Homily: March 21, 2022, Monday of the Third Week of Lent

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 “…if only my master would present himself to prophet in Samaria…” suggested the little slave girl from Israel.

This simple suggestion started the dramatic turn of events for Naaman, the Syrian commander. When he went to prophet Elisha, he was highly offended by the simplistic prescription for his healing.

He went away angry and complained, “Are not the rivers of Damascus, the Abana and the Pharpar, better than all the waters of Israel? Could I not wash in them and be cleansed?”

What do you think? Is it the washing or is it a special river that works miracles of healing?

Today’s readings present to us two distinct types of people – the humble who relied on God’s wisdom and the prideful who relied on their own judgements.

Thanks to his servants who were wise in simple things and persuaded him. Naaman listened to them and was healed. And he later vowed to worship only one God, the God of Israel.

The simple people in this story were able to see what the prideful people could not see. There is power even in what looks simple and plain. Because God works best through the humble, simple and plain. God is the power.

Similarly in the Gospel, we hear Jesus lamenting that “no prophet is accepted in his own native place.” Because people did not have faith in Jesus whom they thought they knew was a humble carpenter’s son. They did not believe someone so simple could do great works.

One good example is the story of EWTN – Eternal Word Television Network founded by Mother Angelica. She was a simple, quite unknown nun who saw God’s plan to reach the people through TV media. 

She started a small humble studio which grew to become the largest religious media network in the world. From a poor nun without much power in the church, she became the most influential Catholic woman in America, bringing Catholic content to everyone.

God reveals himself to the humble and works wonders through those who are simple and plain. May we learn to trust God and rely on Him by humbling ourselves. Amen.


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Homily: December14, 2025, Third Sunday of Advent

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Homily: February 16, 2023, Thursday of the Sixth Week in Ordinary Time

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 “Get behind me satan.” Jesus’ words to St. Peter, the first pope, are so powerful. Last week, a man came for reconciliation, and he gave me this beautiful chain with a cross which has the Holy face of Jesus on one side. The other side of the cross has these words: ‘ Vade Retro Satana’ in Latin, which means ‘Get behind me, satan’. These are powerful words used in exorcism. Satan is evil and cunning, he tempted Adam and Eve by cleverly rationalising for them how it seemed logical to disobey God. In the same way, Peter was suggesting to Jesus to avoid the way of suffering and death, which seemed logical but was ultimately against God’s plan. If we look around us, we see the same thing happening in our world. Satan continues to tempt us with the good life, using technology to increase pleasure, enhance comfort and convenience, to make life easy and avoid anything that could involve hardship, even for the good and betterment of the world. He tempts women to destroy life of the unborn ...
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Homily: January 4, 2025, Feast of Elizabeth Ann Seton (Come and See)

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 “He said to them, 'Come, and you will see.' So they went and saw where he was staying.” “Come and See” is often an invitation to take an personal exploration and not just hear about something from others.  Many religious congregations use similar programs for those who are discerning a vocation to the priesthood or religious life, because often it is better to have an experience than simply reading or hearing about it before making a decision with regards the consecrated life. I participated in one such program before. At that time, I had absolutely no interest in joining the priesthood. I went because one of my best friends had asked me to accompany him to that three-day event. And guess what? Later that same year, I entered the seminary. The disciples in today’s Gospel wanted to know where Jesus was staying, instead of telling them, Jesus invited them to ‘Come and you will see.” Whatever it was that they saw, it was convincing enough for them to want to stay with Him, to fo...
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Homily: March 30, 2025, Fourth Sunday in Lent (Second Scrutiny of Elect, Year A readings )

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 “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...
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 “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...
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Homily: July 21, 2025: Monday of the Sixteenth Week in Ordinary Time (Holy Family School Teacher's and faculty retreat. )

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 “Fear not! Stand your ground, and you will see the victory the LORD will win for you today.” In the first reading, we read an account of how the Israelites crossed the Red Sea, leaving Egypt behind, travelling on foot towards the promise of a land prepared for them by God. That journey, which began with more than 1.5 million people and their livestock, lasted 40 years through the desert, every day was a pilgrimage through the rough and tough terrain, with no fertile land in sight. Eventually, they arrived at the Promised Land, where they settled with joyful anticipation of abundance, freedom and peace. It is not just a triumphant story of how the Israelites survived, but it is a powerful story of how God saves His people, them and us. In the Gospel, we heard the scribes and Pharisees ask Jesus: “Teacher, we wish to see a sign from you.” By that time, Jesus had already performed many public miracles. But they were still not convinced that Jesus was God coming to save them and the w...
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“For you are all one in Christ Jesus.” Over the past few days, we have been reading from the letters of St. Paul to the Galatians. Today’s reading we see him pleading with the community to be united in Christ.  What is happening to the Galatian community? Didn’t we read in Acts of the Apostles, “All the believers were one in heart and mind”? That was how the early Christians lived during the Pentecostal event despite strong persecution. But the Galatians were living differently. It seemed that their society then, like ours today, was greatly divided, separated by ethnicity, social status, gender discrimination, and differences in culture and tradition. St. Paul emphasized and reminded them that they are ‘all one in Christ Jesus’. What about our society? Recent surveys show that more than 80% of Americans feel that the country is more divided than united. Although we are a Christian nation, we are polarized in our political stands, religious views and many other life issues. At St. ...
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Homily: December 2, 2025, Tuesday of the First Week of Advent (Knowledge)

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“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...
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Homily: June 15, 2025 Soemnity of the Most Holy Trinity

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Today’s second reading ends with this powerful phrase: “Because the love of God has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit that has been given to us.” Today we celebrate two beautiful events: the Solemnity of the Most Holy Trinity and Father’s Day. So, happy Father’s Day to all our fathers, grandfathers, fathers-to-be and godfathers! My siblings and I are incredibly blessed to have had a good Christian father who fulfilled his duties both as a father and as a Catholic. My papa was a very quiet, resilient, yet very gentle person. He loved and protected all his seven children, physically, emotionally, mentally and especially spiritually. He taught us the faith and was a great model of the traditions. He made sure we never missed Sunday Mass and took us regularly to Confession. I was very much a “dad’s boy”, working with him daily on the farm, taking care of the animals together with him. He didn’t worry much about school grades, but he was very firm and strict with us re...
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