Month: August 2021

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Tuesday, 10 August 2021 : Feast of St. Lawrence, Deacon and Martyr (First Reading)

Liturgical Colour : Red

2 Corinthians 9 : 6-10

Remember : the one who sows meagerly will reap meagerly, and there shall be generous harvests for the one who sows generously. Each of you should give as you decided personally, and not reluctantly, as if obliged. God loves a cheerful giver. And God is able to fill you with every good thing, so that you have enough of everything, at all times, and may give abundantly for any good work.

Scripture says : He distributed, He gave to the poor, His good works last forever. God, Who provides the sower with seed, will also provide him with the bread he eats. He will multiply the seed for you and also increase the interest on your good works.

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Monday, 9 August 2021 : 19th Week of Ordinary Time, Memorial of St. Teresa Benedicta of the Cross, Virgin and Martyr (Homily and Scripture Reflections)

Liturgical Colour : Green or Red (Martyrs)

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, on this day as we listened to the words of the Scripture, we are all called to do whatever that the Lord has commanded us to do, in His Law and commandments, and to be righteous and filled with virtue in all things, that we may be exemplary to all people, in everything that we say and do. He reminded all of us how He has patiently cared for us and showed His love towards each and every one of us, seeking us and reaching out to us whenever we falter and were in need of help.

Today, we are all called to remember God Who has shown us so much love that we are indeed very fortunate that we have been beloved in such a way. How else we should do in life then if not to commit ourselves to His cause and to follow Him in everything we say and do. It is our calling as Christians to be the Lord’s true disciples not just in name but also in deeds, and that we learn to commit ourselves to the good works that He has called us to do through His Church. And we are all part of this same Church, that is His Body, as the Body of all the faithful united with God, through Jesus Christ, the visible Head of the Church.

And as we heard in our Gospel passage today, that the Lord also expected all of us to be righteous and just in all things, in the ways and in the sight of mankind alike. For we are all called to be the bearers of His truth and love before all, and He has called on all of us to show true and genuine faith, and for us to obey the laws and the rules of the land, that we do not unnecessarily antagonise those who rule over the land, and perhaps may even persuade them and many others to come to believe in the Lord as well, through our virtues and efforts.

In our Gospel passage today, when the Lord was confronted with the temple tax collectors, who questioned the disciples on whether their Master paid taxes to the temple, the Lord spoke of how in truth the children of the Light, that is God’s children and people owed nothing and are free, and naturally are not bonded to pay anything to worldly institutions like that of the Temple of Jerusalem. Yet, the Lord did not tell His disciples to resist, and on the contrary, in fact told them to obey the rules and to pay their dues, although in a miraculous way, by asking them to obtain it embedded in the mouth of a fish.

Through what we have heard in our readings from the Scripture today, we are all called to be the Lord’s true and genuine disciples in our world today, putting our trust in the Lord and remaining faithful to Him while contending with the pressures and demands of the world. The question is, are we willing and able to commit ourselves to the path that the Lord has shown us, brothers and sisters in Christ? Are we willing to turn towards the Lord with an open heart and mind that He may lead us and guide us down the right path?

Today let us all look upon the examples set by one of our holy predecessors as we look for the path to follow in being faithful to the Lord. The Lord has called St. Teresa Benedicta of the Cross to follow Him, and she, also known as her more popular name of Edith Stein, responded kindly with faith and dedication, committing herself wholeheartedly to the Lord. St. Teresa Benedicta of the Cross, St. Edith Stein was a Jewish convert to the Christian faith, inspired by the life story of her patron, St. Teresa of Avila, the reformer of the Carmelite Order.

She then committed herself to walk in the same path as her inspiration and role model, as she joined the Discalced Carmelites amidst the difficult years of existence for the Jewish population in Germany, then under the dominion of the rising NAZI party of Adolf Hitler, who was very hostile to the Jews and sought for them to be exterminated. St. Teresa Benedicta was sent to the Netherlands with some other sisters to protect them and provide for their safety, but in time, the fires of war caught up to them even to their monastery.

St. Teresa Benedicta dedicated herself to the Lord with her fellow religious sisters, and despite the challenges she encountered throughout the path she walked, she remained firmly in faith, even as she and others were arrested by the NAZI authorities, as they sought to seek retribution against the opposition by the Dutch bishops against the NAZI rules and policies. Eventually, St. Teresa Benedicta herself, as a Jew, was sent to the infamous Auschwitz concentration camp, and was martyred there, as a courageous defender of her faith in God, of her sanctity and virtues. She has always been ready to die for the Lord, in her own words, ‘to offer herself to the Heart of Jesus, as a sacrifice of atonement for the true peace’.

