bishops

by

Friday, 13 January 2023 : 1st Week of Ordinary Time, Memorial of St. Hilary, Bishop and Doctor of the Church (Gospel Reading)

Liturgical Colour : Green or White (Bishops)

Mark 2 : 1-12

At that time, after some days, Jesus returned to Capernaum. As the news spread that He was in the house, so many people gathered, that there was no longer room even outside the door. While Jesus was preaching the Word to them, some people brought a paralysed man to Him.

The four men who carried him could not get near Jesus because of the crowd, so they opened the roof above the room where Jesus was and, through the hole, lowered the man on his mat. When Jesus saw the faith of these people, He said to the paralytic, “My son, your sins are forgiven.”

Now some teachers of the Law, who were sitting there, wondered within themselves, “How can He speak like this, insulting God? Who can forgive sins except God?”

At once Jesus knew in His Spirit what they were thinking, and asked, “Why do you wonder? Is it easier to say to this paralysed man, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or ‘Rise, take up your mat and walk?’ But now you shall know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins.”

And He said to the paralytic, “Stand up, take up your mat and go home.” The man rose and, in the sight of all those people, he took up his mat and went out. All of them were astonished and praised God, saying, “Never have we seen anything like this!”

by

Friday, 13 January 2023 : 1st Week of Ordinary Time, Memorial of St. Hilary, Bishop and Doctor of the Church (Psalm)

Liturgical Colour : Green or White (Bishops)

Psalm 77 : 3 and 4bc, 6c-7, 8

Mysteries which we have heard and known, which our ancestors have told us. We will announce them to the coming generation : the glorious deeds of the Lord, His might and the wonders He has done.

They would teach their own children. They would then put their trust in God, and not forget His deeds and His commands.

And not be like their ancestors, stubborn and rebellious people, a people of inconstant heart whose spirit was fickle.

by

Friday, 13 January 2023 : 1st Week of Ordinary Time, Memorial of St. Hilary, Bishop and Doctor of the Church (First Reading)

Liturgical Colour : Green or White (Bishops)

Hebrews 4 : 1-5, 11

Therefore let us fear while we are invited to enter the rest of God, lest any of you be left behind. We received the Gospel exactly as they did, but hearing the message did them no good, because they did not share the faith of those who did listen. We are now to enter this rest because we believed, as it was said : I was angry and made a solemn vow : they will never enter My rest – that is the rest of God after He created the world.

In another part it was said about the seventh day : And God rested on the seventh day from all His works. But now it is said : They will not enter My rest. Let us strive, then, to enter the rest and not to share the misfortune of those who disobeyed.

by

Monday, 2 January 2023 : Weekday of Christmas Time, Memorial of St. Basil the Great and St. Gregory Nazianzen, Bishops and Doctors of the Church (Homily and Scripture Reflections)

Liturgical Colour : White

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, today we are still progressing through the season and time of Christmas which will still last for another week at least. Liturgically, the season of Christmas lasts up to the Feast of the Baptism of the Lord which will happen about a week from now and traditionally, Christmas is celebrated right up to the Feast of the Presentation of the Lord on the second day of February, making a whole forty days of the Christmas season. That is why we are still continuously being reminded of the Lord and His coming into this world, the salvation and truth that He has brought into our midst among other things. The Lord and His coming into this world has brought upon us all a new hope and renewal, as Christ assured us all that if we have faith in Him, we shall receive the guarantee of eternal life and grace.

However, as we heard in our first reading today, there were a lot of those who threatened to derail our path towards the Lord, as we heard from the Epistle of St. John to the faithful people of God and the Church, detailing how there were antichrists and false prophets, false teachers and messengers, all those who taught different messages and Gospels from what has been delivered and taught by the Apostles. St. John warned the faithful against all of those, the heresies which had risen even as early as the beginning of the Church, as those who sought to subvert and change the Church teachings and doctrines to suit their own desires and wishes, caused divisions among the faithful and confusion, which led to some of the faithful falling into heretical ways.

