Reflections by Fr Mathibela Sebothoma

  Homily – Monday of the Thirteenth Week in Ordinary Time Theme: “Mercy That Waits, and a Call That Won’t Wait” 😂 Delayed Commitment There’s a joke that says, “Lord, I’ll follow You—but first, let me finish this series, fix my life, and find Wi-Fi!” We often want to follow Jesus… later. But Jesus says: “Follow Me—now.” 📖 1. First Reading – Genesis 18:16–33: Abraham Pleads for Mercy Abraham and the Lord look down toward Sodom. God reveals His intention to destroy the city for its great sin. But Abraham does something surprising— he intercedes. “Will You indeed sweep away the righteous with the wicked?” Abraham boldly, yet humbly, negotiates with God—pleading down from 50 to 10 righteous people. This reveals: God’s patience and mercy Abraham’s heart for others , even the undeserving God is just , but His mercy is ready to respond to even a small spark of righteousness. This challenges us: Do we pray for others the way Abraham does? Are we aware of the ...

  Homily – Solemnity of Saints Peter and Paul, Apostles  📖 Readings: Acts 12:1–11 | Psalm 34:2–9 | 2 Timothy 4:6–8, 17–18 | Matthew 16:13–19 Theme: “Built on the Rock, Sent with the Sword” 😂 The Odd Couple of the Church Saint Peter and Saint Paul are sometimes called the “odd couple” of the Church. Peter, the fisherman—impulsive and practical. Paul, the scholar—fiery and philosophical. One had a foot in his mouth, the other had a pen in his hand. Yet today, we honour them together —not because they were perfect, but because they were faithful . 🪨 1. Peter – The Rock Who Found His Strength in Mercy In today’s Gospel, Jesus says to Simon: “You are Peter, and on this rock I will build my Church.” (Matthew 16:18) Peter was not chosen because he was flawless. He denied Jesus three times. He sank when he took his eyes off the Lord. And yet Jesus trusted him to lead. Why? Because Peter knew what it meant to fall—and be forgiven. The Church is not built on perfec...

  ✝️ Homily – Memorial of the Immaculate Heart of Mary Theme: “Mary’s Heart: A Sanctuary of Trust, Silence, and Love” 💙 1. Introduction – A Heart Like No Other Today we honour not only the Immaculate nature of Mary’s heart, but her interior disposition : her trust, her quiet strength, her patience in uncertainty, and her deep love for God and His will. The Immaculate Heart of Mary is a heart: Untouched by sin , Shaped by grace , and Open to sorrow , for she suffered alongside her Son. 📖 2. Gospel – Luke 2:41–51: A Mother Who Searches, A Disciple Who Ponders Today’s Gospel brings us to a moment of anxiety and mystery in Mary’s life. Jesus is missing for three days. When they finally find Him, He is in the Temple—speaking of “His Father’s business.” Mary’s response is full of emotion, yet full of grace: “Your father and I have been looking for you with great anxiety.” And then we’re told: “His mother kept all these things in her heart.” This is the hal...

  ✝️ Homily – Solemnity of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus (Year C) 📖 Readings: Ezekiel 34:11–16 | Psalm 23 | Romans 5:5b–11 | Luke 15:3–7 Theme: “He Carries Us Home with His Heart” 😂 Heaven’s Lost and Found A young child once prayed, “Dear Jesus, thank You for loving me—even when I hide and don’t want to be found.” That’s the mystery of today’s Gospel: God never stops searching , even when we’ve given up on being found. ❤️ 1. Introduction – What Is This Feast About? Today, we honour not an idea, but the Heart of Jesus —the deepest sign of God’s love, mercy, and longing for each person. This isn’t sentimental devotion. The Sacred Heart is about a divine love that chases after the lost , carries the broken, and rejoices over the found. 🐑 2. Gospel – Luke 15:3–7: The Lost Sheep and the Shepherd’s Heart Jesus tells the story of the lost sheep— not to shame the lost , but to reveal the heart of the Shepherd . He asks, “Which of you would not leave the 99 to go after the o...

  Homily – Thursday of the Twelfth Week in Ordinary Time (Cycle II) 📖 Readings: Genesis 16:1–12, 15–16 | Psalm 106:1b–2, 3–4a, 4b–5 | Matthew 7:21–29 🎯 Theme: “Not Everyone Who Says 'Lord, Lord' – Faith That Stands on Rock” 1. Introduction – A House in Pretoria East There’s a funny story of a couple in Pretoria East who built a beautiful house with stunning windows, tiled floors, and high-tech everything. But after the first heavy rains, the walls cracked and part of the driveway collapsed. Why? The builder had ignored proper foundation work—they built for beauty, not for endurance. In today's Gospel, Jesus speaks to us directly: "Everyone who hears these words of mine and acts on them is like a wise man who built his house on rock." 2. The Word of God – The Danger of Shallow Religion (Matthew 7:21–29) Jesus gives a strong warning: Not everyone who calls Him ‘Lord’ will enter the Kingdom. Words alone are not enough. Lip service without heart surrender is...

