Fr. Nivin's Homily Blog

Holy Family School Mass Homily   “The men whom you put in prison are in the temple area and are teaching the people.” Wow, what happened? The apostles of Christ were supposed to be locked up in prison, how did they appear in the temple area preaching and teaching the people? Well, blessed and happy Easter to all of you! I hope you all had a wonderful Easter weekend and a restful spring break! Jesus died, and have risen from the dead, and continued to walk around earth, spending time with His disciples for 50 days, that is why we are still in the Easter season. Thereafter, Jesus sent the Holy Spirit to His followers, empowering them with many spiritual gifts and that changed everything! Before that, the apostles were all afraid and were hiding from their enemies. But once the Holy Spirit came upon them, they became super courageous. They began to go around preaching boldly and confidently about Jesus, even to the very people who had put Jesus to death. They were no longer afrai...

"There was no needy person among them, for those who owned property or houses would sell them, bring the proceeds of the sale, and put them at the feet of the apostles." This sharing of personal property for the good of community and selling of possessions to fuel the mission of the church, willingly and joyfully, are so unimaginable in this day and age. But the early Christian community did it. And because of such practice, there was no needy person among them. What could have made them go to that extent of sacrifice and self-denial for the good of others? This reminds me of the rich young man who went to Jesus, wanting to gain eternal life. To which our Lord told him to sell all his property and possessions, give it to the poor and follow Him. The early Christians must have been very motivated to gain eternal life, to enter heaven, to go where Jesus has gone. The Church is a spiritual institution, it is also a social missionary. We are called to proclaim the Good News of Go...

 "As they prayed, the place where they were gathered shook, and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit."  How powerful! Signs and wonders were happening possibly every day for the first Christian community. Peter and John were fearlessly proclaiming Jesus. No compromises, no watering down the teachings of Christ, no opposition could stop them.  Even in prison while they prayed, the prison doors unlocked miraculously for them. They truly lived their faith in perfection and the Holy Spirit manifested His effects powerfully through them. And yet, at our baptism, we all received the same Holy Spirit. Here is the question: Do we experience the same powerful effects of the Holy Spirit in our lives? The Apostles prayed without fear, worked without hesitation and suffered without the slightest reluctance. Are we also fervent in our prayer, courageous in our work for the Lord and fearless in facing the challenges that come with living our faith? As St. Anthony Mary Claret said,...

Jesus said to the disciples, “Peace be with you,” and then immediately showed them His hands and His side, His wounds. Even in His glorified, resurrected body, Jesus bears the nail wounds of the crucifixion. When it is our turn to see Him face to face, we too will still see His wounds. They are important to Him. To us, they are proof of His sacrifice, a permanent reminder of His love, the pain He endured for us. To Jesus, they are physical signs of His full obedience, even unto death. We too have our own wounds, sufferings we experienced which leave behind scars: physical, mental, emotional and social. These scars can be manifested in the form of physical impairments and imperfections, anger temperaments, deep bitterness and sadness, or even intentional avoidance of social situations which could trigger the painful memory. But we don’t always show these openly, we tend to hide these painful, hurting part of us from others, we try to look ok on the outside. Most of the time, only those ...

 “This man God raised on the third day and granted that he be visible—not to all the people, but to us, the witnesses chosen by God in advance, who ate and drank with him after he rose from the dead.” In many classic films, the story ends with the stylish title flashing on the screen: “The End.” On that special Friday, the Pharisees and chief priests thought their script had come to a perfect ending. They had planned it thoroughly and executed it ruthlessly. With the help of Herod, Pilate, the soldiers, and the shouting crowds, Jesus had been put to death. The stone was rolled in place. The tomb was sealed. The disciples were scattered. To them, it was over. They believed the story of Jesus had reached ‘The End’. It looked like the end, even for those who loved Jesus. Mary Magdalene had on the third day prepared spices to anoint Jesus’ body, a traditional burial practice for the dead. Little did she realize that what had ended was not the whole story, but just one episode. The next...

"Then he said, 'Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.' He replied to him, 'Amen, I say to you, today you will be with me in Paradise.'"  The good thief asked only to be remembered, but Jesus, always faithful to His promises, responded with the gift of eternal life. Jesus was nailed to a cross, like a criminal, with two real criminals by His side. He had once been surrounded by thousands who needed His healing, followed by many who wanted to hear Him, and accompanied by friends who loved Him. But now at the final hour of His suffering and dying, they had all left Him. This is what many of us fear, to be forgotten and left alone at our dying moment. Let us look at the situation of the two thieves crucified beside Jesus. As thieves, they probably lived in poverty, anxiety and constantly hiding. They might not have family or friends since they work in darkness. Now caught and condemned, they too are in the last hour of their lives, about to die. Yet,...

