Joseph Osho

  1 Corinthians 3:1-9  Luke 4:38-44 God in his nature is compassionate and gracious, merciful and righteous, and He has dominion over all natural and supernatural existence; all for his purpose and glory. We see  several features and qualities in     Christ’s healing especially in today’s gospel.   With the way, the evangelist who is a physician describes the healing of Simon’s mother-in-law and that of so many who received healing from the Lord, we can see that the power of Christ did not merely make people better but entirely whole and healthy. He healed compassionately, authoritatively, instantly, completely and inclusively. These are the snapshots of the sacred and compassionate heart of Christ and that of God himself.  Every miracle of Jesus points to one single direction, Jesus himself. In him is power over all things spiritual and physical; seen and unseen. He is the word of God and he knows us and cares for all our needs. Sometimes, we feel it ...

  1 Cor 2: 10-16 Luke 4:31-37 I often wonder how we would react if Jesus was physically with us today and called out unclean spirits in front of us. Some have been fortunate to see his miracles in their lives. And we, if we allow it, we can see a vast amount of miracles in our everyday life. Today, more than ever, we need to trust in the power of Jesus throughout our day and in all circumstances.  Jesus spoke with great power and authority. Who truly speaks with Godly authority for us today? we can find it very easy to allow our thoughts to be driven into dark places, away from the love and mercy of Christ if we do not have good models.  We must ask Jesus for the grace to understand  the multitude of parables and teachings that we read about today. Our bibles need to be dog-eared and worn from the constant, daily use of them in our homes. We must recognize that Jesus is our salvation, from his life, death and resurrection – his very Passion should drive us ...

  1 Corinthians 2:1-5  Mark 6:17-29 Decapitation is a very horrible thing. It is so dreadful that it has a propaganda effect on the society. That is the common reality for many Christians around the world today.    Saint John the Baptist knew that his  charism  was to preach and proclaim the coming of the Messiah. He held fast to his gift of preaching and teaching and put his life on the line to speak the truth when it came to confronting Herod Antipas about his marriage to his brother’s wife when his brother was still living. While Herod Antipas, a “king” with “power” could not stand up to the truth when his wife asked for the “head of John the Baptist”. He could not humble himself and say no to the request. It would have been “humbling” for him to do so. He might have seemed weak. What would people think of a king not keeping a promise? When given power we need to know what to do with it. In the scriptures today we have the examples of the choices we have...

  Twenty Second Sunday in Ordinary Time (Year C) Eccles 3.17-20, 28-29;  Hebr 12.18-19, 22-24;  Lk 14.1, 7-14 Our readings today challenge us to be more humble and less demanding of others.  As much as we would like it to be at times, it’s not all about us! Greatness of spirit, growth in virtue, real merit: these attainments are not achieved vicariously.     He who exalts himself on someone else's ticket, is riding for a fall.    It's unreal.    It's not true.    It's a fantasy, a delusion.    We are what we are, ourselves.    We become what we become, ourselves.    This is one of the reasons why humility is so necessary. Humility means having an accurate and honest view of ourselves.    If we have a particular talent, it is humble to admit it (and give thanks for it).    If we have a particular weakness, it is humble to admit it (and then try to improve).    It i...

  1 Corinthians 1:26-31  Matthew 25:14-30 If we consider our lives and talents are blessings from God will not stray from the life God intends for us.  The use of any gift in a manner that does not glorify God and make us better, leading to our sanctification, is not only a misuse and an abuse of the gift but also an insult to the God who has given us these gifts.  When we use our gifts and talents for our personal gains and self-projection, in the end we form a community of rivalry, unhealthy competition, envy and bitterness. But the right use of our gifts makes us create a true community of love. Have you discovered your gifts? Do you use them for the good of the community or for your personal gain? Is your community a place of love? The gifts from God are meant to be shared, not hoarded and placed in safekeeping within ourselves. The sharing of the spirit of God will only grow when you actually share it, not hold it within yourself. Imagine     that...

  1 Cor 1:17-25 Matt 25:1-13 The opening line from today’s reading from St. Paul’s First Letter to the Corinthians is like a mission statement     as well as a warning. The cross to some looks like failure and folly. To others it is an expression of the outpouring of God’s love for us. For us Christians, it is victory over sin and death. We must therefore depend only and solely on God who is the author and finisher of the mission. Are you depending on God? The one who relies on God, therefore, will be successful at last. Success according to Jesus’ reckoning does not consist in doing supernatural and magnificent wonders but in the very simple fact that we are faithful to the end, whence we would have earned the privilege of having our names written in heaven. Is your name written in heaven? Our names will be written in heaven not when we have amassed wealth or positions but when the only boast we can make would be about the cross of our Lord. What do you boast about? In t...

  1 Corinthians 1:1-9  Matthew 24:42-51 The Lord opens our hearts today with his words to stay awake and be careful even as we enjoy the goodness of this world. We must not be carried away by the pleasures of this life but prepare for His coming.   There are many ways of promoting Christian wakefulness. Among the rest, let me strongly advise Christians to repent and converse together concerning the ways of the Lord. Christian and Hopeful, as they journeyed towards the Celestial City in the famous ‘Pilgrim Progress’ said to themselves, “To prevent drowsiness in this place, let us fall into good discourse.” Christian enquired, “Brother, where shall we begin?” And Hopeful answered, “Where God began with us.”That is baptism. Our conversion becomes its renewal.   Christians who isolate themselves and walk alone, are very liable to grow drowsy. Hold Christian companionship and intercession and you will be kept wakeful by it, and refreshed and encouraged to make quicker pro...

  Apocalypse 21:9-14  John 1:45-51 Can any good thing come from that place?….Rabbi, you are the Son of God.  The Lord sees us and knows us true and true. Heaven is the prize and we must not lose our focus. Bartholomew was a simple soul. He was seeking spiritual enlightenment while pondering under the fig tree, Philip invited him to meet the Messiah from Nazareth. And so he asks, can anything come from Nazareth? Nazareth simply did not fit the preconceived notions that people had about where to look for the Messiah. The popular proverb regarding Nazareth, as many popular proverbs are, was quite inaccurate. But out of nothing comes something. After Christ revealed his thoughts, he proclaimed Christ as the Son of God.Jesus praises Nathanael for his honesty and faith.  We are members of the church. That’s to say, we are not only built upon the foundation of the apostles and receive our faith from them and are strengthened by them, but we are also called to continue their...

  2 Thessalonians 2:1-3, 14-17.  Matthew 23:23-26 Jesus continues to rebuke the scribes and Pharisees.   Today, Jesus says “Woe” to them again because they focus on the minutiae of the Law while they “neglected the weightier things of the law: judgment and mercy and fidelity.”  They needed conversion but they prefer to focus on the externals. The difference is, people can see what is outside, but only you and God can see what is inside. Which one would I like  to please? The crowd? Myself? Or my God? We  do  need to attend to the weightier things that are behind the rules and commandments that we have in our church: judgment (discernment), mercy and fidelity and compassion and justice and peace, and overall, love.  In addition, we also need to let go of trying to control others, or even ourselves in the process. Ultimately, we need to surrender and put our trust in God’s love and grace and will for us. May we not browbeat each other over the small...