Church fathers

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Saturday, 13 January 2024 : 1st Week of Ordinary Time, Memorial of St. Hilary, Bishop and Doctor of the Church (Psalm)

Liturgical Colour : Green or White (Bishops or Saturday Mass of Our Lady)

Psalm 20 : 2-3, 4-5, 6-7

The king rejoices in Your strength, o YHVH, and exults in Your saving help. You have granted him his desire; You have not rejected his request.

You have come to him with rich blessings; You have placed a golden crown upon his head. When he asked, You gave him life – length of days forever and ever.

He glories in the victory You gave him; You shall bestow on him splendour and majesty. You have given him eternal blessings, and gladdened him with the joy of Your presence.

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Saturday, 13 January 2024 : 1st Week of Ordinary Time, Memorial of St. Hilary, Bishop and Doctor of the Church (First Reading)

Liturgical Colour : Green or White (Bishops or Saturday Mass of Our Lady)

1 Samuel 9 : 1-4, 17-19 and 1 Samuel 10 : 1a

There was a man from the tribe of Benjamin whose name was Kish. He was the son of Abiel, son of Zeror, son of Becorath, son of Aphiah, a valiant Benjaminite. Kish had a son named Saul, a handsome young man who had no equal among the Israelites, for he was a head taller than any of them.

It happened that the asses of Kish were lost. So he said to his son Saul, “Take one of the boys with you and go look for the asses.” They went all over the hill country of Ephraim and the land of Shalishah but did not find them. They passed through the land of Shaalim and the land of Benjamin, but the asses were nowhere to be found.

So, when Samuel saw Saul, YHVH told him, “Here is the man I spoke to you about! He shall rule over My people.” Saul approached Samuel in the gateway and said, “Tell me, where is the house of the seer?” Samuel answered Saul, “I am the seer. Go up ahead of me to the high place, for today you shall eat with me. In the morning, before you leave, I will tell you all that is in your heart.”

Then Samuel took a vial of oil and poured it on Saul’s head.

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Tuesday, 2 January 2024 : 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 as we listened to the words of the Scriptures, we are reminded of why we celebrate this Christmas season, which we are still in the midst of. In this time and season of Christmas, as we rejoice in the Lord, we joyfully welcome Him into our lives, remembering how He has come into our midst, embracing our humanity and becoming incarnate in the flesh, showing us the truth and Good News of God. This is why today we all are reminded to be committed to keep firmly the truth and the Good News which the Lord has taught us, and not to fall victim to the lies and falsehoods which the devil and all the enemies of the Lord have put all around us so that we may end up being misled by all of their efforts.

This is what St. John spoke about in his Epistle which is our first reading passage today. He mentioned about the dangers of the antichrists, all those who denied the truth of God, and spread false teachings and heresies. Heresies and false teachings are quite common throughout the history of the Church, right up to this day, but those words from St. John highlighted the fact that even from the earliest days of the Church there had been those antichrists and false prophets and leaders who had been subverting the message of truth and the Good News of God, which brought about a lot of confusion and divisions among the Church and the faithful community of God’s people, as those antichrists and false leaders led many among the people of God into the wrong paths.

That was why St. John the Apostle reminded all the faithful Christians that they should always remain focused on the Lord and His truth, and they should not allow the confusions and divisions sown by those antichrists and false prophets and leaders from dividing them into factions, sects and groups, that lead into further disagreements and divisions that could harm not only the unity of the Church, but also the state and salvation of many souls that might be led astray from the path of God’s righteousness and grace. This reminder remains true for us all even today because we are all also still exposed to all those falsehoods, temptations and persuasions from those who sought to bring us to our downfall and destruction.

In our Gospel passage today, taken from the Gospel of St. John, we are all further reminded of this truth, as we heard how St. John the Baptist responded to all those who queried and asked him about his works and whether he was the Messiah or not. St. John the Baptist was very popular back then and many people came to follow him, going to him in large numbers, seeking to be baptised by him, and repenting from their wicked and sinful ways. Yet, he clearly stated before all those who asked him whether he was the Messiah that God had promised His people, that he was not the One that they were waiting for, but rather, he was merely the Herald and servant who was to prepare the path for the coming of the Lord, to make His path and way straight before His coming.

