Sunday Sermons

Peace in times of Fear & Depression

1 Kings 19:9A, 11-13A: Rom 9:1-5; Mat 14:22-33

Fr Nelson Lobo OFM Cap

FIRST READING:   Depression is very real part of life for many people. It is a very real problem. Depression is marked by a sense of being pressed down, weighed down, or burdened, which affects a person physically, mentally, spiritually, and relationally.  Many Biblical characters faced DEPRESSION such as Moses, Elijah, Paul, Psalmist and even Jesus. John 12:27 “Now My soul has become troubled; and what shall I say, ’Father, save Me from this hour’?

God gives us a case study in clinical depression in todays first reading. From this text we find that Elijah experienced many of the classic symptoms…

Fear – “Elijah was afraid and ran for his life….” (1 Kings 19:3). Suicidal tendencies – “I have had enough, LORD, Take my life; I am no better than my ancestors.’ (1 Kings 19:4).  Excessive tiredness – “Then he lay down under the tree and fell asleep…” (1 Kings 19:5).  Feelings of rejection – “The Israelites have rejected your covenant, broken down your altars, and put your prophets to death with the sword. I am the only one left, and now they are trying to kill me too.” (1 Kings 19:10).

What does this tell us? It tells us that even God’s most dynamic servants can suffer from depression. It’s not necessarily a mark of a lack of faith.  Elijah was THE man of God in his day. And now he’s so far down in the depths of despair. But that’s not where God left him. God didn’t say: “well sorry Elijah – you have a chemical imbalance in your brain– so I can’t help you!” God recognized that Elijah’s depression was not an imaginary problem. Elijah’s depression was real. And God did not say – “get a hold of yourself Elijah. This is a SINFUL attitude … where’s your faith man???”  God didn’t treat Elijah roughly. Infact God understood his depression and provided for his physical needs. In answer to Elijah’s prayer to die, God just lets him sleep. Then God sends him down to the desert in the South for 40 days and nights.  God sent him to a place of worship – God sent him to Mt. Horeb, the Mt. of God (where the Law given to Moses). Church is one of the best places to deal with Depression. The Church is a place where we listen to each other and help one another. “Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfil the law of Christ.” (Gal 6:2)

SECOND READING: One very unique thing about Paul’s anguish over the lost and rebellious state of his Jewish brethren was his impossible desire to be cut off from Christ for the sake of his brothers. So burdened and anguished over the Jews rejection of Christ and their being on their way to Hell is Paul that he makes it clear that he wishes he could trade his salvation and very life for the salvation of the Jews that he would. What Paul says finds a parallel in Exodus 32:32. When Moses came down from the mountain after receiving the 10 commandments, he found the people dancing around the golden calf and worshiping it as their god. In response to such Moses said “Lord, if it be possible, blot this sin from their lives, but if not, blot me out of your book” The tragic mistake, the mistake which we see Paul deeply grieved over, is that the Jews have put their confidence in these blessings for their salvation- rather than in Jesus Christ to whom these things point.

GOSPEL: The Gospel says “when evening came…” and it refers to the “fourth watch of the night “. This gives us a time frame to work with. Feeding 5,000 people took all day! By evening disciples were dispatched, crowd dismissed, Jesus begins climbing slope of a mountain to find a place to pray. Storm arises while they are in “the middle of the sea” [Mark 6.47] – i.e., about four miles from shore. How long does it take to row four miles? Why did Jesus wait until the fourth watch of the night (after 3:00 am) to respond to their prayers? Why didn’t he go to them immediately? Surely, they were praying. He knew that they were in the storm.

Apparently, Jesus’ delay in coming to them was intentional. Why does the Lord often delay in answering prayer? The Lord had a lesson he wanted to teach them. But they were not ready. They had abandoned hope. Their faith had crashed. When they saw something coming toward them on the water, they had by then given up on the possibility that Christ would save them. But Jesus had sent them into the storm in the first place.

Do not feel abandoned when your prayers seem unanswered. Jesus’ prayer that the cup of suffering be removed was not answered. Paul’s prayer that his thorn in the flesh be eased was not answered. Remember their words, “Not my will but your’s be done” and “My grace is sufficient.” Unanswered or delayed prayer are for a reason and we must discover that reason.

Very often you can expect Jesus to come to your rescue only after all other means of rescue are gone. The Fourth Watch represents those times of hopelessness and helplessness we all feel from time to time. The Disciples on the storm-ravaged Sea that night, by the fourth watch, were exhausted. They were physically exhausted. Their prayers were exhausted. Surely, they had fervently prayed throughout their ordeal. Their expectations were exhausted. Certainly, they had expected a prompter response to their emergency. Their hope was exhausted. If Christ was coming, he would have come before now. Their faith was exhausted. When Christ finally appeared, they thought he was a ghost, a hallucination.

