14th Sunday in Ordinary Time C. July 6, 2025

 14^th Sunday in Ordinary Time C. July 6, 2025

Isaiah 66:10-14c; Galatians 6:14-18; Luke 10:1-12, 17-20

 

Theme: All Baptized Christians (Laypeople and Clerics) Share the Same Mission

 

 A. A Brief Exegetical Analysis of Luke 10:1-12, 17-20

 

1.      Historical and Literary Contexts

Our Gospel passage occurs during Jesus’ long journey to Jerusalem (9:51–19:27), where his Passion, Death, Resurrection, and Ascension will take place. In this large section, Jesus teaches and trains his followers, preparing them for the roles they will have in his Church after his earthly life. For example, in our Gospel passage, Jesus sends out seventy [-two] disciples with instructions. After completing their mission, these disciples return and share with Jesus how successful it was. The story of Jesus rebuking the unrepentant towns (10:13-16) is placed between the two parts of our passage. The account of the Would-be Followers of Jesus (9:57-62) comes before our passage, and the story of Jesus praising the Father (10:21-22) comes after it.

 

2.      Form, Structure, and Movement

This narrative account is structured into two parts: Jesus sending his followers on a mission with instructions (vv. 1-12) and the return of these disciples from their mission (vv. 17-20). 

 

3.      Detailed Analysis

Vv. 1-12. Luke is the only evangelist who recounts two episodes of Jesus sending his disciples on a mission. In the first episode, Jesus sent twelve apostles (Lk 9:1-6), representing the clerics. In the second episode, our passage, he sends seventy-two disciples, chosen from among his followers, representing the baptized laypeople. The number “seventy-two,” which is a multiple of twelve, signifies the universalism of Jesus’s mission. Some Bible translations, such as the New Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition (NRSVCE), read "seventy" instead of "seventy-two." The number “seventy” alludes to the seventy elders whom Moses appointed, by God's recommendation, to assist him in his mission of leading the people of Israel (see Numbers 11:16-17, 24-25; Exodus 24). Thus, the seventy disciples represent the Mosaic tradition.^[1] “Just as Moses had twelve tribal princes and seventy elders, [Jesus], the new Moses has the Twelve Apostles and seventy disciples.”^[2] Here, Luke tells his readers that Jesus commissioned both the clerics and baptized laypeople to the same mission of building the kingdom of God in all nations.

The disciples are sent on a mission not individually, but in pairs (v. 1). This underscores the importance of community life and a sense of mutual support and collaboration in ministry. The expression “lambs among wolves” (v. 3) signifies that the non-defensive disciples are sent among hostile individuals, the enemies of the Word of God, who may mistreat and persecute them. This warning is not intended to scare or discourage them; instead, it aims to strengthen them and encourage them to be prudent.

The mission instructions that Jesus provides can be categorized into three groups. The first group (v. 4) emphasizes the urgency of the mission and the focus required from missionaries. The newly sent should refrain from attachment to material possessions, and customary greetings should not distract them from accomplishing their mission.^[3] The second group (vv. 5, 9) pertains to the mission's content, which involves bringing peace to peaceful people, healing the sick, and proclaiming that the kingdom of God is near. The third group addresses how to respond when people welcome or reject them during their mission. They should accept what the welcoming house provides for them to eat and drink (vv. 7-8). However, they should not retaliate if they are unwelcome. They should shake off the dust from their feet to signify that unwelcoming people are responsible for their eternal condemnation (vv. 10-12).

Vv. 17-20. Luke does not report on these disciples during their mission. Instead, he informs his readers about their return from the mission and their joy in reporting to Jesus about its success. Their mission to bring peace to the people, heal the sick, and proclaim the reign of the kingdom of God on earth caused Satan to fall like lightning, signifying the end of his reign (v. 18). Jesus invites these returning missionaries to rejoice not because they have authority over Satan but because their names are written in heaven (v. 20).

   

4.      Synthesis

The Twelve Apostles, whom Jesus sent on a mission in the first episode (9:1-6), represent the clerics. In the second episode, which is our passage, the seventy (-two) other disciples whom Jesus commissions here represent the laypeople. He sends them in pairs, emphasizing the importance of community life and mutual support. He warns them that they are non-defensive missionaries (lambs) and that there will be “wolves,” meaning hostile individuals among the people they will minister to. This warning is not intended to scare them but to strengthen and encourage them to be prudent. The mission instructions emphasize, first, the urgency of the mission and the focus required from missionaries (v. 4); second, the mission's content of bringing peace, healing the sick, and proclaiming the kingdom of God (vv. 5, 9); and third, how to respond when people welcome or reject them during their mission (vv. 7-8, 10-12). Upon returning from their mission, these disciples, filled with joy, report to Jesus about their success. Their mission work made Satan see the end of his reign (v. 18). Jesus invites these returning missionaries to rejoice not because they have authority over Satan but because their names are written in heaven (v. 20).      

 

B.     Pastoral Implications

 

1.      Liturgical Context

On the Solemnity of Pentecost, which we celebrated four Sundays ago, we were empowered with the graces and gifts of the Holy Spirit to begin the mission Jesus left us before he ascended into heaven (Ascension Sunday). Today, the Church invites us to meditate on this mission. In the Gospel, Jesus sends seventy-two disciples to carry out the mission of implementing the kingdom of God he initiated. In the First Reading, the prophet Isaiah comforts the frustrated chosen people, encouraging them to rejoice and be glad in their mission of rebuilding the ruined city of Jerusalem. In the Second Reading, the Church presents Saint Paul as a model of a great missionary to imitate.