Among those heresies were those that denied the Divinity of Christ, or even denying the existence of Christ Himself, and those who considered the Lord Jesus as a false Messiah, and claiming to be the Messiah themselves. Those false leaders and teachers harmed the unity of the Church and led many to the wrong paths, which then caused many to fall away from the path of righteousness and truth. St. John reminded all the faithful of everything that they had received from the Lord, the gift of the Holy Spirit and the anointing which has been given to them through baptism and chrism, and the Wisdom and strength which they had received so that they might all persevere amidst all the challenges, trials and all the false leads that they had to face.

In our Gospel passage today, we heard of the confrontation between the Pharisees and the teachers of the Law with St. John the Baptist, who was the one sent by God to prepare the way for His Son, the true Messiah, Saviour of the whole world. Those Pharisees and teachers of the Law questioned St. John the Baptist, asking him why he was doing everything that he had done, in calling the people to repentance and to be baptised by him in the River Jordan, as they doubted his authenticity and they refused to believe in him simply because his path and ways did not agree with the way that the Pharisees and the teachers of the Law had set for themselves. For those people, anyone who did not share their perspective or belong to their group were not legitimate, and they even condemned others as sinners and blasphemers for that.

St. John the Baptist rebuked the Pharisees and their high-handed and proud attitude, and told them that he was truly the one that God had sent into this world to prepare the way for the Saviour, in the words of the prophet Isaiah, ‘I am the voice of one crying out in the wilderness : Make straight the way of the Lord!’ This must have been well-known by the Pharisees and the teachers of the Law who knew the prophets and their teachings and prophecies well, but their pride and hardened hearts still prevented them from believing in the truth, despite having seen the proof of the fulfilment of God’s words and prophecies before their own eyes. They continued to doubt him and asked if he was the Messiah that was to come into this world.

It was there then that St. John the Baptist again told those hardened hearted Pharisees that he was merely the one who came to prepare the way for the Lord, and that he was unworthy even to untie the straps of His sandals. As we can see here, contrasted with the antichrists, the false Messiahs and all those who claimed to have the truth as St. John highlighted in our first reading today, St. John the Baptist remained firmly entrenched in the truth and did not let worldly glory, fame and other sorts of temptations to get to him. He could very well have claimed to be the Messiah given his great popularity among the people just like some others had done at that time, but St. John the Baptist did not do so. He humbly did what he was sent to do, and committed himself wholeheartedly to God. This is what we have to follow as well, as Christians.

Today, the Church celebrates the feast of two great saints whose dedication and commitment to God can and should become the source of inspiration for us to follow in how we can be better and more committed Christians in life. St. Basil the Great and St. Gregory Nazianzen were two great contemporaries whose life and works inspired countless people to be faithful to God, and who were also instrumental in the evangelisation of the true faith, especially against the many heresies, falsehoods and lies rampant at their time. Both of them were considered among the original Doctors of the Church, and were widely venerated for their great contributions to the Church and their service to the people of God, which we ourselves can follow as well.

St. Basil the Great was the Bishop of Caesarea Mazaca in Cappadocia in what is today part of Turkey, who was a great theologian and leader of the Church especially against all those who upheld heretical teachings particularly the Arians. Those Arians who listened to the heretic Arius claimed that Jesus Christ is not Co-Equal and Co-Eternal with God, but was a Being created and inferior to God Himself. This false teaching gained large amount of support among the people and not few bishops also joined the cause of the Arians, causing divisions and splits within the Church in various places. St. Basil the Great together with other faithful bishops, including that of St. Gregory Nazianzen, another great theologian and bishop, struggled and resisted the power and influence of the Arians, and defended the true, orthodox Christian faith and teachings.

Both saints inspired the Church and their flock, as well as their brother bishops to take a stand against the heresies and the falsehoods, and working to heal the divisions among the faithful through their great knowledge in theology and also skills in preaching the faith. St. Basil the Great and St. Gregory Nazianzen did not have it easy of course, as they faced great opposition from all those who supported the Arian position and teachings, but they persevered on and kept on going, doing their best to serve the Lord, by continuing to proclaim the true faith among the people of God, as well as calling on all of them to remain steadfast and strong in the faith. These kind of actions and zeal are what should also inspire each one of us in our own faith. Can we do the same and commit ourselves to God as they had done?