Brothers and sisters in Christ, as we listened and remembered the inspiring life examples of St. Teresa Benedicta of the Cross, the ever faithful sister Edith Stein, let us all therefore endeavour to live our own lives in such a manner, committed and dedicated to the Lord. May the Lord continue to strengthen us and empower us all, that we may ever draw closer to Him, and be with Him, in all things, so that we may always trust Him and strive to live Christian lives of virtue and justice in every moments of our lives. May God bless us all, now and forevermore. Amen.

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Monday, 9 August 2021 : 19th Week of Ordinary Time, Memorial of St. Teresa Benedicta of the Cross, Virgin and Martyr (Gospel Reading)

Liturgical Colour : Green or Red (Martyrs)

Matthew 17 : 22-27

At that time, when Jesus was in Galilee with the Twelve, He said to them, “The Son of Man will be delivered into the hands of men, and they will kill Him. But He will rise on the third day.” The Twelve were deeply grieved.

When they returned to Capernaum, the temple tax collectors came to Peter and asked him, “Does your Master pay the temple tax?” He answered, “Yes.” Peter then entered the house; and immediately, Jesus asked him, “What do you think, Simon? Who pay taxes or tribute to the kings of the earth : their sons or strangers and aliens?”

Peter replied, “Strangers and aliens.” And Jesus told him, “The sons, then, are tax-free. But, so as not to offend these people, go to the sea, throw in a hook, and open the mouth of the first fish you catch. You will find a coin in it. Take the coin and give it to them for you and for Me.”

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Monday, 9 August 2021 : 19th Week of Ordinary Time, Memorial of St. Teresa Benedicta of the Cross, Virgin and Martyr (Psalm)

Liturgical Colour : Green or Red (Martyrs)

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!

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Monday, 9 August 2021 : 19th Week of Ordinary Time, Memorial of St. Teresa Benedicta of the Cross, Virgin and Martyr (First Reading)

Liturgical Colour : Green or Red (Martyrs)

Deuteronomy 10 : 12-22

So now, Israel, what is it that YHVH, your God, asks of you but to fear Him and follow all His ways? Love Him and serve Him with all your heart and with all your soul. Observe the commandments of YHVH and His laws which I command you today, for your good.

See : the heavens, those that are seen and those that are unseen, the earth and all that is in it, everything belongs to YHVH, your God. Nevertheless, it was on your fathers that YHVH set His heart. He loved them, and after them, He chose their descendants – you – preferring you to all the peoples, as you can see this day.

Purify your hearts, then, and do not be defiant towards YHVH because YHVH is the God of gods and the Lord of lords. He is the great God, the strong and terrible God. When He judges, He treats everyone equally; He does not let Himself be bought by gifts. He renders justice to the orphan and the widow, and loves the stranger, giving him bread and clothing.

Love the stranger then, because you yourselves were strangers in the land of Egypt. Fear YHVH, your God, serve Him, follow Him and call on His Name when you have to make an oath. He is your pride and He is your God, Who has done those amazing things for you. When you went down to Egypt, your ancestors were no more than seventy persons, but now, YHVH, your God, has made you as many as the stars of heaven.

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Sunday, 8 August 2021 : Nineteenth Sunday of Ordinary Time (Homily and Scripture Reflections)

Liturgical Colour : Green

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, this Sunday all of us are all called to give thanks to God and to put our full trust in Him, as He has provided for everything that we needed, and gave us the strength and the support even when we might not have realised it and even when we have disobeyed Him and sinned against Him. He still cared for us and showed us all His love, and He still reached out to us, and for that we ought to give Him thanks.

In our first reading today, we heard how the prophet Elijah fled to the desert as he escaped the bitter wrath of Queen Jezebel of Israel, who together with king Ahab of Israel persecuted the prophets and the faithful people of God, promoting pagan and idol worship among the people. The prophet Elijah was a particularly courageous and dedicated opponent of the Queen and her efforts to corrupt the people of God in the northern kingdom of Israel.

