Fr. Nivin's Homily Blog

 “All these matters were discussed throughout the hill country of Judea.” I know how this works. I grew up in a hill country very much like Judea, long before the time of internet, wi-fi and cell phones. Only one house in our village had a telephone, yet somehow everyone knew what was happening in every family. News traveled fast and no one was ever left out of the details. Communication was efficient and effective, without technology. And everyone shared quite freely about their joys and sorrows, ups and downs, happy stories, sad stories, all real, nothing fake. I wonder if the youth of today can imagine that. I am glad we still have these ways of personal communication in practice, especially with those who do not depend on cell phones. I love the little children of St. Ambrose whenever they come to me in excitement. Because they tell me everything that happened in their homes, even things I probably didn’t need to know! They are fast, and detailed. And often they return very soo...

“Now I, in turn, give him to the LORD; as long as he lives, he shall be dedicated to the LORD. She left Samuel there.” How long did Hannah pray and wait for a child? Jewish tradition suggests that Hannah possibly waited about nineteen years. Throughout scripture, we understand that being childless in those days meant living like being cursed. There was no sympathy from others, only gossip and scorn. Despite carrying deep sorrow in her heart, Hannah did not give up, she kept praying and asking for God’s compassion and mercy. Finally, God answered her prayer, and the child was named ‘Samuel’ which means ‘because I asked God for it’. What would you do if you received a gift you have been longing for and waiting for years? You would hold on tightly to it and not want to lose it, right? Well Hannah was different. She was totally grateful that God has removed her shame and restored her dignity with the gift of a son, Samuel. But Hannah did not cling on to her gift, she readily dedicated her ...

“When Joseph awoke, he did as the angel of the Lord had commanded him and took his wife into his home.” God chose Joseph, a simple carpenter, to be the foster father of His beloved Son. A man from Nazareth, an insignificant town. A man with no power, no influence, no recorded words in Scripture. Yet Joseph stands at the very heart of the salvation story. What makes him so important is not what he said, but what God entrusted him with. There were kings and scholars, priests and leaders, wealthy and influential men. But God entrusted His Son not to them. He entrusted Him to Joseph. That tells us something profound about Joseph’s character. If God trusted him with Jesus, then Joseph must have been a man of deep integrity, quiet strength, steady faith, and faithful obedience. He did not question God’s decision, did not demand explanation to be convinced, nor sought recognition for his sacrifices. He listened. He trusted. He obeyed. And he acted without delay. This Fourth Sunday of Advent i...

 “The Lord spoke to Ahaz: Ask for a sign from the Lord, your God.” Some people have special gifts, they are able to see signs of divine intervention or direction everywhere. Almost every day, they recognize God’s hand directly at work in their lives. I have friends who seem to be gifted in this area. They notice signs that I overlook and would dismiss as normal daily incidents, but only to realize later they were truly divine intervention. Recently, I read an autobiography. The author shared that on one occasion she was waiting a long time for a friend to join her for lunch, but who did not arrive. She later learned that her friend was killed in an accident. Overwhelmed with grief, she went to church to pray. An infant baptism was taking place, and she heard the newborn baby cry. At that moment, she felt God speaking to her, consoling her that though her friend’s life on earth had ended, at the same time, a new life was brought into Church, reborn through water and the Holy Spirit,...

 “Those whom the Lord has ransomed will return and enter Zion singing, crowned with everlasting joy; they will meet with joy and gladness, sorrow and mourning will flee.” The Israelites were still in exile, after many years. They did not know how long more before they could return to their own land. They did not know if they could ever return. Some had died, some had lost faith and chosen a different life, some continued to wait, though losing patience, because they were suffering while in exile, they had no freedom, no power, no status. Then Isaiah spoke these words of hope, that God will restore their land, their status, their freedom. Beyond just returning to the promised land, they were also waiting for God to send the Messiah, to restore them their original glory. But, like children on a long road trip, the big question is, “How long more? When will it be?” The Israelites could not see ahead, they did not know how long more they had to wait. For us, we know. This third Sunday ...

 “Mary set out and traveled to the hill country in haste to a town of Judah.” Today we celebrate the feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe, the Patroness of the Americas, the Mother who draws near to her children with tenderness and mercy. In the Gospel, we see Mary going in haste to the hill country to help Elizabeth. That was 2,000 years ago. Yet 500 years ago, Mary again traveled to a hill the hill of Tepeyac, to meet a poor, humble indigenous man, Juan Diego, and to entrust him with a mission that seemed completely impossible: “Build me a church here.” Juan Diego was a recent convert, just learning the faith. How could he possibly accomplish such a task? But this is how Mary works. She always chooses the lowly, the simple, the overlooked because she knows that when we say “yes” with humility, God does the rest. Her words to Juan Diego are among the most comforting Mary has ever spoken. Here are just a few: • “My son, I love you. I desire you to know who I am. I am the ever-Virgin Ma...

