YES I AM A KING… I WAS BORN FOR THIS. (John 18: 37.)

Dear Brothers and Sisters,

The liturgical year has come to an end with our celebrating as usual, the solemnity of Jesus Christ our universal King. We do so in recognition of our King Jesus who was born to be King. King of all kings. This King however is a king who is brother and friend to all his subjects and who wants us to enjoy the fruits of his Kingdom. That kingdom is no ordinary kingdom. It is a kingdom where God shares his glory with all who in prayer cry out “Our Father, who art in heaven…thy kingdom com.

Yes Jesus was born to be a king of a different kind. He was born to be a shepherd-king who loves his sheep to the very end of his life and beyond. He loved us his sheep so much that he gave his life for us by dying and rising so that we can have a place and share in his kingdom now and when we die.

Today as we end the year, let’s do so by accepting Jesus our universal king as our Lord and Savior. Yes, he is the King of kings. He is the Lord of Lords.
 
Fr. Clement Paul.
Parish Priest.

SACRIFICIAL GENEROSITY PRAISED.
 
Dear Sisters and Brothers,

The first and second reading and the Gospel speak of generosity that is sacrificial. In the first reading from 1 Kings 17:10-17, Elijah encounters a widow who has enough food for her son and herself but who was prepared to share the little she had with a stranger. As a result, the very little was able to satisfy them without being used up. Sacrificial generosity.

In the second reading we see Jesus himself making the ultimate sacrifice out of his generous love for us all. He sacrificed his life by giving his life as a ransom for all. But it is in the Gospel that the message is spelt out. Mark tells us that people were putting money into the treasury. A poor widow put in a little from the little she had. Jesus told his disciples that that widow “put in more than all who contributed to the treasury.” Why? They gave from their excess, she gave from her little. Sacrificial generosity.

Message. Jesus recognizes and praises generosity that is sacrificial. He praises all who give generously; not from what they have left over, but from what they themselves need, what they have to depend on. Sacrificial generosity.
 
Fr. Clement Paul.
Parish Priest.

LOVE OF GOD, LOVE OF NEIGHBOUR, MORE IMPORTANT THAN ANY HOLOCAUST OR SACRIFICE.

Dear Sisters and Brothers,

“To love the Him (God) with all your heart…and to love your neighbor as yourself, is far more important than any holocaust or sacrifice.” These words are uttered by a scribe who asked Jesus a question about the greatest commandment. Of course, the commandment to love God with all we are and have is taken from the book of Deuteronomy and is uttered by Moses to the Chosen People. Jesus, the new Moses, repeats the commandment to the scribe as if to say that that commandment is not new, and nothing is greater than that.

Notice that when the scribe responded to Jesus reference to Deuteronomy, Jesus tells him, “You are not far from the Kingdom of God.” This is an important message: To know that to love God with all our heart and to love our neighbor as ourselves as being more important than any offering and sacrifice is not all that there is to entering the Kingdom. The knowledge brings us near, but not actually in the kingdom. To be there we have to live what we know. We have to actually love God, our neighbor and ourselves. Dare we really?

Fr. Clement Paul.
Parish Priest.