“…there was in him no stately bearing to make us look at him, nor appearance that would attract us to him.”  “Yet it was our infirmities that he bore, our sufferings that he endured…” I picked out these two phrases in today’s first reading to help us reflect deeper into the significance of what we are celebrating today. God spoke these words, through prophet Isaiah, some 700 years before it was all fulfilled. It described Jesus as the suffering servant, bruised, beaten and abandoned. If we were all there at the scene, looking at Jesus, beaten and bloodied, would we be able to look at Him? Would we be attracted to Him? I am quite sure we would all feel very uneasy, uncomfortable and might even walk out if we were to witness the full condition of Jesus suffering on the cross. It is not at all a pretty sight. Condemned as a criminal, stripped of dignity, mocked as a failure - Who would be drawn to someone so humiliated, badly broken and bloodied face? Yet today, we want to look intens...

“He shall bring forth justice to the nations, not crying out, not shouting, not making his voice heard in the street.”  Throughout Holy Week, we will be reading from the Book of Prophet Isaiah. 700 years before the birth of Jesus, Isaiah had prophesied about the coming of the Messiah, not in a grand arrival, neither would He leave earth in a dignified departure. The image of Christ described by Isaiah is that of a humble suffering servant of God. His mission is to ‘bring forth justice to the nations’, by taking on injustice on Himself. He will carry the sins of the world through pain, yet He will not cry out, nor shout, He will bear all these in a meek, mild and humble way. Isaiah’s prophecies were all fulfilled by Jesus, particularly in the days of Holy Week. This week’s readings invite us to look to Jesus, no to pity and pain for Him, but to learn from Him, to straighten up our spirit to imitate Him, and to follow His example. All through Jesus’ trial, His great sufferings on the...

 “I will multiply them and put my sanctuary among them forever. My dwelling shall be with them.”  Growing up in one of the Eastern Catholic Churches was truly one of the greatest blessings of my life. I grew up in the Syro-Malabar Church, which is the largest Eastern Catholic Church. Our theology, liturgy and history are distinct from the Western Church but are in full communion with the Pope in Rome. In our tradition, the sanctuary, the high altar and the tabernacle are at all times veiled with a large curtain that separates and covers the sanctuary from the congregation. The curtain is drawn and unveiled only during the Divine Liturgy, that is when Mass is being celebrated. Only the priest, sacristan, and altar servers are allowed to enter the sanctuary with respectful behavior and deep reverence. From a very young age, we were taught that the altar is utmost sacred, that the sanctuary is the Holy of Holies, like the inner temple of Israel. The veil served as a visible remin...

 "Even though I walk in the dark valley, I fear no evil; for you are at my side." This is our responsorial psalm today, Psalm 23.  When God is at our side, we will not fear, indeed! But it does not say we will not face evil, it does not mean we will not walk in dark valleys. Today we heard the long but powerful story of Susanna, a woman who, by no fault of hers, found herself in deep trouble, a dark valley of injustice, false accusation, and the threat of death. But God was with her. Susanna was a God-fearing woman, raised by pious parents who had taught her to live according to the Law of Moses. And so she did, living with utmost integrity, obedient to the Law. When the corrupt elders black-mailed her, trying to trap her into submitting to their sinful desires, she stood firmly rooted in faith and said: “It is better for me to fall into your power without guilt than to sin before the Lord.” She faced evil, she faced death, but she did not fear, she stood by the Lord’s side. ...

 “But this crowd, which does not know the law, is accursed.”  Poor Pharisees. They held onto an unrealistic dream that all Israelites would know the law as well as they did. But the reality was that most people were living in poverty, under oppression, and with fear. They didn’t have the same access to education or religious instruction. Sometimes, I feel something similar in my own life. People often talk to me about TV shows, baseball, or football, assuming I’m familiar with what they enjoy. But the truth is, I don’t even know the basics of those games, I don’t follow any American TV shows except The Chosen.  I live in America, and many assume I share the same interests. But just like the Pharisees in Jesus’ time, it’s easy to forget that not everyone fits into the same mold. In today’s Gospel, the people including the guards were amazed by Jesus’ words. They praised Him for His miracles. But the Pharisees? They weren’t interested. They were so focused on studying the L...

