Psalm 97 : 1, 2-3ab, 3cd-4
Sing to the Lord a new song, for He has done wonders; His right hand, His holy arm, has won victory for Him.
The Lord has shown His salvation, revealing His justice to the nations. He had not forgotten His love nor His faithfulness to Israel.
The farthest ends of the earth all have seen God’s saving power. All you lands, make a joyful noise to the Lord, break into song and sing praise.
2 Corinthians 6 : 1-10
Being God’s helpers we beg you : let it not be in vain that you received this grace of God. Scripture says : At the favourable time I listened to you, on the day of salvation I helped you. This is the favourable time, this is the day of salvation.
We are concerned not to give anyone an occasion to stumble or criticise our mission. Instead, we prove that we are true ministers of God in every way by our endurance in so many trials, in hardships, afflictions, floggings, imprisonment, riots, fatigue, sleepless nights, and days of hunger.
People can notice in our upright the knowledge, patience and kindness, action of the Holy Spirit, sincere love, words of truth and power of God. So we fight with the weapons of justice, to attack as well as to defend.
Sometimes we are honoured, at other times insulted; we receive criticism as well as praise. We are regarded as liars although we speak the truth; as unknown though we are well known; as dead and yet we live. Punishments come upon us but we have not, as yet, been put to death. We appear to be afflicted, yet always joyful; we seem to be poor, but we enrich many; we have nothing, but we possess everything!
Dear brothers and sisters, peace be with all of you! God is with us and He will take care of us, all the days of our life. His blessings are always upon us, if we walk in His ways and reflect His teachings in our lives. He takes care of our needs, and we do not need to worry, because He is with us, He walks among us, and He never leaves us behind.
Today, we heard Jesus’ teachings on the mountain, which is commonly known as the Beatitudes, in which Jesus praised those who are humble, lowly and those who has done good in God’s Name, for the good of God’s people, and that they will gain great things in their life, because of what they had done, and because of the things they had gone through for the sake of God.
It is not easy brothers and sisters in Christ, to belong to Christ in our world today. There are too many temptations and persuasions from this world for us to deviate from Christ’s way, into a way that is the world’s. Why so? Because the world is full of violence, injustice, and hatred, which the devil perpetuates in this world, so as to keep mankind away from God, through his agents which are always at work in this world.
Peace, my brothers and sisters, is not an easy objective for us to obtain. True peace requires all of us to be able to sit side-by-side and embrace one another as brethren in love, and in complete harmony that is of the Lord, despite our backgrounds, despite our racial profile, despite the differences that are between us, in our thoughts and in our actions. But clearly, as all of you can see, there is too much darkness and hatred in our world, that hinder peace and those who work for the sake of peace.
There are those who perpetuate hatred and violence in our world today, in our own societies, for their own gain and benefit. Why, brothers and sisters in Christ? Surely people will want peace right? But if through the perpetuation of violence and hatred it allows some to continue to gain in their own agenda, in their own efforts, these people will not stop spreading lies and hatred to keep the people of God from achieving the true peace that is our aim.
Too often, it is ourselves that are to blame as well, whenever we failed to do the things that God wants us to do, as He clearly told His disciples on today’s Beatitudes. That we should be bringer of peace, of comfort and justice, and also as bearers of God’s faith to all mankind. Let us reflect into ourselves, whether we have done these things that the Lord wants of us.
When we see those among us in feud among themselves, hitting each other verbally and even physically, causing hurt to one another, are we courageous enough to be the peacemaker? Too often, we are concerned of losing our ‘face’ to others, especially to those who are fighting, so that we are more often content to be the silent bystander.
The same also happens when we see someone who is hungry, who is unloved, and who has been unjustly treated. Very often we want to have nothing to do with any of them, because if we do any good to them, we will be considered ‘uncool’ by our friends and those whom we know. But let us see, do we ask for the opinion of men while doing God’s work? No, right? We should not be accountable to men for things that we do for the good of those around us, and for the glory of God.
Therefore, brothers and sisters in Christ, as we reflect on today’s Beatitudes, let us reflect on our own lives, and make a new commitment to be like those whom Christ blessed for being faithful disciple of the Lord, by practising His commandments as peacemakers, and bringer of love and justice to everyone. Let us not be afraid to lift up our fingers to help others around us who suffer, and surely God will guide us and bless us when we love those who are least among us.
May God be with us and bless us, and make us ever more like Him, who is Love, and reflect in ourselves and our lives, the light of peace, love, justice, and harmony, to all mankind, and with all of them, praise our God who loves us and who wants to bless us all our days. Amen.
Matthew 5 : 1-12
When Jesus saw the crowds, He went up the mountain. He sat down and His disciples gathered around Him. Then He spoke and began to teach them :
“Fortunate are those who are poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.”
“Fortunate are those who mourn, they shall be comforted.”