We all face our Fourth Watches. These are times of despair when Jesus often comes to us.  So in your problems and depressions, fears and anxieties don’t give up. Continue trusting in the Lord for He is the Lord of heaven and earth. Amen !

Seeking Wisdom, Surrendering to God, Finding the Treasure/Pearl

Green, Psalter Week -1

Fr Nelson Lobo OFM Cap

1^st Reading: (1Kings 3:5, 7-12)- Solomon could have asked for riches, but rather he asked for the ability to fulfil his God given calling – to be a fair and just ruler in Israel. Solomon wanted the things of God ahead of any riches and honour for himself. What was most important for him at that time was to be able to walk God’s ways.  So, he chose a discerning heart to be able to be a good governor of God’s people.

WHY Solomon made such a good and wise choice in response to God’s question? I can think of two reasons:

1. His Father’s influence-The first reason was the good influence of David his father. We read in 1 Kings 2:1-3 of David giving Solomon a solemn charge “I am about to go the way of all earth…So be strong, show yourself a man and observe what the Lord your God requires: Walk in his ways and keep his decrees and commands, his laws and his requirements …” (2 Kings 2: 2-3) Parents can have a real influence on their children – for good and for evil.
2. Solomon was committed to God’s will for him. He actually decided for himself that he would follow the ways of God. We cannot make a commitment to God for anyone else except ourselves. Parents can pray for their children and advise them but it is still THEIR decision whether or not they commit themselves to following God. As they say: “You can take a horse to water but you can’t make it drink.” David wanted his son to follow God’s ways, but Solomon still had to decide to do so for himself.

2nd Reading: (Romans 8:28-30)- A young boy traveling by airplane to visit his grandparents sat beside a man who happened to be a seminary professor. The boy was reading a Sunday school take-home paper when the professor thought he would have some fun with the lad. “Young man,” said the professor, “If you can tell me something God can do, I”ll give you a big, shiny apple.” The boy thought for a moment and then replied, “Mister, if you can tell me something God can’t do, I”ll give you a whole barrel of apples!”

Even though many Christians can quote Romans 8:28, few of them fully realize the GREATER GOOD spoken about in the text. Only when we are able to completely surrender our rights, problems and perspectives to the Lord can we fully appropriate the greater working of God through our disappointments, hurt and difficulties. So be willing to roll all of your cares, fears and feelings of anger on to the Lord. (I Pet. 5:7). Learn to lovingly accept whatever God allows to come into your life since He is able to deliver you from any and all problems.

Gospel: (Mt 13: 44-52) The pearl is the oyster’s answer to that which wounded it. The pearl owes its existence to the oyster’s willingness to cover that which had cut it. Our part was the cutting, and God’s part was the covering.

A new convert to Christ says: “I found Christ.” Yes, it may seem like we did find Christ. But it is Christ who offers the Treasurer and the Pearl to the people traveling along life’s highway. The Truth is the sinner cannot “find Christ” for he is blind and stubborn. “There is no one who is righteous, not even one; there is no one who has understanding, there is no one who seeks God.” (Rom 3:10)

Common interpretation: The Pearl and the treasure represents Jesus Christ, and the man is a seeker who gives all he has to obtain salvation. He turned his back on all he had to achieve heaven.  This involves single minded purpose and total commitment and dedication on the part of the seeker to find the pearl or the treasure that is Jesus Christ. True discipleship asks us to give up things and put on Christ, but that is sanctification, not salvation.

New Interpretation:  People aren’t seeking Jesus, but rather, Jesus is seeking them. This is the work of the Holy Spirit to call, to convict, to convince. The merchant man is Christ, and we, the church is that pearl which He purchases at great cost. He gave His all on calvary. He seeks and saves that which was lost. The pearl is a perfect picture of the church. It is formed miraculously, and for the purpose of being presented back to its maker. Its creator is the owner, just as the church was founded by Christ and is His bride! You are His pearl of great price, buried in a sea of sinfulness, lost, just a grain of sand, and He has poured out Himself upon you until you have become His godly pearl.

WHY PARABLES?

WHY DARNEL? WHY MUSTARD SEED? WHY LEAVEN?

Wis 12:13, 16-19; Rom 8: 26-27; Mt. 13: 24-43

Fr. Nelson Lobo OFM Cap

Why Jesus used parables in his teaching & preaching?

Parables were stories that Jesus told to describe spiritual truths & realities people would have never seen or would never see. No one had ever seen the “Kingdom of God” Jesus was describing, So, He told parables to help people visualize what it was going to be like.

Why the Darnel?