 

2.      What the Church Teaches Us Today

 Luke presents two mission accounts: the mission of the twelve (Luke 9:1-6) and the mission of the seventy-two or seventy, depending on the Bible translations. The Twelve represent the ordained ministers, while the seventy refer to lay Christians. Thus, Jesus sends both clerics and lay baptized Christians on a mission with the same instructions and purposes: to bring peace, heal the sick, and invite everyone to embrace the kingdom of God that is at hand. Since we, the ordained and lay ministers, share the same mission, our Holy Mother Church calls us to work in perfect collaboration, each in his or her specific vocation. Jesus sends us not individually but in pairs, emphasizing the importance of community life and mutual support in our mission.

Also, Jesus warns us that we are sent like lambs among wolves, meaning there may be hostile individuals among those we are sent to who could mistreat, mock, discourage, or even persecute us. Jesus’ warning is not intended to scare or discourage us, but rather to comfort us and call us to be prudent. When these mistreatments occur, our Lord instructs us to “go out into the streets and shake off the dust from our feet against them” (vv. 10-11). This gesture signifies that we should let hostile individuals know the consequence of the eternal condemnation that awaits them if they continue to reject the kingdom of God, which is at hand. For our part, we should neither retaliate nor give up our mission amid rejection and suffering because our mission is not to judge or condemn but to save souls. Saint Paul, in our second reading, encourages us with his own example; he bears the marks of Jesus on his body. Likewise, Isaiah, in our first reading, calls his fellow Israelites and us today to rejoice and be glad while on our mission.

Our first reading tells us the story of the people of Israel, who, upon their return to their land after Babylon’s exile, feel frustrated to rebuild the ruined Jerusalem. The prophet Isaiah understands their frustration in this challenging mission. That is why, in our first reading passage, he commences by comforting them with the optimistic words: rejoice, be glad, and exult. Let us draw comfort from these words from Isaiah whenever we too feel frustrated in our mission. In this passage, the prophet encourages the people of Israel to begin the work of rebuilding Jerusalem, which will not only transform their city but also transform them, as they will become a new creation. They do not have to fear because God will provide motherly care and a guiding plan. Likewise, our Holy Mother Church encourages us to begin our mission of transforming the people we are sent to, trusting that God provides us with his motherly care.

May the liturgy of this Eucharist empower us to be effective missionaries of Jesus. Amen.

Fr. Leon Ngandu, SVD

Pastor of Holy Family Catholic Church, Jackson, MS &

SVD USS Biblical Apostolate Coordinator

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[1] Michael F. Patella, The Gospel According to Luke (Collegeville, Minnesota: Liturgical Press, 2005), 72.

[2] John Bergsma, The Word of the Lord: Reflections on the Sunday Mass Readings for Year C (Steubenville, Ohio: Emmaus Road Publishing, 2021), 311.

[3] NABRE, note to Lk 10:4.

The Solemnity of Saint Peter and Paul, Apostles - Sunday, June 29, 2025

 The Solemnity of Saint Peter and Paul, Apostles - Sunday, June 29, 2025

Acts 12:1-11; 2 Timothy 4:6-8, 17-18; Matthew 16:13-19

 

Theme: Let Us Be the Peter and Paul of Our Time

 

A.    A Brief Exegetical Analysis of Matthew 16:13-19 (20)

 

1.      Historical and Literary Contexts

Immediately before our text, Jesus warned his disciples against the teaching authority of the Pharisees and Sadducees (16:5-12). Then, in our Gospel passage, he prepares his disciples for a new way of teaching the Word of God in his Church, which he promises to build upon Peter. The disciples will begin exercising this authority after Jesus’ Passion, Death, and Resurrection, which he predicts for the first time in the story that follows our passage (16:21-23).

 

2.      Form, Structure, and Movement

This text is a narrative account. V. 13a serves as an introduction, while v. 20 (which the lectionary has omitted) acts as a conclusion. The body of the text features two movements. The first movement (vv. 13b-16) details Jesus’ conversation with his disciples about his divine identity. The second movement (vv. 17-19) comprises Jesus’ address to Simon Peter, in which he promises to build his Church upon him and grant him the keys to the kingdom of heaven.         

 

3.      Detailed Analysis

V. 13a. This story is set in the region of Caesarea Philippi, located about twenty miles north of the Sea of Galilee.

 Vv. 13b-16. Jesus asks his disciples double questions to determine whether the people and his disciples have recognized his divine identity (v. 13b). First, the disciples report that popular opinions regard Jesus as John the Baptist, others as Elijah, and still others as Jeremiah or one of the prophets. Why do people confuse Jesus with these three significant figures? John the Baptist, Elijah, and a prophet (Jeremiah) share a common characteristic. (1) John the Baptist prepared the people to welcome Jesus as the Messiah by urging them to embrace radical repentance. Even Herod confused Jesus with John the Baptist (see Mt 14:1-2). (2) In 800 B.C., Elijah’s mission was to call the Israelites to repent and remain faithful to God. Additionally, Malachi prophesied that Elijah must return to convert people before God comes for final judgment (see Malachi 3:23-24). (3) Each prophet, including Jeremiah, had a mission to call the people of his generation to repentance and faithfulness to God. Unlike popular opinions, the disciples, through Peter's confession of faith, believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of the living God. Second, through Simon, the disciples affirm that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of the living God.

