Fr. Jose

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Dear family members and friends: Today’s responsorial psalm reminds us, “The Lord is compassionate and gracious, slow to anger and rich in mercy.” It is this nature of the Lord that urges Him to forgive. Jesus teaches us a very good lesson about our behaviour towards others, especially to those who do to us something wrong. We have to forgive them. There is no limit for forgiveness. It is an act of love. The parable of the wicked servant who did not forgive his fellow servant is a good warning to us about the need to forgive others because we have received forgiveness from the Lord several times. Let us practise this forgiveness in our family, workplace, community and also in all our relationships. Thus, we will be fulfilling the commandment of the Lord to love one another. Amen.

Fr. Jose

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Dear family members and friends: In today’s Gospel Jesus deals with a very crucial matter: how to deal with a person who does something wrong in the community of believers. There is a chance of some personal conflicts within the community. The basic attitude we should have is one of peace, healing and restoring the broken relationship. Jesus speaks about various steps. The first one is to talk privately to the person concerned. Many problems can be solved by this. If not settled, the second step is to talk in the presence of two or three witnesses. If it is not still solved, then bring the matter to the church. Church includes the presence of Jesus and it has the moral and spiritual authority to decide what is right and wrong. Jesus gives a special authority to the church to bind and lose. As part of the church let us try not to get into conflicts and if anything happens reconcile at the earliest.  Amen.

Fr. Jose

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Dear Family members and friends: In today’s Gospel, two very important message are given: 1} Jesus speaks about his passion, death and resurrection. 2} Jesus speaks about what one must do in order to follow him. Jesus very openly says what is going to happen to him. He did not want to hide anything from the disciples. Humanly speaking the leaders will all talk about gains to motivate and influence the followers. But Jesus did not want to misguide the disciples. Again, He says to all who want to follow him to take up the cross and follow him. There is no short cut to follow him, but wholehearted accept all the life experiences, with the prime importance of the soul. Let the question in our ears and hearts: “What shall a man give in return for his soul?” Amen

Fr. Jose

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Dear family members and friends:  Today’s Gospel is very important for those who believe in Jesus. Jesus asks the disciples what the people say about Him and later He asked what they themselves say about Jesus. The answer that Simon Peter gave was something extraordinary, in the sense, no one else had made such a declaration: “You are the Christ, the Son of the Living God.” The comment that Jesus makes is that it is the Father in heaven who has revealed it to him. In order to have real faith we need the revelation of the Father through the Holy Spirit. The basis of our faith is the declaration by Simon Peter and let us try to be strong in our faith. Jesus also confirms the strength of the church saying that the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. Let us love the church and as a door to the kingdom of heaven. Amen

Fr. Jose

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Dear family members and friends:  Today we celebrate the solemnity of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary. Today’s Gospel acclamation proclaims, “Mary has been taken up into heaven, the host of angels rejoice.” The Assumption of Mary was officially defined as a dogma by Pope Pius XII in 1950. Today’s Gospel tells us about two important natures of Mother Mary: one is her readiness to help others as we see her going in haste to the house of Zachariah and Elizabeth to serve Elizabeth, and the second one is her absolute humility to rejoice in the Lord for whatever she has received. These show that she lived a life as per the mind of the Lord and as the mother of His Son she was kept pure so as to be taken to Heaven with body and soul. Mother Mary, pray for us. Amen