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Saturday, 7 February 2026 : 4th Week of Ordinary Time (Homily and Scripture Reflections)

Liturgical Colour : Green or White (Saturday Mass of Our Lady)

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, today as we all listened to the words of the Sacred Scriptures, we are reminded of the need for all of us to seek the Lord for His Wisdom, guidance and strength at all times. Each and every one of us as members of the Body of Christ, the one Church of God are called and expected to trust God in His Wisdom and help, in everything that He would lead us through, and to believe in whatever that He has entrusted to us to do, in our various and respective calling, vocation and paths in life. Each and every one of us have been given unique and distinct gifts, talents and opportunities by the Lord, Who has entrusted them to us so that hopefully we may make good use of them in our own communities and in whatever areas we are in our lives.

In our first reading today, taken from the Book of Kings of Israel and Judah, we heard from the prayer of the young King Solomon just not long after he had taken over from his father David the kingship over all of the land and people of Israel, the chosen people of God. The young Solomon was still very inexperienced and lacking in confidence to lead and rule the people of God, and as his father had been very successful overall in his reign, in his many achievements and reputation, therefore, it was only natural for Solomon to feel some kind of uncertainty and fear over the responsibilities that he had to bear and shoulder as the new ruler of the Israelites.

But as we heard from that same passage, Solomon chose to put his trust in the Lord, humbly asking Him when the Lord told and asked Solomon of what he would request of Him, be it wealth, glory, power or wisdom, that he would seek God’s Wisdom and ability to discern what is right or wrong, and what is just and righteous in the way how he would rule as king, in following the examples of his own father David. That was why God bestowed upon Solomon not only what he sought for, the prayer and request for Wisdom, but also the greatness, glory, power and wealth that He would grant onto him, just as God Himself had granted to David, his father. Solomon as King would indeed be known for his unparalleled wisdom and wealth.

That is why, in the same manner, all of us as Christians, in each and every areas of our responsibilities, in whatever the Lord has called us to do, we may always strive to put our trust and faith in Him no matter what. We must not be afraid or fearful as just how Solomon gained courage, wisdom and strength from God, and was blessed in everything that he would do in this world, we too will be guided in the same manner by the Lord, in the unique ways and pathways that the Lord will be leading us through, even if we cannot yet see what and where it is that He is leading us into. What we can certainly be sure of is that if we trust in the Lord and do our best to carry out whatever it is that He has entrusted to us then certainly we shall do wonderful and great things for the benefit of many around us.

Then, from our Gospel passage today, we are reminded from the Gospel according to St. Mark the Evangelist, highlighting to us what the Lord and His disciples had carried out and done throughout their ministries among the people of God. The Lord and His disciples were often inundated with work and responsibilities in their ministry and work, and this was to the point that they were not even able to take a proper meal and break. And yet, as best as they could, they still tried to find the place and time for quiet retreat and silence, and the Lord Himself also often went to secluded and quiet place to pray to His heavenly Father. And then, as we heard from that Gospel passage, the Lord showed great compassion, love and mercy on all the people who had come to Him.

He saw all the desire of the people to come seek healing and consolation in Him, all the people who were the lost sheep of the Lord, all of whom were like scattered and lost sheep without a shepherd as highlighted in our Gospel passage today. And the Lord Jesus Christ, Our Lord and Saviour, Who is our loving and devoted Good Shepherd, having been sent into our midst by our loving Father in Heaven, we can find true refuge and hope, compassion and love, in knowing that we are never alone in this world, and no matter what and no matter how dark and difficult the situation may be for us, there is always hope for us all in our loving God, Who has shown us the way forward through Him, and in giving His own Son to be our Good Shepherd, leading all of us towards salvation through Him and in Him.

