bishops

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Friday, 24 October 2025 : 29th Week of Ordinary Time, Memorial of St. Anthony Mary Claret, Bishop (Homily and Scripture Reflections)

Liturgical Colour : Green or White (Bishops)

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, today as we heard the words of the Lord contained in the Sacred Scriptures, we are reminded that all of us as Christians we must always continue to live our lives worthily and to the best of our abilities in being good role models and examples in our respective way of life, so that we may indeed bring forth the truth and Good News of God, manifesting His love and compassion in our world today, through even the smallest and the seemingly least significant aspects of our actions and works, in all that we say and do, in how we interact with one another. All of us as Christians are reminded that we should always strive to live righteously in God and to resist at all times the temptations of evil and sin.

In our first reading today, taken from the continuation of the Epistle of St. Paul the Apostle to the Church and the faithful in the city and region of Rome, we heard of the reminders from the Apostle of our human nature, our worldly existence that is tainted by sin and by all the vulnerabilities that we have towards the temptations and the pressures of this world. Due to this, it is our human nature for all of us to continue to falter and fall again and again into sin, which I am sure we ourselves have experienced at each and every moments, and yet, God in His great and ever wonderful love and mercy constantly reached out to us and showed us all His power, showing us the path for us all out of the darkness and the tyranny of sin into His eternal light and salvation.

He has sent us His deliverance and made it real and true for us through none other than His own Beloved Son, Whom He had sent into our midst, into this world to bring us all the long awaited salvation and the perfect fulfilment of His promises, as He Himself had told us. Through Christ our Lord and Saviour, Who has offered Himself most lovingly and selflessly on His Cross, He has opened for us the gate of Heaven and the sure path to eternal life with Him. And this is why St. Paul reminded all the faithful in Rome and elsewhere, including all of us, that we should always strive to focus our attention on Him and do our very best in each and every moments of our lives to continue journeying towards God even when we constantly continue to stumble and fall through the temptations to sin.

Then, from our Gospel passage today, we heard of the account from the Gospel according to St. Luke the Evangelist in which the Lord Jesus Himself told His disciples on the matter of reading the signs of times, by using the conventional and well-known wisdom of seeing the signs in the skies for weather and other knowledge, to know what would come to happen in due time. He also mentioned about how those who had troubles and issues and wanted to settle a court case ought to try to settle the issue with the accuser before they reached the judge and the courthouse, where if they had not settled the issue amicably and peacefully, it would have led to one of them being punished and having to face potentially severe consequences.

Through what the Lord Himself mentioned in this passage, He is reminding us that we too should take seriously our relationship with God and one another, and we should not wait until it is too late for us all, as we ourselves will face the moment of judgment and the time when we have to ultimately account for all of our lives, our every actions, words and deeds, our every interactions and even our failures to act upon what the Lord Himself had entrusted to us. All of us should always seek to forgive one another our trespasses, faults, mistakes and any hurt we cause to each other, so that just as we always prayed in The Lord’s Prayer, ‘Forgive us our trespasses just as we forgive those who trespass against us’, all of us as Christians should always lead by example in our attitudes and actions.

Today, the Church celebrates the Feast of St. Anthony Mary Claret, the founder of the religious order of the Claretians also known as the Congregation of Missionary Sons of the Immaculate Heart of Mary, named after its founder. St. Anthony Mary Claret was an archbishop and renowned missionary, who lived approximately two centuries ago, laboured and worked as God’s servant in various places especially Spain and in the colonies of the Spanish Empire, such as in Canary Islands, and also in other areas. He was a great missionary with zeal and love for God, felt and embraced the call to the priestly life, and thereafter went on missions to evangelise and to spread the Good News of God to more and more people. He faced a lot of challenges along his mission and journey, but he always did his best to proclaim the Lord faithfully and courageously.

St. Anthony Mary Claret spent a lot of time in preaching among the people, which became very popular, and many people came to listen to his preachings. He also spent a lot of time in the confessionals, helping many people to come closer to the Lord, by reconciliation and healing, and by listening to their troubles and problems. Many were touched by the courageous and clear sermons from this holy man of God, and by his dedication as a shepherd of the Lord’s flock. He established the Claretians soon after he returned from his missionary works in the Canary Islands, and then later on was quickly appointed as Archbishop of Santiago de Cuba, in which he continued his mission as shepherd and missionary in the territory of Spanish Cuba, reforming the diocesan seminary, establishing schools and hospitals, and founding another religious order named Religious of Mary Immaculate.

