Apostles

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

Liturgical Colour : White

Acts 22 : 3-16

Paul spoke to the Jews in Jerusalem, “I am a Jew, born in Tarsus in Cilicia, but brought up here, in this city, where I was educated in the school of Gamaliel, according to the strict observance of our law. And I was dedicated to God’s service, as are all of you today. As for this Way, I persecuted it to the point of death and arrested its followers, both men and women, throwing them into prison.”

“The High Priest and the whole Council of elders can bear witness to this. From them, I received letters for the Jewish brothers in Damascus; and I set out to arrest those who were there, and bring them back to Jerusalem for punishment. But, as I was travelling along, nearing Damascus, at about noon, a great light from the sky suddenly flashed about me.”

“I fell to the ground and heard a voice saying to me : ‘Saul, Saul, why do you persecute Me?’ I answered, ‘Who are You, Lord?’ And He said to me : ‘I am Jesus, the Nazorean, Whom you persecute.’ The men who were with me saw the light, but they did not understand the voice of the One Who was speaking to me. I asked : ‘What shall I do, Lord?’”

“And the Lord replied : ‘Get up and go to Damascus; there, you will be told all that you are destined to do.’ Yet, the brightness of that light had blinded me; and so, I was led by the hand into Damascus by my companions. There, a certain Ananias came to me. He was a devout observer of the law, and well spoken of by all the Jews who were living there.”

“As he stood by me, he said : ‘Brother Saul, recover your sight.’ At that moment, I could see; and I looked at him. He, then, said, ‘The God of our ancestors has chosen you to know His will, to see the Just One, and to hear the words from His mouth. From now on, you shall be His witness before all the pagan people, and tell them all that you have seen and heard.’”

“‘And now, why delay? Get up and be baptised, and have your sins washed away, by calling upon His Name.’”

Alternative reading

Acts 9 : 1-22

Meanwhile, Saul considered nothing but violence and death for the disciples of the Lord. He went to the High Priest and asked him for letters to the synagogues of Damascus that would authorise him to arrest and bring to Jerusalem, anyone he might find, man or woman, belonging to the Way.

As he travelled along and was approaching Damascus, a light from the sky suddenly flashed around him. He fell to the ground and heard a voice saying to him, “Saul, Saul! Why do you persecute Me?” And he asked, “Who are You, Lord?” The voice replied, “I am Jesus, Whom you persecute. Now, get up, and go into the city; there, you will be told what you are to do.”

The men who were travelling with him stood there speechless : they had heard the sound, but could see no one. Saul got up from the ground and, opening his eyes, he could not see. They took him by the hand and brought him to Damascus. He was blind; and he did not eat or drink for three days.

There was a disciple in Damascus named Ananias, to whom the Lord called in a vision, “Ananias!” He answered, “Here I am, Lord!” Then the Lord said to him, “Go, at once, to Straight Street and ask, at the house of Judas, for a man of Tarsus named Saul. You will find him praying, for he has just seen in a vision that a man named Ananias has come in and placed his hands upon him, to restore his sight.”

Ananias answered, “Lord, I have heard from many sources about this man, and all the harm he has done to Your saints in Jerusalem; and now, he is here, with authority from the High Priest, to arrest all who call upon Your Name.”

But the Lord said to him, “Go! This man is My chosen instrument, to bring My Name to the pagan nations and their kings, and the people of Israel as well. I, Myself, will show him how much he will have to suffer for My Name.”

So Ananias left and went to the house. He laid his hands upon Saul and said, “Saul, my brother, the Lord Jesus, Who appeared to you on your way here, has sent me to you, so that you may receive your sight, and be filled with the Holy Spirit.” Immediately, something like scales fell from his eyes and he could see; he got up and was baptised. Then he took food and was strengthened.

For several days Saul stayed with the disciples at Damascus, and he soon began to proclaim in the synagogues that Jesus was the Son of God. All who heard were astonished and said, “Is this not the one who cast out, in Jerusalem, all those calling upon this Name? Did he not come here, to bring them bound before the chief priests?”

But Saul grew more and more powerful; and he confounded the Jews living in Damascus when he proved that Jesus was the Messiah.