Brothers and sisters in Christ, we really have to appreciate the love that God has shown us all and how He has manifested it all through His Son, Our Lord Jesus Christ, Our Saviour and Good Shepherd, Who has shown us the wonderful nature and the ever patient and generous love that God has always had for us. We can see that in how the Lord Jesus patiently taught all those who came to Him to listen to Him, and healed all those who had been brought to Him, even when He and His disciples were physically tired and exhausted. And therefore we can really be assured and we can know just how much we are truly beloved by God and in the same manner therefore, we should also strive to love the Lord and do our best to love one another as He has shown us.

Let us all therefore be exemplary in all of our actions through life, and strive to be good examples of being faithful and worthy Christians in our every actions, words and deeds. Let us all in every things we do, even in the smallest and whatever may seem to be insignificant to us, we always do them with great faith and courage, devoting all of them to the Lord for His greater glory. Let us never doubt what the Lord can do for us, in all His guidance and help, in His blessings and everything that He will provide for us if we truly trust in Him and desire to walk in His path. May God bless us in our every good efforts and endeavours at all times. Amen.

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Saturday, 7 February 2026 : 4th Week of Ordinary Time (Gospel Reading)

Liturgical Colour : Green or White (Saturday Mass of Our Lady)

Mark 6 : 30-34

At that time, the Apostles returned and reported to Jesus all they had done and taught. Then He said to them, “Let us go off by ourselves into a remote place and have some rest.” For there were so many people coming and going that the Apostles had no time even to eat. And they went away in the boat to a secluded area by themselves.

But people saw them leaving, and many could guess where they were going. So, from all the towns, they hurried there on foot, arriving ahead of them. As Jesus went ashore, He saw a large crowd, and He had compassion on them, for they were like sheep without a shepherd. And He began to teach them many things.

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Saturday, 7 February 2026 : 4th Week of Ordinary Time (Psalm)

Liturgical Colour : Green or White (Saturday Mass of Our Lady)

Psalm 118 : 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14

How can young people remain pure? By living according to Your word.

I seek You with my whole heart; let me not stray from Your commands.

In my heart I have kept Your word, that I may not sin against my YHVH.

Praise to You, o YHVH; instruct me in Your statutes.

That, with my lips, I may declare all Your spoken decrees.

I delight in following Your laws, more so than in all riches.

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Saturday, 7 February 2026 : 4th Week of Ordinary Time (First Reading)

Liturgical Colour : Green or White (Saturday Mass of Our Lady)

1 Kings 3 : 4-13

The king used to sacrifice at Gibeon, the great high place; on the altar there he had offered a thousand burnt offerings. It was in Gibeon, during the night, that YHVH appeared to Solomon in a dream and said, “Ask what you want Me to give you.”

Solomon answered, “You have shown Your servant David my father a great and steadfast love because he served You faithfully and was righteous and sincere towards You. You have given him proof of Your steadfast love in making a son of his sit on his throne this day.”

“And now, o YHVH my God, You have made Your servant king in place of David my father, although I am but a young boy who does not know how to undertake anything. Meantime, Your servant is in the midst of Your people whom You have chosen – a people so great that they can neither be numbered nor counted.”

“Give me, therefore, an understanding mind in governing Your people that I may discern between good and evil. For who is able to govern this multitude of people of Yours?”

YHVH was pleased that Solomon had made this request. And He told him, “Because you have requested this rather than long life or wealth or even vengeance on your enemies; indeed, because you have asked for yourself understanding to discern what is right, I shall grant you your request. I now give you a wise and discerning mind such as no one has had before you nor anyone after you shall ever have.”

“I will also give you what you have not asked for, both wealth and fame; and no king shall be your equal during your lifetime.”

