritual food that sustains me—without which I could not get through one single day or hour in my life”. | 41 |
| 10 | Gospel of 5 September 2026
Saturday of the Twenty-Second Week in Ordinary Time
Memorial of St Teresa of Calcutta
Luke 6:1-5
The Son of Man is master of the sabbath
One sabbath Jesus happened to be taking a walk through the cornfields, and his disciples were picking ears of corn, rubbing them in their hands and eating them. Some of the Pharisees said, ‘Why are you doing something that is forbidden on the sabbath day?’ Jesus answered them, ‘So you have not read what David did when he and his followers were hungry how he went into the house of God, took the loaves of offering and ate them and gave them to his followers, loaves which only the priests are allowed to eat?’ And he said to them, ‘The Son of Man is master of the sabbath.’
Reflexion
Today, the Pharisees continue to find fault with the disciples of the Lord but they now lambast Jesus for allowing His followers to violate the Sabbath restrictions and for failing to rebuke them. The Master is to be blamed for the laxity of His disciples. Perhaps, we modern folks would immediately side with the disciples as many would agree that the Pharisees’ petty legalism appear to be over the top in making a mountain out of a molehill.
On the other hand, if we were to compare the actions of the disciples with the angry mobs committing arson and looting in many cities in America, one may be less sympathetic. They look like entitled brats. How dare they trespass on private property and steal the corn from the fields without getting permission from the owners? That would be stealing - looting.
But our Lord is not trying to dismiss the Law of Moses and all laws by taking an anarchistic position, nor is He trying to excuse the disciples for their entitlement. Instead, He is inviting us to look at Him and the title which He assumes: “Master of the Sabbath.”
The Sabbath points to God’s absolute sovereignty and mastery over creation. It is a reminder to the creature that the perfection of creation is attributed to God alone. Now, our Lord declares Himself to be the Master of the Sabbath. Jesus is proclaiming that He is the One who exercises authority even over the rules and regulations that govern the Sabbath day. This is no less than a divine claim. It is practically saying - Jesus, the Son of Man, is also God. That would be stating the obvious.
Thus, the correct lenses by which we should view this text is not that of the Pharisees who saw everything in terms of laws and customs, neither should it be through the lenses of the disciples, who at this instance may be exhibiting a human need for sustenance, but also a sense of entitlement. This text points to the identity of our Lord, the Christ, the Master of the Sabbath, the Divine Word Incarnate.
To the Pharisees of this world, Jesus is proclaiming to the world, that He is greater than the Law and above the laws of the Mosaic Covenant because, as God in flesh, He is the Author of those laws. Our rules and our laws have no hold over Him. This text, however, should never be interpreted as a licence for us to break the law, even moral and religious law, but an invitation for us to obey the law of Christ, since Christ is the Master of the Sabbath.
But to the disciples and to all creatures, our Lord is also proclaiming that He is King and Lord of the Universe, and He alone is worthy and entitled to our obedience. We can make no demands of Him, neither can we get credit for any accomplishment or work or possession that we may have. As Lord of the Sabbath, Jesus has the right, power, and authority to dispense His graces and gifts in any way He pleases.
The Lord of the Sabbath had come, and with His death and resurrection, He became the fulfillment of our “Sabbath rest.” The salvation we have in Christ has made the old law of the Sabbath no longer needed or binding. Just as the Sabbath day was originally instituted to give man rest from his labours, so did He come to provide us rest from labouring to achieve our own salvation by our effort. | 39 |
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| 12 | Gospel of 4 September 2026
Friday of the Twenty-Second Week in Ordinary Time
Luke 5:33-39
When the bridegroom is taken from them, then they will fast
The Pharisees and the scribes said to Jesus, ‘John’s disciples are always fasting and saying prayers, and the disciples of the Pharisees too, but yours go on eating and drinking.’ Jesus replied, ‘Surely you cannot make the bridegroom’s attendants fast while the bridegroom is still with them? But the time will come, the time for the bridegroom to be taken away from them; that will be the time when they will fast.’
He also told them this parable, ‘No one tears a piece from a new cloak to put it on an old cloak; if he does, not only will he have torn the new one, but the piece taken from the new will not match the old.