Vv. 17-19. Jesus declares Simon blessed because he believes in Jesus’ divine identity. “Flesh and blood” is a “Semitic expression for human beings, especially in their weakness.” Thus, Peter’s profession of faith is a revelation not from humans but from God. Jesus gives Simon a new name: “Peter,” meaning the “rock,” and promises him two things. (1) He will build his Church upon him, the “rock.” The expression “upon this rock” could refer to Peter’s profession of faith, the Christ that Peter confessed, or to Peter himself as the rock. The “netherworld” (Greek Hadēs, the abode of the dead) is conceived of as a walled city (v. 18b). Therefore, in this verse, Jesus reassures that the power of death will not overcome his Church.

(2) Jesus promises to give Peter the keys to the kingdom of heaven. This recalls Eliakim, who, when he replaced Shebna as steward of the royal house in Jerusalem, received “the key to the House of David” (Is 22:15-25). “Whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven; and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven” (v. 19b). Through this promise, Jesus empowers Peter with the authority to teach and to impose or lift the excommunication ban.

V. 20. The narrator concludes the story by stating that Jesus strictly commands his disciples not to reveal his divine identity to others.    

 

4.      Synthesis

Unlike popular belief that confuses Jesus with John the Baptist, Elijah, Jeremiah, and other prophets, the disciples, through Simon Peter, confess that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of the living God. Jesus declared Simon Peter “blessed” and attested that his profession of faith is a revelation not from humans but from God. After giving Simon a new name, “Peter,” meaning “Rock,” Jesus promises Peter two things: he will build his Church upon him and he will give him the keys to the kingdom of heaven, empowering him with the authority to teach and to impose or lift the ban of excommunication. Then, Jesus strictly orders his disciples not to reveal his divine identity to others. 

 

B.     Pastoral Implications

 

1.      Liturgical Context

In this Solemnity of Saints Peter and Paul, Apostles, the Church invites us to meditate on the missions Jesus has assigned to these two icons of the Church and how they accomplished them with zeal and unwavering faith amid all sufferings they endured (the first reading for Peter, and the second reading for Paul). From the Gospel account, we can reflect on Christology by focusing on Peter’s confession regarding Jesus’ divine identity, or consider Ecclesiology by reflecting on the Church that Jesus promises to build upon Peter, or delve into Soteriology by concentrating on the keys to the kingdom of heaven that Jesus promises to give to Peter.

 

2.      What the Church Teaches Us Today 

a) Christology

The Church invites us to reflect on our relationship with Jesus. Through his double questions to his disciples, Jesus seeks to understand how both the people and his own disciples relate to him. The people have not yet discovered his divine identity, as they confuse him with John the Baptist, Elijah, Jeremiah, or one of the prophets. The disciples, through Peter, have already realized that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of the living God. Today, Jesus asks us this same question: “Who do you say that I am?” Here, Jesus does not expect us to tell him how much we have learned about him, but rather how we relate to him, especially when we attend Mass and pray. Do we attend Mass solely because Sunday is a day of obligation and out of pressure from our parents or others, or do we do so out of our love for Jesus, which responds to Jesus’ love for us? If we attend Mass out of obligation or because of external pressure and if we pray to God only when we are in need, this indicates that we still confuse Jesus in the same way the popular belief misidentified him in our Gospel. The level of our relationship with Jesus determines how we perceive him. Our Holy Mother Church exhorts us to deepen our one-on-one relationship with our Lord. He is our Messiah, the Son of the living God, who came to save us.

 

b) Ecclesiology

Ecclesiology pertains to the Church of Jesus, which he promises to build upon Peter. Our Catholic Church is apostolic. Over two thousand years later, our Holy Mother Church recognizes Peter's authority through the pope, the bishop of Rome. Pope Leo XIV is Peter's current successor. Just as Peter was the leader and sign of unity for the disciples, Pope Leo XIV serves as the leader and sign of unity for the bishops and all the faithful today. As a leader, Pope Leo XIV possesses ultimate authority over the Church as pastor and teacher. By giving Peter the keys to the kingdom of heaven, Jesus has granted Peter and his successors the authority to teach alongside the ability to impose and lift excommunication bans. Therefore, when the Pope declares a doctrine addressing faith and morals, God ensures the truth of that doctrine. This is called “infallibility.”

As the Pope is the successor of Peter, the bishops are the successors of the apostles. Each bishop is responsible for leading and ministering to the people within their own area, known as a “diocese.” The bishops also collaborate with the pope to address issues concerning the wider Church. Priests and deacons, who operate under the authority of bishops, assist them in fulfilling their duties of caring for the faithful.

In our Catholic Church, alongside priests and deacons, we also have religious brothers and sisters who choose to live a life of consecration. Although they are not ordained, they have committed themselves to a distinct form of service to the Lord. They have taken various vows or promises to embrace a lifestyle dedicated to Christ.

The main body of the Church of Jesus consists of the laity, the faithful members who are not ordained. They have a vital role to play in the mission of the Church. They seek the Reign of God in their everyday lives, wherever they live or work. Since their baptism, they are called to bless the world by uniting their daily lives with the sacrifice Christ made on the cross and offering their lives to God.

 

c) Soteriology

Soteriology deals with salvation. Through the keys to the kingdom of heaven that Jesus has given to Peter and his successors, he has empowered the Church to exercise its authority to bind or unbind anything here on earth, which will be confirmed in heaven. This means that the Church possesses divine authority to impose and lift excommunication bans. The Church opens the door of salvation to all the faithful through the sacraments, especially the Eucharist and Confession.

Through this Gospel, the Church reminds us that Jesus has assigned all of us, both Church leaders and lay faithful, a threefold mission. (1) We are called to evangelize people and ourselves to believe in Jesus and relate to him as our Messiah and the Son of the living God (Christology). (2) We, clerics and laypeople, should work together in harmony and perfect collaboration to sustain the Church of Jesus in our local communities (Ecclesiology). (3) We should recognize that our mission aims to save the souls of the people of God (Soteriology).

