Liturgical Colour : Red
Psalm 136 : 1-2, 3, 4-5, 6
By the streams of Babylon, we sat; and then wept, as we remembered Zion. When, on the poplars, we hung our harps.
Our captors asked for song. Our tormentors wanted songs of joy : “Sing to us one of the songs of Zion!”
How could we sing YHVH’s song in a strange and alien land? If I forget you, o Jerusalem, may my right hand fall useless!
May my tongue cleave to my palate if I remember you not, if Jerusalem is not the first of my joys.
Liturgical Colour : Red
2 Kings 25 : 1-12
In the ninth year of Zedekiah’s reign, on the tenth day of the tenth month, Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon marched with his entire army and laid siege to Jerusalem. They camped outside the city and built siege works all around it. The city was under siege up to the eleventh year of the reign of Zedekiah.
On the ninth day of the fourth month famine became a serious problem in the city, and throughout the land there was no bread for the people. When the city was opened by a breach in the wall, the Judean army fled through the gate between the two walls near the king’s garden, while the Chaldeans were still around the city; and they fled towards the Arabah. The Chaldeans followed in hot pursuit of king Zedekiah and caught up with him in the plains of Jericho. All his army deserted him and scattered.
The Chaldeans seized the king and led him away to Riblah in the territory of Hamath and there the king of Babylon passed sentence on him. There at Riblah the king of Babylon slaughtered the sons of Zedekiah in his presence. He then put out the eyes of Zedekiah, bound him with a double bronze chain and took him to Babylon.
On the seventh day of the fifth month in the nineteenth year of the reign of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, Nebuzaradan, commander of the captain of the royal guard and servant of the king of Babylon, entered Jerusalem and set fire to the House of YHVH and the royal palace, as well as to all the houses in Jerusalem. The Chaldean army under the commander of the bodyguard completely demolished all the walls around Jerusalem.
Nebuzaradan, commander of the bodyguard, carried off into exile the last of the Jews left in the city, those who had deserted to the king of Babylon and the remainder of the artisans. But he left those among the very poor who were capable of working in vineyards and cultivating the soil.
Liturgical Colour : Green or White (Bishops)
Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, today we heard from the words of the Sacred Scriptures in which we are all reminded that we must always put our faith and trust in the Lord, and building our lives upon a firm foundation in Him. Otherwise, if we place our trust and faith in the world and whatever things that we depend on in this world instead of putting our faith in the Lord, we will sooner than later realise that our trust in the things and matters of this world, in any of our worldly means and powers will not avail us through the difficult and challenging moments, and it is in the end, the Lord alone is our firm hope and foundation, through Whom we shall receive consolation, strength and providence, and it is He alone Who will not disappoint any one of us.
In our first reading today, we heard from the Book of the Kings of Israel and Judah of the continuation of the story of the people of God and the kingdom of Judah, in which we heard today of the last days of the existence of the independent kingdom of Judah, having once again disobeyed the Lord and left the righteous path which the previous King, King Josiah of Judah in our first reading yesterday had highlighted to us, in his efforts and endeavours to bring the people of God back towards obedience and commitment to God. Those efforts were ultimately in vain, as after the passing of King Josiah, the people of God and their kings went back to the path of disobedience and sins against God, and therefore, the kingdom went on its path to its eventual destruction.
Back then, the kingdom of Judah were in between the powerful kingdoms of Egypt and Babylon, with the former having attacked and overcome Judah after defeating King Josiah and his forces in battle earlier in the years prior to the parts mentioned in today’s first reading passage. Egypt subjugated the kingdom of Judah for a while and placed it under its sphere of influence, before as we heard today, the rising power of the Babylonians led to the forces of the King of Babylon, Nebuchadnezzar to strike at Judah and Jerusalem, taking over the control and overlordship over Judah from the Egyptians to themselves. We heard how the king of Judah, Jehoiachin and many of the people of Judah were brought off into exile from Jerusalem and Judah after the King of Babylon besieged and attacked Judah and Jerusalem.
All these were likely caused by the people’s lack of faith in God, as they trusted more in worldly powers and in the worldly means, in the play of power and politics, all of which led to the eventual mistakes and repercussions which would end up in the divisions and destructions of the kingdoms of God’s people, as had once happened to the northern kingdom of Israel. The people and king of Judah depended on the Egyptians to protect themselves from the Babylonians, and on other occasions, on the Babylonians to protect themselves against the Egyptians, thinking that by depending on these powers of the world, on their alliances and intricate political links and arrangements that they could get themselves out of trouble and escape their predicament. Little that they know that all these would not avail them at all.