St. Anthony Mary Claret continued to serve the people of God with amazing commitment and dedicating his great charism with most passion and commitment, and many came to be saved through his efforts. Miracles and wonders were attributed to him, as according to accounts and eyewitnesses, he levitated during prayers and celebrations of the Mass, and his prayers stopped even calamities like storms and earthquakes, and supernatural lights and phenomena would be seen as he celebrated Mass, facts which astounded many and attested to his great personal holiness and virtues, and he was also given gift of foresight and revelation, as the Lord revealed to him several challenges and trials that the world and the Church would be facing.

St. Anthony Mary Claret eventually became the personal confessor of the Queen of Spain, Isabella II. He continued to do his many works for the glory of God and for the good of his fellow men in his various capacities, continuing to commit himself wholeheartedly for the Lord’s mission and works. He continued to inspire many people in generations after his passing to this very day, and his religious orders continued to work and being inspired by their founder’s great examples. Therefore, each one of us should also be inspired to do God’s will and to follow Him wholeheartedly as St. Anthony Mary Claret and many other holy men and women of God had done. Each and every one of us as Christians should always strive to do what the Lord has taught and shown us all to do.

Brothers and sisters in Christ, let us all therefore reflect on what we have heard from our Scripture passages today and from the great life and works of St. Anthony Mary Claret. Let us all continue to do our best in each and every moments of our lives so that we will continue to be great examples for all those around us, and be inspiration for all those whom we encounter in our paths. Let our lives be the beacons of God’s light and hope at all times, and let us continue to walk ever more courageously and faithfully at all times, as good and faithful Christians, now and always. Amen.

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Friday, 24 October 2025 : 29th Week of Ordinary Time, Memorial of St. Anthony Mary Claret, Bishop (Gospel Reading)

Liturgical Colour : Green or White (Bishops)

Luke 12 : 54-59

At that time, Jesus said to the crowds, “When you see a cloud rising in the west, you say at once, ‘A shower is coming’; and so it happens. And when the wind blows from the south, you say, ‘It will be hot’; and so it is. You superficial people! You understand the signs of the earth and the sky, but you do not understand the present times.”

“And why do you not judge for yourselves what is fit? When you go with your accuser before the court, try to settle the case on the way, lest he drag you before the judge, and the judge deliver you to the jailer, and the jail throw you into prison. I tell you, you will not get out until you have paid the very last penny.”

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Friday, 24 October 2025 : 29th Week of Ordinary Time, Memorial of St. Anthony Mary Claret, Bishop (Psalm)

Liturgical Colour : Green or White (Bishops)

Psalm 118 : 66, 68, 76, 77, 93, 94

Give me knowledge and good judgment, for I trust in Your commands.

You are good, and Your works are good; teach me Your decrees.

Comfort me then with Your unfailing love, as You promised Your servant.

Let Your mercy come, to give me life; for Your Law is my delight.

Never will I forget Your precepts; for with them, You give me life.

Save me, for I am Yours, since I seek Your statutes.

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Friday, 17 October 2025 : 28th Week of Ordinary Time, Memorial of St. Ignatius of Antioch, Bishop and Martyr (Homily and Scripture Reflections)

Liturgical Colour : Red

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, today as we listened to the words of the Sacred Scriptures presented to us, we are reminded that all of us are truly dear and beloved to God, and by the account of our faith, trust and hope in Him we have been assured of the Lord’s favour and providence, and if we continue to live our lives ever more faithfully, making our faith truly alive and truly growing in us, and not merely an outward expression or focusing on appearances, then the Lord Who sees all and knows all will indeed bless and provide us with everything that we need, and we will not lack anything because all things we need will be available for us, in God’s providence and care. Instead of worrying about how we are to live and what we will have, we should focus on trusting in the Lord and just do our best in each and every moments of our lives.

In our first reading today, taken from the Epistle of St. Paul the Apostle to the Church and the faithful people of God in Rome, continuing from what we have heard in the past few days, of him exhorting the faithful there to continue to put their trust in God and to believe in Him regardless, and to be united as one Church of God despite all the forces that may seek to divide them all, to overcome the divisions due to their various backgrounds, with some among them coming from among the Jewish diaspora population in Rome, while others were converts from the non-Jewish or Gentile population in Rome, from the Romans themselves, Greeks and many others. Definitely there were some frictions and disagreements between them, but St. Paul told them all to overcome those differences and to remain truly faithful and centred on God.

