Author: petercanisiusmichaeldavidkang

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(Usus Antiquior) Third Sunday of Lent (I Classis) – Sunday, 8 March 2026 : Offertory, Secret Prayer of the Priest, Preface, Communion and Post-Communion Prayer

Liturgical Colour : Violet

Offertory

Psalm 18 : 9, 10, 11, 12

Justitiae Domini rectae, laetificantes corda, et judicia Ejus dulciora super mel et favum : nam et servus Tuus custodit ea.

English translation

The justices of the Lord are right, rejoicing hearts, and His judgments are sweeter than honey and the honeycomb; for Your servant kept them.

Secret Prayer of the Priest

Haec hostia, Domine, quaesumus, emundet nostra delicta : et, ad sacrificium celebrandum, subditorum Tibi corpora mentesque sanctificet. Per Dominum nostrum Jesum Christum Filium Tuum, qui Tecum vivit et regnat in unitate Spiritus Sancti Deus, per omnia saecula saeculorum. Amen.

English translation

May this offering, o Lord, we beseech You, wipe out our sins, and sanctify the bodies and minds of Your servants for the celebration of the sacrifice. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, Your Son, Who with You lives and reigns in the unity of the Holy Spirit, God, world without end. Amen.

Preface of Lent

Vere dignum et justum est, aequum et salutare, nos Tibi semper et ubique gratias agere : Domine, Sancte Pater omnipotens, aeterne Deus : Qui corporali jejunio vitia comprimis, mentem elevas, virtutem largiris et praemia : per Christum, Dominum nostrum.

Per quem majestatem Tuam laudant Angeli, adorant Dominationes, tremunt Potestates. Caeli caelorumque Virtutes ac beata Seraphim socia exsultatione concelebrant. Cum quibus et nostras voces ut admitti jubeas, deprecamur, supplici confessione dicentes :

English translation

It is truly meet and just, right and profitable, for us, at all times, and in all places, to give thanks to You, o Lord, the Holy One, the Father Almighty, the Everlasting God, Who on those who chastise their bodies by fasting had bestowed the restraining of evil passions, uplifting of heart, and the enjoying of virtue with its reward. Through Christ our Lord.

Through Whom the Angels praise, the Dominations adore, the Powers, trembling with awe, worship Your majesty, which the heavens, and the forces of heaven, together with the blessed Seraphim, joyfully magnify. And may You command that it be permitted to our lowliness to join with them in confessing You and unceasingly to repeat :

Communion

Psalm 83 : 4-5

Passer invenit sibi domum, et turtur nidum, ubi reponat pullos suos : altaria Tua, Domine virtutum. Rex meus, et Deus meus : beati, qui habitant in domo Tua, in saeculum saeculi laudabunt Te.

English translation

The sparrow had found herself a house, and the turtle a nest, where she may lay her young ones. Your altars, o Lord of hosts, my King and my God. Blessed are those who dwell in Your house, they shall praise You forever and ever.

Post-Communion Prayer

Acunctis nos, quaesumus, Domine, reatibus et periculis propitiatus absolve : quos tanti mysterii tribuis esse participes. Per Dominum nostrum Jesum Christum Filium Tuum, qui Tecum vivit et regnat in unitate Spiritus Sancti Deus, per omnia saecula saeculorum. Amen.
English translation

Be merciful, o Lord, we beseech You, and free us from all sins and dangers, as You had granted us to be sharers in this great mystery. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, Your Son, Who with You lives and reigns in the unity of the Holy Spirit, God, world without end. Amen.

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(Usus Antiquior) Third Sunday of Lent (I Classis) – Sunday, 8 March 2026 : Holy Gospel

Liturgical Colour : Violet

Sequentia Sancti Evangelii secundum Lucam – Continuation of the Holy Gospel according to St. Luke

Luke 11 : 14-28

In illo tempore : Erat Jesus ejiciens daemonium, et illud erat mutum. Et cum ejecisset daemonium, locutus est mutus, et admiratae sunt turbae. Quidam autem ex eis dixerunt : In Beelzebub, principe daemoniorum, ejicit daemonia. Et alii tentantes, signum de caelo quaerebant ab Eo.

Ipse autem ut vidit cogitationes eorum, dixit eis : Omne regnum in seipsum divisum desolabitur, et domus supra domum cadet. Si autem et satanas in seipsum divisus est, quomodo stabit regnum ejus? Quia dicitis, in Beelzebub Me ejicere daemonia. Si autem ego in Beelzebub ejicio daemonia : filii vestri in quo ejiciunt? Ideo ipsi judices vestri erunt.

