Joseph Osho

  6th Sunday in Ordinary Time  Ecclesiasticus 15:16-21 Ps:118(119):1-2,4-5,17-18,33-34 1 Corinthians 2:6-10 Matthew 5:17-37 TRUE LOVE SUMS UP THE LAW AND LEADS TO HOLINESS  What guides our moral decisions? For a good Jew, it's obedience to the Law, revealed by God, as the psalm states: "Blessed are those who walk in the law of the Lord." Jesus also emphasized the Law, saying he came to fulfill, not abolish, it, contrary to people's misguided expectations. Today, many focus on his commandment of love, often misusing it.  Jesus fulfilled the Law through God's will, and we must do the same—avoid blasphemy, theft, lying, murder and adultery. The law alone isn't enough; love is essential. Saint Augustine said, "Love and do what you like," meaning love sums up the law. True love for God and neighbor fulfills the law, making commandments instinctive. However, loving God fully is challenging—our failure to always do his will shows our lack of love. Jesus pro...

  Saints Cyril, monk, and Methodius, Bishop  1 Kings 12:26-32,​13:33-34 Psalm 105(106):6-7,19-22 Mark 8:1-10 The multiplication of bread foreshadows Jesus’ sacrifice on the Cross, where His body would be broken to provide spiritual and eternal nourishment for all who believe in Him. This miracle is central in the Gospels and took place in both Jewish and Gentile regions, showing that Christ came for everyone. Moved by compassion for the hungry crowds, Jesus blessed and broke the loaves, revealing Himself as the New Moses and as the Bread given for the life of the world. The miracle ultimately points to the Eucharist, where Jesus gives His Body and Blood. However, this gift bears fruit only if we believe and live according to His teachings. The Eucharist calls us to imitate Christ’s selfless love, especially by caring for the poor and the marginalized. 

  Friday of week 5 in Ordinary Time  1 Kings 11:29-32,​12:19 Psalm 80(81):10-15 Mark 7:31-37 With the division of the united kingdom after Solomon’s reign, the prophet Ahijah symbolizes this division by tearing his cloak into twelve pieces, giving ten to Jeroboam (forming the Northern Kingdom of Israel) while Judah and Benjamin remain under Rehoboam in the Southern Kingdom of Judah. This moment establishes a pattern in Scripture: prophets announce God’s word, and history unfolds as the fulfillment of those prophetic words. This prophetic pattern links us to the Gospel, where Jesus heals a man who cannot hear or speak properly. While the Old Testament prophets foretold what was to come, Jesus represents the fulfillment of those prophecies. His miracles reveal God’s power bringing restoration and wholeness. The focus then shifts to Baptism. Christians are anointed as prophets, priests, and kings, called to share in Christ’s mission. The baptismal prayers—touching the ears, eyes,...

  Thursday of week 5 in Ordinary Time  1 Kings 11:4-13 Psalm 105(106):3-4,35-37,40 Mark 7:24-30 Living faithfully as recipients of divine love presents its challenges. The current readings highlight two contrasting approaches. Solomon, comfortable with his wealth and authority, neglects his fundamental role as a servant of Yahweh. Do I allow God to shape my identity instead of being swayed by misleading influences? The Syrophoenician woman, confident in her role as a mother and believer, places her trust in God's capacity to act. What sustains her strength? Am I willing to let God define me and remain true to that core identity? These questions are of significant importance. We pray for the confidence to act with the assurance that God knows and loves us completely. Regardless of life's difficulties, we are children of God. May we remain grounded in this truth and act accordingly. Amen.

Wednesday of week 5 in Ordinary Time  1 Kings 10:1-10 Psalm 36(37):5-6,30-31,39-40 Mark 7:14-23 The story of King Solomon serves as a stark warning: even the most brilliant success can become a veil. When the Queen of Sheba praised his wisdom, she saw a king of justice; however, that same praise eventually blinded Solomon to his own internal drift. By neglecting his inner life, his external kingdom—once a marvel of unity—crumbled into division. It is a reminder that the most significant collapses rarely start with a bang; they begin in the quiet, unexamined corners of the soul. The Myth of External Purity Jesus addressed this head-on when confronted by traditionalists obsessed with the "correct" way to wash hands. He pivoted the conversation from the basin to the breast, making it clear that defilement isn’t something you swallow—it is something you harbor. Rituals and traditions are often used as armor to hide a lack of internal transformation, yet as Jesus noted, the heart ...

  Saint Scholastica, Virgin 1 Kings 8:22-23,​27-30 Psalm 83(84):3-5,10-11 Mark 7:1-13 DO NOT TWIST THE TRUTH   Today's Gospel reminds us that rituals and liturgy only transform us when rooted in God’s love, especially when we are in the wilderness and need His cleansing grace. The gospel discusses Jewish hand-washing and purification rituals, meant to show reverence for God. By Jesus’ time, these traditions had become empty and oppressive, with Pharisees scolding Jesus’ disciples for eating with unclean hands—a dispute linked to Jesus feeding the 5,000 (Mk 6:35-44). The Pharisees were upset, even though the crowd had no chance to wash their hands. Jesus called them hypocrites, stage actors hiding their empty hearts behind outward piety. He wasn’t rejecting tradition but condemning their hypocrisy. Like the Pharisees, we may turn meaningful traditions into legalistic rituals. Whether it’s hand-washing, Friday abstention, or Eucharist—are we truly transformed or just going throu...