26 Sunday B - Discipleship - Radicality

From Fr. Jude Botelho:

The first reading tells us how the spirit of prophesy was given to Moses the leader as well as to seventy elders. But the spirit was also given to two outsiders Eldad and Medad, who begin to prophecy and this seems to cause a problem. Joshua wants God’s spirit to be exclusively for ‘insiders,’ those who belong to the group. Moses on the other hand knows that God’s gift is for everyone. When God chooses us and blesses us it is not for ourselves but for others. No one has rights over God! Nor is God bound to act only through any particular individual or group. God is free and his gifts have no exclusive price tag! 

25 Sunday B: Who's the Greatest?

From Fr. Jude Botelho

Dear Friend,

Mohamed Ali, the one-time heavy weight champion would often boast, "I am the greatest!", and people believed he was. We may not openly claim to be the greatest in any particular field but deep down we like to feel that we are on the top, we belong to the elite, second to none. We all play the power game in one way or another and much of our behaviour is aimed at asserting: "I am No.1!" For that matter, who is the greatest in the Kingdom of God? Is my life running on man-power or God's power? May His word challenge us to be powerless in His Kingdom. 

24 Sunday B - You are the Christ

From Fr. Jude Botelho:

If your non Catholic friend /colleague asked you a blunt question: “Who or what does Jesus mean to you?” What would your answer be? A prophet? An inspiring person? A miracle worker? A great personality? Is that it? Or is Jesus more than that for you? It is easy to give book answers, or second-hand answers. Is my life in any way dependent on Jesus or influenced by Jesus?? Have a quiet weekend reflecting on whether Jesus makes any difference in my daily Life.

23 Sunday B: Ephphatha - Be Opened

1. FR. JUDE BOTELHO

We have come to associate the good news of salvation with something that is going to take place in the distant future, as something purely spiritual. But Scripture pictures salvation in more realistic and physical terms. In today's first reading Isaiah reminds the people that God will save them and they will experience tangible signs of his power and loving care for them. The message of the prophet is loud and clear to all who believe in God. We may be living in difficult times, we may be faced with uncertainty. What is God saying to us? His promise is not something for the distant future but will be realized right now. He is coming to save us and He will give us signs of his presence. Are we open to His touch? Can we believe that His hand is there in all that is happening to us today? "Be open!"