Category Archives: Fr Franco
Our Lord Jesus Christ, King of the Universe
WHAT IS YOUR PREFERRED STYLE OF LEADERSHIP? ‘Leadership’ is a much discussed topic today, not only in politics but also in the corporate world. Management trainers at business schools discuss concepts such as Servant Leadership, Transformational Leadership, Visionary Leadership, and … Continue reading
7th Sunday of the Year _A
7th Sunday_ Year A “You must therefore be perfect just as your heavenly Father is perfect.” Mt 5:48 In the gospel text of today, as Jesus continues his ‘Sermon on the Mount,’ he reiterates, “You must therefore be perfect just … Continue reading
5th Sunday in Ordinary Time
5th Sunday in Ordinary Time – Year A You are the salt of the earth… and light of the World (Mt 5:13-14) I began this New Year in an atmosphere of silence and prayer. And this liturgical year, being the … Continue reading
THE EPIPHANY OF THE LORD_A
Epiphany: God is made visible! (Mt 2:1-12) In most cultures, one of the games that children play is “hide and seek”, with many variants – tag, sardines, or hidey (in Scotland). There is a lot of fun in finding … Continue reading
MARY M,OTHER OF GOD_ NEW YEAR 2020
New Year – Mary, Mother of God “May the Lord Bless you” (Num 6:24) Today is a day of blessing. In this New Year, God has blessed us with another opportunity to grow in love, to come closer to Him, … Continue reading
FEAST OF THE HOLY FAMILY-A
Feast of the Holy Family They settled in a town called Nazareth (Mt 2:23) Necessity of the Human Family In the whole of the animal kingdom, human being is the most vulnerable animal at the point of birth. A calf … Continue reading
Christmas- A
And the Word became flesh (Jn 1:14) Christmas – Liturgy of the Day The language of God A young man was intrigued by this question: what language does God speak? He asked people around, what is the language of God? … Continue reading
Fourth Sunday of Advent- A
“You must name him Jesus” (Mt 1:21) 4th Sunday of Advent – Year A We are all aware of the annunciation of angel Gabriel to Mary. When we think of annunciation, we only think of the annunciation to Mary (Lk … Continue reading
First Sunday of Advent_A
1st Sunday in Advent The Son of Man is Coming (Mt 24:44) One of the advent hymns that I like most is: We long to see thee so! To see Thee newly-born. We long for Christmas morn. The sands of … Continue reading
Twenty-ninth Sunday of Ordinary Time-C
29th Sunday in Ordinary Time – Year C (Lk 18:1-8) ‘… a parable about the need to pray continually…’ (Lk 18:1) Emergency numbers and frequently dialed numbers Wherever in the world you are, today, you can have access to … Continue reading
Twenty-eight Sunday of Ordinary Time-C
28th Sunday in Ordinary Time – Year C He threw himself at the feet of Jesus and thanked him (Lk 17:11-19) A few years back, while back in India for holidays, I was once traveling by train. It was past … Continue reading
Twenty Seventh Sunday of Ordinary Time_C
27th Sunday of Ordinary Time (C) “We have done no more than our duty” (Lk 17:5-10) The Spirituality of Daily life In the late 1990’s, CNN, the American news channel, ran an ad in the print media that made … Continue reading
Twenty-sixth Sunday of Ordinary Time-C
26th Sunday in Ordinary Time Why Love? (Luke 16:19-31: the parable of Lazarus and the rich man) It is quite common in parts of the world and even here, for employees to be absent from work for the purposes of … Continue reading
