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.

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

 

 

 

The Ascension of the Lord – June 1, 2025

The Ascension of the Lord – June 1, 2025

Acts 1:1-11; Ephesians 1:17-23; Luke 24:46-53

 

Theme: “You Are Witnesses of These Things”

 

A.   A Brief Exegetical Analysis of Luke 24:46-53

 

1. Historical and Literary Contexts

Luke organized his resurrection narrative into five sections. Our Gospel passage, which serves as a conclusion to Luke’s Gospel, comes from the last two sections: Jesus’ final instruction (24:44-49) and the ascension (24:50-53). The three preceding sections are: (1) the women at the empty tomb (23:56b–24:12), (2) Jesus’ appearance to the two disciples on the road to Emmaus (24:13-35), and (3) Jesus’ appearance to the disciples in Jerusalem (24:36-43).[1] It is worth noting that the Gospel of Luke and the Book of the Acts of the Apostles are not separate works but one book in two volumes written by the same author, Luke. Thus, our Gospel passage (Luke 24:46-53) closes the first volume (the Gospel of Luke), while the stories of the promise of the Spirit and the Ascension of Jesus recounted in Acts 1:1-12 (the first reading for this Sunday) begin the second volume (the Book of the Acts of the Apostles).

 

2. Form, Structure, and Movement

This Gospel passage is a narrative account divided into two parts: Jesus’ instructions to his disciples (vv. 46-49) and the events of Jesus’ Ascension (vv. 50-53).

 

3. Detailed Analysis

To better understand our passage, let us first analyze the account of Jesus’ appearance to the disciples in Jerusalem (24:36-45), which immediately precedes our text. The Risen Jesus appeared to all his disciples in the Upper Room in Jerusalem and wished them peace. The disciples were frightened, confusing him with a ghost (vv. 36-37). Jesus’ glorified body transcends the limits of time and space while remaining physical. Jesus is concerned about his disciples’ feelings of fear. He employs physical and scriptural evidence to prove that he is not a ghost but their Risen Lord. The physical evidence includes showing his disciples the nail marks on his hands and feet, inviting them to touch him to feel his bones and flesh, and eating baked fish before them (vv. 38-43). In terms of Scriptural evidence, Jesus’ interpretation of the Scripture opened the disciples' minds, just as it did for the disciples of Emmaus (see 24:25-27). They understood that the Risen Jesus fulfills everything written about him in the Books of the Law of Moses, Prophets, and Psalms (vv. 44-45). Our text picks up from here.

Vv. 46-49. Jesus tells his disciples they are the “witnesses of these things” (v. 48). “These things” refer to Jesus’ entire earthly life that has fulfilled the Old Testament, especially his Passion, Death, and Resurrection, as well as the repentance for the forgiveness of sins that should be preached in Jesus’ name to all nations, with Jerusalem as a starting point (vv. 46-47). As Jesus’ witnesses, the disciples are called to carry out Jesus’ mission with the assistance of the Holy Spirit, which Jesus promises to send upon them. However, before they begin this mission, Jesus urges them to remain in the city of Jerusalem until the coming of the Holy Spirit, who will clothe them “with power from on high” (v. 49). This is Jesus’ final speech and teaching.

Vv. 50-53. Before Jesus is taken up to heaven, he performs three actions for his disciples: (1) he leads them out, (2) raises his hands upon them, and (3) blesses them. The disciples praise Jesus. Then, filled with great joy, they return to Jerusalem. The narrator informs his readers that they were continually in the temple praising God.

  

4.      Synthesis

Jesus indicates that his disciples are witnesses to all the events of his earthly life, which fulfilled the Old Testament, especially his Passion, Death, Resurrection, and Ascension. As witnesses, Jesus assigns them the mission of preaching, in his name, repentance for the forgiveness of sins to all nations, starting from Jerusalem. After his final speech, Jesus leads them outside, raises his hands, and blesses them; then he ascends into heaven in their presence. The disciples praise him as he ascends to his Father. Filled with great joy, the disciples return to Jerusalem. The narrator concludes this scene, and the entire Gospel, by noting that the disciples continually went to the temple to praise God.

 

B.    Pastoral Implications

 

1.      1. Liturgical Context

The liturgy of this Mass reminds us that we are Jesus’ witnesses and missionaries. Indeed, we have witnessed all of Jesus’ events from Christmas and its preparatory season, called Advent, to Easter and its preparatory time, known as Lent, passing through the first part of Ordinary Time, during which we have experienced Jesus’ ministry in establishing the kingdom of God on earth. Now, it is time to work. The Scripture readings we heard remind us of the profound significance of this celebration. The Ascension of our Lord is not a moment of reward, as the disciples mistakenly believed in our First Reading. Instead, as the Gospel instructs us, the Ascension is when our Risen Lord sends us on a mission. To fully grasp the urgency of this mission and be empowered to carry it out wherever we are, the Second Reading tells us that we need the Spirit of wisdom and revelation that results in knowledge of God.

 

2.      2. What the Church Teaches Us Today

Today, Jesus commissions us to preach, in his name, repentance for the forgiveness of sins. He urges us to begin first in our “Jerusalem,” which represents our families, Church community, neighbors, and wherever we live. Before we start anything, Jesus asks us not to depart from our “Jerusalem” but to wait until the Holy Spirit, who will assist us in our mission, comes upon us and clothes us with “power from on high.” This will take place next Sunday, at the Solemnity of Pentecost. Then, after Pentecost Sunday, which will mark the end of the Easter Season, we will return to our ordinary lives (Ordinary Season) and begin the mission Jesus has assigned us today. 

