Martyrs

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Wednesday, 13 December 2023 : 2nd Week of Advent, Memorial of St. Lucy, Virgin and Martyr (Homily and Scripture Reflections)

Liturgical Colour : Red

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, today as we listened to the words of the Scriptures, we are all reminded of the love which our Lord and God has for us, and how in Him alone we can have hope and strength, salvation and liberation from all of our troubles, hardships and trials. Indeed, as we continue to progress through this time and season of Advent, we are constantly being called and reminded to remain focused on the Lord, to put our centre of attention and emphasis on Him at all times, especially in how we celebrate our upcoming Christmas festivities and joy. If we do not focus our attention on the Lord, it is very easy for us to be swayed by the many worldly temptations and coercions, attachments and distractions present all around us.

In our first reading today, from the Book of the prophet Isaiah, the prophet reminded the people of God that they should put their trust and faith in the Lord, and not be filled with doubt or uncertainty, because the Lord God is all powerful, Almighty and in Him alone there is true hope and path towards redemption. The Lord reminded His wayward people, who had often rebelled against Him and disobeyed His Law and commandments, that He would guide them all to the right path, and that He would restore their strength and state of grace. Contextually, by the time of the prophet Isaiah, the people of God had been troubled and endured a lot of hardships and challenges, many of which were borne out of their own foolishness and disobedience against God.

At that time, the people of the northern kingdom of Israel had been scattered and oppressed by the mighty forces of the Assyrians, who crushed the Israelite kingdom and destroyed its capital Samaria, bringing many of the people from the northern tribes into exile in far-off lands. The people in the southern kingdom of Judah did not fare much better either, as they also faced a lot of challenges and trials, and many of the people faced difficulties from their neighbours, as well as from the Assyrians themselves. Yet, God still held onto the Covenant that He had made with each and every one of His people, and He did not forget the promises which He had made to them, and hence, through Isaiah, God promised that His salvation would come one day, and all these were fulfilled with the Incarnation and the birth of Our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ, the Son of God we celebrate in Christmas.

Then, as we heard in our Gospel passage today, the Lord Himself reassured all of us through His disciples that in Him there is true rest, satisfaction and joy. He said that all who are weary and heavily burdened ought to come to Him, and He will give them rest, and how His yoke is lighter compared to the yoke of the world. What this means is that, while being Christians, as followers of Christ, it does not mean that we will be free from sufferings and hardships, but what it means is that the Lord’s path, while it may seem difficult and challenging, but in the end, it is the only path that leads to true happiness, joy and satisfaction, and the Lord Himself is always with us throughout the whole entire journey.

Today, the Church reminds us all about the importance of remaining firmly rooted in Christ, in obeying the Law and commandments of God, in doing everything that He has taught and revealed to us, so that we may always be focused and centred on Him at all times. We should resist the temptations present around us that we do not end up falling into the traps and pitfalls of sin which may lead us down the path of suffering and destruction. We should always remember that God is always present by our side, guiding and strengthening us throughout the journey, and that we are never alone in our lives, because besides God, we also have our fellow brothers and sisters present all around us, journeying together with us, and hence that is why it is important for us to continue to live our lives with care and compassion for one another.

Now, brothers and sisters in Christ, today also happens to be the Feast of St. Lucy, also known as St. Lucia of Syracuse, whose holiness, piety and devotion to God were known far and wide, and inspired many people throughout the ages. St. Lucy was born in Syracuse as a Roman citizen, and dedicated herself to a life of holy virginity, and as a Christian, she lived in a dangerous time because it was during the time of the great persecutions by the Roman Emperor Diocletian and his co-rulers, who launched systematic and intense series of persecutions against the Church and the faithful people of God. St. Lucy’s family was bereft of her father in her early age, and as her mother was afflicted with bleeding issue, not aware of St. Lucy’s vow of virginity, arranged her to be married to a wealthy pagan nobleman.