 “Though the grass withers and the flower wilts, the word of our God stands forever.” This line from today’s first reading is quoted quite often to remind us of the power and permanence of God’s word. Everything in this world will fade away, grass withers, flowers wilt, seasons come and go, people live and die, nothing stays the same, nothing lasts forever. But the Word of God will never change, will never die, will never disappear. It stands firm, unchanging, eternal. God created the entire universe just with His words. The Gospel of John puts it very well in clear perspective: “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.” And the Word was made flesh. The ‘Word’ refers to Jesus, the Son of God. ‘Word’ also refers to the Bible, the word of God. So every Catholic home should have a Bible. All of us should try to make it our personal companion in prayer. We all pray in different ways, but from the earliest days of the Church, Christians prayed with...

 “He chose us in him, before the foundation of the world, to be holy and without blemish before him.” These powerful words from St. Paul to the Ephesians remind us of a truth that should fill our hearts with great joy: we are chosen. We choose or nominate someone because we see great value in the person. It is an honor to be chosen, especially for something great. But today, St. Paul tells us something far greater: You and I have been chosen by God Himself the Creator of the vast universe, the Lord of galaxies and stars, the One who holds everything in existence. And God chose us, long before the world began, long before our birth, before we could do anything to earn His love. Why? Because God has a divine purpose for all of us. The blessed virgin Mary was chosen too, in an extraordinary way. God chose her and granted her a unique grace: conception without original sin. Mary’s soul was untouched by any stain of sin from the very first moment of her existence. God has a plan of salv...

 “Every tree that does not bear good fruit will be cut down and thrown into the fire.” This is a stern and strong warning from John the Baptist. For some people, his words cause discomfort and threaten complacency. For those of us who are familiar with farming, we understand perfectly how this works. In my family farm back in Kerala, we had many fruit trees, mangoes, jackfruit, oranges, coconuts, and more. Each tree had a purpose; we planted it for its fruits or its other usefulness. If a tree was healthy and strong, but produced no fruit year after year, we would cut it down and plant another tree in its place. We didn’t keep any tree simply because it looked good. It was never good enough if it did not fulfil its purpose. It is the simple reality of farming. No fruit, no purpose, no reason to keep. The same is true with farm animals. A cow that has stopped producing milk cannot remain in the herd, it would be a waste of resources to feed and care for the cow if it did not do what...

 “This is the way; walk in it,” whether you turn to the right or to the left. How wonderful it would be if God always spoke to us with this kind of clarity. So often in life we find ourselves stuck uncertain about the next step, unsure which direction to take, or confused about what God wants from us.  I remember times when I prayed earnestly to know God’s will whether for my own life or for the parish and I made decisions that seemed right, only to discover later that they were not where God was leading. And yes, in my frustration I asked God, “Why didn’t You show me the right way?”But the truth is: God is never silent. He speaks constantly. He speaks in the quiet sanctuary of our conscience that sacred inner place where His Spirit touches our soul.  The real challenge is not God’s silence but the noise around us and inside us. If we are always listening to the world, to our anxieties, to our distractions, we simply cannot hear Him. He speaks in Sacred Scripture every ti...

 “Do you believe that I can do this?” “Yes, Lord,” they said to him. We often place trust in people based on our experience with them, or simply because we need them to take on some tasks and responsibilities, we choose to trust them. Many times, when priests receive new assignments from the bishop, we would respond, “I don’t think I can do this.” And what would the bishop say? “Yes, you can.” My nieces and nephews would do the same. When they need a favor from me, they would be so encouraging and affirming, “Uncle, you can do it… don’t say no!” Jesus, however, is different. When Jesus asked the blind men, “Do you believe that I can do this?”, He was not teasing them, nor testing them. He was sincerely inviting them to be intentional in their faith in Him. He was inviting them to trust in His divine power. These men were blind and had never seen Jesus. But they had heard about Him. In their blindness, they would have imagined whatever they have heard. Their imagination of His compa...