Porro si in digito Dei ejicio daemonia : profecto pervenit in vos regnum Dei. Cum fortis armatus custodit atrium suum, in pace sunt ea, quae possidet. Si autem fortior eo superveniens vicerit eum, universa arma ejus auferet, in quibus confidebat, et spolia ejus distribuet.

Qui non est mecum, contra me est : et qui non colligit mecum, dispergit. Cum immundus spiritus exierit de homine, ambulat per loca inaquosa, quaerens requiem : et non inveniens, dicit : Revertar in domum meam, unde exivi. Et cum venerit, invenit eam scopis mundatam, et ornatam.

Tunc vadit, et assumit septem alios spiritus secum nequiores se, et ingressi habitant ibi. Et fiunt novissima hominis illius pejora prioribus. Factum est autem, cum haec diceret : extollens vocem quaedam mulier de turba, dixit illi : Beatus venter, qui te portavit, et ubera, quae suxisti.

At ille dixit : Quinimmo beati, qui audiunt verbum Dei, et custodiunt illud.

English translation

At that time, Jesus was casting out a devil, and the same was dumb, and when He had cast out the devil, the dumb spoke, and the multitude were in admiration at it, but some of them said, “He cast out devils by Beelzebub the prince of devils.” And others tempting, asked of Him a sign from heaven.

But He seeing their thoughts, said to them, “Every kingdom divided against itself shall be brought to desolation, and house upon house shall fall; and if Satan also be divided against himself, how shall his kingdom stand? Because you say, that through Beelzebub I cast out devils by Beelzebub, by whom do your children cast them out? Therefore they shall be your judges.”

“But if I by the finger of God cast out devils, doubtless the kingdom of God has come upon you. When a strong man armed kept his court, those things which he possessed are in peace, but if a stronger one that he comes upon him, and overcome him, he will take away all his armour wherein he trusted, and will distribute his spoils.”

“He who is not with Me, is against Me, and he who does not gather with Me, scatters. When the unclean spirit has gone out of a man, he walked through places without water, seeking rest, and not finding it, he said, I will return into my house from whence I came out. And when he comes, he found it swept and garnished.”

“Then he went, and took with him seven other spirits more wicked than himself, and entering in they dwell there, and the last state of that man became worse than the first.” And it came to pass, as He spoke these things, that a certain woman from the crowd, lifting up her voice, said to Him, “Blessed is the womb that bore You, and breasts upon which You have suckled.”

But He said, “Yea, rather blessed are they who hear the word of God, and keep it.”

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(Usus Antiquior) Third Sunday of Lent (I Classis) – Sunday, 8 March 2026 : Gradual and Tract

Liturgical Colour : Violet

Gradual

Psalm 9 : 20, 4

Exsurge, Domine, non praevaleat homo : judicentur gentes in conspectu Tuo.

Response : In convertendo inimicum meum retrorsum, infirmabuntur, et peribunt a facie Tua.

English translation

Arise, o Lord, let not man be strengthened, let the Gentiles be judged in Your sight.

Response : When my enemy shall be turned back, they shall be weakened and perish before Your face.

Tract

Psalm 122 : 1-3

Ad Te levavi oculos meos, qui habitas in caelis.

Response : Ecce, sicut oculi servorum in manibus dominorum suorum.

Response : Et sicut oculi ancillae in manibus dominae suae ita oculi nostri ad Dominum, Deum nostrum, donec misereatur nostri.

Response : Miserere nobis, Domine, miserere nobis.

English translation

To You have I lifted up my eyes, You Who dwells in heaven.

Response : Behold as the eyes of servants are on the hands of their masters.

Response : And as the eyes of the handmaid are on the hands of her mistress, so are our eyes unto the Lord our God, until He has mercy on us.

Response : Have mercy on us, o Lord, have mercy on us.

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(Usus Antiquior) Third Sunday of Lent (I Classis) – Sunday, 8 March 2026 : Epistle

Liturgical Colour : Violet

Lectio Epistolae Beati Pauli Apostoli ad Ephesios – Lesson from the Epistle of Blessed Paul the Apostle to the Ephesians

Ephesians 5 : 1-9

Fratres : Estote imitatores Dei, sicut filii carissimi : et ambulate in dilectione, sicut et Christus dilexit nos, et tradidit semetipsum pro nobis oblationem, et hostiam Deo in odorem suavitatis. Fornicatio autem et omnis immunditia aut avaritia nec nominetur in vobis, sicut decet sanctos : aut turpitudo aut stultiloquium aut scurrilitas, quae ad rem non pertinet : sed magis gratiarum actio.

