2nd Sunday of Lent
On this second Sunday of Lent, the church encourages us not to rest in the material comforts of this world. Rather, we should march towards the promised land and our future glory. If we succeed in getting there, the Lord in whom we put our trust, and faith will transfigure our mortal bodies into the likeness of his glorified body.
Today, our first reading and gospel have a lot in common. Both of them narrate the revelation of the glory and splendor of the future. First, due to Abraham’s faith, God revealed to him the glory that would be his in the future. Not only did God reveal this to Abraham, but he also sealed it with a covenant. This is an assurance that He will fulfill his promise to Abraham.
In the gospel, Jesus revealed his future glory to Peter, James, and John, who are collectively referred to by Bible scholars as: “Members of the inner circle.” They saw the glory and splendor of God revealed in Christ, who represents the New Covenant; in Moses, who represents the Law; and in Elijah, who represents the Prophets. The transfiguration of Christ before His disciples is of great significance and has lots of lessons for us.
Christ could have gone to the mountain alone, but he decided to take them with him. This was to assure His disciples that they were not wasting their time following him. He did it to increase and strengthen their faith in Him. He did it to resolve the argument about his personality. Most importantly, He did it to assure us of the future glory we would enjoy if we remain faithful to the end.
Another important lesson we must learn from today’s gospel comes from this narrative: “Peter and his companions were heavy with sleep, but they remained awake and saw his glory.” Of course, after a stressful day of mountain climbing, the disciples were tired.
However, because they were curious and wanted to know why Christ brought them there, they struggled to be awake. Physically, they were asleep, but spiritually, they were awake to accomplish the task that got them there. Like these apostles, we too must remain spiritually awake this season to experience God’s glory. If we must behold the glory of God revealed in Jesus Christ, we must be ready to make many sacrifices.
The Lenten season offers us the opportunity to make sacrifices. It prepares us for future glory through prayers, good works, reflections, and self-denials. It is a time when we grow in grace to advance faithfully to the mountain of God’s glory.
The transfiguration reassures us that even in our struggles we are moving toward resurrection. When we carry our crosses- whether they be illness, grief or personal battles. We do not carry them alone. Jesus walks with us and His glory is our promise of what is to come.
As we journey through Lent, may we open our hearts to listen to Christ. May we find courage in his love and trust that every step we take no matter how painful is leading us closer to the fullness of life in Him. Amen
1st Sunday of Lent
My dear brothers and sisters in Christ,
As we begin this holy season of Lent, the Church invites us to enter into the wilderness with Jesus. In today’s Gospel, we see our Lord being led by the Holy Spirit into the desert, where He fasts for forty days and is tempted by the devil. This moment in Christ’s life is not just an episode from the past; it is a reflection of our own spiritual journey.
The desert is a place of silence, struggle, and purification. It is where we come face to face with ourselves, our weaknesses, and our need for God. Lent, too, is our desert—a time to step away from the distractions of the world and allow the Lord to purify our hearts.
Satan tempts Jesus in three ways: with bread, with power, and with false worship. Each of these speaks to a deeper struggle we all face.
The devil says, “If you are the Son of God, command this stone to become bread.” Jesus is hungry after fasting, but He refuses to use His divine power for personal gain. He responds, “Man does not live by bread alone.”
How often are we tempted to seek comfort, to fill our lives with material things, thinking they will satisfy us? Jesus reminds us that true fulfillment comes from the Word of God, not from possessions or pleasure. Lent calls us to fasting—not just from food, but from anything that distracts us from God.
The devil then shows Jesus all the kingdoms of the world and promises them to Him if He only bows down in worship. Jesus refuses, saying, “You shall worship the Lord your God, and Him alone shall you serve.”
How often do we seek control over our lives, our futures, or even other people? We sometimes believe that success or power will bring us peace. But true peace comes from surrendering to God’s will, not from worldly achievements. Lent calls us to humility and trust in the Lord.
Finally, the devil takes Jesus to the pinnacle of the temple and tells Him to throw Himself down, saying that God’s angels will catch Him. But Jesus replies, “You shall not put the Lord your God to the test.”
Sometimes we want guarantees from God. We want proof that He is with us. We want Him to act on our terms. But faith is about trust, not tests. Jesus teaches us that we must believe in God’s love, even when we do not see immediate signs. Lent calls us to deepen our faith through prayer.
My dear friends, Jesus does not overcome temptation through miracles or displays of power. He overcomes by relying on God’s Word. This is our path as well. The three great practices of Lent—prayer, fasting, and almsgiving—help us fight temptation and grow in holiness.
• Prayer strengthens us, just as Jesus drew strength from His relationship with the Father.
• Fasting purifies our hearts, reminding us that we depend on God, not earthly things.
• Almsgiving helps us turn our focus from ourselves to others, teaching us true love and generosity.
This Lent, let us enter the desert with Christ. Let us face our struggles honestly, rely on God’s grace, and walk with Jesus toward Easter, where we will celebrate His victory over sin and death.
May the Holy Spirit guide us through this sacred season, just as He led Jesus in the wilderness. Amen.