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Friday, 6 February 2026 : 4th Week of Ordinary Time, Memorial of St. Paul Miki and Companions, Martyrs (Homily and Scripture Reflections)

Liturgical Colour : Red

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, today as we all listened to the words of the Sacred Scriptures, we are being reminded that each and every one of us as Christians, that is as those whom the Lord had called and chosen, all of us ought to live our lives as best as we can according to what He Himself has shown and taught us to do. We should always be exemplary in our every actions, words and deeds. We may not be good and steady at all times, and we are imperfect by nature, but that does not mean we cannot strive to do our best to live virtuously and righteously as our holy predecessors had done. We must remember that even the greatest of the saints were themselves sinners and they also struggled with sin, but they did their best to overcome it and following the Lord ever more faithfully.

In our first reading today, taken from the Book of the prophet Sirach, we heard of the conclusion of our past few weeks’ readings from the story of the life of the first Kings of Israel, Saul and David, particularly that of David, whose life, reign and exploits as king we have heard in these past few weekdays. King David was born in a family in Bethlehem in Judah as the youngest son and did not seem destined for great things, but he had great love for God and for his fellow brethren, and God called him to be the one to lead and shepherd His people Israel, as the King to succeed Saul in ruling over the people of God. And we heard from the prophet Sirach a summary of David’s life and reign, in how he has been truly an exemplary servant of God.

And we heard how David remained firmly faithful and full of love for God and His people, and while also acknowledging his sins and faults, being an imperfect person he was just as we all are, David has always allowed the Lord to guide him in his path and correct him whenever he had fallen into his faults and mistakes, in his sins and disobedience against God. And God therefore chose him to be the ruler over all of Israel, and established a new Covenant with him and his family, much as He had done with Abraham and his descendants, that the rulership over Israel would always belong to his line and family, something that the Lord kept firm and true, and up to the coming of the Messiah, Our Lord Jesus Himself, Who was born into the House of David and therefore brought the promises of God to perfect completion.

Then, in contrast, we heard from our Gospel passage today the story of how the faithful servant of God, St. John the Baptist was martyred at the hands of the then king of Galilee, Herod and his unlawful wife, Herodias, who was the wife of Herod’s brother Philip. It was highly implied and also by historical evidence that Herod married Herodias when Philip himself was still alive, and hence such a union was considered as improper and also adulterous in nature. When St. John the Baptist criticised the king and the queen, Herodias especially took offence at the opposition and criticism from the man of God, and wanted to kill him whenever she had the opportunity, while Herod was the one who was still considering and treating St. John the Baptist with respect even when he had imprisoned the latter.

We heard then of how Herodias had her chance when Herod was hosting a banquet and became drunk, when Herodias set her own daughter to seduce the king and obtain from him promises and oaths which then became his own trap, as Herodias through her daughter demanded that Herod execute St. John the Baptist right away and bring her the man of God’s head on a platter. And that was how Herod and Herodias both committed great sins against God by their refusal to follow the Lord and obey His Law and commandments, and instead, giving in to the temptations of worldly desires, pleasures and ambitions, something that we have been reminded to be careful of and to be vigilant against.

And as Christians, all of us are called to shine with the light of God’s truth and love, and our lives should be sources of inspiration and hope for many others, in how we live our lives centred on Him and His Law and commandments, and how our actions, words and deeds truly proclaim the glory and greatness of God, and full of the same love which God has lavished on us and which we now are expected to embody and show in our own daily living as well. We have the saints and the martyrs throughout the history of the Church to look upon for examples, and today in particular, I want all of us to look upon the great examples shown by St. Paul Miki and his Companions, the Twenty-Six Holy Martyrs of Japan, who were martyred a few centuries ago in terrible persecution, and whose faith and courage inspired many ever since.

St. Paul Miki and his Companions in martyrdom lived through during difficult time to be Christians in Japan. After having enjoyed a great period of flourishing and rapid expansion, which saw hundreds of thousands being converted and brought up in the Christian faith in Japan, during the last years of the Warring Periods, the authorities then under the leadership of Toyotomi Hideyoshi began to become suspicious and hostile against Christians, and began a period of increasingly intense persecution against the followers of the Lord. Due to the misunderstandings and political rivalries at that time, and fear of the foreign influences, Christian missionaries and laymen alike were persecuted, and twenty-six of them, including St. Paul Miki, a Jesuit seminarian studying to become a priest, were arrested and condemned to death.