At that time, Elijah had just recently won a great contest of the faith against the four hundred and fifty priests of Baal at Mount Carmel. The priests of Baal contended with Elijah to prove who was the true Lord and God, and they failed, as they could not prove that Baal is the true God, and no one responded to their prayers and calls. On the other hand, Elijah, although alone, as the only prophet of God left alive, prayed to the Lord and almost immediately a great fire came down from Heaven, burning the offerings many times over.

But although Elijah managed to prove before all the assembled who was indeed the true God, but he earned the ire and the hatred of Jezebel, who with the support of Ahab likely sought to kill him, and hence, Elijah fled to the desert with nothing left on him. As the prophet of God, Elijah had followed the Lord wholeheartedly, and left everything for His sake, going to wherever the Lord would lead him to. And thus, we heard today in our first reading today, the painful words of the prophet Elijah when he wanted to give up from all the struggles, all the sufferings, preferring to die than to suffer any further.

And that was exactly when God reaffirmed His support to Elijah, as He sent His Angels to provide for the prophet, bringing him food and water to sustain him, that he would not perish and survive, for God was always with him and would never abandon him especially in his moments of greatest challenges and trials. God proved His faithfulness and took care of Elijah, before calling him to embark a long journey to the mountain where Elijah would come to see Him in person, where God would reveal to Elijah His intentions and truths.

Then, in our Gospel passage today we heard the continuation of the discourse of the Bread of Life, where the Lord, after feeding the people miraculously with bread and fishes, revealed Himself that He would feed them and provide for them the true Bread of Heaven, that is His own Most Precious Body and Blood, His own flesh and His blood, as the Living Bread that came down from Heaven, to be partaken by all the people of God who believe in Him. The Lord revealed Himself as the Bread of Life through which all will come to have new life through Him, while many among them took this revelation with surprise and doubt.

Again in this story, we have heard how the Lord provided for His people in need, as God saw how those multitudes of people, five thousand men and many thousands more of women and children were all hungry and without food, as they had been following the Lord for days, likely to the wilderness where the Lord often worked in, and listened to His teachings. He miraculously turned a mere five loaves of bread and two fishes into a great feast that was shared by everyone and with twelve baskets’ worth of leftovers gathered in the end.

God’s love was manifest at that time, and there is no greater love than His gift for us in Christ, which far surpassed even the food by which He provided the Israelites during their forty years of Exodus, the sustenance He provided to the prophet Elijah, and the food He gave to feed all the five thousand men and thousands of other women and children. In Christ, His most Beloved Son, He gave us all the gift of life and the gift of hope, that through Him, we may receive hope and light to dispel the darkness of despair and by overcoming the tyranny of sin and death, leading us into the assurance of eternal life.

As St. Paul mentioned in his Epistle to the Ephesians in our second reading this Sunday, the Lord has shown us His love through Christ, and all of us are called to abandon our path of violence and hatred, of jealousy and anger, and distance ourselves from all evils, as we are also called to imitate His examples of love, in the selfless giving and offering of Himself, as He laid down His life and bore the Cross of our sins, that through His sufferings and many wounds, He would liberate and redeem us from our sins, and lead us into life eternal.

As our Eternal High Priest, the bridge between God and Man, Our Lord Jesus Christ, the Bread of Life has offered Himself as the perfect and only worthy sacrifice for the forgiveness of all of our multitudes of sins. He raised Himself on the Altar of the Cross, both as the High Priest offering on our behalf, asking God for forgiveness for our sins, and as the Sacrificial Victim, the Paschal Lamb of God, Who was slain and broken on the Altar at Calvary, bloodied and shattered, offering His own Most Precious Body and Blood for the salvation of all of our souls.

And it is this same Most Precious Body and Blood which we have received in the Sacrament of the Most Holy Eucharist, the same bread and wine transformed into the very reality and essence of Our Lord’s Precious Body and Blood, the Real Presence in the Eucharist, which we partake and share. God gave Himself for us, that He may dwell with us and among us, and that He may share with us not only the death of our physical bodies and sin, but also the most glorious resurrection into new life, as we share in His Resurrection at Easter.

This is why every time and every moment we share the Lord in the Eucharist, in every celebration of the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass, we are constantly reminded that God loves us, brothers and sisters in Christ, loving us unconditionally and has always been there for us, through our highs and lows, sharing with us our joys and sorrows. We must not forget this truth, as all too often we will be tempted to think that no one cares for us or loves us, especially when we are in despair and suffering, which is all too common these days, with all that everyone in the whole world are still suffering and enduring with the Covid-19 pandemic and its effects on us and our communities.

