Day: May 18, 2015

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Wednesday, 20 May 2015 : 7th Week of Easter, Memorial of St. Bernardine of Siena, Priest (Gospel Reading)

Liturgical Colour : White

John 17 : 11b-19

At that time, Jesus prayed to God His Father, “Holy Father, keep those You have given Me in Your Name, so that they may be one, as We also are. When I was with them, I kept them safe in Your Name; and not one was lost, except the one who was already lost, and in this the Scripture was fulfilled.”

“And now I come to You; in the world I speak these things, so that those whom You gave Me, might have joy – all My joy within themselves. I have given them Your word; and the world has hated them, because they are not of the world, just as I am not of the world. I do not ask You to remove them from the world, but to keep them from the evil one.”

“They are not of the world, just as I am not of the world. Consecrate them in the truth. Your word is truth. I have sent them into the world as You sent Me into the world; and for their sake, I go to the sacrifice by which I am consecrated, so that they too may be consecrated in truth.”

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Wednesday, 20 May 2015 : 7th Week of Easter, Memorial of St. Bernardine of Siena, Priest (Psalm)

Liturgical Colour : White

Psalm 67 : 29-30, 33-35a, 35bc and 36c

Summon Your power, o God, with the strength You have wielded for us. To Your Temple in Jerusalem, kings will come with gifts.

Sing to God, o kingdoms of the world; sing praises to the Lord, to Him who rides the ancient heavens and speaks in the voice of thunder. Proclaim the might of God.

He is great in Israel, powerful in heavens. Blessed be God! 

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Wednesday, 20 May 2015 : 7th Week of Easter, Memorial of St. Bernardine of Siena, Priest (First Reading)

Liturgical Colour : White

Acts 20 : 28-38

Paul said to the elders of Ephesus, “Keep watch over yourselves and over the whole flock the Holy Spirit has placed into your care. Shepherd the Church of the Lord that He has won at the price of His own Blood. I know that after I leave, ruthless wolves will come among you and not spare the flock.”

“And from among you, some will arise corrupting the truth and inducing the disciples to follow them. Be on the watch, therefore, remembering that for three years, night and day, I did not cease to warn everyone even with tears. Now I commend you to God and to His grace-filled word, which is able to make you grow and gain the inheritance that you shall share with all the saints.”

“I have not looked for anyone’s silver, gold or clothing. You yourselves know that these hands of mine have provided for both my needs and the needs of those who were with me. In every way I have shown you that by working hard one must help the weak, remembering the words that the Lord Jesus Himself said, ‘Happiness lies more in giving than in receiving.'”

After this discourse, Paul knelt down with them and prayed. Then they all began to weep and threw their arms around him and kissed him. They were deeply distressed because he had said that they would never see him again. And they went with him even to the ship.

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Tuesday, 19 May 2015 : 7th Week of Easter (Homily and Scripture Reflections)

Liturgical Colour : White

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, today we heard the farewell address by St. Paul to the elders and the faithful of the Church in the city of Ephesus. In that address, St. Paul thanked the people for their continued devotion and faith to God, and he reassured them that, although he foretold that he would no longer see them anymore, for he was going to his martyrdom in the defence of his faith.

And in the Gospel today, similarly, we heard about Jesus who was about to embark on His Passion, the very reason why He came into the world. He prayed for all of His disciples, that God His Father will continue to bless them and take good care of them as He had always done to them. He was going to meet the sufferings which were intended for us, and took them up upon Himself, to suffer and die on the cross that we may be saved.

In all these readings, the narrations and what had happened, we knew and we heard how God does not abandon all those whom He loves dearly. As long as we remain faithful to Him and cling unto Him with utmost dedication and faith, then we have nothing to be worried about, for God will continue to care for us in His own way. The saints and martyrs all went to their martyrdom and death with joy and courage, not with fear and uncertainty, because they know that God is with them.

And that was the same attitude that St. Paul showed his fellow brethren in faith in Ephesus. He was not fearful and he showed the courage he had, facing death with certainty, knowing that doing so brings about the glory of God, and it was preordained that he should die in the way so as to bring about the salvation of even more souls and the salvation of the world.

Remember that Jesus said to His disciples how those who were worried about their lives in this world will lose it, because they were likely too self-centred and egoistic to think about anything else other than themselves. And those who do not mind to lose their lives for the sake of the Lord, will gain the everlasting life and the glory of heaven. This is what the Lord had promised all those who do His will and are faithful to His cause.

And it was by their dedication and fearless preaching of the Good News, their testimony and defence of the faith by action and true devotion that they have caused so many people to be converted to the true faith, including even those who have persecuted them. The blood of martyrs indeed became the seeds of Christians. Many people had come to believe and endure the same persecution because they have seen the martyrs and their faith in God, and how true was the truth which the martyrs taught them.

Brethren in Christ, it does not mean that we have to purposefully seek martyrdom in the Name of the Lord. Rather, it means that in all things, we should learn on how to trust in the Lord in all things. Too many times in our lives that we worry about ourselves, about our lives, and about what we are to do, or what we are to gain every single days of our life. But such things do not bring us to true peace and closure in life.

Let us all learn to put our faith and trust in God, for He is ever faithful and He will give us all that we ever need. Let us grow less in our ego and in our pride, and instead grow sharper and deeper in our humility and readiness to accept the Lord in our lives, surrendering all things to Him, and trusting Him in all the things we do in life. May God guide us on this path, so that we may remain ever faithful to Him. Amen.