Month: August 2025

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Friday, 29 August 2025 : 21st Week of Ordinary Time, Memorial of the Passion of St. John the Baptist (Homily and Scripture Reflections)

Liturgical Colour : Red

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, today the Church celebrates the Feast of the Passion of St. John the Baptist, the Herald and the one who prepared for the coming of the Messiah, the Saviour of the world Himself. Today’s Feast commemorate the moment when St. John the Baptist faced his time of suffering in the prison of King Herod Antipas and then eventual martyrdom. And as we recall the courageous faith and dedication which St. John the Baptist had shown, we are also reminded of the reality of what it truly means for us to be faithful Christians and disciples of the Lord just as St. John the Baptist had been. If we expect that being Christians means that we have a smooth journey in life and life full of happiness and blessings, then we can easily be disappointed when it does not end up this way.

St. John the Baptist had been called by God from the very beginning, prophesied through the prophet Isaiah and the other prophets speaking about the coming of the Messiah that he would be the one to prepare the path for the Lord’s own coming. He was called from his mother’s womb, and had been prepared by God from the beginning, from his miraculous conception and birth, and all the things that happened during his early life. God was clearly with him, guiding him on the mission which He ultimately entrusted to him, and as we all should be aware of, St. John the Baptist devoted his life to serve the Lord’s will, going forth to the wilderness to prepare himself, and then as the ‘voice ringing out in the wilderness’, he began calling on everyone to return to the Lord and repent from their sinful ways.

But this was a mission that was harder said than done, and the reality was such that he faced many obstacles and challenges. While indeed many thousands upon thousands of people were touched by his call and responded to him, there were also many of those who opposed and doubted him, questioning his authenticity and criticising him, such as the members of the Pharisees and the teachers of the Law, who came to him with many questions especially about his teachings and ways, which the Pharisees and the teachers of the Law, the religious elites of the community often found disagreeable. And St. John the Baptist therefore was equally vocal in his rebuke and opposition against those often self-righteous and self-serving elites that he called as the ‘brood of vipers’.

This was what the Lord spoke about as well as He told the prophet Jeremiah in what we heard in our first reading today from the Book of the prophet Jeremiah, when He called Jeremiah to follow Him and to be the prophet to minister to His people in the kingdom of Judah during its last days. It was a really difficult and challenging, a thankless and troublesome task, to face the stubborn and rebellious people of Judah, the remnants of God’s people in the southern half of what used to be the united kingdom of Israel. Their northern neighbours had been conquered and defeated over a century prior, and many among the people of God had been uprooted and exiled from their own lands, the lands promised and entrusted to them by the Lord because of their sins and wickedness.

And it was to these people that Jeremiah had been sent to, to labour and toil among, just as St. John the Baptist was sent to the same stubborn and ignorant people, especially those who led them and had the power and influence during that time. Both of these servants of God faced a lot of hardships and struggles, but the Lord was with them, and just as the Lord reassured Jeremiah, that He would be with him throughout all of his challenges and trials, therefore, God also did the same with St. John the Baptist and His many other servants, those who have faithfully carried out the missions and works entrusted to them by the Lord Himself. 

In addition, as we heard in our Gospel passage today, for St. John the Baptist, he was put under arrest by King Herod Antipas, whom the servant of God criticised harshly for his immoral attitudes and way of life, especially in how he had taken his own brother’s wife, Herodias as his own wife. The Scriptural evidence was clear enough in implying that Philip, the brother of Herod was still alive, and when Herod took his brother’s wife as his own that actually amounted to adultery, which was a grave sin, and especially more so when the one who committed it was no less than the one who was entrusted with the rule of the people of God. That was why St. John the Baptist spoke critically against the king, and was arrested as a result.