May the Lord continue to guide us all to Himself, and through the good examples of St. Basil the Great and St. Gregory Nazianzen, let us all live a more devoted and holy Christian living at all times, drawing ever closer to God in all things. Let us all continue to renew our faith in the Lord and keep our focus in God as we continue to progress through this season of Christmas, as we keep reminding ourselves Who it is that we are celebrating for, that is for Christ our Lord and Saviour, and not for ourselves. May God bless us always and may He empower all of us to live ever more faithfully in His presence, now and always. Amen.

by

Monday, 2 January 2023 : Weekday of Christmas Time, Memorial of St. Basil the Great and St. Gregory Nazianzen, Bishops and Doctors of the Church (Gospel Reading)

Liturgical Colour : White

John 1 : 19-28

This was the testimony of John, when the Jews sent priests and Levites to ask him, “Who are you?” John recognised the truth, and did not deny it. He said, “I am not the Messiah.”

And they asked him, “Then who are you? Elijah?” He answered, “I am not.” They said, “Are you the Prophet?” And he answered, “No.” Then they said to him, “Tell us who you are, so that we can give some answer to those who sent us. How do you see yourself?”

And John said, quoting the prophet Isaiah, “I am the voice of one crying out in the wilderness : Make straight the way of the Lord!”

Those who had been sent were Pharisees; and they put a further question to John, “Then why are you baptising, if you are not the Messiah, or Elijah, or the Prophet?” John answered, “I baptise you with water, but among you stands One Whom you do not know; although He comes after me, I am not worthy to untie the strap of His sandal.”

This happened in Bethabara beyond the Jordan, where John was baptising.

by

Monday, 2 January 2023 : Weekday of Christmas Time, Memorial of St. Basil the Great and St. Gregory Nazianzen, Bishops and Doctors of the Church (Psalm)

Liturgical Colour : White

Psalm 97 : 1, 2-3ab, 3cd-4

Sing to the Lord a new song, for He has done wonders; His right hand, His holy arm, has won victory for Him.

The Lord has shown His salvation, revealing His justice to the nations. He has not forgotten His love nor His faithfulness to Israel.

The farthest ends of the earth all have seen God’s saving power. All you lands, make a joyful noise to the Lord, break into song and sing praise.

by

Monday, 2 January 2023 : Weekday of Christmas Time, Memorial of St. Basil the Great and St. Gregory Nazianzen, Bishops and Doctors of the Church (First Reading)

Liturgical Colour : White

1 John 2 : 22-28

Who is the liar? The one who denies that Jesus is the Christ. This is an antichrist, who denies both the Father and the Son. The one who denies the Son is without the Father, and those who acknowledge the Son also have the Father.

Let what you heard from the beginning remain in you. If what you heard from the beginning remains in you, you, too, will remain in the Son and in the Father. And this is the promise He Himself gave us : eternal life.

I write this to you thinking of those who try to lead you astray. You received from Him an anointing, and it remains in you, so you do not need someone to teach you. His anointing teaches you all things, it speaks the truth and does not lie to you; so remain in Him, and keep what He has taught you.

And now, my children, live in Him, so that when He appears in His glory, we may be confident and not ashamed before Him when He comes.

by

Thursday, 29 December 2022 : Fifth Day within Octave of Christmas, Memorial of St. Thomas Becket, Bishop and Martyr (Homily and Scripture Reflections)

Liturgical Colour : White

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, today as we listened to the words of the Scriptures, we are all reminded of the reason again why we celebrate in this Christmas season, of why we gather together to rejoice in the coming of the Lord, the Saviour of the whole world. God has come into this world to gather each and every one of us, so that we may come to reconciliation and reunification with Him, and receive from Him the assurance of everlasting life and glory. The Lord has come down upon us and appeared before us so that we may come to experience His love, His kindness and compassion in its fullness. We are reminded that the salvation has come to us through the Son of God born into this world and celebrated at Christmas, as we are doing now.

