Fr. Nivin's Homily Blog

 “Jesus was in the stern, asleep on a cushion. They woke Him and said, ‘Teacher, do you not care that we are perishing?’” I am a little jealous of Jesus here. How can someone sleep like that? For a few years my next- room neighbor who was a hospital chaplain at unity point methodist hospital. On nights when he was on call, his pager would go off suddenly, and every time it did, I would wake up too. Even the slightest noise disturbed my sleep. And here is Jesus, in the middle of a violent storm, in a small boat, with waves crashing and water splashing everywhere and He is asleep. Jesus must be exhausted. He was busy. He carried a great mission. And yet nothing seems to disturb His peace. The One who taught us “Do not be afraid” is now teaching us how not to be afraid. His calm sleep is not indifference; it is trust, complete trust in the Father. Life, too, brings storms. Storms of illness, family struggles, financial stress, grief, fear, and uncertainty.  And in those moments, ...

“David, however, remained in Jerusalem. One evening David rose from his siesta and strolled about on the roof of the palace.” Have you ever watched a particular movie many times, and having known how the movie ends, you still go through the same emotions as if it were the first time? Well, I have. There are a few movies which I have watched many times. I know the story well, I know exactly how it will end, and yet I still wish the story would end differently especially in emotional scenes.  That is what I experience whenever I read the scenes of today’s first reading. For the past couple of weeks, we have been journeying with David through the high moments of his life, his anointing, his courage and faithfulness, his kindness to Saul and his rise to kingship.  Then today, the story took on a regretful twist. Suddenly, our hero falls, not into one sin, but multiple. It just got worse as he tried to cover up his first.. How? Why? David did not go out to battle as he should have....

 “But those sown on rich soil are the ones who hear the word and accept it and bear fruit thirty and sixty and a hundredfold.” I am sorry that Bishop Joensen cannot be here to celebrate this Mass for you. He ran into me while he was searching for someone to take this Mass, so here I am. While I am no worthy replacement, I do feel honored to preside at this Mass for you, administrators, teachers, and staff of our Catholic schools. I would like to first thank all of you for your great work in forming faithful disciples for Christ and nurturing good citizens for this country and for the world. Your work matters, and the world surely needs more educators and collaborators like you. We appreciate you and are truly grateful for all that you do. I am from India. I have one brother and five sisters. My parents passed on some years ago. We lived in a farming village and I grew up helping on the farm every day. My parents were never really worried about my brother’s or my studies, because fo...

 “David went to bring up the ark of God from the house of Obed-edom into the City of David amid festivities.” The Ark of God, also known as the Ark of the Covenant, was deeply venerated and treasured by the people of Israel. It was not just a sacred object; to the people of Israel, it was the very presence of God, dwelling among His people. When the Philistines captured the Ark during their battle with Israel, they thought they had won a great victory, they thought they had Israel’s God on their side, under their control. But instead of receiving blessings, the Ark brought distress to their land. Plagues broke out. Tumors afflicted the people. Their idol, Dagon, fell and shattered before the Ark. Misfortune followed wherever the Ark was placed.  Finally, the Philistines realized that this presence of God was not meant for them, so they returned the Ark to Israel. When David brought back the Ark to Israel, the experience was completely different from the Philistines. There was ...

 “For this reason, I remind you to stir into flame the gift of God that you have through the imposition of my hands.” This phrase was chosen by the universal church as the theme for the Year of the Priest (2009–2010). At that time, I was still a seminarian. And to see the phrase repeatedly throughout that year, it stayed with me. It has sunk so deep that it will never leave my heart and mind. These words also take me back to my childhood. When I was young, often during harvesting season for coffee and black pepper, my father would send me to the next village bringing sickles, axes, and tools that needed sharpening. There was a blacksmith in that village, who worked under a simple tent. He had a heap of charcoal with a wheel he turned with a foot pedal. As he pressed and released the pedal, air would rush to blow into the charcoal. Within minutes, the fire came alive. The charcoal glowed, and soon the sickles too turned a fiery red. That glowing red signaled the readiness of the too...

 “Come after me, and I will make you fishers of men. At once they left their nets and followed him.” In today’s Gospel, we witness one of the most striking moments in Scripture: the calling of the first disciples. Peter and Andrew heard Jesus’ call and immediately left their nets. James and John left not only their boats, but even their father, Zebedee, and followed Jesus. No hesitation. No long discussions. No backup plans. No questions. Just trust. Over the past two Sundays, the Church has been gently leading us step by step to consider our calling. On the first Sunday, we reflected on who we are: beloved children of God. On the second Sunday, we reflected on why we are here: our mission, to be a light to the nations. And today, Jesus shows us how to live that mission. By trusting Him. Now, if Jesus were to ask you today to do something important for His mission, how would you respond? Will you step forward immediately or will you step back and take time to think, analyze, consid...

 “When his relatives heard of this, they set out to seize him, for they said, ‘He is out of his mind.’” In simpler words, they were saying, “He is crazy.” Imagine hearing that said about Jesus, by His own relatives. At this point in the Gospel, Jesus has been away from home, constantly preaching, healing, and teaching. He is not living a quiet, predictable life. He is not protecting His comfort. He is not trying to appear “normal.” He is completely consumed by one thing: the will of His Father. To fulfill the Father’s will is the center of Jesus’ life, His food, His breath, His mission. And from the outside, it can look extreme. It can look unreasonable. It can look like madness. After Pentecost, something similar happens to the disciples. Filled with the Holy Spirit, they preach with boldness and joy, and people mock them: “They have had too much new wine.” When someone is truly filled with God, the world often does not understand. Think of the saints. Francis of Assisi, Padre Pio...