Many people would have been tempted by the temptations of fame, glory and renown that they might end up doing things that benefit themselves and this was the main reason why all those antichrists and false prophets and leaders had risen up. Many of them confused the faithful and the people of God because they wanted to draw all of these people to themselves, for their own benefits, so that they could gain more fame, wealth, renown and glory for themselves. But St. John the Baptist remained firm in his conviction and commitment to see through what the Lord had entrusted to him, the mission and calling which he has been given, to call on all the people of God to return to Him, and to open their hearts and minds to welcome the Lord and Saviour of the world when He came.

This is why all of us as Christians should always be reminded by those Scripture passages, that we should not allow worldly temptations, attachments and ways to corrupt us and to lead us down the wrong paths in life. We should not allow our desires and greed to mislead us down the path towards sin and evil, and we should always do our best to commit our hearts and minds to follow the Lord and focus our attention on Him, and not on ourselves and our selfish ambitions, greed and desires. We must always be centred on Christ in all things, and not to let ourselves be dragged into sin and downfall, and hence we should model ourselves on our holy predecessors, those holy men and women who had gone before us.

Today, the Church also celebrates the Feast of two great saints and holy men of God, great and respected early Church fathers who were remembered for their steadfast faith and commitment as shepherds to their respective flock, and also active participation in the greater Church matters, in their commitment to resist the various heresies and falsehoods which had been widespread throughout the Church and Christendom at that time. St. Basil the Great and St. Gregory Nazianzen were bishops and elders of the Church during the time when the Church’s orthodoxy and truth were being challenged by those who had perverted and misconstrued the teachings of the Lord for their own agenda and benefits.

St. Basil the Great was also known as St. Basil of Caesarea, as the Bishop of Caesarea in Asia Minor during the time of the late Roman Empire when the Empire has gradually accepted Christianity as its dominant religion and belief, and persecutions had ceased earlier on with the toleration Edict of Milan. He was known well for his theological works and efforts in opposing the encroachment of the Arians and other heresies threatening his flock. Both him and St. Gregory Nazianzen, the then Archbishop of Constantinople, who were friends and contemporaries, courageously defended the Church against the heresy of Arianism, which had affected many parts of the Church, and which had misled many of the faithful people of God into the wrong paths. Back then, the Arian heresy had a rather strong following from the clergy and the laity alike, and they had strong following and support especially among the Imperial family and nobles.

This made it rather difficult and challenging for St. Basil and St. Gregory to carry out their mission and works, but they continued to persevere through nonetheless, facing hardships, trials and challenges for their constant commitment to the true teachings of the Lord, but they continued to devote themselves to God. St. Gregory Nazianzen in particular was also known for his great humility and refusal to entangle himself in any matters pertaining to worldly ambitions and power. He refused to be ordained a bishop for a while before eventually, he accepted the role as Archbishop of Constantinople, with the support of the new Roman Emperor, Theodosius the Great, who supported the cause of the Nicene and Trinitarian party, against the Arians. St. Gregory Nazianzen would go on to preside over the Second Ecumenical Council at Constantinople, which further solidified the true Christian teachings against the heretics. And when controversies arose because of all the disagreements and intrigues that surrounded that Council and its aftermath, St. Gregory Nazianzen chose to humbly retire and while continuing to quietly work for the greater glory of God in his retirement.

Through the many great works of St. Basil the Great and St. Gregory Nazianzen, their fearless defence of the true faith, and their commitment to God, to those flock entrusted to them, both of these holy saints of God should indeed be great inspirations and role models for all of us in how we should live our lives with faith. Let us all always be inspired by the great faith, commitment and humility which they have shown us, and do our best that our lives will always be centred and focused on the Lord as well. May the Lord be with us all and may He continue to lead us down the path of righteousness, in the path of His servants, especially St. Basil the Great and St. Gregory Nazianzen, now and always. Amen.