‘And nobody puts new wine into old skins; if he does, the new wine will burst the skins and then run out, and the skins will be lost. No; new wine must be put into fresh skins. And nobody who has been drinking old wine wants new. “The old is good” he says.’
Reflexion
I was once reminded by another priest that the most grievous sin of a Catholic is to compare his current parish pastor with the former. He wisely added that the most grievous sin of a priest is to compare his current parish with his former. Touché!
The Pharisees and the scribes today make a comparison between the disciples of St John the Baptist and those of our Lord’s, with the complain that the latter’s followers seem lax in their observance of the pious act of fasting. Two things are evident in their complaint, two things which seem relevant in our daily context.
The first is that of making comparisons. Comparisons do not help. In fact, they are divisive and only leads one to resentment, for such comparisons can make you feel inferior, or they can make you proud, when you feel superior to the other. We need to remember that each one of us is unique in the eyes of God and that God has a specific plan for each of us.
The second thing is complaining. Pope Francis from the start of his pontificate, constantly reminds us of how gossiping and complaining ruins communities and relationships. People who complain about others lack gratitude and appreciation for what they have received from God. Instead of complaining about the defects and shortcomings of others, wouldn’t it be better to help them improve or at least, pray for them?
Both comparing and complaining comes from a judgmental spirit and St Paul reminds us in the first reading; “There must be no premature passing of judgment. Leave that until the Lord comes; He will light up all that is hidden in the dark and reveal the secret intentions of men’s hearts.” Instead of passing premature judgment on others, we should be preparing ourselves for the Last Judgment by making amendments to our lives and by abjuring sin and evil.
We fail to recognise that when the Bridegroom is present in our lives, an allusion to us being in a state of Grace - it is a time for celebration, a time for celebrating His Sacraments, especially the Sacrament of His Body and Blood.
But when the Bridegroom is absent, when we are in a state of sin, we should be doing penances, such as mortification, self-control and fasting; and not just fast from food and other material luxuries but also from the Blessed Sacrament.
Rather than looking at what my neighbour lacks, or make perfunctory changes which has little effect on our lives, let us honestly and humbly examine ourselves, repent of our half-hearted ways and strive to live as if the Bridegroom is always present. Let us renew our hearts and our lives, so that we may receive and welcome Him who is the New Wine, the Bridegroom, Jesus Christ our Lord and Saviour. | 44 |
| 13 |  No text... | 47 |
| 14 | If such autonomy demonises us, it is humble obedience which divinises us. So do not be afraid of your unworthiness or lack, but trust in the Lord’s saving and sanctifying grace and obey His word, and He will make you, spiritual landlubbers that you are, into spiritual fishermen to catch men for the kingdom of God. | 49 |
| 15 | Gospel of 3 September 2026
Thursday of the Twenty-Second Week in Ordinary Time
Memorial of St Gregory the Great
Luke 5:1-11
They left everything and followed him
Jesus was standing one day by the Lake of Gennesaret, with the crowd pressing round him listening to the word of God, when he caught sight of two boats close to the bank. The fishermen had gone out of them and were washing their nets. He got into one of the boats – it was Simon’s – and asked him to put out a little from the shore. Then he sat down and taught the crowds from the boat.
When he had finished speaking he said to Simon, ‘Put out into deep water and pay out your nets for a catch.’ ‘Master,’ Simon replied, ‘we worked hard all night long and caught nothing, but if you say so, I will pay out the nets.’ And when they had done this they netted such a huge number of fish that their nets began to tear, so they signalled to their companions in the other boat to come and help them; when these came, they filled the two boats to sinking point.
When Simon Peter saw this he fell at the knees of Jesus saying, ‘Leave me, Lord; I am a sinful man.’ For he and all his companions were completely overcome by the catch they had made; so also were James and John, sons of Zebedee, who were Simon’s partners. But Jesus said to Simon, ‘Do not be afraid; from now on it is men you will catch.’ Then, bringing their boats back to land, they left everything and followed him.
Reflexion
Today’s Lucan account of the call of St Peter violates and debunks three modern assumptions:
1. Knowledge and experience guarantees results.
2. Personal identity is based on self-assertion, that is autonomy from all external authority.
3. Choice of a candidate should be made on the basis of personal merit.
Peter’s vast knowledge and experience as a fisherman did not guarantee him a catch. In fact, the carpenter’s son seems to know more about fishing than he did.
