ISAIAH 58: 7-10
PSALM 111: 4-9 R. v. 4
1 CORINTHIANS 2: 1-5
MATTHEW 5: 13-16

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Last week in the Beatitudes, Jesus presented to his disciples the essence of who the Christian is. And this is what Jesus calls us to be because today he tells us that we are to be salt of the earth and light of the world.

In Matthew’s Gospel, Jesus begins his teaching ministry with the Beatitudes. In Matthew’s Gospel, Jesus ends his teaching with the last Judgment where he praise those who visit the sick and those in prison, who feeds the hungry and cloth the naked. They are the real Christians.

Faith is only real when we live out the teachings of God’s love. And so straight after the Beatitudes, Jesus calls his disciples to be salt of the earth and light of the world.

What do we seek as Christians? Do we seek great preachers and great spiritual experiences in prayer and worship? These are good for they can inspire us, strengthen and affirm our faith. But the greatest Christian experience is to live out the love Gods calls us to through the Holy Spirit.

Who for instance, who would we consider is the greatest of preachers and teachers? Jesus himself of course? Yet when we see the teaching he gave did little good for his disciples: they competed with each other for honour, they wanted to burn down the Samaritan town, they did not understand, and they were afraid.

But they changed…..they changed after Jesus’ Ascension, after their teacher had left them, after they were filled with the Holy Spirit, and led by that same Spirit they changed after they went out there and became a light through their own lives and sharing of their stories. The growing of our faith does not only take place only when someone teaches us but more so when we live out our faith and when we share our own stories.

There is a time in all our lives to be taught, strengthened and affirmed. But we cannot be children all the time. There comes a time when we must begin to live out what we have been taught.

The greatest of homilies might inspire us, but it cannot be compared to the smallest of sacrifices we make for love of God in our lives.

How is gentleness and compassion of God revealed through us? Where is the peace maker, the one who hungers for justice, the comforter of those who mourn reflected in my life?

Discipleship goes beyond a personal relationship with God but being a presence of God’s word and love, a light in the world. A person who knows the love of God will want to tell the world about it and share it with others.

A time comes when the teaching needs to become the experience that the disciple may become the teacher, through his or her witness.

Everybody seeks happiness in life. But not everybody seeks happiness in the same way.

Some feel that they will find happiness through wealth or power or fame or pleasure.

The truth is that happiness is only found by becoming who we were meant to be by living out the human nature that God created us to be. This is the Gospel message of Jesus today.

Last week we heard Jesus proclaiming that the kingdom of God is close at hand, he calls his first followers and heals the sick. Today Jesus begins his teaching ministry. 

Matthew’s Gospel is always comparing Jesus with Moses. Like Moses, when Jesus was born, children were killed. Like Moses, Jesus comes from Egypt. Like Moses, Jesus goes up to the mountain now to bring God’s law. But Jesus now comes to perfect that law in us that God gave through Moses.

And so today, Jesus gives us a new way of being with God, a new relationship with God.

Jesus presents us with the key to peace and happiness in our lives in the well-known ‘Sermon on the Mount’.

The Beatitudes forms the essence of Christian discipleship. It is a new way of living and loving. It is the way to holiness and wholeness, of being a total human person created in the image of God. The Beatitudes are in fact a contradiction with the worldly attitude of what success and happiness is.

Here, Jesus teaches us that it is by having a right relationship with God, others and self that we will find peace and happiness, now and in the future.

The poor in spirit are those who recognise our need of God and the gift of God in others.

The gentle are those who always put others before self.

Those who mourn are those who suffer because out of love they feel in their heart the suffering of others.

Those who hunger and thirst for what is right seeks right relationship with God and others.

Mercy is the fruit of love that seeks to heal and to reconcile.

The pure in heart are those who can see the goodness in others and respect their dignity.

The peacemakers are those who are at peace with self and others because they know that God is with them.

Those who seek justice, seek God’s kingdom because in God’s Kingdom is perfect justice and peace.