  Homily – Wednesday of the Twelfth Week in Ordinary Time (Cycle II) 📖 Genesis 15:1–12, 17–18 | Psalm 105 | Matthew 7:15–20 🎯 Theme: “Faith That Bears Fruit – Pilgrims of Hope in a Promised Covenant” 1. Introduction  A woman walked into a nursery, looking to buy a fruit tree. The assistant asked, “Ma’am, would you prefer a lemon, an orange, or an avocado?” She replied, “Whichever one gives shade, fruit, and won't ask me for water!” Isn’t that how we are with faith sometimes? We want spiritual fruit without the deep roots, discipline, or effort! But Jesus reminds us today: You will know a tree by its fruit. 2. The Word of God Genesis 15:1–12, 17–18 – A Covenant in the Dark Abram is afraid and uncertain. He’s childless, old, and the promise of descendants seems far away. But God does something profound: He leads Abram outside and says, “Look at the stars... so shall your descendants be.” Abram believes, and God seals that belief in a covenant —a sacred agreement, not ...

  Homily: Solemnity of the Nativity of Saint John the Baptist 📖 Readings: Isaiah 49:1–6 | Psalm 139:1–3, 13–15 | Acts 13:22–26 | Luke 1:57–66, 80 🕊️ Theme: “His Name is John – A Voice, Not the Word” Introduction – A Baby With a Name That Shocks A priest once joked at a baptism: “We are naming this child ‘Wi-Fi’ – because everyone will want to connect with him!” Of course, the congregation laughed, but imagine the stunned silence in Zechariah and Elizabeth’s community when they announced, “His name is John.” Not Zechariah Jr., not a family name, but John—“God is gracious.” The birth of John was not just a family affair, but a divine intervention, a disruption with purpose.  Birth Foretold – God’s Plan from the Womb In Isaiah 49, the prophet speaks of being called “from the womb” and named by God even before birth. This echoes the mystery of John’s own birth. His arrival was not accidental. It was part of a carefully written script in salvation history. John’s identi...

  ✝️ Homily – Monday of the Twelfth Week in Ordinary Time (Cycle II) 📖 Readings: Genesis 12:1–9 | Psalm 33:12-13, 18-19, 20 and 22 | Matthew 7:1–5 Theme: “Let God Lead, and Let Mercy Guide” 😂 Judging Is Easier Than You Think A priest once jokingly said, “The fastest growing ministry in the Church today… is the Ministry of Judgement!” Everyone seems to be an expert on what’s wrong—with everyone else! And yet, Jesus didn’t say, “Blessed are the fault-finders,” but “Blessed are the merciful.” 🌄 1. Introduction – A New Journey Begins In the first reading today, God calls Abram to leave his country, his family, and his comfort. This is not just about geography—it’s about trust and surrender . At the same time, the Gospel calls us to leave behind another kind of comfort: the comfort of judging others . 🛤️ 2. First Reading – Genesis 12:1–9: Trusting God’s Path God says to Abram: “Go forth from your land… to a land that I will show you.” Abram doesn’t receive a GPS or ...

  ✝️ Homily – The Solemnity of the Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ (Corpus Christi), Year C 📖 Readings: Genesis 14:18–20 | Psalm 110 | 1 Corinthians 11:23–26 | Luke 9:11b–17 Theme: “You Give Them Something to Eat” 😊 1. More Than a Meal A young boy once asked after Mass, “Father, why do we kneel during Communion?” The priest answered, “Because we’re not just eating bread—we are meeting the King.” Today’s solemnity, Corpus Christi , reminds us that the Eucharist is not a symbol or tradition—it is the real, living presence of Jesus Christ , given to us in love, and calling us to be broken and shared for others. 🍷 2. The Word of God – Melchizedek’s Mysterious Offering Genesis introduces us to Melchizedek , priest and king of Salem. He brings bread and wine—not for a feast, but as a blessing . He prefigures Jesus, the eternal High Priest, who would one day take bread and wine and transform them into His Body and Blood , becoming the source of blessing, strength, and sal...

  ✝️ Homily – Saturday, Week XI in Ordinary Time (Cycle II) 🕊️ Memorial of Saint Aloysius Gonzaga, Religious 📖 Readings: 2 Corinthians 12:1–10 | Psalm 34 | Matthew 6:24–34 Theme: “Strength in Weakness, Grace in Simplicity” 😂 1. Introduction –  A young seminarian once prayed, “Lord, give me patience… but give it now!” We often want spiritual growth, but on our terms. Today’s readings, and the life of Saint Aloysius Gonzaga, remind us that God’s grace often shows up in our weakness, not in our timing . 📖 2. The Word of God – 2 Corinthians 12:1–10 St Paul shares an intimate spiritual experience—but then turns our attention to a mysterious “thorn in the flesh.” He begs God to take it away, and the Lord answers: “My grace is sufficient for you, for power is made perfect in weakness.” Paul embraces this truth: When I am weak, then I am strong. When I let go of pride, grace flows. When I stop pretending, God starts healing. It is not power or perfection...