To successfully achieve this triple mission, our Holy Mother Church presents Peter (first reading) and Paul (second reading) as examples of fervent missionaries to emulate. In the first reading, King Herod violently persecuted Christians, including James, the brother of John, whom he killed with the sword, and Peter, whom he imprisoned and tortured to appease the Jews, enemies of the Church of Jesus (Acts 12:1-5). In the second reading, Paul reflects on his accomplishments in the mission assigned to him by Jesus. He acknowledges that his death through martyrdom is near yet courageously views the outpouring of his blood as both a sacrifice and an act of worship. He believes that he, along with all those who maintain their faith until the end of their lives, will be rewarded at the final judgment at the end of time, just as victorious athletes are crowned with laurel wreaths upon their heads.

May the liturgy of this Mass enable us to be the Peter and Paul of our time, competing without forsaking our faith even amidst our daily struggles. By doing so, we will save our souls and the souls of all those we serve. Amen.

Rev. Leon Ngandu, SVD

Pastor of Holy Family Catholic Church, Jackson, MS &

SVD USS Biblical Apostolate Coordinator 

The Solemnity of the Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ (Corpus Christi) - June 22, 2025

 The Solemnity of the Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ (Corpus Christi) - June 22, 2025

Genesis 14:18-20; 1Corinthians 11:23-26; Luke 9:11b-17

 

Theme: The Eucharist is the Spiritual Food, the Real Presence of Christ, and a Thanksgiving to God.

 

A.    Brief Exegetical Analysis of Luke 9:11b-17

 

1.      Historical and Literary Contexts

Luke situates this Gospel passage between two sections. The first section, which comes immediately before our text, narrates the stories of Jesus sending his disciples on a mission with instructions to take nothing for the journey, not even food (9:1-6), followed by Herod’s opinion of Jesus’s identity (9:7-9). The second section, which follows our passage, details Peter's confession of Jesus as the Messiah (9:18-21), culminating in Jesus’ first prediction of his Passion and his teaching on the condition of discipleship (9:22-27). Therefore, through the story of the feeding of the crowd, Luke conveys to the believers of his Church community that the Eucharist they celebrate and share is the spiritual food and real presence of Christ for those who follow Jesus.

 

2.      Form, Structure, and Movement

This Gospel text is a narrative account. V. 11b serves as an introduction, while v. 17b acts as a conclusion. The main body of the text (vv. 12-17a) can be divided into two parts. First, Jesus and the disciples discuss how to feed the hungry crowds (vv. 12-13), and second, Jesus miraculously feeds them all (vv. 14-17a).         

 

3.      Detailed Analysis

All four Gospels recount this story of the miraculous feeding of over five thousand people (Mt 14:13-21; Mk 6:32-44; Lk 9:12-17; Jn 6:5-14). Matthew and Mark include another feeding account of over four thousand people (Mt 15:32-38; Mk 8:1-9).

V. 11b and vv. 10-11a, which the lectionary has omitted from our Gospel text, connect this passage to the previous story of Jesus sending his disciples on a mission (9:1-6). The disciples returned from their mission journey and reported to Jesus how successful it had been. Jesus withdrew with them to a private place, away from the disturbance of the crowds, so they could rest. However, they were disturbed by the crowds, who, hungry for the Word of God, followed Jesus. Although Jesus needed this private time with his exhausted disciples, he did not dismiss the crowds. Instead, he ministered to them by teaching them the Word of God and healing those who were sick. The central topic of his teaching is the “kingdom of God”.

Vv. 12-13. The disciples express concern about how to feed the crowds as the day draws to a close. While they suggest that Jesus dismiss the crowds, Jesus challenges them to feed these people. He helps his disciples experience the fullness of how the mission should lead to the kingdom of God, which is the central topic of Jesus’ teaching at this moment (see v. 11b)^[1]. The quantities of loaves (5) and fish (2) that the disciples possess (v. 13) total seven, which signifies completeness and perfection. The bread has a Eucharistic dimension, while fish carries an eschatological one.^[2] 

Vv. 14-17a. Jesus instructs the disciples to have people sit down in groups of about fifty (v. 14), and they comply (v. 15). This instruction suggests that the miraculous food is not merely a large feast, but rather a joyful banquet. Jesus’ actions and words over the bread and fish (v. 16) evoke the institution of the Eucharist at the Last Supper before Jesus’ crucifixion (Lk 22:19) and the breaking of bread with the disciples of Emmaus after his Resurrection (Lk 24:30), as well as the Christian Eucharist celebrated during Luke's time. The disciples are responsible for distributing food to the crowds. Everyone ate and was satisfied. The collection of leftover fragments filling twelve wicker baskets (with the number twelve symbolizing universalism) suggests that all Israelites and all people should not perish but be saved. Therefore, this miraculous food “foreshadows the eschatological eucharistic banquet.”^[3]    

 

4.      Synthesis

The crowds followed Jesus, disturbing his private time and rest with his exhausted disciples, who had just returned from their mission journey. Jesus ministered to these crowds by teaching them the Word of God and healing those who were sick. The topic of his teaching was the “kingdom of God." In the evening, while the disciples suggested that Jesus dismiss the crowds because they did not have enough food to feed them, Jesus challenged them to feed the crowds instead, helping them experience the fullness of how the mission should lead to the kingdom of God. He ordered his disciples to have the crowds sit down as for a joyful banquet. The actions and words he employed over the bread and fish recall the institution of the Eucharist at the Last Supper (Lk 22:19), the breaking of the bread with the disciples of Emmaus (Lk 24:30), and the Eucharistic celebration during Luke’s time. The collection of leftover fragments filling twelve wicker baskets (with the number twelve symbolizing universalism) suggests that all Israelites and all people should not perish but be saved. In this story, the bread has a Eucharistic dimension, while the fish carries an eschatological one. Therefore, this miraculous food prefigures the eschatological eucharistic banquet.