This is why we are all reminded that putting our trust and faith in worldly things and in all of our worldly means and powers will not give us true happiness and satisfaction, and while it may give us temporary reprieve, relief or joy, but in the end, it is with the Lord alone there is true fulfilment, satisfaction and joy, and in the end, if we remain truly faithful to God and trust in Him wholeheartedly, we shall have true joy and glory with Him, and we shall be freed from all the bonds and hardships facing us, and God shall bless us forevermore with the true and lasting peace, happiness and wonders, all of which He has promised to us, and which our holy and worthy predecessors have received and experienced, and which we too should be looking forward to.
In our Gospel passage today, we heard of the words of the Lord Jesus to His disciples and followers telling them all that unless they all have true, genuine and strong faith in Him, they shall not be able to partake in Him or be part of His inheritance, and no one unless those who truly anchored themselves in Him and in His truth will be able to bear through the many challenges, obstacles and hardships that they may likely encounter throughout their lives and existence in this world. The Lord used the parable of the houses and their foundations of sand and firm rock to highlight and explain these things to His disciples and followers, to make it clear that putting our faith in worldly things and in our worldly means and powers, as mentioned in the first reading today, is just like building our houses on the weak foundation of sand, and which will be easily toppled and destroyed.
Meanwhile, if we put our faith and trust in the Lord, as He Himself said, that it is like building upon the firm foundation of our faith in Him, and in His rock-solid commitment to us and to the Covenant which He had established with all of us. This is also a reminder for us that siding and putting our faith with the Lord, trusting and following Him do not mean that we will be free from challenges, hardships and obstacles in life. On the contrary, we may encounter even more difficulties, trials and oppositions than if we are to side with the world instead. However, with God by our side, as our firm foundation and as our Strength and Protector, we can be assured that we will be triumphant in the end of our journey and struggles throughout life.
Today, the Church celebrates the feast of a great Church father and man of God, whose life and inspirations can strengthen and empower us all in how we can live a more worthy and committed life in the Lord. St. Cyril of Alexandria was the Patriarch of Alexandria during the tumultuous time of the late Roman Empire, at the early fifth century, four centuries after the time of the Lord and His Apostles. At that time, the Church was divided between various sides who supported different heretical teachings, as well as those who upheld the true, orthodox and genuine faith in God. After the great troubles earlier on with Arianism and its false teachings, there then rose the heresy of Nestorianism, in which the nature of Our Lord’s Divinity and the relationship between His Divinity and Humanity was confused.
St. Cyril of Alexandria committed himself to the Lord and to the Church rather early in his life although details were rather scant on this part of his life, and eventually he rose to the position of priest, experiencing the theological disputes and the difficulties arising from the divisions within the Church at the time. He was appointed as the Pope and Patriarch of Alexandria and it was told that there was disagreements and rioting in Alexandria between his supporters and those who supported his rival, the Archdeacon Timotheus. There were then also disputes with the local prefect and the Church hierarchy in the Eastern part of the Roman Empire which at that time were corrupt and infringing upon the rights and the practices of the Church, and eventually also siding with the Nestorians and their heretical teachings. St. Cyril of Alexandria courageously stood up against all these challenges and obstacles in his many years as the leader of his flock in Alexandria and beyond.
The disputes and disagreements with Nestorius, who was then the powerful and influential Archbishop of Constantinople, the capital of the Eastern half of the Roman Empire eventually led to the Ecumenical Council of Ephesus, in which after a long struggle, disputations and efforts from both sides, those who supported and defended the true Christian faith, that is the orthodox party, led by St. Cyril of Alexandria and many of his holy and faithful contemporaries eventually triumphed, and managed to get the false teachings of Nestorius to be condemned as heresy, managing to affirm the belief that the Divine and Human natures of the Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God and Son of Man are not separated unlike what Nestorius claimed, but rather, united perfectly in love in the One Person of Our Lord and Saviour Himself. St. Cyril faced many hardships and challenges throughout all these times, and had to face opposition from many people even after the Council of Ephesus had decided on the matter, but nonetheless, he carried out his mission faithfully to the end of his life.
Brothers and sisters in Christ, let us all therefore reflect upon what we have just discussed in the Scriptures and from the life and works of St. Cyril of Alexandria, holy servant of God and bishop. Let us all continue to commit ourselves to the Lord, doing whatever we can so that by our exemplary lives and works, we may always live lives that are worthy of God, truly holy and righteous in all things. May all of us be blessed and be strengthened, guided and empowered by God, our Lord and Master in all that we do, and be those who place their trust in God and build the foundation of our lives and faith firmly in Him, now and always. Amen.
