Fourth Sunday in Ordinary Time Year B

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Fourth Sunday in Ordinary Time Year B
Readings: Deut 18:15-20; 1 Cor. 7:32-35; Mk 1:21-28

Credibility, teaching with authority and healing as a sign of the kingdom are some of the phrases that help to capture the message of this Sunday. The readings draw our attention to importance of credible witness from one's faith conviction. The bottom line is that if our words match the life we live, many people would be astonished by what we do and say, because the Spirit will be working in us. The main point in the first reading is to show that a prophet’s credibility comes directly from God. As we hear at the end of the reading, there were and still there are false prophets today, who presume to speak in the Lord's name or those who” speak in the name of other gods…", claiming to speak the truth, while at the same time embracing hostility and divisiveness. The response to the psalm calls us not to harden our hearts when we hear the Lord's voice. But we must be aware that society today may indeed present to us other "voices", and therefore the need to discern. In Paul's letter to the Corinthians, Paul counsels celibacy and virginity as a sign of the Kingdom in view of the Lord's second coming. His argument is based on the need to dedicate oneself totally to the Lord, because this world is passing away. While Paul does not devalue married life, he is convinced that nothing can outweigh the immanent second coming of the Lord. Living that kind of authentic life would give convincing witness.

In the Gospel of this Sunday, Jesus gives a concrete example of what it means to speak from one's faith conviction. Usually when people speak to us from memory we tend to pay little attention, but when they speak from their faith conviction; from the heart, we are deeply touched. That is the conviction with which Jesus speaks this Sunday. We hear in the Gospel that "the people were astonished at his teaching, for he taught them as one having authority”. Jesus needed no credentials. The source of his authority was his intimate relationship with the Father that evoked a sense of deep conviction behind his teaching. We also encounter the dramatic episode of chasing away an evil spirit from a person in the Synagogue. People watched spellbound as the evil spirit threw the person down and with a loud cry left the person. Why was Jesus able to perform such wonders and heal people of their sickness? Why did his teaching make such a deep impression? While the exorcism Jesus performed was dramatic, what really convinced the people more was his intimate relationship with the Father. He spoke from the heart. Whatever happened during those moments of teaching and healing, Jesus wanted to reveal the Kingdom of God so that people might experience life in its fullness. So what message do we draw from the readings? Three points sum up the message: 1) The readings challenge us to open our hearts so that the teaching of Jesus may transform our lives and his healing power may restore us to spiritual wellbeing; 2) The source of Jesus’ power to heal and authority to teach, was his intimate relationship with the Father. We too can give credible witness with authority. To do so, we need close relationship with the Father through prayer and the sacraments, especially the Eucharist and the sacrament of reconciliation; 3) The healing of the person with unclean spirit is a sign of the kingdom that Jesus still proclaims through the Church and through us even today. Miracles still do happen! The best proof is the power of God’s word that transforms us to live and to share our faith with conviction. Think about it. I am Msgr. John Mbinda, St. John Apostle and Evangelist, Mililani, Hawaii. God bless you.

©2012 John S. Mbinda

Third Sunday in Ordinary Time Year B

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Third Sunday in Ordinary Time Year B
Readings: Jonah 3:1-5,10; 1 Cor. 7:29-31; Mark 1:14-20

Last Sunday we had two ‘come and see’ moments that lead to God’s call and our response in the call of Samuel and the first disciples of Jesus. This Sunday, the readings focus on how God’s call and our response to that call changes our lives and those of others. At first glance the readings may sound tame, but they will scratch us all because our commitment to Jesus Christ has consequences. The readings lead us to meet three central figures: Jesus, Jonah and Paul who have one thing in common. There is a certain urgency in the way they proclaim repentance, a change of heart that leads to witness. The first reading from the Book of Jonah contains a most engaging story on the Lord's determination to embrace all people in his plan of salvation. The Ninevites were a powerful, pagan nation and thus despised. One is not surprised that Jonah first resisted the Lord's call to go to preach repentance in Nineveh, but in the end goes reluctantly. Surprisingly, his mission encounters remarkable results. "Only forty days more and Nineveh is going to be destroyed", Jonah proclaimed. The people of Nineveh responded by believing in God, proclaiming a fast and repenting their sins. "And God relented". The lesson is clear. There are no limits to God's love in his plan of salvation.

