Homily: April 20, 2023, Thursday of the Second Week of Easter ( Ration)

-

 "He does not ration his gift of the Spirit."

Have you ever been to a ration store?

From google, the meaning of ‘ration’ is ‘a fixed amount of a commodity officially allowed to each person during a time of shortage, as in wartime’.

When I was little, my papa used to go to the government ration store once a month. Each family would receive rice, sugar, kerosene, and mung dal, which is a type of small beans. They would receive a portion according to the number of members in the household.

My family was large with 11 members, so we were always allocated more. Papa would take my brother and me along to help him carry those items home. We would balance them on our heads as we walk home happily. The portions given were just enough, nothing extra, so we would always moderate our use so that we do not run out of stock.

In places with abundance, without shortage, there is no need for rationing. There would be more than enough for everyone.

So, here in St. John’s Gospel we heard, "God does not ration his gift of the spirit" because our God is a God of abundance, generosity, graciousness.

In the first reading, we read that the apostles were warned by the authorities not to preach in Jesus' name, but they obeyed God, not men and went on to fill the whole Jerusalem with teachings in the name of Jesus.

More than 2000 years later, Jesus' teachings have travelled round the world. Christianity is in every corner of the world. How fortunate we are to be a follower of Jesus. We have the privilege to enjoy the abundance of the spirit, and the gifts of life and joy that come with it.

As we prepare for Pentecost, let us pray for an outpouring of the Holy Spirit on us. Let us pray for the courage preach his teachings freely and unreservedly to all whom we encounter, let us not ration or limit the gifts from God, to be shared graciously with others. Amen.


Comments

Post a Comment

Read

Homily: January 11, 2026, Feast of the Baptism of the Lord (Beloved)

-
 “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased.” These words were spoken by God was not meant to be a private revelation. It was heard by everyone present on that day, all who witnessed Jesus being baptized by John.  These words were blessings from God, springing forth from His heart. Before Jesus preached a single sermon, before He healed anyone, before He suffered persecution and death, His Father in heaven proclaimed the Truth over Him: This is my beloved Son. Jesus lived His entire life grounded in that truth. He never struggled with His identity. He never doubted His mission on Earth. He knows who He is and why He has come. His purpose is to do the will of the Father, to reveal to the whole world who God is, to show to all generations how God loves and thus save all of humanity. Let us look again at where Jesus was baptized, the River Jordan. Its waters flows from near Mount Hermon, in between Lebanon and Syria, runs through fertile land, carrying nourishment for t...
Read more

Homily: Janaury 11, 2025 Saturday after Epiphany (Increase-Decrease)

-
 "He must increase; I must decrease." From this very simple statement, we can very clearly see the attitude of John the Baptist towards his mission - humility. John was a fearless man, he was not at all afraid of the Jewish authorities and preached courageously what he believed he was sent to do, he stood resolutely for truth and justice, not at all bothered about the cost or consequence. Nothing could stop him from speaking the truth. Yet, this aggressive preacher from the wilderness was humble, modest and meek when he acknowledges the presence of the Messiah. He recognized that his work, his purpose, his existence was done and must give way to the Lord. Tradition tells us that John the Baptist lived an ascetic life before his public ministry — a life of pure simplicity and total detachment, right down to the food he ate. Such a life demands complete abandonment of self and dedication to the mission. He lived with only one purpose – to accomplish the mission he was born for ...
Read more

Homily: November 29, 2023, Wednesday of the Thirty-fourth Week in Ordinary Time (Joy, Fun)

-
Holy Family School Mass:  Then they asked him, "Teacher, when will this happen? And what sign will there be when all these things are about to happen?" Signs are very helpful in our everyday life. When I first came to this church, I had a hard time finding the confessional. There were no signs. I thought it might be somewhere in the vestibule and after going down the stairs, I ended up at the restrooms. Directional signs tell us where to go, spiritual signs tell us what to do. When Jesus spoke about the destruction of the temple, He was also warning the disciples about fake news and scammers. So simply looking for signs may not help, because there are misleading and false signs that will only lead to more confusion and wrong turns. The only reliable signs in life are the Holy Word of God and the teachings and traditions of the church passed down from the Apostles. Our Christian faith guides and provides, it shows the right path to the right place. I have preached before that ...
Read more

Homily: Janaury 10, 2026, Saturday after Epiphany

-
 The one begotten by God He protects, and the Evil One cannot touch him. Through our baptism, each one of us was claimed by God. We were called by name, welcomed into the Church, and sealed with the presence of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. From that moment on, we belong to God. Because of this, the Evil One has no power over a baptized Christian. He cannot simply take control of us. He can tempt, distract, confuse, and deceive, but he cannot touch us unless we freely give him permission. In my 9 years of priesthood, I have been asked only a few times to assist with cases related to exorcism. In each situation, careful discernment was required. Most cases involved mental health struggles or minor disturbances, not true possession. The Church is always very cautious. An exorcist asks many questions, not only to understand what is happening, but also to see how a door may have been opened. Very often, when something serious is involved, there has been a violation of the F...
Read more

