This Sunday’s Gospel Message from the Priest
“If We Win the Argument but Lose Our Brother”
When we disagree with someone, what are we trying hardest to protect: our relationship with that person, or our belief that we are right?
In last Sunday’s Gospel, Jesus teaches us that when a brother or sister does something wrong, we should first speak privately with that person. Jesus clearly explains the purpose: “to win your brother back.” The goal is not to defeat or embarrass someone, but to restore a relationship that is in danger of being lost.
It is often easier to talk about someone than to speak directly with that person. However, Jesus invites us to face the person honestly while respecting their dignity. If the first conversation does not succeed, we may ask one or two trustworthy people to help. If that also fails, we may bring the matter to the community. Those who help should not simply take our side, but listen fairly to both people.
The words “listen” and “listen to” appear several times in this Gospel. The person giving correction must also listen. There may be facts we do not know, misunderstandings we have not noticed, or something for which we also need to apologize. To regain a brother or sister, we need not only truthful words but also open ears.
This teaching comes between the parable of the lost sheep and Jesus’ command to forgive seventy-seven times. Its purpose, therefore, is not punishment but restoration. Forgiveness does not mean pretending that nothing happened or immediately trusting someone again. When there is violence or abuse, safety must come first, and we should seek help from the Church or qualified professionals.
This week, let us ask ourselves: Am I continuing to talk about that person, or am I willing to speak with that person in love?
Love means speaking the truth, listening to the other person, and keeping the door to healing open. Our goal is not to win an argument, but to regain a brother or sister—because if we win the argument but lose a brother or sister, then in the eyes of Jesus, we have still lost.
Fr. Galuh, cicm
22nd Sunday in Ordinary Time
Matthew 16:21–27
“Taking Up Our Cross and Walking Behind Jesus”
In last Sunday’s Gospel, Peter said to Jesus, “You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God.” Jesus praised his faith and said, “You are Peter, and on this rock I will build my Church.”
But in today’s Gospel, the same Peter is strongly corrected by Jesus: “Get behind me, Satan! You are an obstacle to me.” The one who was called the “rock” of the Church suddenly became a stone blocking the way of Jesus.
Peter understood that Jesus was the Messiah, but he still did not understand what kind of Messiah Jesus would be. Peter imagined a Messiah who would be strong, victorious, and admired by the people. He did not expect a Messiah who would suffer, be rejected, and die on the cross.
So when Jesus spoke about his suffering and death, Peter tried to stop him. Peter loved Jesus and did not want him to suffer. We can understand his feelings. But hidden in his love was also a temptation: “Lord, I will follow you, but please walk the way I want you to walk.”
A disciple is someone who walks behind Jesus. But Peter suddenly stood in front of Jesus and tried to change his direction. That is why Jesus said, “Get behind me.” In other words, “Peter, return to your place behind me. You do not lead me. I will lead you.”
These words are also for us. We may want to follow Jesus, but at the same time we hope to avoid the cross. Yet in life, there are crosses we cannot avoid: sickness, family problems, loneliness, disappointment, or being misunderstood.
Faith does not mean that we should look for suffering. If suffering can be avoided, we should avoid it. If we are sick, we should receive treatment. If we are struggling, we should ask for help. But there are also sufferings that remain beyond our control. Then we have a choice: will we allow our suffering to remain only as pain, or will we unite it with the cross of Christ and allow it to become prayer and love?
Saint Paul tells us to offer ourselves to God as a living sacrifice. We can offer to God not only our strong and healthy selves, but also our weakness, pain, and wounded hearts. When we cannot sleep because of illness, we can pray for other people who are also suffering. When we feel lonely, we can remember someone who may also be alone and reach out to that person.
Suffering itself is not good. But when it is united with Christ, it can become prayer, compassion, and a small act of love.