8th Sunday in Ordinary Time
Dear brothers and sisters in Christ,
Today’s Gospel invites us to look deeply into our hearts — not with fear, but with the hope of transformation. Jesus tells us that “from the fullness of the heart, the mouth speaks.” These words are both a gentle reminder and a profound challenge: our words and actions are not separate from who we are inside. They reveal what lives within us.
Our first reading is a call to be very careful in evaluating people based on their appearances rather than on the wisdom that comes from them. It says: the test of a man in his conversation. A man’s word betrays what he feels. Do not praise him before he speaks. Despite this, it suffices to note that One needs a lot of wisdom to discern the truth in someone’s word. This is true, especially given that many people say beautiful words to please and deceive others while their hearts are far from the truth.
Jesus says: These people honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me. Sometimes, they also tell us what we want to hear to make us happy for a moment and sad afterword.
Jesus uses the image of a wooden beam in our eye to show how easily we can become blind to our own faults while fixating on the shortcomings of others. But His words aren’t meant to shame us — they’re an invitation to humility. He asks us to come to Him, to allow His light to illuminate the areas we need to surrender. Only when we experience His mercy can we extend it to others.
A tree is known by its fruit. If we want our lives to bear the fruit of peace, patience, kindness, and gentleness, we must be rooted in Christ. This doesn’t mean we will never fail, but it means that each day we choose to grow in love, to start again when we stumble, and to trust that God’s grace is at work in us.
As Christians, if we live according to the good news our actions and words would be guided by it. Consequently, it will affect others positively. On the contrary, if we fill our hearts with flirt our words and actions would be filled with nothingness.
Also, Christ warns us today to be careful in judging others. Instead, we should be humble enough to look inwards before criticizing others. Hence, St. Paul reminds us: if you think you are standing strong be careful not to fall.
In the second reading, Paul reminds us that God has given us victory through Christ. For this reason, we must be of good cheers and never relent in doing good. Christ’s victory must not be in vain. Instead, it must sustain us in good actions as Paul tells us today. Keep laboring at the Lord’s work always. Knowing that in the Lord you cannot be struggling in vain. This is a call to perfection in all we say and do.
Finally, today may our hearts be filled with joy for what God has done for us through Christ. Through Him, we are filled goodness so that we can praise and thank God with a cheerful and sincere heart. Indeed, it is good to give thanks to the Lord for what He has done for us. Amen.
7th Sunday in Ordinary Time
My dear brothers and sisters, today’s Gospel presents us with perhaps the most difficult commandment Jesus ever gave: “Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you.” (Luke 6:27-28)
If we are honest, this teaching goes against everything that feels natural. When someone wrongs us, our first instinct is to defend ourselves, to seek justice, or even to retaliate. The idea of loving those who hurt us feels impossible. And yet, this is exactly what Jesus asks of us.
Today, let us open our hearts to understand why Jesus calls us to such radical love and how, with His grace, we can live it out.
In the first reading, we hear the incredible story of David and King Saul. Saul was hunting David, seeking to kill him out of jealousy and fear. One night, David found Saul sleeping and had the perfect chance to take revenge. But what did he do?
Instead of killing Saul, David spared his life. Why? Because David understood that revenge does not belong to us; it belongs to God. He refused to let hatred define his actions.
What about us? Have we ever had the chance to "get even" with someone who wronged us? Maybe a coworker who betrayed us, a friend who hurt us, or a family member who disappointed us? The world tells us to take revenge, but Jesus calls us to choose mercy instead.
In today’s Gospel, Jesus doesn’t just say, “Tolerate your enemies.” He commands us to love them. He tells us to pray for them, to bless them, and to do good for them.
But how is this possible? How can we love those who have caused us deep pain?
The answer is found in Jesus Himself. When He was hanging on the cross, bleeding and broken, He looked at those who crucified Him and prayed: “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.” (Luke 23:34)
If Jesus could forgive those who nailed Him to the cross, can we find it in our hearts to forgive those who have wronged us?
Loving our enemies does not mean ignoring justice. It means refusing to let hatred consume us. It means choosing forgiveness over bitterness, healing over division, love over revenge.
How do we apply this teaching in our daily lives?
Forgive even when it’s hard. Not because the other person deserves it, but because God has forgiven us.
Pray for those who have hurt you. Ask God to bless them, not just change them.
Be kind to those who don’t deserve it. Your kindness may be the light that leads them to Christ.
Break the cycle of hatred. If someone insults you, respond with gentleness. If someone wrongs you, return goodness.
Saint Mother Teresa once said, "If you love until it hurts, there can be no more hurt, only love." This is the radical love of Christ. This is the love that changes hearts.
Jesus ends today’s Gospel with these words: “Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful.” (Luke 6:36)
This, my dear friends, is our mission as Christians: to reflect the heart of God in a world filled with hatred and division.
Loving our enemies is not weakness; it is strength. It is the courage to rise above resentment and choose love over hatred, just as Jesus did on the Cross.
As we receive the Eucharist today, let us ask Jesus for the grace to love as He loves, to forgive as He forgives, and to be true children of our merciful Father.
May we go forth today with hearts filled with love, peace, and the courage to choose mercy over vengeance.
Amen.