 

B.     Pastoral Implications

 

1.      Liturgical Context

The miraculous food that the crowds ate in our Gospel passage recalls the Eucharist as spiritual food for our souls. In our second reading, Saint Paul describes the Eucharist as the real presence of Jesus. Finally, in our first reading, Melchisedek, king of Salem and priest of God Most High, offered bread and wine in thanksgiving to God for granting victory to Abram over his enemies. Therefore, the Eucharist we celebrate at each Mass we attend is the spiritual nourishment, the true presence of Christ, and a thanksgiving to God.

 

2.      What the Church Teaches Us Today

(1) Eucharist serves as spiritual nourishment for our souls. In our Gospel, Jesus ministered to the crowds who followed him by teaching them the Word of God, healing the sick, and providing miraculous food. All these events take place during the liturgy of the Mass. At each Mass we attend, Jesus teaches us the Word of God through the proclamation of Scripture readings and the homily; he listens to our supplications during the universal prayer (prayer of the faithful) and heals us from the spiritual sickness caused by sin; and he nourishes us with his Body and Blood, the spiritual food for our souls, at Holy Communion.

To avoid missing out on these blessings, this Gospel teaches us to do four things. First, we should continue following Jesus through the celebration of the Eucharist, as the crowds did. Following Jesus shapes our discipleship and demonstrates how much we love and need him. Second, we should support the Church of Jesus with our Talents, Times, and Treasures (3Ts). In this Gospel, Jesus blessed the five loaves and two fish of the disciples and miraculously fed all the people who followed him. Likewise, today, Jesus wants to bless our Church members, relatives, and people wherever we live with what we offer him. Let us be generous. Third, through our baptism, we became servants to our brothers and sisters. Per Jesus’s instruction, the disciples organized the crowds for a joyful banquet and distributed food to them. Let us continue to serve our brothers and sisters through our various ministries in the Church. Fourth, while we serve people, we should not “waste” anyone but save all people. This is what Jesus teaches us when he ordered his disciples to collect the leftover fragments filling twelve baskets. The number twelve symbolizes universalism, and collecting all the leftover fragments means saving people. Therefore, our mission is to save everyone. 

(2) In this solemnity of the Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ, the Church teaches us that the Eucharist is the True Presence of Christ. This is what Saint Paul teaches us in our second reading. He reminds us of Jesus’s actions and words at the Last Supper meal when he instituted the Eucharist. “[Jesus] took bread, and after he had given thanks, broke it and said, ‘This is my body that is for you. Do this in remembrance of me’” (1 Cor 11:23-24). For the cup, he said, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood. Do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of me” (1 Cor 11:25). Thus, the bread and wine that ordained ministers consecrate at each Mass become not “like” but the Body and Blood of Christ. Moreover, the Mass is celebrated in Jesus’s remembrance. This means that Jesus is truly present in the Eucharist of the Mass.

(3) In this Solemnity of Corpus Christi, our Holy Mother Church teaches us that the Eucharistic celebration is a Thanksgiving to God. The story of Abram and Melchizedek, which we heard in our first reading, illustrates this point. The context of this passage is that Abram, along with his army, succeeded in conquering the land that God promised him. Melchizedek, king of Salem, is among the kings who came to praise and honor Abram for his victory. He prepared a feast in Abram's honor, offering bread and wine as a thanksgiving to God (Gn. 14:18) because he believes that Abram fought not with his own strength, but with the power of God (Gn. 14:20). God, who assisted Abram, continues to do the same for us every day. Therefore, like Melchizedek, the Church exhorts us to always come together as one Church (especially on Sundays) to offer our gift of “bread and wine,” meaning to celebrate the liturgy of the Mass as a Thanksgiving to God for all the mighty deeds he blesses us with. The celebration of the Eucharist (Mass) is our Thanksgiving to God.

May the liturgy of this Mass help us believe that the Eucharist we celebrate at each Mass is the Spiritual Food for our souls, the True Presence of Christ, and our Thanksgiving to God. Amen.

 

Fr. Leon Ngandu, SVD

Pastor of Holy Family Catholic Church, Jackson, MS &

SVD USS Biblical Apostolate Coordinator   

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[1] Michael Patella, “Luke” in The Jerome Biblical Commentary for the Twenty-First Century, 1321.

[2] Michael Patella, “Luke” in The Jerome Biblical Commentary for the Twenty-First Century, 1321.

[3] Michael Patella, “Luke” in The Jerome Biblical Commentary for the Twenty-First Century, 1321.

The Most Holy Trinity Year C - June 22, 2025

 The Most Holy Trinity Year C - June 22, 2025

Proverbs 8:22-31; Romans 5:1-5; John 16:12-15

 

Theme: Recognizing the Work of Each Person of the Holy Trinity in Our Mission and Suffering

A. A Brief Exegetical Analysis of John 16:12-15

 

1. Historical and Literary Contexts

This passage is part of Jesus’s last discourses before his Passion and Death, specifically the section where he discusses his departure and the coming of the Paraclete, the Holy Spirit (16:5-33). This section is preceded by the discourse about the Vine and the branches (15:1-17) and the world's hostile reaction (15:18–16:4), and it is followed by Jesus’s solemn prayer to his Father (17:1-26), which marks the climax of all his last discourses.     