There are many roads we can take in search of happiness. Many of them like power, wealth, fame and pleasure end up in dead ends, and they are covered with human wreckage, the injuries we inflict on others. We will feel empty at the end of the day.

And it is also not what we do that brings happiness no matter how good that can seem to be. For instance we can give to charity and yet not be happy if we give grudgingly or reluctantly.

The Beatitudes reveal that happiness is found in WHO WE ARE when seen in us the living Grace of God. For then we become truly human created in the image of God, we are One with God.

ISAIAH 8: 23-9: 3

PSALM 26: 1, 4, 13-14

1 CORINTHIANS 1: 10-13, 17

MATTHEW 4: 12-23

————————————————————————————In today’s Gospel, Jesus begins his mission with the words, “Repent, for the kingdom is close at hand.”

Jesus is inviting us to his kingdom and he is the light that will lead us there. Our response as the words of Jesus suggest, is one of repentance, and conversion.

The challenge for us is to recognize our own darkness and so let Jesus light shine that we can move away from that darkness. Mother Teresa of Calcutta tells a story of a man she visited in Melbourne. His little unit was a mess and dark with everything closed. And there he lived never venturing out unless for necessities. As she tried to clean up the place and open the curtains and windows, he told her not to worry for he was happy with the unit as it was.

We are sometimes like that man not realizing the darkness we live in because we have got so used to it. And because of this we refuse to let the light of Christ lead us to the kingdom of love. Even St Paul in the second reading had to remind the good Christians of Corinth of their dark side.

People will say though that Jesus said “Come as you are.”Jesus loves us no matter who we are, but because he loves us, he is concern when we let sin rule and destroy us He wants to help us out of our darkness into his kingdom of heaven.

Being a Christian is an ongoing conversion to God’s Wayof love to grow in holiness..

When we look at Jesus’ ministry, he cured many of their illness and demons. But they came to Jesus. And the spiritual healing is more important than the physical healing.

We too need to bring our sinfulness to Jesus that he may heal us and strengthen us.

Where is our darkness where we need to let the light of Christ to shine: is it violence, hatred, prejudice, fear, laziness, indifference, selfishness, pornography, unfaithfulness, greed, etc.

Matthew is inviting us through a journey with Peter and Andrew, and James and John as they journey with Jesus, to hear about the kingdom and live in it.

As we begin this journey, let us ask ourselves how ready are we to follow Jesus? Are we ready to take Jesus seriously in all he teaches? Are we ready to go where he calls us to? What if it gets difficult, will we abandon the journey? In Matthew’s Gospel, before Jesus’ crucifixion, Jesus told the parable of the wedding feast and how so many gave excuses for not coming. Are we ready to follow Jesus, or do we make excuses for not seeking to grow in faith?

The immediate response of Peter and Andrew, and James and John suggest the importance and urgency of the message and the faith they had in Jesus.

And there, is the reason for our journey with Jesus….our faith in him. He is our saviour and he is God, who else can we turn to? This is first and foremost, a journey of faith….If we say we believe in God and Christ His Son, let us follow him.

Let us put our faith in what he teaches because it is the light that leads us to life.

ISAIAH 49: 3, 5-6
PSALM 39: 2, 4, 7-10
1 CORINTHIANS 1: 1-3
JOHN 1: 29-34

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Amidst the tragedies of bush fires and cyclones and floods we always hear of many heroic stories of saving lives and neighbour helping neighbour. It is a great witness of the human spirit and the goodness that is within us. And whilst it can seem so dark, people will rise again if they know that they are supported with love in this time of trial.
Where love prevails, darkness is overcome.

In the same way Jesus comes to save us from a darkness that engulfs us. For there is one challenge in life that we all struggle with is the challenge that is sin. Sin is like the bush fires and cyclones, can becomes too strong for us to overcome as it destroys us.

In today’s Gospel, John the Baptist gives witness to the Lamb of God who comes to help us through this tragedy in life. God does not leave us to ourselves but sends His Son, Jesus that we may rise from our struggle against our sinfulness. The prophet Isaiah in the first reading speaks about Jesus who comes to save the world.

