Month: January 2024

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Saturday, 27 January 2024 : 3rd Week of Ordinary Time, Memorial of St. Angela Merici, Virgin (Gospel Reading)

Liturgical Colour : Green or White (Holy Virgins)

Mark 4 : 35-41

At that time, on that same day, when evening had come, Jesus said to His disciples, “Let us go across to the other side of the lake.” So they left the crowd, and took Him along in the boat He had been sitting in, and other boats set out with Him. Then a storm gathered and it began to blow a gale. The waves spilled over into the boat, so that it was soon filled with water. Jesus was in the stern, sleeping on a cushion.

They woke Him up, and said, “Master, do You not care if we drown?” And rising up, Jesus rebuked the wind, and ordered the sea, “Quiet now! Be still!” The wind dropped, and there was a great calm. Then Jesus said to them, “Why are you so frightened? Do you still have no faith?”

But they were terrified, and they said to one another, “Who can this be? Even the wind and the sea obey Him!”

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Saturday, 27 January 2024 : 3rd Week of Ordinary Time, Memorial of St. Angela Merici, Virgin (Psalm)

Liturgical Colour : Green or White (Holy Virgins)

Psalm 50 : 12-13, 14-15, 16-17

Create in me, o God, a pure heart; give me a new and steadfast spirit. Do not cast me out of Your presence nor take Your Holy Spirit from me.

Give me again, the joy of Your salvation; and sustain me, with a willing spirit. Then I will show wrongdoers Your ways and sinners will return to You.

Deliver me, o God, from the guilt of blood; and of Your justice, I shall sing aloud. O YHVH, open my lips, and I will declare Your praise.

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Saturday, 27 January 2024 : 3rd Week of Ordinary Time, Memorial of St. Angela Merici, Virgin (First Reading)

Liturgical Colour : Green or White (Holy Virgins)

2 Samuel 12 : 1-7a, 10-17

So YHVH sent the prophet Nathan to David. Nathan went to the king and said to him, “There were two men in a city : one was rich; the other, poor. The rich man had many sheep and cattle, but the poor man had only one little ewe lamb he had bought. He himself fed it and it grew up with him and his children. It shared his food, drank from his cup and slept on his lap. It was like a daughter to him.”

“Now a traveller came to the rich man, but he would not take from his own flock or herd to prepare food for the traveller. Instead, he took the poor man’s lamb and prepared that for his visitor.”

David was furious because of this man and told Nathan, “As YHVH lives, the man who has done this deserves death! He must return the lamb fourfold for acting like this and showing no compassion.” Nathan said to David, “You are this man! Now the sword will never be far from your family because you have despised me and taken the wife of Uriah the Hittite for yourself.”

“Thus says YHVH : Your misfortune will rise from your own house! I will take your wives from you and give them to your neighbour who shall lie with them in broad daylight. What you did was done secretly, but what I do will be done before Israel in broad daylight.”

David said to Nathan, “I have sinned against YHVH.” Nathan answered him, “YHVH has forgiven your sin; you shall not die. However, because you have dared to despise YHVH by doing such a thing, the child that is born of you shall die.” Then Nathan went to his home.

YHVH struck the child that Uriah’s wife had borne to David, and the child became very ill. David entreated God for the child. He kept a strict fast and lay on the ground the whole night. The elders of his house asked him to rise from the ground but he refused. Nor did he join them to eat.

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Friday, 26 January 2024 : 3rd Week of Ordinary Time, Memorial of St. Timothy and St. Titus, Bishops (Homily and Scripture Reflections)

Liturgical Colour : White

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, today the Church celebrates the Feast of the two great saints and Church fathers, St. Timothy and St. Titus, both of whom were the disciples and followers of St. Paul the Apostle, the Apostle to the Gentiles. Both of them were inspired and mentored by St. Paul who taught them more about the Christian faith and guided them in their path, that they, in their own ways, contributed greatly to the development and the growth of the early Church. St. Timothy and St. Titus were among the earliest bishops of the Church, as those who have been chosen and appointed to be the successors of the Apostles, who had the Apostles laying their hands upon them, giving them the strength and guidance of the Holy Spirit.

