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Tuesday, 12 May 2026 : 6th Week of Easter, Memorial of St. Nereus and St. Achilleus, Martyrs, and St. Pancras, Martyr (Homily and Scripture Reflections)

Liturgical Colour : White or Red (Martyrs)

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, today as we listened to the words of the Lord contained within the Sacred Scriptures in which we have received today, all of us are encouraged and strengthened by the words and the stories of how the Lord had guided, protected and provided for His people in their hour of need. We are constantly being reminded again and again, that the Lord is always with us, by our side, guiding and helping us to go through the journey of our lives, as we follow Him faithfully and as we walk in His presence, carrying out His will and doing our part as Christians, that is as those whom God had called and chosen, and all of us who have accepted Him as our Lord, Saviour and King. Each and every one of us are truly fortunate because all the great love that God has always shown us.

In our first reading today, taken from the Acts of the Apostles, we heard of how St. Paul and St. Silas, one of his partners in missionary works across the Mediterranean region, faced great trouble in Philippi in the then Roman Greece, as they were despised by the slave owners of the region, who found their messages of Christian hope and emancipation, of the coming of the Lord’s help and assistance, and the equality between all mankind a truly dangerous one, as that had turned more and more of their own slaves into the Christian faith, and not few among those slave owners must have thought that there was a chance that the slaves might even turn against their own masters or disobey them because of the teachings of the Christian missionaries.

Hence, we heard how the two of them were put in prison after they were flogged and made to suffer, and they suffered, although not for long, because the Lord was always with all of His disciples, and He would aid and help them in their time and hour of need, according to His will. It was not the time for St. Paul or St. Silas yet to suffer prison for a long time or martyrdom back then, and hence, as we heard, an earthquake happened, which broke open their prison and made many others to be free as well. The jailor was so afraid of the repercussions of what had happened, that he almost took his own life if not for the intervention from the two disciples, who convinced him not to do so. And not just that, the jailor and his whole family was even convinced and became members of the Church, gotten baptised because of this event.

In a sense, what we have heard in the occasion of the earthquake was truly very symbolic indeed. As it did not just physically broke the chains holding the disciples, but also that of the many other people that were imprisoned with them. And with regards to the jailor himself and his whole family, this represented the breaking of the chains of sin and evil that had held them up, dominated them and kept them from the salvation in God. The Lord was not just protecting His faithful ones, but He even used the opportunity to open up the doors to more people who came to believe in Him because of the misfortune that had faced His disciples, and what was a hard time for the disciples of the Lord, became even yet another opportunity for the salvation of more souls. That is just how wonderful God worked in the manner that often brings surprise to us, that He could turn even great misfortunes into great and wonderful things in the end.

In our Gospel passage today, we heard the Lord Jesus speaking to His disciples, in which He reassured them that the Helper, the Holy Spirit, would come upon them, and would guide all of them. He told them beforehand that although they would not see Him anymore eventually, as He would go and ascend, returning to His heavenly Throne after He died and then risen from the dead, but He would always be with them, guiding and protecting them all, through the Holy Spirit that would encourage, strengthen and help them on their path to righteousness and to fulfil His will and commands, in doing whatever that He had told and guided them all to do. The Lord wants us all to know this as well, so that each and every one of us may come to know that He has given us so much to help and lead us down the path that He has called us to walk in.

Now, brothers and sisters in Christ, how do we then walk in the path of the Lord? We have to come and spend the time to listen to the words of the Lord speaking in our hearts and minds, and open ourselves to the guidance of the Holy Spirit present within us all. That also means each one of us should trust the Lord ever more in our lives, following Him wholeheartedly each day and at every moments. All of us are reminded that in the Lord alone we will have true hope and consolation, and as we recall how He had guided many of His servants throughout the history of the Church, all of us are therefore called to renew and deepen our faith in Him. Can we do this, brothers and sisters in Christ? Many of us have become apathetic and lukewarm in faith, and we are reminded that we should rekindle the strong and genuine love that we should have in the Lord.