And in today’s passage, we heard of the mention of how those who have obeyed and trusted the Lord, would be blessed by God and made worthy. The examples of Abraham and David were mentioned to us, particularly that of Abraham. Both were very revered figures in the history of the Israelites, as those who have had great faith in the Lord, and which St. Paul likely quoted to highlight his point on the importance of faith in one’s life as a Christian. Abraham trusted faithfully in God and followed Him even when he was not yet able to see the things that God had promised and reassured him with, and eventually by his faith and by the good actions and works that emanated from that faith, he received everything that he had been promised, even long after his passing.

Meanwhile, David also put his faith in God even through the most difficult moments in his life. When he faced the giant Philistine champion Goliath, he trusted in the Lord and not in the might of his own arms and armour. By God’s grace and guidance he managed to triumph against his enemy, and this happened again many more times throughout the entirety of his life, from being a young shepherd boy, to the slayer of Goliath, then to a fugitive from the court of Saul, King of Israel, and finally as King of Israel himself. David kept on believing in God and never lost faith in Him even through the most difficult times, and it is this faith which we ourselves ought to have in God as well, and we should inspire others around us to remain strong in their own faith as well.

Then, from the Gospel passage today, taken from the Gospel according to St. Luke the Evangelist, we heard of the Lord concluding His rebuke and criticism of the Pharisees, of the manner of how they had not been truly obedient to the Lord and how they had been wayward in their observation and their manner of practicing and enforcing the Law of God, which had been passed down to them and entrusted to them to teach and show the people on how they can live their lives more faithfully in God’s ways. Instead, the Pharisees had been hypocrites in their faith, placing heavy burdens on the people and on their condemnations of those whom they deemed to be inferior to them and to be unforgiveable sinners. And yet, God’s mercy and forgiveness were truly great and boundless, extended to everyone who seek for them.

God reassures His people through His Son, that His mercy, love and compassion are extended to all of them without exception, and He does not want any one of us to be lost to Him, as He has always been ever patient in caring for us and providing for us. Hence, we should always grow ever stronger in faith in Him and in our trust in the Lord’s Providence, knowing that we are more precious than anything else, and God will not purposefully abandon us to destruction and darkness. He has given us all the best benefits and the perfect gift through His own Son, and we should indeed appreciate everything that He had done for us, all the kindness and patience that He has shown us without exception, all the patient and generous love that He has always had for us, and this is what we are reminded of, that we should always be faithful to Him at all times.

Today, the Church celebrates the Feast of St. Ignatius of Antioch, one of the earliest Church fathers and leaders of the Church, whose faith and dedication to the Lord was truly exemplary and great, and whose commitment and obedience, focus and emphasis on the Lord remains strong and firm despite his important position in the Church, as he led the flock entrusted to him with great zeal, courage and faith at all times. St. Ignatius of Antioch was one of the earliest Bishops of Antioch, as the successor of the Apostles, in being a disciple and follower of St. John the Apostle according to the Apostolic and Chruch traditions. He was also known as Theophorus, or God-Bearer, as according to some traditions, he was one of the children who had been brought to the Lord and blessed by Him.

St. Ignatius of Antioch dedicated himself to the well-being of his people, in spreading the Good News of God and the truth, love and hope that the Lord has revealed to His Apostles and disciples. Antioch was then one of the early and major centres of the Christian faith, and many people each day converted to the faith thanks to the efforts of the Apostles and their successors, including that of St. Ignatius of Antioch himself. St. Ignatius of Antioch courageously carried out his duties with great humility, and with great commitment and devotion, to be the Good Shepherd in managing the people of God and leading them to the right path. He was martyred during one of the persecutions of Christians running rampant at that time, but until the very end, St. Ignatius of Antioch has always remained firm in his conviction and faith in God, in serving Him all the time, throughout his life.

Brothers and sisters in Christ, let us all therefore remind each other of the great love of God for us, and how fortunate we have been to receive the great graces and blessings from Him. And we should not therefore not taken Him and His patient love for granted. Let us all continue to lead lives that are righteous and worthy of Him at all times, doing our best to lead more and more people towards Him, now and always, through our own exemplary lives and actions. Amen.

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Friday, 17 October 2025 : 28th Week of Ordinary Time, Memorial of St. Ignatius of Antioch, Bishop and Martyr (Gospel Reading)

Liturgical Colour : Red

Luke 12 : 1-7

At that time, such a numerous crowd had gathered that they crushed one another. Then Jesus spoke to His disciples in this way, “Beware of the yeast of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy. Nothing is covered that will not be uncovered; or hidden, that will not be made known. Whatever you have said in darkness will be heard in daylight, and what you have whispered in hidden places, will be proclaimed from housetops.”