That is why we have to remind one another, brothers and sisters in Christ, to keep our faith in the Lord and to trust in Him as we continue our journey each and every day through life. And we should help remind one another that we have to trust in the Lord in the path that He has called us all to follow that we do not end up walking down the wrong path in life, for temptations are plenty in trying to mislead us down the wrong path, of sin, of darkness and of despair.

Let us encourage one another that we may remain strong and firm in our convictions and faith, and do not easily be broken by the pressures and the difficulties we face in life. And when we are able to help our brethren in need, wherever they are, let us do so enthusiastically and with genuine love, care and affection just as the Lord has done with us when He provided for us and cared for us, with all of His love and attention. Let us be the witnesses and the bearers of God’s hope and love within our own communities.

May the Lord, our most loving God, our Bread of Life and our Hope continue to be with us, guiding us and strengthening us through the challenges and trials we may face and encounter in life. May He give us the courage, strength and perseverance to remain faithful to Him and to keep our trust in Him no matter what. May the Lord be with us always, and remain with us, at all times. Amen.

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Sunday, 8 August 2021 : Nineteenth Sunday of Ordinary Time (Gospel Reading)

Liturgical Colour : Green

John 6 : 41-51

At that time, the Jews murmured because Jesus had said, “I am the Bread Which comes from heaven.” And they said, “This Man is the Son of Joseph, is He not? We know His father and mother. How can He say that He has come from heaven?”

Jesus answered them, “Do not murmur among yourselves. No one can come to Me unless he is drawn by the Father Who sent Me; and I will raise him up on the last day. It has been written in the Prophets : They shall all be taught by God. So whoever listens and learns from the Father comes to Me. For no one has seen the Father except the One Who comes from God; He has seen the Father. Truly, I say to you, whoever believes has eternal life.”

“I am the Bread of Life. Though your ancestors ate the manna in the desert, they died. But here you have the Bread from heaven, so that you may eat of It, and not die. I am the living Bread from heaven; whoever eats of this Bread will live forever. The Bread I shall give is My Flesh, and I will give It for the life of the world.”

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Sunday, 8 August 2021 : Nineteenth Sunday of Ordinary Time (Second Reading)

Liturgical Colour : Green

Ephesians 4 : 30 – Ephesians 5 : 2

Do not sadden the Holy Spirit of God, Who you were marked with. He will be your distinctive mark on the day of salvation. Do away with all quarrelling, rage, anger, insults and every kind of malice : be good and understanding, mutually forgiving one another as God forgave you in Christ.

As most beloved children of God, strive to imitate Him. Follow the way of love, the example of Christ Who loved you. He gave Himself up for us and became the offering and sacrificial victim Whose fragrance rises to God.

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Sunday, 8 August 2021 : Nineteenth Sunday of Ordinary Time (Psalm)

Liturgical Colour : Green

Psalm 33 : 2-3, 4-5, 6-7, 8-9

I will bless the Lord all my days; His praise will be ever on my lips. My soul makes its boast in the Lord; let the lowly hear and rejoice.

Oh, let us magnify the Lord, together let us glorify His Name! I sought the Lord, and He answered me; from all my fears He delivered me.

They who look to Him are radiant with joy, their faces never clouded with shame. When the poor cry out, the Lord hears and saves them from distress.

The Lord’s Angel encamps and patrols to keep safe those who fear Him. Oh, see and taste the goodness of the Lord! Blessed is the one who finds shelter in Him!

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Sunday, 8 August 2021 : Nineteenth Sunday of Ordinary Time (First Reading)

Liturgical Colour : Green

1 Kings 19 : 4-8

Elijah himself disappeared into the desert going on a day’s journey. Then he sat down under a broom tree and prayed to die, “That is enough, YHVH, take away my life for I am dying.”

He lay down and went to sleep under the broom tree. Then an Angel touched him and said, “Get up and eat.” Elijah looked and saw, at his head, a cake baked on hot stones and a jar of water. He ate and drank, and went back to sleep. The Angel of YHVH came a second time to him, saying, “Get up and eat, for the journey is too long for you.”

He got up, ate and drank, and on the strength of that food, he travelled for forty days and forty nights to Horeb, the mount of God.