“There shall be no harm or ruin on all my holy mountain;  for the earth shall be filled with knowledge of the LORD,  as water covers the sea.” How beautiful this promise is, the entire earth filled with the knowledge of the Lord as water covers the sea. Imagine a world where every heart, every home, every nation is filled with the knowledge of God. What a different world that would be. Knowledge is one of the seven gifts of the Holy Spirit. But this knowledge does not simply mean information it means truly knowing God: knowing His heart, His will, His love, His commandments. This is the very purpose of human life. The Catechism of the Catholic Church, 1721 teaches: God placed us in the world to know Him, to love Him, and to serve Him, and so to come to Paradise. And notice the order: Know> Love> Serve. We cannot love someone we do not know, and we cannot serve someone we do not love. So how do we know God? The Psalm tells us:  “Be still and know that I am God” (Psal...

 “For over all, the LORD’s glory will be shelter and protection: shade from the parching heat of day, refuge and cover from storm and rain.” Yesterday, we lit the first candle of Advent, the Prophecy Candle which represents hope. Today’s readings also lead our hearts to look towards hope as we begin another new year, walking closer to God. The Prophet Isaiah speaks to the people in exile. They had suffered greatly, lost their land, their temple, even their identity. Yet Isaiah delivers a message of hope that God will again come to His people, gloriously, to protect, to restore all that they have lost, and even more. In their darkest and lowest moments, God did not abandon them and continues to reach out to them, keeping their hope alive. In the Gospel, we see the centurion, who was not a Jew, not from the chosen people, who himself had great power and authority, yet he had humility, and great hope. He believed that Jesus could heal his servant, without even the need to be at his ho...

 “They shall beat their swords into plowshares and their spears into pruning hooks.” Recently, I read a book titled “Breaking Ground” by Heidi Kühn, the 2023 World Food Prize laureate. This Californian woman transformed thousands of acres of land buried with landmines, in Croatia, Laos, Afghanistan, and other war-torn regions, and converted them into vineyards, fruit tree plantations, playgrounds, schools, and farmland. Millions of landmines were removed, and peace was established through agriculture. Throughout her book, she repeatedly mentioned the verse from Prophet Isaiah. Heidi is a mother of four children. When her youngest son was just a toddler in 1997, she felt called to begin this mission. Today, she has already raised and used over 2 billion dollars to bring flourishing life to where it was once a desolate and dangerous zone. As I was finishing the book, I thought to myself: If there were just a few more people like her, many more million mines could be removed, and mill...

 “I know that this is why these evils have overtaken me; and now I am dying, in bitter grief, in a foreign land.” These are the final words of Antiochus Epiphanes, the successor of Alexander the Great. If you have been following our daily readings, we first heard about him on Monday described as a “sinful offshoot.” He defiled the Temple of Jerusalem, persecuted the faithful Jews, and opposed the worship of the true God. Now, at the end of his life, Antiochus realizes his mistakes. He is filled with regret, bitterness, and sorrow. It’s a tragic end a man who once had so much power, wealth, and glory, yet dies far from home, spiritually empty and tormented by guilt. We’ve seen similar examples in the Bible and history people who made poor choices, turned away from God, and spent their last moments in deep regret. How different is this from the death of the saints, who met their final moments in peace and joy, having lived their lives faithfully. Life is short. When compared to the v...

 “Now that our enemies have been crushed, let us go up to purify the sanctuary and rededicate it.” We continue our readings from the Books of Maccabees as we end the liturgical year. And today’s passage beautifully connects us to the feast we celebrate today, the Presentation of the Blessed Virgin Mary. In the first reading, Judas Maccabeus and his companions rededicated the Temple to God, after it had been defiled by their enemies. They purify and offer it again to God, as His sacred dwelling place. In a parallel spiritual way, Saints Joachim and Anne, the parents of Mary, presented and offered their young daughter to God, foreshadowing her womb as the future sacred dwelling place for the incarnation of our Lord Jesus. For now, Mary will dwell in the Temple of God, offering her whole life, completely dedicated to His will. According to tradition, Mary lived in the Temple, spending her days and nights in prayer for the coming of the Messiah, in service to the priests of the Temple,...

 “This is how he died, leaving in his death a model of courage and an unforgettable example of virtue not only for the young but for the whole nation.” Today’s first reading recounts the martyrdom of Eleazar, one of the most inspiring figures in the Old Testament. Listening to his story, especially how he died, gives us goosebumps.  A grand 90-year-old wise man was brutally tortured and killed because he refused to abandon his faith or eat what was forbidden by God’s law. He believed it was not worthy of his old age to give a poor example to the young. His heroic death thus gave courage to a whole generation. His story reminds me of another great model of unwavering faith.  St. Polycarp, the 80-year-old bishop of Smyrna. When he was brought before the Roman authorities and told to deny Christ, he said: “Eighty years I have served Him, and He has done me no wrong. How can I blaspheme my King and my Savior?” Then, with peace and courage, he accepted martyrdom by fire. The B...