Liturgical Colour : Green or White (Bishops)
Matthew 7 : 21-29
At that time, Jesus said to the people, “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord! Lord!’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of My heavenly Father. Many will say to Me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not speak in Your Name? Did we not cast out devils and perform many miracles in Your Name?’ Then I will tell them openly, ‘I have never known you; away from Me, you evil people!’”
“Therefore, anyone who hears these words of Mine, and acts according to them, is like a wise man, who built his house on rock. The rain poured down, the rivers flooded, and the wind blew and struck that house. But it did not collapse, because it was built on rock. But anyone who hears these words of Mine, and does not act accordingly, is like a fool who built his house on sand. The rain poured, the rivers flooded, and the wind blew and struck that house; it collapsed, and what a terrible collapse that was!”
When Jesus had finished this discourse, the crowds were struck by the way He taught, because He taught with authority, unlike their teachers of the Law.
Liturgical Colour : Green or White (Bishops)
Psalm 78 : 1-2, 3-5, 8, 9
O God, the pagans have invaded Your inheritance; they have defiled Your holy Temple and reduced Jerusalem to rubble. They have given Your servants’ corpses to the birds, and the flesh of Your saints, to the beasts of the earth.
They have poured out the blood of Your faithful, like water around Jerusalem, and there was no one to bury them. Mocked and reviled by those around us, we are scorned by our neighbours. How long will this last, o YHVH? Will You be angry forever? Will Your wrath always burn to avenge Your rights?
Do not remember against us the sins of our fathers. Let Your compassion hurry to us, for we have been brought very low.
Help us, God, our Saviour, for the glory of Your Name; forgive us, for the sake of Your Name.
Liturgical Colour : Green or White (Bishops)
2 Kings 24 : 8-17
Jehoiachin was eighteen years old when he succeeded his father, and he reigned for three months in Jerusalem. His mother was Nehushta, daughter of Elnathan of Jerusalem. Jehoiachin treated YHVH badly, as his father had done.
At that time, the officials of Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon, came to attack Jerusalem, surrounding the city. Nebuchadnezzar came while the city was being besieged by his men. Jehoiachin, king of Judah, surrendered, together with his mother, his servants, his leaders and the palace officials. It was the eighth year of the reign of Nebuchadnezzar.
Nebuchadnezzar captured them and he took away the treasures of the House of YHVH and of the king’s house. He also destroyed all the objects of gold which Solomon, king of Israel, had made for the Sanctuary of YHVH. So the word YHVH had spoken, was fulfilled.
Nebuchadnezzar carried off into exile all the leaders and prominent men, the blacksmiths and locksmiths, all the men of valour fit for war. A total of ten thousand were exiled to Babylon. Only the poorest sector of the population was left. Nebuchadnezzar also carried away Jehoiachin, with his mother, his wives, the ministers of the palace, and the prominent men of the land.
So all the prominent people, numbering seven thousand, the blacksmiths, numbering a thousand, and all the men fit for war were deported to Babylon by the king of Babylon. He made Mattaniah, Jehoiachin’s uncle, king of Jerusalem, in place of Jehoiachin. And he changed his name to Zedekiah.
Liturgical Colour : Green or White (Bishops) or Red (Martyrs)
Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, today as we listened to the words of the Scriptures, we are all reminded clearly that as God’s holy and beloved people, each and every one of us must always be guided by God in all of our ways, in all of our words, actions and deeds, or else, we will find that it is easy for us to be persuaded, tempted and swayed into evil and wicked path in life, into actions that are contrary to the will and commandments of God. We will be dragged by all those temptations and wickedness into the ways that lead us into destruction and eternal damnation, rather than righteousness and salvation in God.
In our first reading today, we heard from the second Book of Chronicles of Israel and Judah in which the story of the development in the kingdom of Judah during the reign of King Joash of Judah was told to us. In the earlier passage yesterday before today’s passage, we have how this king by the grace of God had been saved from the massacre done by her grandmother, Queen Athaliah of Judah who usurped power from the House of David. We heard how God restored him and the House of David to power through the efforts and works of one faithful priest, Jehoiada, who helped and guided King Joash throughout the early years of his reign, ensuring that he and the people obeyed the Lord’s commandments and Law, and to live righteously and faithfully in God’s path.