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Wednesday, 27 December 2023 : Feast of St. John, Apostle and Evangelist (Homily and Scripture Reflections)

Liturgical Colour : White

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, today the Church celebrates the Feast of St. John the Apostle and Evangelist, commemorating this great man of God whose faith, commitment and dedication to God had brought unto us all a truly great testimony of faith, inspiring all of us in our own way of life and committing ourselves to the Lord. St. John, Holy Apostle and Evangelist, was known as a great disciple of Christ, the one whom the Lord cared for and loved, and through his experiences and understanding of the Lord, St. John revealed unto us the nature of God’s love and kindness, which He has shown unto us through His Son, Jesus Christ, with Whom St. John had lived with, laboured together and ministered to the people of God, as written and recorded in the Gospels.

In our first reading today, we heard from the Epistle of St. John in which the Apostle St. John himself described the truth about the Love of God which had been manifested and revealed unto us through the same Jesus Christ, the Son of God. It is this same Christ Who is the One that we celebrate about during this joyous and magnificent Christmas season and time. Christ, our Lord and Redeemer, through Whom the Lord has shown His ever enduring and persistent love, by which He has reached out to us, touching us all with His compassion and mercy, restoring unto us the life that He has always intended to have, giving reason and purpose to our lives, through Him, Who is the Lord and Master of Life, the Lord over our every lives.

This is something that He truly can reassure us with, as He Himself has shown St. John in person what He stands for, all that He has taught and delivered into our midst, as He proclaimed God’s love and forgiveness for each and every one of us sinners, and how He overcame even sin and death during the time of His Passion, His suffering and death, and ultimately, His glorious Resurrection as highlighted in our Gospel passage today. St. John himself had been with the Lord for a very long time relative to His ministry as he was among the first disciples whom He had called, ever since he was called with his brother, St. James the Greater at the Lake of Galilee. He, one of the two sons of Zebedee was called by the Lord, and he answered the Lord with a resolute faith.

St. John witnessed many of the Lord’s most important miracles and wonders, himself being one of the few inner circle members of the Lord’s followers, together with his own brother and with St. Peter the Apostle. He saw how the Lord healed the sick in many occasions, and even restored the life to those who have been deceased, such as the daughter of Jairus, the synagogue official, the son of the widow of Naim, as well as Lazarus, one of the Lord’s own good friends. All of them had succumbed to death, and yet, the Lord showed St. John and His other disciples and followers, that He is truly the Lord and Master of life, the Holy One and Saviour of the whole world. He raised them up and restored them all back unto life, and then, ultimately, as we heard in our Gospel passage today, the Lord Jesus Himself conquered death and overcome it, as He gloriously returned to life, in His Resurrection.

St. John the Apostle saw and witnessed all of these things, just as the Gospel passage today mentioned to us. The Lord appeared on Easter Sunday morning to St. Mary Magdalene in which He revealed that He has risen from the dead, and did not remain in the realm of the dead just as He has predicted earlier, that He would rise again on the third day. St. Mary Magdalene thus proclaimed this truth to the other Apostles, revealing about the Resurrection and hence, the hope that has been renewed in Christ, Who has conquered and overcome death for us, joining us back to our Lord and Creator. St. John hence believed wholeheartedly in the Risen Lord, and ever since that, he committed his whole life to proclaim the Good News of God.

That was what St. John had done for many decades afterwards, as he went from places to places in helping to establish the Church and its communities, in his efforts to proclaim the Word of God and His truth to more and more people. St. John himself also suffered many trials and hardships as he had to endure persecutions, oppressions and even exiles, which saw him exiled in one occasion to the Island of Patmos in his old age, where he famously received the revelations about the end times from the Lord, which he wrote down and we now know as the Book of the Revelations or the Apocalypse of St. John the Apostle. He was the only one among the Apostles of the Lord who did not die as a martyr, instead passed away peacefully in a very old age.

Yet, St. John had also faced a lot of sufferings and struggles throughout all those years, which nonetheless did not dampen his faith or the enthusiasm to spread the Good News of Christ. All of these works and dedications of St. John the Apostle should indeed be inspiration for all of us as Christians to follow in our own lives. We should be inspired to follow in the footsteps and the actions which St. John had done in proclaiming God’s truth in our own community today, by doing whatever we can so that our lives may truly be filled with true and genuine Christian values, as well as with strong desire to love the Lord our God, and also His people, our own brethren in the same Lord. This is why today, through our remembrance of St. John and all of his actions and life, we all should continue to strive to be great and faithful disciples of the Lord.