Twenty-fifth Sunday in Ordinary Time – C
Readings: Am 8:4-7; Ps 113:1-2, 4-6, 7-8; 1 Tm 2:1-8; Lk 16:1-13 Use money to win you friends A clear message in the gospels: Renunciation The gospel of this Sunday took a lot of effort to prepare a sermon on. … Continue reading
Twenty-fourth Sunday in Ordinary Time – C
Readings: Ex 32:7-11, 13-14; Ps 51:3-4, 12-13, 17, 19; 1 Tim 1:12-17; Lk 15:1-10 The Lost Son Today is one of those days when I feel a homily might steal the gospel reading of its depth. The parable that we … Continue reading
Twenty-third Sunday in Ordinary Time – C
Readings: Wis 9:13-18; Ps 90:3-4, 5-6, 12-13, 14-17; Phmn 9-10, 12-17; Lk 14:25-33 Remember, you are following a Martyr! Our world today has too many celebrities and very few heroes. Our contemporary culture focuses so much on celebrities. The media … Continue reading
Twenty-second Sunday in Ordinary Time – C
Readings: Sir 3:17-18,20,28-29; Ps 68:4-5, 6-7, 10-11; Heb 12:18-19,22-24; Luke 14:1,7-14 HUMILITY Fr Cajetan Lobo … on his ordination day he invited to his home all the poor people from near and far to take part in his celebration. This … Continue reading
Twenty-first Sunday in Ordinary Time – C
Readings: Is 66:18-21; Ps 117:1, 2; Heb 12:5-7, 11-13; Lk 13:22-30 The Narrow Door When you were in school, did you prefer easy-going teachers to demanding ones? I have been in formal education for 24 years (more than half of … Continue reading
Twentieth Sunday in Ordinary Time – C
Readings: Jer 38:4-6, 8-10; Ps 40:2, 3, 4, 18; Heb 12:1-4; Lk 12:49-53 Disturb us, Lord! When I read the gospel reading of today, a phrase kept coming back to me very spontaneously. It was the first line of a … Continue reading
Solemnity of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary
Readings: Rev 11:19a; 12:1-6a, 10ab; Ps 45:10, 11, 12, 16; 1 Cor 15:20-27; Lk 1:39-56 All Generations Will Call Me Blessed What is common in the Mass readings today is “movement.” In the first reading (Day Mass) we see a … Continue reading
Nineteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time – C
Readings: Wis 18, 6-9; Ps 32, 1.12.18-22; Heb 11, 1-2.8-19; Lk 12, 35-40 Spiritual Capital: Treasures in Heaven During the course of the past week, I happened to chance upon a former student of mine, thanks to Facebook. We had … Continue reading
Eighteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time – C
Readings: Eccl 1:2; 2:21-23; Ps 90:3-4, 5-6, 12-13, 14, 17; Col 3:1-5, 9-11; Lk 12:13-21 Seek the Things that are in Heaven Once again with a story from Tony de Mello: “What stone?” asked the sage. “Last night I was … Continue reading
Seventeenth Sunday in Ordinary Time – C
Readings: Gen 18, 20-32; Ps: 137, 1-3. 6-8; Col 1, 12-14; Lk 11, 1-13 Ask, Seek, Knock Let me begin with a story from Tony de Mello – shortened here: The village priest was a holy man so each time … Continue reading
Sixteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time – C
Readings: Gen 18, 1-10; Ps: 14, 2-5; Col 1, 24-28; Lk 10, 38-42 Mary sat beside the Lord at his feet listening to him speak One of the realities that we notice in urban life today, across the globe, is … Continue reading
Fifteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time – C
Readings: Dt 30:10-14;Ps 69:14, 17, 30-31, 33-34, 36, 37; Col 1:15-20; Lk10:25-37 Moved with pity… he went up and bandaged his wounds There are many parables that are unique to the Gospel of Luke. The parable of the lost son … Continue reading
Fourteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time – C
Readings: Is 66:10-14c; Ps 66:1-3, 4-5, 6-7, 16, 20; Gal 6:14-18; Lk 10: 1-12, 17-20 Start off now, I am sending you out… A few years ago, a priest wrote a short reflection in the Diocesan Newsletter of the Archdiocese … Continue reading
Thirteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time – C
Readings: 1 Kgs 19:16b, 19-21; Gal 5:1, 13-18; Lk 9: 51-62 Are we ready to follow Jesus with a single-minded devotion! There are several films on Jesus. Each movie has its own take on the life and message of Jesus … Continue reading
The Solemnity of the Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ – C
Readings: Gen 14:18-20; Ps 110:1, 2, 3, 4; 1 Cor 11:23-26; Lk 9:11b-17 How generously Jesus has given Himself to us in the Eucharist The Blood Transfusion Shortly after undergoing major surgery, a woman decided to put her thoughts in … Continue reading
Solemnity of the Most Holy Trinity – C
Readings: Prv 8:22-31; Ps 8:4-5, 6-7, 8-9; Rom 5:1-5; Jn 16:12-15 Three Persons in One: The God of Relationship Social scientists these days are pointing out the increase of spirituality in the contemporary world, a spirituality that is not only … Continue reading
Pentecost Sunday – C
Readings: Acts 2:1-11; 1 Cor. 12:3-7,12-13; Jn 20:19-23 Receive the Holy Spirit In the recent years I have been travelling and living in different cultural contexts. The question, “Where do you come from,” has become so difficult for me to … Continue reading
Solemnity of the Ascension of the Lord – C
Readings: Acts 1:1-11; Ps 47:2-3, 6-7, 8-9; Eph 1:17-23; Lk 24:46-53 Eyes Fixed on Heaven and Feet Firm on the Earth Luke tells us in the Acts of the Apostles (Acts 1:3) that Jesus was seen in his risen form … Continue reading
Sixth Sunday of Easter – C
Readings: Readings: Acts 15:1-2, 22-29; Ps 67:2-3, 5-6, 8; Rev 21:10-14, 22-23; Jn 14:23-29 Friendship with Christ brings Interior Peace Jesus has given us His all: – Soul to His Father – Body to Joseph of Arimathea – Clothes to … Continue reading
Fifth Sunday of Easter – C
Readings: Acts 14:21-27; Ps 145:8-13; Rev 21:1-5; Jn 13:31-35 LOVE: a Sign of Christian Discipleship WWJD = LOVE; GOD IS LOVE When we read the earlier passage of the gospel of John, prior to this Sunday reading [Jn 13], Jesus … Continue reading
Palm Sunday – C
Readings: Is 50:4-7; Ps 22:8-9, 17-20, 23-24; Phil 2:6-11; Lk 19:28-40 The King on a Pony en route to Die (Before the Procession) Today we begin the week of weeks in the liturgical calendar: the Holy Week. Today we begin … Continue reading
Fifth Sunday of Lent – C
Readings: Is 43:16-21; Ps 126:1-6; Phil 3:8-14; Jn 8:1-11 Grace and truth have come through Jesus Christ Sometime back, I was participating in a training in Spiritual Accompaniment. During the days of training we also had ample time for personal … Continue reading
Fourth Sunday of Lent – C
Readings: Jos 5:9-12; Ps 34:2-7; 2 Cor 5:17-21; Lk 15:1-3, 11-32 The Good Boy and the Bad Boy Today is one of those days, when I feel, a homily might steal the gospel reading of its depth. The parable that … Continue reading
Third Sunday of Lent – C
Readings: Ex 3:1-8,13-15; Ps 103:1-4, 6-8, 11; 1 Cor 10:1-6, 10-12; Lk 13:1-9 THE GOD WHO OFFERS ME A SECOND CHANCE Is the God you believe in, a coach or a referee? What does a coach do, for instance, in … Continue reading
Second Sunday of Lent – C