Peter later became the “rock” of the Church, not because he became perfect, but because he slowly learned to walk behind Jesus. Faith does not mean that everything will go well. It means trusting the Lord and continuing to walk behind him, even when we do not fully understand the road ahead.
Fr. Galuh Arjanta Bubun, cicm
21th Sunday in Ordinary TimGospel Message of Ordinary Sunday XIV
Matthew 11：25-30
Today, medicine has advancee Gospel Message
Parallel accounts of today’s Gospel can also be found in Luke and Mark. In all the Gospels, this passage is set right after the sign of the multiplication of the loaves. From this point on, Jesus fixes his gaze on a new and different path that he and his disciples must take. Departing from the crowds, he withdraws with only his disciples to the region of Caesarea Philippi—a foreign land north of Galilee, at the headwaters of the Jordan River.
A turning point in Jesus’s ministry had arrived. Turning points often enter our lives unexpectedly, calling us to make a choice. Up until now, the ministry Jesus chose was to follow the will of God the Father—to realize His ‘dream’ and open the path to love and peace for all people.
Jesus also asks for an answer from the disciples who have walked so closely with him. Peter offers his confession of faith: ‘You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God.’ These words reflect the confession of faith of the early Matthean church. By placing them on Peter’s lips, the Evangelist wanted to show that Peter was the ‘founder’ of this early church’s confession.
Jesus says to him, ‘Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah!’ Peter’s confession of faith in Matthew 16:16 came from a revelation shown to him by the Heavenly Father, not from his own fragile human effort or merit. Simon is then given a new name by Jesus: Peter (petros, meaning stone or rock). This name signifies his new role within Jesus’s ‘messianic community’—the role of being the foundation stone of the church community. Here, Jesus promises an unshakable spiritual and historical stability—a power that overcomes evil—for this community. In other words, God’s will is revealed through Jesus’s words and deeds, and his community is granted the primacy to interpret them with authority.
The time will also come when we are asked for our own honest answer to the question: ‘Who do you say Jesus is?’ The turning points in our faith are times of trial, but they are also opportunities for growth. Today, let us meditate and pray that we may discern this calling in our own lives.
Fr. Garry, cicm
20th Sunday in Ordinary Time — Year A
“A Faith That Does Not Give Up on Those We Love”
Perhaps many of us have had an experience like this. Someone we love becomes sick. We are worried about our children. A family problem continues without any solution. We pray, “God, please help us.” But nothing seems to change. After praying for the same thing for a month, a year, or even longer, we may begin to wonder, “God, are you really listening?”
Nowadays, even when we send a message on LINE, see that it has been read, and receive no reply, we start to wonder what happened. So when it feels as though God has not answered us for a long time, we may want to ask, “Lord, has my prayer at least been marked as read?”
The Canaanite woman in today’s Gospel was in a similar situation. She came to Jesus not for herself, but for her suffering daughter, and pleaded, “Lord, please help my daughter.” At first, however, Jesus did not answer her at all. And when he finally spoke, his words were not easy to hear. Still, she did not walk away.
Why? Because her daughter’s salvation mattered more to her than her own pride.
Faith is not simply saying, “I believe in God.” True faith means remaining with God even when we do not understand him. We may pray and see no answer. Yet we continue to remain before God and say, “Lord, even now, I still trust you.”
New Testament scholar Fr. Martin Harun describes this woman’s faith as a “humble faith.” Humble faith does not mean making ourselves small. It means valuing the good of the person we love more than our own pride.
We naturally pray for our own health, work, and peace. These prayers are important. But as our faith grows deeper, more and more people begin to enter our prayer. We begin to pray, “Lord, please help that person,” and “Please strengthen the one who is suffering.”
At the end, Jesus says to the woman, “Woman, great is your faith.” Jesus was not pleased because she prayed with beautiful words. He was pleased because she refused to give up on love.
Perhaps there is someone in our own life for whom we have been praying for a very long time. Even if nothing seems to have changed, let us continue to entrust that person to Jesus again and again. Prayer is not about forcing God to do what we want. Prayer is bringing the person we love before Jesus again and again.
