Day: January 10, 2016

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Tuesday, 12 January 2016 : 1st Week of Ordinary Time (Gospel Reading)

Liturgical Colour : Green

Mark 1 : 21b-28

At that time, Jesus taught in the synagogue on the Sabbath day. The people were astonished at the way He taught, for He spoke as one having authority and not like the teachers of the Law.

It happened that a man with an evil spirit was in their synagogue, and he shouted, “What do You want with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have You come to destroy us? I know Who You are : You are the Holy One of God.”

Then Jesus faced him and said with authority, “Be silent, and come out of this man!” The evil spirit shook the man violently and, with a loud shriek, came out of him. All the people were astonished, and they wondered, “What is this? With what authority He preaches! He even gives orders to evil spirits and they obey Him!”

And Jesus’ fame spread throughout all the country of Galilee.

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Tuesday, 12 January 2016 : 1st Week of Ordinary Time (Psalm)

Liturgical Colour : Green

1 Samuel 2 : 1, 4-5, 6-7, 8abcd

My heart exults in YHVH, I feel strong in my God. I rejoice and laugh at my enemies for You came with power to save me.

The bow of the mighty is broken but the weak are girded with strength. The well-fed must labour for bread but the hungry need work no more. The childless wife has borne seven children, but the proud mother is left alone.

YHVH is the Lord of life and death, He brings down to the grave and raises up. YHVH makes poor and makes rich, He brings low and He exalts.

He lifts up the lowly from the dust, and raises the poor from the ash heap; they will be called to the company of princes, and inherit a seat of honour.

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Tuesday, 12 January 2016 : 1st Week of Ordinary Time (First Reading)

Liturgical Colour : Green

1 Samuel 1 : 9-20

After they had eaten and drunk in Shiloh, Hannah stood up not far from Eli, the priest : his seat was beside the doorpost of YHVH’s House. Deeply distressed she wept and prayed to YHVH and made this vow, “O YHVH of hosts, if only You will have compassion on Your maidservant and give me a son, I will put him in Your service for as long as he lives and no razor shall touch his head.”

As she prayed before YHVH, Eli observed the movement of her lips. Hannah was praying silently; she moved her lips but uttered no sound and Eli thought Hannah was drunk. He, therefore, said to her : “For how long will you be drunk? Let your drunkenness pass.”

But Hannah answered : “No, my lord, I am a woman in great distress, not drunk. I have not drunk wine or strong drink, but I am pouring out my soul before YHVH. Do not take me for a bad woman. I was so afflicted that my prayer flowed continuously.”

Then Eli said, “Go in peace and may the God of Israel grant you what you asked for.” Hannah answered, “Let Your maidservant deserve Your kindness.” Then she left the Temple and when she was at table, she seemed a different woman.

Elkanah rose early in the morning and worshipped before YHVH with his wives. Then they went back home to Ramah. When Elkanah slept with his wife, Hannah, YHVH took compassion on her, and she became pregnant. She gave birth to a son and called him Samuel because she said : “I have asked YHVH to give him to me.”

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Monday, 11 January 2016 : 1st Week of Ordinary Time (Homily and Scripture Reflections)

Liturgical Colour : Green

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, on this day we begin our season in the Ordinary Time, after we left the season of Christmas that officially ended yesterday with the Feast of the Baptism of the Lord. Today’s Scripture readings made it very clear to us that God called us mankind to be His followers and to walk along His path.

In the first reading, we heard about the prophet Samuel, who was born to a couple who were once unable to have a child, as the mother of Samuel, Hannah, was barren. She prayed to the Lord and promised that if her prayers for a child were fulfilled, then she would offer her firstborn to be a servant of the Lord in all things. And thus, Samuel was born and given to the Lord to be His servant.

God listened to her prayers and fulfilled her wish, as truly nothing is impossible for God. As long as whatever we wish is within His will to grant us, then He shall grant us what we need in accordance with His will. God loves us all and He wants us all to be reunited with Him in perfect love, and that was why, just as the parents of Samuel who loved God and offered their first son to Him, God also gave us His own Son as the proof of His eternal and infinite love.