And then we heard how St. John the Baptist met his death in martyrdom, having earned the great ire from Herodias for having criticised her and Herod for their adulterous behaviour. That was how as mentioned in our Gospel passage today, Herodias concocted a plot to trick Herod into executing St. John the Baptist, as Herod still refused to harm the holy man of God. She played upon Herod’s own worldly desires and when he was likely intoxicated and mesmerised by his own stepdaughter’s beauty and performance, he made promises before the important members and officials of his kingdom that he could not retract. That was how Herod’s action, his immorality and his succumbing to worldly desires and pleasures ended up leading him to cause harm on a holy man of God. St. John the Baptist remained faithful to the very end and dedicated himself wholly to God.

Brothers and sisters in Christ, as we reflect upon the Passion and martyrdom of St. John the Baptist, holy servant of God and the Herald of the Messiah, let us all come to realise our calling and mission in life so that we may truly devote ourselves thoroughly and worthily to do the missions that the Lord Himself has entrusted to us. We must not allow ourselves to be overcome or paralysed by fear or doubt, especially upon knowing and realising that no matter what happened or what may happen to us, God will always be by our side, supporting and strengthening us. Our life and journey as Christians may not necessarily be an easy or smooth one, but if we continue to have faith and trust in the Lord, then in the end, we will be vindicated and we will share in the eternal glory and triumph, true joy and happiness with God.

May all of us therefore continue to devote ourselves faithfully to God at all times, and may we continue to be good role models and examples of our faith in the Lord, imitating and following the examples which the prophet Jeremiah and St. John the Baptist had shown us all. May all of us continue to be strong in our desire to walk in the path that God has shonw us regardless of the trials and challenges that we may have to face in life. Let us continue to progress forward in faith, doing our best to serve the Lord by our faithful living, now and always. Amen.

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Friday, 29 August 2025 : 21st Week of Ordinary Time, Memorial of the Passion of St. John the Baptist (Gospel Reading)

Liturgical Colour : Red

Mark 6 : 17-29

At that time, this is what had happened : Herod had ordered John to be arrested; and had had him bound and put in prison because of Herodias, the wife of his brother Philip. Herod had married her; and John had told him, “It is not right for you to live with your brother’s wife.”

So Herodias held a grudge against John and wanted to kill him; but she could not, because Herod respected John. He knew John to be an upright and holy man, and kept him safe. And he liked listening to him; although he became very disturbed whenever he heard him.

Herodias had her chance on Herod’s birthday, when he gave a dinner for all the senior government officials, military chiefs, and the leaders of Galilee. On that occasion, the daughter of Herodias came in and danced; and she delighted Herod and his guests.

The king said to the girl, “Ask me for anything you want and I will give it to you.” And he went so far as to say with many oaths, “I will give you anything you ask, even half my kingdom.” She went out and said to her mother, “What shall I ask for?” The mother replied, “The head of John the Baptist.”

The girl hurried to the king and made her request, “I want you to give me the head of John the Baptist, here and now, on a dish.” The king was very displeased, but he would not refuse in front of his guests because of his oaths. So he sent one of the bodyguards, with orders to bring John’s head.

He went and beheaded John in prison; then he brought the head on a dish and gave it to the girl. And the girl gave it to her mother. When John’s disciples heard of this, they came and took his body and buried it.

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Friday, 29 August 2025 : 21st Week of Ordinary Time, Memorial of the Passion of St. John the Baptist (Psalm)

Liturgical Colour : Red

Psalm 70 : 1-2, 3-4a, 5-6ab, 15ab and 17

In You, o YHVH, I seek refuge; let me not be disgraced. In Your justice help me and deliver me; turn Your ear to me and save me!

Be my Rock of refuge; a Stronghold, to give me safety; for You are my Rock and my Fortress. Rescue me, o my God, from the hand of the wicked.

For You, o YHVH, have been my hope; my trust, o God, from my youth. I have relied on You from birth : from my mother’s womb You brought me forth.

My lips will proclaim Your intervention and tell of Your salvation all day. You have taught me from my youth and, until now, I proclaim Your marvels.