It seems ludicrous and insulting for a fisherman to take instructions from a carpenter on a trade which the former should be an expert. To listen to the latter would amount to ceding all authority to one who had no authority to speak on the matter.
Finally, one could question our Lord’s choice. Being the omnipotent and omniscient God that He is, couldn’t our Lord come up with a better candidate, especially when the candidate of His choice seems doomed for failure?
What unites all these three modern assumptions which seem to be important fundamental assumptions of modern times is the exclusion of God from the picture.
In fact, we see here in the call of St Peter and in fact, in the vocation of every Christian, the reversal of the sin of Adam. Adam and Eve, who submitted to the temptations of the serpent, were guilty of seeking knowledge independent of the God’s wisdom, autonomy free from obedience to God’s Holy Will, and sought an identity that desired to supplant the sovereignty of God by wanting to become “gods” in their own right.
In today’s passage, we see a Peter who is unlike Adam - he was humble enough to listen to our Lord and obey His instructions and finally acknowledged his own sinfulness and unworthiness. And yet our Lord calls him. This story reminds us that we are indeed meant to be gods, not by our own doing, but in the words of St. Athanasius, to become by grace, everything which God is by nature. The Devil’s lie to Adam is not that one day we can become gods, but that we can become gods without any reference to Almighty God and without the grace poured out on us through the sacrifice of His Son on the cross.
So, the real tragedy is that we have fundamentally misunderstood the nature of divinity. Neither divinity nor humanity are defined by power, and a limitless autonomy is not what makes one a god. On the contrary, unlimited autonomy is what makes one an antichrist. Absolute autonomy does not free us from the authority of God, but subjugates us to the tyranny of sin. When we conflate freedom with autonomy — and thereby pathologise obedience — we do not become divine; we become demons. | 51 |
| 16 |  No text... | 54 |
| 17 | This is what we have been “sent to do.” | 60 |
| 18 | Gospel of 2 September 2026
Wednesday of the Twenty-Second Week in Ordinary Time
Luke 4:38-44
He would not allow them to speak because they knew he was the Christ
Leaving the synagogue, Jesus went to Simon’s house. Now Simon’s mother-in-law was suffering from a high fever and they asked him to do something for her. Leaning over her he rebuked the fever and it left her. And she immediately got up and began to wait on them.
At sunset all those who had friends suffering from diseases of one kind or another brought them to him, and laying his hands on each he cured them. Devils too came out of many people, howling, ‘You are the Son of God.’ But he rebuked them and would not allow them to speak because they knew that he was the Christ.
When daylight came he left the house and made his way to a lonely place. The crowds went to look for him, and when they had caught up with him they wanted to prevent him leaving them, but he answered, ‘I must proclaim the Good News of the kingdom of God to the other towns too, because that is what I was sent to do.’ And he continued his preaching in the synagogues of Judaea.
Reflexion
Two days ago, when we celebrated our Independence Day, we heard the five-fold missionary programme of our Lord as He read out the prophecy of Isaiah and confirmed that He is the fulfilment of that prophecy. If you recall, the underlying theme of that prophecy is that the Anointed One has been sent to bring freedom and liberation to God’s people. That seems simple enough. In fact, many modern SJWs (Social Justice Warriors) take that as confirmation that Jesus Himself was a social reformer, the Social Justice Warrior par excellence.
Today, we seem to get a more traditional picture of His role as a miracle worker as He goes about spiritually and physically liberating Peter’s mother-in-law and countless other people who were afflicted with all sorts of illnesses and demoniac possessions. Many good Christians are expecting this kind of a Messiah too - a healer, a wonder worker and a problem solver.
Now though there is some truth in both these views, any view which is pushed to the exclusion of others, especially when it is a view that seeks to validate a certain agenda of the one who gives this interpretation, is prone to falsehood. Heresy does not need to be a total rejection of revealed truth. A partial rejection would equally result in an erroneous and heretical belief, as in the positions taken above.
The more complete and wholistic view is found at the end of today’s passage. Yes, our Lord came to bring liberation. Yes, He performed many miracles, healed the sick, cast out demons. But the most fundamental thrust of His mission is to proclaim the gospel of the Kingdom, the gospel of salvation. His mission is not just limited to rooting out systemic racism or curing our illnesses or solving our problems. His mission is to preach, fight for, and win souls their salvation.