Darnel is a weed that looks like the real thing, it has some of the characteristic of the real thing, but it is not the real thing. This tare like the wheat has been planted by the enemy. It grows in the same field, it receives the same water, the same sunshine, but it never produces any fruit. The tare being sown by Satan many times will be the cause of much of the trouble in the church. We live in a day and time when everyone around us looks like Christians. People have more religion today than ever before, yet they have never met Jesus Christ. This tare speaks of the people who go to church all the time. They do all the things a Christian is supposed to do, but they have never established a relationship with Jesus. The tare is among the wheat, but not of the wheat. Judas was among them but not of them. He went along through time, looking like a disciple, but he was never a true disciple. You may look like a Christian, you may act like a Christian, but unless Jesus resides on the inside of you, you can never be a true Christian, you have been deceived by satan and you are a counterfeit Christian.

Why a mustard seed?

Why choose the mustard seed to represent the Kingdom? Why choose something so common and so ordinary to paint a picture of the powerful and majestic Kingdom? Jesus chose the mustard seed for His parable because of its size. He used it because even something as small as a mustard seed had great power within it. Likewise, the Kingdom of God – the church – has the power to grow & to do things that no human institution can emulate (1 Cor 3:11).

Why did Jesus choose the mustard seed to represent His Kingdom?

Because God is always consistent: He “chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong. He chose the lowly things and the despised things— of this world and the things that are not— to nullify the things that are, so that no one may boast before him.” (1 Cor 1:27-29). Jesus chose the mustard seed, because of the humility it represented, and because of the Life giving power it had within it.

Why compare the Kingdom of God to a Tree?

The believer is often compared to a tree in the scriptures. Ps 1:1-6 Blessed is the man that does not walk in the counsel of the ungodly…he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that bringeth forth his fruit in his season.  Jer 17:7-8 Blessed is the man that trusts in the Lord…For he shall be as a tree planted by the waters, and that spreads out her roots by the river…. Is 61:1-3 The Spirit of the Lord is upon me…that they might be called trees of righteousness, the planting of the LORD. Just like we tell kids if they swallow water melon seeds, a tree will grow inside them so also a tree should grow within us. A spiritual “Tree of Life” should grow in us which represents the kingdom of God in our life.

What is the purpose of a tree in our life?  

Prov 11:30 says “The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life; and he that wins souls is wise”. A tree bears fruit – God expects spiritual fruit in the life of a believer.  Gal 5:22-23; Eph 5:9-10; Mt 7:20 …by their fruits you shall know them. This tree restores to man the eternal life that was lost in the Garden of Eden.

Why Leaven?

Jesus took his parable from something that he had often seen his mother do. In Jewish language leaven is almost always connected with an evil influence. (Mt 16:6; 1Cor 5:6-8; Gal 5:9). So, Jesus anticipated a certain shock in hearing the kingdom of God compared to leaven.  The shock would arouse interest in what Jesus said.  The whole point of the parable lies in one thing-the transforming power of the leaven.

What do we learn from these parables?

• There is always a hostile power in the world seeking and waiting to destroy the good seed.
• It’s very difficult to distinguish between those who are in the kingdom and those who are not. Some appear to be good but they are bad. Some appear to be bad but they are good.
• We learn not to be quick with our judgements. Judgement had to wait until the harvest time.
• Size doesn’t matter to God-We will never be too small for God. God is concerned with what we are becoming.
• The Christian life is like a tree that bears life giving fruit (Mt 7:17-20)
• God promises we will partake of the Tree of Life. (Rev 2:7)
• Finally, Christianity is a religion of hope. It has the power to transform lives and societies.

The Parable of The Sower, The Seed and The Soils

Isaiah 55:10-11; Romans 8: 18-23; Mt. 13:1-9

Green, Psalter Week III

Fr Nelson Lobo OFM Cap

Introduction: The first recorded parable of Jesus most probably was “The Parable of the Sower and the seed”. It is a foundation parable of the Kingdom of God. Interpretations of most of Jesus’ parables are not recorded, but in this case, we have it spelt out clearly so we don’t need to speculate. The aim of the parables was to draw out from the crowds the few who would grasp what Jesus was driving at. These fascinating parables would be the window of understanding, the filter, to separate those who believed in Jesus and those who rejected Him. The classic definition of a parable is “an earthly story with a heavenly meaning.” It tells us in familiar human terms something about God’s reign in human life and His terms for the salvation of humankind. Let’s consider the constituents of the parable.

WHO IS THE SOWER?

