Liturgical Colour : Red
Psalm 143 : 1, 2, 9-10
Blessed be YHVH, my Rock, Who trains my hands for war and my fingers for battle.
My loving God, my Fortress; my Protector and Deliverer, my Shield; Where I take refuge; Who conquers nations and subjects them to my rule.
I will sing a new song to You, o God; I will make music on the ten-stringed harp, for You, Who give victory to kings and deliver David, Your servant.
Liturgical Colour : Red
1 Samuel 17 : 32-33, 37, 40-51
David said to Saul, “Let no one be discouraged on account of this Philistine, for your servant will engage him in battle.” Saul told David, “You cannot fight with this Philistine for you are still young, whereas this man has been a warrior from his youth.”
David continued, “YHVH, Who delivered me from the paws of lions and bears, will deliver me from the hands of the Philistine.” Saul then told David, “Go, and may YHVH be with you!”
David took his staff, picked up five smooth stones from the brook and dropped them inside his shepherd’s bag. And with his sling in hand, he drew near to the Philistine. The Philistine moved forward, closing in on David, his shield-bearer in front of him. When he saw that David was only a lad, (he was of fresh complexion and handsome) he despised him and said, “Am I a dog that you should approach me with a stick?”
Cursing David by his gods, he continued, “Come, and I will give your flesh to the birds of the sky and the beasts of the field!” David answered the Philistine, “You have come against me with sword, spear and javelin, but I come against you with YHVH, the God of the armies of Israel whom you have defied. YHVH will deliver you this day into my hands and I will strike you down and cut off your head.”
“I will give the corpses of the Philistine army today to the birds of the sky and the wild beasts of the earth, and all the earth shall know that there is a God of Israel. All the people gathered here shall know that YHVH saves not by sword or spear; the battle belongs to YHVH, and He will deliver you into our hands.”
No sooner had the Philistine moved to attack him, than David rushed to the battleground. Putting his hand into his bag, he took out a stone, slung it and struck the Philistine on the forehead; it penetrated his forehead and he fell on his face to the ground. David triumphed over the Philistine with a sling and a stone, felling him without using a sword.
He rushed forward, stood over him, took the Philistine’s sword and slew him by cutting off his head. When the Philistines saw that their champion was dead, they scattered in all directions.
Liturgical Colour : Green or Red (Martyrs)
Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, today as we all listened to the words of the Sacred Scriptures, each and every one of us are reminded that God sees beyond the externals and worldly categories, considerations and prejudices, and He sees what are within our hearts and minds, knowing everything that we are, even things that we ourselves may not be fully aware of. God does not think or consider things in the manner that we are familiar with in this world, and He does not become prejudiced against any of us by any means or any parameters. He has always loved us all equally and most generously, and He wants us all to realise that what He wants from us is our loveas well, and not merely blind obedience or empty gestures of piety.
In our first reading today, we heard from our first reading today, of the moment from the Book of the prophet Samuel detailing to us the moment when Samuel was sent by God to the household of Jesse in Bethlehem in Judah, where God had chosen from among his many sons, one who would be the new King of Israel succeeding Saul, who had failed and disobeyed Him, and hence unworthy to continue ruling over the Israelites, God’s people. We heard then how Samuel saw and encountered all the sons of Jesse, from the eldest to the youngest, and he initially thought the eldest and the best amongst them were the ones chosen by God, but God told Samuel that He did not judge and choose based on earthly criteria, but He saw the heart, and chose David, the youngest of all of the sons of Jesse.
David might indeed be the youngest among the sons of Jesse, and among them all, he most likely was the least physically imposing or adequate to become a great warrior and King to lead the people of God into battle against their enemies, and yet, why God chose David was not because of his physical prowess or greatness, but rather because in his heart, David loved the Lord greatly, sincerely and most wholeheartedly. Ever since his youth, David had always committed himself to God and did everything in his life in manner that was pleasing to the Lord, and he trusted wholly in God in all things. And it is for all these qualities that the Lord had chosen him to be the one to lead the people He had chosen to be His own.
Then, from our Gospel passage today, taken from the Gospel according to St. Mark the Evangelist, we heard of the moment when the Pharisees came up to the Lord and His disciples when they were all walking through the field on the day of the Sabbath, in which the latter were picking off the grains of the field, something that the Pharisees criticised harshly as it was against the manner in which the Sabbath Law was interpreted by those Pharisees. For the context, the Pharisees were very strict in their interpretation of the Law of God, and they were very much invested into the detailed application and enforcement of the Law, and with regards to the Sabbath Law, which prohibited any kind of work on the sacred day of the Sabbath, they were very rigid on this matter.
