Joseph Osho

  Friday of week 23 in Ordinary Time 1 Corinthians 9:16-19,​22-27 Psalm 83(84):3-6,12 Luke 6:39-42 May Christ heal us Jesus employs the parables of the blind leading the blind and of the speck and the log in one’s eye to caution his disciples against spiritually blind leaders who may cause others to stumble into danger. More specifically, he emphatically instructs them to refrain from judging others when their own sins may be significantly greater. In both cases, removing one’s own “log” is arduous, demanding brutal honesty and self-awareness. It necessitates profound vulnerability. After confronting the pain of their own woundedness and brokenness, and experiencing the healing grace of God, an individual's approach to another person’s "speck" or wound transforms entirely. They no longer judge or view others with self-righteousness. Instead, grounded in their own woundedness and adopting a mentorship perspective, they offer help with a gentle, empathetic hand. The traditi...

  Wednesday of week 23 in Ordinary Time  1 Corinthians 7:25-31 · Psalm 44(45):11-12,14-17 Luke 6:20-26 May his blessings keep us  In the sixth chapter of Luke’s gospel, Luke lists the apostles, then recounts their encounter with a large crowd gathered around Jesus. Our Lord gazes toward the disciples and delivers the Beatitudes to them. Luke further emphasizes that Jesus’ words are intended for those who hear—namely, the multitude, Luke’s readers, and ourselves. As positive messages, they cannot shame us nor are they meant to induce guilt. An important question we must continually consider is how we will respond to these words as we hear them again today. 

Monday of week 23 in Ordinary Time  1 Corinthians 5:1-8  Psalm 5:5-7,12 Luke 6:6-11 Jesus was filled with deep love and compassionate concern for the man with the withered hand. Jesus enters a synagogue where there is a man “who has a withered hand.” Like many gospel stories, Jesus finds himself in a situation where doing good can bring healing and hope. There is a man who is suffering, who is hurting, and Jesus longs to bring him comfort and restoration. Yet this story is filled with tension and the threat of hostility because the same synagogue also houses a group of Pharisees. They see what Jesus does—a man in need of kindness and healing—but they interpret the situation differently. To them, the man with the withered hand is not a person in need but a problem that might threaten their strict adherence to Sabbath laws. Ironically, they hope Jesus will heal the man so they can accuse him of breaking the law. Instead of backing down, Jesus speaks gently but firmly: “Is it law...

  Saturday of week 22 in Ordinary Time  1 Corinthians 4:6-15  Psalm 144(145):17-21 Luke 6:1-5 In today’s Gospel, we observe Jesus and his disciples walking through a field of grain. The disciples experience a fundamental human need: hunger. Given that the grain was readily available, they began to pick and eat it. The Pharisees, always vigilant for violations of religious law, observe this behavior and accuse them of breaking the Sabbath regulations. Jesus responds by recalling that King David committed a similar act and concludes with the statement, “The Son of Man is lord of the Sabbath.” This passage can be interpreted as aligning with the adage, “Some rules are meant to be broken.” Such scenes recur throughout the Gospels, where Jesus performs acts of kindness on the Sabbath and faces criticism from religious authorities. Does Jesus imply that rules are inconsequential? At first glance, one might think, “I do not need to adhere to all these rules.” However, at that st...

  Friday of week 22 in Ordinary Time  1 Corinthians 4:1-5  Psalm 36(37):3-6,27-28,39-40 Luke 5:33-39 In today’s gospel, Jesus mentions that when the bridegroom is taken away, His followers will fast. There are moments in our lives when we experience this sense of the bridegroom's absence. This phrase can also symbolize various situations beyond the specific event in the Garden of Gethsemane, such as the night after Jesus was betrayed by Judas Iscariot through a kiss, leading to His arrest on Holy Thursday. One significant interpretation of this 'taking away' is the feeling of Christ's absence when we sense His distance from us. This feeling can result from our own sins, which create spiritual barriers, or from moments when we grow closer to Christ but His presence seems hidden. In the latter case, it is often a divine intention to encourage us to seek Him more earnestly. Fasting in these moments acts as a spiritual discipline that helps us overcome sinful attachments, s...