Readings: Gen 15:5-12, 17-18; Ps 27:1,7-9, 13-14; Phil 3:17-4:1; Lk 9:28-36 Towards an experience of Jesus Mountains are seen as locations of God-experience in many traditional cultures, and in many of the world religions. It is not by chance then … Continue reading
First Sunday of Lent – C
Readings: Deut 26:4-10; Ps 91:1-2,10-15; Rom 10:8-13; Lk 4:1-13 The Three Ps: Pleasure, Possessions, Power! We say the Season of Lent lasts forty days, as the Latin word, ‘Quadragesima” suggests. When I was a young seminarian – skeptical as I … Continue reading
Seventh Sunday in Ordinary Time – C
Readings: 1 Sam 26:2, 7–9, 12–13, 22–23; Ps 103:1–13; 1 Cor 15:45–49; Lk 6:27–38 Measure for Measure Introduction As Christians, we are called to be different. Different not necessarily in our dressing, or in our food habits, but different in … Continue reading
Sixth Sunday in Ordinary Time – C
Readings: Jer 17:5–8; Ps 1:1–4, 6; 1 Cor 15:12, 16–20; Lk 6:17, 20–26 BLESSED ARE YOU… Following the story of Jesus now in the gospel of Luke, we find out that Jesus is now not on His own. After his … Continue reading
Fifth Sunday in Ordinary Time – C
Readings:Is 6:1-8; Ps 138:1-5, 7-8; 1 Cor 15:1-11; Lk 5:1-11 DUC IN ALTUM (CAST INTO THE DEEP) Put into the deep: – Do not be happy with the minimum (Christianity is not for the mediocre life). – Christianity is not … Continue reading
Fourth Sunday in Ordinary Time – C
Readings: Jer 1:4–5, 17–19; Ps 71:1–6, 15–17; 1 Cor 12:31–13:13; Lk 4:21–30 STRIVE FOR THE GREATEST GIFT: LOVE We are privileged to be called by God, to be his prophets; to proclaim his words to the world. But the gift … Continue reading
Third Sunday in Ordinary Time – C
Readings: Neh 8:2–6, 10; Ps 19:8–10, 15; 1 Cor 12:12–30; Lk 1:1–4, 4:14–21 Good News to the Poor One of the popular books that have inspired me a great deal is The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People by Stephen … Continue reading
Second Sunday in Ordinary Time – C
Readings: Is 62:1–5; Ps 96:1–3, 7–10; 1 Cor 12:4–11; Jn 2:1–12 God is here: There is abundance! (Jn 2:1-11) Today we begin the Sundays in Ordinary Time of the liturgical year. This year, generally we would listen to the gospel … Continue reading
The Baptism of the Lord – C
Readings:Is 40:1-5, 9-11; Ti 2:11-14, 3:4-7; Lk 3:15-16, 21-22 “You are my Beloved.” Today’s feast of the Baptism of our Lord we cross several years in the life of Jesus. It is a passing from one Era to a new … Continue reading
The Epiphany of the Lord – C
Readings: Is 60:1-6; Eph 3:2-3a, 5-6; Mt 2:1-12 O Come, Let Us Adore Him The gifts Gold, frankincense and myrrh may be thought of as prophesying Jesus’ future. Gold was a gift for kings; frankincense (an ancient air purifier and … Continue reading
Solemnity of the Blessed Virgin Mary, the Mother of God
Readings: Nm 6:22-27; Ps 67:2-3,5,6,8; Gal 4:4-7; Lk 2:16-21 MARY THE MOTHER OF GOD NEW YEAR 2019 Tonight/ today we celebrate it as a day of blessings along with New Year 2019. A prayer for another person or a blessing … Continue reading
Nativity of the Lord (Christmas)
Readings: Is 52:7-10; Ps 98:1, 2-3, 3-4, 5-6, Heb 1:1-6; Jn 1:1-18 God so loved the world that he gave His only Son “Freedom from Fear is the need of the Hour.” We are constantly living in fear. Fear of … Continue reading
Fourth Sunday of Advent – C
Readings: Mic 5:1-4; Ps 80:2-3,15-16,18-19; Heb 5:5-10; Lk 1:39-45 Christmas Celebrates the Gift of God’s Presence in our Lives We have arrived at the final Sunday of Advent. As it is always, some of us have come to this day … Continue reading