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Tuesday, 2 January 2024 : 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.

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Tuesday, 2 January 2024 : 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.

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Tuesday, 2 January 2024 : 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.

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Thursday, 7 December 2023 : 1st Week of Advent, Memorial of St. Ambrose, Bishop and Doctor of the Church (Homily and Scripture Reflections)

Liturgical Colour : White

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, today as we listened to the words of the Scriptures and as we continue to progress through this blessed time and season of Advent, all of us are reminded that the Lord alone is our hope and our strength, and the sure source of salvation and liberation from our troubles, challenges and trials. Each and every one of us should always do our best so that we may indeed be focused on the Lord and remember all that He had done for us, particularly in this blessed season and time of Advent when we are preparing to welcome the Lord into our hearts, minds, into our beings and our homes, and celebrate His coming into our midst at Christmas, as we all gather in faith as one united people of God.

In our first reading today, taken from the Book of the prophet Isaiah, we heard of the words of the Lord to His people in the kingdom of Judah, giving them reassurance and confidence that if they all put their faith and trust in Him, they will be guarded and protected, and they will be prosperous and strong. All of these would have resonated very well with the people of Judah, which at the time of the ministry of the prophet Isaiah, had been beset by many difficulties and troubles. Those among us who are familiar with the history of the kingdom of Judah and the prophets would have known that the prophet Isaiah ministered to the people of God during the reigns of the King Ahaz and Hezekiah of Judah, and during the reign of the latter, the Assyrians had come to destroy their northern neighbour, the Kingdom of Israel, and then went on to besiege Jerusalem and beset Judah with their mighty army under King Sennacherib.

Therefore, in the context of what the people of Judah and Jerusalem have experienced at that time, it was indeed a soothing and comforting message that the Lord has brought to His people, reassuring them all of His protection and help, so that despite the many challenges and trials that they all may have to face, the Lord will provide for them. For the case of King Sennacherib of Assyria and his mighty force that came to Jerusalem to besiege it, God destroyed most of that mighty force through His Angel, and wiped off the pride, ego and hubris of that wicked king, who also claimed that he was greater than God Himself, by saying that not even God could have saved the people of Jerusalem and Judah from his forces.

In our Gospel passage today, we heard of the Lord Who spoke to His disciples and followers using a parable to show and teach them, using the parable of the foundations or the houses, in which He compared what happened when people built their houses on the shaky foundation of sand versus the firm and strong foundation of rock. He mentioned how those who placed their trust in the other things besides the Lord, they are like those who have built their houses upon the loose and weak foundation of sand, which is easily destroyed by the forces of nature. Meanwhile, those who have placed their trust and faith in the Lord are like those who have built their houses upon the firm foundation of rock, which would endure even against the greatest challenges.

All that we heard in our Scripture readings today are reminders for each and every one of us that we should always put the Lord at the centre and the focus of our lives, and we should not be afraid or fearful because God will always be by our side, providing for our needs and protecting us. And while we may suffer and endure hardships, trials and tribulations, but in the end, all of us will be triumphant with God, and the Lord will lead us all into His loving and holy Presence, to enjoy forever the fruits of His inheritance and promises. This is what all of us should remind ourselves and one another during this season of Advent, when we are reminded again and again of everything that God had done for us through His Son, Our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ, coming down into this world to save us.

Today, the Church celebrates the feast of one of the great saints of God, a truly renowned Church father and a devoted man of God, shepherd to his large number of flocks, both within his diocese, as well as those in the larger Universal Church that he has ministered to, and inspired in following the Lord and His path. St. Ambrose of Milan was one of the early Church fathers and was a very influential Church leader as the Bishop of Milan, which is today part of northern Italy. St. Ambrose of Milan was renowned for his works as bishop, his great piety and devotion to God, and for his inspirational leadership of the Church, within Milan and beyond, during the times of great divisions, struggles and conflicts, both within and outside the Church at that time.