Our first reading provides more details about the same event we heard in the Gospel. It can be divided into two parts: vv. 1-5 and vv. 6-11.

Vv. 1-5. Theophilus is mentioned as Luke’s recipient (v. 1). He is the same person referenced in Luke 1:3. In Greek, Theophilus means “The lover of God.” This suggests that Luke wrote his two-volume Book for anyone who loves God. He informs Theophilus that in the first volume of his book (referring to the Gospel of Luke), he has addressed everything that Jesus did and taught up until the day of Jesus' ascension to heaven (vv. 1-2). This introduction connects the two volumes, the Gospel of Luke and the Acts of the Apostles.

Luke summarizes the events following Jesus’ resurrection in three points. (1) He emphasizes the forty-day period between Jesus’ Resurrection and Ascension (v. 3a). The Church also celebrates the Ascension of the Lord forty days after Jesus’ Resurrection. Note that the solemnity of the Ascension of our Lord always occurs on the Thursday after the Sixth Sunday of Easter.[2]  For liturgical purposes, the local Church in the United States (except for the local Churches in Nebraska, Pennsylvania, New York, and New England, which celebrate the Ascension on Thursday) observes it on Sunday. Thus, from Easter Vigil to Thursday of the Ascension, there are 40 days. In Scripture, the number forty conveys the symbolic meaning of preparation. We can recall the Israelites’ 40 years in the desert from Egypt to the Promised Land, Noah’s 40 days in the ark, Moses’s 40 days on Mount Sinai, and Jesus’ 40 days in the desert before he began his ministry. Now, our Lord needed forty days after his resurrection to prepare his disciples for the mission he was about to assign to them. By celebrating the Ascension of our Lord today, forty days after Easter, our Holy Mother Church wants to remind us that we have been well-prepared during the forty days of the Easter Season. What is the goal of this preparation? Luke answers in the second point.

(2) Jesus speaks about the kingdom of God with his disciples (v. 3c). He initiated this kingdom during his earthly ministry in the presence of his disciples. Mentioning it here can suggest that Jesus reminds them, including all of us, of how he prepared us during the forty days of the Easter season to continue this same mission of implementing God’s kingdom wherever we live.

(3) Human effort alone is not enough to accomplish this crucial mission. Therefore, Jesus reassured his disciples of the assistance of the Holy Spirit. For this reason, he instructed them not to leave Jerusalem until they received the Holy Spirit promised by his Father, God.

Vv. 6-11. The second part of our first reading recounts the story of Jesus’ Ascension. It begins with the disciples’ question to Jesus: “Lord, are you at this time going to restore the kingdom to Israel?” They refer to the “physical kingdom” they wish to establish in place of Roman power. In his answer, Jesus tells them that the times and seasons established by God’s authority should not be their primary concern. Instead, Jesus directs their focus to the mission he assigns them. He tells them that they will receive the Holy Spirit, who will empower them to be his witnesses throughout the world, starting with their own people, the Israelites of both kingdoms (Jerusalem in the north and Judea in the south), including even the Samaritans, whom the Jews considered the “unchosen people” (vv. 6-8).

The disciples reveal the motivations behind their discipleship. They have followed Jesus for about three years, not out of true discipleship, but due to their selfish ambition to seize power from the Romans. How about us today? Why do we follow Jesus? What are our specific motivations for being Christians? Do our motivations align with what Jesus calls us to? In his reply, Jesus redirects his disciples’ focus from their selfish motives to the essential mission of a disciple. He does the same for us today. He tells us that our motivation for being Christians should not be to know exactly when God fulfills our requests. We are Jesus’ disciples primarily to implement God’s kingdom and be his witnesses wherever we live until the ends of the earth. This is what Saint Paul asked God for in his prayers for his believers and us, which we heard in our second reading.

Saint Paul first prays that God grant us a spirit of wisdom and revelation, leading to a knowledge of God (Eph 1:17). We are called to know not just about God but to know God personally. This knowledge involves a personal relationship with him. Second, Saint Paul prays that the “eyes of our hearts” be enlightened so that we may understand why God calls us and what motivates us to be Christians (Eph 1:18). Therefore, our baptismal motivation is not about the “physical kingdom” but about the “spiritual kingdom,” not about our selfish ambitions but about becoming Jesus’ witnesses and missionaries. 

Still in the second part of our first reading, Luke also reports that after Jesus finished instructing his disciples, he was lifted up, and his disciples watched as he ascended to heaven. Two angels, described as “men dressed in white garments,” asked why they stood there looking at the sky. They told the disciples that the way Jesus was taken up to heaven would be the same way he would return (vv. 9-11). The angel confirmed Jesus’ second coming at the end of time. Here, our Holy Mother Church wants us to know that if we celebrate this solemnity of the Ascension of our Lord without committing ourselves to carry out the mission Jesus assigns us, we are like these “men of Galilee,” merely contemplating Jesus without taking concrete action. Jesus’ Ascension is not a time for “looking at the sky.” Instead, it is time for work. Let us return to our “Jerusalem” (which represents our families, neighborhoods, and everywhere we live) and begin implementing the kingdom of God.

May the liturgy of this Mass help us recognize that we are witnesses of Jesus and fulfill his mission of bringing God’s kingdom to life wherever we are. Amen.

Rev. Leon Ngandu, SVD

Pastor of Holy Family Catholic Church, Jackson, MS &

SVD USS Biblical Apostolate Coordinator

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[1] Nabre, note to Lk 24:1-53.

[2] For example, in the Liturgical Year 2024-2025, the Ascension of the Lord occurs on Thursday, May 29, 2025. Thus, from Easter Vigil on April 19th to Ascension Day, Thursday, May 29th, it is 40 days.