Mission for the salvation of souls, is at the heart of God and this is the reason why the Father sent His son into the world. This is the reason why our Lord tells us, ‘I must proclaim the Good News of the kingdom of God to the other towns too, because that is what I was sent to do.’
This salvation and good news was and is directed toward every area of need, poverty, and problem of humanity. But more fundamental is that Jesus’ mission was to save that which was lost. By nature, man lives separated from God. He lives with a great number of problems and misfortunes, urgently needing the good news of the love and the grace and the favour of Christ. We must, therefore, be careful not to reinvent His mission by making it conform to our own limited agenda.
As Christians we are to imitate Christ, not make Christ a mere copy of ourselves. For to prioritise social justice, physical health and well-being over the salvation of souls, would be to distort the very gospel of Christ. For His priority and mission has always been “to proclaim the Good News of the Kingdom of God to the other towns too,” and this must be our mission too. | 61 |
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| 20 | Gospel of 1 September 2026
Tuesday of the Twenty-Second Week in Ordinary Time
Luke 4:31-37
'I know who you are: the Holy One of God'
Jesus went down to Capernaum, a town in Galilee, and taught them on the sabbath. And his teaching made a deep impression on them because he spoke with authority.
In the synagogue there was a man who was possessed by the spirit of an unclean devil, and it shouted at the top of its voice, ‘Ha! What do you want with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are: the Holy One of God.’ But Jesus said sharply, ‘Be quiet! Come out of him!’ And the devil, throwing the man down in front of everyone, went out of him without hurting him at all. Astonishment seized them and they were all saying to one another, ‘What teaching! He gives orders to unclean spirits with authority and power and they come out.’ And reports of him went all through the surrounding countryside.
Reflexion
One of the things that must have deeply impressed everyone who heard our Lord Himself teach, was the fact that He spoke with such authority about things that other people knew nothing about. He seems to read the thoughts of people's minds, discerns the presence of evil spirits, answers questions before they are even asked. He speaks of unseen things with familiarity, as though He had seen them Himself. He describes what God is like. He predicts future events with pinpoint accuracy. Where did this authority come from?
The first reading provides us with the answer - the Holy Spirit. Yesterday, at the start of His public ministry, we heard how our Lord read from the Prophet Isaiah about the mission of the Messiah, the One Anointed by the Spirit, and after reading this powerful text, He proclaims that He is the fulfilment of Isaiah’s prophecy. His authority in teaching, healing, performing miracles, comes from the Holy Spirit.
In the first reading, St Paul is writing to the Corinthians, a people who were proud of their cherished legacy of philosophy and human wisdom, a people who would judge any teacher by the strength of his knowledge. Knowledge equals authority. Even after the church had begun in Corinth, the Christians were still exalting the wisdom of the philosophers.
But St Paul has shown how the cross of Christ undercuts all the pride, all the boasting of man, and his power and glory. Instead, Paul speaks of what he calls "the secret and hidden wisdom of God which is made available to us by the Spirit," (1 Corinthians 2:7). This secret wisdom is intended for our glorification. It is something permanent and not subject to mutation or changing fads. And finally, this wisdom is undiscoverable by natural processes. You cannot learn about it in university; you cannot take a course in it at any secular school. It is only made accessible and available to the person who is open to the Holy Spirit, “the spiritual man.” The spiritual man is “able to judge the value of everything.”
As we boast of scientific knowledge and human accomplishments, we must humbly acknowledge that we cannot find God by searching on our own. Man, despite his scientific, psychological, and philosophical knowledge and investigations, will never find his way to the heart of God. Only God Himself must disclose Himself, must open Himself to us. That He has done by means of the Spirit of God - only the Spirit of God can reveal the things of God. The Lord Jesus Himself appeared as a man in order that we might have a visible demonstration of what God is like. The simplest answer to the question, "What is God like?" is to say He is like Jesus, under all circumstances. But it is the work of the Spirit to show us what Jesus is like. Without the Spirit, we remain ignorant fools in spiritual matters and have no authority to speak of them. | 55 |