 “When Jesus saw him lying there and knew that he had been ill for a long time, he said to him, ‘Do you want to be well?’” I have to be honest, I really didn’t like the man who was healed, when I first read the event in today’s Gospel text. Jesus asked him a simple and direct question: “Do you want to be well?” All he needed to do was to answer yes or no. I would expect him to be enthusiastic and respond yes! But he didn’t answer the question directly. Instead, he complained. He blamed it on the fact that there was no one to help him get to the pool, and that someone else would always get in before he did. Again, after he was healed, when the authorities told him off for carrying his own mat on a sabbath, he blamed it on Jesus, for telling him to pick up his mat, and caused Jesus to be persecuted. Wasn’t he grateful for being healed? Did he want to be healed at all? It seems to me that he was a complainer, someone who doesn’t own up and puts the blame on others. But I paused and re...

 “Do you believe in the Son of Man?” He answered and said, “Who is he, sir, that I may believe in him?” Today, we celebrate the second scrutiny of our 17 elect who are preparing to receive the Sacrament of Baptism. Dear elect, you are here today because God has chosen you, to have faith Jesus Christ. Who is He, that you may believe in Him? He is Son of God, the Father. We believe because we have the gift of faith. As I reflect on this moment, I can’t help but be in awe of God’s way of working. Look at ourselves. I’m from India, your catechist Priscilla is from Kenya, and among you are brothers and sisters from Burma, South Sudan, and Mexico. And yet, here we all are, at St. Ambrose, because God chose us, every one of us. By our own ability, or choice, or plan, we would not have created such a beautiful union of diversity, all at the same time, in the same place, for the same reason – to respond to God’s call for us to be His people of faith. Who would have known? In today’s first r...

 “He will come to us like the rain, like spring rain that waters the earth.” Do you like the rain? I have always enjoyed rain, not just watching it from my window, but walking or playing in the rain. Rain is refreshing, especially on hot days. When I was little, growing up in India, we always looked forward to the summer rain. It wasn’t until I came to Iowa that I experienced spring rain, which is gentle, joyful and uplifting. During summer in India, the scorching heat would dry up everything; water in the creeks and ponds would vanish, grass and plants would wither. In those days before there was tap water, people would walk long distances in the summer heat to collect water then carry it home in huge plastic pots. The intense heat, the lack of oxygen and the loss of liveliness in the environment also dulled everybody’s mood. Then after some months, the rain would come. Sometimes suddenly, sometimes in thunderstorms, but we would always know it was coming. The hornbill birds would...

 (Holy family school Mass )"But whoever obeys and teaches these commandments will be called greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven."  I grew up in a country where Christians are a minority. First, do you know which country I grew up in? Yes, India. Do you know how many percent of the Indian population are Christians? Who says 50%? 30%? 10%? 2%? Yes, it is a little over 2%, and Catholics make up only 1.6%. But amazingly, although Catholics are a small small minority, most of the schools in India are run by the Catholic Church. So, I had many Muslim and Hindu friends, because we all attended the Catholic schools together, and we will learn about each religion’s practices. I often envied my Hindu friends because they didn’t have to go to their temple weekly, they didn’t have to attend religion classes and they could play cricket every Sunday while I had to wake up early, walk to church, attend Sunday Mass and catechism classes. They seemed to have more fun as Hindus while Catholics s...

 "Therefore, the Lord himself will give you this sign: the virgin shall be with child, and bear a son, and shall name him Emmanuel, which means 'God is with us!'"  One book I read during my school days was titled: ‘The God of Small Things’. The book has nothing to do with God or religion, but I like the title because it reminds me that our God is also a God of small things. He appreciates and takes pleasure even when we offer Him the littlest effort or prayer or joy of our day. And He too often shows Himself in simple, silent humble signs. In today’s first reading, King Ahaz was given the opportunity to ask for a great sign from God, but he rejected, claiming to not want to test the Lord. Still, God chose to give him a sign anyway - not in a big way, but something simple yet powerful: "A virgin shall conceive and bear a son." This sign is simple yet powerful because while it is normal for a woman to bear a child, it is impossible for a virgin to do so. Only ...