St. Timothy was one of the companions of St. Paul during his missionary journeys, and as mentioned, the latter was the mentor of St. Timothy, guiding him in the way of the Christian faith. He was a native of Lystra or Derbe in what is today part of Turkey, then known as Anatolia, one of the places that St. Paul visited during his missionary journeys, and where he performed miracles and healings that brought quite a number of the locals, likely including that of St. Timothy, to embrace the Christian faith. Eventually, St. Timothy became the disciple of St. Paul, and helped him during the later missionary journeys that he carried out, proclaiming the Good News of God to more and more people all throughout the region, where many accepted the Lord as their God and Saviour.

St. Timothy continued the works of St. Paul when he left for Rome in his final missionary journey, which would led to St. Paul’s martyrdom there. He was appointed as bishop in Asia Minor, likely in Ephesus, one of the great early centres of Christianity. There, he continued to work hard for the glory of God and for the salvation of souls, courageously spreading the Word of God and His Good News to more and more people. According to the Apostolic and Church traditions, he was also persecuted and endured prison more than once, eventually suffering martyrdom for his faith and commitment to God, after many decades of continuous and courageous hard work for the Lord. Yet, his examples continued to inspire many people long after his time.

Meanwhile, St. Titus also had a similar story to St. Timothy, as he was also likely converted by St. Paul, and then later on followed him on his missionary journeys, assisting him as a scribe and interpreter. He was sent by St. Paul from Ephesus to Corinth to settle the issues which arose there, and which was highlighted in St. Paul’s Epistle to the Corinthians. He managed to resolve the issue and the situation successfully, and later on continued to join St. Paul in his various further missionary and evangelising works. Eventually St. Titus was also chosen and appointed as bishop to succeed and continue the works of the Apostles, and was entrusted with the care of his native island of Crete. There he continued to minister to the people of God much as St. Timothy had done, and perhaps had also suffered martyrdom as well, although the information was scant regarding this.

This is the essence of what we have heard from the Gospel passage today, in which the account of how the Lord Jesus sent out the seventy-two disciples on various missions was told to us. At that time, the Lord appointed and sent out the seventy-two disciples, most of whom were not known by name, but all those people were instrumental in extending even further the reach of the Lord’s works, beyond what His Twelve Apostles had done and could do. Some of those among the seventy-two disciples were themselves appointed later on as the successors and companions of the Apostles, and through them, their witnessing of the Lord’s ministry and good works, and through the knowledge of truth that they had received from the Lord Himself and through the Holy Spirit, they passed on that truth to the Church of God, and therefore, eventually to all of us.

The Lord sent them all out to prepare His path and to do His works among the people of God, and telling them to be strong and courageous, and to remain faithful and committed to their mission, because they would likely face persecutions, hardships and trials for what they have done and worked for. Yet, the Lord also reassured all of them that He would be with them, guiding and helping them along the way. He told them to go to the houses of those who received them well and accepted their message, while those who have stubbornly refused to believe in the truth of God, they should ignore and leave behind. Through this reminder, the Lord wanted to tell His disciples and followers to place their trust in Him, and follow Him.

As we have heard from the lives and examples of St. Timothy and St. Titus, their courage and faith in God, and also from the passages of the Sacred Scriptures that we have heard today, let us all therefore discern carefully what the Lord may intend for us to do in our respective lives. Each and every one of us should always be attuned to the Lord and be willing to listen to Him, so that we all may know what it is that we are all called to do in our lives, in our respective vocations and areas of responsibilities. This is why we should not remain idle in life, but do our best, in showing by our own good examples, what we all can do in our everyday moments. Let us all be the good and worthy role models for others to follow.

May the Lord be with us always, and may He empower everyone of us, so that we can follow in the footsteps of His faithful servants, St. Timothy and St. Titus, in doing what we can for the glory of His Name and in proclaiming His truth and love to more and more people, all around us. May God bless our every good works and endeavours, now and forevermore. Amen.

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Friday, 26 January 2024 : 3rd Week of Ordinary Time, Memorial of St. Timothy and St. Titus, Bishops (Gospel Reading)

Liturgical Colour : White

Luke 10 : 1-9

At that time, the Lord appointed seventy-two other disciples, and sent them, two by two, ahead of Him, to every town and place, where He Himself was to go. And He said to them, “The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few. So you must ask the Lord of the harvest to send workers to His harvest.”

“Courage! I am sending you like lambs among wolves. Set off without purse or bag or sandals; and do not stop at the homes of those you know. Whatever house you enter, first bless them, saying, ‘Peace to this house!’ If a friend of peace lives there, the peace shall rest upon that person. But if not, the blessing will return to you. Stay in that house, eating and drinking at their table, for the worker deserves to be paid. Do not move from house to house.”

