Eighteenth Sunday In Ordinary Time
The multiplication of loaves and fish is the only miracle found in all the four gospels, and surprisingly, twice in the gospels of Matthew and Mark. On the peripheral level, it can be read as yet another miracle in Matthew’s string of miracles that reveal Jesus’s Messianic identity. Indeed, it is! On another level, the passage is so full of symbolism and deeper meaning that a peripheral reading does not do justice to this miraculous event. In fact, there is a miracle within the miracle. I would like to explore the deeper meaning of Matthew’s multiplication narrative in a way that could not only transform hearts, but also transform the world.
Seventeenth Sunday in Ordinary Time
For the past two Sundays, the gospel reading has been from Matthew Chapter 13. This is a unique chapter because in it there are seven parables altogether. Over the last two weeks and today we have heard all of them – Parable of the Sower and the Seed, Parable of the Weeds Among the Wheat, Parable of the Mustard Seed, Parable of the Yeast in the Dough, Parable of the Pearl of Great Price, Parable of the Treasure in the Field, and the Parable of the Net Thrown into the Sea. Because these parables so rich and meaningful, they draw all the attention. Sometimes, though, we have read between the lines.
Sixteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time
If you have weeds in your yard, you know how difficult it is to keep it from taking over. This year clover has gone wild in my yard. I do not use weedkillers because they are bad for the earth, bad for pets, bunnies, birds, bees, squirrels and other wildlife. They can be fatal for humans too. To manually weed them out without also pulling up the grass is not only difficult but also time consuming. Nevertheless to say, my yard is always a little messy.
Fifteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time
Last week we were badly in need of rain in Dayton. Our gardens needed daily watering, the grass was beginning to dry up, and we needed a respite from the heat. It finally rained yesterday. Just one rain, and everything looks refreshed. Just one rain and the grass is greener, the flowers are smiling, and we are relieved. There is something miraculous about how creation and nature work. For us, it is telling about God.
Fourteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time
It is quite a weekend on multiple levels. Personally, I am just back from a three-week stay with my mom and the family. Walking away from my 89-year-old mom is a heart-rending moment. Emotionally, I am fragile and vulnerable every time I do this. On the larger level, it’s the weekend of the 250th anniversary of the birth of the United States of America. The sentiments of the nation are on the highest level. And then, of course, we have the scripture readings for today’s liturgy. These readings stand on their own. So, I have been reflecting – through these scripture readings, what is God saying to me as I re-adjust back to ministry; what is God saying to us as a people of faith; and what is God saying to the nation? This homily is my reflection on these questions.
Thirteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time
The FIFA football world cup is on. Canada, Mexico, and the United States are cohosting this global event. As tourists from across the world come to these countries, often for the first time, it is interesting to read about their reactions to the country. I read that one of the things by which people are taken aback in the United States is the hospitality and friendliness of the American people. They expected to experience the xenophobic rhetoric that has been characteristic of the political establishment. But they have been pleasantly surprised. They feel encouraged by the hospitality they experience on the streets. This is my experience too. If we leave the political rhetoric aside, the average American is the most hospitable person in the world. And this is wonderful.
Twelfth Sunday in Ordinary Time
Historically, you and I know how the action of one person can cause either immense harm or bring about immense good. Hitler single handedly could have prevented World War ll. He did the opposite. Over sixty million people died in that war. On the contrary, there are also people who single handedly brought much good in the world. Gandhi non-violently brought independence to an entire subcontinent. Martin Luther King Jr. non-violently raised the banner of equality for an entire people. St. Francis of Assisi single handedly reformed an ailing Church. Perhaps in our families too there are people who either cause great destruction or bring immense peace.
The Solemnity of the Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ
2026 commemorates the 250th anniversary of the founding of the United States. Anniversaries are important milestones. Anniversaries capture the past, the present, and the future. They tell us who we were, who we have become, and what the future may hold for us. But most of all, anniversaries help us to remember.
Twice in today’s first reading we are told, “Remember” and “Do not forget.” Moses said to the people, “Remember how for forty years now the LORD, your God, has directed all your journeying in the desert…” (Deut 8:2). And again, “Do not forget the LORD, your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt…” (Deut 8:11).
The Solemnity of the Most Holy Trinity
The word "Trinity" is not found in the Bible. However, there is enough data in the New Testament that gives us reason to believe that God is a Trinity of persons. For example, in today’s gospel John says, “God so loved the world that he sent his only Son….” (Jn 3:16). Jesus himself makes several pronouncements that suggests that God is more than one person. For example, in John 10:30, he says, “The Father and I are one.” Similarly, Jesus promised the Holy Spirit saying, “I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Advocate to be with you always” (Jn 14:16). And then again, in today’s second reading there a more definite indication of the Trinity. Paul ends his letter to the Corinthians with the trinitarian greeting, “The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with all of you” (2 Cor 13:13).
Pentecost Sunday
As I read each of the scripture readings for Pentecost, my eyes began to well up. Let me explain. When I was a kid and later as a teenager in the 80s and 90s, I was very optimistic about the world.