For without Christ, sin would drag us down in despair.

Jesus, the Lamb of God recalls the sacrifice of the lamb at the Passover when the Jews were slaves in Egypt, and unable to save themselves. It is God who freed them from slavery. The sacrifice of lambs then became a sin offering restoring the people’s relationship with God.

Jesus is the new lamb, the perfect Lamb of God who frees us from the slavery of sin.

John the Baptist and St Paul are encouraging the people to follow Christ that we may be saved. Unfortunately, whenever disasters are approaching, some people would ignore the warnings given. Likewise, some people feel they do not need the God’s salvation.

With the cyclones and fire, we can see the danger coming. With sin, we often do not recognize it and can be so easily be misled because it is pride or our emotions that controls us.

For instance we can be persuaded by our friends who might live a lifestyle that is contrary to God’s law;
Or when we are controlled by our emotions: how often people do things in their anger only to regret it later.
Or when we are led by our hatred and prejudices to inflict injury either by word or deed on others.

Sin is deadly and destructive for it destroys our very soul. God comes not only to take away our sins but to lead us to the way of life and love.

Today as we begin the year, let us ask ourselves how do we respond to God’s gift of salvation? Do we listen to the Word that guides us or do we choose to go our own way.
Do we keep God close to our hearts through prayer or do we wonder far from Him. Do we reach out to the hand of God which offers forgiveness or do we feel we have no need of forgiveness and mercy pushing His hand away?

As we begin our year, then let us choose for God and seek His way. Let us seek His presence for that is the best way to preserve ourselves from sin.

(2025)

ISAIAH 42: 1-4, 6-7
PSALM 28: 1-4, 9-10 R. v. 11
ACTS 10: 34-38
MATTHEW 3: 13-17

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Last month we witnessed the darkness of the Bondi massacre. The terrorist would say that this was their calling from God.

In contrast Jesus reveals the true calling of God.

Today as we celebrate the Baptism of the Lord, we are celebrating the beginning of Jesus’ earthly ministry. As soon as Jesus is baptized, a voice speaks from heaven, “This is my Son, the beloved, My favour rests on him.”

God’s favour rests on him because in his humanity, he does the will of the Father.
And in so doing he reveals the nature of the Son and the love of God. The Son always does the will of the Father, because the Father lives in the Son. In his baptism, Jesus is not claiming the right of his divinity but submitting to his humanity.

And in the second reading, Peter explains the consequence of this: “God had anointed Jesus with the Holy Spirit and with power, and because God was with him. And Jesus went about doing good and curing all who had fallen into the power of the devil.” Peter is attributing all Jesus actions in his humanity to the Holy Spirit who lives in him.

This is also prophesied by Isaiah in the first reading where the prophet speaks of the righteous one whom we identify with Jesus.

Today as we celebrate the Baptism of Jesus, we are celebrating the depth and meaning of our own baptism. Jesus did not have to be baptised for he was without sin, but he was baptised because he lived and was affected by the sins of the world. He carried our sins for us. He wanted to identify himself with our human journey on earth.

And through his baptism we find the meaning of our own baptism. Jesus found favour with the Father because he was obedient to the will of the Father. Jesus always sought the will of God through prayer. Jesus gave his life for God and for us.

Our baptism is a gift to us from God. It remains only a gift unless it is used.

Through our baptism we are invited to become what God has meant us to become, an image of Christ, His Son through the Holy Spirit.
Through the Holy Spirit, this becomes a reality when we like Jesus are willing to live a life in obedience with the will of God.

This becomes a reality when it is a life of love for God and neighbour.
This becomes a reality when we are ready to give witness to God through our faith in Him.
This becomes a reality when we are ready to bring healing and hope to others.
This becomes a reality when we are willing to forgive from our cross.

Our baptism is a call to live a life that we as humans were meant to be. Created in the image of God, we can only find meaning in living a life founded on God’s love.