This day, having heard all these from the word of God and more, let us all hence turn towards the Lord, our most loving God with renewed conviction and faith. Let us all embrace the Lord with renewed dedication and commitment to Him, and let us strive to seek Him and to walk down the path that He has shown us, embracing the love and compassion that He has always given us all these while. Let us be strengthened with hope and be encouraged by the examples of the Holy Apostles and disciples of the Lord. Let us not easily be disheartened especially if we faced hardships and persecutions by the world, oppressions and challenges from those who disagree with us and refuse to believe in the Lord like us. Instead, let us all make use of every opportunities to allow the Lord to lead and guide us ever more, as we continue walking down the path that He has led us all into.

Today, all of us also can look upon the good examples and inspirations from three among our faithful predecessors, the saints and martyrs, namely, St. Nereus and St. Achilleus, and also St. Pancras. Each and every one of them had lived their lives most courageously with faith, and had endured the hardships and trials, the challenges and obstacles they had to go through amidst their journey of faith. All of them had devoted themselves to the Lord to the very end, as they faced death and martyrdom with courage and joy. To start with, St. Nereus and St. Achilleus were according to some traditions, eunuchs and chamberlains of the niece of the Roman Emperor Domitian, named Flavilla Domitilla, and they lived through the time of a great persecution of the Church and Christians, as the Emperor Domitian was historically known for his intense persecution of Christians, and attempts to eradicate the Church. According to tradition, they faced martyrdom with courage and faith, and did not give up their faith despite the trials that faced them.

Meanwhile, St. Pancras was a young Roman citizen who was also known as St. Pancratius, who lived through another period of great persecution of the Church and the faithful people of God, by the Roman Emperor Diocletian and the Roman state, which was known for the last great official persecution of Christianity, during which many of the faithful were arrested, suffered greatly and many were martyred for their faith in God. St. Pancras himself was a young man who converted to the Christian faith, and was brought before the authorities for being a Christian. He was forced to offer sacrifices to the pagan gods, but refused with firmness and zeal, and his determination to resist moved even the Emperor himself who tried to sway the young St. Pancras with wealth and power without avail. St. Pancras therefore faced martyrdom, in defending his faith in God to the very end.

Brothers and sisters in Christ, let us all therefore be inspired by the examples of the holy saints, St. Nereus and St. Achilleus, and St. Pancras, in how they have lived their lives with faith and how they have dedicated themselves to the Lord. Let us all be truly faithful towards the Lord and place Him right at the centre of our lives and existence, and strive to do our best to glorify Him by our lives and by our every good works, allowing the Lord to lead and guide us in our journey just as He has guided the Apostles and the saints before us. May the Lord be with us all and may He continue to guide and strengthen us all in our journey of faith, now and always, forevermore. Amen.

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Tuesday, 12 May 2026 : 6th Week of Easter, Memorial of St. Nereus and St. Achilleus, Martyrs, and St. Pancras, Martyr (Gospel Reading)

Liturgical Colour : White or Red (Martyrs)

John 16 : 5-11

At that time, Jesus said to His disciples, “But now I am going to the One Who sent Me, and none of you asks Me where I am going; instead you are overcome with grief, because of what I have said.”

“Believe Me, it is better for you that I go away, because as long as I do not leave, the Helper will not come to you. But if I go away, it is to send Him to you, and when He comes, He will vindicate the truth before a sinful world; and He will vindicate the paths of righteousness and justice.”

“What is the world’s sin, in regard to Me? Disbelief. What is the path of righteousness? It is the path I walk, by which I go to the Father; and you shall see Me no more. What is the path of justice? It is the path on which the prince of this world will always stand condemned.”

