Ordinary Time Year B

READINGS: Dan 12:1-3; Psa 16:5.8.9-10.2.11; Heb 10:11-14.8; Mark 13:24-32 THEME: Where will You be ‘After’ the Tribulation? There will be an ‘After’ We are gradually approaching the end of the church’s liturgical year and the readings of today, especially the first and the gospel reading, speak of the end of time.   The thirteenth chapter of Mark’s gospel […]

Readings: Jer 31:7-9; Psa 126; Hebs 5:1-6; Mark 10:46-52 Theme: Cry Persistently to Christ. The Sitting Blindman The gospel reading which centers on the blind Bartimaeus, is the last episode we see in the gospel of Mark before Jesus enters Jerusalem. At this point, Jesus is on a move with Jerusalem, the city of his passion, as

Readings: Gen 2:18-24; Psalm 127; Heb 2:9-11; Mark 10:2-16 Theme: It is not good that man should be alone The Loneliness of Man The first two chapters of the book of Genesis contain the creation history, creation out of nothing (creatio ex nihilo). In the first creation account (Gen 1) the last thing to be created

Readings: Num 11:25-29; Psalm 18:8,10,12-14; James 5:1-6; Mk 9:38-43,45,47-48 THEME: NO ONE HAS MONOPPLY OF GOD’S BLESSINGS “…we forbade him because he was not following us” Last Sunday, there was a crisis among the disciples, regarding who is the greatest among them, that is, who is more powerful and more a disciple than others.  They all

READINGS: ISAIAH 50:5-9; PSALM 114:1-6,8-9; JAMES 2:14-18; MARK 8:27-35 THEME: LIVE OUT THE CHRIST “But You…?” In many occasions, we see ourselves living in the belief and words of others that we do not care to ask ourselves “where am I in this?” Sometimes we know much about what others say and do that we forget to

READINGS: Deut 4:1-2,6-8; Psalm 14:2-5; James 1:17-18,21-22,27; Mark 7:1-8,1415,21-23 THEME: WORRY MORE ABOUT THE PURITY OF YOUR SOUL! THE ESSENCE OF KEEPING AND OBSERVING THE LAWS AND CUSTOMS Today, in the first reading, Moses reminded the people the reason God gave them the law and the importance of keeping the laws and living according to

Readings: Joshua 24:1-2,15-18; Psalm 33:2-3;16-23; Ephesians 5:21-32; John 6:60-69 THEME: WHY THE CHOICE OF GOD? a. MAKE YOUR CHOICEDearest in Christ, in the first reading, Joshua gathered the people of Israel, and urged them to choose between God and other gods. During the time of Joshua, Israel was still struggling to alienate herself from polytheism

READINGS: PROV 9:1-6; PSALM 33:2-3,10-15; EPH 5:15-20; JOHN 6:51-58 THEME: FOCUS NOT ON THE HOW BUT ON THE WHY Dearest in Christ, we are still on the 6th chapter of John’s gospel which dwells strictly on the Body and Blood of Christ as the heavenly-given food for our nourishment. Today, in the gospel, Jesus and

Readings: 1 Kgs 19:4-8; Psalm 34:2-3,4-5,6-7,8-9; Eph 4:30-32, 5:1-2; John 6:41-51 THEME: GET UP AND EAT, FOR THE JOURNEY IS TOO MUCH FOR YOU! a. Is this not Jesus, the Son of Joseph, whose father and mother we know? Dearest in Christ today is our third Sunday of reflecting on the sixth chapter of John’s

Readings: Ex 16:2-4,12-15; Psalm 77:3-4,23-25,54; Eph 4:17,20-24; John 6:24-35 Theme: WHAT DO YOU HUNGER FOR? ONLY THE HUNGRY LONG FOR FOOD Hunger and food are in such a relationship that the presence of one calls for the presence of the other. When one is hungry and there is no food to solve his hunger, then it

Readings: 2 Kings 4:42-44; Psa 144:10-11,15-18; Eph 4:1-6; John 6:1-15 Theme: THE SOCIETY NEEDS YOU AND YOUR TALENT! Dearest in Christ, the first twelve chapters of the gospel according to John is taken scholarly as Book of signs because in this part of John’s gospel one finds all the seven signs (miracles) performed by Jesus