In the Gospel passage, Jesus begins his public ministry and goes into Galilee proclaiming the Good News. He proclaims with decisive urgency that "the time has come, and the Kingdom of God is close at hand. Repent and believe the Good News". Jesus urges us to change our lives as a condition of being part of that Kingdom. The call of the first disciples: Simon and his brother Andrew, and then James and John: the sons of Zebedee, is part of that proclamation of the Kingdom. These first disciples were ordinary simple fishermen. But the tone of the invitation by Jesus simply attracted them. "Follow me and I will make you fishers of men". "And at once they left their nets and followed him". These disciples would never the same again. They made a radical decision to follow and witness Jesus Christ. While in Rome, I once bought a book by George Weigel entitled Letters to a Young Catholic. In that book, Weigel speaks about the young Polish priest, Fr Jerzy Popieluszko, beatified in June 2010. One sentence there caught my attention: Faith demands consequences. In his homilies, Blessed Popieluszko spoke about social injustice and became the “conscience of the people.” His faith conviction had consequences. On October 19, 1984, he was kidnaped and murdered at the age of 37. He embodied the truth and died for it. Within five years, the communist regime fell. Fr. Popieluszko had won the battle. Faith demands consequences. This week end we American Catholics remember the grim 39th anniversary of Roe vs Wade, the decision of the Supreme Court allowing abortion. Those who march this week end and protest throughout the country do so because like Blessed Popieluszko their faith has consequence; they embody the truth. They cannot sit back and while millions unborn babies die. The teaching of the Catholic Church is quite clear on this matter. Faith has consequences. Faith is dynamic. Faith is counter culture and therefore manifested in the integrity of men and women who exemplify who they are. So what message do we take home this Sunday? 1) Like the prophet Jonah, we are sent to the Nineveh of today to proclaim God’s mercy and repentance; 2) We have been called by Jesus like his disciples to follow him and not to follow the world; to change the world rather than being changed by the world. 3) Our faith has consequences and therefore we cannot sit back and keep silent while millions of unborn babies die. They have as much right to live just as you and I. Think about it.

©2012 John S. Mbinda

Second Sunday in Ordinary Time Year B

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Second Sunday in Ordinary Time Year B
1 Samuel 3:3-10, 19; 1 Corinthians 6:13-15, 17-20; John 1:35-42

“Behold the Lamb of God.” “Rabbi, where are you staying?” “Come, and you will see.” This Sunday the readings focus our attention on moments when God calls us and our response to that call. In today’s First Reading we listen to how God calls the young Samuel, who experiences the call of God while asleep. God calls him three times that night, and each time he runs to his Master Eli without realizing that it was God who was calling him. Samuel is actually in profound conversation with God. When he is called again Samuel responds to God and offers himself saying, “Speak, for your servant is listening,” a sign of preparedness to serve.

In the Gospel, we read about the call of the first two disciples. The call starts with John the Baptist watching Jesus go by. John points out Jesus to two of his disciples, saying, “Behold the lamb of God.” Why does John the Baptist use this phrase? The title Lamb of God for Jesus appears only in the Gospel of John, with the initial proclamation: "Behold the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world" in John 1:29. This title reaffirms John 1:36, the text we have in this Sunday Gospel passage. The proclamation takes place in the presence of the first two disciples of Jesus, who immediately follow him. These two proclamations of Jesus as the Lamb of God are closely linked to the Baptist's other proclamation in John 1:34: "I have borne witness that this is the Son of God". At the baptism of Jesus, John witnessed the Holy Spirit descending on Jesus and the Father declaring Him to be His Son. Therefore John knew that Jesus was the Messiah that had been prophesied in the book of Isaiah 53:7, "He was led like a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before his shearers is silent, so he did not open his mouth." In the Old Testament, the Israelites sacrificed lambs at the Passover feast (Ex. 12:21) and as offerings (Lev. 14:10-25). Jesus Christ is the Lamb that God would give as a sacrifice for the sins not only of Israel, but of the whole world (Is. 52:13-53:12). In that one masterful sentence, John summarizes the whole of God’s plan of salvation revealed throughout the Old Testament. John therefore uses the phrase “Behold the Lamb of God” to authenticate that revelation and give witness to it. This witness is so convincing that two of his disciples decide to follow Jesus. Then the conversation continues when Jesus looks back and sees the two disciples following him. “What are you looking for?” Their response was, “Rabbi, where are you staying?” They are so attracted to the person of Jesus that they want to be with him, and Jesus simply tells them, “Come, and you will see.” So they went and saw where Jesus was staying and stayed with him that day. What message do we take home this Sunday? 1) Like the young Samuel, you and I are called by God, but at times we need guidance to understand that call. 2) Like the first disciples of Jesus, we yearn for Jesus and suddenly someone points Jesus to us. We follow Him and discover how wonderful being with Him is. 3) Now that we have become His disciples, Jesus sends us to tell others about Him and to bring them to be his disciples too.

