‘Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?’  I replied, ‘Who are you, sir?’ And he said to me, ‘I am Jesus the Nazorean whom you are persecuting.’ (Acts 22: 7 - 9).

The Church celebrates today the feast of St Paul the Apostle.  Paul who is also evangelist and missionary was chosen and appointed by Jesus Christ Himself to exercise a great influence in the very early Church.  His journey to Damascus in his blind zeal to persecute the followers of Jesus was rudely interrupted by the Lord.

"What shall I do, sir?’ The Lord answered me, ‘Get up and go into Damascus, and there you will be told about everything appointed for you to do."  (Acts 22: 10).

The compassion and gentleness of Jesus in the above scene is disarming.  A conqueror helping the conquered on the ground to his feet.  Note that this is always God's merciful attitude to the sinner.

"Saul, my brother, regain your sight.’ And at that very moment I regained my sight and saw him."  (Acts 22: 13).
Paul was overwhelmed by loving mercy coming to him from Jesus, Ananias and the brethren.

Now Paul is ready to receive his mandate:
"The God of our ancestors designated you to know his will, to see the Righteous One, and to hear the sound of his voice;  for you will be his witness before all to what you have seen and heard."  (Acts 22: 14 - 15).

It does not end there. Every follower of Jesus must be involved in the worldwide evangelization:

“Go into the whole world and proclaim the gospel to every creature.  Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved; whoever does not believe will be condemned."  (Mark 16: 15 - 16).

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"Jesus is always able to save those who approach God through him." (Hebrews 7: 25).

This Scripture empowers us to approach Jesus with tremendous confidence with all our needs.  Whether the need is in the area of health, family, finances, job, tools and possessions, food and future.  Jesus Christ is able and willing always and everywhere to help us. If this is not good news, tell me is.

What is the qualification of Jesus for such an incredible claim?  From the same chapter 8 of Hebrews, our first Reading today, we read:
"We have such a high priest, who has taken his seat at the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in heaven, a minister of the sanctuary and of the true tabernacle that the Lord, not man, set up."  (Hebrews 8: 1 - 2).

Friends, let nothing stop you from marshalling your faith and approaching Jesus to get the help you need.  When you come to Jesus for help, remember this:  Surrender when He answers you and how He resolves your problem. Be assured that you will get the very best.

Today is the the feast of a most gentle and most beloved Bishop and Doctor of the Church - St Francis de Sales. He is the patron saint of writers and journalists and everyone in social communications.
St Francis de Sales pray for us.

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“You are a priest forever
according to the order of Melchizedek.”  (Hebrews 7: 17).

Our first Reading from Hebrews celebrates the Priesthood of Jesus Christ.  Some writers see Melchizedek as the pre-incarnation of Jesus. Scripture calls Melchizedek, king of Salem and priest of God Most High. He is "without father, mother, or ancestry, without beginning of days or end of life, thus made to resemble the Son of God, he remains a priest forever."  (Hebrews 7: 3).

Jesus Christ, our eternal High Priest offered Himself once and for all on the Cross for our salvation. (Cf Hebrews 7: 27, 4: 14 - 15). He continues His ministry as Priest in Heaven through intercession.  How about on earth?  The Church has the priesthood of the Faithful where every baptized member belongs.  The Holy Spirit endows us with many gifts for the building up of the Kingdom of God in the world.

The Church has also the ministerial or ordained priesthood who is charged to celebrate the Sacraments in the person of Christ.

Thank You Jesus our Eternal High Priest for endowing Your Church with great gifts.

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“Hear this! A sower went out to sow."  (Mark 4: 3).

Today's Gospel presents us with one of the most important and consequential parables of Jesus.  Consequential because it can be life transforming if we get the message.  The question is:  Does the life, Good News of Jesus Christ mean anything to you? Do you believe there is a life after death? Where are you on the Journey of Faith to the Next Life?

The Sower sows the seed.  "Some seed fell among thorns, and the thorns grew up and choked it and it produced no grain." (Mark 4: 7).
The seed is the word of God. The Master Sower is Jesus Christ.  Today pastors, evangelists, missionaries and spirit-filled Christians are sowers of the seed.

Consider those seeds that fell among thorns:
"Those sown among thorns are another sort. They are the people who hear the word,  but worldly anxiety, the lure of riches, and the craving for other things intrude and choke the word, and it bears no fruit."  (Mark 4: 18 - 19).