There can be no doubt that it’s Jesus! He was sowing seed as He travelled the country preaching the good news of the Kingdom. He was fulfilling what had been prophesied by Isaiah: “The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to preach good news to the poor …”. He was clearing up the misunderstandings of God’s message over the centuries. His Kingdom was coming in with seeds, not swords; with God’s revelation of His mysteries, not human wisdom; with changed lives through redemption, not Satan’s domination. The Sower symbolizes not only Jesus Christ, but also all who are engaged in preaching the Gospel. In every age God has called men and women to be His messengers.  Paul tells the believers in Corinth: “For we are God’s fellow workers” (1 Cor 3:9).

WHAT IS THE SEED?

Jesus Himself gives the key to understanding how the Kingdom of God is to be found: The seed is the word of God” (Lk 8:11). The Word of God is a life-giving seed waiting to be implanted in the receiving hearts. It has the power to transform human hearts. Paul said, “It is the power of God for salvation” (Rom 1:16).

WHAT ARE THE SOILS?

It’s obvious that the soil is the human heart. Jesus describes one sowing but four different soils which explains why people respond as they do. Neither the Sower nor the seed can change the soil. The same Sower and seed produced no crop, some crop, or much crop, depending on the soil. Jesus began His explanation of the Parable by describing three categories of “bad-soil” hearers. There’s:

Seed along the Path: Fields in Palestine were small and separated from one another by paths where the soil was beaten flat under human feet and the summer sun. As the sower walked down the field, some landed on this impenetrable soil and “birds came and ate it up” – in other words “the evil one comes and snatches away what was sown.” These are people who clearly say “NO” to the Gospel. Sadly, the Word of God enters in their one ear and passes through the other ear. This can happen to any professing Christians.

Seed on the Rock: There was a thin layer of soil on the rock, allowing seeds to germinate but the plants could never get good roots. When the sun beat down, they withered and died. Jesus said it portrayed “the man who hears the word … with joy. But since he has no root, he lasts only a short time.” It’s possible to make an enthusiastic initial response but it doesn’t last. It’s all emotion. The cost of being a Christian hasn’t been counted. These are people who respond uncertainly to the seed of the Word – it’s “YES AND NO” – they want to keep a foot in both camps, but it does not work that way.

Seed among Thorns: Jesus refers to the soil of the heart where a person “hears the word but worries of this life and the deceitfulness of wealth choke it, making it unfruitful.” This person answers to the call of God by saying “YES BUT”. Their life becomes clogged with materialism and worldliness.

Good-Soil: The good-soil person, “is the man/woman who hears the word and understands it”. The reply to the call of the Word is an unequivocal “YES”. Jesus said that the qualification for good-soil is that it “produces a crop”. “Fruit” says Jesus, is “showing yourself to be my disciples” (Jn 15:8). It is “all goodness, righteousness and truth … what pleases the Lord” (Eph 5:9,10). It’s the “fruit of the Spirit … love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control” (Gal 5:22). Perseverance is the hallmark of the truly converted person and will “produce a crop, yielding a hundred, sixty or thirty times what was sown.” It results in the further production of seed – the Word of God being made available to another generation who need to hear the Gospel.

Jesus, as ever, ends the Parable on a note of challenge, “He who has ears to hear, let him hear.” The Master Sower Himself is asking us: “What kind of hearer are you?” Is our hearing impaired by the secular noise level of our busy lives? One day, God is going to hold us accountable for our spiritual productivity.

COME TO ME AND REST

Year A-Green, Psalter Week II

Zech 9:9-10; Rom 8:9, 11-13; Mt 11:25-30

Fr. Nelson Lobo OFM Cap

STORY: One of the classic films of 1987 was The Mission. In it, a soldier, Captain Mendoza, kills his brother in a feud over a woman they both love. Afterward, desperately depressed and consumed by remorse, he feels that the only way to get rid of his burden of guilt and sin is to perform some sort of penance. So, he ties a huge net to his back, fills it with boulders, and sets himself to climb a high mountain. In the company of a priest and some others, he travels over rocks, swamps and thick brush, across rivers and through forests. You see him, cut, bruised and bleeding, a broken figure, crawling up the mountainside, the huge weight dragging behind him. From time to time, the others in the group urge him to let go of the burden. “You don’t have to carry it anymore,” they say. But he cannot leave it. Eventually, reaching the top of the mountain, he collapses, exhausted. And then a little boy comes up to him and cuts the net from him. As the net and rocks cascade down the mountainside, Mendoza is filled with a feeling of total release; his burden is gone, and he feels he has been forgiven.

When we look around at the people who attend the church, what do we see? We see people, dressed in fine clothes and wonderful make up. But if you talk to them personally, we see hurting people in need of comfort; troubled people in need of peace; sick people in need of healing. The sad fact is that we all have something that puts us under enormous pressure and stress from time to time. Weariness is simply a problem that we all face in this life. Job said that “Man that is born of a woman is of few days and full of trouble” (Job 14:1).