 

2. Form, Structure, and Movement

In this narrative account, Jesus describes the role of the Holy Spirit by first connecting himself to the Holy Spirit (vv. 12-14) and then to the Father (v. 15).      

 

3. Detailed Analysis

Vv. 12-15. There is a contrast between Jesus’ desire to explain more about his Passion, Death, Resurrection, and Ascension (v. 12a) and the disciples' inability to grasp the full meaning due to their distress and trouble over Jesus’s departure (v. 12b). As a solution, after Jesus’ Death and Ascension, the Holy Spirit of truth will guide them “to all truth,” that is, the full implications of Jesus’ revelation (v. 13a).^[1]

There are connections among the Father, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit. (1) The Holy Spirit and the Father: everything that the Holy Spirit will speak will come from the Father (v. 13b; cf. v. 15). (2) Jesus and the Father: everything the Father has belongs to Jesus (v. 15a). (3) Jesus and the Holy Spirit: therefore, the things the Holy Spirit will speak will come from Jesus (vv. 14b, 15b). These verses encapsulate a core tenet of Christian theology regarding the Trinity, which teaches that God is one (unity without confusion) in three distinct persons: God the Father, God the Son (Jesus), and God the Holy Spirit (separation without division).

The “things that are coming,” which the Holy Spirit will declare, do not allude to new predictions about the future; rather, they refer to interpretations of what has already occurred and been said by Jesus.

 

4. Synthesis

Jesus contrasts his desire to explain the mystery of his Passion, Death, Resurrection, and Ascension with his disciples' inability to grasp its full meaning due to their distress and anxiety about his departure. He then promises them that the Holy Spirit will guide them to the complete implications of his revelation. The Holy Spirit will speak not on his own but on behalf of God the Father and, therefore, on behalf of Jesus, since everything the Father has belongs to Jesus. These connections between the Father, Son (Jesus), and the Holy Spirit express the Christian theology of the Trinity, which teaches that God is one (unity without confusion) in three distinct persons (separation without division).

B. Pastoral Implications 

1. Liturgical Context

The Easter season is over, and we resume Ordinary Time, which was interrupted by the Lenten and Easter seasons. It's important to remind ourselves that the term “Ordinary” does not imply that this season is insignificant. Derived from the Latin word ordinalis, “Ordinary” means “numbered.” Thus, “Ordinary Time” refers to the thirty-four weeks that stand outside the crucial seasons of Christmas and Easter, along with their preparatory seasons known as Advent and Lent, respectively. The green color of this Ordinary Time signifies a period of spiritual growth. It is also a time to begin the mission Jesus assigned us before he ascended to heaven to his Father two Sundays ago during the Solemnity of the Ascension. Last Sunday, at the Solemnity of Pentecost, we renewed the graces and gifts of the Holy Spirit. Therefore, we are now ready to work. 

How beautiful it is to begin our mission in this Ordinary Season with the Solemnity of the Most Holy Trinity, the central mystery of the Christian faith. We believe in the Holy Trinity not as three gods, but as one God in three distinct Persons: God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit. Today’s Scripture readings invite us to recognize, through our own suffering that we may encounter while on the mission, the work of each Person of the Holy Trinity.

 

2. What the Church Teaches Us Today 

Our Gospel is set within the context of Jesus’ farewell discourse to his disciples at the Last Supper, just before his crucifixion. Jesus prepares them for their mission in his Church, which they will oversee after his death. In this passage, Jesus begins by stating that the disciples' feelings of distress and anxiety obstruct their understanding of the mystery of the Cross that he wishes to clarify for them. As a solution, he tells them that the Holy Spirit will guide them to “all truth,” meaning to the full implications of his revelation; that is, they should not view Jesus’ Cross as a failure but as a victory, a sign of true power (Jn 16:13).

As he did for his disciples, Jesus has prepared us during the Easter season, which ended last Sunday. Before his solemn Ascension to heaven, he sent us on a mission (Sunday of the Ascension of the Lord). Last Sunday, on the Solemnity of Pentecost, we received the Holy Spirit he speaks of in today’s Gospel. Our Holy Mother Church urges us to open up to the Holy Spirit, who guides us in our mission to “all truth” of the mystery of the Cross, which is the way to our salvation.

The Holy Spirit inspires us to see the Cross of Jesus and our own sufferings not as failures, but as victories, a sign of true power. This is what Saint Paul teaches us in our second reading. He urges us not to abandon our mission amid suffering. Instead, we should “boast” because we believe that our “affliction produces endurance, and endurance, proven character, and proven character, hope, and hope does not disappoint” (Rm 5:3-5).

All of today’s Bible readings encapsulate the theology of the Holy Trinity, that is, the unity of the three Persons without confusion and their separation without division. Our first reading personifies Wisdom, which the Church's Tradition identifies with Jesus. We heard that Wisdom (Jesus) was privileged to be present at the creation of the world. In the Gospel, Jesus informs his disciples and us that the “things that are coming,” which the Holy Spirit will declare to his disciples and us, come from the Father; since everything the Father has belongs to him, therefore these “things that are coming” come from Jesus. In our second reading, Saint Paul explains the work of each of the Persons of the Holy Trinity without confusing or dividing them. According to him, God calls us to have peace with him in his glory; Jesus justifies (saves) us by faith and grants us access to this peace and glory of God; and the Holy Spirit pours out the love of God into our hearts so that we can enjoy God’s peace and glory here and now, even amid our daily sufferings.

In the celebration of this Eucharist, let us pray to the Triune God for guidance in recognizing the work of each Person of the Holy Trinity in our lives, especially during times of affliction while on his mission. Amen.