In our Gospel passage today, we heard of the time when the Child Jesus was brought to the Temple of Jerusalem, to be presented and offered to God just as the Law dictated it. Both St. Joseph and Mary brought Him to the Temple, and there, the man of God called Simeon came to them and beheld the One Whom he has been told to await, and the One Whose coming he would witness before he passed on from this world. Simeon told both St. Joseph and Mary about what the Child would do as He would grow and eventually become a Sign for all the people of God, the Sign and fulfilment of everything which God had promised to all of us mankind. Through Christ, the Child presented and offered to God at the Temple that time, God would liberate all of us mankind, His beloved ones from the bondage to sin, evil and death.

Then in our first reading today, we heard of the words of St. John the Apostle in his Epistle as he told the faithful people of God regarding what they are all called to do as Christians, in doing the will of God and in obeying His Law and commandments. The Lord has come into our midst bearing His light and love, revealing unto us His great compassion, in Christ, His only begotten and beloved Son. And it is by this action that the Lord revealed to us what it truly means for us to be His followers, and that, as St. John himself wrote in his Epistle, is that ‘we all ought to live our lives just as He has lived His life, full of obedience to the Lord and full of righteousness, love and commitment to the path that God has shown to each and every one of us. By becoming one like us, in assuming our human flesh and existence, Christ has led us by His hands, to enter into this new existence in God.

We are reminded that as Christ Himself has shown us, the love of God had been revealed and taught to us, that we too may know how to love Him and that we may also be filled with the same love that He has shown us. And that is also exactly what the Law and the commandments of the Lord is all about. As the Lord Jesus told His disciples in another occasion, the Law of God can be summarised in two parts, as ‘Love the Lord your God with all of your hearts, with all of your strength and abilities’ and also ‘Love one another, your fellow brothers and sisters in the same way, just as much as you love yourself.’ The Love of God has been manifested to us, and He has shown us His most generous love in the incarnation of His Son, by sending us the best of all gifts, because through Christ, He has willed to reach out to us and lift us up out of our dark fate of destruction because of our sins.

Because of that, all of us should heed what the Lord had told us to do, to be genuine, faithful and loving Christians, and as we celebrate this joyful season of Christmas, we are constantly being reminded of how God’s love had been manifested before us in Jesus Christ, His Son, born into this world and walking in our midst, extending to us the most generous offer of salvation and eternal life, if we truly can believe in Him and follow Him. We should thus follow Him wholeheartedly in our way of life and not be easily tempted by the many temptations of worldly pleasures and other things that often led man into their downfall because they could not resist the temptation of power and glory. And we also have the saints to help lead us down the right path, in showing us what is meant for us to be Christians.

Today, we remember one of those saints for his obedience to the Lord, to His commandments and Law, against the forces of the world that rallied up against him and the Church. St. Thomas Becket was the Archbishop of Canterbury living and ministering to the people of God more than eight centuries ago, during the High Middle Ages England, and as the Archbishop of Canterbury was the most important member of the clergy in all of England, the spiritual leader of all the faithful in that kingdom. He was once an English nobleman who was a close confidant and friend of the King of England, King Henry II. The King appointed his good friend as his Chancellor, and therefore becoming a powerful right hand man of the King, managing many of his court affairs and finances among others.

Then, King Henry II tried to gain more influence and control over the Church, which at that time often acted independently of the King and his court, and therefore, when vacancy occurred to the position of the Archbishop of Canterbury, the King nominated St. Thomas Becket to the position, thinking that by having his friend in that role, he could control the Church and its finances and other institutions better. St. Thomas Becket also remained as the King’s Chancellor while he was concurrently the Archbishop of Canterbury. St. Thomas Becket however went through a thorough change of heart as he went through the ordinations that made him deacon, priest and finally bishop, and was anointed and enthroned as the Archbishop of Canterbury and thus Primate of England.