Marshall Hayden wrote an article entitled, “Would Every Non-Hurter Please Stand Up?” He pointed out that people come to church wearing their best clothes & their best smiles. Everybody looks happy, so we assume everything is okay. But he suggested that we need to look beyond the facade & realize that the pews are full of hurting people.

• There are hurting families whose income is much less than their expenditures.
• There are hurting children who never receive appreciation or encouragement from their elders.
• There are wives who constantly suffer from drunkard or narcissistic husbands.
• There are men and women suffering from cancer, tumour, kidney problems, skin allergies, headaches and backaches who are waiting for a healing miracle.
• There are couples who have nasty fights and think of divorce.
• There are some searching for a job and those who lost their jobs.
• Then there are those of us with lesser hurts, but they look big to us: a boring job, a poor grade, a friend or parent who is indifferent. The lonely, the discouraged, they’re all here.

And it is to such people that Jesus is saying, in Matthew 11:28-30, “Come to me, all you who are weary & burdened, & I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you & learn from me, for I am gentle & humble in heart, & you will find rest for your souls.” This is not to say that He will resolve every problem immediately, for Jesus clearly said that we will have trouble in this world. But He can resolve our problems if we trust in Him. In some cases, He may resolve the problem immediately. In other cases, He grants the power to endure the difficulty.

Bible is full of such stories of hurting people. Why such stories in the Bible? Why did God leave us one tale after another of wounded lives being restored? So, we could be grateful for the past? So, we could look back with amazement at what Jesus did? No! The purpose of these stories is not to tell us what Jesus did. Their purpose is to tell us what Jesus does. “In Romans 15:4 Paul wrote, ‘Everything that was written in the past was written to teach us, so that through endurance & the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope.’ These are not children’s stories, or romantic fables for entertainment or information. These are historic moments in which a real God met real pain so we could answer the question, ‘Where is God when I hurt?’

• How does God react to dashed hopes? Read the story of Jairus.
• How does God feel about those who are ill? Stand with him at the pool of Bethesda.
• What is God’s word for the shameful? Watch as his finger draws in the dirt.
• How does God respond when there are boulders in your path? Read the resurrection stories of Lazarus and Jesus. I know that there are stones in your path. Stones that trip and stones that trap. Stones that are too big. But have faith. Our God is so big and so mighty that there’s nothing our God cannot do.

The God who spoke still speaks. The God who forgave still forgives. The God who came still comes into our world. He comes to move the stones that we cannot move. As the first reading invites us (Zech 9:9-10) let us not worry too much but rejoice like the daughter of Zion because our Messiah comes to bring us comfort and rest.  But we need to have the spirit of Christ in order to rejoice as the second reading tells us (Rom 8:9, 11-13). Jesus meek and humble of heart hear us. Amen!

“You only want what you haven’t got.” What haven’t he got? “Peace!” said Harrison Ford: The actor whose movies have grossed over 2 billion dollars

DO THE SMALL THING TO SHOW THE MAIN THING

2 Kings 4:8-11, 14-16; Rom 6:3-4, 8-11; Mt 10: 37-42

Green Psalter Week-1

(If someone were to welcome you into their home, what kind of blessing would they receive from your visit?)

Fr Nelson Lobo OFM Cap

 STORY: A story is told of Dr. Howard Kelly who was a renowned physician and surgeon and withal, a devout practicing Christian. During the summer holidays when in medical school, Dr. Kelly sold books to help with expenses. Becoming thirsty, he stopped one day at a farmhouse for a glass of water. A girl came to the door. When he asked for a glass of water, she sweetly said, “I will give you a glass of milk if you wish!” He drank the cool, refreshing milk heartily. The years passed. Dr. Kelly graduated from medical school and became the chief surgeon in John Hopkins Hospital. One day a seriously ill patient was admitted to the great hospital. She was given special care and place in a private room with a private nurse. The skilled chief surgeon spared no effort to make the patient well. After undergoing surgery, she convalesced rapidly. One day she was told by the head nurse, “Tomorrow you will go home!” Her joy was somewhat lessened by the thought of the large bill she must owe the hospital and surgeon. When she asked for it, the nurse brought the itemized bill. With a heavy heart, the patient began to read the different items from the top downward. She sighed. But as her eyes lowered, she saw the following note at the bottom of the large bill: Paid in full with one glass of milk! It was signed: Howard A. Kelly, M.D.

Today’s first reading and the Gospel speak about the significance of hospitality. Let’s travel back 850 BC. Elisha was God’s prophet to the Northern kingdom. He was the son of a farmer. If you remember Elijah found him behind oxen. At Elijah’s ascension into heaven, Elisha had picked up the mantle he had been anointed with. In Today’s first reading he is shown great hospitality by a simple but generous woman who was called great. The first reading invites us not to focus on the prophet but on the kind gesture of the nameless woman.

