We cannot oppress the powerless and vulnerable people in our midst and also pray the "Our Father." We simply cannot do both.

Jan 31 Scripture David's true contrition is admirable but I am drawn to the prophet Nathan. With skill, integrity, and courage he confronted David with his misdeeds (2 Sam 12:1-17. I pray for the heart to stand with victims of injustice and the skill, integrity, and courage to address wrongdoers.

Jan 30 Scripture David sinned. Scripture says, "In the sight of the LORD what David had done was evil (1 Sam 11:27). God's beloved David had committed the starkest of evils. Power is heck of a drug. It clouds judgement, dulls conscience, and perpetrates evil. It is happening right before our eyes.

Jan 29 Scripture David's "Who am I" (2 Sam 7:18) moment is in contrast to his "I will build for God" moment. This moment of being totally unworthy yet in humility yearning for God's blessing, favor, and fidelity is a moment of grace. You can't created it artificially. It's a pure gift. Yearn for it.

Jan 28 Scripture King David's residence was built by Phoenician craftsmen using cedar sent by the king of Tyre. It was majestic, royal, and strong. Now he wants to build a house for God (1 Sam 7:4-17). Often, we have it all upside down. It is God who gives the seed. We are only the soil (Mk 4:1-20).

Jan 27 Scripture Mark Ch 3 has various groups including Jesus' relatives saying, "He is out of his mind" (21). In today's gospel, in a seeming rebuff of "his mother and brothers" he says: "Whoever does the will of God is my brother and sister and mother” (35). His mother did God's will the best!

Jan 26 Scripture Paul's words to Timothy, "For God did not give us a spirit of cowardice but rather of power, love and self-control" was meant to "stir into flame the gift of God" (2 Tim 1:6-7) in him. Now is the time for us to stand up in power, love & self-control against cruelty and inhumanity.

Sunday Homily - "Zebulun and Naphtali: We Have Them Too" Text: www.itemissaest.org/resources/su... Podcast: itemissaest.podbean.com/e/januar-25-...

Jan 24 Scripture David lost Saul and Jonathan in battle. He grieved their death. He even killed the man who brought him the news (1 Sam:1-4). I am overwhelmed when scripture readings are about war even when God's people benefitted from it. Rather, they tell me of the futility of war! War kills!!!

Jan 23 Scripture The account of David sparing Saul's life is a magnificent example of how conversation, compassion, and goodwill can transform personal relationships and social realities (1 Sam 24:3-21). Peacemaking is not accomplished by threats and violence. It takes humility and honesty.

Jan 22 Scripture Jealousy is a friend-killer. The battle was won but Saul became jealous of David (1 Sam 18:9) because people praised David's valor. Jonathan, Saul's son and heir to the throne, is our model as he made way for David. Faith in God's providence and gratitude are antidotes to jealousy.

Jan 21 Scripture Just as David took on the mighty Philistines (1 Sam 17:33-51) and Jesus took on the mighty religious leaders (Mk 3:1-6), we must not think of ourselves as small, insignificant, and powerless people who have nothing to offer. With God on our side we can change lives and the world.

Jan 20 Scripture Today's two seemingly unconnected readings are tied together by "Bethlehem." Samuel came to Bethlehem and Daivd was anointed king. Thus the Davidic kingdom was established. Jesus was born in Bethlehem of the house of David. This the "Son of Man" who is Lord of the Sabbath (Mk 2:28).

"Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that." Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that." - Martin Luther King Jr.

Jan 19 Scripture Scripture passages like we have in today's first reading (I Sam 15:16-23) are hard to process. Did God really command the extermination of an entire population? This is not the God Jesus Christ revealed. Jesus was so right. "New wine cannot be poured into old wineskins (Mk 2:22).

Homily Podcast - Son Yet "Doulos" itemissaest.podbean.com/e/january-18...

Sunday Homily - "Son Yet 'Doulos'" Jesus was Son, but he lived like a servant. It has implications for Christian discipleship. www.itemissaest.org/resources/su...

