Little Brother Avi Bala Bitra OFM Cap.

  FOURTH SUNDAY OF THE YEAR Zephaniah 2:3; 3:12-13; 1 Corinthians 1:26-31; Matthew 5:1-12   The readings of today tell us how we can pattern our lives according to the divine invitation. They call us to reflect upon the many ways in which we can respond to God and give him our total attention. God communicates with us in many ways and he seeks a response from us. The whole church always strives to follow faithfully in the footsteps of Christ.   Today’s First Reading from the Book of Zephaniah suggests that if the humble seek to obey the commands of the Lord, seeking righteousness and humility, then on the Day of Judgment, they will be hidden from the wrath of the Lord. Because of their simplicity, their humility, their righteousness, the Lord God will go easy on them, and overlook their faults.  It is because the humble of the world maintain a personal daily relationship with the Lord, abandoning them to His Divine Will. This opposes the rich and proud who do...

  THIRD SUNDAY OF THE YEAR Isaiah 8:23-9:3, 1 Corinthians 1:10-13, 17, Matthew 4:12-23   The readings of today tell us about the Christian vision and mission and are intended to stir us into action. The vision is seen in the proclamation of the kingdom of God to all people and the mission of every person is to proclaim the word of God to all.     The Kingdom of God is the divine rule in the hearts of people.   For his mission and task of proclamation Jesus invites an intimate band of people to be his disciples who would share his vision and mission and also become his witnesses in the world.   In the First Reading prophet Isaiah reminds that God’s light is always being offered to people who had suffered exile, oppression, fear and shame.   He tells them that the people and their kings have turned down the invitation to come to true faith.   Because they did not rely on God for security, the kingdom is destined to weaken and fall.   ...

  EPIPHANY OF OUR LORD Isaiah 60:1-6; Ephesians 3:2-3a.5-6; Matthew 2:1-12   Christ our light has come into the world and shines in the darkness.   On this feast of Epiphany he manifests himself to us in a unique way. The feast of the Epiphany is the mystery of the Lord’s manifestation to all peoples, represented by the Magi, who came from the East to adore the King of the Jews. The word ‘epiphany’ comes from Greek, meaning, a ‘manifestation’.   Today we celebrate the feast of the coming of the Magi in search of the newly born king and God revealing himself to the universe to a group essentially non-Jewish.   The magi were strangers, foreigners, total outsiders who came to pay royal homage to this tiny child.   The Gospel of today tells us about the wise men from the East who followed a star in search of the new born king of the Jews.   When they find him, they worship him and pay him homage as they offer him gifts of gold, frankincense and myr...