It was in the home of Joachim and Ann where the Virgin Mary received her training to be the Mother of God. This devotion to Ann and Joachim is an extension of the affection Christians have always professed toward our Blessed Mother. We too, owe a debt of gratitude to our parents for their help in our Christian formation.
"Would that we had died by the hand of the LORD in the land of Egypt, when we sat by the fleshpots and ate bread to the full; for you have brought us out into this wilderness to kill this whole assembly with hunger." (Exodus 16:3)
The insatiability of man has been an aged long vice right from when God created man and gave him all that he needed to live on. But out of unnecessary desire and longing he derailed by seeking for fulfilment by eating the forbidden fruit. (cf. Genesis 3:1)
He suddenly forgot the goodness of the Lord who created him in His image (Genesis 1:26). Inspite of this, God did not abandon man. He kept to His promise not considering the ungratefullness of man. In the course of history He revealed Himself in the salvation account of humanity as He led the Israelites through the red sea. Amidst this, they were not satisfied and kept on murmuring as today's first reading says:
"Would that we had died by the hand of the LORD in the land of Egypt, when we sat by the fleshpots and ate bread to the full; for you have brought us out into this wilderness to kill this whole assembly with hunger." (Exodus 16:3)
The above murmuring came as a result of the hunger they faced, but they suddenly forgot every other goodness of the Lord since they began the journey.
Beloved in Christ what is often our reactions when the going is tough? Why do we deny the existence of God whenever there is challenge on our way? When last did we pause awhile and count God's blessings upon us? Let us therefore examine our consciences in this direction, if not we will continue from where the Israelites stopped in today's first reading.
Finally, as we celebrate the memorial of the parents of our Lady (Ss. Joachim and Anne) let us call on them to intercede on our behalf to be conscious of the goodness of God in our lives especially when we face with duffuculties and tribulations. Peace be with you!
Let us pray
O Lord, God of our Fathers, who bestowed on Saints Joachim and Anne this grace, that of them should be born the Mother of your incarnate Son, grant, through the prayer of both, that we may attain the salvation you have promised to your people. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever.Amen.
© The ARCHIVE 26072023
He is called "the Greater" because his vocation to serve Christ preceded that of the other apostle of the same name. He was the son of Zebedee, and was called by Jesus together with his brother John. James was one of the three apostles, along with Peter and John, who witnessed the Transfiguration (Mathew 17:1) and the agony in the
"We are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not driven to despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed; always carrying in the body the death of Jesus,..." (2 Corinthians4:8)
The ancient aphorism which says: "The downfall of a man is not the end of his life" has come to to play in today's first reading on this great feast of St. James the son of Zebedee, as St. Paul in his second epistle to the Corinthians' Church avers:
We are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not driven to despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed; always carrying in the body the death of Jesus,..." (2 Corinthians4:8)
This implies that, no matter what we are going through God is always there to see us through. He watches our back every now and then. There is no impossibility before our God. Most times when darkness beclouds us, sickness invades our bones, life becomes unbearable and our expectations are being thwarted, then our God the wonder worker whispers: "Be still and know that I am God."(Psalm 46:10)
Indeed, with God we are more than conquerors as St. Paul exhorts us, that despite what we are passing through it cannot be compared with the future glory awaiting us, while assuring us that nothing can separate us from the love of Christ. (cf. Romans 8:1ff.)
Finally, beloved in Christ Jesus, let our hearts not be troubled. We need to see beyond the present pains and predicament that, it is for a short while and God in His mercy is certainly having us in mind. In our sickness let us see Jesus, in our tribulation let us see Him, in our doubt let our hope be solely on Him as St. James whose feast day we celebrate today did. For "Those who are sowing in tears will sing when they reap." (cf.Psalm 126) Peace be with you!
Let us pray
Almighty ever-living God, who consecrated the first fruits of your Apostles by the blood of Saint James, grant, we pray, that your Church may be strengthened by his confession of faith and constantly sustained by his protection. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever.Amen.
© The ARCHIVE 25072023
(1828 – 1898). Youssef Antoun Makhlouf was born in Bekaa Kafra (
"Fear not, stand firm, and see the salvation of the LORD, which he will work for you today; for the Egyptians whom you see today, you shall never see again." (Exodus 14:13)
The faithfulness of God upon us is beyond calculation. He does not consider our ingratitude, for what He said He will do, that He will surely do.
From our today's Table of the Word God spoke to us through Moses saying:
Fear not, stand firm, and see the salvation of the LORD, which he will work for you today; for the Egyptians whom you see today, you shall never see again." (Exodus 14:13)
In our moment of challenges and difficulties, we may tend to complain just as the Israelites; who despite the mercy of God forgot in haste.
We therefore need to renew our trust and hope in Him, for He can never fail us no matter the situation. He is too faithful to disapoint us. We earnestly pray through the intercession of Saint Sharbel Makhluf that we may grow in faith and trust in God so that our hope may not fail us. Peace be with you!