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Tuesday, 12 May 2026 : 6th Week of Easter, Memorial of St. Nereus and St. Achilleus, Martyrs, and St. Pancras, Martyr (Psalm)

Liturgical Colour : White or Red (Martyrs)

Psalm 137 : 1-2a, 2b-3, 7c-8

I thank You, o Lord with all my heart, for You have heard the word of my lips. I sing Your praise in the presence of the gods. I bow down towards Your holy Temple and give thanks to Your Name.

For Your love and faithfulness, for Your word which exceeds everything. You answered me when I called; You restored my soul and made me strong.

You save me from the wrath of my foes, with Your right hand You deliver me. How the Lord cares for me! Your kindness, o Lord, endures forever. Forsake not the work of Your hands.

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Tuesday, 12 May 2026 : 6th Week of Easter, Memorial of St. Nereus and St. Achilleus, Martyrs, and St. Pancras, Martyr (First Reading)

Liturgical Colour : White or Red (Martyrs)

Acts 16 : 22-34

So the slave owners of Philippi set the crowd against Paul and Silas and the officials tore the clothes of them and ordered them to be flogged. And after inflicting many blows on them, they threw them into prison, charging the jailer to guard them safely. Upon receiving these instructions, he threw them into the inner cell and fastened their feet in the stocks.

About midnight, Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the other prisoners were listening. Suddenly a severe earthquake shook the place, rocking the prison to its foundations. Immediately all the doors flew open and the chains of all the prisoners fell off.

The jailer woke up to see the prison gates wide open. Thinking that the prisoners had escaped, he drew his sword to kill himself, but Paul shouted to him, “Do not harm yourself! We are all still here.” The jailer asked for a light, then rushed in, and fell at the feet of Paul and Silas. After he had secured the other prisoners, he led them out and asked, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?”

They answered, “Believe in the Lord Jesus Christ and you and your household will be saved.” Then they spoke the word of God to him and to all his household. Even at that hour of the night, the jailer took care of them and washed their wounds; and he and his whole household were baptised at once. He led them to his house, spread a meal before them and joyfully celebrated with his whole household his newfound faith in God.

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Monday, 11 May 2026 : 6th Week of Easter (Homily and Scripture Reflections)

Liturgical Colour : White

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, today as we listened to the Lord speaking to us through the Sacred Scriptures, all of us are called and reminded to follow the Lord wholeheartedly and dedicate ourselves to His works and ministry, and all that He has entrusted to all of us to do in our lives. Each and every one of us have been called to be good and faithful Christians in all things, to be role models and exemplary in our lives and actions so that we may be beacons of God’s light, truth and love in our various communities, proclaiming His Good News and truth to all the people all around us. That is what we have been called to do as Christians, and we will do well to heed this calling and to do what the Lord has commanded us to do, and to live our lives to the best of our abilities, in walking down the path that God has shown us. And He will provide the Helper, the Holy Spirit that will guide us in all things. 

In our first reading today, all of us heard from the Acts of the Apostles regarding the continuing works of the Apostles, as St. Paul continued on with his mission, travelling from place to place, proclaiming the Good News of God and ministering to the faithful in all those places. Many were turned towards the Christian faith and truth, and not few like what we heard today, in the example of the God-fearing lady named Lydia from Thyatira, who became a believer, and as we heard, her whole entire household were baptised in the Lord. More and more believers came to follow the path of the Lord, and more gave themselves to be baptised, growing the early Church from a very small community in the very beginning into a rapidly burgeoning assembly of the faithful, spreading from cities and towns, from place to place.

Despite the hardships, challenges and the many trials that the Apostles like St. Paul and the many other missionaries had to face throughout their mission, this certainly did not dampen their passion and efforts to proclaim the Good News of the Lord, as they continued to labour hard amidst the people of God, doing what they could to spread the truth of Christ, our Lord and Saviour, to more and more people. They patiently reached out to people of various origins and thoughts, convincing even some among those who were reluctant and even hostile at first, to become believers in the Lord and in His salvation. Thanks to the hard work of the Apostles and the saints, they have gained for the Lord innumerable new converts and more and more people who become parts of His Church, coming down the path towards salvation and eternal life.

