Moja

17/06/2026

“Tiny souls bring the biggest joy.”

17/06/2026

17/06/2026

HOMILY | Wednesday of the 11th Week in Ordinary Time
Gospel: Matthew 6:1–6, 16–18

Have you noticed that when we do something good, there is often a little voice inside us that says, “I hope someone notices.”

You help a neighbor. You donate to a worthy cause. You volunteer your time. And then, almost without realizing it, you find yourself looking around to see if anyone saw what you did.

That is part of being human.

We like appreciation. We like recognition. There is nothing wrong with that. The problem begins when recognition becomes the reason we do good.

In today’s Gospel, Jesus invites us to go deeper. He asks a simple but challenging question: “For whom are you doing it?” Because the same action can come from two very different hearts.

Two people can give the same donation. One gives because he genuinely wants to help. The other gives because he wants his name on the wall.

Two people can pray. One seeks God. The other seeks attention.

Two people can make sacrifices. One does it out of love. The other does it to impress others.

The action may look the same on the outside, but God sees what nobody else can see—the heart.

I remember a story about a mother who spent hours preparing a wonderful meal for her family. She cooked everyone’s favorite dishes. When dinner was over, nobody thanked her. Everyone simply stood up and left the table.

She was hurt. Later that evening, her little grandson came to her and said, “Grandma, that was delicious. Thank you. Immediately her face brightened. Why? Because deep down, all of us long to be appreciated.

But Jesus teaches us something beautiful today: there is a joy even greater than human appreciation—the joy of knowing that God sees.

Many of the most beautiful things in life happen quietly. A mother waking up early to care for her children. A father working long hours to provide for his family. A priest praying for his people when nobody is watching. A volunteer helping someone in need without expecting recognition. A person forgiving someone who never even says sorry.

The world may never know these sacrifices. There may be no applause, no certificates, no social media posts. But God sees them all. And perhaps that is why Jesus says, “Your Father who sees in secret will repay you.”

What makes a good deed truly good is not how many people notice it. It is the love behind it. The world teaches us to ask, “Will people see me?” The Gospel teaches us to ask, “Will God be pleased?”

At the end of our lives, what will matter most is not how many likes we received, how many compliments we collected, or how much recognition we gained.

What will matter is how much love we put into what we did.

So today, let us continue doing good. Help others. Pray faithfully. Serve generously. But do it with a quiet heart. Because the noblest acts are often the ones that nobody notices except God. And for a disciple of Jesus, that is more than enough.

17/06/2026

"Lovely flowers are the smiles of God's goodness."

16/06/2026

16/06/2026

"Do not forget to show hospitality to strangers, for by so doing some people have shown hospitality to angels without knowing it." — Hebrews 13:2
...First made "Angel" oil painting... turned 29 years old.. love for painting continues as our faith perseveres

15/06/2026

"So God created the great sea creatures and every living creature that moves, with which the waters swarm, according to their kinds... And God saw that it was good." — Genesis 1:21
..To be with the "Butandings" is like swimming alongside a constellation...

15/06/2026

Flowers always make people better, happier, and more helpful; they are sunshine, food and medicine to the mind.
..Every flower is a soul blossoming in nature.

14/06/2026

HOMILY | Monday of the 11th Week in Ordinary Time
Gospel: Matthew 5:38-42

The Gospel today may be one of the most challenging teachings of Jesus.

When someone hurts us, our natural reaction is to hurt them back. When someone insults us, we want to insult them more. When someone spreads gossip about us, we feel the urge to spread something worse about them. Many people live by the principle: “Don’t get mad; get even.”

And unfortunately, we live in a time when revenge has become very common.

We see it in families. A misunderstanding is met with silence and resentment. We see it on social media, where people attack one another with harsh words. We see it in politics, where opponents sometimes spend more time destroying each other than serving the people. We even see it in communities where old grudges are passed from one generation to another.

The cycle is simple: someone hurts me, so I hurt them back. Then they hurt me again. And the cycle never ends.

Jesus proposes something radically different. Notice that He does not say evil is good. He does not tell us to approve injustice. He does not tell victims to remain silent in the face of abuse. Rather, Jesus teaches us not to allow evil to control our hearts.

Because the moment revenge fills our hearts, the person who hurt us has already wounded us twice: first by the offense itself, and second by turning us into a person consumed by anger.

Jesus invites us to break the cycle. Only love can stop hatred. Only forgiveness can stop revenge. Only mercy can stop bitterness.

Look at Jesus Himself. When He was insulted, He did not retaliate. When He was mocked, He did not seek revenge. While hanging on the Cross, He prayed: “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.” That is not weakness. That is strength. Anyone can strike back. It takes a strong and mature person to forgive.

Today, I would like to offer three challenges.

First, refuse to nurture grudges.

Many people carry anger for years. Some families have not spoken to one another for decades because of an old misunderstanding.

Life is too short to spend it nursing resentment.

Ask yourself today: Whom do I need to forgive?

Second, be careful with social media.

Many people today do not throw stones. They throw comments. They do not use fists. They use keyboards.

Before posting, commenting, or sharing something hurtful, ask: Will this heal or will this wound?

Not everything that can be said should be said.

Third, overcome evil by doing good.

Saint Paul says, “Do not be conquered by evil but conquer evil with good” (Romans 12:21).

The world already has enough anger. What it needs are people who can bring peace. What it needs are Christians who know how to forgive. What it needs are disciples courageous enough to choose mercy over revenge.

Revenge may give a moment of satisfaction, but it never brings peace. Forgiveness is difficult, but it brings freedom.

As followers of Christ, let us not contribute to the cycle of hatred and retaliation. Let us become instruments of reconciliation.

For in the end, the strongest person is not the one who gets even, but the one who has the courage to forgive.