Do you know anybody with excessive anxiety about family, health, money, job, tools and possessions, food and the future? Could that person be you?  The Lord Jesus says that ADL or Anxieties of Daily Living will "intrude and choke the word."  And you will bear no fruit. In other words, you will be barren.

"Almighty ever-living God,
direct our actions according to your good pleasure, that in the name of your beloved Son we may abound in good works.
Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever." (Collect Wednesday, 3rd Week in Ordinary Time).

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"Sacrifice and offering you did not desire, but ears open to obedience you gave me."  (Psalm 40: 7).

Friends, do you have ears open to obedience? I mean obedience to the commandments of God? Obedience to His laws?  Obedience to the Church and its lawful teaching authority? Read below the blessings of such obedience:

“Here are my mother and my brothers.
For whoever does the will of God is my brother and sister and mother.”  (Mark 3: 35).

Jesus made such a delightful pronouncement when He was informed that Mary and some relatives wanted to see Him while He was teaching the word of God.  Jesus loves His mother Mary and His relatives very much.  But the will of the Father was for Jesus to continue His ministry of the word of God at that time.

Was it a slight to Mary? Not at all.  Mary understands that the will of God takes precedence over everything. “Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord. May it be done to me according to your word.”  (Luke 1: 38).  On another occasion, Jesus said to Mary and Joseph:  “Why were you looking for me? Did you not know that I must be in my Father’s house?”

We Christians have been baptized and consecrated to do the will of God and abandon our futile habits of conforming to the world by choosing our own will.  When a teenager is adamant always and everywhere to prefer his will in everything, everybody knows the rest of the story. When you delight in doing God's will, you are brother and sister of Jesus and here is another promise you can claim:

"I have waited, waited for the LORD, and he stooped toward me.
And he put a new song into my mouth, a hymn to our God."  Psalm 40: 2).

The Lord will never forget anyone who delights in His will.

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"The scribes who had come from Jerusalem said of Jesus,
“He is possessed by Beelzebul,” and “By the prince of demons he drives out demons.”  (Mark 3: 22).

The scribes filled with envy accused Jesus of being insane. (Mark 3: 30).  Jesus used the opportunity of this drama to teach us the reality of two kingdoms in constant war with each other. Jesus came to usher in the Kingdom of God.  And He Jesus is the "mediator of a new covenant" made by His blood. (Hebrews 9: 15).

Our Savior Jesus Christ has destroyed Satan, the author of death and brought life to light through the Good News. (Cf 2 Timothy 1: 10).
Unfortunately brothers and sisters, many Christians live today as if this promise is something for the future.  This promise is for here and now. If you are not enjoying all the privileges, be good to yourself and ask:

What is going on?
Why am I often sad?
Where is the victorious life promised by Jesus?
Why am I not enjoying it?

Now listen to Jesus:
"No one can enter a strong man’s house to plunder his property unless he first ties up the strong man. Then he can plunder his house."  (Mark 3: 27).

Which king reigns in your house? The strong man Satan or the Stronger Man Jesus? You must give Jesus all the keys in your home: health, family, finances, job, tools/possessions, food and your future.

You remember the song:
"When we walk with the Lord in the light of His Word, 
What a glory He sheds on our way! 
While we do His good will, He abides with us still, 
And with all who will trust and obey.…"

Trust, Obey and Surrender are the Only way to enjoy life in the Kingdom.  Jesus is in control.

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"The Lord sent me to bring glad tidings to the poor,
and to proclaim liberty to captives."  (Cf. Luke 4: 18).

The 3rd Sunday in Ordinary Time has a lot of juicy morsels on the word of God.  Luke informs us of "the certainty of the teachings" we receive from the word of God. (Cf Luke 1: 4). In the first Reading, we see the Assembly of the People of Israel wept as they were convicted as Ezra the priest-scribe read the word of God to them from daybreak till midday.

What does the Spirit want to communicate to us about the Bible?  Let us go to the Responsorial Psalm for today taken from Psalm 19:

"Your words, Lord, are Spirit and life."
"The law of the LORD is perfect,
refreshing the soul;
the decree of the LORD is trustworthy, giving wisdom to the simple.

The precepts of the LORD are right, rejoicing the heart;
the command of the LORD is clear, enlightening the eye.

The ordinances of the LORD are true, all of them just.
(PSALM 19:8, 9, 10, 15).

The Response sums up the big take away from the theme of the word of God.
"Your words, Lord, are Spirit and life."

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