Jan 17 Scripture "The people wanted a king and God gave them a king" (1 Sam 9). It would not go well for them but they would have to work it out. In the gospel we have Jesus who knows how to lead people. He cared for the least and ate and drank with them (Mk 2:13-17). If only we can let God be God.

Jan 16 Scripture The 1st reading recounts the transition of Israel from a people to a kingdom. (1 Sam 8:4-7; 10-22a). Jesus did the opposite. He rejected the notion of a kingdom/nation (Jn 18:36) with geographical boundaries and human trappings of power. Thus, Christian nationalism is an oxymoron.

Jan 15 Scripture Israel's defeat at the hands of the Philistines (1 Sam 4:1-11), was meant to teach the Israelites not to take God's presence through the Ark of the Covenant for granted. God's presence is a gift, not a right. Grace is given freely but we must also humbly live up to its demands.

Jan 14 Scripture The common theme b/w the 2 readings is how Israel came to know Samuel was an "accredited prophet of the Lord" (1 Sam 3:20) and how Jesus' fame spread so that "the whole town was gathered at the door (Mk 1:33). A good and holy life is when people can sense God's presence through us.

Jan 12 Scripture The poignant Hannah story - she is childless, her husband Elkanah loved her deeply but his second wife tormented her. She pours her heart out to God and finally she conceives (1 Sam 1:9-20). God lifts up the poor. Today let us pray for all those who feel burdened and tormented. Amen

Jan 12 Scripture Today, we begin Ordinary Time. There is nothing ordinary about Ordinary Time. We hear extraordinary stories of God's people and the daily ministry or Jesus (Mk 1:14-20). In this Time, we try to live our ordinary lives with extraordinary love for God and others. In this is holiness.

Homily Podcast - "Being Good at Being Christian" www.itemissaest.org/resources/su...

Sunday Homily - "Being Good at Being Christians" Are we good at being Christian? It is our baptism that makes us Christian. Are we good at it? www.itemissaest.org/resources/su...

Jan 10 Scripture "We have this confidence in him that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us" (1 Jn 5:14). I pray America acts in justice, peace, and goodwill instead of injustice, war, and ill-will. May this prayer be according to Gods' will. Amen. If you are with me, add your Amen!

Jan 9 Scripture Anticipating the Baptism of Jesus, today's 1st reading says, "This is the one who came through water and Blood, Jesus Christ...." The Spirit testifies to him (1Jn 5:6). What is true of Jesus is true of us. Baptized in water, washed by the blood, the Spirit makes us sons/daughters.

Jan 8 Scripture As a reign of terror is unleashed in the nation, Jesus' says: "He has sent me to proclaim liberty to captives, recovery of sight to the blind, to let the oppressed go free, and to proclaim a year acceptable to the Lord" (Lk 4:15-19). Jesus was killed. It is the price of liberty.

Jan 7 Scripture Many Christians say to me, "But it is not in the Bible!" But let me tell you what IS in the Bible: "God is love, and whoever remains in love remains in God and God in him" (1 Jn 4:16b).

Jan 6 Scripture "Beloved, let us love one another, because love is of God" (1 Jn 4:7). Christianity began as a Jesus-movement. Later, it became a religion. Love got institutionalized. It got muted, controlled, and at times, even killed. But we must never forget, it all began with a love-movement.

Jan 5 Scripture John summarizes the entire thing in this way: "And his commandment is this: we should believe in the name of his Son, Jesus Christ, and love one another just as he commanded us" (I Jn 23). This is all that is being asked. Why is this so hard?

Epiphany Sunday Homily Podcast - "Your Light has Come" The feast of the Epiphany is a celebration of the revelation that God has come to save us, that God is with us, and that light has shone for us to find our way into eternity. itemissaest.podbean.com/e/january-4-...

Sunday Homily - "Your Light Has Come" Epiphany is a revelation, but it is also an invitation. www.itemissaest.org/resources/su...

Jan 3 Scripture The words, "See what love the Father has bestowed on us that we may be called the children of God. Yet so we are" (1 Jn 3:1), should be posted somewhere in our homes where it is a constant reminder. It's about love, it's about a relationship, it's about being God's family together.