READINGS: JER 23:1-6; PSA 23; EPH 2:13-18; MK 6:30-34 THEME: IN CHRIST IS OUR REST RENDERING ACCOUNT OF THE MISSION SENTLast Sunday, we saw Jesus sending his twelve disciples two by two, giving them authority to teach, heal, and cast out demons. Today’s gospel reading presents to us the coming back of the Twelve from

READINGS: AMOS 7:12-15; PSA 84:9-14; EPH 1:3-14; MARK 6:7-13 THEME: YOU SHOULD NEVER WALK ALONE! Dearest in Christ, today’s readings present us the desire of God to make us part of the mission of Christ, the mission of facing the demons of our society, the mission of calling people to repentance, the mission of bringing

Readings: Ezek 1:28b-2:1-5, Psa 123:1-2,3-4, 2 Cor 12:7-10, Mk 6:1b-6 Theme: God’s Power Lies even in the things we consider Ordinary Dearest brothers and sisters, the readings of this Sunday present to us the theme of faith and acceptance of the true message and work of God irrespective of “who” says or does that. In

READINGS: Wis 1:13-15,2:23-24; Ps 29:2,4-6,11-13; 2 Cor 8:7,9,13-15; Mk 5:21-43 THEME: DO NOT BE AFRAID, ONLY BELIEVE! Dearest brothers and sisters in Christ, today’s readings present to us the theme of faith in Jesus who has power even against our greatest fear: Death. a. TWELVE YEARS OF WASTED EFFORTS!The gospel reading of today presents to

JOB 38:1,8-11; PSALM 106:23-26,28-32; 2 COR 5:14-17; MARK 4:35-41 THEME: FOCUS NOT ON THE TURBULENCE! Dearest in Christ, today’s readings call on us to look unto Jesus and believe that once he is with us in our boat of life, every other thing that happens around the boat does not matter. We are to focus,

READINGS: Ezek 17:22-24; Psalm 91:2-3,13-16; 2 Cor 5:6-10; Mark 4:26-34 THEME: THROW YOUR SEED ON THE LAND! Dear brothers and sisters, the readings of today challenge us of giving God chance to perform his work in our lives as our God. They remind us that we can only put into use what we have, but

READINGS: Gen 3:9-15; Psalm 129; 2 Cor 4:13-5:1; Mark 3:20-35 THEME: MAY MY SINS NOT KEEP ME HIDDEN FROM GOD! Dearest friends, today, the readings invite us to reflect on our reactions when we find out that we have gone astray from the way God set for us. a. WHERE ARE YOU? The question, “where

READINGS: Deut 5:12-15; Psalm 80:3-8,10-11; 2 Cor 4:6-11; Mark 2:23-3:6THEME: Where there is no complete free human person, there is no Sabbath Rest. a. The Law of Sabbath Dearest friends, in today’s readings, we are being presented with the day of Sabbath and its law. The law of the Sabbath is the third of the

Readings: 1 Sam 3:3-10,19; Ps 39:2,4,7-10; 1 Cor 6:13-15,17-20; Jn 1:35-42 Theme: COMING TO THE KNOWLEDGE OF GOD Dearest friends, after the events of Christmas we now begin the Ordinary Time of the Year. The readings of today calls for three things: importance of proper direction; necessity of personal experience of Jesus; and the ability to lead others to Christ. These three points are joined

Theme: The Former and the Later Life of Children of the Kingdom. In what is known as Syro-Ephramite war, king Ahaz of Judah recoursed to the Assyrian king, Tiglath-pileser III, to rescue him from the attack of king Rezin of Aram and king Pekah of Israel because he refused to join their coalition against Assyrian government. Tiglath Pileser III came to the rescue of Ahaz, and defeated king Rezin and king Pekah. At this time, Israel and Judah had

Readings: Lev 13:1-2,44-46; Psa 31:1-2,5,11; 1 Cor 10:31-11:1; Mk 1:40-45 THEME: “IF YOU WISH TO, YOU CAN HEAL ME”. Dearest friends, the readings of today speak about how leprosy renders one unclean, and in order not to pass over such illness, the leper has to isolate himself from others. But there is one person from