They were ordered to march from the Imperial Capital of Kyoto towards the city of Nagasaki in western part of Japan, where the biggest Christian population and community was, a distance of almost a thousand kilometres on foot, while being tortured and humiliated along the way. Yet, St. Paul Miki and his Companions remained firm in their faith and stayed courageous and true to their commitment to God, and it was told that they sang the ‘Te Deum’ hymn all throughout the entire journey to their martyrdom. In Nagasaki, atop the hill where a shrine now stands in their honour, the Twenty-Six Holy Martyrs were crucified and impaled with lances, and were martyred for their continued dedication to God, glorifying God by their faith and life. They inspired many other Christians who remained firm in their Christian calling and devotion.

Brothers and sisters in Christ, having heard of the great faith and conviction of the Holy Martyrs of Japan, St. Paul Miki and his Companions, let us all therefore dedicate ourselves to the Lord in the same way as well. Let us all commit ourselves to live our lives most worthily so that we may indeed glorify the Lord by our lives, and that we may carry out whatever vocations and calling that the Lord has called us all to do, and blessed us with the gifts and talents for. May the Lord continue to guide and strengthen us in our journey of faith through life. St. Paul Miki and Companions, Holy Martyrs of Japan, pray for us! Amen.

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Friday, 6 February 2026 : 4th Week of Ordinary Time, Memorial of St. Paul Miki and Companions, Martyrs (Gospel Reading)

Liturgical Colour : Red

Mark 6 : 14-29

At that time, king Herod also heard about Jesus, because His Name had become well-known. Some people said, “John the Baptist has been raised from the dead, and that is why miraculous powers are at work in Him.” Others thought, “He is a prophet like the prophets of times past.” When Herod was told of this, he thought, “I had John beheaded, yet he has risen from the dead!”

For this is what had happened : Herod had ordered John to be arrested, and had had him bound and put in prison because of Herodias, the wife of his brother Philip. Herod had married her, and John had told him, “It is not right for you to live with your brother’s wife.”

So Herodias held a grudge against John; and wanted to kill him, but she could not, because Herod respected John. He knew John to be an upright and holy man, and kept him safe. And he liked listening to him, although he became very disturbed, whenever he heard him.

Herodias had her chance on Herod’s birthday, when he gave a dinner for all the senior government officials, military chiefs, and the leaders of Galilee. On that occasion the daughter of Herodias came in and danced; and she delighted Herod and his guests. The king said to the girl, “Ask me for anything you want and I will give it to you.”

And he went so far as to say with many oaths, “I will give you anything you ask, even half my kingdom.” She went out and said to her mother, “What shall I ask for?” The mother replied, “The head of John the Baptist.” The girl hurried to the king and made her request, “I want you to give me the head of John the Baptist, here and now, on a dish.”

The king was very displeased, but he would not refuse in front of his guests because of his oaths. So he sent one of his bodyguards with orders to bring John’s head. He went and beheaded John in prison; then he brought the head on a dish and gave it to the girl. And the girl gave it to her mother.

When John’s disciples heard of this, they came and took his body and buried it.

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Friday, 6 February 2026 : 4th Week of Ordinary Time, Memorial of St. Paul Miki and Companions, Martyrs (Psalm)

Liturgical Colour : Red

Psalm 17 : 31, 47 and 50, 51

This God – His way is perfect; the word of YHVH can stand fire. He is a shield for those who seek refuge in Him.

YHVH lives! Praised be my Rock! Exalted be my Saviour God. For this I extol You, o YHVH, among the nations; I will sing praise to Your Name.

He has given victories to His king; He has shown His love to His anointed ones, to David, and to his descendants forever.