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Friday, 29 August 2025 : 21st Week of Ordinary Time, Memorial of the Passion of St. John the Baptist (First Reading)

Liturgical Colour : Red

Jeremiah 1 : 17-19

But you, get ready for action; stand up and say to them all that I command you. Be not scared of them or I will scare you in their presence! See, I will make you a fortified city, a pillar of iron with walls of bronze, against all the nations, against the kings and princes of Judah, against the priests and the people of the land.

They will fight against you but shall not overcome you, for I am with you to rescue you – it is YHVH Who speaks.

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Thursday, 28 August 2025 : 21st Week of Ordinary Time, Memorial of St. Augustine, Bishop and Doctor of the Church (Homily and Scripture Reflections)

Liturgical Colour : White

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, today as we all listened to the words of the Sacred Scriptures, we are all reminded that we have to be always prepared and ready for the Lord at all times, because if we are asked to account for our lives and actions before Him, are we then ready to show that we have been truly faithful in all things and at all times? We should always strive to be good and faithful Christians, as good and worthy followers and disciples of the Lord at all circumstances, doing our very best to glorify God by all that we say and do, by our every interactions with one another so that everyone may come to know the Lord, His truth and love through us, through our love for Him and our love for one another, and by our righteousness and virtues in our daily lives.

In our first reading today, taken from the Epistle of St. Paul the Apostle to the Church and the faithful people of God in the city and region of Thessalonica, we heard of the continuation of the Apostle’s exhortation to the faithful people of God there, who had been faithful and true to the teachings of the Apostle and the other Christian missionaries. That is why St. Paul again expressed his gratitude for the great faith which the people of God in Thessalonica had shown, as contrasted to the many others whom at that time refused to believe in the Lord, in His Apostles and missionaries. The people and the faithful in Thessalonica did not just welcome the Christian missionaries but those who believed came to be good and faithful believers, remaining strong in their faith in God.

And St. Paul encouraged them all, strengthening their faith and commitment in God further, praying to God for them on their behalf, asking the Father to grant them strength and perseverance in their faith so that they may continue to remain firm and strong in their conviction and efforts to live their lives faithfully as God’s followers and disciples, as good and faithful Christians at all times. We must not easily give up the fight and struggle for the Lord just because we are facing lots of challenges and trials in life. Some among our predecessors had given up their faith because they thought that they were alone and that they were suffering in vain, but the reality is such that God is always with us, journeying with us and supporting us all throughout the way.

It is also important that as Christians, we should always support one another in faith, and we should never abandon or neglect our brothers and sisters around us in need, and especially more so those whom God had entrusted to us, those who are dear and precious, beloved and important to us. Each and every one of us are called to be good and loving brothers and sisters to one another, and to be truly full of love, the love that God Himself has shown us to all those who are dear and beloved to us, as well as to all the ones whom we have met in our journey and daily activities. That is how we can live our lives authentically and genuinely as Christians, to be full of God’s love in all the things that we say and do, in our every interactions with each other.

Then, from our Gospel passage today, taken from the Gospel according to St. Matthew the Apostle and Evangelist, we heard of the Lord’s words to His disciples and all those who have followed Him, in which He highlighted the need for all of His disciples and followers to remain ready and vigilant for the coming of the Lord, their Master and their God. This was presented in the form of a parable, in which the Lord highlighted the contrast between the attitudes of the lazy and unworthy servants who delayed and refused to act upon their master’s orders, and those servants who were diligent and hardworking, doing their best to fulfil the works and missions which their master and lord had entrusted to them. The former would be found wanting and lacking, and hence punished upon the master’s sudden return, while the latter would be greatly honoured and praised.