They were all empowered and strengthened by the Holy Spirit just as the Lord Himself has promised and reassured them all in our Gospel passage today. The Lord has promised His disciples that He would send them all His Helper, or the Advocate, that is the Holy Spirit of God, Who would strengthen and invigorate them, give them the wisdom and the courage to carry out their missions and works, so that they might persevere and endure well despite the many challenges facing them, and the many obstacles and hardships that they had to go through amidst the duration of their ministry and hard work. The Holy Spirit guided the Apostles and the other missionaries and all the people of God ever since the Holy Spirit descended upon them at the time of the Pentecost. And from them, eventually the Holy Spirit has also passed down to us as well.

Now, brothers and sisters in Christ, all of us have received the Holy Spirit as well and we have also been entrusted with the same gifts, talents and blessings, and given the same missions that the Lord has given to His disciples and servants then. What the Lord had asked His followers to do then, are still relevant to what we are supposed to do in our world today, as all of us are also called and reminded to proclaim the Good News of God, His truth and love in our own communities, as we embark upon our own missions and works as part of the Universal Church of God. There are also still a lot of people out there who have not yet known the Lord, and have not realised all the good things that He has done for us. The Lord has taught us all everything so that hopefully we can be the bearers of His truth and teachings, His ways and all to the others.

Not only that, but in fact, all of us are also called to rejuvenate and strengthen the faith of all those who are around us, those within the Church and our fellow Christian brothers and sisters, who have lapsed from their faith, who have forgotten their important obligations, duties and responsibilities in living up to their Christian calling and life, just as the Lord had told us all to do. There are many among us Christians who have not even gone to church or participate in the celebrations of the Eucharist and the other Sacraments for quite some time. And there are also many among us who have only gone through the motions in the way how we carry out our Christian living, in our actions and works. Many among us have become lukewarm in our faith, lacking true and genuine commitment to the Lord in our every deeds and works in life.

Brothers and sisters in Christ, let us all therefore today discern carefully our path in life, so that we may truly discern a path forward that leads us down the right path towards God and His salvation. If we have often been distracted by the many temptations and other matters in life, in all the worldly things and attachments we have, then we should take this opportunity to reevaluate our lives and how we have lived them so that we may truly be ever more faithful to the Lord, and have the right focus in life. All of us should reorientate our lives and our way of living them so that the Lord our God will always be at the very centre and as the very focus of our whole lives and existences. Let us all discern this carefully so that we may help to lead and inspire many others around us to live their own lives worthily in the path that God has shown us.

May the Risen Lord, Jesus Christ, our Saviour, King and Good Shepherd be with us always and be with His Church, that each and every one of us may ever be empowered, encouraged and strengthened to live our lives worthily as Christians, to be worthy beacons of God’s light, truth and love at all times. May God bless us all, in all of our works and efforts, for the greater glory of His Name. And by the power of the Holy Spirit, let us all inflame this world with God’s love, through our loving actions and contributions, in each and every moments of our lives. Amen.

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Monday, 11 May 2026 : 6th Week of Easter (Gospel Reading)

Liturgical Colour : White

John 15 : 26 – John 16 : 4a

At that time, Jesus said to His disciples, “From now on the Helper, the Holy Spirit Whom the Father will send in My Name, will teach you all things, and remind you of all that I have told you.”

“Peace be with you! I give you My peace; not as the world gives peace do I give it to you. Do not be troubled; do not be afraid. You heard Me say, ‘I am going away, but I am coming to you.’ If you loved Me, you would be glad that I go to the Father, for the Father is greater than I.”

“I have told you this now before it takes place, so that when it does happen you may believe. It is very little what I may still tell you, for the prince of this world is at hand, although there is nothing in Me that he can claim. But see, the world must know that I love the Father, and that I do what the Father has taught Me to do. Come now, let us go.”