However, as we heard in today’s first reading passage, the moment the faithful Jehoiada passed away, King Joash was persuaded by his courtiers, nobles and advisors to carry out actions and practices that were against God’s Law and commandments, and the people once again began worshipping pagan gods and idols once again as they had done before. The people slipped once again back to their old wicked ways because they allowed themselves to be tempted by the many temptations, pressures, coercions and the allures of worldly pleasures, fame and glory being present all around them. All these were the reasons why God then raised the son of Jehoiada, named Zechariah to speak up against the King.
But neither Zechariah nor the other prophets sent by the Lord to His people were able to persuade the King and all the others who had veered off from the path of righteousness and virtue. And not only that, but as we heard, the King and the others plotted against Zechariah and stoned the righteous man of God at the courtyard, committing murder against the Lord’s servant, a truly heinous and wicked act, and especially for the King, it was a total lack of appreciation and gratitude that he committed against the late Jehoiada, who had helped to shelter and protect the King himself in his youth, and raised him back to power, when this same King slaughtered Jehoiada’s son when the latter tried to advice and remind him to stay true to the Lord’s path as he should have done.
Eventually, the retribution would come for the wicked, as the King and his forces, presumably all those who have committed the murder of Zechariah and led the people of God into sin, were crushed and routed by the forces of the Aramaeans, who wounded the King, and eventually, this same King Joash would be plotted against and killed by the other officers who disagreed with him, much in the same way that he had plotted the death of Zechariah, Jehoiada’s son. It was also mentioned in the Scriptures that he was not given burial in the place reserved to the kings of Israel and Judah, which was a clear sign that the king’s wickedness and vile actions were truly abominable and despised even after his death.
In our Gospel passage today, we then heard of the words of the Lord Jesus telling His disciples, followers and all the people clearly that one cannot be the servant of both God and Money. The Lord told all of His disciples and followers that they all should not be worried about anything in this world, stating how the birds of the air and others were well taken care of, and no amount of worrying or planning could change anything in our lives. The Lord wanted to let us all know, and remind us that all of these worries and desires, all the attachments and considerations we have for the many worldly and material things all around us can often prevent us from truly being able to love and commit ourselves to the Lord wholeheartedly.
The Lord also reminded each and every one of His disciples, and hence all of us, that we are truly beloved and precious to the Lord, our God, and all of us should not worry because God Himself will always provide for us, and even in the challenging times and moments, we are all never truly alone as the Lord will always be by our side, protecting and guiding us, helping and supporting us all along the way. And even if we have to face difficulties, trials and challenges in our path, we must always have faith in the Lord, because in the end, no matter what, we shall have part in the eternal glory and true happiness which we can only find in the Lord alone, and which the world cannot give or provide us. No amount of worldly glory, possessions, ambitions or things can truly satisfy us or last forever.
Brothers and sisters in Christ, today all of us should also heed the good examples of the holy saints, our predecessors, whose feasts we are celebrating today, so that we may be better able to live our lives in accordance to God’s will, to His Law and commandments. St. Paulinus of Nola was the Bishop of Nola in the region of Campania in today’s Italy, well known for his great virtue and holiness, while the two saints, St. Thomas More and St. John Fisher were two great martyrs of the period known as the English reformation, at the time when the Church in England was torn apart due to the actions of the then King who separated the Church there from the Universal, One, Holy, Catholic and Apostolic Church due to the disagreements he had with the Pope and the Church.
St. Paulinus of Nola was born into influential and powerful senatorial Roman family at the time of the late Roman Empire, at the time when the Christian faith had been accepted and in fact became the most common faith and belief throughout the Roman Empire. He eventually became the governor of the region and province of Campania, and was remembered as a just and great administrator, who was also concerned about the well-being of the people under his care, building up shrines and hospices, and all these was before St. Paulinus was even baptised yet. Eventually, he chose to be baptised as a Christian, and became a priest, and finally as a bishop, where he continued to do many good and wonderful works for the people of God, caring for the physical and spiritual well-being of the people in his dominion, and becoming great role model and example for all of them.
Meanwhile, both St. Thomas More and St. John Fisher were martyred for their dedication and commitment to God, in refusing to obey the King’s order to abandon their faith in the Holy Mother Church, and instead follow the King’s rebellion in establishing the independent Anglican church. St. Thomas More was the powerful chancellor of the Kingdom, while St. John Fisher was the respected and powerful Bishop of Rochester, who was also an influential advisor to the King and his court. Back then, King Henry VIII sought to divorce his wife, Queen Catherine of England without success, as he was seeking for a son to be his heir. The marriage between the King and the Queen had produced a daughter, and by the then standards and even today’s standards, such a marriage should not and cannot have been dissolved. But the King insisted on, and eventually declared the independence of the Church in England from the Pope and the Universal Church.