Through the intercession of another Syracusian saint, St. Agatha, St. Lucy’s mother was healed from her illness, and with the persuasion from St. Lucy herself, they distributed much of their riches to the poor, which was therefore reported by St. Lucy’s betrothed pagan nobleman to the Roman authorities. The Roman governor, one named Paschasius, ordered her to burn offerings and sacrifices to the pagan idols, knowing that St. Lucy was a Christian, which was rejected by the courageous young woman. Therefore, the governor ordered her to be defiled in a brothel, but could not get this done, by Divine intervention, which protected St. Lucy. Eventually, after further sufferings and persecutions, St. Lucy was martyred by a sword that was thrust into her throat. Her examples and faith inspired countless others long after her martyrdom, right up to this day.

That is why, brothers and sisters in Christ, each and every one of us should be more and more committed to the Lord, following the examples set by St. Lucy and the many other saints, holy men and women of God, who had dedicated themselves worthily and thoroughly to God’s cause. Each and every one of us should always be committed and focused on the Lord in our whole lives, in putting Him at the centre of our existence, and make Him the reason for our every actions, words and deeds. And this Advent, we should therefore strive to redirect our lives and our attention to the Lord, especially in how we live our lives so that we may truly be able to prepare well for a proper and worthy celebration of Christmas.

May the Lord our God continue to guide us all in life, and remind us that in Him alone there is salvation, hope and eternal life. May He empower each one of us and give us the courage and strength to do His will at all times. May God bless our every good works and efforts, our every endeavours, now and always, and bless our Advent journey. Amen.

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Wednesday, 13 December 2023 : 2nd Week of Advent, Memorial of St. Lucy, Virgin and Martyr (Gospel Reading)

Liturgical Colour : Red

Matthew 11 : 28-30

At that time, Jesus said to the people, “Come to Me, all of you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble of heart; and you will find rest. For My yoke is easy; and My burden is light.”

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Wednesday, 13 December 2023 : 2nd Week of Advent, Memorial of St. Lucy, Virgin and Martyr (Psalm)

Liturgical Colour : Red

Psalm 102 : 1-2, 3-4, 8 and 10

Praise YHVH, my soul; all my being, praise His holy Name! Praise YHVH, my soul, and do not forget all His kindness.

He forgives all your sins and heals all your sickness; He redeems your life from destruction and crowns you with love and compassion.

YHVH is gracious and merciful, abounding in love and slow to anger. He does not treat us according to our sins, nor does He punish us as we deserve.

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Wednesday, 13 December 2023 : 2nd Week of Advent, Memorial of St. Lucy, Virgin and Martyr (First Reading)

Liturgical Colour : Red

Isaiah 40 : 25-31

To whom, then, will you liken Me or make Me equal? says the Holy One. Lift up your eyes and see : who has created all this? He has ordered them as a starry host and called them each by name. So mighty is His power, so great His strength, that not one of them is missing.

How can you say, o Jacob, how can you complain, o Israel, that your destiny is hidden from Me, that your rights are ignored by YHVH? Have you not known, have you not heard that YHVH is an everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth? He does not grow tired or weary, His knowledge is without limit.

He gives strength to the enfeebled, He gives vigour to the wearied. Youth may grow tired and faint, young men will stumble and fall, but those who hope in YHVH will renew their strength. They will soar as with eagle’s wings; they will run and not grow weary; they will walk and never tire.

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Thursday, 30 November 2023 : Feast of St. Andrew, Apostle (Homily and Scripture Reflections)

Liturgical Colour : Red

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, today the Church celebrates the Feast of St. Andrew the Apostle, one of the Twelve Apostles of the Lord, the brother of St. Peter the Apostle, a truly great man of God and a most faithful servant of our Lord and Saviour. St. Andrew the Apostle is also known as St. Andrew the First-Called or Protocletos, because he was among the first of the Lord’s disciples, and was the one to introduce the Lord to his brother St. Peter the Apostle, then named Simon, and the two sons of Zebedee, St. James the Greater and St. John the Evangelist, both of whom are also part of the Twelve Apostles. On this day we recall the memory of this great saint, whose life, works and actions should serve as great inspiration for all of us Christians.