Hoc enim scitote intelligentes, quod omnis fornicator aut immundus aut avarus, quod est idolorum servitus, non habet hereditatem in regno Christi et Dei. Nemo vos seducat inanibus verbis : propter haec enim venit ira Dei in filios diffidentiae. Nolite ergo effici participes eorum.

Eratis enim aliquando tenebrae : nunc autem lux in Domino. Ut filii lucis ambulate : fructus enim lucis est in omni bonitate et justitia et veritate.

English translation

Brethren, may all of you become followers of God, as most dear children, and walk in love, as Christ also had loved us, and had delivered Himself for us, and oblation and a sacrifice to God, for an odour of sweetness. But fornication, and all uncleanness, or covetousness, let it not so much as be named among you, as became the saints, nor obscenity, nor foolish talking, nor scurrility, which is to no purpose, but rather giving of thanks.

For all of you should know this, and understand, that no fornicator, nor unclean, nor covetous person, which is a serving of idols, had any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God. Let no man deceive you with vain words, for because of these things came the anger of God upon the children of unbelievers. Be you not partakers with them.

For you were heretofore darkness, but now light in the Lord. Walk all of you as children of the light, for the fruit of the light is in all goodness, and justice and truth.

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(Usus Antiquior) Third Sunday of Lent (I Classis) – Sunday, 8 March 2026 : Introit and Collect

Liturgical Colour : Violet

Introit

Psalm 24 : 15-16 and 1-2

Oculi mei semper ad Dominum, quia ipse evellet de laqueo pedes meos : respice in me, et miserere mei, quoniam unicus et pauper sum ego.

Ad Te, Domine, levavi animam meam : Deus meus, in Te confido, non erubescam.

Response : Gloria Patri et Filio et Spiritui Sancto, sicut erat in principio, et nunc, et semper : et in saecula saeculorum. Amen.

English translation

My eyes are ever towards the Lord, for He shall pluck my feet out of the snare. May You look upon me, and have mercy on me, for I am alone and poor.

To You, o Lord, have I lifted up my soul. In You, o my God, I put my trust, let me not be ashamed.

Response : Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit, as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.

Collect

Quaesumus, omnipotens Deus, vota humilium respice : atque, ad defensionem nostram, dexteram Tuae majestatis extende. Per Dominum nostrum Jesum Christum Filium Tuum, qui Tecum vivit et regnat in unitate Spiritus Sancti Deus, per omnia saecula saeculorum. Amen.

English translation

Have regard to the desires of the lowly, o Almighty God, we beseech You, and stretch forth the right hand of Your majesty in our defence. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, Your Son, Who with You lives and reigns in the unity of the Holy Spirit, God, world without end. Amen.

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Saturday, 7 March 2026 : 2nd Week of Lent, Memorial of St. Perpetua and St. Felicity, Martyrs (Homily and Scripture Reflections)

Liturgical Colour : Purple/Violet

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, today as we all continue to progress through this time and season of Lent, and as we all listened to the words of the Sacred Scriptures, we are all reminded of the great mercy and compassion which God has always shown us all, His beloved people. God is our Father Who has always been loving towards each and every one of us, despite our rebelliousness and refusals to obey His commandments and Law, and despite our stubborn attitudes, to which He has always shown patience and kindness, in His great perseverance in reaching out to all of us His people, to lead us all patiently back towards Him and to embrace us all once again with His ever generous and infinite love.

In our first reading today, taken from the Book of the prophet Micah, we heard of the words of the Lord as passed through the prophet Micah to the people of God in the southern kingdom of Judah, to which the prophet had been ministering in, in calling all those people to repentance from their sins and wickedness. For the context, like their northern neighbours, those living in the kingdom of Israel, which kingdom had been recently destroyed by the Assyrians, the people of Judah had also disobeyed the Lord and committed sins against Him through their worship of pagan idols and gods, and their stubborn attitudes in refusing to listen to the words of the prophets who had been sent to them to remind them.

And yet, as we have heard from the prophet Micah, God is truly a loving and forgiving God, Who like a Shepherd and loving Father, has always wanted nothing but the best for His beloved ones, His people, the Israelites, who had erred and fallen away from their paths, and seeking for all of them to return to Him with contrite and sorrowful hearts, regretting their sins and mistakes. As the loving Father and Shepherd of the people of God, Micah was also praying to Him asking for the Lord to show mercy and compassion on His beloved people, that despite of their sins and wickedness, He would still forgive them and help them out, just as how He has helped them out and provided for them all from their time of the Exodus from Egypt, before that and henceforth, throughout all history.