“Fortunate are the gentle, they shall possess the land.”
“Fortunate are those who hunger and thirst for justice, for they shall be satisfied.”
“Fortunate are the merciful, for they shall find mercy.”
“Fortunate are those with a pure heart, for they shall see God.”
“Fortunate are those who work for peace, they shall be called children of God.”
“Fortunate are those who are persecuted for the cause of justice, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.”
“Fortunate are you, when people insult you and persecute you and speak all kinds of evil against you because you are my followers. Be glad and joyful, for a great reward is kept for you in God. This is how this people persecuted the prophets who lived before you.”
Psalm 33 : 2-3, 4-5, 6-7, 8-9
I will bless the Lord all my days; His praise will be ever on my lips. My soul makes its boast in the Lord; let the lowly hear and rejoice.
Oh, let us magnify the Lord, together let us glorify His Name! I sought the Lord, and He answered me; from all my fears He delivered me.
They who look to Him are radiant with joy, their faces never clouded with shame. When the poor cry out, the Lord hears and saves them from distress.
The Lord’s angel encamps and patrols to keep safe those who fear Him. Oh, see and taste the goodness of the Lord! Blessed is the one who finds shelter in Him!
2 Corinthians 1 : 1-7
Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, and Timothy, our brother, to the Church of God in Corinth, and to all the saints in the whole of Achaia. May you receive grace and peace from God our Father and from Christ Jesus, the Lord.
Blessed be God, the Father of Christ Jesus, our Lord, the all-merciful Father and the God of all comfort! He encourages us in all our trials, so that we may also encourage those in any trial, with the same comfort that we receive from God.
For whenever the sufferings of Christ overflow to us, so, through Christ, a great comfort also overflows. So, if we are afflicted, it is for your comfort and salvation; and if we receive comfort, it is also for you. You may experience the same comfort when you come to endure the same sufferings we endure.
Our hope for you is most firm; just as you share in our sufferings, so shall you also share in our consolation.
Brothers and sisters in Christ, today, we heard today about the parable of the tenants in a vineyard, which Jesus told to the people, in order to foreshadow His own sacrifice on the cross as the Son of God, and as the Saviour. Indeed, Jesus Christ, who died for all of us, is the person whom Jesus told as the son of the owner of the vineyard, who was murdered in cold blood by the evil tenants who wanted to grab the vineyard as their own.
How does then, this story relates to the salvific mission of Christ in this world? It may be a bit difficult to see at first, but as you can see, that vineyard is none other than our world! It is a representative of our world, told by Jesus in a parable. To us, to whom the Lord had revealed His truth and knowledge, the truth cannot be further than that. Who are we then in that world? We are the vineyard tenants, who had been entrusted with the care of the vineyard by the owner of that vineyard, the owner of the world, that is our one and only God.
We had been entrusted with this world ever since creation, when God created mankind from dust, and to the first men, God had given the earth with all things inside it under our authority and our care, just like how the owner entrusted the vineyard to the tenants, whom he wished that they work hard and toil in the vineyard, producing much fruits, and bring profits to both the owner and of course, the tenants themselves.
But, just as what happened to the tenants afterwards, the same too had often happened in our world. Instead of being responsible and playing their parts as stated in the tenants’ agreement with their owner, that they should give him part of the profits, they abused their power and authority given to them, and therefore, violating the agreement that were in place between them and the owner.
The same too had happened repeatedly throughout the history of mankind. Man, since their first disobedience, in Adam and Eve our ancestors, by disobeying God’s commands, had become sinful and through sin, we had become increasingly abusive of the authorities granted to us. Through our greed and our desire, we become protective of our entitlements and did not give glory to God of what is His due, and instead, glorifying ourselves, and focus on our own human glory.
But in the parable, the owner did not remain quiet, and he sent many servants whom he entrusted with the dialogue between them and the tenants, that they pass to the tenants the message of the owner, desiring to renew that commitment. Who then are these servants in our world? The prophets! Remember the many prophets that God had sent over the history of mankind, and many of them brought the word of God to the people, but the people remained adamant and proud in their rebellious ways.
They even slaughtered God’s prophets and messengers, much as how the tenants of the vineyard slay the servants of the owner, even as more and more servants were sent their way. They remained solid in their rebelliousness and their pride, unwilling to submit to God’s authority.
Then ultimately the owner sent his own son, arguing that because it was his own son, certainly the rebellious tenants would fear and obey him, just as they should have obeyed the owner. That son, as I had mentioned, is indeed Jesus, that is Jesus Christ our Lord, the Son of God. God so loved the world, and such is His love that He did not want that we who rebelled against Him be condemned to eternal death in hell with Satan the deceiver.