Rev. Leon Ngandu, SVD

Pastor of Holy Family Catholic Church, Jackson, MS &

SVD USS Biblical Apostolate Coordinator

 

 

 

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[1] Francis J. Moloney, The Gospel of John: Sacra Pagina Series volume 4 (Collegeville, Minnesota: The Liturgical Press, 1998), 441. 

Pentecost Sunday: Mass of the Day – June 8, 2025

 Pentecost Sunday: Mass of the Day – June 8, 2025

Acts 2:1-11; 1 Corinthians 12:3b-7; 12-13; John 20:19-23

 

Theme: New Life in a New Creation and Oneness in the Spirit with God and One Another

 

 A. A Brief Exegetical Analysis of John 20:19-23

 

1. Historical and Literary Contexts

Our Gospel passage, taken from the section about Jesus’ Resurrection (chap. 20), presents Jesus’ appearance to his disciples as a testament to his Resurrection and signifies the end of Jesus’ earthly life and the beginning of the Church age. The stories of the Empty Tomb (20:1-10) and Jesus’ appearance to Mary of Magdala (20:11-18) precede our passage, while the accounts of Jesus’ second appearance to his disciples (20:24-29) and the first conclusion of the Book (20:30-31) follow it.

 

2. Form, Structure, and Movement

This Gospel text is a narrative account divided into two parts. The first part (vv. 19-20) describes Jesus’s appearance to his disciples, while the second part (vv. 21-23) details Jesus sending his disciples on a mission.  

 

3. Detailed Analysis

Vv. 19-20. Jesus appears to ten disciples, minus Thomas, who is absent, and Judas, who had already died. “On the evening of that first day of the week” refers to the evening of the Sabbath (Sunday for Christians), the day of Jesus’ Resurrection. The ten disciples were in a locked room, presumably in Jerusalem, out of fear of the Jews. They believe that at this moment, those who crucified their Master, Jesus, are also planning to crucify them. Amid this confusion and anxiety, Jesus appears and stands in their midst. Jesus’s resurrected body enters the locked room without opening the doors. Jesus’s first word is “Peace be with you,” as he realizes how frightened they are. This peace is different from the ordinary peace the Jews use to greet each other. It echoes Jn 14:27, “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give it to you.” (NABRE). Jesus fills the hearts and minds of his disciples with the peace of the resurrection, which revitalizes their hope, courage, confidence, and faith in him. Then, Jesus shows them his hands and sides as evidence that he is alive. Luke speaks of “hands and feet” based on Ps 22:17 (see Lk 24:39-40). The fearful disciples now rejoice because the living Lord is among them.

Vv. 21-23. Jesus commissions his disciples by extending to them the same mission he received from God the Father. In their mission, they will be assisted by the Holy Spirit, which Jesus grants to them by breathing on them. Jesus’ breath recalls the story of creation in the book of Genesis when God created Adam. The sacred author of this Book reports that Adam was not a living being until God blew into his nostrils the breath of life (see Gn 2:7). Then, through sin, Adam lost this “spiritual life.” Therefore, using his breath to give the Holy Spirit to his disciples suggests that Jesus has re-created them. He empowers them with the authority to forgive or return people’s sins so that those whose sins are forgiven regain the “breath of life” they lost through their sins.   

 

4. Synthesis

Jesus appears to his disciples on the evening of the day he was resurrected, entering the Upper Room without opening the locked doors. Knowing their fears well, he starts by wishing them peace before showing them the marks on his hands and side as proof that he is alive. They rejoice at the sight of him. Then, he commissions them with the same mission that God gave to him. The Holy Spirit, which they receive through Jesus’ breath, will assist them on their mission. Jesus’ breathing on the disciples evokes God’s breathing on Adam in the creation story. Thus, Jesus’ breath re-creates the disciples and empowers them to forgive or retain people’s sins so that those who are forgiven may regain the “spiritual life” they lost through sin and be re-created.

 

B.     Pastoral Implications

1. Liturgical Context

Today, we commemorate the Solemnity of Pentecost, which marks the end of the Easter season. In last Sunday’s liturgy, the Ascension of the Lord, we learned that Jesus’ Ascension did not signify a farewell, the conclusion of everything, or the moment we needed to claim our reward as the disciples mistakenly believed. Instead, the Ascension of our Lord signifies a time to work. Our mission is to help our fellow humans become his disciples. Before he was lifted up to heaven, Jesus enjoined us not to depart from our “Jerusalem” but to wait for the coming of the Holy Spirit, who would strengthen us to carry out his mission (Acts 1:4; Lk 24:49). That is why today, we are gathered here in this Church, our local “Jerusalem,” to celebrate the coming of the Holy Spirit. The message that the Scripture readings of this Pentecost Sunday teach us is that in Pentecost, we begin breathing the breath of the Resurrection as we start a new life in a new creation. Sin causes us to lose this new life in a new creation. To restore it, we are encouraged to use the sacrament of Confession, which our Risen Lord has instituted in today’s Gospel. New life in a new creation means we are called to avoid division among us and live in oneness with God and our brothers and sisters (First and Second Readings).

 

2. What the Church Teaches Us Today 

 The first part of our Gospel (vv. 19-20) teaches us three lessons. (1) Jesus’ disciples locked themselves in the Upper Room out of extreme fear, believing that the Jews who crucified their Master, Jesus, were also seeking to execute them. Today, many of us grapple with various fears and anxieties concerning unemployment, health issues, natural disasters, paying bills, raising our children, and many other concerns. These fears and anxieties compel us to “lock ourselves in our minds,” which means not allowing ourselves to open to God’s grace. Amid this confusion, Jesus appears and stands before his disciples and us. Jesus’s resurrected body enters the locked Upper Room and our “locked minds and hearts” without opening the “doors.”