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Friday, 6 February 2026 : 4th Week of Ordinary Time, Memorial of St. Paul Miki and Companions, Martyrs (First Reading)

Liturgical Colour : Red

Sirach 47 : 2-13

As fat is selected from the peace offering, so David was chosen from among the Israelites. He played with lions and bears as if they were lambs or young goats. He was still young when he slew a giant, to restore the honour of his people; with a sling he aimed a stone that killed the arrogant Goliath.

He invoked the Lord Most High, who gave him strength to slay a mighty warrior, and so exalt the power of his people. So they glorified him for his ten thousands and praised him as a blessing from the Lord when he was chosen king. For he wiped out his enemies on all sides and annihilated his adversaries, the Philistines, crushing their power forever.

In all that he did, he gave thanks to the Most High, and showed his love for his Maker by singing with all his heart. He placed singers accompanied by harps before the Altar to make beautiful music; he gave splendour to feasts and even greater magnificence to the more solemn occasions, exalting the Holy Name of the Lord and having the Sanctuary ring with His praises from early morning.

The Lord forgave David’s sins and established his power forever; He made a Covenant with him for the benefit of the kings and gave him a glorious throne in Israel. A wise son succeeded him and fared well because of him. Solomon reigned during times of peace, and God gave him rest from war to enable him to build a house for His Name, a Sanctuary that would stand forever.

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Thursday, 5 February 2026 : 4th Week of Ordinary Time, Memorial of St. Agatha, Virgin and Martyr (Homily and Scripture Reflections)

Liturgical Colour : Red

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, today as we listened to the words of the Sacred Scriptures, we are reminded that as Christians, all of us as those whom God had called and chosen to be His own beloved people, we have the calling and mission in the various ways that God had intended for us, so that we may be the ones to bear witness to His truth, His Good News, love and ways in our world today, in our respective families and communities. Each and every one of us are entrusted by the Lord with the unique talents, abilities and opportunities for us to make good use of in our various areas of responsibility so that we may be the ones to show the Lord to many more people and lead them all towards God and His salvation.

In our first reading passage today, we heard of the account from the Book of the Kings of Israel and Judah detailing to us what happened at the time when King David of Israel, the famous King who led Israel to great triumph and victory of its many enemies, and brought Israel to its golden age, finally came to the end of his earthly life after a period of forty years reigning over Judah and the whole of Israel. And as David was going to the Lord and knew that his time was coming, we heard how he advised his son and heir, Solomon, the one whom God had revealed to David himself as the one to succeed him, in how Solomon ought to continue obeying the Lord, worshipping Him alone and leading the people righteously as their King as David himself had once done.

Through what we have heard in the first reading today and the accounts of the previous weekdays of the life and exploits of David as man and servant of God, and then as King of Israel, in all of his virtues and imperfections, we are reminded that we ourselves as God’s holy and beloved people, having been called to follow Him as well as His servants and disciples, each and every one of us should be inspired by the examples of David and his faithfulness to God, in how he has always strived to love God and his fellow men and women, in his conscious examination of his own actions, flaws and mistakes, and how he has always tried his best to be good and worthy of the Lord in all things. We too should therefore do the same in our own lives.

Then, from our Gospel passage today, taken from the Gospel according to St. Mark the Evangelist, we heard of the moment when the Lord Jesus sent out His disciples, two by two, centred upon His Twelve principal disciples, the ones later known as the Apostles, and the many other disciples whom He sent to carry out and extend His missions and works to more people and places. We heard how the Lord instructed them on what they ought to be doing in their mission, putting trust in the Lord instead of in their own resources, power and abilities. The Lord also told them all of the realities of what they may have to face in the midst of their missions, both the potential successes as well as the rejections and hardships that they may have to endure.