Yes, they were so rigid that they prohibited all kinds of works, even those that were necessary in the case of emergencies like that of the disciples who were very hungry after their constant travels and ministry among the people of God. And the Lord then also immediately rebuked those Pharisees for their lack of true appreciation of the Law, its meaning and purpose, which were not meant to punish the people of God for their wrongdoing or impose difficult expectations that make their lives challenging and impossible to be carried out with faith. God wanted instead to invite each and every one of us, His beloved ones, to come towards Him and to know His love, and all of His Law and commandments, including the Sabbath Law was meant to help them to focus their attention once again on Him, instead of being distracted by the many details on how those laws were to be implemented.
Today, we have two saints whose feast we are celebrating, whose lives can be great inspiration for us to follow. These two servants of God, Pope St. Fabian and St. Sebastian had endured great tribulations for their faith, and yet they remained faithful to the Lord, enduring those sufferings with great faith and commitment to the very end. Both of them had been facing great challenges from the official persecutions and the threats from the Roman state which were then very hostile against the Church and the Christian faith, and yet, these two great and holy men of God showed by their great faith and examples of courage and dedication to God, what it truly means to be faithful and committed to God even amidst heavy persecutions and troubles.
Pope St. Fabian was the leader of the Universal Church during the difficult years of persecution of Christians under the Roman Emperors and the state. He was chosen when according to tradition, the Holy Spirit descended on him in the shape of a dove, in the sight of the assembled faithful. He was credited with the evangelisation and the efforts to spread the Good News in Gaul, what is today part of France. This happened during a relative lull and relaxation in the harsh persecution of Christians. However, the rise of Emperor Decius to power ended the temporary halt to persecutions and this was accompanied with renewed attack against the Christian communities, in which many of the faithful were arrested and persecuted, and many among them suffered martyrdom for their faith. He ordered all the subjects of the Empire to offer incense to the images and figures of the Roman deities, the pagan gods and the idol of the Emperor, which were refused by the Christian communities as idolatrous.
That was how Pope St. Fabian became one of the first to suffer persecution and then martyrdom under the reign of the new Emperor, either through imprisonment or execution according to different Apostolic traditions. Pope St. Fabian remained faithful to his mission to the very end, giving himself wholly to the works entrusted to him by the Lord. And through his courageous defence of the faith and zeal of evangelisation, he inspired all of us on how to become good and faithful disciples and followers of the Lord. Although his papacy and period as leader of the faithful was relatively short, but this great man and servant of God has shown us all what it truly means to be committed to God even amidst many challenges of this world.
Meanwhile, St. Sebastian was a soldier who was a high ranking member of the Roman military and likely one of the elite members or even captain of the Praetorian Guards involved in protecting the Emperor. At that time, the Roman Emperor Diocletian and the other leaders of the Roman state ordered a particularly harsh and brutal persecution of Christians, as they forced the faithful to either obey the order of the Emperor to give offerings to the pagan idols and to abandon their faith or face certain suffering and death. At that time, many people had to face great tribulations and challenges especially as Christians, in hiding their faith especially those Christians who were employed in the armed forces like that of St. Sebastian himself.
St. Sebastian according to tradition was involved in the conversion of several prisoners, who became Christians and helped some others to be freed from persecution. Eventually he himself was discovered and when he was confronted to reveal the truth about his conversion, put under arrest and was tied to a tree, and archers were told to shoot their arrows at St. Sebastian. Miraculously, even as endured the torture and pain,St. Sebastian never flinched from his sufferings. He remained strong in faith and was eventually martyred later after he rebuked the Emperor and his actions. He is indeed a great example of courageous faith that we all should also have in our own lives as Christians, in each and every things that we do.
May the examples of Pope St. Fabian and St. Fabian be good inspiration for all of us so that we may also be courageous in standing up to our faith in every aspects of our lives, in being faithful bearers of the truth of God, His Good News and being the worthy witnesses of Our Lord’s Resurrection and salvation to everyone around us. May God be with us always, and may He continue to guide us through His providence and guidance, the love and compassion, the patience and generosity which He has shown us all these while. May God bless our every endeavours and efforts, all done for His greater glory, now and always. Amen.
Liturgical Colour : Green or Red (Martyrs)
Mark 2 : 23-28
At that time, on one Sabbath Jesus was walking through grain fields. As His disciples walked along with Him, they began to pick the heads of grain and crush them in their hands. Then the Pharisees said to Jesus, “Look! They are doing what is forbidden on the Sabbath!”