That is why He sent His only Son, Jesus Christ, through whom the world would finally see its salvation. But the people rejected Him, and not only rejection, but they even condemned Him to death, death on the cross. That was exactly how the son of the owner was killed in cold blood by the tenants, because the tenants thought that they would be gaining the inheritance of the vineyard if they killed the son.
The same too happened to us, because in our pride and our stone-hearted nature, many of us rejected Christ and the truth He brought to us. The world itself is against the Lord, because the world is of the evil one, while Christ does not belong to the world, because He is holy as He is perfect. That is why the world also hates those who follow Christ, because those who follow Christ are not like those rebellious tenants. Because by following Christ, we are transformed, from those rebellious tenants in the Gospel we heard today, to the true tenants of the land, by following the way of the Lord.
Life will not be easy for the disciples of the Lord, just as the first reading today told us about Tobit, the Israelite exile, who grew wealthy in foreign lands, but yet, opposition was rampant all around him, and he faced the fact of that opposition directly when his son told him about an Israelite who was strangled on the roadside. That was yet another example on how the world, who represent the rebelliousness of those wayward tenants, hate Christ and those who hear His word and follow Him.
Today, we celebrate the feast of St. Charles Lwanga, a great missionary, who was also martyred for his faith. He did a lot of great work in evangelisation and conversion in his native Uganda, and was martyred for his conversion of Ugandans, whose king persecuted Christians whom he perceived as a threat to the society of the people at the time. St. Charles Lwanga remained faithful even unto death, and through his death, received the heavenly glory of sainthood through martyrdom.
Be courageous and strong, brothers and sisters in Christ, remember that Jesus told us that the owner will not stay silent, and will rise to destroy the evil tenants. Our God is a merciful and loving God, but He is also a just and good God, who dislikes all things evil. Therefore, the Lord will also rise on the last days, to destroy those whom persecuted God’s people. Remain faithful and remain in God’s grace, and He will reward us. Have the strong faith in God like St. Charles Lwanga had, and remain in His favour.
St. Charles Lwanga, pray for us. May God be with us and give us courage to fight against the evils of this world, and may all of us be good tenants of the vineyard of the Lord, responsible and just in our power and authority over what God has given to us. Amen.
Mark 12 : 1-12
Using parables, Jesus went on to say, “A man planted a vineyard, put a fence around it, dug a hole for the wine press and built a watch tower. Then he leased the vineyard to tenants and went abroad. In due time, he sent a servant to receive from the tenants his share of the fruit. But they seized the servant, struck him and sent him back empty-handed.”
“Again the man sent another servant. They also struck him on the head and treated him shamefully. He sent another and they killed him. In the same way they treated many others : some they beat up and others they killed. One was still left, his beloved son. And so, last of all, he sent him to the tenants, for he said, ‘They will respect my son.'”
“But those tenants said to one another, ‘This is the one who is to inherit the vineyard. Let’s kill him and the property will be ours.’ So they seized him and killed him, and threw him out of the vineyard. Now what will the owner of the vineyard do? He will come and destroy those tenants and give the vineyard to others.”
And Jesus added, “Have you not read this text of the Scriptures : ‘The stone which the builders rejected has become the keystone; this is the Lord’s doing, and we marvel at it?'”
They wanted to arrest Him, for they realised that Jesus meant this parable for them, but they were afraid of the crowd; so they left Him and went away.
Psalm 111 : 1-2, 3-4, 5-6
Alleluia! Blessed is the one who fears the Lord, who greatly delights in His commands. His children will be powerful on earth; the upright’s offspring will be blessed.
Wealth and riches are for his family, there his integrity will remain. He is for the righteous a light in darkness, he is kind, merciful, and upright.
It will be well with him who lends freely, who leads a life of justice and honesty. For the righteous will never be moved; he will be remembered and loved forever.
Tobit 1 : 3 and Tobit 2 : 1a-8
I, Tobit, have walked in the ways of truth and justice all the days of my life; I have given many alms to my brethren and to those of my countrymen who were deported with me to Nineveh, a city in the country of the Assyrians.
When I returned to my house, my wife Anna and my son Tobias were given back to me. At the feast of Pentecost, the sacred feast of the Seven Weeks, they prepared a good meal for me and I sat down to eat. I saw the many dishes and said to my son : “Go and bring as many as you can find of our relatives who are in need and who remember the Lord. I will wait here for them.”
When Tobias returned, he said : “Father, one of ours has been strangled and thrown into the public square.” Before I ate anything I hurried out and carried this man into the house and waited till sunset to bury him.
When I returned home I washed myself and ate my food in sorrow. I remembered the prophecy which Amos uttered against Bethel : “Your feasts will be turned into mourning. All your songs will be turned into lamentations,” And I wept.
After sunset I went out and, after I had dug a trench, I buried the man. My neighbours mocked me, saying : “He no longer fears to be put to death for doing that; he had to flee but look he is again burying the dead.”
petercanisiusmichaeldavidkang 