St. Andrew was a fisherman working by the Lake of Galilee, where he worked alongside his brother Simon, later known as St. Peter, and the two aforementioned sons of Zebedee. They were most likely poor and illiterate, and their profession was not exactly well-respected at that time. Yet, it was to them that the Lord first reached out to, in calling out His disciples and followers. According to tradition, St. Andrew was a disciple of St. John the Baptist, and he was one of the two disciples of St. John the Baptist mentioned in the Gospels, who followed the Lord Jesus after He was baptised by St. John the Baptist at the River Jordan. Hence, St. Andrew then introduced the Lord to his fellow fishermen, and the Lord began His ministry with those first disciples including St. Andrew.

As highlighted in parts of the Gospels, such as the feeding of the five thousand men, St. Andrew took part closely in many of the works and ministries of the Lord. He helped the Lord and His other Apostles in serving the people of God, and eventually, after His Resurrection and Ascension into Heaven, St. Andrew travelled from places to places in proclaiming the Good News of God just like the other Apostles. Various Apostolic and Church traditions highlighted that St. Andrew ministered in many places such as what is today Russia, Ukraine, Romania, Asia Minor, Greece and many others. He spread the Gospels and the truth about Jesus Christ, and the salvation of God that has come into this world, to the many people and communities who have not yet heard and known of Him.

He founded the beginnings of the Church and its communities in many of the places he had visited during his missionary travels and works. Thus this is why he is highly regarded and respected, venerated and honoured in the places mentioned above, and especially amongst our brethren in the Eastern Orthodox Communion, many of whose bishops can trace the origin of their dioceses and sees to St. Andrew and to the churches and communities that he had established all throughout his missionary journeys. St. Andrew eventually was arrested, tortured and martyred in Patras, in what is today parts of modern Greece, where he was persecuted for his faith and then crucified on an X-shaped cross, which henceforth became known as the ‘St. Andrew’s Cross’.

Brothers and sisters in Christ, today as we listened to the story of the life and the works of St. Andrew the Apostle, let us all reflect on our own lives and works as well, on whether we have been faithful to the Lord in the same way as St. Andrew the Apostle and other saints and holy men and women of God had done in their own lives. It is important that each and every one of us are aware that we all should also live our lives and commit ourselves to the Lord in each and every moments with great faith and trust in the Lord. We should do our part in living our lives worthily as Christians, in doing what the Lord has shown and taught us, so that by our examples and good words, deeds and actions, we may truly exemplify our faith in God, and be the true and genuine missionaries that we have all been called to be.

Yes, brothers and sisters in Christ, as parts and members of the Church of God, it is part of our responsibilities and calling for all of us to be missionary and evangelistic in all things. We cannot be idle in how we live our lives, but we must always reach out to others all around us, spreading the truth and love of God, His Good News and salvation to more and more people. And how we do this, is not always by merely proclaiming and preaching to others, and we also should not think that just because we seemingly did not have the opportunities, the means and the wisdom or tools to do what the Apostles, the saints and other great men and women of the Church had done, then we cannot do what they had done for the greater glory of God.

Rather, in our own ordinary and unique ways, in every circumstances, and in all that we have in our lives, we should always strive to do what the Lord has shown and taught us, in His Law and commandments, in all of the things that He has asked us to carry out in accordance with His will. It means that in even the smallest and the seemingly least significant things that we do, we should always strive to be ever more faithful and committed, in doing what is right and just in God’s presence, and in proclaiming His truth amidst our every words, actions and deeds. We should always remember that in everything we say and do, we must truly be honest and genuine Christians, or else we will be like hypocrites who profess or claim to believe in something and yet, his or her way of life show completely otherwise.

Let us all be reminded that St. Andrew himself was also a poor and illiterate fisherman of the Lake of Galilee, who was not expected to do great things in life. Yet, God made him to be a great servant and man, whose contributions and works led to the salvation of so many souls. We must always be reminded that each and every one of us, be it rich or poor, strong or weak, famous or not, all of us are called to be disciples and followers of the Lord, and in each and every opportunities that God has given us, we must always make good use of all the graces and blessings which God has granted to us. We must never take what we have been blessed for granted, and we must do our part as Christians, so that by our lives, the Lord may be glorified at all times. Let us allow the Lord to lead our path in life, and transform our works to be truly worthy of those whom He has called and chosen.