And He said to them, “Have you never read what David did in his time of need; when he and his men were very hungry? He went into the House of God, when Abiathar was High Priest, and ate; the bread of offering, which only the priests are allowed to eat, and he also gave some to the men who were with him.”
Then Jesus said to them, “The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath. So the Son of Man is Master even of the Sabbath.”
Liturgical Colour : Green or Red (Martyrs)
Psalm 88 : 20, 21-22, 27-28
In the past, You spoke in a vision; You said of Your faithful servant : “I have set the crown upon a mighty one; on one chosen from the people.”
I have found David My servant, and, with My holy oil, I have anointed him. My hand will be ever with him; and My arm will sustain him.
He will call on Me, “You are my Father, my God, my Rock, my Saviour.” I will make him the firstborn, the highest of the kings of the earth.
Liturgical Colour : Green or Red (Martyrs)
1 Samuel 16 : 1-13
YHVH asked Samuel, “How long will you be grieving over Saul whom I have rejected as king of Israel? Fill your horn with oil and be on your way to Jesse the Bethlehemite, for I have chosen My king from among his sons.”
Samuel asked, “How can I go? If Saul hears of this, he will kill me!” YHVH replied, “Take a heifer with you and say, ‘I have come to sacrifice to YHVH.’ Invite Jesse to the sacrifice and I will let you know what to do next. You shall anoint for Me the one I point out to you.”
Samuel did what YHVH commanded and left for Bethlehem. When he appeared, the elders of the city came to him asking, fearfully, “Do you bring us peace?” Samuel replied, “I come in peace; I am here to sacrifice to YHVH. Cleanse yourselves and join me in the sacrifice.” He also had Jesse and his sons cleansed and invited them to the sacrifice.
As they came, Samuel looked at Eliab the older and thought, “This must be YHVH’s anointed.” But YHVH told Samuel, “Do not judge by his looks or his stature for I have rejected him. YHVH does not judge as man judges; humans see with the eyes; YHVH sees the heart.”
Jesse called his son Abinadab and presented him to Samuel who said, “YHVH has not chosen this one either.” Jesse presented Shammah and Samuel said, “Nor has YHVH chosen this one.” Jesse presented seven of his sons to Samuel who said, “YHVH has chosen none of them. But are all your sons here?”
Jesse replied, “There is still the youngest, tending the flock just now.” Samuel said to him, “Send for him and bring him to me; we shall not sit down to eat until he arrives.” So Jesse sent for his youngest son and brought him to Samuel. He was a handsome lad with a ruddy complexion and beautiful eyes. And YHVH spoke, “Go, anoint him for he is the one.”
Samuel then took the horn of oil and anointed him in his brothers’ presence. From that day onwards, YHVH’s Spirit took hold of David. Then Samuel left for Ramah.
Liturgical Colour : White
Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, today as we continue to progress through this joyful season of Christmas, we are all reminded through the Scripture passages we have heard today that we must always be true to our faith, fulfilling all the Law and commandments that God had told us to do, the teachings and the path which He has revealed to us through His Church. This means that we should not be merely paying lip service to the Lord, but we must be truly committed to the Lord in all things, doing whatever we can so that we may always be good examples and inspirations to our fellow brothers and sisters, in showing what it truly means for us to be good and devoted Christians, the followers of Our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ. We should always be good examples of our faith to everyone around us.
In our first reading today, taken from the Epistle of St. John the Apostle, the Apostle reminded the faithful of the commandments of the Lord which He has brought into our midst, and which all of us should always follow and embody in our every actions and parts of life. We cannot profess to be Christians and yet, in our way of life, we act in ways that are contrary to the teachings of Christ. The Lord Himself has revealed His commandments to us, showing us that the Law which He has given us, is all about Love, the love which He Himself has shown us mankind, and which we are therefore expected to show to Him as well, and then, the love which we all should show our fellow brothers and sisters all around us, a true, genuine and selfless Christian love. This is the hallmark of our Christian faith and unless we do so, then we cannot truly call ourselves as Christians.
This is why St. John reminded all the faithful that they cannot still behave in a manner that is still not attuned to the path of Christ. The love of God has indeed been generously poured down on us, and in this season and time of Christmas, we commemorate the incarnation of the Love of God, Who has become Man, appearing before all of us in the Person of Jesus Christ, Son of God and Saviour of all. Therefore, if we all believe in Christ, it is imperative that we must really show our faith in Him and not merely just treating our faith as just a formality. In our every actions, words and deeds, in all of our whole lives, we must always radiate and show the genuine and authentic Christian living so that by our lives, God may indeed be glorified. This is what we have been called and reminded to do in each and every one of our lives.
