This Sunday’s Gospel Message from the Priest
2nd Sunday of Advent Gospel Message
Luke 3:1-6
On this second week of Advent, the church invites us to celebrate the marvels that God is about to work for us in a couple of weeks from now. This season, we wait in joyful hope for the “Day of the Lord” when this marvel will be complete for, and in us.
In today’s gospel, Luke captured and recalled the world’s political and historical situation at the birth of the Messiah. Indeed, it was a time of excessive political and religious instability. The kings and rulers of the Roman empire were completely and recklessly in charge of the world.
However, it was time for change. The King of king is on His way. Thus, it was in this context that Luke echoes the prophesy of Isaiah: “Prepare a way for the Lord [the true and just King], make his path straight. Let every valley be filled, and every mountain and hill be leveled…” (Is 40:4). The message is quite simple and clear.
So, we have to remove whatever will constitute an obstacle to receiving Christ at the end of this season. In other words, something must be sacrificed this season for Christ to have his place in us. For us to experience the joy, glory and splendor of His coming, we have to be prepared to receive him.
Fr. Wifridus Ngalla, cicm
First Sunday of Advent Gospel Message
Luke 21:25-28.34-36
Advent is a time when we expect mercy and liberation because our Lord, the King of the universe whose solemnity we celebrated last Sunday, comes to reign over his people. This Advent is unique because its ushers in the year of mercy and liberation. Therefore, Christ comes to pardon and liberate us from fears and all types of operations.
A call to live a holy life is a call to strive for perfection. If it were not possible, Christ and the apostles would not have told us to be perfect as our heavenly Father is perfect. So, in this season of Advent, let us avoid greed, licentiousness, inordinate ambitions, and anger. Also, we must prevent malice, backbiting, gossip, drunkenness, immodesty, and all sorts of vices. We must prepare and equip ourselves with good virtues like a bride waiting for her groom.
As today’s gospel tells us, one other important thing we must do is to keep ourselves positively busy, awake, and watchful. Therefore, this is a call for us to intensify and strengthen our prayer life. Prayer purifies the soul; it casts away all fears and prepares and strengthens us. Prayer provides us the spiritual energy, courage, and confidence to stand firm while waiting for our Lord’s coming. Intensive prayer this season rather than being carried away by mundane preparations is what the Lord wants from us.
Fr. Wifridus Ngalla, cicm
Our Lord Jesus Christ, King of the Universe Sunday Gospel Message
John 18:33-37
Today the Catholic Church throughout the world celebrates the Solemnity of the Lord Jesus Christ, King of the Universe. This is a great event that must be celebrated with great joy. The Solemnity of the Lord Jesus Christ, King of the Universe, is celebrated on the Sunday before the beginning of the Seventh Pentecost. The Solemnity of the Lord Jesus Christ, King of the Universe, concludes the entire liturgical year.
The readings for this day proclaim the omnipotence of God above all things. God’s dominion reigns supreme in earthly life until eternity (Dan. 7:13-14; Rev. 1:5-8). God’s omnipotence over all things is also shown in the Gospels. It is recorded that Pilate asked Jesus: “Are you a king? Jesus answered: “I am the king. Jesus answered, “I am the King. It is interesting that Jesus’ answer is based on the description of Pilate’s question. Furthermore, Jesus clearly stated that His kingdom is not of this world. This answer confirms that Jesus is a king. But not a king like a Roman emperor. Jesus is God’s emperor and high priest because He is the Son of God. Jesus’ kingdom is not of this world. Nor is Jesus’ authority given by the people of this world.
So what does the gospel mean for our lives? We are called to believe the gospel by the proclamation of Jesus, by His life, by His words and works. It all points to the Lord Jesus as the King of the universe, who rules over life and death. As believers, Christ should truly rule our entire lives. We depend on Jesus from the beginning of our lives to the end. When we awaken from sleep, we give thanks to God. Then we ask God to be involved in our life and work. Likewise, when we return to bed before going to sleep at night, we give thanks to God. When we feel joy, when we feel sadness, between laughter and laughter, between smiles and tears. God is truly present and will never leave us. Jesus Christ will always be with us until the end of time.
