Joseph Osho

KEEP A GOOD ATTITUDE WHILE WAITING FOR THE LORD. YOUR PATIENCE WILL BRING YOU ABUNDANT BLESSINGS.   Romans 8:18-25 Luke 13:18-21 Using familiar imagery in nature Jesus tells us about the kingdom of God. What was the imagery? It is the mustard seed that becomes a mustard tree. it grows quietly but in the end, it grows so big that it provides shelter for the birds of the air that come to it. Similarly, the hand of God is upon us. He constantly blesses us with His presence. He keeps the universe in order and harmony and grant us peace in our trials and struggles. There are so many miracles he grants to us of each day. Sometimes, we see patience as delay too often as a weakness to be overcomed. It takes a prayerful person who has learnt submissiveness that understands what Patience is. Yes, the toughest part of a journey is the few steps we take at the beginning, nonetheless, fruitfulness comes at the end. Thus, the pace of nature and her secret is patience.  Many times, we think ...

  AGAINST ALL ODDS, HAVE FAITH IN GOD AND HE WILL COME TO YOUR AID Romans 8:12-17 Luke 13:10-17 This God of ours is a God who saves...he leads the prisoner forth into freedom...Psalm 68.  In today's gospel, we see the healing of a bent woman who was bound by Satan for eighteen years. She was bent double and could not stand upright. Jesus healed her. She was loosed and could now stand straight. God straightened what the enemy bent.  The Lord worked this miracle in the synagogue on the Sabbath day and the Pharisees were quick to raise their eyebrows and frown at the miracle performed by Christ. They were indignant without considering the wonders God had done. Jesus points out their hypocrisy and their uncharitable attitude towards life in general. Nothing in the law forbids good deeds. Doing something good for the glorification of God’s name does not bend or go against the law and the rituals of the Sabbath. The Sabbath or any other day of worship is a day of Thanksgiving. ...

  Thirtieth Sunday in Ordinary Time (Year A)   Ex 22.20-26;   I Thess 1.5-10;   Mt 22.34-40   May the Lord strengthen us, and increase our faith, hope, and charity, so that we will make his love known as he has commanded us  In today's reading from St Matthew, the Pharisees had discovered that Jesus had silenced the Sadducees so they gathered themselves together and went to him and one of them asked him a fundamental question, saying, “Master which is the greatest commandment of the law’”? In answering, this question Our Lord tells the entire group of Pharisees the two greatest commandments: firstly, we must love the Lord our God with our whole being; secondly, we must love our neighbor as we love ourselves.  Jesus says that all the commandments of the Law are supported by these two.  The great theologian Saint Thomas Aquinas points out that the second commandment, to love our neighbour, is a consequence and result of the first; because when man i...

  THROUGH PRAYER WE OFFER OUR LIVES TO GOD Ephesians 2:19-22 Luke 6:12-19 Before you make a critical decision in your life do you pray? Is there anything prayer cannot do? In today's Gospel, Jesus while praying asked for wisdom from His Heavenly Father before choosing twelve men of faith who loved Him and would be faithful to His purposes ( Luke 6:12; John 14:21-14).  When we call on the name of the Lord, we are lifting our minds and hearts to God. There is a bond. A relationship between a Father and a son or daughter. There is companionship. There is sacrificial love. And of course, that captures today’s feast of the Apostles Simon the Zealot and Judas Son of Alpheus. There were companions of Christ. They were with him from the cradle of Christianity. Simon and Jude traveled together throughout Persia preaching and teaching about Jesus and led many people to become believers and be baptized.  They died for their faith on the same day in Beirut. They died for the sake of ...

  LOOK NO FURTHER, REPENT NOW AND BE SAVED!  Romans 7:18-25 Luke 12:54-59 After Christ has spoken to his disciples, He then turns to the crowd to teach them about world affairs at large with the parousia. The audience strives through agricultural means and is aware of the climatic change so Christ refers to this event with his second coming which of course would be plausible and logical to apply. When evaporation and condensation take place, the clouds rise in the West from the sea then showers could be expected. Likewise, a Southern wind would indicate hot weather because there lay the vast, deserts. As a result, they could either house their crops or carry them for a journey. They could make hay while the sun shines or keep them in store. Consequently, if they are weather-wise, observing the winds and clouds that there could be rain or hot weather, He also expects them to be able to ascertain the signs of His coming and that of the final days. He would prefer to have them be...

It cost Jesus everything to rescue us it will cost us everything to follow Him. Romans 6:19-23 Luke 12:49-53 In today'sgospel, the message that Our Lord gives us seems far from the gift of peace.    Do you think I am here to bring peace on earth?    No, I tell you, but rather division.    He goes on, quite specifically, to say that households will be divided; relatives will fall out precisely over their view of Him and willingness to follow Him. What Our Lord asked for was complete obedience and the abandonment of everything to follow Him. He meant, FOLLOW ME NOW. No delay is possible, no excuse accepted.  If you were ask today what choice would you make? Do you stand for God or you prefer to choose the deeds of men in the world? Would you choose Eternal Life or death? Peace or war? Justice or injustice? We have this challenge set before us today as always. So where do you stand?  There is no way around the fact that if you are a Christian, God co...