Let us pray
O God, who called the Priest Saint Sharbel Makhluf to the solitary combat of the desert and imbued him with all manner of devotion, grant us, we pray, that, being made imitators of the Lord’s Passion, we may merit to be coheirs of his Kingdom. Who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever.Amen.
© The ARCHIVE 23072023
She was one of the few who remained with Christ during His agony on the cross. With two other women, she went to His tomb and found it empty. It was to her that our Lord first appeared after His resurrection. He asked her to announce His resurrection to the apostles.
"Therefore, if any one is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has passed away, behold, the new has come." (2Corinthians 5:17)
The only constant phenomenon in life is change. In a more clearer term nothing last forever. Everything undergo change upon changes to suite space and time and so is our lives.
In the light of this scenario, that the Church invites us this morning as we celebrate the feast of St. Mary Magdalene who is referred to as the first witness and announcer of the news of the risen Lord; to gird our loin so as to be renewed in Christ.
In our spiritual journey, we keep on making effort to be renewed, some in a slow state others faster but above all effort must be made daily to get it right else we derail from the right path.
Today we have seen as St. Paul in his second epistle to the Corinthians Church proclaiming the need to walk away from the old self and be renewed in the Lord:
Therefore, if any one is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has passed away, behold, the new has come." (2Corinthians 5:17)
This walk away form the former self entails a paradigm shift from comfort zone or detaching from what pleases us and attach to that which the Lord desires. We are quite familiar with the story of this woman of faith - St. Mary Magdalene despite her sinful beginning through the grace of God made a bold step to walk away from that world of fun and then identify with the cross of Jesus through sincere contrition, and later became the harbinger if the goodness if the Lord's resurrection.
Beloved in Christ, in our little way let us make sincere effort to get rid of our former selves and put on a new man as Mary Magdalene did. This can only be possible when we let go hurt inflicted on us and malice then turn to see Jesus in every situation of our lives. Peace, be with you!
Let us pray
O God, who for the glory of your name and the salvation of souls bestowed on the Priest Saint Lawrence of
© The ARCHIVE 22072023
Let us prayer
Lord Jesus, we thank You for the many blessings You have given us. Grant us we pray the eye of faith to see that we are nothing but pencil in your hands, so that humility and docility may be our watch word. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.
© The ARCHIVE 19072023
Let us prayer
Eternal Word, we thank You for the gift of this new day. As we begin please begin with us and give us the grace to persevere in our daily struggles while keeping Your detects and ordinances in mind. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.
© The ARCHIVE 17072023
(480-547). He was born at
Let us prayer
O God, who made the Abbot Saint Benedict an outstanding master in the school of divine service, grant, we pray, that, putting nothing before love of you, we may hasten with a loving heart in the way of your commands. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.
© The ARCHIVE 11072023
Let us prayer
Eternal Word, receive our heartfelt thanks we pray Thee and sustain us in our daily struggle with the hope that we will be healed through a touch of the fringe of Your garment. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen.
© The ARCHIVE 10072023
"I desire mercy, and not sacrifice.' For I came not to call the righteous, but sinners." (Matthew 9:13)
One of the most outstanding attributes of God is "mercy" beyond human calculation, devoid of any condition. This attribute of God goes beyond status, sex and race. It is priceless in nature.
It is in the light of this that, when Christ saw Matthew sitting at the tax office he called him saying: "Follow me". This clarion call of His on Matthew was beyond status and holiness as Pharisees considered. The choice of Matthew as one of the apostles or disciples came as a result of God's unfathomable mercy of choosing the weak to shame the strong (cf. I Corinthians 1:27).
To buttress this, an extract of today's gospel pericope made it explicitly clear that God desires mercy and not sacrifice (cf. Matthew 9:13). Indeed as the Psalmist says: " If God were to mark our iniquities, O Lord, who will stand?' (Psalm 130:3).
Therefore, beloved in Christ how then can we reciprocate this kind gesture of God, other than keeping at heart His detects and ordinances through day-to-day struggle and perseverance, which Evangelist Matthew in the gospel acclamation recorded: "Come to me, all who labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest, says the Lord" (Matthew 11:28).
Indeed our God is ever ready to ease our pains, heal our infirmities, comfort us in sorrow and provides hope in despair. Therefore, we ought to follow Him in our weakness and shortcoming there and then He will restore us into wholeness for He came not for the healthy but for the sinners. Peace, be with you!
Let us pray
Almighty and eternal God, thank You for the many blessings You shower upon us notwithstanding our frailties. Accept we pray the homage of our lips and grant us the grace to follow You in perseverance with our daily crosses. Who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.
© The ARCHIVE 07072023
(1890-1902). She was born near
... He then said to the paralytic--"Rise, take up your bed and go home." And he rose and went home. (Matthew 9:5)
Healing has been one of the desires of human race, as man happen to experience ailments, set backs, tribulations, etc. In order to get rid of this, healing becomes a necessary phenomenon for restoration.