Yes, He gave us Jesus His Son, to redeem us, and through Him, all of us have been called just as Samuel was called by the Lord, to be His followers, abandoning our old ways and our sinful past, and from then on, to be faithful and devoted in all the things that we say and do. He is calling us to be light to the nations, and to be His disciples and the extension of His hands, to spread to more people His love and help.

Therefore, just as we heard how Jesus called His disciples from among the simple fishermen at the shores of the lake of Galilee, and even tax collectors and zealots, who were counted among the numbers of His Twelve Apostles, thus, this is an example for us all too, that all of us should also follow their footsteps in following the Lord, and be transformed in our own lives, so that we no longer exist as creatures of this world, but as the people of God’s everlasting Kingdom.

Today we are all called to be like the disciples of our Lord, who left behind all of their tools of trade and even families behind in order to follow the Lord our God. Well, this does not mean that we have to literally do the same thing as well, abandoning our families and our lives. Rather, it means that all of us, who have often been in our comfort zone for very long time, should be aroused to move out and get on the path towards the Lord and His salvation.

And how do we do this then, brothers and sisters in Christ? It is by removing all of our doubts and fears, or laziness and unwillingness to do what is expected from us as the followers and disciples of our Lord. Let us rather be courageous and be forthcoming in all of our words, actions and deeds, showing to all those who see us that we all belong to the Lord and we are always faithful in Him no matter what happens.

Brothers and sisters in Christ, let us all renew our commitment and our faith to God, by refusing to be pulled down by ourselves and our attachment to our comfort zone. But rather, at the beginning of this new year, let us all strengthen our resolve ever more to be ever more faithful disciples and followers of our God, to love one another, our brethren ever more, and bring more lost souls to the salvation in God. God bless our endeavours and be with us all. Amen.

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Monday, 11 January 2016 : 1st Week of Ordinary Time (Gospel Reading)

Liturgical Colour : Green

Mark 1 : 14-20

At that time, after John was arrested, Jesus went into Galilee and began preaching the Good News of God. He said, “The time has come; the kingdom of God is at hand. Change your ways and believe the Good News.”

As Jesus was walking along the shore of Lake Galilee, He saw Simon and his brother Andrew casting a net in the lake, for they were fishermen. And Jesus said to them, “Follow Me, and I will make you fish for people.”

At once, they abandoned their nets and followed Him. Jesus went a little farther on and saw James and John, the sons of Zebedee; they were in their boat mending their nets. Immediately Jesus called them and they followed Him, leaving their father Zebedee in the boat with the hired men.

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Monday, 11 January 2016 : 1st Week of Ordinary Time (Psalm)

Liturgical Colour : Green

Psalm 115 : 12-13, 14 and 17, 18-19

How can I repay the Lord for all His goodness to me? I will lift up the cup of salvation and call on the Name of the Lord.

I will fulfil my vows to the Lord in the presence of all His people. I will offer You a thanksgiving sacrifice; I will call on the Name of the Lord.

I will carry out my vows to the Lord in the presence of His people, in the courts of the house of the Lord, in your midst, o Jerusalem.

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Monday, 11 January 2016 : 1st Week of Ordinary Time (First Reading)

Liturgical Colour : Green

1 Samuel 1 : 1-8

There was a man from Ramathaim, in the hills of Ephraim, whose name was Elkanah. He was a son of Tohu, son of Jeroham, of the clan of Zuph. He had two wives, Hannah and Peninnah. Peninnah had children but Hannah had none.

Every year Elkanah went to worship and to sacrifice to YHVH of hosts at Shiloh. The priests there were the two sons of Eli, Hophni and Phineas. Whenever Elkanah offered sacrifice, he gave portions to his wife, Peninnah and to all her sons and daughters. To Hannah, however, he gave the more delightful portion because he loved her more, although she had no child. Yet Hannah’s rival used to tease her for being barren.

So it happened every year when they went to YHVH’s House. Peninnah irritated Hannah and she would weep and refuse to eat. Once Elkanah, her husband, asked her, “Hannah, why do you weep instead of eating? Why are you sad? Are you not better off with me than with many sons?”