 “But many in Israel were determined and resolved in their hearts not to eat anything unclean.” These were people of true obedience to the faith. They were truly committed and disciplined to follow the teachings. The events we hear about in today’s first reading from the Book of Maccabees took place in the second century before Christ. It was the time when the notorious King Antiochus Epiphanes ruled over Israel. He was anti-Jews. Many among the Israelites began to follow pagan practices and false religion promoted by the king. This period in history is often called the “silent years” of salvation history, a good 400 years after prophet Malachi, before John the Baptist appeared. For four centuries, there were no prophets, no new divine revelations, and no visible signs from God. It seemed like God was silent. That is why the commitment of those who refused to eat unclean food was extraordinary. There was no prophet to remind or encourage them to keep God’s law, no miracles to susta...

 “All that you see here the days will come when there will not be left a stone upon another stone that will not be thrown down.” We have reached the 33rd Sunday in Ordinary Time, the last Sunday before we celebrate the Solemnity of Christ the King, which concludes the liturgical year. Naturally, the readings at this time of year turn our attention toward the end times, to the final things: death, judgment, heaven, and hell.  When Jesus foretold the destruction of the Temple, His listeners were shocked. For the Jewish people, the Temple in Jerusalem was the anchor of their faith and center of their life. It was the dwelling place of God, the heart of their worship. And the whole community had poured in their possessions to build this temple. So to be told that the temple would be destroyed must have felt terrible. How could life continue without the Temple? And yet, what Jesus foretold did happen, but only forty years later. The Roman army destroyed the Temple in 70 A.D. What h...

 “Jesus told his disciples a parable about the necessity for them to pray always without becoming weary.” It is very easy to get discouraged in our spiritual life. Many of us become discouraged by our repeated sins and weaknesses. Another area where discouragement often enters is in our prayer life. Sometimes, after praying for a long time without seeing results, we grow weary or lose hope. That is why Jesus gives us today’s parable the story of the unjust judge. The judge was not a good man. He had no fear of God and no compassion for people. And the person who came to him for help was a poor widow. She had no power, no social standing, and no one to defend her. In that time and culture, widows were among the most forgotten and neglected people. Yet this widow received justice. Why? Because she refused to give up. Her persistence and perseverance won the judge’s attention. If a heartless judge can respond to persistence, how much more will our loving Father in heaven respond to th...

 “As it was in the days of Noah, so it will be in the days of the Son of Man; they were eating and drinking.” As we near the end of the liturgical year, the readings also begin to focus on end times. Jesus reminds us that the end times will be unannounced, there will be no advanced notice, it could happen anytime, when people could still be “eating and drinking” making a reference to people who are oblivious to the presence of God, ignorant to the truth and who reject Jesus. They are the ones who will be caught off-guard and in shock. Whereas for people who have faith, who believe and are following Jesus through the teachings of the church, will know that while no one knows when, the warning signs have been given in the Bible. Jesus has described the signs that will precede the end times: wars, divisions among families, and cosmic changes in the sun, moon, and stars.  Taken together, these remind us that the world will not last forever and that we must always be prepared. Look...

Holy family school Mass -  “Ten were cleansed, were they not? Where are the other nine?” Do you know where the other nine went? Can you guess?  Yes. They went hurriedly and eagerly to show themselves to the priests, as Jesus told them to do. Why? So that they could be certified clean, and be allowed to go back to their homes, their families and communities.  In those days, when someone had leprosy, they would be sent away from everyone, they could not go home, school or do any work, they could not even be near to anyone.  So, when they knew they were healed, they were just too excited to go back home, be with their loved ones and live normal lives again. It was obviously a miracle because no one can ever be cured of leprosy, and only someone sent by God could perform such a miracle. But did they even realize that Jesus is a holy man sent by God, or think about thanking Him? No. Just a simple “thank you” would mean that they remembered God was merciful to them. What a...

