Liturgical Colour : Green or White (Priests)

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, today as we listened to the words of the Sacred Scriptures, we are all called to trust in the Lord more and to believe wholeheartedly in Him and His Providence, and not to doubt His guidance and help. God will always be with those who trust in Him and those who have always kept strong in their commitment and devotion to Him. He will not abandon us in our time of great need, and will always stand by us even when everyone else abandoned us and left us behind. That is why we must always put our faith and trust in Him no matter what, and do our very best to walk ever more faithfully in the path that He has shown us, and not to be easily swayed by the temptations and pressures around us to abandon our faith in the Lord.

In our first reading today, we heard of the moment when the Pharaoh, the king and ruler of Egypt regretted having allowed the Israelites to go free and to go to their promised land. Earlier on, God had struck Egypt hard with the Ten Great Plagues, causing sufferings for the Egyptians and their Pharaoh, with the signs of clear Divine displeasure and works against the Pharaoh, the Egyptians and their gods. God showed His might and power against them and eventually the Pharaoh relented and gave in after the tenth and the greatest of the Ten Great Plagues, the death of all the firstborn of Egypt likely affected him personally, killing his own firstborn and heir, not withstanding the devastating effects of that plague and the other nine to the whole country.

However, the Pharaoh hardened his heart yet again and sent his hundreds of chariots after the Israelites with the desire to gather them all back and enslave them all again. And we heard how upon seeing the Pharaoh’s chariots, many among the Israelites were terrified and grumbled against Moses, asking him why he led them to their deaths there in the desert between the sea and the armies of the Pharaoh and the Egyptians. It was there that the Lord showed His power and might before His beloved people, reassuring them and reminding them all to have faith and trust in Him. Those Israelites had seen all the signs and wonders that God had done before them, with all the plagues that struck only the Egyptians and from which the Israelites were spared from, and yet they still failed to believe and have faith in Him and His Providence.

Then, lastly from our Gospel passage today, we heard of the exchange between the Lord Jesus and some Pharisees and teachers of the Law who asked Him to perform and show them some signs and miracles, to which the Lord responded, chiding their lack of faith and refusal to believe in what He had clearly shown them in many occasions. Contextually, those Pharisees and teachers of the Law often followed the Lord and His disciples around as they went to minister to the people and they also listened to and attended the Lord’s preaching and teaching. And yet, despite all of that, they still failed to believe in God and doubted Him, questioning His authority and works, and putting obstacles and even falsely accusing Him of wrongdoing and disobeying the Law.

It was for these attitudes that the Lord had criticised those Pharisees and the teachers of the Law, the ones who were supposedly the most knowledgeable and understanding of the Law of God and the Prophets, and hence, should have believed in all that the Lord Jesus Himself had said, the truth and Good News that He had brought into the world, fulfilling the prophecies of the prophets among other things, and in all the miracles and wonders that God had promised His people, and which had also been prophesied by the prophets as well. But they allowed their ego and pride to cloud their judgment, their ambitions and desires to drag them down the path of rebellion and disobedience against God.

That is why we are reminded through these readings of the Scriptures today not to allow ourselves to be swayed in a similar manner as well. If we allow ourselves to be tempted by these desires, ambitions and pride, like how the Pharaoh, the Pharisees and the teachers of the Law had been, then we will only bring ourselves towards doom and destruction. That is why as Christians we are all reminded and called to be humble, to listen to God and to obey Him rather than to follow the whim of our own desires and ambitions. We should always constantly align ourselves to what the Lord wants us all to do, by living a prayerful and holy life, ever centred and focused on the Lord rather than on worldly desires and ambitions, trusting in Him wholeheartedly at all times.

Today, the Church also celebrates the Feast of St. Lawrence of Brindisi, a Capuchin Friar and faithful servant of God, an Italian priest who was born in Brindisi in southern Italy to a family of merchants. He eventually joined the Capuchin friars and was ordained as a priest, and was noted for his great linguistic talents. In his many roles in the Capuchin order, as the superior and then eventually Vicar General, and using his many talents, St. Lawrence of Brindisi carried out many good works for the sake of the Lord and His Church. He continued to work even in the area of diplomacy in service of the Church and peace, as Papal Nuncio in some occasions and others. He did his best throughout his life to glorify God by what he has been blessed with, to the very end of his life, trusting in God for all things.

Brothers and sisters in Christ, therefore as we reflect upon the words of the Sacred Scriptures and as we remember the life and deeds of St. Lawrence of Brindisi, let us all continue to strive to be good and faithful disciples and followers of the Lord at all times. Let us all continue to live our lives with great faith and devotion, acting in ways that are aligned and attuned to the Lord, in all the things that we say and do, in our every interactions with one another and all those whom we encounter in life. May God bless us all and bless our every good efforts and endeavours, now and always. Amen.