8 June 2017

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Thursday, 8 June 2017 : 9th Week of Ordinary Time (Homily and Scripture Reflections)

Liturgical Colour : Green
Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, on this day all of us heard from the Scripture readings about that one thing which all of us Christians must have in our lives, and yet which in reality, many of us are still lacking them, or are not able to fully appreciate its importance for us. And what is that, brothers and sisters in Christ? What is it that is so important that all of us must have it in us?

It is love, brothers and sisters in Christ, but not the love which we often know it as, or the love which the world promotes to us. We often know love as the romance between man and woman, between a man and someone he loves and wants to have a family with, and vice versa. Alternatively, we know love as the happiness and joy between two people who are deeply attracted to each other. But these kind of love are not the most important, and is merely one form of love.

Instead, love is the giving of oneself to another person, and true love in essence is unconditional and pure in nature, not saddled down by lust, worldly desires or the pleasures of the flesh. All of these distract us from the true nature of love, and it is true love which all of us need to show one another, as Christians, as those who have believed in our Lord Jesus Christ, followed Him and knew His example of love, the perfect love He had shown us from the cross.

Yes, brothers and sisters in Christ, for all of us, the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ is the ultimate symbol and reality of love, the remembrance of the ultimate sacrifice which He had made for all of us, for each and every one of us because of one singular reason, that He loves each of us very much that He was willing to give up His life for us, and suffer grievously for our sake. There is no greater love than this, as He Himself had said.

It is this kind of love that each and every one of us as Christians must have in us, and which we must profess and practice from time to time, throughout our entire lives. We cannot call ourselves as Christians if we do not love or do not show love through our actions. It is even worse when we who are Christians act in ways that are contrary to our faith. It is a scandal to our faith and to the Holy Name of our Lord if we do so.

What do I mean, brothers and sisters in Christ? Whenever we cause pain, hurt and suffering on others by our actions, when we are thinking selfishly of our own wants and desires, we end up not doing what the Lord had asked us to do, that is to love tenderly and graciously, following what our Lord Himself had shown us by His selfless and loving sacrifice on the cross.

There are many troubles and evils in this world which is caused either by our selfish acts and works, which cause pain and suffering for others. Otherwise, it is our silence and lack of action, when we see our brothers and sisters who are suffering, walking past them and ignoring them, just as the Levite and the priest ignoring the man who was attacked on his way to Jericho, in the story Jesus told His disciples.

Brothers and sisters in Christ, all of us must realise that sin is not just caused by our actions that are wicked, unjust and evil, but also caused by our failure to act when there is perfect opportunities for us to act, to do something in order to protect the innocent, the weak and the oppressed, and yet we turn a blind eye on what is happening and moved on with life.

Therefore, brothers and sisters in Christ, from now on, let us all commit ourselves ever more faithfully to the Lord, by practicing our faith in our lives, and by committing ourselves wholeheartedly to Him and to His cause, by loving one another and showing that love wherever and whenever we are able to do so. Let us seek to do what He has taught us to do, and remember always how His love for us has allowed us all to live with peace knowing that He has delivered us from our fated destruction, and thus, show the same love to each other. May God bless us all, always. Amen.

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Thursday, 8 June 2017 : 9th Week of Ordinary Time (Gospel Reading)

Liturgical Colour : Green
Mark 12 : 28b-34

At that time, a teacher of the Law came up and asked Jesus, “Which commandment is the first of all?” Jesus answered, “The first is : Hear, Israel! The Lord, our God, is One Lord; and you shall love the Lord, your God, with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind and with all your strength. And after this comes a second commandment : You shall love your neighbour as yourself. There is no commandment greater than these two.”

The teacher of the Law said to Him, “Well spoken, Master; You are right when You say that He is One, and there is no other besides Him. To love Him with all our heart, with all our understanding and with all our strength, and to love our neighbour as ourselves is more important than any burnt offering or sacrifice.”

Jesus approved of this answer and said, “You are not far from the kingdom of God.” And after that, no one dared to ask Him any more questions.

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Thursday, 8 June 2017 : 9th Week of Ordinary Time (Psalm)

Liturgical Colour : Green
Psalm 127 : 1-2, 3, 4-5

Blessed are you who fear the Lord and walk in His ways. You will eat fruit of your toil; you will be blessed and favoured.

Your wife, like a vine, will bear fruits in your home; your children, like olive shoots will stand around your table.

Such are the blessings bestowed upon the man who fears the Lord. May the Lord bless you from Zion. May you see Jerusalem prosperous all the days of your life.

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Thursday, 8 June 2017 : 9th Week of Ordinary Time (First Reading)

Liturgical Colour : Green
Tobit 6 : 10-11 and Tobit 7 : 1, 9-17 and Tobit 8 : 4-9a

When Tobit and Raphael had entered Media and were already approaching Ecbatana, Raphael said to Tobias, “Friend, we shall spend the night at the house of Ragouel. He is a relative of yours. He has no son, just an only daughter called Sara.

When they arrived in Ecbatana Tobias said to Raphael, “Friend Azarias, take me straightaway to our friend Ragouel.” So Raphael led Tobias to Ragouel’s house and they found Ragouel sitting by the door of the courtyard. They killed a sheep and served them numerous dishes.

After they had bathed and washed, as they were relaxing before the meal, Tobias said to Raphael, “Friend Azarias, tell Ragouel to give me Sara my kinswoman. Talk about what you were saying during our journey, that the matter may come about and be accomplished.”

Ragouel overheard the conversation and he said to Tobias, “Eat, drink and be merry tonight. You are the man who has most right to take Sara my daughter because you are my kinsman. Indeed it is impossible for me to give her to any other man but you, because you are my closest relative. But, my son, I must tell you the whole story. I gave her to seven husbands from among our kinsmen. They each died on the wedding night. But, for the moment, my son, eat and drink and the Lord will arrange things for you.”

Tobias said, “I shall eat nothing if you do not stop now and bring this matter to a conclusion.” Ragouel said to Tobias, “Take her from now on; I give her to you according to the Law of Moses and you have to understand that God Himself gives her to you. Receive your kinswoman, from now on you are her brother and she is your sister. She is yours from today and forever. Now God will bless you this night and may He give you both His mercy and peace.”

He called his daughter Sara and taking her by the hand, he gave her to Tobias as his wife. He said, “According to Moses’ Law, take her now and bring her to your father’s house.” And he blessed them. Ragouel then called Edna his wife; taking a sheet of parchment, he wrote down a matrimonial contract and they both affixed their seals.

Then they all began to eat. Ragouel called his wife and said to her, “My sister, prepare the other room and take Sara there.” Edna did as Ragouel told her and she took Sara to this room and Sara began to cry. Edna dried her daughter’s tears and said, “Have courage, my child, the God of heaven and earth will change your sorrow into joy. Have confidence, my daughter!”

When Sara’s parents had left the room and closed the door, Tobias got up from the bed and said to Sara, “Get up, my sister, and let us ask the Lord to have mercy on us and save us.” She got up and they began to pray, asking that they be given life. Tobias began like this, “May You be blessed, o Lord God of our fathers, and may Your holy and glorious Name be blessed forever. May the heavens and all creatures bless You. You created Adam and You gave him Eve, his wife, as a helper and companion, so that from these two the human race might be born.”

“You said : ‘It is not good that man should be alone, let Us give him a companion who is like himself.’ Now, Lord, I take my sister to myself in sincerity and love, not merely seeking pleasure. Have mercy on us and grant us a long life together.” Together they said, “Amen,” and returned to bed for the night.