The Ascension of the Lord
My decision to go the seminary at seventeen-and-a-half was no easy decision. Going to the seminary is unlike going to college. It is a renunciation. There is a radicalness to it. It rips you, as it were, from home and family. My family and I knew the implications. The day my parents and I left my home and hometown for Bangalore is still fresh in my mind. But even more vivid is the day my parents returned home without me. I remember the three of us at the railway station. Mom and dad had boarded the train, and I stood there alone on the railway platform. This was the first time I had stood alone. As the train slowly pulled away, dad stood at the door waving. I stood there watching the two most precious people in life disappearing into the distance till I saw could see them no more. At that moment, just as I turned around, I felt something deep inside. I was still incredibly sad, but I felt an inexplicable assurance. There was a presence I had not experienced before. I felt stronger and more confident than I had ever felt before. I wiped my tears and looked up. It was the first confirmation of my vocation to the priesthood. 42 years later, I stand here before you.
Sixth Sunday of Easter
“If you love me…” (Jn 14:15). Do you know how many love songs and ballads are about “If you Love me” or it is the song title? I asked Chat GPT. There is an unending list. There is the 1961 "If You Love Me (Really Love Me)" by Brenda Lee. There is the 1971 "If You Love Me" by Stevie Wonder. There is the 1974 “If You Love Me” by Olivia Newton-John. There is the 1977 “If You Love Me (Let Me Know) by Elvis Presley. There is the 1994 "If You Love Me" by Brownstone. There is the 1999 “If You Love Me” by Mint Condition. There is the 2025 “If You Love Me (Let Me Go)" by Colbie Caillat & Russell Dickerson and there is even the 2022 hip-hop tract “If You Love Me” by Mozzy.
Fifth Sunday of Easter
“I am the way and the truth and the life” (Jn 14”6) – this saying of Jesus has been interpreted and preached in various ways. For us Christians, the saying is a total assurance of our faith in Jesus Christ. On the other hand, it is a stumbling block for conversation with people from other religions. The truth of the matter is that Jesus himself did not make the statement to state the superiority of Christianity over other religions. If we understand the context in which Jesus made the statement and the Greek words for way, truth, and life, we realize that Jesus statement is rich expression of Jesus life and ministry. It is also an invitation to his disciples to follow “the way” of Jesus.
Third Sunday of Easter
I was to travel to India tomorrow. My eighty-eight-year-old mother is waiting to me. We have been talking about it for months. But then, the war has presented a total conundrum. My transit airport is Doha, Qatar. It is a hotspot in the war. Even though the ceasefire has brought some normalcy to the flights, the war is far from over. Any escalation can make my trip very risky. It is not merely about making it home. It is also about making it back for First Holy Communion Mass on May 16. After agonizing over all this for over a month, my family and I decided last Wednesday that it is best I do not travel. But I did not cancel my tickets. I almost did but I did. . But each day, amidst all the bad news, I was clinging to the faintest glimmer of hope. Finally, last night I rebooked my flight for June. I may not be going home tomorrow but I have not given up hope.
Second Sunday of Easter (or Sunday of Divine Mercy)
It was the 9am Easter day Mass at St. Helen. Perhaps many of you recall that I reflected on the resurrection of Jesus as the tenderness of God. Remember this when finish telling you the rest of the story.
The Resurrection of the Lord
There is a field of theology that is rarely mentioned but widely experienced - theodicy. Theodicy deals with reconciling God’s goodness with human suffering. The passion, suffering, and death of Jesus, for example. Where was God when Jesus cried, “My God, my God, why have you abandoned me” from the cross? This was the question that was posed to us as seminarians by the professor in our first ever theodicy class. His answer still remains fresh in my memory. He said, “God was closest to his Son on the cross. Jesus may not have felt that way. But in his excruciating moments God held Jesus closest to God’s heart. After all, Jesus’ final words were, “Father, into your hands I commend my spirit.”
Palm Sunday of the Lord's Passion
I am doing something intentionally these days to keep my memory sharp. First, I am learning a new language. But more importantly, I am resisting letting technology do things for me that I can do myself. For example, instead of letting the cellphone dial the number, I try to memorize the number and punch it in. Instead of letting the computer fill my username and password, I do it myself. Human memory is a great gift I am trying to reclaim my memory where technology has caused us to surrender it.
Fifth Sunday of Lent
Over the three weeks, we have heard three stories – that of the Samaritan woman, the man born blind, and the resurrection of Lazarus. These stories are intentionally chosen by the church. They accomplish two goals that John’s gospel is telling its readers – that Jesus is the Christ and that salvation lies in coming to believe in him.
Fourth Sunday of Lent
There are at least eight accounts of Jesus healing blind people in the gospels. This does not account for others who may have been healed when he healed a large number of people. But the story in today’s gospel in unique from all these. The blind man did not come to Jesus pleading for a miracle. This healing was a consequence of a theological question the disciples asked – “Who sinned, this man or his parents that he was born blind?” (Jn 9:2). Jesus’ answer, “Neither… it is so that the works of God might be made visible through him” (Jn 9:3), should not be read as Jesus being dismissive of the blind man’s burdens. Jesus not only restored his sight, but he also treated him with great respect. Despite this, the opening the eyes of the blind man is the subplot of the story.
Third Sunday of Lent
“If you knew the gift of God….” These were Jesus’ words to Samaritan woman. She had come to the well to draw water. Jesus’ first words to her were, “Give me a drink” (Jn 4:7). Her first words in response to him were, “How can you, a Jew, ask me, a Samaritan woman, for a drink?” It is impossible that Jesus was not aware of the hostility between the Jews and the Samaritans. He chose the higher road as he responded, “If you knew the gift of God, and who is saying to you, ‘Give me a drink,’ you would have asked him and he would have given you living water” (Jn 4:10).