“When they welcome you to any town, eat what they offer you. Heal the sick who are there, and say to them : ‘The kingdom of God has drawn near to you.’”

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Friday, 26 January 2024 : 3rd Week of Ordinary Time, Memorial of St. Timothy and St. Titus, Bishops (Psalm)

Liturgical Colour : White

Psalm 95 : 1-2a, 2b-3, 7-8a, 10

Sing to YHVH a new song, sing to YHVH, all the earth! Sing to YHVH, praise His Name.

Proclaim His salvation, day after day. Recall His glory among the nations, tell all the peoples His wonderful deeds.

Give to YHVH, you families of nations, give to YHVH glory and strength. Give to YHVH the glory due His Name.

Say among the nations, “YHVH reigns!” He will judge the peoples with justice.

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Friday, 26 January 2024 : 3rd Week of Ordinary Time, Memorial of St. Timothy and St. Titus, Bishops (First Reading)

Liturgical Colour : White

2 Timothy 1 : 1-8

From Paul, Apostle of Christ Jesus, by the will of God, for the sake of His promise of eternal life, in Christ Jesus, to my dear son Timothy. May grace, mercy and peace be with you, from God, the Father, and Christ Jesus our Lord.

I give thanks to God, Whom I serve with a clear conscience, the way my ancestors did, as I remember you constantly, day and night, in my prayers. I recall your tears, and I long to see you, that I may be filled with joy. I am reminded of your sincere faith, so like the faith of your grandmother Lois and of your mother Eunice, which I am sure you have inherited.

For this reason, I invite you to fan into a flame, the gift of God you received, through the laying on of my hands. For God did not confer on us a spirit of fearfulness, but of strength, love and good judgment. Do not be ashamed of testifying to our Lord, nor of seeing me in chains. On the contrary, do your share in labouring for the Gospel, with the strength of God.

Alternative reading

Titus 1 : 1-5

From Paul, servant of God, Apostle of Christ Jesus, at the service of God’s chosen people, so that they may believe, and reach the knowledge of truth and godliness. The eternal life we are waiting for was promised from the very beginning, by God, Who never lies, and as the appointed time had come, He made it known, through the message entrusted to me by a command of God, our Saviour.

Greetings to you, Titus, my true son in the faith we share. May grace and peace be with you from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord. I left you in Crete because I wanted you to put right, what was defective, and appoint elders in every town, following my instructions.

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Thursday, 25 January 2024 : Feast of the Conversion of St. Paul the Apostle, Week of Prayer for Christian Unity (Homily and Scripture Reflections)

Liturgical Colour : White

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, today the Church celebrates the Feast of the Conversion of St. Paul the Apostle, marking the moment when one of the fiercest and most brutal enemies of the early Christians, Saul the young Pharisee, had a total and complete conversion of heart and mind, and turned into one of Christianity’s greatest champion and defender, as St. Paul the Apostle, Apostle to the Gentiles and a very important part of the early Church and its missions in spreading the Good News of God. Through what we have heard of the conversion and calling of St. Paul to be a disciple and follower of Christ, all of us are also reminded of the great compassion and mercy of God which have always been readily made available for everyone, that even the greatest of sinners can be great saints and servants of God.

In our first reading today, we heard from the Acts of the Apostles, in which the account of the moment of St. Paul’s conversion was told to us. St. Paul was known as Saul in his youth, as a fanatical and very passionate Pharisee, who spent a lot of his time in trying to persecute the early Church and the Christian communities in Judea, Galilee and even beyond. Saul was misguided by his youthful zeal and fanaticism, likely influenced by the extreme ideals even among the Pharisees, who zealously guarded the Law of God and their own interpretation of the Law, and who mostly saw anyone who preached in different manner as being unworthy and even sinful in their ways against the Lord.

That was how Saul came to be such a great persecutor and enemy of the earliest Christians and the Church, causing untold sufferings and grievances among the faithful, as he went on his many zealous campaigns and attacks against the early Christians in various places, striking fear and sorrow amongst so many of God’s beloved and faithful people. However, Saul was chosen by God to be His follower and disciple, and in His own words, to be His tool and to be the one to proclaim His Good News and truth to the nations. And that was how God came to Saul on the way to Damascus, as He revealed Himself to him, and told him that everything which he had believed and done up to that time, were wrong and misguided.