Then, from our Gospel passage today, taken from the Gospel according to St. Luke the Evangelist, we heard of the famous parable of the prodigal son, in which we heard the story of the prodigal and rebellious younger son of a rich father, who had two sons. That younger son chose to take the portion of his inheritance and leave his family behind, to enjoy a hedonistic and wicked lifestyle in distant, foreign lands, and eventually as we all know, that prodigal son ran out of money and possessions, and ended up as a penniless man in that distant and foreign country, with no one to care for him, and with all of his former friends and associates caring only about the wealth and possessions that he had, and not truly loving him, unlike his father back at home, whom the prodigal son had chosen to leave behind.

We heard how the prodigal son returned to the father with shame and humility, humbling himself and begging himself to be taken back to his house, even if he were to be like one of the servants, as he told his own father that he no longer deserved to call him as his father for everything that he had done. Yet, the father welcomed back the prodigal, rebellious and wicked younger son with great pomp, as he has found him once again, and he saw how this son had repented and regretted his past sins and faults, and hence, by coming back all the way to him, instead of staying on in that distant lands, that son had once again gained the favour of the father, and there was indeed a great joy as the prodigal son was once again part of the father’s family, and this represents just the way that all of us should act in reaching out to God, our most loving Father, Creator and Master.

First of all, just as the prodigal son had a choice of staying on in the distant lands instead of humbling himself and swallowing his pride to return to his home, thus, we also have the option to remain stubborn in our path and way of sin, instead of humbling ourselves to seek God’s forgiveness and compassionate mercy. Yes, brothers and sisters in Christ, that is why pride is such a dangerous thing for us, as pride often becomes a great obstacle in our path of seeking God’s forgiveness and grace. Pride has led so many people to their downfall, including Satan himself, and many other of our predecessors, as pride led us to separate ourselves from the love of God, and often prevented us to admit that we have been wrong and are in need of healing and forgiveness from God. Many people steadfastly continued to walk in their wrong paths because they rejected the fact that they were in need of help from God.

Then, if we heard and recalled the action of the elder son, who was angry at the father for welcoming the younger son back, it is also a reminder to all of us not to be judgmental on others just because we think that we are better than them. Like the actions of the Pharisees and the teachers of the Law back then during the time of the Lord Jesus, who often thought of themselves as holier and better than everyone else, condemning and being judgmental on those whom they deemed as sinners, unworthy and hopeless in their path towards God, they had closed the door of God’s mercy and kindness to so many of these people whom they could have helped if not for their own pride and arrogance. Again, here we can see how pride can even be the downfall of the righteous, if we allow pride to take over our actions and judgments in life.

Today, we all can also be inspired and strengthened by the good examples set by our holy predecessors, the holy martyrs and saints, St. Perpetua and St. Felicity, who were renowned martyrs of the Church, honoured and venerated for their righteousness, holiness and dedication to God, even in the face of suffering and martyrdom. According to the Church traditions and hagiography, St. Perpetua was a young noblewoman who was recently married and was a mother to a young infant son, while St. Felicity was a slave who were arrested with St. Perpetua for their Christian faith during the reign of the Roman Emperor Septimius Severus. It was told that this happened because St. Perpetua had a conflict with her father because he wanted her to abandon her Christian faith, and St. Perpetua refused to do so. It was likely that St. Perpetua met with St. Felicity and other fellow martyrs in prison, and they all endured the trials and hardships, resisting the temptations and pressures to abandon their faith in God.

The courage and dedication that those martyrs showed us all ought to remind us of the love and commitment that we ourselves ought to have for the Lord, and we are all reminded of how many of our predecessors have given their lives for the sake of the Lord. Brothers and sisters in Christ, as we reflect upon the story of the repentant prodigal son which we heard earlier on, and also the reminders of God’s love and mercy which He has generously provided us, let us all walk in great faith and trust in the Lord, in His mercy and compassion following the examples of the saints, like those of St. Perpetua and St. Felicity among others. May the Lord be with us always in our journey of faith and life, and help us to be good and worthy role models for another, now and always. Amen.

