Liturgical Colour : Green
Psalm 147 : 12-13, 14-15, 19-20
Exalt YHVH, o Jerusalem; praise your God, o Zion! For He strengthens the bars of your gates and blesses your children within you.
He grants peace on your borders and feeds you with the finest grain. He sends His command to the earth and swiftly runs His word.
It is He, Who tells Jacob His words; His laws and decrees, to Israel. This, He has not done for other nations, so His laws remain unknown to them. Alleluia!
Liturgical Colour : Green
1 Peter 1 : 18-25
Remember, that you were freed from the useless way of life of your ancestors, not with gold and silver, but with the precious Blood of the Lamb without spot or blemish. God, Who has known Christ before the world began, revealed Him to you in the last days. Through Him, you have faith in God, Who raised Him from the dead, and glorified Him, in order that you might put all your faith and hope in God.
In obeying the truth, you have gained interior purification, from which comes sincere mutual love. Love one another, then, with all your heart, since you are born again, not from mortal beings, but with enduring life, through the word of God, Who lives and remains forever. It is written : All flesh is grass and its glory like the flowers of the field. The grass withers and the flower falls, but the word of the Lord endures forever. This word, is the Gospel, which has been brought to you.
Liturgical Colour : Green
Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, on this day we are reminded that as God’s faithful ones, as Christians, we have decided to follow the Lord, in the footsteps of the Apostles and the disciples, and we are all called to a transformed and holy life, transcending our past existences and leaving behind all traces of our past unworthiness and sinful lives.
‘Be holy as I am holy’, is what God wants from each and every one of us as Christians. What does this mean? Is it about praying everyday and showcasing our faith before others? Is it about showing off just how holy and devout we are in front of those who do not believe in God or even by chastising those whose faith and dedication are not as great as ours? No, brothers and sisters in Christ, it is not like that.
All the devotion, prayers and all those that we normally consider as holy, are indeed necessary, because these are what helps us in our journey of faith towards God. However, it becomes a problem when we end up just doing all of them, but without the correct focus and intention. This becomes a piety instead of true faith and genuine devotion to God. And instead of a life focused on God, we end up with a self-centred and selfish life.
That was how many of the Pharisees ended up becoming, as they became fixated on the strict enforcement and adherence to the Jewish customs and laws, but failing to recognise God’s truth and works in Christ, when He came into this world and bringing those truth to them. They closed their ears, their minds and their hearts from the Lord, and opposed God’s works and goodness at every possible opportunities.
Brothers and sisters in Christ, in the Gospel passage we heard today, we can find God’s advice on how we ought to live our lives with true and genuine faith. Through the words of the Apostles, we are reminded that as Christians, we often need to make sacrifices and to learn to let go of our worldly attachments. Indeed, it does not mean that we let go of everything, but we must not become attached or obsessed with things in this world that can cause us to lose our way.
For example, many people who have been obsessed with money and material possessions end up losing everything in their pursuit for money, or even fame and glory. They end up causing hurt, pain and sorrow to their loved ones, as people may often even set aside those who are close and precious to them in their pursuit of all these worldly and material goods.
But as Christians, this is not what we should do with our lives. Instead, the Lord Himself has shown us, that the greater we are and the greater we become, we should be ever humbler, following His own examples, that we serve one another, the greater one serving those who are under him or her. And we must centre our lives on the Lord, obeying Him and following Him in all things, so that ultimately, it is His will that shall be done and not ours.
Let us all turn ourselves to God, and let us all devote ourselves more wholeheartedly to Him. May all of us be filled with renewed faith for God, and be true in our faith to Him, every single days of our lives. Amen.
Liturgical Colour : Green
Mark 10 : 28-31
At that time, Peter spoke up and said, “We have given up everything to follow You.” Jesus answered, “Truly, there is no one who has left house or brothers or sisters, or father or mother, or children, or lands, for My sake and for the Gospel, who will not receive his reward.”
“I say to you : even in the midst of persecution, he will receive a hundred times as many houses, brothers, sisters, mothers, children, and lands in the present time, and in the world to come eternal life. Do pay attention : many who are now first will be last, and the last, first.”
Liturgical Colour : Green
Psalm 97 : 1, 2-3ab, 3cd-4
Sing to YHVH a new song, for He has done wonders; His right hand, His holy arm, has won victory for Him.
YHVH has shown His salvation, revealing His justice to the nations. He has not forgotten His love, nor His faithfulness to Israel.
The farthest ends of the earth all have seen God’s saving power. All you, lands, make a joyful noise to YHVH, break into song and sing praise.
Liturgical Colour : Green
1 Peter 1 : 10-16
This was the salvation for which the prophets so eagerly looked when, in days past, they foretold the favour of God, with regard to you. But they could only investigate when the Spirit of Christ present within them, pointed out the time and the circumstances, of this – the sufferings of Christ, and the glories which would follow.
It was revealed to them, that they were working, not for themselves, but for you. Thus, in these days, after the Holy Spirit has been sent from heaven, the Gospel’s preachers have taught you these mysteries, which even the Angels long to see.