In the Gospel passage today, this is reiterated for us, as we heard of the account of the moment when the Lord Jesus was presented at the Temple of Jerusalem as per the Law and its requirements, and how this led miraculously to the Lord Jesus being welcomed by two elderly figures who had both long awaited the coming of the Messiah, and whom the Lord had told that they would not pass on from this world before they saw and behold the Messiah Who was coming into the world, with their very own eyes and hands. Thus, the prophet and man of God Simeon, as well as the prophetess Anna, in the related passage, both thanked the Lord for having shown the Salvation of the world to them, and foretold everything that this Child was to do for all of us, the Love and Word of God Incarnate in the flesh, the Son of God Most High made Man.
Again, this means that all of us really have to commit ourselves anew to the Lord and we have to centre and focus our attention and lives on Him, reminding ourselves that Christ is our Lord and Master, our Saviour and King. All of us should always strive to live our lives worthily, doing whatever we can so that we may ever always walk in the path of Christ, and be the bearers of the light of Christ to everyone. Each and every one of us should always strive to be the great and inspirational role models in all things, and we should always be like our holy predecessors, the many saints and martyrs, all the holy men and women who have gone before us, and whose lives are great examples for us all to follow in our own lives.
Today, the Church celebrates the Feast of St. Thomas Becket, who was remembered for his actions as the Archbishop of Canterbury and hence as the leader and primate of the Church in all of medieval England then, as well as for his resistance and opposition against the irreverent and worldly actions of the then king of England, Henry II. St. Thomas Becket was actually a good friend of the king, whom the king appointed first as his Chancellor, to assist him in the governance of his realm. He was the right hand man of the king, and in the king’s effort to tighten his control over the often independent and troublesome English Church hierarchy and clergy, he thus appointed St. Thomas Becket as the Archbishop of Canterbury, who in that position became the most senior figure amongst all of the Church hierarchy. St. Thomas Becket became the Archbishop of Canterbury and then resigned his chancellorship soon after.
However, if the king’s intention was to subjugate the English church and its members, this backfired greatly as St. Thomas Becket had a moment of conversion and change as he took up the role of the Archbishop of Canterbury, and when he was ordained as priest and bishop before he was officially installed as the Archbishop of Canterbury. It was as if St. Thomas Becket received a calling from the Lord, which made him to refuse to obey the king’s orders regarding the English Church anymore. St. Thomas Becket stood firm his ground against the king and his nobles in all of their efforts to encroach into the domains of the Church, and he even excommunicated a nobleman close to the king who had caused trouble in the Church. This led to furious remarks and anger from the king, who greatly resented his once trusted man’s opposition to his policies and way of ruling.
All these struggles and conflicts eventually led to the exile of St. Thomas Becket, who continued to resist and champion the rights of the Church even during his time away from his See and from England. He persisted in doing what he could to glorify God and to defend the faith from those who sought to corrupt it, and eventually, when he returned back to England and his See, the matter came to a point that the king, furious and frustrated at all the inconveniences and troubles that St. Thomas Becket had caused him, in a drunken stupor, asked of anyone who could help him to rid this troublesome man of God. This was responded by four of the nobles and knights of the king, who went to seek St. Thomas Becket as he was celebrating Mass, and in his own Cathedral, those four men murdered the holy Archbishop and shed his blood.
As we all heard, St. Thomas Becket was faithful right to the very end, committing his whole life to the Lord, not minding even sufferings and hardships, and he led by example in living his life worthily of the Lord. Therefore, all of us as Christians should always remember that the centre and focus of our lives should not be all the various sorts of worldly desires, ambitions and attachments, but rather to be truly worthy of God in all things, and to put Him, not our own ego and pride, desires and greed, at the centre of our whole lives and existence. May God be with us all and may He grant us the courage to remain always faithful to Him. Amen.
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.”
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.
Liturgical Colour : White
1 John 2 : 3-11
How can we know that we know Him? If we fulfil His commands. If you say, “I know Him,” but do not fulfil His commands, you are a liar and the truth is not in you. But if you keep His word, God’s love is made complete in you. This is how we know that we are in Him : he who claims to live in Him must live as He lived.
My dear friends, I am not writing you a new commandment, but reminding you of an old one, one you had from the beginning. This old commandment is the word you have heard. But, in a way, I give it as a new commandment that is true in Him and in you, because the darkness is passing away and true light already shines.
If you claim to be in the light but hate your brother, you are still in darkness. If you love your brothers and sisters, you remain in the light and nothing in you will make you fall. But if you hate your brother you are in the dark and walk in darkness without knowing where you go, for the darkness has blinded you.
petercanisiusmichaeldavidkang 