Bible calls her great. Let’s note the things she wasn’t. To be called great she isn’t from royal blood. Nothing indicates that she has great rank, or wealth, or high social status. She apparently wasn’t endowed with great knowledge, or skill. She wasn’t strikingly beautiful like the other characters in the Bible such as Sarah or Bathsheba or Esther. She didn’t save her people as did Esther, nor lead her people to God, as did the Samaritan woman by the well. She wasn’t a great leader or judge, like Deborah. So why study about her? What ingredients made her really great?

Three simple but important qualities made her great.

#1 Her Service (vs. 9-10). She served selflessly. Only thinking about the comfort of the traveller the God man.

#2 Her Contentment (vs. 11-13) Elisha says to her, “look, I owe you a favour, just tell me, give me the word and I’ll get it done for you.” What would you ask? Even when asked, the woman didn’t desire to have anything, she was content with what she had.

#3 – Her attitude! (vs. 19-26) Later in the chapter when asked by her husband why she was going to see the prophet – she states, “everything is alright”. Was everything alright? By no means!  Years later we find that the promise God had given the woman had died. Her son whom she cherished, and never thought she could have, had died in her arms. She had been given more than she could have hoped for but now she was in bitter distress and would have been heart broken. Her dreams would have disappeared. What did she do? She laid the child on the man of Gods bed, she didn’t tell anybody else, and she ran straight to Elisha. It was only when the man of God returned to the place prepared for him and saw the problem that the promise was resurrected.

God blessed this Shunemmite woman with more than what she ever dreamed or hoped for. Why did God bless her so greatly? It was because she had a desire to serve the man of God without expecting anything back. This woman’s primary motive was to serve. If our primary motive when we come to God is to serve Him, then he will ensure that we also are blessed. Remember the Biblical quotes regarding hospitality (Lev. 19:33; Heb 13:1; 1 Pet 4:9; 1 Jn 4:8).

Questions for meditation:  You a disciple of Christ…

1. If someone were to welcome you into their home, what kind of blessing would s/he receive from your stay or visit?
2. If a person has left the church, what could s/he gain by hosting you in their home?
3. If a person is living in sin, what could s/he gain by hosting you in their home?
4. If a person has never heard about Jesus, what could s/he gain by hosting you in their home?

If they offered you a place at their kitchen table and a glass of ice water: What would you chat about? The weather, your job, the children, sports, about priests or about Jesus? Would they hear your testimony, regarding “…how much the Lord has done for you, and how he has had mercy on you”.  Would they hear you speak of Jesus? Would they see you as a living example of Christ? Write down what you would give to someone who welcomed you into their home? what kind of blessing would they receive from your visit?

Jesus challenges his disciples and us in our Gospel reading and in many other places in the Scriptures…….To do the small thing to show the main thing: God’s Love. In Matthew 10, it is giving even a cup of cold water. In John 13, Jesus washes his disciples’ feet and then challenges them to love others. Jesus then makes this observation in John “Everyone will know that you are my disciples because of your love for one another.” Do the small thing to show the main thing: God’s Love. We never fully know what small act of kindness will touch and transform a life.

God will open doors for us. But we must walk through them. Jesus challenges us to live out our purpose not only in the big moments of life, but in the little ones as well, even a cup of cold water given in His name. For we do the small thing to show the main thing: God’s Love. Simple acts done in love seem so small, yet when you realize God is at work through them, they become eternally large. Remember our Lord’s words to us: “Whatever you do for the least of these you do to me.” Just Do It! As NIKE add challenges us.  “Just do it!” brothers and sisters! Sharing Jesus in practical ways; may be with a cup of cold water, with a hot meal, with words of prayer, a listening ear or may be a ride to the doctor. There are thousands of practical ways to be hospitable to others just to show them the love of God.

May God help us Christians to transform this world with our little acts of kindness and generosity. And they will know we are Christians by our love. Amen!

GO & PROCLAIM DO NOT BE AFRAID

Jer 20:10-13; Rom 5:12-15; Mt 10: 26-33

Green-Psalter Week-IV

(Overcoming discouragement and fear)

Fr Nelson Lobo OFM Cap

IDENTIFYING WITH JEREMIAH

Jeremiah was ordained by God to be a prophet while he was in the womb, and he was called to be a messenger of God. But this man who was called by God; ordained by God and commissioned by God somehow changed his tune in chapter 20. The chief officer of the temple, when he heard Jeremiah’s preaching, he beat him and put him in the stocks overnight. Jeremiah had been in serious trouble before, but this event is his first recorded physical suffering.