 “We are unprofitable servants; we have done what we were obliged to do.” In some translations, it reads “We are useless servants.” Whatever the wording, the message is clear. When we work for the Kingdom of God, we should not seek profit, recognition, or affirmation. Instead, we must serve with humility knowing that we are only doing what God asks of us. Jesus never promised comfort or reward for discipleship. He spoke instead of persecution, rejection, even suffering. Every saint has gone through moments of humiliation, misunderstanding, or pain, all for the good they tried to do in God’s name. Yet they continued to serve, not for gain, but out of love. It’s striking that the first title given in the canonization process is “Servant of God.” Even after their deaths, people recognize the quiet, humble service these men and women offered to God. They lived as “unprofitable servants”.  Mary, when greeted by the angel, said, “Behold, the handmaid of the Lord.” She did not ask fo...

 “You yourselves are full of goodness, filled with all knowledge, and able to admonish one another.” ‘Full of goodness and filled with knowledge’. What powerfully positive words from St. Paul. One of my greatest blessings is being born into a traditional Catholic family and raised by God-fearing parents. From an early age I learned about Jesus, memorized prayers, and was familiar with church matters and traditions. But do I fully know God? No, not even at this stage of my faith life. My soul knows Him intimately, but my human knowledge and intellect still have a lot to learn. My knowledge of Christ and Christianity remains incomplete. Some who join the Catholic Church later may know more about God, more about the faith, than many of us who have been in the Church all our lives. That is why we must continue to grow in our knowledge of God, understanding of Church, and deepen our practice of faith. Jesus said, “For the children of this world are more prudent in their generation than ...

 “Rather, when you hold a banquet, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, the blind; blessed indeed will you be because of their inability to repay you.” This Gospel reminds us of one of Jesus’ most powerful teachings of love and service, that is to love and serve those who are not able to give us anything in return. That is true giving, true serving. About a month ago, on October 4th, the Feast of St. Francis of Assisi, Pope Leo released an apostolic exhortation titled ‘Dilexi Te’, which means “I Have Loved You”. It is a beautiful exhortation on Jesus’ love for the poor. Jesus gave His love to the very poor, indeed those who could never even pay Him back a fraction of what He gave. And if we are true Christians, we too must give like Christ gives, we must have a heart for the poor, like Christ does, because Jesus Christ identifies Himself with them. So when we give to the poor, we are giving to Christ. The document states: “There are many forms of poverty: the poverty of those w...

 “As gold in the furnace, he proved them, and as sacrificial offerings he took them to himself.” Today we commemorate All Souls’ Day, remembering all the faithful departed, our deceased loved ones, and especially for those souls with no one to pray for them. This feast makes sense only if we truly believe what the Church teaches about life, death, and eternity. In the Apostles’ Creed, we profess twelve articles of faith, closing with this part, “I believe in the Holy Catholic Church, the communion of saints.” What does “communion of saints” mean? It is the full and complete unity of the three parts of the one Church of God: 1. The Church Triumphant - made up of the saints in heaven; 2. The Church Militant - we, who make up the church still on our earthly pilgrimage; 3. The Church Suffering - all the souls in purgatory, awaiting time to enter heaven. Today’s feast therefore, is a dedicated remembrance, and united in prayer for and with the Church Suffering, praying for all the...

 “See what love the Father has bestowed on us, that we may be called the children of God. Yet so we are.” Today, the church celebrates All Saints Day. Who are the saints? We may be thinking of the many canonized saints we know of, like St. Therese, St. Ambrose, St. Benedict, St. John Paul II and so on. These were people who lived a life of holiness and faithfulness to the Lord. Their holiness was very visible such that when they died, the church began their canonization process. But seriously, who is a saint? In a simple description, a saint is someone who is in heaven with God. There are many of these who are unknown to us, only known to God. They are not canonized by the church, but they are in full union with Jesus after they died. Now, do you want to be in heaven with God when you die?  If your answer is yes, then you need to seriously think about holiness. Because if not heaven, it will be hell. Our late Pope Francis said, “To be saints is not a privilege for a few, but a...

 Brothers and sisters: You are no longer strangers and sojourners, but you are fellow citizens with the holy ones.” Our true and permanent home is heaven. We are destined to be citizens of heaven. For now, we are just sojourners on earth, pilgrims making our way towards home. I enjoy reading and hearing stories of people who have had near-death experiences. One common thing they report is that heaven is beautiful, and it is familiar. They usually describe it as the feeling of returning home, surrounded by people they know, being totally at ease and at peace. This image of heaven is pure joy. Those who live a virtuous life on earth, who keep their hearts united with God, are already preparing to live in that home. Heaven is not a foreign place for the faithful; it’s the fulfillment of what we yearn for deep inside of us. If we follow Jesus closely, we are already learning to live the heavenly life, experiencing and sharing the love and mercy of God and being in communion with God al...