Day: March 15, 2015

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Tuesday, 17 March 2015 : 4th Week of Lent, Memorial of St. Patrick, Bishop (Gospel Reading)

Liturgical Colour : Purple/Violet

John 5 : 1-16

At that time, after Jesus healed the son of an official, there was a feast of the Jews, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem. Now, by the Sheep Gate in Jerusalem, there is a pool (called Bethzatha in Hebrew) surrounded by five galleries. In these galleries lay a multitude of sick people : blind, lame and paralysed.

(All were waiting for the water to move, for at times an angel of the Lord would descend into the pool and stir up the water; and the first person to enter the pool, after this movement of the water, would be healed of whatever disease that he had.)

There was a man who had been sick for thirty-eight years. Jesus saw him, and because He knew how long this man had been lying there, He said to him, “Do you want to be healed?” And the sick man answered, “Sir, I have no one to put me into the pool when the water is disturbed; so while I am still on my way, another steps down before me.”

Jesus then said to him, “Stand up, take your mat and walk!” And at once the man was healed, and he took up his mat and walked. Now that day happened to be the Sabbath. So the Jews said to the man who had just been healed, “It is the Sabbath, and the Law does not allow you to carry your mat.”

He answered them, “The One who healed me said to me, ‘Take up your mat and walk!'” They asked him, “Who is the One who said to you : Take up your mat and walk?” But the sick man had no idea who it was who had cured him, for Jesus had slipped away among the crowd that filled the place.

Afterwards Jesus met him in the Temple court and told him, “Now you are well; do not sin again, lest something worse happen to you.” And the man went back and told the Jews that it was Jesus who had healed him. So the Jews persecuted Jesus because He performed healings like that on the Sabbath.

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Tuesday, 17 March 2015 : 4th Week of Lent, Memorial of St. Patrick, Bishop (Psalm)

Liturgical Colour : Purple/Violet

Psalm 45 : 2-3, 5-6, 8-9ab

God is our strength and protection, an ever-present help in affliction. We will not fear, therefore, though the earth be shaken and the mountains plunge into the seas.

There is a river whose streams bring joy to the city of God, the holy place where the Most High dwells. God is within, the city cannot quake, for God’s help is upon it at the break of day.

For with us is the Lord of hosts, the God of Jacob, our Refuge. Come, see the works of the Lord – the marvellous things He has done in the world.

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Tuesday, 17 March 2015 : 4th Week of Lent, Memorial of St. Patrick, Bishop (First Reading)

Liturgical Colour : Purple/Violet

Ezekiel 47 : 1-9, 12

The Man brought me back to the entrance of the Temple and I saw water coming out from the threshold of the Temple and flowing eastwards. The Temple faced the east and the water flowed from the south side of the Temple, from the south side of the altar.

He then brought me out through the north gate and led me around the outside to the outer gate facing the east and there I saw the stream coming from the south side. The Man had a measuring cord in His hand. As He went towards the east He measured off a thousand cubits and led me across the water which was up to my ankles.

He measured off another thousand cubits and made me cross the water which came to my knees. He measured off another thousand cubits and we crossed the water which was up to my waist. When He had again measured a thousand cubits, I could not cross the torrent for it had swollen to a depth which was impossible to cross without swimming.

The Man then said to me, “Son of man, did you see?” He led me on further and then brought me back to the bank of the river. There I saw a number of trees on both sides of the river. He said to me, “This water goes to the east, down to the Arabah, and when it flows into the sea of foul-smelling water, the water will become wholesome.”

“Wherever the river flows, swarms of creatures will live in it; fish will be plentiful and the sea water will become fresh. Wherever it flows, life will abound. Near the river on both banks there will be all kinds of fruit trees with foliage that will not wither and fruit that will never fail; each month they will bear a fresh crop because the water comes from the Temple. The fruit will be good to eat and the leaves will be used for healing.”

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Monday, 16 March 2015 : 4th Week of Lent (Homily and Scripture Reflections)

Liturgical Colour : Purple/Violet

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, today we are reminded by the readings of the Holy Scriptures, that if we put our trust and complete faith in the Lord, we truly have nothing to fear or be worried about in our lives. And indeed, Jesus pointed out today that many of us have to learn to be faithful and to put our trust in the Lord, instead of worrying about many things or being assailed with doubt.

The first reading today, taken from the book of the prophet Isaiah spoke about how God will bring about the creation of the new world, a new heaven and earth, one that is untainted by the filth of sin and wickedness. This is the promise and the hope which God has given us, and which will be our wonderful inheritance if only that we put our trust in Him, and put our complete faith in what He had planned for us.

The psalm today also spoke of the protection and the care which God will give all of those who have faith in Him, and who have not abandoned Him when they are in difficulty, instead praying and asking for His help. God is always faithful, and He will show His help in various ways, but all of them are meant to bring us help and bring us to relief and new hope.

In the Gospel today, we heard about the story of the official who asked Jesus to heal his son who was very ill and at the verge of death. Why Jesus said to the official in the way as He had said it is exactly because of the lack of faith in many of the people of God, that is the lack of true and genuine faith. They followed Jesus, the many multitudes of people, was because they were confused and they did not know what they are doing, other than being awed by the seemingly impossible things which He had done, by opening the eyes of the blind, making the deaf hear and the mute to speak, and even to raise people again from the dead.

This awe would not last beyond the extent of how much they were impressed by such deeds. As was to be proven by the events celebrated during the Holy Week itself. I am sure many of us are astonished and amazed at how fast the people’s opinion and support can change, when they cheered and adored Jesus as King, when He entered in glory to Jerusalem on Palm Sunday, and yet, the same people cried out for His death and crucifixion, and abandoned Him on Good Friday.

It is because they have no solid foundation in their faith. They did not completely trust the Lord their God, and they followed Him merely to satisfy their curiosity, to feel the thrill of seeing such wondrous things, not much different from how we are so thrilled to see a wonderful performance in theatres. But this kind of faith and following is not genuine. It is a selfish faith, because it is all truly about satisfying our wants and our desires, and not a real love which we should indeed show the Lord.

It is very clear that all of us also have the danger of having this to happen to us. Often times we have faith in God and believe in Him when things are good with us, but the moment we have difficulties and challenges facing us, and when we perceive that the Lord is not helping us, we begin to blame God and we are quick to abandon Him. Then this is indeed not true faith, but selfish desire for benefits. We truly only want to be served and to receive help from God but not return it equally with love and true devotion.

Therefore, in this season of Lent, it is a great time for us to reflect on our own lives and actions. Have we been truly faithful and devoted to God, that is to love Him without any attached conditions and want? If we are able to do this, then I can assure you that grace and blessings will never be far from us. The promised new world, the new heaven and earth will be part of our inheritance.

On the other hand, if we continue to be selfish and driven by our desires and greed, then eventually they will bring us inevitably towards destruction. The only ones who will suffer shall be ourselves. We are all reminded to be sincerely changing our ways in this time of forgiveness and grace. Let us pray to God, that He will forgive us our selfishness, our trespasses, and guide us to the right path. God bless us all. Amen.