May God give us this humble faith: the faith to wait, to pray, and to continue loving for the sake of those who are precious to us.
Fr. Galuh Arjanta Bubun, cicm
The Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary
“Receiving Jesus and Bringing Him to Others”
Have you ever heard the term “fetomaternal microchimerism”? It is quite a long name. During pregnancy, some of a baby’s cells can enter the mother’s body and remain there for many years after birth. In the same way, some of the mother’s cells can remain in the child’s body. The bond between a mother and her child is deeper than we may realize.
What about fathers? St. Joseph was not related to Jesus by blood, yet God entrusted His own Son to him. Joseph protected Jesus, raised Him, stayed close to Him, and quietly continued to love Him. Fatherhood is not only about DNA. It is also about being present, protecting, supporting, and faithfully loving.
As we reflect today on the Blessed Virgin Mary, we are invited into an even deeper mystery. The Son of God truly became human in Mary’s womb. The eternal God received His human body from Mary. St. John Paul II described Mary as the “first tabernacle in history,” because she received Jesus within herself and carried Him to Elizabeth.
Mary was not simply someone who spoke about Jesus. She welcomed Jesus into herself and brought Him to others.
This also speaks to our own reception of the Eucharist. When we receive Holy Communion, Jesus Christ Himself comes to dwell within us. Holy Communion, therefore, is not simply a Church custom. It is a grace that enables us, like Mary, to receive Jesus and then bring Him into our homes, workplaces, and relationships.
So we might ask ourselves: through our daily relationships, what are we bringing to the people around us? Are we bringing peace? Kindness? Or perhaps anger and anxiety?
True devotion to Mary always leads us to Jesus. St. Joseph, meanwhile, teaches us the importance not only of speaking about Jesus, but simply of staying close to Him. Sometimes ten minutes before the tabernacle is enough. Even when we have no words, we can simply remain before Jesus and say, “Lord, I am here.” That time itself is a precious prayer.
May we become, in a sense, another Mary: people who welcome Jesus into our hearts and bring Him to others.
And may we become like another Joseph: people who remain close to Jesus, quietly loving Him and serving Him.
Jesus still desires today to make His home in our hearts.
Fr. Galuh Arjanta Bubun, cicm
Eighteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time — Year A
“Place the Little You Have in the Hands of Jesus”
In today’s Gospel, the disciples say to Jesus:
“We have nothing here but five loaves and two fish.”
They probably thought, “This is not enough. There is nothing we can do.” But Jesus said to them:
“Bring them here to me.”
The miracle did not begin when they had gathered enough food. It began when the little they had was placed in the hands of Jesus.
We also pray to God: “Please heal my sickness. Protect my family. Solve my problems. Give me peace.” These are important prayers.
Yet today’s Gospel also asks us:
“What are you willing to place in my hands?”
This does not mean that we can earn God’s blessing by making sacrifices. God’s grace is not a reward for our efforts. It is always a free gift.
However, when we hold too tightly to our own time, opinions, or pride, we may fail to notice the grace that God has already given us. When we let go a little and open our hearts, we become able to receive that grace and cooperate with God’s work.
Our society often values avoiding loss, saving time, and living efficiently. These things are not wrong, but love cannot be measured only by efficiency.
Listening to a lonely person even when we are busy, speaking kindly to our family when we are tired, praying for someone while we ourselves are suffering, or letting go of our pride and taking a step toward apology and forgiveness—none of these is easy. Yet they are like the five loaves and two fish: small but precious offerings.
We can also offer a small service for our parish community. We may think that one person’s effort will not change anything. But an act of love or service placed in the hands of Jesus is never wasted. He can transform it into a grace that supports, comforts, and gives hope to someone else.
At Mass, we offer not only bread and wine, but also our joys, struggles, failures, fears, concern for our families, and even the sadness we cannot share with anyone.