Hence, in the same manner, that is how all of us as Christians, as those who have committed ourself to the Lord our God as our Master and King, would have to be vigilant and careful of, remembering that we have been called to heed God’s call and what He has wished us all to do in our respective lives and obligations. Each and every one of us should always be ready to commit ourselves to a life of virtue and righteousness, done in the service of God, in everything we say and do in this life, in our way of living so that we may always be truly genuine as Christian disciples and followers, and truly be the good role models and examples for one another in faith. This is what we have been called to do in our lives, brothers and sisters, and what we should commit each and every moments in our lives.

Today, the Church celebrates the Feast of St. Augustine, also known as St. Augustine of Hippo, one of the most famous early Church fathers whose great story of faith, dedication and commitment to God are truly exemplary and inspirational for us all. St. Augustine of Hippo was born to a pagan Roman nobleman named Patricius in what is now part of Northern Africa, and to a devout Christian mother, St. Monica, whose feast we have just celebrated yesterday. St. Augustine led a rather dissolute and immoral early life, as he pursued a philosophical and rhetorical education, becoming a Manichaean and embracing all sorts of hedonistic and worldly lifestyle, even to the point of having a child out of wedlock, to the great distress of his mother.

But St. Monica continued to have faith in the Lord and in her son, as well as her husband. She kept on persistently praying and enduring lots of trials and challenges out of love for her beloved family members, and prayed for their conversion. Her persistence eventually paid off when first her husband repented and eventually agreed to be baptised as he was near the end of his life, and then her prodigal son, St. Augustine of Hippo followed suit, encountering God in his pursuit of knowledge and purpose in life, and eventually, through the guidance and mentorship from St. Ambrose of Milan, another great Church father of the time, St. Augustine went through a total change in his life and direction, committing himself henceforth to the service of God.

And as a great servant and disciple of the Lord, St. Augustine carried out his missions and works with great dedication and commitment to service, becoming a great teacher of the faith and a great bishop, caring for the need of his flock in the region of Hippo Regius in northern Africa, after which he was known with his epithet ‘of Hippo’. St. Augustine wrote extensively on many matters and treatises, his famous work, ‘The City of God’, ‘The Confessions of St. Augustine’ in which he wrote about the Church of God and his own experiences in conversion and following the will of God, and also other theological matters such as ‘De Trinitate’ on the Most Holy Trinity, for which he has been honoured as one of the original Doctors of the Church. He remained faithful to the very end, dying at the time when the Vandals attacked and besieged his city of Hippo Regius.

Brothers and sisters in Christ, let us all therefore be inspired by the great faith which St. Augustine of Hippo, our holy predecessor had shown us all. And as we have reflected from the messages of the Sacred Scriptures, let us all continue to do our best to walk in the path that the Lord has shown before us, in loving Him most sincerely and wonderfully, and in showing the same love to our fellow brothers and sisters around us like how St. Augustine of Hippo and many other saints had done. If we truly live our lives faithfully in each and every moments, then certainly we shall be blessed and strengthened in our endeavours and efforts, and even when we face hardships and trials, we will be triumphant in the end. May God be with us always and may He continue to guide us in all things. Amen.

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Thursday, 28 August 2025 : 21st Week of Ordinary Time, Memorial of St. Augustine, Bishop and Doctor of the Church (Gospel Reading)

Liturgical Colour : White

Matthew 24 : 42-51

At that time, Jesus said to His disciples, “Stay awake then, for you do not know on what day your Lord will come. Obviously, if the owner of the house knew at what time the thief was coming, he would certainly stay up and not allow his house to be broken into. So be alert, for the Son of Man will come at the hour you least expect.”

“Imagine a faithful and prudent servant, whom his master has put in charge of his household, to give them food at the proper time. Fortunate, indeed, is that servant, whom his master will find at work when he comes. Truly I say to you, his lord will entrust him with everything he has.”

“Not so with the bad servant, who thinks, ‘My master is delayed.’ And he begins to ill-treat his fellow servants, while eating and drinking with drunkards. But his master will come on the day he does not know, and at the hour he least expects. He will punish that servant severely; and place him with the hypocrites. There will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.”

