Reflections by Fr Mathibela Sebothoma

  ✝️ Homily – Friday, Week XI in Ordinary Time (Cycle II) 📖 Readings: 2 Corinthians 11:18, 21–30 | Psalm 34 | Matthew 6:19–23 Theme: “Where Your Treasure Is, There Your Heart Will Be” 😂 1. Introduction  A preacher once said: “If you want to know what someone loves most, don’t listen to their prayers—check their bank statements!” It was a funny but honest reflection. Jesus said, “Where your treasure is, there your heart will be.” Today’s readings challenge us: What do we truly value? And how does that shape the way we live, serve, and suffer? 📖 2. The Word of God – 2 Corinthians 11:18, 21–30 St Paul, ironically and passionately, defends his ministry against critics who boast of power, privilege, and status. He flips the script completely: “If I must boast, I will boast of the things that show my weakness.” He lists: beatings shipwrecks hunger sleepless nights deep anxiety for the churches This is no resume of power. It’s the CV of a serva...

  ✝️ Homily – Thursday, Week XI in Ordinary Time (Cycle II) 📖 Readings: 2 Corinthians 11:1–11 | Psalm 111 | Matthew 6:7–15 Theme: “Our Father, Our Freedom” 😂 1. Introduction  A little girl once began the Lord’s Prayer at bedtime and said: “Our Father, who art in heaven… Hello! What’s Your name?” Her words were innocent—but also profound. Today Jesus teaches us the Lord’s Prayer—not just a formula of words, but a blueprint for life , a way of living in deep relationship with the Father. 📖 2. First Reading – 2 Corinthians 11:1–11 St Paul is frustrated. The Corinthians are impressed by showy preachers, forgetting the humble love that Paul poured into them. “Did I sin by humbling myself… so that you might be exalted?” (v.7) He reminds them that real apostles don’t come to impress—they come to serve . Like Paul, true spiritual leadership wears the face of sacrifice and sincerity , not stardom. 🙏 3. Gospel – Matthew 6:7–15 Jesus gives us the Our Father , warni...

  Southern Deanery Celebrates Holy Trinity with Unity, Prayer, and Generosity By Fr Mathibela Sebothoma – Pretoria On a vibrant Saturday, hundreds of faithful from the Southern Deanery of the Archdiocese of Pretoria converged at Saulsville Arena, west of the capital, to celebrate the Solemnity of the Most Holy Trinity. This gathering, a highlight of the Jubilee Year of Hope, was a profound expression of faith, unity, and synodality. It was more than a Mass; it was a pilgrimage of hope, bringing together parishioners, clergy, religious, and youth from diverse parishes in a powerful display of communion, participation, and mission—the core pillars of a synodal Church. The atmosphere at Saulsville Arena buzzed with joy, reverence, and purpose. The event provided a rare opportunity for the Southern Deanery to unite as one body, fostering a sense of togetherness and shared mission. Justin Whitehead, chairperson of the Southern Deanery Pastoral Council, set a warm tone in his opening ...

  ✝️ Homily – Wednesday, Week XI in Ordinary Time (Cycle II) 📖 Readings: 2 Corinthians 9:6–11 | Psalm 112 | Matthew 6:1–6, 16–18 Theme: “What You Sow in Secret, God Grows in Glory” 1. Introduction  A young boy once watched his granny put a R100 note in the Sunday collection. After Mass he asked, “Gogo, why did you give so much?” She replied, “I’m planting a seed.” He looked confused and said, “Can I come back next week and harvest it?” Sometimes we think of giving and praying as transactions. But today’s readings remind us that true faith is quiet, sincere, and deeply rooted in love— even when no one is watching. 2. The Word of God 📜 First Reading: 2 Corinthians 9:6–11 “Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows bountifully will also reap bountifully.” St Paul is not talking about tithing only—he is talking about the spirit of generosity . In a country like ours, where many struggle just to survive, generosity might feel like a luxury. Bu...

  Homily – Tuesday of Week XI in Ordinary Time (Cycle II) Readings: 1st Reading: 2 Corinthians 8:1–9 Psalm: Psalm 146:2, 5–6ab, 6c–7, 8–9a Gospel: Matthew 5:43–48 Theme: “The Grace of Giving and the Power of Love” Introduction There’s a saying in Sesotho: “Ho fana ke ho rata” – “To give is to love.” But someone once joked, “Giving is easy when the receiver is me!” Today’s readings invite us to a much deeper kind of giving—not just things, but of ourselves. It is a Gospel challenge to give with grace and to love without limits. The Word of God – 2 Corinthians 8:1–9 St Paul praises the Macedonian churches for their generosity in the midst of hardship. He says: “They gave according to their means, and beyond their means, of their own accord.” They were poor, yet they overflowed with joy and generosity —because grace was at work in them. Then Paul points us to the ultimate model: “Though He was rich, Christ became poor for your sake, so that by His povert...

