Homily: June16, 2023, Solemnity of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus (Jesus Yoke)

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"Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am meek and humble of heart; and you will find rest for yourselves. For my yoke is easy, and my burden light."

Even in the days when I was still a small child, I have carried many things on my head, literally - pots of water, food, wood, and anything that can be balanced on the head. That is the way Indians carry loads, so that our hands are free, and in a way, it is easier as we also have to walk long distances without any transport.

My parents used to take my siblings and me out to gather firewood. When we had gathered enough, my parents would take the heaviest loads while they gave each of us a smaller portion according to our strength. We would balance the stack of firewood on our heads and walk home.

We carried hay for our cows and fetched pots of water from a nearby well during the hot summers. We also carried packs of rice and other groceries from the market back home. Papa always made sure to distribute the loads based on what each of us could carry. All on our heads.

Often, to show off my strength to my siblings and friends, I would try to carry more than I could handle. Finally, I ended up with severe back pain and became useless for the next few days.

In today's Gospel, Jesus’ words reminded me of my childhood. "Take my yoke upon you and learn from me... For my yoke is easy, and my burden light."

Jesus knows what we can bear, He knows our strengths and weaknesses, He would not give us what is beyond us. But so often, we feel burdened and overwhelmed with work and responsibilities, could we be carrying the wrong load, the wrong way?

Jesus says, "Take MY yoke upon you…”

The truth is many of us very often carry unnecessary burdens for years and years. They are not the yoke from Jesus, but baggage from our past, bondage from our sins, heavy emotions from our unforgiveness, cold stone hearts from our pride, iron chains from our worldly ambitions.

I love this phrase from Ecclesiastes 7:29: "God made us plain and simple, but we have made ourselves very complicated."

Jesus continues to say, “…learn from me, for I am meek and humble of heart; and you will find rest for yourselves.”

If we learn from Jesus, to live simply and humbly, to be meek and not prideful, to love and forgive, we will be relieved, we will find rest, we will feel light.

We often think that the more we have, the happier we will be. But in truth, less is more. The less worldly things we have, the more spiritual peace we enjoy.

Do not be afraid to let go of unnecessary stuff, to declutter your life, throw away anger, hatred, fear. Carry only what is necessary: faith, hope, love. And you will see how immediately you will experience freedom and joy.

Jesus, meek and humble of heart, make my heart like yours. Amen.


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March 1, 2025: First Holy Communion Homily: St. Joseph's Catholic Church Seffner, Florida

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 For you did not receive a spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you received a spirit of adoption, through which we cry, "Abba, Father!"  In today’s gospel event, when Jesus saw the woman ‘crippled by a spirit’, he immediately healed her, telling her she is set free. He saw her physical state, but He also saw the spiritual bondage which shows up in her physical infirmity. Her physical impairment is a result of sin. But when we look at Jesus on the cross, physically crippled by human cruelty and evil, it shows up our spiritual infirmity. Jesus’ physical deformity is a result of our sin. When we see Jesus on the cross, we see God, fully human and we also see man, fully divine. Physically He is nailed to the cross, but spiritually, he is free. Jesus shows us how we too can live free and live fully.  St. Paul said it plainly in the first reading, by calling God, “Abba, Father!” To imitate Jesus in the way he lives, as sons and daughters of the Father, exercising the ...
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Homily: September 18, 2023, Monday of the Twenty-fourth Week in Ordinary Time (Men should pray)

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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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Homily: Tuesday of the Tenth week in Oridnary Time (Salt lose taste)

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