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Thursday, 28 August 2025 : 21st Week of Ordinary Time, Memorial of St. Augustine, Bishop and Doctor of the Church (Psalm)

Liturgical Colour : White

Psalm 89 : 3-4, 12-14, 17

You turn humans back to dust, saying, “Return, o mortals!” A thousand years in Your sight are like a day that has passed, or like a watch in the night.

So make us know the shortness of our life, that we may gain wisdom of heart. How long will You be angry, o YHVH? Have mercy on Your servant.

Fill us at daybreak with Your goodness, that we may be glad all our days. May the sweetness of YHVH be upon us; may He prosper the work of our hands.

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Thursday, 28 August 2025 : 21st Week of Ordinary Time, Memorial of St. Augustine, Bishop and Doctor of the Church (First Reading)

Liturgical Colour : White

1 Thessalonians 3 : 7-13

What a consolation for us, brothers and sisters, in the midst of our troubles and trials, this faith of yours! It is a breath of life for us, when you stand firm in the Lord. How can we thank God enough, for all the joy that we feel before God, because of you? Day and night, we beg of Him, to let us see you again, that we may complete the instruction of the believers.

May God, our Father, and Jesus, our Lord, prepare the way for us to visit you. May the Lord increase, more and more, your love for each other and for all people, as He increases our love for you. May He strengthen you, internally, to be holy and blameless before God, our Father, on the day that Jesus, our Lord, will come with all His saints.

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Wednesday, 27 August 2025 : 21st Week of Ordinary Time, Memorial of St. Monica (Homily and Scripture Reflections)

Liturgical Colour : White

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, as we listened to the words of the Sacred Scriptures, we are reminded that as Christians, as God’s holy and beloved people, we must always be truly and genuinely faithful to the Lord our God, and we should not allow ourselves to be swayed by the sin of hypocrisy, of professing to believe in a certain way and yet acting and carrying out our lives in the manner that is truly different from what we professed to believe in. If that is how we live our faith as Christians, then we truly have not lived our lives genuinely as those whom God had called and chosen, and we are no better than the hypocrites whom the Lord had frequently criticised and rebuked during the time of His ministry.

In our first reading today, taken from the Epistle of St. Paul the Apostle to the Church and the faithful people of God in the city and region of Thessalonica, we heard of the continuation of the Apostle’s exhortation to the faithful people of God there, who had been faithful and true to the teachings of the Apostle and the other Christian missionaries. Earlier on in this Epistle, St. Paul praised the faith of the Thessalonian Christians as compared to the lack of faith and difficulties which he and the other missionaries had been encountering in Philippi, in the nearby region of Greece. Nonetheless, as we heard in that passage today, the Apostle still reminded them to remain true to the teachings of the Church as they have received through the Apostle and the missionaries.

This is because it is easy for any one of us to be easily swayed by the many temptations, pressures, coercions and all the trials and challenges that we may have to face in our journey. And if we are not careful, we may end up falling into this trap and be dragged down the wrong path in life, and hence, this is why we should continue to remind ourselves to be ever more faithful to the Lord in all the things that we do in life. Despite all the temptations and challenges present all around us in this life, we should still strive and do our best to live our lives in each and every moments, in our everyday living to be truly good examples of our Christian faith and discipleship, in being the worthy bearers of God’s truth, Good News and love to everyone around us.

Then, from our Gospel passage today taken from the Gospel according to St. Matthew the Apostle and Evangelist, we heard of the continuation of the series of criticisms and rebuke which the Lord Jesus presented against the Pharisees and the teachers of the Law before His disciples and all the people who were listening to His teachings. We have heard in the past few days of everything that the Lord spoke up against those supposed elders and elites of the Jewish community, who were highly respected and even feared by the people of God. Those Pharisees and the teachers of the Law were the ones that were the most knowledgeable about the Law of God and the teachings and prophecies of the Lord’s prophets, the intellectual elites of the community.

