Gospel Reflection

Gospel Reflections by Fr Dominic Manakil  

Who is he? 

Fr Dominic Manakil was ordained a priest in Kerala, India on the 9th of May, 1990.

He has served as parish priest in Indian parishes for 15 years and has recently taken up the opportunity to serve the Catholic Diocese of Townsville in late 2007.  Since being in the Diocese he has spent 4 months in Bowen Parish and is now the parish priest of Hughenden Parish in the Western region of the Diocese.

Fr Dominic has a love of music and has completed a Bachelor of music through Mahatma Gandhi University in India.  He started his Masters degree in music but did not complete it as he was needed to help build a new parish church. 

Fr Dominic has been known to perform 'Bollywood' song and dance and is more than willing to share this part of his culture with you.  He is also a fantastic cook of curry and offers a 'mild' or 'wild' option to suit individual taste.

Dominic enjoys being able to walk alongside young people as they explore their faith and try to find meaning and purpose in their lives.  He wants all young poeple to be happy as our lives are a gift from God.  He encourages us to try to give God the gift of living a better life for Him as this is our gift to God.

Each week Fr Dominic will share a reflection on the gospel of the coming week & provide some food for thought in your prayer life.

Sunday 14 September 2008

Dear young friends, 

A woman at a bank asked the cashier to cash a cheque for her.  Citing company policy the cashier asked her for identification.  The woman gasped.  Finally she managed to say, "But Jonathan, I am your mother!"

In today's gospel we see the parable of two kinds of people.  Both are imperfect and unworthy but the one who obeyed finally is better than the other.

The first category professes one thing and does another and their promise is nothing but lip-service.  The second category promises little but performs better.  Although they are apparently hard-hearted, they are ultimately generous.  Though outwardly irreligious, they are closer to God than those who profess to be God-fearing.  The truly good man practises what he professes.  His deeds conform to his words.

The Jews, the chosen people of God said ‘Yes' to God but did not keep their word.  The tax-collectors and sinners knew they were on the wrong path but reformed their ways and obeyed God.  No matter who we are, we possess the freedom to say ‘yes' or ‘no' to God and the ability to repent and change the direction of our lives.  One way or another we are responsible for our conduct and accountable for our behaviour.  The Good News is that with the help of God's grace we can change the direction of our lives for the better.

In Jesus' deceptively simple parable, almost all parents can recognize a real life situation with some of their children but Jesus meant much more.  Jesus is attacking the so called ‘religious people' who go through the motions of being God-directed people, mouthing the right words and performing the right rituals, but not putting their lives where their words are.

The Church celebrates this Sunday as Social Justice Sunday and the Gospel implies deeper meaning to examine our own words and deeds.  In our rapidly changing and increasingly secular world, we Christians are called to be the true witnesses of God's kingdom.  If we, the Church-goers, who listen to the Gospel, are not doing what we are saying, where can the so-called sinners of our time place their hope and trust?

O, God help me to hear You and do Your will and only Yours.  Thank you Jesus.

In the love and brotherhood of Christ,

Fr Dominic Manakil