“I tell you, My friends, do not fear those who put to death the body and, after that, can do no more. But I will tell you Whom to fear : Fear the One Who, after killing you, is able to throw you into hell. This One you must fear. Do you not buy five sparrows for two pennies? Yet not one of them has been forgotten by God. Even the hairs of your head have been numbered. Do not be afraid! Are you less worthy in the eyes of God than many sparrows?”

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Friday, 17 October 2025 : 28th Week of Ordinary Time, Memorial of St. Ignatius of Antioch, Bishop and Martyr (Psalm)

Liturgical Colour : Red

Psalm 31 : 1-2, 5, 11

Blessed is the one whose sin is forgiven, whose iniquity is wiped away. Blessed are those in whom YHVH sees no guilt and in whose spirit is found no deceit.

Then I made known to You my sin and uncovered before You my fault, saying to myself, “To YHVH I will now confess my wrong.” And You, You forgave my sin; You removed my guilt.

Rejoice in YHVH, and be glad, You who are upright; sing and shout for joy, You who are clean of heart.

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Friday, 17 October 2025 : 28th Week of Ordinary Time, Memorial of St. Ignatius of Antioch, Bishop and Martyr (First Reading)

Liturgical Colour : Red

Romans 4 : 1-8

Let us consider Abraham, our father in the flesh. What has he found? If Abraham attained righteousness because of his deeds, he could be proud. But he cannot be this before God; because Scripture says : Abraham believed God, Who took it into account, and held him to be a just man.

Now, when someone does a work, salary is not given as a favour, but as a debt that is paid. Here, on the contrary, someone who has no deeds to show, but believes in Him, Who makes sinners righteous before Him : such faith is taken into account, and that person is held as righteous.

David congratulates, in this way, those who become righteous, by the favour of God, and not by their actions : Blessed are those whose sins are forgiven and whose offences are forgotten; blessed the one, whose sin God does not take into account!

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Thursday, 9 October 2025 : 27th Week of Ordinary Time, Memorial of St. Denis, Bishop and Martyr, and Companions, Martyrs, and St. John Leonardi, Priest (Homily and Scripture Reflections)

Liturgical Colour : Green or Red (Martyrs) or White (Priests)

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, today as we listened to the words of the Sacred Scriptures, we are reminded that we need to continue to believe and trust in the Lord our God, in everything that we do in our lives and in our every actions. We should always strive to be righteous and to seek the Lord in all things, ever remembering that God is truly most generous in all that He has intended for us. We should not easily lose faith in the Lord especially when difficulties and trials may come our way, and we have to be strong and steadfast in everything that we do in each and every moments of our lives. We should always remember that God is ever present with us, and He is never far especially when we are facing lots of trials and difficulties in life.

In our first reading today, taken from the Book of the prophet Malachi, we heard of the words of the Lord to His people regarding the matter of being truly obedient to God and trusting in Him, and how the righteous, just and worthy will be vindicated and strengthened in the end. Those who trust in the Lord and have been tested in their faith in Him will surely be blessed and they will enjoy the fullness of God’s Providence, everything that He had intended for them and desired to provide for them. Meanwhile, those who are wicked and unworthy, those who continue to act without concern and care for others, those who are selfish and seeking only to satisfy their own greed and desires, all of them shall face what they deserved, the punishments befitting their sins and wickedness.

We are all reminded therefore that God is never blind or unaware of our struggles and difficulties, and He truly knows us all very well, and He has always sought to find us wherever we are, and when we are lost to Him, He has always done His best, reaching out to us so that we may be found again and may be reunited with Him once again. He reminded us all to be virtuous, good and worthy in all things so that we may truly be good role models and examples in our Christian faith. Each and every one of us as God’s holy and beloved people ought to carry on living our lives in the manner that is inspirational and in the manner that is truly genuine and faithful. Otherwise, if we are not truly faithful to God, how can we lead others closer to God? Worse still, we may cause scandal for our faith and besmirch the Lord’s Holy Name if our actions are contrary to what the Lord has shown and taught us to do.

Then, from our Gospel passage today, taken from the Gospel according to St. Luke the Evangelist, we heard of the words of the Lord Jesus to His disciples, reminding each and every one of them that God is indeed our loving Father, and He will always be by our side, protecting us and providing for us for whatever we may need, at all times. And this is the faith that we should have in Him, trusting in God and His Providence. If we ask of Him, our loving Father will surely provide for us in the best manner that He knows of our needs, and we will just have to trust in His Providence and guidance. We are reminded of God’s great love, His ever generous Heart, from which overflows His generosity, His kindness and compassion towards us.