 "His flesh became again like the flesh of a little child, and he was clean."  A child’s flesh and skin are supple, smooth and soft. Don’t we all wish our aged, wrinkled skin is restored to child-like freshness again? Today’s first reading is a powerful story of healing, restoration and transformation. Leprosy was a terrible disease in ancient times especially since there was no cure, was seen as a curse and was contagious. Thus, more than just physical, it was also a social disease which led to isolation and shame. Naaman was a great military commander, dignified in his powerful position but leprosy threatened to take away everything he had. He desperately wanted healing. The gifts he brought to Israel clearly showed how much he valued his health and status, and how far he was willing to go to be cured. Yet, despite his desperation, pride held him back and almost made him lose the miraculous healing he badly needed. He had expected a grand and elaborate healing process, fitt...

 "Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again; but whoever drinks the water I shall give will never thirst; the water I shall give will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life." (John 4:13-14) On the third, fourth, and fifth Sundays of Lent, we celebrate the Rites of Scrutiny with our elects - those preparing to receive the Sacraments of Initiation, to enter the Catholic Church, as part of the period of ‘Purification and Enlightenment. The purification process is God's way of helping to remove the stain and dirt from the souls of the Elect, so to see the true good and beauty of each soul. God does not scrutinize to find the wrongs but to celebrate the real identity of each child of His, revealing the value within each of us and rejoicing in the light of Christ reflecting from us. Each of these Sundays has a powerful theme: Water, Light and Life. These themes are presented through the Gospel texts of various encounters with Jesus Christ: the wom...

 "Let them feed in Bashan and Gilead, as in the days of old."  I have always been curious about Bashan and Gilead. My curiosity increased when I heard an old but well-known hymn, ‘There is a Balm in Gilead’ just a few years ago. The song was so beautiful that I searched for more information about Gilead and found many fascinating references in Scripture. Gilead is mentioned throughout the Bible as a place of refuge and healing. When Jacob fled from his father-in-law, Laban, he found shelter in Gilead. Later, when Joseph’s brothers sold him into slavery, they handed him over to Ishmaelites who came from Gilead on their way to Egypt, their camels were loaded with gum, balm, and resin for trading. The balm of Gilead was famous in the ancient world for its healing properties. As for Bashan, Deuteronomy describes it as a land of fertile soil, abundant livestock, and prosperity, known for its fat bulls and strong cattle. If you attend our weekly Holy Hour, you may notice that in th...

"For the measure with which you measure will in return be measured out to you." This is one of the more practical teachings of Jesus, and from our own life experiences, we know it to be true. When we show love, people often respond with love. When we are compassionate, we usually receive compassion in return. In today’s Gospel, Jesus tells us, “Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful.” God’s mercy is constant, consistent, unconditional. We deserve death and punishment, but God waives it off, taking on our death and punishment on Himself. That is mercy. And He tells us to do the same, not on our own strength, but we can imitate, reflect and emulate how God does it. God is merciful, because He loves truly and is generous. Love and generosity are painful virtues. Often, love may not be accepted, it can be rejected. Often generosity may not be appreciated, it can be taken for granted. That is how the world has treated God’s love and generosity, but He remains faithful and co...

 "So be perfect, just as your heavenly Father is perfect."  I was very privileged to have done my seminary studies and formation at Santa Croce University (Holy Cross), in Rome which is run by the Opus Dei order. Their founder, St. Josemaría Escrivá, was a visionary and a great saint. One of the core principles of living and spirituality he laid down for Opus Dei members was this: “strive for excellence in everything”. Because of this, the university was marked by excellence in every way - excellent professors, an outstanding library, state-of-the-art classrooms, and advanced technology. To be a student at such an institution meant that they, too, were expected to strive for excellence in attitude and effort. To maintain this high standard, there were many strict rules for the students to follow. By following conscientiously, students would grow and develop to their full potential with remarkable outcomes, all through into the future. In the first reading, Moses tells the Isr...

 "Your Father knows what you need before you ask him" Recently, I started listening to Scott Hahn’s Lenten reflections on the Seven Last Words of Jesus. In his introductory talk, he reflects on the significance of the number seven in both the Bible and Christian tradition. He also draws a connection between the seven last words of Jesus and the seven petitions in the Lord’s Prayer. The Our Father is the most beautiful prayer in Christian tradition because Christ Himself taught  us this prayer. Dr. Hahn explains that the Seven Last Words are especially significant because they were spoken in the midst of unimaginable suffering. Crucified individuals could barely breathe, let alone speak, due to the sheer physical strain. Yet, Jesus spoke seven profound statements from the cross—words that reveal His heart and mission. When it comes to the Our Father, I believe the same is true. Jesus could have given us a much longer prayer, but He chose to include only seven essential petitio...