It is in the same spirit that Evangelist Mattew in today's gospel pericope presents before us an account of the healing event of the paralytic by our Lord against the wish of the Scribes and Pharisees. (cf. Matthew 9:1-8)
However, in our day-yo-day experiences, we may be engulfed with difficulties, but amidst this, God is always at work, holding steadily the steering as He did to the Paralytic today, when He said:
"Rise, take up your bed and go home." And he rose and went home. (Matthew 9:5)
In the same vein, with trust in God, the first reading taken from the first book of Pentateuch exposes the power of faith in God when the going is tough. (cf. Genesis 22:1-19). Here we saw the young Isaac questioning his father (Abraham) about the lamb for the sacrifice having seen other items meant for the burnt offering.
Consequently, this question provoked in Abraham a trust in God when he said: "God will provide himself the lamb for a burnt offering, my son." Indeed, God provided the lamb at the long run for the burnt offering.
Beloved in Christ, what difficulties do we experience in our lives and families? Have we actually present them to God in prayer with trust? If not, today's Word reminded us that God is a great provider, a healer, and comforter. Let us see God in every trial we are passing through and indeed He will be there to rescue us. Peace, be with you!
Let us pray
O God, author of innocence and lover of chastity, who bestowed the grace of martyrdom on your handmaid, the Virgin Saint Maria Goretti, in her youth, grant, we pray, through her intercession, that, as you gave her a crown for her steadfastness, so we, too, may be firm in obeying your commandments. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.
© The ARCHIVE 06072023
(1271-1336). She was the daughter of King Peter III of
"Why are you afraid, O men of little faith?" Then he rose and rebuked the winds and the sea; and there was a great calm." (Matthew 8:26)
The Psalmist summarized the central verse of today's reflection, an extract from the Gospel pericope according to Evangelist Matthew when he said: "Be still and know that I am God..." (Psalm 46:10).
This beautiful lines of the Psalmist from the Old Testament reechoed in the New Testament account in the event of the raging and turbulent experience had by the Christ's disciples. In their despair they called on the Lord for assistance as they lost in thought.
The Lord spoke up and rebuked the stormy sea, and instantly there was a great calm. (cf. Matthew 7:6.12-14)
Beloved in Christ Jesus, what represent the stormy sea in your life? Is it hardship, sickness, barreness of any kind, unemployment, etc.? No matter turbulent image you have as an experience, God whispers to you: "Be still.." And on the other way round, He said: you only need to stay calm for I will fight your battle. (Exodus 14:14). Indeed the battle is not ours but of the Lord's. Stay clue to Him in prayer and meditation and indeed the stormy wind in your life will cease.
Finally, let us keep our faith and trust in God as the beginning and the end of every thing in our lives then we will experience stillness that the world cannot offer. Peace, be with you!
Let us pray
Eternal Word, we thank You for the many blessings we receive from You. We acknowledged the gift of Your love and grace offered us each day. In our turbulent situation we beg Thee O! Lord to sustain us with a firm faith in You. Who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever.Amen.
© The ARCHIVE 04072023
Among the apostles, Thomas is remembered mainly because of his doubts about the resurrection of Christ. He did not want to admit anything that went beyond the bounds of his experience and reason. Eight days later he made up for that unbelief with a profession of faith, "My Lord and my God" (Jn 20:28). According to tradition, he preached the
"You believed, Thomas, because you have seen me, says the Lord; blessed are those who have not seen and yet believe." (John 20:29)
The major attribute of every sound Christian is a firm faith amidst doubt, especially when the going is tough, life becomes unbearable and mirage in nature. Then there is utmost need for faith in God, for God writes in a crooked line, which expresses His Omniscience nature as all knowing God. As one of the scholars avers: "He (God) sees the the end from the beginning."
It is in line with this aphorism, that Christ Himself whispers to us in our doubt today saying: "... blessed are those who have not seen and yet believe." (John 20:29). We could only be counted among the blessed here if we make a paradigm shift from the world of doubt to the wonderful light of faith in God through Christ Jesus our Lord and Saviour.
Today as we join the Holy Mother Church in celebrating one of the pillars of faith -St. Thomas the Apostle, we are being called to express our faith in action as he did. Despite his weakness, he stood firm and bore witness to the same faith he once doubted.
Beloved in Christ Jesus, what and what are those barriers that make us to drift from God? No matter the oddities of life, the trials we face day by day, let our faith and hope be built in the Lord, going by the Pauline exhortation; what will separate us from the love of Christ? Enumerating sickness, dead, hardship, trials etc. And he further concluded by reminding us that amidst all these uncertainties we are passing through, we cannot compare it with the future glory awaiting us. (cf. Romans 8:1ff.) May the glory of this celebration strengthen our faith in God. Peace, be with you!
Let us pray
Grant, almighty God, that we may glory in the feast of the blessed Apostle Thomas, so that we may always be sustained by his intercession and, believing, may have life in the name of Jesus Christ your Son, whom Thomas acknowledged as the Lord. Who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever.Amen.
© The ARCHIVE 03072023