 “Saul then said to David: ‘You are in the right rather than I; you have treated me generously, while I have done you harm.’” I may not remember everything from my theology classes, but one thing from the study of Christology that fascinated me and stayed with me, was the person of David. Not just as an impressive king in the Old Testament but as a prominent faithful servant who prefigured Jesus.  The similarities are striking. David and Jesus were both born in Bethlehem. They were both from the same tribe and lineage. David was a shepherd; Jesus is the Good Shepherd. David wept in the Garden of Olives after being betrayed by his own son, Absalom. Jesus wept in the Garden of Gethsemane after being betrayed by Judas. David was a king anointed by God; Jesus is the King of kings sent by God. But more than all these parallels, what touches me most is this: both David and Jesus loved and forgave their enemies. David was impressive but far from perfect. When sin overtook him, he com...

 “And from that day on, the Spirit of the LORD rushed upon David.” Today’s first reading narrates a very moving and exciting scene in the Book of Samuel: the anointing of future King David. He was still a youth, inexperienced and not tested, but he knew God and God knew him. God chose him, anointed him and his life changed forever. A few months ago, I watched the show ‘David’ at the Sight & Sound Theatre. This scene was so well done that it stayed vivid in my memory. When Samuel anointed David, something real happened, the Spirit of the Lord rushed upon him. David felt it. Thus throughout his life, he lived with a deep awareness of God’s presence and holy obedience to God. God’s presence was so strong in David’s consciousness then even though he later sinned, he did not hide from or justify himself with God. Instead, he offered up one of the most beautiful penitential psalms in deep contrition. “Do not cast me from Your presence, nor take Your Holy Spirit from me.” David unders...

 “Rather, new wine is poured into fresh wineskins.” In today’s Gospel, Jesus speaks about the new and the old. He uses the parallel of an unshrunken cloth being sewn on an old cloak, and of new wine being poured into old wineskin, both of which would cause trouble. His listeners understood these situations. Everyone wants newness and freshness, so what needs to change? Jesus is the new. He is the bridegroom heralding a new life, a new relationship, a new phase of life, but if we hold on to old and stubborn attitudes, we will not be able to appreciate His good news. This newness Jesus speaks of is not about external changes or more programs that do the same old thing in packaged in a new exterior. His newness is about interior renewal, an inside job. From time to time, I receive invitations to attend conferences or programs that promise quick and total transformation of the parish. Interestingly, none of these programs are free, in fact they cost a lot. I always wonder if the transf...

 “I will make you a light to the nations, that my salvation may reach to the ends of the earth.” These words from the prophet Isaiah are not only ancient poetry, they are also personal. God was speaking to Israel, telling them His plans. He is also speaking to us now, sharing the same vision He has for us. They echo what St. Peter affirms us in his epistle: “You are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people of his own… called out of darkness into his marvelous light.” Last Sunday we reflected on the identity that we are beloved children of God. His heir, and His beloved. This Sunday, the Church asks us to reflect on the question that follows: If this is who you are, then what are you called to do? Your life is not random. You exist not by accident. You live, not just to survive till death. The truth is, your existence is planned, you are entrusted with a mission. Imagine Isaiah standing here today and saying to you: “I will make YOU a light to the nations.” Not any...

 Jesus said to him, “Follow me.” And without hesitation, Levi got up and followed Him. There was no second thought, no delay, no negotiation. In that moment, Levi left behind his profession, his security, and all the benefits and privileges that came with it, and he became Matthew, the apostle. Not only that, Matthew brought many of his friends to Jesus.  Where there is true conversion, others are always drawn in. This is how discipleship works. When someone genuinely encounters Christ, that encounter never remains private. Every true conversion becomes contagious. Those who grow closer to Jesus naturally begin to bring others to Him. The same is true for us. Our discipleship is not a one-person journey. We live our faith within families, communities, and parishes. If we are truly walking with Christ, our lives will influence others, whether we realize it or not. And this leads us to a serious truth. Influence works both ways. In the first reading, we hear about Saul, who was ...

 “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...

 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...

 “Jesus proclaimed the Gospel of the Kingdom and cured every disease among the people.” Healing was a central part of Jesus’ public ministry. Wherever He went, He healed: bodily diseases, emotional wounds, and spiritual disturbances. He restored dignity, hope, and life, to whoever believed and wanted it. I must admit, many times while visiting people in hospitals or nursing homes, I have wished that I too had the gift of healing. Standing before someone who was suffering, I just wished I could simply touch them and make them well, like Jesus did, and end the sadness of their loved ones. But I can’t. I don’t have such a gift. But some people do. This past week, I was away at the SEEK Conference in Columbus, Ohio. It was an incredible experience. Tens of thousands of people were there to encounter Jesus and I am sure they did. Two young women from our parish probably did, on a very personal level. They met a priest there. Well, there were more than 500 priests present, and they met t...