Category: Uncategorized

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Gospel: Matthew 5:20-26

Jesus said to his disciples:
“I tell you, unless your righteousness surpasses that
of the scribes and Pharisees,
you will not enter into the Kingdom of heaven.

“You have heard that it was said to your ancestors,
You shall not kill; and whoever kills will be liable to judgment.
But I say to you, whoever is angry with his brother
will be liable to judgment,
and whoever says to his brother,
Raqa, will be answerable to the Sanhedrin,
and whoever says, ‘You fool,’ will be liable to fiery Gehenna.
Therefore, if you bring your gift to the altar,
and there recall that your brother
has anything against you,
leave your gift there at the altar,
go first and be reconciled with your brother,
and then come and offer your gift.
Settle with your opponent quickly while on the way to court with him.
Otherwise your opponent will hand you over to the judge,
and the judge will hand you over to the guard,
and you will be thrown into prison.
Amen, I say to you,
you will not be released until you have paid the last penny.”

The Gospel of the Lord.

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The Greek philosopher, Plato, likened the soul to a charioteer whose task it was to drive two horses. One horse is gentle and mild, obedient to the commands of its master. The other is rebellious.

The name of the first horse is Reason. The second horse is Passion.

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Reason and passion live in constant conflict within us.

For example, if someone strikes us across the cheek, reason would say, “Take a deep breath. Back down. They may be stronger than you!” 

Even, “Forgive them.”

Passion would say, “Hit ‘em hard! Smack ‘em back!”

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It’s our passions that Jesus is addressing in today’s Gospel. It is not enough for the Christian to know what is right; we also must do what is right.

It’s not enough to refrain from slapping a person; we should not even wish to hurt them. 

It’s not enough to refrain from gossip; we should not even think poorly about another person.

It’s not enough to refrain from dishonesty; we should never even consider telling a lie.

It’s not enough to repress our anger; we must genuinely forgive from our heart.

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Such a high standard is impossible to reach on our own as Reason and Passion constantly tug at our will.

The only charioteer who can tame both is Jesus. 

Christians must learn to surrender to him, to the point as Saint Paul says, that, “It is no longer I who live, but Christ living in me” (Galatians 2:20). 

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Image credits: (1) StockCake (2) Emotional Detective, TypePad (3) Friendship Baptist Church

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Acts 11: 21-26, 13:1-3

In those days a great number who believed turned to the Lord.
The news about them reached the ears of the Church in Jerusalem,
and they sent Barnabas to go to Antioch.
When he arrived and saw the grace of God,
he rejoiced and encouraged them all
to remain faithful to the Lord in firmness of heart,
for he was a good man, filled with the Holy Spirit and faith.
And a large number of people was added to the Lord.
Then he went to Tarsus to look for Saul,
and when he had found him he brought him to Antioch.
For a whole year they met with the Church
and taught a large number of people,
and it was in Antioch that the disciples
were first called Christians.

Now there were in the Church at Antioch prophets and teachers:
Barnabas, Symeon who was called Niger,
Lucius of Cyrene,
Manaen who was a close friend of Herod the tetrarch, and Saul.
While they were worshiping the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said,
“Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul
for the work to which I have called them.”
Then, completing their fasting and prayer,
they laid hands on them and sent them off.

The Word of the Lord.

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Today we celebrate the Feast of Saint Barnabas, whose name means, “son of encouragement.”

Interestingly, his birth name isn’t Barnabas, but Joseph. Barnabas receives his new name from the Apostles after proving himself to be a man of deep faith and character.

We first encounter Barnabas in the Acts of the Apostles after he sells a large field of land and gives the proceeds to the Apostles.

But his greatest contribution, which forever changes the direction of the Church, is playing the role of bridge builder between Saint Paul and the Apostles.

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Prior to his conversion, Paul was known for persecuting Christians. He even consented to the death of Saint Stephen, the first known Christian martyr.

But after his dramatic conversion, Paul wanted to join the community of believers. Many were skeptical of his motives; so, he needed someone who could vouch for him. 

That man was Barnabas.

As we heard in our first reading, “Barnabas went to Tarsus to look for Saul, and when he had found him he brought him to Antioch. For a whole year they met with the Church… It was in Antioch that the disciples were first called Christians.”

Paul and Barnabas then partnered in ministry, risking their lives by travelling 1,400 miles across Greece and Turkey together.

The fact that Barnabas not only vouched for Paul, but also ministered with him, was a sign that he must’ve loved and forgiven Paul for his past transgressions. He was no longer a threat, but a brother.

In the years thereafter, Paul travelled another 10,000 miles on foot, not including many other days at sea. It’s quite possible that his remarkable ministry would’ve never been considered credible had he not met Barnabas.

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Maybe there’s a word in that for us.

Some people are called to do “great” things for God like Saint Paul did. But Barnabas reminds us that even simplest gestures like welcoming a brother can change the world. 

May we embrace his good spirit and humbly encourage someone else today.

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Image credits: (1) bethanyum.org (2) The Apostles Paul and Barnabas, Nicholaes Berchem, 1650 (3) Good and Godly DNA with LA

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Gospel: Matthew 5: 13-16

Jesus said to his disciples:
“You are the salt of the earth.
But if salt loses its taste, with what can it be seasoned?
It is no longer good for anything
but to be thrown out and trampled underfoot.
You are the light of the world.
A city set on a mountain cannot be hidden.
Nor do they light a lamp and then put it under a bushel basket;
it is set on a lampstand,
where it gives light to all in the house.
Just so, your light must shine before others,
that they may see your good deeds
and glorify your heavenly Father.”

The Gospel of the Lord.

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Some early Christians took the promise of the resurrection so seriously, that they developed some odd practices to ensure they were living in accordance with the Gospel.

For example, if someone was expelled from the community of faith for living immorally, or if a person left the faith willingly, before returning to the community, that person would have to lie flat on the floor at the church’s entrance and publicly proclaim: 

“Trample upon me who was the salt which lost its flavor.”

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Such a humbling practice – being stepped on by your peers (and at the entrance of church, nonetheless!) – was derived from Jesus’ words in today’s Gospel. 

“You are the salt of the earth, but if salt loses its taste, it is no longer good for anything, but to be thrown out and trampled underfoot.”

Perhaps these Christians took the Gospel too literally, but this exercise certainly makes a point. In the ancient world, salt was not only used as flavoring, but also as a preservative; it kept food from rotting. 

It’s also what faith does for Christians. It gives us meaning; you might say, it “flavors” our life. Without it, life would be bland; dark; and, ultimately, meaningless. 

Faith also preserves our souls from being ruined by sin.  

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In what ways does faith “flavor” my life? How does it season my time, my decisions, and the influence I have on other people?

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“Trample upon me who was the salt who lost its flavor.”

May those words never be spoken of us. 

Be “salty” instead.

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Image credits: (1) Romanita Hairston (2) Group Bible Study (3) Story Jewellery