Brothers and sisters in Christ, let us all hence be ever more committed in our lives and calling as Christians so that in whatever we say and do, on all the things we carry out in our everyday moments, we will always strive to do what God has called us to do and what He has entrusted to us. Let us all be ever more dedicated in putting more and more of our efforts and focus on Him, and be good role models and inspiration to one another just as St. John the Apostle has inspired us. In this Christmas season, let us all remind each other that Christ is truly the reason why we all rejoice and celebrate this magnificent and joyful feast, and let us all endeavour to proclaim Him to all mankind, now and always. Amen.

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Wednesday, 27 December 2023 : Feast of St. John, Apostle and Evangelist (Gospel Reading)

Liturgical Colour : White

John 20 : 2-8

At that time, Mary of Magdala ran to Peter, and the other disciple whom Jesus loved, and she said to them, “They have taken the Lord out of the tomb and we do not know where they have laid Him.”

Peter then set out with the other disciple to go out to the tomb. They ran together, but the other disciple outran Peter and reached the tomb first. He bent down and saw the linen cloths lying flat, but he did not enter. Then Simon Peter came, following him, and entered the tomb; he, too, saw the linen cloths lying flat.

The napkin, which had been around His head, was not lying flat like the other linen cloths, but lay rolled up in its place. Then the other disciple, who had reached the tomb first, also went in; he saw and believed.

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Wednesday, 27 December 2023 : Feast of St. John, Apostle and Evangelist (Psalm)

Liturgical Colour : White

Psalm 96 : 1-2, 5-6, 11-12

The Lord reigns; let the earth rejoice; let the distant islands be glad. Clouds and darkness surround Him; justice and right are His throne.

The mountains melt like wax before the Lord, the Lord of all the earth. The heavens proclaim His justice, all peoples see His glory.

He sheds light upon the upright, and gladness upon the just. Rejoice in the Lord, you who are blameless, and give praise to His holy Name.

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Wednesday, 27 December 2023 : Feast of St. John, Apostle and Evangelist (First Reading)

Liturgical Colour : White

1 John 1 : 1-4

This is what has been from the beginning, and what we have heard and have seen with our own eyes, what we have looked at and touched with our hands, I mean the Word Who is Life…

The Life made Itself known, we have seen Eternal Life and we bear witness, and we are telling you of it. It was with the Father and made Himself known to us. So we tell you what we have seen and heard, that you may be in fellowship with us, and us, with the Father and with His Son, Jesus Christ.

And we write this that our joy may be complete.

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Thursday, 30 November 2023 : Feast of St. Andrew, Apostle (Homily and Scripture Reflections)

Liturgical Colour : Red

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, today the Church celebrates the Feast of St. Andrew the Apostle, one of the Twelve Apostles of the Lord, the brother of St. Peter the Apostle, a truly great man of God and a most faithful servant of our Lord and Saviour. St. Andrew the Apostle is also known as St. Andrew the First-Called or Protocletos, because he was among the first of the Lord’s disciples, and was the one to introduce the Lord to his brother St. Peter the Apostle, then named Simon, and the two sons of Zebedee, St. James the Greater and St. John the Evangelist, both of whom are also part of the Twelve Apostles. On this day we recall the memory of this great saint, whose life, works and actions should serve as great inspiration for all of us Christians.

St. Andrew was a fisherman working by the Lake of Galilee, where he worked alongside his brother Simon, later known as St. Peter, and the two aforementioned sons of Zebedee. They were most likely poor and illiterate, and their profession was not exactly well-respected at that time. Yet, it was to them that the Lord first reached out to, in calling out His disciples and followers. According to tradition, St. Andrew was a disciple of St. John the Baptist, and he was one of the two disciples of St. John the Baptist mentioned in the Gospels, who followed the Lord Jesus after He was baptised by St. John the Baptist at the River Jordan. Hence, St. Andrew then introduced the Lord to his fellow fishermen, and the Lord began His ministry with those first disciples including St. Andrew.

As highlighted in parts of the Gospels, such as the feeding of the five thousand men, St. Andrew took part closely in many of the works and ministries of the Lord. He helped the Lord and His other Apostles in serving the people of God, and eventually, after His Resurrection and Ascension into Heaven, St. Andrew travelled from places to places in proclaiming the Good News of God just like the other Apostles. Various Apostolic and Church traditions highlighted that St. Andrew ministered in many places such as what is today Russia, Ukraine, Romania, Asia Minor, Greece and many others. He spread the Gospels and the truth about Jesus Christ, and the salvation of God that has come into this world, to the many people and communities who have not yet heard and known of Him.