And this is why we should never take God’s love for granted, and do our very best in our own respective lives such that we may truly put our faith and trust in Him, and never waver even in the hardest struggles that we may encounter in life because we know that He is always ever present in our midst, journeying with us and guiding us through those difficult moments. If we trust in God and put our faith in Him, in our Heavenly Father Who is always ever concerned about us, His beloved children, and if we ask Him and seek Him with sincere hearts and minds, then surely in His good time, God will grant us whatever we need, and whatever we have asked of Him. It may not be exactly what we wanted, but He will surely grant us all those according to His will.

Today, the Church celebrates the feast of St. Denis and his companions in martyrdom, as well as that of St. John Leonardi, a devout man of God and priest, the founder of the Order of Clerks Regular of the Mother of God of Lucca. First of all, St. Denis was the Bishop of Paris during the middle of the third century, in which he was remembered for his most miraculous martyrdom among with many others, who were oppressed and martyred during the intense persecution of Christians by the Roman Emperor Decius. St. Denis was arrested and tortured after his efforts in converting many pagans made many pagan priests and officials to be afraid of them, and he and others were brought to a hill where they were executed, with St. Denis being beheaded. However, miraculously, St. Denis still continued to preach while his head had been severed from his body, walking for a few miles before he finally died at the site where a great Basilica in his honour stands now. Not few were converted to the faith by this miraculous occasion.

St. John Leonardi meanwhile was a priest in what is now Italy, who answered God’s call for him to be a priest, and to serve among the people of God, ministering to their spiritual needs, while spreading the devotion to the Blessed Virgin Mary and the popular Forty Hours devotion, which were instrumental in checking the growth of the heresy of Protestant reformation at that time. He helped spreading the reforms of the Council of Trent, and established the aforementioned Order of Clerks Regular of the Mother of God of Lucca. He did not have it easy as he encountered opposition and challenges from those who were politically motivated back then in opposing the establishment of the new religious order, known well as the Lucca Fathers. Nevertheless, St. John Leonardi continued to do his best in doing God’s work among His people.

Brothers and sisters in Christ, let us all therefore reflect upon these words of the Scriptures we have just discussed earlier, and also the examples of faith and courage that St. Denis and his companions, as well as St. John Leonardi, in all that they have done, putting their faith and trust in God in everything that they do, in committing themselves in their own unique ways to serve the Lord faithfully at all times. Let us all continue to grow ever stronger in faith and do our very best so that by our good examples and actions, we may inspire and touch the lives of so many others around us. May God be with us and may He continue to bless our every good works and endeavours, in our every good works and contributions, at all times. Amen.

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Thursday, 9 October 2025 : 27th Week of Ordinary Time, Memorial of St. Denis, Bishop and Martyr, and Companions, Martyrs, and St. John Leonardi, Priest (Gospel Reading)

Liturgical Colour : Green or Red (Martyrs) or White (Priests)

Luke 11 : 5-13

At that time, Jesus said to His disciples, “Suppose one of you has a friend, and goes to his house in the middle of the night and says, ‘Friend, lend me three loaves, for a friend of mine who is travelling has just arrived, and I have nothing to offer him.’ Maybe your friend will answer from inside, ‘Do not bother me now; the door is locked, and my children and I are in bed, so I cannot get up and give you anything.'”

“But I tell you, even though he will not get up and attend to you because you are a friend, yet he will get up because you are a bother to him, and he will give you all you need. And so I say to you, ‘Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. For the one who asks receives, and the one who searches finds, and to him who knocks the door will be opened.”

“If your child asks for a fish, will you give him a snake instead? And if your child asks for an egg, will you give him a scorpion? If you sinful people know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him.”

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Thursday, 9 October 2025 : 27th Week of Ordinary Time, Memorial of St. Denis, Bishop and Martyr, and Companions, Martyrs, and St. John Leonardi, Priest (Psalm)

Liturgical Colour : Green or Red (Martyrs) or White (Priests)

Psalm 1 : 1-2, 3, 4 and 6

Blessed is the man who does not go where the wicked gather, or stand in the way of sinners, or sit where the scoffers sit! Instead, he finds delight in the Law of YHVH and meditates day and night on His commandments.

He is like a tree beside a brook producing its fruit in due season, its leaves never withering. Everything he does is a success.

But it is different with the wicked. They are like chaff driven away by the wind. For YHVH knows the way of the righteous but cuts off the way of the wicked.