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Saturday, 7 March 2026 : 2nd Week of Lent, Memorial of St. Perpetua and St. Felicity, Martyrs (Gospel Reading)

Liturgical Colour : Purple/Violet

Luke 15 : 1-3, 11-32

At that time, tax collectors and sinners were seeking the company of Jesus, all of them eager to hear what He had to say. But the Pharisees and the scribes frowned at this, muttering, ‘This Man welcomes sinners and eats with them.”

So Jesus told them this parable : “There was a man with two sons. The younger said to his father, ‘Give me my share of the estate.’ So the father divided his property between them. Some days later, the younger son gathered all his belongings and started off for a distant land, where he squandered his wealth in loose living.”

“Having spent everything, he was hard pressed when a severe famine broke out in that land. So he hired himself out to a well-to-do citizen of that place, and was sent to work on a pig farm. So famished was he, that he longed to fill his stomach even with the food given to the pigs, but no one offered him anything.”

“Finally coming to his senses, he said, ‘How many of my father’s hired workers have food to spare, and here I am starving to death! I will get up and go back to my father, and say to him, Father, I have sinned against God, and before you. I no longer deserve to be called your son. Treat me then as one of your hired servants.’ With that thought in mind, he set off for his father’s house.”

“He was still a long way off, when his father caught sight of him. His father was so deeply moved with compassion that he ran out to meet him, threw his arms around his neck and kissed him. The son said, ‘Father, I have sinned against Heaven and before you. I no longer deserve to be called your son.'”

“But the father turned to his servants : ‘Quick!’ he said. ‘Bring out the finest robe and put it on him! Put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet! Take the fattened calf and kill it! We shall celebrate and have a feast, for this son of mine was dead, and has come back to life; he was lost, and is found!’ And the celebration began.”

“Meanwhile, the elder son had been working in the fields. As he returned and approached the house, he heard the sound of music and dancing. He called one of the servants and asked what it was all about. The servant answered, ‘Your brother has come home safe and sound, and your father is so happy about it that he has ordered this celebration, and killed the fattened calf.'”

“The elder son became angry, and refused to go in. His father came out and pleaded with him. The son, very indignant, said, ‘Look, I have slaved for you all these years. Never have I disobeyed your orders. Yet you have never given me even a young goat to celebrate with my friends. Then when this son of yours returns, after squandering your property with loose women, you kill the fattened calf for him.'”

“The father said, ‘My son, you are always with me, and everything I have is yours. But this brother of yours was dead, and has come back to life; he was lost, and is found. And for that we had to rejoice and be glad.'”

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Saturday, 7 March 2026 : 2nd Week of Lent, Memorial of St. Perpetua and St. Felicity, Martyrs (Psalm)

Liturgical Colour : Purple/Violet

Psalm 102 : 1-2, 3-4, 9-10, 11-12

Bless the Lord, my soul; all my being, bless His holy Name! Bless the Lord, my soul, and do not forget all His kindness.

He forgives all your sins and heals all your sickness; He redeems your life from destruction and crowns you with love and compassion.

He will not always scold nor will He be angry forever. He does not treat us according to our sins, nor does He punish us as we deserve.

As the heavens are high above the earth, so great is His love for those fearing Him; as far as the east is from the west, so far does He remove from us our sins.

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Saturday, 7 March 2026 : 2nd Week of Lent, Memorial of St. Perpetua and St. Felicity, Martyrs (First Reading)

Liturgical Colour : Purple/Violet

Micah 7 : 14-15, 18-20

Shepherd Your people with Your staff, shepherd the flock of Your inheritance that dwells alone in the scrub, in the midst of a fertile land. Let them feed in Bashan and Gilead as in the days of old, in the days when You went out of Egypt. Show us Your wonders.

Who is a God like You, Who takes away guilt and pardons crime for the remnant of His inheritance? Who is like You Whose anger does not last? For You delight in merciful forgiveness. Once again You will show us Your loving kindness and trample on our wrongs, casting all our sins into the depths of the sea.

Show faithfulness to Jacob, mercy to Abraham, as You have sworn to our ancestors from the days of old.

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Friday, 6 March 2026 : 2nd Week of Lent (Homily and Scripture Reflections)

Liturgical Colour : Purple/Violet

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, today as we all listened to the words of the Sacred Scriptures, we are reminded of the harm and dangers that our greed, desires and ambitions, as well as jealousy and other negative traits which can lead us into our downfall and destruction if we continue to follow them, as what the Scripture passages today highlighted with the story of Joseph and his brothers, where jealousy almost led to those brothers committing fratricide, as well as the story of the parable of the evil tenants which the Lord Jesus told to His disciples, to remind them all of how our greed and personal ambitions can lead us into committing untold harm and evil deeds.