This is therefore a reminder to all of us as Christians that we should always strive to follow the Lord in what He has entrusted to each one of us to do in life. It does not mean that we must do exactly as what those disciples had done in the past, but rather we are called to do what the Lord had entrusted to us in our own unique circumstances, in the gifts, talents, abilities and opportunities that He had provided to us. We should do our best in our respective areas and places of responsibility, in whatever vocations that the Lord has called us to do, so that by our every words, actions and deeds, by our every efforts and endeavours, we may truly bear faithful witness to the Lord and glorify His Name at all times.

Today, all of us are called to be like David, the King of Israel, in humbling ourselves before the Lord and asking for His guidance and wisdom at all times, in living our lives virtuously and righteously, in embracing the Lord and His love wholeheartedly at all times. And today, we also have another role model to follow in our own lives as Christians, based on the examples set by one of our holy predecessors, whose feast we celebrate today. St. Agatha of Sicily, a renowned martyr and saint from the time of the Great Persecution of Christians by the Roman Emperors can indeed inspire us to be better Christians in true deeds and actions.

St. Agatha was born into a noble Roman family and she made a vow of holy and perpetual virginity, which she offered to God freely and wholeheartedly. Her great beauty was noted by a pagan Roman prefect named Quintianus, who did all he could to try to persuade and coax her to marry him. But despite his best efforts, his pressure and even threats, all those could not sway St. Agatha from abandoning her vow of virginity and her faith in the Lord. She remained resolute in her conviction and desire to follow the Lord, even when pressures and threats were piled up against her to conform to what the society demanded of her.

As that time coincided with the intense persecution of Christians under the Roman Emperor Decius, which was a particularly brutal period of intense persecution against Christians, the displeased and disappointed prefect reported St. Agatha to the authorities, and as the prefect Quintianus himself presided over the trial, he hoped that the threat of suffering and death would make St. Agatha to give up her stubborn resistance and refusal to abandon her faith in God. Instead, St. Agatha remained even more ardent in her faith and refused to give up, entrusting her fate completely to the Lord, not fearing the harsh persecutions and sufferings that would surely be hers for having stood up for her faith.

She prayed to the Lord saying, “Jesus Christ, Lord of all, you see my heart, You know my desires. Possess all that I am. I am Your sheep: make me worthy to overcome the devil.” And despite the efforts the prefect tried to incarcerate, torture and make her life difficult, St. Agatha would not be swayed and she remained faithful to the very end. She was tortured with all sorts of punishments, and had her breasts cut, surviving a burning at the stake before eventually dying in prison, remaining faithful to the very end. Her great courage and faith, her enduring trust and love for the Lord even in the face of greatest hardships should indeed inspire us all to live our own Christian faith with greater sincerity and courage at all times.

Brothers and sisters in Christ, as we have heard from our Scripture passages today and from the life examples and inspirations from the life of St. Agatha of Sicily, holy woman and devout servant of God, let us all continue to commit ourselves with greater devotion and strength, and do our very best at every circumstances and opportunities so that we may indeed be truly faithful, zealous and worthy disciples of the Lord, in leading many more souls to the salvation in God. May God therefore bless us all and guide us all with His strength and wisdom at all times, that we may truly always be fruitful in our every efforts and endeavours for His greater glory. Amen.

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Thursday, 5 February 2026 : 4th Week of Ordinary Time, Memorial of St. Agatha, Virgin and Martyr (Gospel Reading)

Liturgical Colour : Red

Mark 6 : 7-13

At that time, Jesus called the Twelve to Him, and began to send them out two by two, giving them authority over evil spirits, and He ordered them to take nothing for the journey, except a staff : no food, no bag, no money on their belts. They were to wear sandals and were not to take an extra tunic.

And He added, “In whatever house you are welcomed, stay there until you leave the place. If any place does not receive you, and the people refuse to listen to you, leave after shaking the dust off your feet. It will be a testimony against them.”

So they set out to proclaim that this was the time to repent. They drove out many demons and healed many sick people by anointing them.