Joseph Osho

  7th day within the octave of Christmas  1 John 2:18-21 Psalm 95(96):1-2,11-13 John 1:1-18 Children, it is the final hour. -1 John 2:18 These opening words of our Scripture today set the tone for an exciting reflection. The Church, in her wisdom, offers us a powerful reminder. Here we are, on the brink of 2025, the final moments of 2026. Tomorrow marks New Year’s Day—are we not called to make bold resolutions, to resolve ourselves for the year ahead? For me, I find myself eager to reflect on these past 365 days—the triumphs, the trials, the moments I treasure and the ones I’d rather forget. The more I ponder, the more I see how wild these months have been—terrorism, anger, hate, disasters, and even the chaos of the “Holiday Season” (some now call it Detty December), packed with Black Friday fights, Christmas disappointments, and the stress of family gatherings.  It’s astonishing and sad how much our society has become clogged with selfishness, consumerism, insensitivity,...

6th day within the octave of Christmas  1 John 2:12-17 Psalm 95(96):7-10 Luke 2:36-40 HAVING A FAITH THAT NEVER WAVERS  Today, we continue with yesterday’s gospel in which our Lord was presented in the temple by his mother Mary and his foster father Joseph. Here we see an elderly woman called Anna giving praise to God for the life of the Christ child, a remarkable widow whose entire life was a powerful testament to her unwavering devotion to Christ. Although Anna enjoyed only seven fleeting years of marriage and faced her share of loneliness and loss, she dedicated the rest of her days to serving God through relentless prayer and praise, eagerly awaiting His merciful grace. She moved to Jerusalem to be near the temple—her spiritual home! Anna’s mission was clear: to please God. She was a constant, inspiring presence at the temple, living in fasting and prayer. William Barclay once remarked: She had known sorrow, but she had not grown bitter. She was old, yet her hope never fad...

  5th day within the octave of Christmas  1 John 2:3-11 Psalm 95(96):1-3,5-6 Luke 2:22-35 LIVING IN THE LIGHT We are still in the octave of Christmas, reminded of the great gift through Christ's birth. The First Letter of John urges us to walk in Christ’s way through commandments: to love God fully and our neighbors as ourselves. Walking in the light means loving our “brother,” which refers to neighbors and all on earth, not just siblings. How am I the light of Christ?  The Gospel of Luke recounts Mary and Joseph bringing Jesus to the temple, where they meet Simeon, who recognizes Jesus as the salvation for all nations. His words, “a light to reveal you,” remind us to reflect on how we reveal God to others, encouraging us to grow in faith, pray, and listen to homilies. This season is a time to rest and reflect, preparing us to be the light of Christ. May the New Year bring peace and joy. Amen.

  The Holy Family  Ecclesiasticus 3:2-6,​12-14 Psalm 127(128):1-5 Colossians 3:12-21 Matthew 2:13-15,​19-23 St Joseph, Our Lord's chaste and holy foster-father, was a man of dreams and action. God entrusted him with guarding Jesus and Mary, guiding him through dreams to protect the Holy Family. Despite his visions, Joseph was a practical, faithful, and wise guardian. After the Virgin Mary, he is one of the holiest saints, placed as the protector of Jesus.  On this feast of the Holy Family, many emphasize their virtues as a model, but the Nazareth family was uniquely holy. Jesus, being divine, and Mary, sinless, are incomparable to ordinary humans. Joseph, likely younger, deeply loved Mary and was characterized by justice, chastity, and virtue. His relationship with Mary was one of divine purity and love, providing a spiritual environment for Jesus' growth. Many saints believe chastity is essential for union with Christ; Joseph's purity is symbolized by the lily, inspiring...

  Saint John, Apostle, Evangelist  - Feast   1 John 1:1-4 Psalm 96(97):1-2,5-6,11-12 John 20:2-8 St. John the Evangelist, called the beloved disciple, was a Galilean, son of Zebedee and Salome, and brother of St. James the Great, both fishermen. Though initially a disciple of John the Baptist, he and James were called by Christ while mending their nets. Christ renamed them Boanerges, or sons of thunder, symbolizing their bold faith in proclaiming God's law. John was faithful and loved by Jesus, especially in his last days when Jesus entrusted Mary to him. His love for God and neighbor inspired him to preach and teach charity and innocence. To love God, we must subdue passions and reject worldly attachments, for a soul chained to earth cannot elevate to God. Devotion, prayer, and meditation strengthen our bond with God and protect our neighbors from spiritual harm. Let us love God, for God is love. 

  Saint Stephen, the first Martyr  - Feast   Acts 6:8-10,​7:54-59 Psalm 30(31):3-4,6,8,16-17 Matthew 10:17-22 Why was Stephen stoned to death? He was a young Christian. He was one of the seven deacons (the very sets of deacons) helping with food distribution by the apostles . Soon, he performed wonders among the people, attracting scrutiny from leaders and elders. They accused him of heresy, and he was brought before the high priest to defend himself. Stephen summarized the Old Testament for the high priest, quoting scripture without blasphemy, but his final message called the people stiff-necked and resisting the Holy Spirit, persecuting prophets, betraying and murdering Jesus, and not keeping the law (Acts 7:51). Enraged, they ground their teeth, and StephenAnddw God's glory and Jesus standing at the right hand. Despite this, they covered their ears and stoned him, as punishment for blasphemy (Deut. 24:16). During his death, Stephen prayed for Jesus to receive his ...

  25 December  Christmas Day Isaiah 52:7-10 Psalm 97(98):1-6 Hebrews 1:1-6 John 1:1-18 WELCOMING JESUS INTO OUR HEARTS  Wishing everyone a happy Christmas! We celebrate the birth of Our Lord Jesus Christ, beginning today and continuing for twelve days, ending with the Epiphany—the arrival of the three wise men. Today marks the birthday of the King of kings, the most important birthday of all. Saint John’s account of the Word made flesh invites reflection. When Christ was born, did that mean a gap in heaven? Did the Son leave the Father behind? These questions touch on the mystery of the Blessed Trinity. Without overloading with theology, a few points can enrich our meditations during Christmas. Before time began, God the Father eternally begot His Son, whose life has always poured from the Father's heart—no beginning, always present, with the Holy Spirit, long before creation. This helps us glimpse the mystery and beauty of Christmas. The Son born of Mary existed from ete...

  24 December  2 Samuel 7:1-5,​8-12,​14,​16 Psalm 88(89):2-5,27,29 Luke 1:67-79 Immediately after John’s birth and Zechariah’s praise to God for His work and plans, we see that everyone connected to Jesus experiences remarkable events. However, these should not distract us from recognizing God’s ongoing work in our lives. We should always be grateful and testify to His saving love. Our very existence is remarkable, as God's promises are fulfilled through Jesus — His birth, life, Passion, death, and Resurrection — a mystery beyond full comprehension. During this season, as we contemplate this mystery of divine love, we may ask ourselves: ‘What am I called to be?’ Do I believe, through Baptism, I am called to be like Christ and acknowledge God's authority over me? Do I see my sufferings as tests of my loyalty to God? Indeed, our selves, brokenness, and pain could overwhelm us, but through those cracks, the Light of the world and Morning Star shines. O Wisdom,  O Lord and Ru...