This led to the divisions in the Church in England, with many were being forced to obey the King and to show their fealty to him and the new Anglican church. However, St. Thomas More and St. John Fisher were among those who refused to do so, and they were prominent especially because of their prominent positions and their firmness in refusing the King’s demands for them to recant their faith and obedience to the Holy Mother Church. St. Thomas More chose to resign his chancellorship and remain faithful to the true Church and teachings of Christ rather than to submit to the King’s demands. Both him and St. John Fisher faced a lot of trials, tribulations and sufferings, before they were martyred as the first ones among many others who would follow in their footsteps in the years and decades after in the persecutions against those who remained faithful to the Church.
Brothers and sisters in Christ, having witnessed and heard the great lives of these holy saints and martyrs, let us all therefore do our best so that in our own respective lives, we may continue to live our lives worthily as Christians, as God’s holy and beloved people, so that in all the things that we say and do, we will always do our best to put God first and foremost in all things. We are all reminded that we should not allow the temptations and wickedness of this world to distract and mislead us down the path of ruin and damnation, and we are reminded to remain ever strong and faithful in our journey towards the Lord. May God be with us all, now and always. Amen.
Liturgical Colour : Green or White (Bishops) or Red (Martyrs)
Matthew 6 : 24-34
At that time, Jesus said to the people, “No one can serve two masters, for he will either hate one and love the other; or he will be loyal to the first and look down on the second. You cannot, at the same time, serve God and money.”
Therefore, I tell you, not to be worried about food and drink for yourself, or about clothes for your body. Is not life more important than food; and is not the body more important than clothes? Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow, they do not harvest, and do not store food in barns; and yet, your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not more worthy than they are?”
“Can any of you add a day to your life by worrying about it? Why are you so worried about your clothes? Look at how the flowers in the fields grow. They do not toil or spin. But I tell you, that not even Solomon, in all his glory, was clothed like one of these. If God so clothes the grass in the field, which blooms today and is to be burnt in an oven tomorrow, how much more will He clothe you? What little faith you have!”
“Do not worry, and say : What are we going to eat? What are we going to drink? or : What shall we wear? The pagans busy themselves with such things; but your heavenly Father knows that you need them all. Set your heart, first, on the kingdom and righteousness of God; and all these things will also be given to you. Do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.”
Liturgical Colour : Green or White (Bishops) or Red (Martyrs)
Psalm 88 : 4-5, 29-30, 31-32, 33-34
I have made a Covenant with David, My chosen one; I have made a pledge to My servant. I establish his descendants forever; I build his throne for all generations.
I will keep My Covenant firm forever, and My love for him will endure. His dynasty will last forever; and his throne, as long as the heavens.
If his sons forsake My law and fail to follow My decrees, if they violate My statutes and do not keep My commandments.
I will punish their crime with the rod, and their offences, with the scourge; yet, I will not withdraw My love from him, nor will I withdraw My faithfulness.
Liturgical Colour : Green or White (Bishops) or Red (Martyrs)
2 Chronicles 24 : 17-25
After the death of Jehoiada, the officials of Judah came to pay court to the king, and the king now turned to them for advice. The Judaeans abandoned the house of YHVH, the God of their ancestors, and worshipped the Asherah poles and idols. Because of this sinful activity, God was angry with Judah and Jerusalem. He sent them prophets to bring them back to YHVH, but when the prophets spoke, they would not listen.
The Spirit of God took control of Zechariah, son of Jehoiada the priest. He stood up before the people and said, “God says this : Why are you disobeying the commandments of YHVH? You cannot prosper. You have abandoned YHVH and He will abandon you.”
They then plotted against him and, by order of the king, stoned him in the court of YHVH’s house. King Joash forgot the kindness of Jehoiada, the father of Zechariah, and killed Jehoiada’s son who cried out as he died, “Let YHVH see and do justice!” When a year had gone by, the Aramaean army made war on Joash. They reached Judah and Jerusalem, and killed all the officials among the people, sending back to the king of Damascus all that they had plundered from them.
Though the Aramaean army was small, YHVH delivered into its power an army of great size, for they had abandoned Him, the God of their ancestors. The Aramaeans wounded Joash and when they withdrew they left him a very sick man; and his officers, plotting against him to avenge the death of the son of Jehoiada the priest, murdered him in his bed. So he died, and they buried him in the city of David, though not in the tombs of the king.
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