ECCLESSIASTICUS / SIRACH 3: 2-6, 12-14
PSALM 127: 1-5
COLOSSIANS 3: 12-21
MATTHEW 2: 13-15, 19-23

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What are your fondest memories you have of growing up in a family? There may be fond memories of Christmas past, or going on holidays or presents received but underlying all these is knowing that you were loved. For all these things has little value if the love was not there.

And how do children know that they are loved? It is simply when parents take time to spend with their children. It is there that children will find the happiness they long for.
They may seem to enjoy the outings and things bought for them but these things don’t last. They can even still feel very lonely in spite of them.

What their spirit longs for most is loving interaction. It is in the presence of being there with them and for them that matters most. This is what helps them grow in love and what they remember most. That is what we hold most dear in our hearts. And this is true of all relationships.

The feast of the Holy Family reminds us that there is another more important family that we belong to where God is our Father. In telling the story of Jesus’ birth, Matthew is comparing Jesus’ story with that of Moses who freed the people of God from slavery in Egypt.

When Jesus was born, Herod killed the innocent children. So too when Moses was born, were the children of Israel killed. Moses was to lead the people out of Egypt into the Promised Land. Jesus will lead us from the slavery of sin into the heavenly kingdom. In all this we see God present with us with his love. God does not promise the Israelites the greatest of kingdoms and empire nor does he promise us material wealth.

No! God promises us something greater……A relationship with Him that is life giving.

And as Moses led the people to Mount Sinai to enter into a covenant with God,
Jesus now leads us to a relationship with God which will become real through his passion and resurrection. Through Jesus, we are invited to become part of God’s family, his children as never before.

In the Holy Family, we see the intimateness of this relationship. Their story was one of openness to God, trusting in God and following the way of God. They did this simply because they knew God in their hearts.
Today is a time to reflect on our own relationship with God. Do we know the love God has for us? What has been our experience of God in our lives?

If we do not feel God’s love, keep praying to God. There can be no substitute for prayer.
Like all other relationships, spending time with God will draw us closer to Him and open our hearts to His presence.

I guess we all know the Christmas story very well. Sometimes we so familiar with it that we can easily lose sight of the meaning of the story. And the Christmas story is not just an event that happen 2000 years ago but has meaning for us today in our very lives.

In the Christmas story we hear that there was no room in the inn and so Mary gave birth to Jesus in a manger, a place where the animals were kept. On the one hand, this tells something of God. There in the manger lies God in baby Jesus. God does not impose himself on us. God only comes to offer his love to us.

The baby Jesus is not a threat to us. Yet baby Jesus is a challenge to us. In all this Jesus is asking us to open the doors of our hearts to him. His desire is to live in our hearts.
Jesus knocks at the door of each of our hearts that he may live in us. Will we let him enter?

What does it mean to let Jesus into our hearts?

The answer is found in the visits of the shepherds to the manger. What did they see?
Nothing spectacular really; just a baby wrap in swaddling clothes. What were their expectations? Their lives did not change for they were still poor and would struggle in life. Yet they were filled with joy, glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen.

What do we see at the manger and what does it mean for us? One way to look at it is to ask ourselves what are our expectations of God and His Church today?

Sometimes we are reluctant to let Jesus enter into our lives because we are just afraid that letting Jesus into our heart might change us. And so we give excuses: “My life is too busy Lord…..I am too tired……there are other things in my life that I like to do.”

Yes, the truth is, to let Jesus in will change us. It will change us for the better, it will transform us the more we open ourselves to him. Christ is our light, our hope our joy, our Saviour. True peace and happiness can only come through him and with him.
It is heaven that Jesus offers us.

That is why God came to live amongst us. That is why Christ desires a room in our hearts. And so when we pray, each time we come to Mass to worship God, each time we forgive others, each time we do an act of kindness in God’s Name, we are opening the doors of our hearts to Jesus, God.

May the humble birth of Jesus reveal to us the loving tenderness of God and help us to become more truly human like him.