St. Thomas Becket began to act independently of the King and refusing his efforts and desires to bring the Church under the realm’s control, and insisted on maintaining the independence of the Church and its institutions from any royal or secular influences and control. This then earned St. Thomas Becket the King’s ire and anger, as the King grew more and more restless and disappointed as his efforts were thwarted and resisted again and again, even after he managed to pressure St. Thomas Becket into exile more than once. Nonetheless, St. Thomas Becket continued his resistance against the King’s efforts, excommunicating one of the nobles who abused his authority and who was supported by the King. This continued struggle between King and his Archbishop went on for quite a few years.

And after this long and protracted period of disagreement and conflict, it was there then that the King made a comment in a feast in which he lamented his powerlessness against this man of God and asked if anyone could get rid of him. This was taken as a royal order by four knights who were present there, who then went to find St. Thomas Becket. St. Thomas Becket was martyred when those knights struck at him with their swords at his own Cathedral just as he was doing his prayers. The murder of St. Thomas Becket shocked the whole entire Christendom, and the story of the courage and perseverance showed by St. Thomas Becket very soon inspired many others, and many more even right down to this day, of a man of God who chose to obey the Lord and walk down His path of righteousness rather than to follow the path of worldliness and sin.

Brothers and sisters in Christ, as St. Thomas Becket himself has shown us, let us therefore remember to walk the path that the Lord has shown us, the path of His love and the path of righteousness, loving God and loving our fellow brethren as generously as we can, rather than indulging in our own desire for power and glory as King Henry II and many other men and women of the world had done in the past, which led them to commit great sins and wickedness. Let us all distance ourselves from all those temptations and strive to do in whatever way we can to seek the Lord with a renewed heart full of love and faith in Him. May we all draw ever closer to God through our faithful Christmas celebrations, and through the inspirations from the saints, especially from St. Thomas Becket. May God bless us always, now and forevermore. Amen.

by

Thursday, 29 December 2022 : Fifth Day within Octave of Christmas, Memorial of St. Thomas Becket, Bishop and Martyr (Gospel Reading)

Liturgical Colour : White

Luke 2 : 22-35

When the day came for the purification according to the law of Moses, they brought the Baby up to Jerusalem, to present Him to the Lord, as it is written in the law of the Lord : Every firstborn male shall be consecrated to God. And they offered a sacrifice, as ordered in the law of the Lord : a pair of turtledoves or two young pigeons.

There lived in Jerusalem at this time a very upright and devout man named Simeon; the Holy Spirit was in him. He looked forward to the time when the Lord would comfort Israel, and he had been assured, by the Holy Spirit, that he would not die before seeing the Messiah of the Lord. So he was led into the Temple by the Holy Spirit at the time the parents brought the Child Jesus, to do for Him according to the custom of the Law.

Simeon took the Child in his arms, and blessed God, saying, “Now, o Lord, You can dismiss Your servant in peace, for You have fulfilled Your word and my eyes have seen Your salvation, which You display for all the people to see. Here is the Light You will reveal to the nations, and the glory of Your people Israel.”

His father and mother wondered at what was said about the Child. Simeon blessed them, and said to Mary, His mother, “Know this : your Son is a Sign, a Sign established for the falling and rising of many in Israel, a Sign of contradiction; and a sword will pierce your own soul, so that, out of many hearts, thoughts may be revealed.”

by

Thursday, 29 December 2022 : Fifth Day within Octave of Christmas, Memorial of St. Thomas Becket, Bishop and Martyr (Psalm)

Liturgical Colour : White

Psalm 95 : 1-2a, 2b-3, 5b-6

Sing to the Lord a new song, sing to the Lord, all the earth! Sing to the Lord, bless His Name.

Proclaim His salvation day after day. Recall His glory among the nations, tell all the peoples His wonderful deeds.

YHVH is the One Who made the heavens. Splendour and majesty go before Him; power and glory fill His sanctuary.