He founded the beginnings of the Church and its communities in many of the places he had visited during his missionary travels and works. Thus this is why he is highly regarded and respected, venerated and honoured in the places mentioned above, and especially amongst our brethren in the Eastern Orthodox Communion, many of whose bishops can trace the origin of their dioceses and sees to St. Andrew and to the churches and communities that he had established all throughout his missionary journeys. St. Andrew eventually was arrested, tortured and martyred in Patras, in what is today parts of modern Greece, where he was persecuted for his faith and then crucified on an X-shaped cross, which henceforth became known as the ‘St. Andrew’s Cross’.

Brothers and sisters in Christ, today as we listened to the story of the life and the works of St. Andrew the Apostle, let us all reflect on our own lives and works as well, on whether we have been faithful to the Lord in the same way as St. Andrew the Apostle and other saints and holy men and women of God had done in their own lives. It is important that each and every one of us are aware that we all should also live our lives and commit ourselves to the Lord in each and every moments with great faith and trust in the Lord. We should do our part in living our lives worthily as Christians, in doing what the Lord has shown and taught us, so that by our examples and good words, deeds and actions, we may truly exemplify our faith in God, and be the true and genuine missionaries that we have all been called to be.

Yes, brothers and sisters in Christ, as parts and members of the Church of God, it is part of our responsibilities and calling for all of us to be missionary and evangelistic in all things. We cannot be idle in how we live our lives, but we must always reach out to others all around us, spreading the truth and love of God, His Good News and salvation to more and more people. And how we do this, is not always by merely proclaiming and preaching to others, and we also should not think that just because we seemingly did not have the opportunities, the means and the wisdom or tools to do what the Apostles, the saints and other great men and women of the Church had done, then we cannot do what they had done for the greater glory of God.

Rather, in our own ordinary and unique ways, in every circumstances, and in all that we have in our lives, we should always strive to do what the Lord has shown and taught us, in His Law and commandments, in all of the things that He has asked us to carry out in accordance with His will. It means that in even the smallest and the seemingly least significant things that we do, we should always strive to be ever more faithful and committed, in doing what is right and just in God’s presence, and in proclaiming His truth amidst our every words, actions and deeds. We should always remember that in everything we say and do, we must truly be honest and genuine Christians, or else we will be like hypocrites who profess or claim to believe in something and yet, his or her way of life show completely otherwise.

Let us all be reminded that St. Andrew himself was also a poor and illiterate fisherman of the Lake of Galilee, who was not expected to do great things in life. Yet, God made him to be a great servant and man, whose contributions and works led to the salvation of so many souls. We must always be reminded that each and every one of us, be it rich or poor, strong or weak, famous or not, all of us are called to be disciples and followers of the Lord, and in each and every opportunities that God has given us, we must always make good use of all the graces and blessings which God has granted to us. We must never take what we have been blessed for granted, and we must do our part as Christians, so that by our lives, the Lord may be glorified at all times. Let us allow the Lord to lead our path in life, and transform our works to be truly worthy of those whom He has called and chosen.

Brothers and sisters in Christ, let us all ask St. Andrew the Apostle, whom the Lord had called to be His disciple and Apostle to intercede for us always, and may all of us continue to be inspired by his good and worthy examples in life, and also those of the other innumerable other saints and martyrs, holy men and women, whose examples and lives have been great beacons of inspiration and help for us. Let us all be encouraged, strengthened and be empowered to do our best in living a most worthy, genuine and committed Christian life at all times. May God bless our every good works, efforts and endeavours, now and always. Amen.

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Thursday, 30 November 2023 : Feast of St. Andrew, Apostle (Gospel Reading)

Liturgical Colour : Red

Matthew 4 : 18-22

At that time, as Jesus walked by the lake of Galilee, He saw two brothers, Simon called Peter, and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the lake, for they were fishermen. He said to them, “Come, follow Me; and I will make you fish for people.”

At once they left their nets and followed Him. He went on from there and saw two other brothers, James, the son of Zebedee, and his brother John, in a boat with their father Zebedee, mending their nets. Jesus called them.

At once, they left the boat, and their father, and followed Him.

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Thursday, 30 November 2023 : Feast of St. Andrew, Apostle (Psalm)

Liturgical Colour : Red

Psalm 18 : 2-3, 4-5

The heavens declare the glory of God; the firmament proclaims the work of His hands. Day talks it over with day; night hands on the knowledge to night.

No speech, no words, no voice is heard – but the call goes on, throughout the universe, the message is felt to the ends of the earth.

