Joseph Osho

  Saint Barnabas, Apostle  Acts 11:21-26,​13:1-3 Psalm 97(98):1-6 Matthew 5:20-26 IN EVERY GOOD THING ENCOURAGE ONE ANOTHER  Adjectives serve to describe a person's character or personality, and they can be either positive or negative, potentially encouraging or insulting. Conversely, nouns are used to identify a person and may carry a different connotation. While adjectives reflect a person's expressions or qualities, nouns define what the person is. For example, calling someone a "son of encouragement" or “Barnabas” is generally considered a kind acknowledgment, whereas terms like “fool" or "renegade" may be seen as belittling or insulting. This is why, in today's gospel (Matthew 5:20-26), Jesus emphasizes the importance of mindful language when referring to others. Such words not only impact individuals but also serve as reflections of how we view the divine image in each person, since all humans are created in God's likeness. Therefore, let ...

  Wednesday of week 10 in Ordinary Time  1 Kings 18:20-39  Psalm 15(16):1-2,4-5,8,11 Matthew 5:17-19 In today’s gospel (Matthew 5:17-19), Jesus explicitly states that He did not come to abolish the Law but to fulfill and perfect it. He also warns that anyone who disregards even the least of the commandments and teaches others to do the same will face severe consequences, emphasizing the importance of adherence. To follow the Lord’s commandments wisely and humbly, we need the gift of divine wisdom and understanding to interpret and live by them rightly.  Achievements and accolades gained on earth can never compare to the fulfillment found in living a life of humility, simplicity, and peace. When considering God’s laws, do you see them as restrictions limiting your freedom, or as guiding principles that set you free?  May we be granted wisdom to remember that these laws are designed to liberate us and help us live in accordance with the commandments of the Lord. A...

  Tuesday of week 10 in Ordinary Time  or St Ephrem 1 Kings 17:7-16  Psalm 4:2-5,7-8 Matthew 5:13-16 St. Ephrem was born in 306 in Nisibis. As an adult, he lived the lifestyle of a hermit. In the 350s, he fled from his native Nisibis to Edessa (Turkey) after the city was conquered by the Persians. There, he was ordained a deacon. He was a teacher who defended the faith through his biblical commentaries, poetry, and most famously his hymns. Ephrem found the use of symbols most important and saw them in the Scriptures and in creation all around him, ‘Jesus created so many symbols that I have fallen into them as into the sea’. He has many titles: The Column of the Church, The Harp of the Holy Spirit, and is the greatest hymnographer of the Church of the East. In our familiar Beatitudes, we see the vocation of Israel to be the light of the nations. Yet they failed to accept the Light of the world. That light has been given to us.  At the Easter Vigil, when the light from...

  Monday of week 10 in Ordinary Time  1 Kings 17:1-6 · Psalm 120(121) Matthew 5:1-12 BLESSED ARE YOU How happy are you? Are you truly happy? What does happiness mean to you personally? The human craving for comfort in today’s world is often directed away from divine guidance and instead seeks fulfillment through worldly means. Man’s soul searches tirelessly for comfort, consolation, and above all, true happiness. It is only when we accept the path of happiness offered by Christ that any happiness we pursue outside of God ultimately leads to a void filled with misery and spiritual emptiness. In today’s gospel, Jesus begins the Sermon on the Mount by outlining the way to happiness through the Beatitudes.  The profound truth of these “attitudes” that Jesus teaches is that, regardless of the sorrows and hardships we face in life, once we have embraced Him as our Lord and Savior and commit to walking in His footsteps daily, we discover the true treasure—heavenly reward. T...

  The Body and Blood of Christ (Year A)   Deut 8.2-3, 12-15, 19-20;  Ps 147;  I Cor 10.16-17;  Jn 6.51-58 Appreciating the rich and life-sustaining food preserved in the sacred tabernacle! Many of Christ's words in the Gospels are often shrouded in mystery. To truly understand Holy Scripture, we rely on the guiding light of the Holy Spirit, alive within the Church’s living tradition—its divine soul. Even with this guidance, the meaning can sometimes be elusive. But today’s Gospel is a powerful exception! It boldly and clearly reveals Jesus teaching us about something absolutely fundamental—His own Body and Blood in the Most Blessed Sacrament. This is the core of our faith, a miraculous gift that calls us to recognize and partake of Him. Most Catholics already believe in the real presence of Christ's Flesh and Blood in the Eucharist. Yet, imagine how astonishing this must have sounded to those hearing it for the first time! Jesus insisted that we must eat His Fle...

  Saturday of week 9 in Ordinary Time 2 Timothy 4:1-8  Psalm 70(71):8-9,14-17,22 Mark 12:38-44 In a nation of immense wealth, it is outrageous that anyone goes hungry, lacks healthcare, or lives on the streets. Today’s reading highlights the many social ills that still confront us today.As disciples, we should also feel anger at a society that promotes individualistic social upward mobility while turning a blind eye to its impact on the disadvantaged, especially those living on the fringes of our communities. Today’s readings also challenge us to be “refusers, renegades, and resisters” against the prevailing narrative of upward mobility centered on riches, honors, pride, and power. The culture that upholds these values might want us to see today’s Gospel as a sweet story of a poor widow surrendering everything to God, encouraging the well-to-do to give a little more. But the story is much more radical. Jesus is condemning the Temple economy that allows scribes and similar figu...