“I am the True Vine and My Father is the Vinegrower. If any of My branches does not bear fruit, He breaks it off; and He prunes every branch that does bear fruit, that it may bear even more fruit. You are already made clean by the word I have spoken to you. Live in Me as I live in you.”

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Monday, 11 May 2026 : 6th Week of Easter (Psalm)

Liturgical Colour : White

Psalm 149 : 1-2, 3-4, 5-6a and 9b

Alleluia! Sing to the Lord a new song, sing His praise in the assembly of His saints! Let Israel rejoice in his Maker, let the people of Zion glory in their King!

Let them dance to praise of His Name and make music for Him with harp and timbrel. For the Lord delights in His people; He crowns the lowly with victory.

The saints will exult in triumph; even at night on their couches. Let the praise of God be on their lips; this is the glory of all His saints. Alleluia!

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Monday, 11 May 2026 : 6th Week of Easter (First Reading)

Liturgical Colour : White

Acts 16 : 11-15

So we put out to sea from Troas and sailed straight across to Samothrace Island, and the next day to Neapolis. From there we went inland to Philippi, the leading city of the district of Macedonia, and a Roman colony. We spent some days in that city.

On the sabbath we went outside the city gate to the bank of the river where we thought the Jews would gather to pray. We sat down and began speaking to the women who were gathering there. One of them was a God-fearing woman named Lydia from Thyatira City, a dealer in purple cloth.

As she listened, the Lord opened her heart to respond to what Paul was saying. After she had been baptised together with her household, she invited us to her house, “If you think I am faithful to the Lord, come and stay at my house.” And she persuaded us to accept her invitation.

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Sunday, 10 May 2026 : Sixth Sunday of Easter (Homily and Scripture Reflections)

Liturgical Colour : White

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, this Sunday all of us are called and reminded to live our lives worthily of the Lord as Christians, whom God had called and chosen from this world. Through our shared Christian baptism, all of us have become parts and members of the Church of God, the one Body of Christ where all those who profess to be faithful in Christ are part of this Communion of unity, united as one people, living a new and blessed life with the grace of God as a community. All of us have been reminded of the life of the early Christian communities so that we may be inspired to pursue the same life filled with holiness and devotion to God, and that we may no longer be obsessed with all sorts of worldly temptations and evils, desires and attachments. We are reminded that we should always show God’s love in all things, in all that we say and do.

In our first reading today, we heard from the Acts of the Apostles, the account of how the Apostles worked to proclaim the Good News and the words of the Lord, His salvation and grace to all the people in various places. St. Philip the Apostle went to the region of Samaria, proclaiming the word of God likely to the Samaritans who lived in that area, who had earlier on responded favourably to the Lord and his teachings and truth. There were many great signs and wonders that happened, as the Apostle carried out his ministry, performing miracles and wonders, and many among the people listened attentively to the words of truth as proclaimed by St. Philip. And then we heard how St. Peter and St. John came to the Samaritans, who had been baptised, and sent the Holy Spirit to come down upon them as well.

Historically, there had been a rather tense and hostile relationship between the Jews and the Samaritans due to conflicting claims on the heritage of the people of Israel, and for their differing viewpoints with regards to faith practices and customs, with each side often blaming the other side for having become wayward in their way of living their faith, and each one of them claimed that their way was the right one while the other one was wrong and heretical. The Jewish people, particularly the Pharisees back then took great pride on their status as God’s people, inheriting the claim of the Israelites as God’s first called and chosen people. However, the problem was that this ended up with them being condescending, elitist and uncharitable in their attitudes and interactions with others, as exemplified by how the Pharisees considered that all those who did not follow their ways and beliefs would be doomed and damned.