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Thursday, 30 November 2023 : Feast of St. Andrew, Apostle (First Reading)

Liturgical Colour : Red

Romans 10 : 9-18

You are saved, if you confess with your lips that Jesus is Lord, and, in your heart, you believe that God raised Him from the dead. By believing from the heart, you obtain true righteousness; by confessing the faith with your lips, you are saved.

For Scripture says : No one who believes in Him will be ashamed. Here, there is no distinction between Jew and Greek; all have the same Lord, Who is very generous with whoever calls on Him. Truly, all who call upon the Name of the Lord will be saved.

But how can they call upon the Name of the Lord without having believed in Him? And how can they believe in Him, without having first heard about Him? And how will they hear about Him, if no one preaches about Him? And how will they preach about Him, if no one sends them?

As Scripture says : How beautiful are the feet of the messenger of Good News. Although, not everyone obeyed the Good News, as Isaiah said : Lord, who has believed in our preaching? So, faith comes from preaching, and preaching is rooted in the word of Christ.

I ask : Have the Jews not heard? But, of course, they have. Because the voice of those preaching resounded all over the earth, and their voice was heard, to the ends of the world.

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Wednesday, 1 November 2023 : Solemnity of All Saints (Homily and Scripture Reflections)

Liturgical Colour : White

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, today the Church celebrates the great Solemnity of All Saints, commemorating and honouring all the glorious saints, holy men and women of God, whom the Church had declared to be truly worthy of God, and by whose lives and examples, they have indeed been worthy and merited the immediate reward of heavenly glory and bliss. Those whom the Church had declared to be saints are deemed to be worthy of universal veneration and honour, because of their great and exemplary works and lives, which have shown true faith and obedience to God. There are many virtuous, faithful and dedicated men and women throughout the history of the Church that have been honoured with such designation, that they may indeed become great role models and sources of inspiration for us all to follow, so that we may also follow in their footsteps.

Today, the Church celebrates the saints, the innumerable holy men and women that have gone before us to the bliss and glory of Heaven, and whose lives we should also emulate in our own, and who we should also follow and be inspired to be like them and to follow them in their footsteps. The saints are the ones who have answered the Lord’s call with faith and conviction, and chose to dedicate themselves in following the path that the Lord had called them to walk in, and showed us all their virtues and good deeds, through the lives of the saints whom we have known, learnt about and celebrated throughout the whole liturgical calendar every year. They are the ones mentioned in our first reading today from the Book of the Revelations or the Apocalypse of St. John the Apostle, as the righteous ones whom the Lord have called and chosen, and who had also lived their lives worthily.

In our first reading passage, we heard of the a hundred and forty-four thousand righteous ones gathered in the presence of God at His Throne, the victorious and triumphant Lamb of God. Those represent symbolically the saints of God, all those holy men and women that had triumphed together with God, and been freed from the bondage of sin and death, saved and redeemed by the Lord, and justified through their faith and actions throughout their lives. This does not mean that the saints numbers are limited by the absolute limit of a hundred and forty-four thousand as mentioned. Rather, that number was used to highlight a rather large number, to show that many people will end up being triumphant and victorious in the end with God, and there are already some who are already enjoying the bliss of Heaven even before the Final and Last Judgment.

They are all clothed in white in the vision of St. John, and according to one of the Elders who guided St. John in the vision, those saints had already washed their garments clean in the Blood of the Lamb, which also symbolically represent our baptism, in us accepting the grace of God brought to us through Christ, Who has shed His Most Precious Blood and died for us on His Cross. This same Precious Blood has washed away from us the taint of our original sin, and as a perfect and most worthy offering, the Lord Himself has delivered us all from the tyranny and dominion of sin. Then, at the same time, some of those saints were also martyrs who have shed their own blood for the sake of the Lord, while others have led a life of virtue and holiness, all of which actions and commitments allow them to enter into the great glory of Heaven.

This does not mean that the saints had always been perfect and immaculate in their lives. Rather, they were sinners just like us, and they have also committed sins, be it simple, venial, or even serious and mortal sins. Yet, what is important is the fact that, they all turned away from those paths of sin and disobedience against God, chose to embrace God’s mercy and love, and either by the virtues of their lives, and/or their courageous defence of their faith, even to the point of shedding their blood and dying for their faith in God, they have been deemed worthy by God and by His Church, to enjoy immediately at the point of death, to enter right away into the glory of Heaven. Some of the saints that we are all familiar with were great sinners earlier on in their lives, and many others were flawed in their character and actions, but they then chose the better path with God.