©2012 John S. Mbinda

The Epiphany of Our Lord Year B

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The Epiphany of Our Lord Year B
Readings: Is 60:1-6; Eph 3:2-3,5-6; Mt 2:1-12

Appearance, manifestation, revelation of Christ to the nations. This Sunday we celebrate the Epiphany of the Lord. The word ‘epiphany’ comes from the Greek language “epiphaneia’ which means ‘appearance’, ‘showing forth’ or ‘manifestation’. So we could say that we celebrate the manifestation of the Lord. The feast of the Epiphany originated in the third century to commemorate the first appearance of Christ (the infant King) to the entire world as Saviour. The first reading from Isaiah speaks about light shining through the darkness and the clouds—a wonderful image of describing what epiphany is trying to tell us about our Lord. Our own darkness and the clouds of our lack of understanding so often make it difficult for us to recognize in daily life the presence of God, in the Lord Jesus, in the Church or in other people. Psalm 72 focuses on the nations coming to adore the Lord. “Lord, every nation on earth will adore you” and then speaks of kings from foreign lands bringing gifts to the Lord. The Psalm in a sense introduces the Gospel of today that recounts the story of the three wise kings from the East (also called the Magi), who represent all the nations. These Magi come as seekers of the source of the light. The star is only a guide for them. On finding the source, the infant king, they are overjoyed, they confess, worship him and offer him gifts. In the preface of the Epiphany, we get a sense of the mystery we celebrate. "Today you revealed in Christ your eternal plan of salvation and showed in him as the light of all peoples". The mystery of Christ's birth, the mystery of the Incarnation, is therefore made known to all people all over the world without exception. St. Paul in the second reading speaks about the inclusive nature of salvation in God’s plan.

The central message of the Epiphany is that Jesus is revealed to us as a light to the nations. The Magi go in search of this light guided by a star until they find the source of the light in Bethlehem. With them we too seek and recognise the child who is born to be our Saviour. Like them, we too pay homage to Christ and accept the light that Christ brings into our hearts. Since we are led to discover Christ, we are therefore called to go out and share with others the Good News revealed to us. Through our daily witness, in loving others, in forgiving them, in our faith and compassion, in our courage and perseverance, may we be like the star that guides them in their journey of faith, to seek and to discover Christ in their lives. The message we take home is two-fold: 1) We are invited today to recognize God's light, God's presence in our lives, and to let our hearts rejoice and overflow because we know that God is with us 2) Consequently, we are called to go out and share with others the Good News of Jesus Christ revealed to us; to share the light that Christ has given us.

©2012 John S. Mbinda

Solemnity of Mary Mother of God Year B

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Solemnity of Mary Mother of God Year B
Readings: Numbers 6:22-27; Galatians 4:4-7; Luke 2:16-21

Happy New Year! The beginning of a New Year is often related to New Years’ resolutions. I try to make one each year: always the same, “”to spend a moment of Scripture study and silent prayer each day, in order to grow into closer union with God.” That is why I want to tell you why as Christians we need a New Year's Resolution. We must set goals and make resolutions regarding our life, our work and our family relationships. At the end of each year, we usually review our lives of the past year and resolve what we will do the coming year. Most of the resolutions I have seen on TV and read in the press are not resolutions but only wishes. So what is the difference between wishes and resolutions? A wish identifies a goal one wants to reach; a resolution specifies the steps one will take to reach the goal. A wish is about where I want to be. A resolution is about the road I will take to reach my goal. Let me give some concrete examples. A wishful student says, “I want to pass my exams this year.” A resolved student says, “I will spend an extra hour of study every day in order to pass my exams.” A wishful person says, “I want to have more peace and love in my family this year.” A resolved person says, “I will spend more time with my family at table instead of rushing off to the TV or computer.” A wishful person says, “I want to live a life of closer union with God this year.” A resolved person says, “I will set aside 30 minutes everyday to pray and listen to God.” The difference between wishing and resolving boils down to the following question: Am I prepared to do what it takes to make my dreams come true? In other words, am I prepared to pay the cost? You are probably wondering what on earth a new year's resolution has to do with the solemnity we celebrate – Mary Mother of God! Is there a connection?

Let me try to show the connection. Mary Mother of God is the one person given to us by the Church as a model of a resolved and committed person. Mary was prepared to realize what God asked of her – to be the Mother of our Lord. She was prepared to pay the cost. We hear in the Gospel of today that she “treasured all these words and pondered them in her heart” (Lk. 2:19). We recall also that after the child Jesus was found in the temple, “His mother treasured all these things in her heart” (Lk. 2:51). Mary valued the word of God and treasured it. In other words, she made time to reflect, to meditate and to ponder on the word of God. Mary too had to struggle to cooperate with God's grace. She reflected on the word of God in order to discern what God was saying to her at every stage of her life. As we begin the New Year, let us pray that God may help us; that like Mary Mother of Christ, we too may be resolved to listen to God's word; discern God's will for us in 2012; and realize our resolve by living accordingly. Whatever situation we may find ourselves in the new year 2012: a family problem, a job loss, a disappointment, a broken relationship or a difficult decision to make – let us remember that God has a solution and a right answer, but only if we turn to God. Tell God about it in prayer, but also listen to what God tells you about your request. On this New Year, let us resolve to treasure God's word; let us resolve to ponder upon it in our hearts. That I believe will lead us to realize a new resolution on a new life of union with God. May God have pity on us for the wrongs of the past year 2011! May God bless us as we resolve to do better in 2012. Happy New Year! I am Msgr. John Mbinda, St. John Apostle and Evangelist, Mililani, Hawaii. God bless you.

©2012 John S. Mbinda