This is in tandem with what we have heard from the readings we have listened to in the past few weekdays, which focused on the divisions and disagreements within the early Church where those who belonged to the group of the hardline Pharisees and the teachers of the Law were against those who sought to help and make it easier for the non-Jewish people or the Gentiles to become a member of the Church. The former demanded that all of the faithful people of God must embrace and obey the full entire range of extensive rules, laws, precepts, practices and customs of the Jewish Law, which the Jewish people themselves had found it hard to be followed and obeyed, which would have pushed many of the non-Jewish people away from the Church and the Christian faith, should they have succeeded in having their way done.

Instead, the Lord guided His Church through the hands of the Apostles and by the guidance of the Holy Spirit, in moderating the extreme demands of those who had their preconceived ideals and thoughts that were incompatible with what the Lord had taught us all. He has shown them what His disciples and followers should all do, and how His Church should be like. The Church is One and Universal, as contained within its character as the One, Holy, Catholic and Apostolic Church. Therefore, as one community of the faithful people of God, all called to a holy life and existence, just as our Lord and God is Holy, there cannot be prejudices, bias and all other things that bring about division and disunity within the community of the faithful, and that is why the Church is Catholic, which means Universal in nature. There is no favouritism or preference for a certain custom or practice within the Church, as everyone is truly equal before the Lord.

Then, we must also remember that the Church is also Apostolic in nature, which is reflected in the works and mission of the Apostles and the other missionaries of the faith. The word ‘Apostle’ itself came from the Ancient Greek word ‘Apostolos’ which means the ‘one who is sent off’, highlighting that the Church is also missionary in nature, all of us are sent out to proclaim the truth and Good News to more and more people out there who have not yet known  about the Lord yet. The actions of the Apostles St. Philip, St. Peter and St. John who went to the Samaritans to work amongst them, proclaiming the Good News and giving them the gift of the Holy Spirit were just some of the examples of how our Church is truly Apostolic or missionary in nature. The Church always extends it hands to reach out to more and more of the people, not enclosing ourselves within a bubble of self-righteousness and intolerance of differences.

Brothers and sisters in Christ, hopefully all these serve to remind us all of our important calling and mission as Christians, for each and every one of us to do our part in living our lives faithfully and worthily as Christians at all times. Unless we carry out what the Lord had told us to do, and practice our faith with genuine and sincere desire to love Him and to walk in His path, doing what is right and just according to His Law and commandments, how can we convince others to believe in God as well? If our own actions contradict our faith and beliefs, then are we not just like hypocrites and unbelievers? If our actions, works and deeds, our words and interactions contradict what we believe in, then we may even end up driving others further from the faith, and causing divisions within the Church like how some of our predecessors had done.

Therefore, let us all discern carefully our path as we reflect upon the words of the Scriptures this Sunday, so that we may be inspired to live our lives more worthily and be able to commit ourselves more to the path that the Lord has shown us. Let us all continue to do our best, to live our lives to the best we can, so that our every actions, our every words and deeds, our interactions may be the best means through which we may introduce the Lord, His truth and Good News to all the people all around us. Let our lives be the shining beacons of God’s light, truth and love in our world today, and may the Holy Apostles, the saints and all the holy people of God continue to intercede for us, and may the Lord continue to guide us all and His Church, and bless our good works and labours for His greater glory, now and always. Amen.

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Sunday, 10 May 2026 : Sixth Sunday of Easter (Gospel Reading)

Liturgical Colour : White

John 14 : 15-21

Jesus said to His disciples, “If you love Me, you will keep My commandments; and I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Helper to be with you forever, that Spirit of truth Whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees Him nor knows Him. But you know Him, for He is with you and will be in you.”

“I will not leave you orphans, I am coming to you. A little while and the world will see Me no more, but you will see Me, because I live and you will also live. On that day you will know that I am in My Father, and you in Me, and I in you. Whoever keeps My commandments is the one who loves Me. If he loves Me, he will also be loved by My Father; I too shall love him and show Myself clearly to him.”