For Saul, who was such a great sinner, and who had committed so many atrocities against Christians, to be called by God to be His servant, and to do so many wonderful and great deeds henceforth, is a clear reminder for all of us, that God calls everyone, regardless whether they are good or evil, or whether they have committed great sins, or only small and venial sins. There is always place for all of us in the Kingdom of God, and all of us are in fact equally beloved by God. What matters is that, each and every one of us must embrace God’s love and mercy, and allow Him to transform us all from people of darkness into the people of His light, to enter once again into His Holy Presence and to be filled with His grace.

Saul repented from his many sins and turned away from all of his wickedness and evils, listening to God, opening his mind and heart to welcome the Lord, that through Him and the Holy Spirit that he had received, he might be empowered to walk ever more faithfully henceforth in the path of righteousness and grace. His conversion was shown to all, and everyone was indeed astonished and amazed, among Christians and the Jewish people alike, in how his attitudes and beliefs changed almost completely, from a great enemy of Christians to be the greatest defender of the Christian faith. His change of name from Saul to Paul, much like that of Abram to Abraham, and Jacob to Israel, among others, signified this adoption of a new way of life and calling.

St. Paul the Apostle was sent to be the one to reach out to the Gentiles, or the non-Jewish people, and he fervently believed, even against the opposition of some of the believers who thought otherwise, that God’s grace and salvation are extended to everyone, even to the non-Jewish people, who do not have to obey the numerous Jewish practices and customs. He tirelessly committed himself to the missions and causes entrusted to him, going on many missionary journeys and expeditions, from cities to cities, towns to towns, places to places to expand the reach of the Christian faith, and to proclaim God’s salvation to more and more people. His many Epistles or letters helped to inspire and guide many of the faithful throughout the various regions as well.

Brothers and sisters in Christ, the conversion of St. Paul the Apostle reminds us all that no one is beyond God’s grace and love, and His power and forgiveness can bring us out even from the darkest and deepest depth of our sins and waywardness, as long as we are willing to commit ourselves to this path of reconciliation and forgiveness. St. Paul showed us all that each and every one of us as Christians have the potential for great things in whatever we do, in the various areas of our lives and the commitments and responsibilities that we have in life. What matters is for us all to listen to the Lord and to respond to His call with faith.

In our Gospel passage today, we heard of the Lord Jesus telling all of His disciples that He was sending all of them to go forth and to proclaim the truth of God, and the Good News of His salvation, to the peoples of all the nations. He reminded them all of the responsibilities and the missions that they had been entrusted with, the commission to reach out to all the people of all the nations to call them to embrace God’s love and truth, and to baptise them all in the Name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. At the same time, He also reassured them that they would be protected and guided throughout their journey, and they would be taken care of. In the end, even while they might have to suffer, being persecuted and even martyred, as what had happened to St. Paul himself, therefore, each and every one of us are also reminded that we should continue to trust in the Lord and put our faith in Him, while doing what He has commanded and entrusted to us to do.

Are we all therefore willing to follow the Lord and to entrust ourselves to the path which He has shown us, just like what St. Paul the Apostle had done with his whole life and ministry? Let us all do our part wherever and whenever possible, in all the things we say and do, so that we can always do our best in proclaiming God and His truth through our every words, actions and deeds. May the Lord be with us always, and may He empower each and every one of us in every opportunities, and our every good efforts and endeavours, that we too can be His great and worthy tools and missionaries like St. Paul the Apostle had been. Amen.

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Thursday, 25 January 2024 : Feast of the Conversion of St. Paul the Apostle, Week of Prayer for Christian Unity (Gospel Reading)

Liturgical Colour : White

Mark 16 : 15-18

At that time, Jesus told His disciples, “Go out to the whole world and proclaim the Good News to all creation. The one who believes and is baptised will be saved; the one who refuses to believe will be condemned.”

“Signs like these will accompany those who have believed : in My Name they will cast out demons and speak new languages; they will pick up snakes, and if they drink anything poisonous, they will be unharmed; they will lay their hands on the sick, and they will be healed.”

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Thursday, 25 January 2024 : Feast of the Conversion of St. Paul the Apostle, Week of Prayer for Christian Unity (Psalm)

Liturgical Colour : White

Psalm 116 : 1, 2

Alleluia! Praise YHVH, all you nations; all you peoples, praise Him.

How great is His love for us! His faithfulness lasts forever.