Therefore, brothers and sisters, we are invited to truly rely on God in this life. Let God alone be in our lives. Indeed, God does not promise that we will always be healthy. Nor that we will always live long. That we will live forever in this world. But God does promise salvation and eternal life, as He said to Pilate: “My kingdom is not of this world. So salvation of eternal life has begun in this world and will continue forever.
Fr. Wifridus Ngalla, cicm
33rd Sunday in Ordinary time Gospel Message
Mark 13:24-32
With figurative language derived from the Bible and Jewish revelatory literature, Jesus and the evangelists proclaimed victory in the last days. The end was described as a cosmic shock that swept through the universe. It was terrifying, especially for those who thought they owned and controlled the world. Their world will fall from their hands and be replaced with a new world belonging to God and His chosen ones.
The main event of the remodeling of the old world into a new world is the coming of the Lord, the presence of the Son of Man who is given all power and glory. He will rule for the salvation of the believers who have been eliminated and scattered. They will be gathered by God from all their places of refuge. Believers who are often helpless, will be gathered by God to unite with Him in the new world.
We who live as followers of Christ still experience harsh realities, warfare, deprivation, misdirection and oppression. But in the midst of these harsh experiences we are invited to pay attention to signs of hope, signs of new life like those that begin to bloom on plants that seem dead. The distress experienced by Christ’s messengers is like labor pains, signaling that help is at hand. Although it does not give any clue about the time, the signs need to be observed because they help to endure the joys and sorrows of this world in the certainty that the day of His salvation is not far off.
Fr. Wifridus Ngalla, cicm
32nd Sunday in Ordinary Time Gospel Message
Mark 12:38-44
Jesus’ warning against the vices of the scribes was included in Mark’s gospel probably because he saw that similar symptoms were present in his congregation. There were prominent people in the congregation who considered themselves more honorable. Worse still, there were those who abused their position for personal gain, and enriched themselves even while serving the little people. Such church leaders will be held more accountable on the Day of Judgment.
The story of the poor widow with Jesus’ teaching words addressed to the disciples, also addresses the situation of Christians in general. In Mark’s congregation and in the church today there are both the poor and the rich. The latter, of course, contribute larger amounts, and their contributions tend to be valued more than the small contributions of the poor. Such outward valuation is subverted by Jesus who uses another measure that will prevail on the day of the Lord’s judgment. Qualitative value can be reversed with quantitative value. “What matters is not how much, but from how much,” said St. Beda. This is because it can be seen to what extent a person gives of himself. A person who gives out of his poverty, gives beyond his means, gives his life. That person loves God with all his heart, and loves his neighbor more than himself.
Fr. Wifridus Ngalla, cicm
31st Sunday in Ordinary Time Gospel Message
Mark 12:28b-34
In today’s gospel, Christ summarized the Ten Commandments into two. With the same words used by Moses, He repeated the same call in our first reading: “Hear, O Israel! You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul.” Then, he amplified it by adding: “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” Very important!
Without downplaying or denying the first commandment’s priority, I think that the second is more challenging to fulfill humanly speaking. If we can obey the second, then we can, and have indeed observed the first. This is because God lives in our neighbor. We cannot hate or harm our neighbor for any reason, and still claim we love God or his commandments.
Unfortunately, due to the natural human instinct of self-preservation, pride, and selfishness, it seems practically impossible to love neither God nor our neighbor. However, Christ is not asking us to do what He could not do. He overcame all these enemies of love. Any Christian who overcomes these enemies will love sincerely.
The good news is that Christ knows it is possible. If it were not so, He would not have commanded us to love. So, to love God and our neighbor as ourselves is a “debt,” we owe and must pay (Rom 13: 8). It is the sacrifice of the new covenant, which the new people of God, and indeed, every “born again” child of God must offer.
Finally, this may not necessarily mean dying on the cross as Christ did, but it is possible to demonstrate it through small, but concrete gestures like a sincere smile, good words, and charity. It may not only mean doing something extraordinary but also doing something simple.
Fr. Wifridus Ngalla, cicm