In our first reading today, taken from the Book of Genesis, we heard of the beginning of the story surrounding Joseph, one of the many sons of Jacob or Israel, whom we may all know as the one who was brought to Egypt and becoming regent there in that land, and ultimately rescuing his whole family from danger due to the great famine raging over the whole world at the time, making the Israelites, the descendants of Jacob or Israel, prosper greatly in Egypt and in the lands that God had brought them all to stay in. Through this story we can see how God was with His people, protecting them and providing for them, and even turning things that were meant for evil into good things.

First of all, Joseph as mentioned was one of the favourite sons of Jacob, and this was due to him being one of the two sons of Rachel, the woman whom Jacob truly loved wholeheartedly, more than his sister, Leah, who had also married Jacob and gave him the other children. Joseph and Benjamin were the sons borne to him by Rachel, and as his youngest sons, naturally it would have made them their father’s favourites. Joseph in particular received the ire of his other elder brothers because Benjamin was likely still very young, and therefore did not end up in their brothers’ crosshairs. Joseph himself also received many preferential treatments from his father, and his dreams which he shared with his brothers and family, highlighting how they all would be bowing down before him, brought about even more of his brothers’ jealousy.

And that was how Joseph eventually ended up being plotted against by his own brothers, and almost lost his life because many among his brothers wanted to kill him. Instead, by the intervention of some of his elder brothers, Joseph was instead sold off to the slavers of Midian who were on their way to the land fo Egypt, and was spared death. All of these were indeed part of God’s grand design, who influenced the brothers and prevented them from committing such a heinous sin of killing their own brother. He turned the misfortunes of Joseph into great plans for the future, which at that time no one could have seen yet, but it was in fact Joseph’s visions slowly coming to fruition and accomplishment.

Then, from our Gospel passage today, taken from the Gospel according to St. Matthew the Apostle and Evangelist, we heard of the moment when the Lord Jesus told His disciples and followers using a parable to teach them about the dangers of worldly glory, ambitions and desires, which He highlighted with the story of the wicked and evil tenants who were given the plots of land by the landowner to work on, and yet, they all refused to pay their dues and the parts of the proceed just as they had certainly agreed on with the landowner. Those wicked tenants became greedy and wanted to keep all of their proceeds and profits, reneging on their earlier agreement, refusing to listen to the reminders sent to them by the landowner through his servants.

And not only that, just like the story of Joseph earlier in our first reading today, those evil tenants were affected by their greed and jealousy of the great wealth of the landowner, which led them to commit heinous crimes, persecuting and even murdering those servants sent to them to remind them of their obligations and works. We heard then how last of all, the evil tenants ganged up and plotted against the landowner’s son, whom he sent to those wicked tenants with the same purpose, thinking that they would have at least respected his son. This was in fact a premonition and prefigurement of what Christ Himself, represented by that landowner’s son, would go through as He would be persecuted and killed by those who opposed Him, those represented by the evil tenants.

This is why all of us are reminded as Christians, we should not allow these things to influence us negatively and leading us down the slippery slope towards wickedness and sin. We must realise that first and foremost we should focus our lives and attention on the Lord, and keep in mind that our every actions, words and deeds should always be rooted in our belief in the Lord, and not be rooted in our worldly ambitions, desires and greed. We must remember that nothing we have and gained in this world will last forever, and none of them will endure through difficulties and challenges we may encounter in our path. But if we put our faith and trust in the Lord, everything that we go through, all the challenges and difficulties, we will eventually be able to overcome it, and we will gain true eternal glory with Him.

Brothers and sisters in Christ, let us all therefore reflect upon all these which we have heard from the Lord, from the words He has spoken to us and reminded us all with. Let us all no longer hesitate to walk ever more courageously with Him, going forward with great faith that does not dim even amidst the most challenging and difficult moments. All of us should always do our best to live up to our Christian beliefs, particularly in our great love for God and in our generous love for one another, not putting ourselves and our selfish desires ahead of what we should do in loving God and His people, as we have been called to do.

May the Lord our God continue to strengthen us all and empower each and every one of us in our every efforts and endeavours especially throughout this time and season of Lent, so that all of us may continue to walk faithfully in the path which the Lord has shown us. Let us all remain firm in faith and trust in Him, and resist the temptations of worldly ambitions, glory and desires, all of which can drag us down the path of ruin and destruction. This Lent, let us all continue to strive to be ever more faithful and committed people of God, now and always. Amen.