Now, brothers and sisters in Christ, this means that the same applies to all of us as well, each one of us who are still living in this world. And how do we make sure that one day we can also enjoy the glory of Heaven like that of the saints? It is by heeding what the Lord Himself had taught His disciples and all of us through the Eight Beatitudes, the series of blessings that the Lord pronounced in our Gospel passage today. He praised and blessed all those who are poor in spirit, meaning those who are humble and always seeking God, being aware of their sins and imperfections, as well as those who mourn and suffer because of their faith and commitment to God, and all those who are gentle and loving towards each other, in showing love and compassion to their fellow men and women, and those who show justice and righteousness in their lives, those who show mercy, work for peace and have been persecuted and insulted because of their faith in God.

Essentially all of these are the qualities and signs of what sainthood is all about. These are the parameters, actions and characteristics that defined those who have been officially recognised and canonised to be saints, as great role models and inspirations for their fellow brothers and sisters. And each and every one of us can also be like them as well. As Christians, it is imperative and important for all of us to be ever more committed to God in all of our actions, works and way of life, to be like what the Eight Beatitudes have shown us, that we should be people who are with God’s love, with all the Christian virtues and righteousness, in obeying the Law and commandments of God, in doing God’s will and in showing forth His truth and Good News, revealing His love and kindness to more and more people throughout the world, in all of our every interactions and efforts.

Now, on this day, as we rejoice upon the glory and honour of the glorious saints of God, let us all remember that they are also part of the same Church like us all as well. While we are all still living in this world as the visible aspects and parts of the Church, as the Church Militant, called as such because we are still struggling daily and putting the effort to resist against the temptations and the threats of sin and evil all around us, the saints of God are part of the Church Triumphant, those who have triumphed in their faith, and have now gone to enjoy the beatific vision of Heaven, to rejoice in the joy and gladness, the comfort, peace and happiness that God has prepared for all those who have been faithful and committed to Him. We too can be part of the Church Triumphant one day, if we choose to do so, and do what the saints had themselves done when they were still living in this world just like us.

And more than just being examples and role models for us, the saints also constantly pray for each and every one of us in this world. They are our intercessors and they always pray for our sake, being closer to God, and hence, have the Lord’s listening ears on our behalf. This is where it is important that as Christians, all of us know well what our beliefs are about regarding the saints, as there are misconceptions and misunderstandings on what saints are and how they play a part in our faith and journey in life, both from within and outside the Church. Some misunderstood that the saints were like deities or gods that we pray to in order for them to do things for us, or for them to give us their blessings, but this is not what saints are. Saints pray and intercede for us, and since they are closer to God, their prayers are truly more effective for us, as they are already in a perfect state of grace.

We can definitely pray for ourselves as well, but there is definitely nothing wrong to ask someone else to pray for us as well. And if we can ask our fellow brothers and sisters around us to pray for us, then why don’t we also ask those who have gone before us, and whom we know that they are already in Heaven, to pray for us all as well? This is why we ask the saints to pray for us, on our behalf, and among all of them, the one who is the best to do it for us, is none other than Mary, the Mother of God herself, who is truly the greatest among all the saints. That is why many Catholics also have deep devotion to Mary, as she is always constantly praying for us, as our loving mother, entrusted to us by the Lord Himself, who made us all to be her children as well. Not only that, but just like that of the other saints, Mary is also a great role model and example for us all to follow in our lives, so that our own lives may be holy just like they are holy, and like how our Lord and God is holy.

Brothers and sisters in Christ, lastly, as we honour and glorify the saints today, let us also pray for one another, and ask the saints to pray for all those around us who need help. Let us all strive to live a holy and worthy life at all times, and be exemplary in our way of life, that one day, we too may be found and deemed worthy, to share in the glory of the saints. Let us also pray for the holy souls in Purgatory, all those who are also part of the Church, as the Church Suffering, as those who have already lived a life of faith, and yet, because of their residual venial sins, they have not yet been able to enjoy the bliss of Heaven, unlike the saints. Let us all pray for them, that God may show them His mercy and love, compassion and kindness, especially that we will remember them tomorrow on All Souls Day. May the glorious saints always pray for us all, and for our fellow brothers and sisters in Purgatory, and may the Lord bless us all and our lives, that we may continue to emulate His saints, and lead lives that are truly holy and worthy of Him. Amen.