(2) Jesus’ first words to his frightened disciples and to each of us are, “Peace be with you.” Jesus knows how we experience fears and anxieties. That is why he first fills our hearts and minds with peace. This is the peace of the resurrection, which restores our hope, courage, confidence, and faith in him that we lost because of fears and anxieties.

(3) Then, Jesus shows his hands and sides to his disciples and to us as evidence that he is alive. At Mass, we listen to, see, and touch Jesus in the Scriptures and the Eucharist. Our Lord is truly risen; he is alive. There is no reason to be sad or afraid. Let us rejoice as the disciples did when they saw the Lord.

We also learn three lessons from the second part of our Gospel (vv. 21-23). (1) Jesus commissions his disciples and each of us today. “As the Father has sent me, so I send you.” This phrase means that Jesus extended the same mission he received from his Father God to his disciples and each of us. God sent Jesus to establish the kingdom of God on earth. Jesus accomplished his mission. He sent his disciples, and today, he sends us to implement this kingdom of God wherever we live. The disciples did their part. Now, it is our time. The Church calls each of us (clerics and lay members) to implement God’s kingdom by proclaiming the Word of God and living out our Christian faith in our families, Churches, neighborhoods, and societies.

(2) Jesus gives the Holy Spirit to his disciples and us by breathing on us. “Breathing” recalls the story of creation in the book of Genesis. When God created Adam, he, Adam, was not a living being until God blew into his nostrils the breath of life (see Gn 2:7). Therefore, by using his breath to give the Holy Spirit to his disciples and us, Jesus recreates us. Although the disciples followed Jesus for three years and were well-trained to carry out the mission of the Church, they needed the Holy Spirit to become a new creation and start a new age of the Church. Likewise, although we have experienced the presence of the Resurrected Lord during this Easter season, we also need the Holy Spirit to begin a new life in a new creation. With Adam, we lost the Spirit God blew into us at the first creation, and now, with Jesus’ breathing on us today, we are re-created, and the Spirit of God in us is restored. From now on, we are breathing the breath of Resurrection. Please let us feel it; the Spirit of the Risen Jesus is in us! This is what Pentecost is about. It is the celebration of the New Life in a New Creation that we start with the Holy Spirit. Therefore, let us leave our “locked Upper Room” and go out without fear to begin consolidating the kingdom of God by implementing the Word of God and living out our Christian faith openly everywhere we go.

(3) Jesus institutes the Sacrament of Penance (also called Confession or the sacrament of Reconciliation) and empowers his disciples and their successors, the ordained ministers, to forgive and retain people’s sins. Whose sins you forgive are forgiven them, and whose sins you retain are retained. Here, Jesus confers the faculty to forgive and retain people’s sins to his Church through the ordained ministers. We know that sin damages our relationships with God and our brothers and sisters and makes us lose the breath of resurrection with which Jesus has re-created us. To breathe the breath of resurrection again and restore our oneness with God and our fellow humans, our Holy Mother Church encourages us to use this wonderful Sacrament of Penance frequently. We seek three things in the sacrament of confession: forgiveness of our sins, reconciliation with God and our fellow humans whom we have offended, and the healing of the spiritual, emotional, or psychological wounds that sin causes (for the details of these three things, see my homily for the 2nd Sunday of Easter & Divine Mercy Sunday, April 12, 2026).

As the sacrament of Confession restores our oneness with God and our brothers and sisters, we are called to maintain and embody this unity with God and our fellow humans. This is what Luke teaches us in our first reading. In his Pentecost account, he states that the disciples were filled with the Holy Spirit and began speaking in tongues as the Spirit enabled them to proclaim. Many people from diverse cultures and languages witnessed that first Christian Pentecost. They were astounded because each could hear the disciples speaking in their native language. The Holy Spirit we receive today is the Spirit not of division but of unity. It empowers us to communicate and understand the Christian language of love, justice, peace, compassion, and forgiveness. God created us to be “one” with him and “one” with each other. However, given the realities of our world today, we can see how we are losing this gift of “oneness.” People are divided, families are separated, and even Church members lack the unity of spirit that we should have, as is evident in the community of Corinth, which our second reading discusses.

In our second reading, Saint Paul addressed an issue of division that arose in his community of Corinth. A charismatic group emerged among the Corinthians, leading the people to speak in tongues (glossolalia). This gave rise to dissension, as those who had the gift of speaking in tongues viewed others without this gift as second-class Christians. Paul was called to resolve the situation. He does not condemn the charismatic movement; rather, he recognizes the Spirit's presence in this glossolalia. However, he emphasizes that the outpouring of the Holy Spirit must unify the community, not divide it. Using the analogy of the human body, which is one despite having many parts, Saint Paul teaches us that we all possess different talents and gifts of the Holy Spirit; we do not share the same skin colors, cultures, languages, or opinions; we have different jobs and varying incomes. Therefore, these differences should strengthen our families, Church community, and societies, rather than tear them apart. We were all baptized into one body in one Spirit. We are one in the Spirit; we are one in the Lord.

As we celebrate our new life in a new creation and our oneness in the Spirit with God and our fellow humans, let us pray for all families and communities still divided, that their unity with God and their brothers and sisters may one day be restored. Amen.

Rev. Leon Ngandu, SVD

Pastor of Holy Family Catholic Church, Jackson, MS &

SVD USS Biblical Apostolate Coordinator