Our offering does not have to be great or impressive. A small kindness, a short prayer, or a little patience is enough. There may also be days when all we can offer is our sadness or weakness.
May our small acts of love, our service, our tears, and our sorrow become, in the hands of Jesus, a blessing that gives life to someone else.
Fr. Galuh Arjanta Bubun, cicm
What Is Our Greatest Treasure?
In the Gospel for the 17th Sunday in Ordinary Time (Matthew 13:44–46), Jesus tells two short parables: the treasure hidden in a field and the pearl of great price.
What is the greatest treasure in your life? For some, it may be money or financial security. For others, it may be health, family, work, meaningful relationships, or a sense of purpose. All of these are precious gifts from God and should be appreciated.
Yet Jesus gently asks each of us a deeper question: “What is the greatest treasure of your life?”
In Jesus’ time, there were no banks or safes. People often buried their valuables in the ground to protect them. Because of wars and exile, many never returned to reclaim what they had hidden. It was not uncommon for someone working in a field years later to discover a forgotten treasure. That is why Jesus’ listeners immediately understood this image.
The man who found the treasure sold everything he had in order to buy the field. The important point is not simply that he sold everything, but that he did so with joy, because he had found something far more valuable.
As we journey through life, our priorities often change. Things we once believed were indispensable may no longer seem so important. With age and experience, we begin to realize that what truly matters is the love of family, faithful companions, good health, and above all, the constant presence of God.
An elderly woman once said, “When I was young, I always asked God for something. Now my prayer is simply, ‘Lord, if You are with me today, that is enough.’” Those words reveal the wisdom that comes from a life of faith. We may lose strength, youth, or even beloved people, but God never leaves us. His faithful presence is our lasting hope.
In the second reading, St. Paul reminds us that “all things work together for good for those who love God.” Not only our joys, but also our sorrows, illnesses, and failures can become part of God’s loving plan to lead us closer to Him.
As we begin this new week, let us keep one question in our hearts: If Jesus looked into my heart today, what would He say is the treasure I value most? May we continue to seek and cherish the greatest treasure of all—the loving presence of God in our lives.
Fr. Galuh Arjanta Bubun, cicm
16th Sunday in Ordinary Time Gospel Message
Matthew 13：24-43
In today’s Gospel, Jesus tells us the parable of the wheat and the weeds. The servants want to pull out the weeds immediately, but the master says, “Let them grow together until the harvest.” Why? Because we cannot always tell who is truly wheat and who is weeds. Only God sees the whole picture.
In our daily lives, we often make quick judgments about people. We think, “I know what kind of person he/she is,” or “He/she will never change.” But we do not know their whole story, their struggles, or what God is doing in their lives. St. John Mary Vianney is a beautiful example. As a young man, he struggled in school and many people thought he would never become a good priest. But God saw what others could not see. In time, he became one of the greatest parish priests in the history of the Church.
So, what should we do when we feel tempted to judge someone? We should remember one simple truth: that person is loved by the same God who loves us. Jesus gave His life on the cross for that person too. Even if we cannot see anything good in someone, God has not given up on them. Remembering this helps us replace judgment with compassion, patience, and prayer.
Finally, today’s Gospel invites us to look at our own hearts before looking at the faults of others. Each of us has some weeds growing within us—anger, pride, jealousy, or an unwillingness to forgive. We cannot remove them by ourselves. But through daily prayer, reading the Scriptures, participating in the Mass, and receiving the Sacrament of Reconciliation, God slowly transforms our hearts and helps the good wheat grow.
So today, whenever you are tempted to judge someone, remember this: that person is loved by the same God, redeemed by the same Christ, and is still being transformed by the same grace. When we truly believe this, we begin to see others not with our own eyes, but with the hopeful and merciful eyes of God.
Fr. Galuh Arjanta Bubun, cicm