  Homily: Monday – Week XI in Ordinary Time (Cycle II) Theme: Now Is the Time – Living Grace Boldly in a Broken World Readings: 2 Corinthians 6:1–10 | Psalm 98 | Matthew 5:38–42 Introduction: There’s a story about a priest who was driving in Gauteng traffic one rainy Monday morning. A taxi cut him off—then stopped dead in the middle of the road to offload passengers. The priest muttered something under his breath, rolled down the window, and shouted, “God loves you... but you’re making it hard for me right now!” That, my friends, is exactly where the Gospel challenges us today: when love meets real-life frustration! The Word of God In today’s First Reading , Saint Paul speaks with deep urgency: “We urge you not to receive the grace of God in vain... Now is the acceptable time; now is the day of salvation.” (2 Cor 6:1–2) Paul is writing to a fractured, distracted Church in Corinth. People are delaying repentance, withholding generosity, or waiting for a more "convenient...

  The Solemnity of the Most Holy Trinity – Homily Readings: Proverbs 8:22–31 | Psalm 8:4–5, 6–7, 8–9 | Romans 5:1–5 | John 16:12–15 Theme: “The Trinity: A Communion of Love and a Source of Hope” Introduction Today we celebrate one of the deepest and most beautiful mysteries of our faith: The Most Holy Trinity . It is a mystery not to be solved, but to be lived—a communion of love between Father, Son, and Holy Spirit into which we are all invited . Story A Sunday school teacher once asked her class, “Who can explain the Trinity?” A little boy raised his hand and said, “It’s like a fidget spinner: three points but one spinner!” Another child added, “It’s like water—ice, liquid, and steam—but all still water!” The teacher smiled and said, “Exactly—God is a mystery that moves and holds us together at the same time!” Sometimes the deepest truths are best explained by children. The Word of God In Proverbs 8 , we hear the voice of Wisdom, present with God “at the beginning of his work,...

  Saturday of the Tenth Week in Ordinary Time – Homily Readings: 2 Corinthians 5:14–21 | Psalm 103:1-2, 3-4, 9-10, 11-12 | Matthew 5:33–37 Theme: “Ambassadors of Reconciliation: Living with Integrity and Grace” Introduction Today’s readings bring us face to face with the heart of Christian life: being reconciled with God and one another. As we honour the Ordinary Time, and move through the Jubilee Year of Hope, we are reminded that every moment is a chance to rebuild, to forgive, and to live with purpose. Story A young boy once tried to impress his grandmother by reciting the Ten Commandments. He got stuck halfway, so he just added, “And never lie unless you’re telling someone they look good!” She laughed—and then gave him a long look! It’s funny how we twist the truth when it suits us. Jesus today tells us: Let your ‘yes’ be ‘yes’ and your ‘no’ be ‘no.’ A gentle but direct call to honesty. The Word of God In 2 Corinthians , St Paul tells us that we are new creations in Christ ...

H omily for Friday of the Tenth Week in Ordinary Time , commemorating the Memorial of Saint Anthony of Padua . 📖 Readings 2 Corinthians 4:7–15 – We hold this treasure in earthen vessels… Psalm 116 – I will offer a sacrifice of praise and call on the name of the Lord. Matthew 5:27–32 – If your eye causes you to sin, pluck it out… ✝️ Theme: "Treasure in Clay Pots: Becoming Instruments of Light and Purity" 🌄 Introduction Today we honour Saint Anthony of Padua, a powerful preacher, a wise teacher, and a humble servant. We remember him not only for helping us find lost things but more importantly for helping us find our way back to Christ . On this day, our readings call us to be serious about holiness — not in a rigid way, but in a way that restores, heals, and frees us. 😄 Story There’s an old story of someone who prayed to Saint Anthony saying, “Saint Anthony, help me find my keys — again!” Eventually they added: “And while you’re at it, help me find my t...

Homily -  Thursday of the Tenth Week in Ordinary Time , 2 Corinthians 3:15–4:1, 3–6 and Matthew 5:20–26 : 📖 Theme : “Let the Light of Christ Heal Your Relationships” 🌄 Introduction Today’s Word reminds us that the light of Christ must shine not only in the church building but also in our hearts, our families, and our relationships. God’s glory is not just for display — it is for transformation. 😄 Story There’s a story of a man who used to carry a torch in broad daylight. When asked why, he said: “I’m looking for people who are honest and kind.” One child replied, “Why not just take off your sunglasses?” But sometimes we hide the light of Christ behind pride, grudges, and unresolved anger. We cannot be salt and light if we’re carrying old baggage. 📖 The Word of God In 2 Corinthians , St. Paul speaks of the veil that covers the hearts of people — a spiritual blindness that can only be removed through Christ. But when the veil is lifted, the light of the knowledge of God’...

  Archdiocese of Pretoria Celebrates Solemn Vespers on Pentecost Vigil By Father Mathibela Sebothoma The Archdiocese of Pretoria brought the Easter season to a vibrant close with Sung Solemn Vespers on the Vigil of the Solemnity of Pentecost, held at St Thomas More Catholic Church in Monavoni, Centurion, on the eve of Pentecost Sunday. Celebrated fifty days after Easter, Pentecost is revered as the “birthday” of the Church, commemorating the descent of the Holy Spirit upon the apostles and the launch of their mission to spread the Gospel. This sacred event marks the transition from the Easter season to Ordinary Time, signaled by the use of green liturgical vestments, except on feast days and solemnities. The evening prayer was presided over by Bishop Masilo Selemela, with the Saint John Vianney Seminary choir leading the congregation in beautifully chanted vespers. St Thomas More, hosting the vigil for the second consecutive year, welcomed a large gathering of parishioners and v...