So, then, let your spirit be ready. Be alert, with confident trust, in the grace you will receive, when Jesus Christ appears. Like obedient children, do not return to your former life, given over to ignorance and passions. Imitate the One Who called you. As He is holy, so you, too, be holy, in all your conduct, since Scripture says : Be holy for I am holy.
Liturgical Colour : Green
Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, on this day, we listened to the words of the Scripture speaking to us about what we need to do in order to follow the Lord genuinely and with faith. In the first reading today, taken from the first Epistle of St. Peter, we heard of how there will be time when we will face challenges and tribulations, temptations and obstacles in our journey.
In the Gospel passage today, then we heard about the Lord speaking to a rich man who asked Him what he needed to do in order to be His follower and earn a place in the kingdom of heaven. The Lord reminded him of the commandments of God as revealed in the Mosaic laws, which the Jewish people including the rich man should be well familiar with.
The rich man said that he had done and fulfilled all that were required of him, however, when the Lord asked him to sell all that he had and leave behind every possessions, he became very sad and went away in great anguish. Then the Lord said that it would be more difficult for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of heaven than it would be for a camel to pass through the eye of a candle.
Why did the Lord Jesus say that? It is because a camel has a long neck that curve upwards, and unless the camel bends its neck and stoops down, it will not be able to pass through a tight passageway. What this shows us, is the symbolic act of humility before God, and the willingness to listen and obey to the will of God. This is unlike the rich man who could not let go of his worldly desires and concerns, and unlike those who are so attached to those worldly matters that they could not devote themselves completely and wholeheartedly to God.
However, it is important that we understand that God does not hate or discriminate against those who are rich and those with many possessions. Ultimately, all the riches and possessions, all the money and goodies we have are not intrinsically evil and we can make use of them either for good purposes or for evil and wicked purposes. In fact, the richer we are and the more blessings we have, the more we will be able to give to others.
What the Lord is concerned about is basically the way we end up being overly attached and concerned about those worldly things, about money and possessions, about pleasurable and joyful things we experience through the world. We cannot afford to let go of our addictions and attachments, when they even come in between us and our love for God. As a result, God is becoming ever more and more sidelined in our lives.
Brothers and sisters in Christ, it is indeed now the time for us to resist those temptations and seek to be less attached to the many worldly attachments and desires that we have. We should place God firmly as the centre and the focus of our lives, and when we have done so, surely, we will find that there is a difference in our lives, as we will no longer be hesitant when the Lord calls upon us. We will be ready to give our whole attention and dedicate ourselves to God.
Let us all therefore make best use of this opportunity given to us by God. He has been so generous in loving us, and it is only right therefore, for us to show Him the same love and dedication which He has shown us. All of us should be ever more dedicated, humble and obedient, as we continue to live our lives out of faith in Our Lord and Master. Let us ask Him to protect us and to guide us always in our path. God bless us all. Amen.
Liturgical Colour : Green
Mark 10 : 17-27
At that time, just as Jesus was setting out on His journey again, a man ran up, knelt before Him and asked, “Good Master, what must I do to have eternal life?”
Jesus answered, “Why do you call Me good? No one is good but God alone. You know the commandments : Do not kill, do not commit adultery, do not steal, do not bear false witness, do not cheat, honour your father and mother.” The man replied, “I have obeyed all these commandments since my childhood.”
Then Jesus looked steadily at him and loved him and He said, “For you, one thing is lacking. Go, sell what you have and give the money to the poor, and you will have riches in heaven. Then come and follow Me.” On hearing these words, his face fell and he went away sorrowful, for he was a man of great wealth.
Jesus looked around and said to His disciples, “How hard it is for those who have riches to enter the kingdom of God” The disciples were shocked at these words, but Jesus insisted, “Children, how hard it is to enter the kingdom of God! It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for one who is rich to enter the kingdom of God.”
They were more astonished than ever and wondered, “Who, then, can be saved?” Jesus looked steadily at them and said, “For human beings it is impossible, but not for God; all things are possible with God.”
Liturgical Colour : Green
Psalm 110 : 1-2, 5-6, 9 and 10c
Alleluia! I thank YHVH with all my heart in the council of the just, in the assembly. The works of YHVH are great and pondered by all who delight in them.
Always mindful of His Covenant, He provides food for those who fear Him. He shows His people the power of His arm by giving them the lands of other nations.
He has sent His people deliverance and made with them a Covenant forever. His holy Name is to be revered! To Him belongs everlasting praise.
Liturgical Colour : Green
1 Peter 1 : 3-9
Let us praise God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, for His great mercy. In raising Jesus Christ from the dead He has given us new life and a living hope. The inheritance that does not corrupt nor goes bad nor passes away was reserved to you in heavens, since God’s power shall keep you faithful until salvation is revealed in the last days.
There is cause for joy, then, even though you may, for a time, have to suffer many trials. Thus will your faith be tested, like gold in a furnace. Gold, however, passes away but faith, worth so much more, will bring you in the end praise, glory and honour when Jesus Christ appears.
You have not yet seen Him and yet you love Him; even without seeing Him, you believe in Him and experience a heavenly joy beyond all words, for you are reaching the goal of your faith : the salvation of your souls.
petercanisiusmichaeldavidkang 