And yet, they did not recognise the Lord and His miracles and wonders, all the signs which He had performed that in fact fulfilled all the prophecies which the prophets had spoken about the Messiah or the Saviour of the world. They were supposed to be the first ones to recognise the signs and miracles of the Messiah, and yet, they hardened their hearts and refused to believe in Him. Not only that, but as we have heard in that same Gospel passage today, the Pharisees and the teachers of the Law often were hypocritical in their way of living their faith, as they were like whitewashed tombs and bones, looking good on the outsides but they were truly empty inside. This means that in them can be found no true and genuine faith or love for God.

While it is then easy for us to attribute the blame to the Pharisees and the teachers of the Law, let us all not be quick to point fingers to them, as we should all look upon ourselves and our own actions in life first and foremost. Have we ourselves lived the lives we have in this world in the manner that the Lord has taught and wanted us all to live them, or have we instead lived our lives in the similar way as those Pharisees and teachers of the Law, in hypocrisy and in self-serving, self-righteous attitudes, lacking for true and genuine concern and care for others around us? This is precisely why the Lord criticised those Pharisees and the teachers of the Law because of their selfishness and lack of concern and love for those around them, in them being biased and prejudiced against the less fortunate in their midst.

Today, the Church celebrates the Feast of St. Monica, who is well-known for her being the mother of another great and famous saint, St. Augustine of Hippo, one of the Church’s most famous early Church fathers. St. Monica was a Christian married to a pagan Roman nobleman named Patricius in the fourth century in the region of northern Africa. St. Monica was a pious Christian who was caring and loving towards others around her, giving alms and other efforts for the less fortunate, and spending time in prayer, amidst her own turbulent family life, as her pagan husband had a violent temper and immoral habits. Their son, the future St. Augustine of Hippo grew up in worldly ways as well, and as he was educated in rhetoric and philosophy, he pursued worldly matters and became a Manichaean, to the great distress of his mother.

But St. Monica continued to have faith in the Lord and in her family, and she ceaselessly prayed and made efforts to help her son and husband to be reconciled with her and with God. Eventually, her prayers were answered as first, her ailing husband eventually accepted the Lord and was baptised as a Christian, repenting from his prior wayward way of life, and then, her son, St. Augustine of Hippo, eventually came to seek the Lord as well, abandoning his past hedonistic and materialistic way of life, which included even having a child outside of marriage. St. Monica’s great love for her family members is truly an inspiration for all of us as Christians in how we ourselves should show love and concern, care and compassion to our loved ones, and also to others whom we encounter daily in life.

Brothers and sisters in Christ, let us all therefore be inspired by the great faith and love which St. Monica has shown us all so that we too may truly be loving and genuine Christians in all things, in truly loving God with all of our heart and might, and then to do the same with our fellow brothers and sisters in Christ, to those whom we love and who are dear to us and also to those whom we encounter daily in life. May the Lord be with us all in our journey in faith and may He strengthen and help us to continue living our lives in the manner that is truly both worthy and faithful, now and always. Amen.

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Wednesday, 27 August 2025 : 21st Week of Ordinary Time, Memorial of St. Monica (Gospel Reading)

Liturgical Colour : White

Matthew 23 : 27-32

At that time, Jesus said to the people and to His disciples, “Woe to you, teachers of the Law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You are like whitewashed tombs, beautiful in appearance; but, inside, there are only dead bones and uncleanness. In the same way, you appear religious to others, but you are full of hypocrisy and wickedness within.”

“Woe to you, teachers of the Law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You build tombs for the prophets, and decorate the monuments of the righteous. You say : Had we lived in the time of our ancestors, we would not have joined them in shedding the blood of the prophets. So, you, yourselves, confess to be the descendants of those who murdered the prophets.”

“And now, finish off what your ancestors began!”