Jan 2 Scripture When John says "Who is the liar?" (1 Jn 2:22), he was referring some gnostics who denied that the earthly Jesus was the Christ. Rather, to deny the Son is to deny the Father whom the Son reveals. As Christmas season continues, we hold Christ as God's incarnate Son. Them we adore.

Wishing all my BlueSky friends all the blessings of the New Year. May God lead us to freedom, justice, and peace! As Mary prayed, may the Lord "Lift up the lowly and throw down the rulers from their thrones!"

Jan 1 Scripture "Mary kept all these things, reflecting on them in her heart" (Lk 2:19). Mary's demeanor, her attitude, humility, docility, and contemplative nature, lived in boldness, strength, and fearlessness is what I admire about her. She taught Jesus well. Mary, Mother of God - Pray for us!

Dec 31 Scripture Today's 1st reading begins with "It is the last hour..." (1 Jn 2:18). The gospel begins with "In the beginning..." (Jn 1:1). The end of each hour begins a new hour, the end of each day begins a new day, the end of each year begins a new year. Thank you, Lord for ends and beginnings.

Dec 30 Scripture John creates a dichotomy between belonging to the Father and belonging to the world (1 Jn 2:15-17). For John, "the world", does not mean the created world but all that is hostile toward God and alienated from him. The invitation is to live godly lives even as we live in the world.

Homily Podcast - "Family Matters" itemissaest.podbean.com/e/december-2...

Sunday Homily - "Family Matters" The Holy Family faced internal and external challenges just like the first human family and our families today. This feast helps us to find inspiration in the life of the Holy Family and encourages us give our all for our families. www.itemissaest.org/resources/su...

"On earth, there is no room for God if there is no room for the human person. To refuse one is to refuse the other." - Pope Leo XIV, Christmas Eve Homily.

Dec 27 Scripture - Feast of John the Evangelist John's gospel and epistles are so qualitatively different than the synoptics gospels and other NT epistles, I imagine him to be a contemplative mystic. His poetic sense and his understanding, "God is love" (1 Jn 4:8) says it all. St. John, Pray for us!

Dec 26 Scripture The feast of St. Stephen - the first martyr - just a day after Christmas tells us of the redemption that Christ came to bring. The humankind that Jesus embraced was steeped in sin and evil. But Stephen is a face of the redeemed humanity - a life lived in the imitation of Christ.

Christmas: God's Little Love-Protest www.satishjoseph.com/post/christm...

Christmas Homily Podcast - "Word Made Flesh, God Made Visible" You came today to celebrate Christmas. What did you expect to see? There is no baby in the manger. Only, bread becomes Body. Only, wine becomes Blood. “Word is made Flesh,” “God is made visible.” itemissaest.podbean.com/e/december-2...

Christmas Homily - "Word Made Flesh, God Made Visible" You came to Church today to celebrate Christmas. What did you expect to see? There is no baby in the manger. Only, bread becomes Body. Only, wine becomes Blood. “Word is made Flesh,” “God is made visible.” www.itemissaest.org/resources/su...

Dec 24 Scripture Scripture Readings: bible.usccb.org/bible/readin... It is Christmas Eve. The stage is set. The curtains are about to be drawn. Today's scripture reading is the opener. The Davidic king is here. Salvation is here. His name is Jesus Christ. youtu.be/8iHtXqRzh84

Dec 23 Scripture Readings: bible.usccb.org/bible/readin... Malachi addresses the cynicism of the people and points to "a messenger" who will bring about urgent reform (Mal 3:1-4, 23-24). This messenger in the gospel reading (Lk 1:57-66) 1s John the Baptist. www.youtube.com/watch?v=moVf...

Dec 22 Scripture Reading: bible.usccb.org/bible/readin... We have yet another story of a miraculous birth - Samuel (1 Sam 2:24-28). His mother Hanna's song of praise (1 Sam 2:1-10) connects us to the gospel as Mary sings her Magnificat (Lk 1:46-56). "My soul magnifies the Lord!" youtu.be/oJ5q5ir6x-8