In the first reading from the prophecy of Isaiah, he makes a clarion call to each one of us to seek the Lord while he is near and to forsake our wrong ways and embrace the mercy of God. The tone of this invitation manifests a sense of urgency to take the opportunity we may have now and come back to God with a true conversion of heart. The reason for the sense of urgency is evident because the reality of death recalls that life is fleeting and therefore, our days to live a Holy life are finite.

The book of Sirach tells us today “Forgive your neighbor the wrong he has done, and then your sins will be pardoned when you pray” while the responsorial psalm, says “Bless the Lord…who forgives all your iniquity.” While the gospel reports of Peter’s question to Jesus how many times my brother will offend me that I forgive him. Should I forgive seven times? What Peter is getting at is that everything must have an end at some point, even forgiving as well. Jesus is his response says, if you want to draw limit to forgiving, then God will also limit his mercy.

According to William Barclay, today’s gospel passage is one of the most difficult passages to interpret in the whole of Matthew’s gospel. Part of the reason may be because it has to do with open and social confrontations and many cultures try, as much as possible, to avoid confrontation. The first message Jesus teaches us in this gospel is that we should not delay in reconciling with any person we have issues with. If anyone has anything against you, spare no effort to get things right again between the two of you. Basically, it means that we must never tolerate any situation in which there is a breach of personal relationship between us and another member of the church. If anyone offends us there is only one way to settle it, face to face talk. Not talking over your broken relationship is very dangerous and can destroy your peace of heart.

In 2005, in a certain remote village a man encouraged two of his children to go for evening Catechism classes and adoration in the church. The elder one was about twelve years while the younger was four or five years old. It had rained heavily that afternoon and there was a great flood. When the catechism and adoration were over the two kids made their way back home. Because of the flood the older boy carried the younger one on his back. Suddenly the shoe of the small one fell in one of the flowing waters. The older one dropped the small one on the sidewalk and went back to pick up the shoe, and immediately the flood carried him, and he hit his head on something and died there. The father on hearing the news went straight to the priest and asked the priest where God was when my son who came for adoration and catechism died in the flood. The priest not knowing what to answer only responded that God was where He was when His son Jesus died on the cross.

The first reading from the book of Isaiah paints a picture of what was going on towards the end of Isaiah’s prophecy. Thus says the Lord to Shebna, master of the palace, “I will thrust you from your office and pull you down from your station.” Shebna was meant to be a steward in the royal palace but suddenly, he began to see himself as a king forgetting his position as a steward. In his arrogant behavior God speaks through Isaiah that he would pull him down from his office and get Eliakim to take over whom he will elevate to be a father to many inhabitants of Jerusalem and to the house of Judah. There are times when many people forget that they are mere servants or instruments in God’s hands. Some even tend to arrogate themselves to the position of God. Many others forget that without God all their accomplishments in life would not have been possible. The message of Isaiah in today’s first reading calls for true humility recognizing our position as God’s children.

Today’s gospel presents us with the story of a Canaanite woman who seeks Jesus’ help for her daughter who is under demonic influence. Jesus’ response and the woman’s faith challenge us on how to respond when we seek God’s assistance in moments of need, trial, and difficulty.

This woman’s love for her sick child of demonic influence is profound as this compels her to take the misery of her child as her own misery. The love she has for her child is a true reflection of God’s love for us, His children. God makes our own misery His own and takes our challenges upon Himself. It is because of this love that made her suffer the rebuffs and insults from the hand of Jesus. It was love which made her accept the silence from Jesus without minding; it was love which made her approach Jesus even when she knew within herself that she was not qualified being a non-Jew. So, we can say that love for her child was the driving force in her heart and there is nothing stronger than this deep love in her heart for her child. In this way, it is this love that our Lord Jesus has for us His children which made Him suffer the agony of the cross and finally gave His life for us.

Today’s liturgy assures that Jesus is with us even when the storms of life try to hit from different sides. We should focus our eyes on Jesus who always comes to our aid. We should not only turn to him when we are in need or when we are in big trouble but should always go to him at every time as a child goes to the mother all the time. Let us not forget that Jesus awaits for us to come to him with our joys, sorrows, challenges, fears and troubles.

“The Transfiguration reflects Christ’s divinity in an extra ordinary way. Just as at His baptism, the voice of his Father was heard calling Christ his ‘beloved son’. Moses and Elijah both encountered God on a holy mountain and represent the Law and the prophets. Christ at the center of the three indicates He is the center of the Revelation.”

What particular gift would you ask of God if he spoke to you in a dream tonight and gave you your choice? Many would ask for badly needed health for themselves or for a family member. Others may ask for financial help just to pay off debt and keep the family comfortable. Others would wish to live for many years. But those who would ask for the gift of true wisdom to govern their earthly lives according to justice and charity may be a small percentage. Yet this is the only gift that has eternal value.

We are presented with the Book of Wisdom in the first reading of today. It is one of the last Old Testament books to be written and it gives a good reflection on final judgment, resurrection, and eternal life. The Book of Wisdom covers topics like immortality, righteousness and encourages us that God’s wisdom can be gained through a life of humility. God grants wisdom to His children who are humble and obedient. The part of the book we read today reflects on God’s mercy and how God judges with clemency and gentleness.

Isaiah in the first reading says, “my word shall not return to me void but shall do my will, achieving the end for which I sent it”. This is a powerful demonstration of the force in the power of God to transform, revive, change, and accomplish whatever it declares. It means that God’s words are not empty words but carries with it such power that it transforms whatever it encounters. God’s words are spirit, and they are life. God’s words, in this first reading, serve as a source of great comfort in our society today where there is chaos, confusion, injustice and evil.

I had written the faith digest for the week before reading the gospel for this Sunday and behold the Lord’s invitation: “Come to me all you who labor”. This seems to confirm the urgency of the message from the cross.

The prophet Zechariah prophesied about 520 BC as a contemporary of the Prophet Haggai and they both championed the course of the Second Temple restoration. We read today, his Messianic prophesy about the coming reign of peace and liberation for the people of God. The Messiah will be a powerful, victorious yet humble king, riding in glory on a donkey. This prophecy is fulfilled in the triumphant entry of Jesus into Jerusalem which we celebrate on Palm Sunday (Mt 21:1-11; Lk 19:28-48; Mk 11:1-11; Jn 12:12-19).

Dear Friends,

Today, we address the question about the Most Blessed Virgin Mary and the Holy Rosary.

The story of the Blessed Virgin Mary starts with the fall of Adam and Eve. God placed a curse on the serpent, putting enmity between it and the woman and between its seeds and her seed (Gen 3:15). The Bible and the Church hold Our Lady as the new Eve and Jesus the Seed promised here. Jesus became accursed to free us from this ancient curse (Gal 3:13). St. Paul explains Christ as the New Adam who brings life as against the old Adam who brings death (Rom 5:12-21 1 Cor 15:45-49).