Jeremiah the prophet of God now begins to complain that God has deceived him. The God who can’t lie, Jeremiah says has deceived him. That word deceive means, to mislead, to make someone believe what is false. Jeremiah answered God’s call, but now he is the laughing-stock.  Jeremiah’s consistent message had been that God will punish the people unless they repent. Guess what, the people have not repented, God has not punished them in the way Jeremiah predicted, and so Jeremiah is made the laughing-stock by the people.

If you feel God has deceived you, what would you do? Look what Jeremiah said “I will not make mention of him, nor speak any more in his name”.  Jeremiah had become weary, he was at the point of exhaustion, and it was at this point in his life when he said he would speak no more in the Name of the Lord. God’s prophet decided he was going to be silent but silence brings no peace. When you are called by God to share there will be no peace till you speak.

Sometimes in the Christian life we become weary, and may reach the point of wanting to give up, but don’t you give up. Elijah had just experienced the power of God there on Mount Carmel. He had a great mountain top experience, but shortly after he felt weary and hopeless because Jezebel was planning to slay him.

When you become weary, and sometimes you will, don’t forget Jeremiah; even though he said he would not speak nor mention God’s name any more, there was something on the inside compelling him to go on. When you feel God has forsaken you, when you feel God doesn’t care, when you feel you have been deceived, don’t forget Jeremiah, and just go on.

The world has pushed us in a corner through fear. It’s time to stand up! To stand up for truth, righteousness, and live a life that is free from intimidation. If you are God’s child there will be some suffering along the way. There is no easy sailing in the Christian life.  Jeremiah had been led to undertake the prophetic mission with assurances of success and victory, and he was surprised when he was met only with contempt and apparent failure.

So many have entered the service of the Lord with much confidence. Like superman they had in mind to do great things for the Lord, but never thought of hurdles and persecutions and gossip. Are you surprised how this Christian journey has become a rollercoaster journey? Are you angry with God for what you are going through? Do you sometimes feel that God has deceived you and you want to go on a spiritual strike?

Witnessing our Faith

1. GO TO THE LOST SHEEP. It is expected that all who are Christ’s disciples will be engaged in some type of mission in the church. The function of a shepherd is to seek and to save those who are lost. Other christians should research, plan and carry out the mission. Christians who are not involved in the mission of Christ are living in disobedience to the great commission (Matthew 28). Evangelisation is not an option for a disciple of Christ.
2. FREELY GIVE. Our voluntary service to the church is an expression of our overflowing gratitude for what the Lord has done for us. He has forgiven us. He took our place on the Cross. So, we are called to serve with an attitude of gratitude to the grace of God. We are not to feel that we are doing a favour to God. We are not to seek attention and recognition for our services.
3. MEET PEOPLES’ NEEDS. Jesus said, “Heal the sick, raise the dead, and cleanse those who have leprosy, drive out demons.” (Mt. 10:8) Christ teaches us that we are to meet physical, emotional, mental, social and spiritual needs of people we are ministering too. Jack Kemp said, “People do not care how much you know until they know how much you care.” Missionaries in Africa are now reaping a great harvest of new souls because the pioneers set up hospitals and schools. Around 18^th century there were less than 10 million Christians in Africa, today there are close to 400 million Christians in Africa because all their needs were met by the early missionaries.
4. TRUST GOD FOR SUPPORT. Jesus said, “Do not take along any gold or silver or copper in your belts. For the worker is worth is keep.” (Mt. 10:9) Know that the Lord will supply you with all your needs according to His riches in Christ Jesus. (Phil. 4:19) Some people hesitate to come forward because they think they have no enough knowledge, resources or emotional or spiritual strength. Let them realize that when God guides, He provides. Hudson Taylor, the famous pioneer missionary to China, said, “God’s will done in God’s way will not lack God’s support.” The will of God will never lead you where the grace of God cannot keep you. So do not be afraid.
5. EXPECT OPPOSITION. Jesus said, “Be on your guard against men, they will hand you over to the local councils and flog you in the synagogues. This indicates that there will be opposition both from the world as well as within the church. We should prepare our minds and hearts to be strong in the Lord (Eph. 6:10-18). “Do not be overcome evil, but overcome evil with good” (Rom. 12:21).  David wrote, “Oh fear the Lord you, His saints. For to those who fear Him there is no want. The young lions may lack and suffer hunger, but they who seek the Lord will not lack one good thing.” (Psa. 34:9)

“FEAR & DISCOURAGEMENT kills the charism of the Church”.

Harvest Plenty-Labourers Few

Ex 19: 2-6; Rom 5: 6-11; Mt 9:36-10:8

Fr. Nelson Lobo OFM Cap

(Time to reach out to the people just like Jesus did?)