 "You shall love your neighbor as yourself. I am the LORD."  Yesterday, one of our youths gave an inspiring testimony at all our Sunday Masses, sharing her experience from the Youth 2000 retreat. She shared that she has been comfortable in her relationship with Jesus and that gave her the impression that her faith in the Lord was good enough. But from the retreat, she realized something profound: That if you are in a comfort zone in your love for God, then your relationship with Him is not growing. God is infinite love, the supreme good. He can never be outdone in generosity; He can never be outdone in love. That means, the more we love Him, the more we will receive His love, and the more we will be transformed. Her sharing made me reflect deeper. So, how then should my love for God be? I do believe that I can do more for God, we can never love Him enough, there is always room for better, stronger, greater, deeper love for this great big God of ours. And one of the most beaut...

 He said to him, "Follow me." And leaving everything behind, he got up and followed him.  Have you watched the TV series about Jesus, The Chosen? Which is your favorite character? I personally love the character of Matthew. With poetic imagination, they beautifully presented this scene when Jesus called out to Matthew and how he responded spontaneously to the call. I remember watching Jesus walk past Matthew’s tax collection booth, and they both locked eyes, just before Jesus called out to him. It was exciting to see the way Matthew looking shocked at first and then disregarding even the Roman guard’s attempts to stop him, Matthew just went out of his booth and left his high-paying job forever, without looking back. It almost seems as if Matthew had been waiting, and waiting for someone to reach out to him, someone to invite him, call him and give him a good reason to change his life. As a tax collector, Matthew was trapped between two worlds. His own Jewish people rejected h...

 "Appear not before the LORD empty-handed, for all that you offer is in fulfillment of the precepts."  One of our parish volunteers who gives rides to refugee families to bring them for Sunday Mass shared an incident with me. One day, she arrived at a house to pick up a family as usual, but they were reluctant to go to church. When she asked them why, the children responded, “We have no money to put in the collection basket.” Oh, my heart ached to hear that. The church needs money, but God does not. Yet the refugee families in our parish, who have barely enough for themselves, would refuse to come before the Lord empty-handed. They are so eager to give. Our parish is special, our Sunday collections always receive hundreds of one-dollar bills. I presume these are small offerings given with great love. Just like the poor widow who gave two small coins, she won Jesus’ praise for giving her all. Our Lord does not count the dollars, He weighs the sincerity. The first reading tells...

Did you listen attentively to the Gospel reading? Yes? Let me test you… What did Jesus say? Did He say, “Whoever eats my bread and drinks my wine?”  No! He said, “Whoever eats my FLESH and drinks my BLOOD remains in me and I in him.” Yes, when you receive Holy Communion, you are receiving the real flesh and blood of Jesus. I am sure Fr. Roy, your catechists, parents and the whole parish community have prepared you well for this day, so you know what you are receiving today. But what I want to focus on now is the last part where Jesus says, ‘remains in me and I in him’. 29 years ago in 1996, I received my First Holy Communion. I was eight years old, but I still remember that day vividly. I remember the preparations, my First Reconciliation, and the excitement I felt when I lined up to receive Jesus for the very first time. I remember seeing the priest dipping the Precious Body into the Precious Blood, and then that precious moment – Jesus’ body and blood rested on my tongue. So swee...

 “Study the generations long past and understand; has anyone hoped in the Lord and been disappointed?”  I have read this passage many times before, but it struck me differently this time. The message of hope resonates so deeply with me since this year is the Jubilee Year of Hope.  Romans 5:5: “Hope does not disappoint us.” We are pilgrims of hope, our pilgrimage is a journey of hope, and we are assured that when we place our hope in the Lord, we will not be disappointed. Have you ever been disappointed? Probably yes. And that could be because we were hoping the Lord will meet our expectations. We placed our desires in your own ambitions, and hoped the Lord would satisfy us and please us, He probably did or didn’t. Well, that is not the hope of faith we are talking about here. The answer becomes clear when we study the generations that came before us. If I think about my own parents and grandparents, they lived devout and pious lives. Their only hope was in the Lord and Hi...