St. Ambrose himself was once an important Roman governor and statesman, born into a very prominent Roman family, with his father being a very senior member of the Roman governance, as a praetorian prefect in some accounts. He was born into a Christian family and was brought up well in the faith as well as academically, eventually making his way to be the governor of Liguria province in what is now part of northern Italy, centred in Milan. It was there then St. Ambrose was trust into the limelight in the Church because of the divisions and rivalries that happened at the time between the followers of the Orthodox and true faith against those who sided with the heresy of Arianism. The bishop of Milan, one known as Auxentius, an Arian heretic, died and his succession was very contentious.

St. Ambrose of Milan came to prevent any uproar and rioting that happened because of the disagreements during the election, only for him to be acclaimed by everyone assembled as bishop, which led to St. Ambrose being properly baptised, ordained and then consecrated as the new Bishop of Milan. St. Ambrose proved to be a great bishop and administrator, and a great shepherd to his flock. He helped to reform the Church and then was involved in combatting the heresy of Arianism that had spread over much of Christendom at that time. He even courageously went up against the Roman authorities, many of whom favoured Arianism back then, including the many high level clergy throughout the Empire and the Church.

St. Ambrose championed the cause of the true, orthodox faith, and did not hesitate to use his power and influence to overcome the grip that Arianism and its heretical teachings had on the Church and the Empire. Later on in his life and ministry, he did not hesitate to chastise a powerful and mighty Emperor, Theodosius the Great, for his irresponsible and wicked action in being an accomplice in the slaughter and destruction of innocents in the great city of Thessalonica. Eventually, the Emperor himself relented and as a penitent, in sackcloth and ashes, came humbly before the Bishop of Milan, St. Ambrose himself, and was reconciled to the Lord and His Church. There were many other great things that this great and holy man of God had done for the Church and for God’s people, and they should inspire all of us to be faithful in the manner that St. Ambrose himself had done.

Brothers and sisters in Christ, let us all therefore do our best so that we may always be faithful in the Lord, and that we may always be focused on Christ, the very reason why we celebrate Christmas, and why we spend this time to prepare ourselves this Advent, spiritually and wholly. Let us all do our part so that we may indeed be filled with the true joy of Christmas, and be ever more focused and committed to the Lord at all times. May our every actions, words and deeds be filled with true and genuine faith in God, and may all of us draw ever closer to Him, now and always, in all circumstances. Amen.

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Thursday, 7 December 2023 : 1st Week of Advent, Memorial of St. Ambrose, Bishop and Doctor of the Church (Gospel Reading)

Liturgical Colour : White

Matthew 7 : 21, 24-27

At that time, Jesus said to His disciples, “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. 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!”

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Thursday, 7 December 2023 : 1st Week of Advent, Memorial of St. Ambrose, Bishop and Doctor of the Church (Psalm)

Liturgical Colour : White

Psalm 117 : 1 and 8-9, 19-21, 25-27a

Alleluia! Give thanks to YHVH, for He is good, His loving kindness endures forever. It is better to take refuge in YHVH than to trust in the help of humans. It is better to take refuge in YHVH than to trust in the might of princes.

Open to me the gates of the Just, and let me enter to give thanks. This is YHVH’s gate, through which the upright enter. I thank You for having answered me, for having rescued me.

Save us, o YHVH, deliver us, o YHVH! Blessed is He Who comes in YHVH’s Name! We praise You from the house of YHVH. YHVH is God; may His light shine upon us.

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Thursday, 7 December 2023 : 1st Week of Advent, Memorial of St. Ambrose, Bishop and Doctor of the Church (First Reading)

Liturgical Colour : White

Isaiah 26 : 1-6

On that day this song will be sung in the land of Judah : We have a strong city, He Himself has set up walls and fortifications to protect us. Open the gates! Let the righteous nation enter, she who is firm in faithfulness. You keep in perfect place the one of steadfast mind, the one who trusts in You.

Trust in YHVH forever, for YHVH is an everlasting Rock. He brought down those who dwell on high, He laid low the lofty city, He razed it to the ground, levelled it to the dust. Now it is trampled, the poor and the lowly tread upon it.