Story: Philip Yancey tells the story of Dr. Paul Brand who had devoted his life to treating leprosy patients in India. In the course of one examination Brand laid his hand on the patient’s shoulder and informed him through a translator of the treatment that lay ahead. To his surprise the man began to shake with muffled sobs. “Have I said something wrong?” Brand asked the translator. She quizzed the patient and reported, “No, doctor. He says he is crying because you put your hand around his shoulder. Until he came here no one had touched him for many years.”

Mother Teresa has said, “We have drugs for people with diseases like leprosy. But these drugs do not treat the main problem, the disease of being unwanted. That’s what my sisters hope to provide. The sick and poor suffer even more from rejection than material want. Loneliness and the feeling of being unwanted is the most terrible poverty.”

The Gospel says when Jesus saw the crowds, he felt sorry for them.  So, he summoned his disciples and gave them authority to reach out to the people in need. But before we attempt to reach out to the people in need let’s have a look at the life of the Good Shepherd Jesus himself who has given us the great commission.

HOW DID JESUS BECOME THE GOOD SHEPHERD TO HIS SHEEP?

       Christ Went to the People.  Wouldn’t the salvation story be totally different if Christ waited for people to come to him? What would happen if he waited for the hurting, the needy, the spiritually sick to come to him? Christ actually saw them individually.  He didn’t just see a bunch of people, a crowd. But He looked into every single soul. That’s why he felt compassion for them.

       Christ intentionally entered into the lives of these people: He worshipped with them in their synagogues. He went to weddings with them. He worked with them on their fishing boats. He helped harvest the fruits of the field. He cried with them when one of them died. That’s why he felt compassion for them.

       Christ saw more than what is observable. Most of us are pretty good about hiding our true hurts and pain. People can smile, yet inside they are weeping because of the emotional & psychological pain. That’s why he felt compassion for them. Today our churches are full of such people. Beautiful and smiling but crying within.

       Jesus saw them as having no shepherd. Sheep are dumb, helpless, vulnerable, powerless. Sheep without a shepherd are aimless and lost, hopeless and forsaken, unprotected and feeble. They are easy prey for the enemy. I wonder what would happen if we made it a point to ask God to help us see people from the inside instead of the outside. Would that change the way we prayed for them? Would that change the way we respond to them? Since many priests today are busy with their administrative work, they have no time for pastoral concerns. Our people are left vulnerable and in need. No wonder today there are thousands of churches. People go where their need is met.

After Jesus experienced life in the towns and villages, after he taught them in their own synagogues, after he preached to them the Good News, after he touched the sick and healed them, after he raised the dead and after he experienced tremendous compassion for them Jesus said: “The Harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few”. One preacher puts it this way “Christ did not present a clear and powerful presentation of what it would take to be an effective evangelist unless he had gone through the process! UNTIL he saw the people; UNTIL he felt their needs; UNTIL he experienced their pain; UNTIL he was gripped with compassion”.

HOW CAN WE REACH OUT TO THE NEEDY

JUST LIKE JESUS DID?

• SEE PEOPLE JUST LIKE JESUS. See what he saw. When he saw the crowds, he had compassion on them. 1 Sam 16:7 “Man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.”
• TOUCH PEOPLE JUST LIKE JESUS. Feel what he felt. (Mk 1:40-42) A man with leprosy came to him and begged him on his knees for healing.  The amazing part of this healing is how Jesus did it – Jesus TOUCHED him! Physically leprosy patients don’t feel pain, but they suffer. Almost all the pain they feel comes from the outside, the pain of rejection and loneliness.
• SERVE PEOPLE JUST LIKE JESUS. Do what he did. (Mat 25:40) “whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me”.

Conclusion

Story: “Put the Flag Back!” In a combat between the British and French many years ago, a small battalion of British soldiers were holding out against the enemy. Their flag was knocked down by enemy fire. The soldiers cried out, “Put the flag back! Put the flag back!” A brave soldier dared the line of fire, rushed out and put it back into its place, to the cheers of his comrades. That’s what we need to do in the church—put the flag back—the flag of Missions. Make it our rally cry. Indifference and selfishness have knocked the “C” out of the Great Commission. Its time for Christians to shout, “Put the “C” back! —the C that stands for Conviction, Concern, and Compassion.

Jesus when he felt compassion did not think of self-protection. He went all out of his comfort-zone to reach out to the sick and the dying, to the ignorant and to the wayward. And we the followers of Jesus called to walk in His footsteps to proclaim the Good News must forget our comfort zone and do what Jesus did. We are the labourers Jesus prayed for. May he grant us the grace to be compassionate. Amen!

WHEN ANY CHURCH LOSES THE SPIRIT OF THE GREAT COMMISION, IT SURRENDERS THE VERY REASON FOR IT’S EXISTENCE.

Mission is not a SIDE LINE! It is the LIFELINE of the church.