Homily: June 18, 2025, Wednesday of the Eleventh Week in Ordinary Time (Not to be seen)

-
 “Take care not to perform righteous deeds in order that people may see them.” We live in a world of performance, we work to be seen and heard, to be recognized and applauded. With the explosive growth and popularity of social media, modesty has nearly disappeared. Many have taken to exposing every aspect of their personal lives, it is now so convenient and easy to share, like, and repost every little thing for the world to see. It is not a bad thing to share openly and freely with friends, especially the good moments, the joyful events, the memorable occasions. And within the Church, it is helpful to keep the community connected and informed, to broadcast and share all the good that is done, so that we can together praise and thank God for His blessings. Ahhh, here is the problem... Do we do good so that we can praise God, or do we do good so that others can praise us? Do we sometimes work hard to show that we are the most active, generous, or popular church in town? Are we offend...
Read more

Homily: July 20, 2023, Thursday of the Fifteenth Week in Ordinary Time

-
 "If they ask me, 'What is his name?' what am I to tell them?" God replied, "I AM who AM." Yesterday, we asked ‘Who am I?’. Today, God is telling us who He is, but in a deep and profound way. Do you understand God’s name? I didn’t understand until I learned it in Scripture class at the Seminary. Still, the explanation of why God identified Himself as ‘I am who am’ is rather complex. The question is, do we really need to understand it? Did Moses understand it? I don't think so. At that point in time, Moses was already 80 years old, having spent 40 years shepherding sheep with his Father-in-law Jethro. At that stage of his life, he probably just needed to know what and how, not why. In the readings, we do not see Moses questioning further, he did not need to be convinced, he just wanted to know what God wants of him and how he should do it. He took it simply but solemnly and followed God's directives with his heart. When I first came to this country, a...
Read more

Homily: August 30,2023, Wednesday of the twentyfirst sunday in Ordinary time (Holy Anger)

-
Preached at Holy Family Catholic School Des Moines.   "Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, you hypocrites. You are like whitewashed tombs, which appear beautiful on the outside but inside are full of dead men's bones and every kind of filth.” Wow. Did Jesus really say these harsh words? He seems very angry. Why?  Since I was little, till now, I have been fearful of aggressive people. I would usually steer clear of them. If Jesus were to say those words to me angrily, I would have tried to keep a distance from Him. But Jesus’ anger is always reasonable. My mom used to get very angry with me too, because I was very mischievous and created lots of trouble. Although she was very frightening in those moments and I would always run far away from her, I would also always return, because I knew she would calm down. I knew she loved me. We know that Jesus is the most compassionate and loving person. He could forgive the worst sinners and showed gentle kindness towards them. He fed,...
Read more

Homily: August 10, 2022, Feast of Saint Lawrence, Deacon and Martyr

-
 “The Father will honor whoever serves me”. I have shared before, that I was the favorite grandchild of my paternal grandfather. He had 10 children and 50 grandchildren. Among all, he loved me the most because he believed I have a perfect green thumb. He was a man who valued planting and farming. Whenever he got a seed or seedling, he would ask me to plant it for him. He believed that whatever I sowed, would reap abundant fruits. And grandpa would bless me specially, even on his last days, he gave only me his final blessings. I never thought much about the simple farming life but had dreamed about being a rich and successful farmer. Although that dream did not come true, I have never stopped planting and gardening. Both the first reading and gospel passage today are about planting: seeds, sowing, reaping, harvesting and producing fruit. During the time of Jesus, one of the major occupations of people were farming. Many of us here are from farming families too. To till the land is a...
Read more

Homily: November 16, 2025, Thirty-Third Sunday in Ordinary Time (End Times )

-
 “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...
Read more

Homily: July 20, 2025, Sixteenth Sunday in Ordinary time.

-
 “Martha, Martha, you are anxious and worried about many things. There is need of only one thing.”  What is the only one thing needed? In the first reading, God visited Abraham in the heat of the day. Abraham saw three men approaching his tent and sensed something special about them. In normal circumstances, Abraham simply could have acknowledged them and gone on with his work, but he did not. He dropped his work, ran to them, bowed before them, presented himself at their service, and got his household to prepare a good meal for them. He paid attention to their needs, and to what they had to tell him. In the Gospel, Jesus visits His dear friends Martha and Mary. Martha busies herself to prepare food to serve her special guest. While Mary chooses to sit at the feet of Jesus and listen to Him. Mary is paying full attention to Jesus and enjoying His presence, while Martha is overwhelmed with perfecting her tasks, and then complains, in an attempt for Jesus to deny attention to Ma...
Read more