Homily: March 14, 2022, Monday of the Second Week in Lent.

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 “O Lord, we are shamefaced, like our kings, our princes, and our fathers…”

When I was in 9th grade, we studied an interesting book written in my native language. The book title translated, would be “The sheep of Fatima”.

The author, Basheer, was a Muslim novelist and freedom fighter from Kerala, a state in India which is my hometown. During his time in the early 1940s, young people participated in freedom movements to fight against British occupation. Many left their homes secretly to join the fight. Many families assumed their kids had died when they did not return home.

Basheer also, left quietly one night to go to North India. He did not inform his parents and left no contact. They did not know where he went or what happened.

During the protests, Basheer was arrested and put in jail. No one in his family knew.

Finally, he returned. Walking back silently, the same way he left, he was surprised when he saw his mother waiting at the front door, with an oil lamp. It was midnight.

Since the night he left home, she had been waiting at the door for him to return, day and night, with a meal always ready for him. She did not know when, she did not know if he would, but she never gave up waiting.

She was not angry with his leaving but was overjoyed with his homecoming.

In the time of Daniel, as seen in the first reading, the people were living in sin and shame. So Daniel confessed and repented on behalf of the people. Look at our world now, we too reject God’s values, live in conflict with His teachings, and turn away from His love ever so often. We too “are shamefaced even to this day...”

Yet God has never stopped waiting, even to this day. He is merciful and compassionate, always ready to embrace us when we repent from our sins and come back to Him. And daily He prepares for us the real food, His precious body and blood.

We can never outdo God’s love and mercy. May this Lenten season help us deepen our love for our merciful God. And on behalf of our Lord, let us invite those who have left God’s house to come back soon. 

Amen.

Fr. Nivin Scaria


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Homily, Wednesday,January 5, 2022, Memorial of Saint John Neumann, Bishop

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