Brothers and sisters in Christ, let us all ask St. Andrew the Apostle, whom the Lord had called to be His disciple and Apostle to intercede for us always, and may all of us continue to be inspired by his good and worthy examples in life, and also those of the other innumerable other saints and martyrs, holy men and women, whose examples and lives have been great beacons of inspiration and help for us. Let us all be encouraged, strengthened and be empowered to do our best in living a most worthy, genuine and committed Christian life at all times. May God bless our every good works, efforts and endeavours, now and always. Amen.

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Thursday, 30 November 2023 : Feast of St. Andrew, Apostle (Gospel Reading)

Liturgical Colour : Red

Matthew 4 : 18-22

At that time, as Jesus walked by the lake of Galilee, He saw two brothers, Simon called Peter, and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the lake, for they were fishermen. He said to them, “Come, follow Me; and I will make you fish for people.”

At once they left their nets and followed Him. He went on from there and saw two other brothers, James, the son of Zebedee, and his brother John, in a boat with their father Zebedee, mending their nets. Jesus called them.

At once, they left the boat, and their father, and followed Him.

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Thursday, 30 November 2023 : Feast of St. Andrew, Apostle (Psalm)

Liturgical Colour : Red

Psalm 18 : 2-3, 4-5

The heavens declare the glory of God; the firmament proclaims the work of His hands. Day talks it over with day; night hands on the knowledge to night.

No speech, no words, no voice is heard – but the call goes on, throughout the universe, the message is felt to the ends of the earth.

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Thursday, 30 November 2023 : Feast of St. Andrew, Apostle (First Reading)

Liturgical Colour : Red

Romans 10 : 9-18

You are saved, if you confess with your lips that Jesus is Lord, and, in your heart, you believe that God raised Him from the dead. By believing from the heart, you obtain true righteousness; by confessing the faith with your lips, you are saved.

For Scripture says : No one who believes in Him will be ashamed. Here, there is no distinction between Jew and Greek; all have the same Lord, Who is very generous with whoever calls on Him. Truly, all who call upon the Name of the Lord will be saved.

But how can they call upon the Name of the Lord without having believed in Him? And how can they believe in Him, without having first heard about Him? And how will they hear about Him, if no one preaches about Him? And how will they preach about Him, if no one sends them?

As Scripture says : How beautiful are the feet of the messenger of Good News. Although, not everyone obeyed the Good News, as Isaiah said : Lord, who has believed in our preaching? So, faith comes from preaching, and preaching is rooted in the word of Christ.

I ask : Have the Jews not heard? But, of course, they have. Because the voice of those preaching resounded all over the earth, and their voice was heard, to the ends of the world.

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Saturday, 25 November 2023 : 33rd Week of Ordinary Time, Memorial of St. Catherine of Alexandria, Virgin and Martyr (Homily and Scripture Reflections)

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

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, today as we listened to the words of the Scriptures, we are all reminded that each and every one of us are destined to a life and existence that is beyond this world, to be with the Lord our God, Master and Creator, in an eternity of bliss and joy, free from sufferings and hardships. This is why, despite of the challenges and trials we may have to face in our lives, it is important that we must remain firm in our faith and trust in the Lord, and we must not be easily swayed by the pressures, coercions, temptations and all the things which are laid in our path, attempting to derail our journey towards the Lord and preventing us from attaining true grace and salvation in God.

In our first reading today, we heard from the Book of the Maccabees about the campaigns and efforts which the Seleucid King, Antiochus IV Epiphanes, had done in trying to restore the kingdom of his ancestors, and how he failed in doing that, and hearing all the failures of the policies he had implemented and enforced in Judea, where the Jewish people rose up in great rebellion against his rule. At that time, King Antiochus IV Epiphanes, as highlighted in most of this previous week or so of readings from the Book of the Maccabees, enforced Greek ways and customs, religious practices and beliefs on all the people throughout his vast empire. This was likely done in order to enforce unity and in trying to regain the power and glory of his predecessors, considering that the Seleucid Empire was made up of many very different groups of peoples with great variation in their cultures and beliefs.

However, on top of that, King Antiochus IV Epiphanes was also known in history for his megalomania and great desire for power and glory, as prior to his enforcement of Greek ways and customs on his subjects, he invaded Egypt and was almost successful in conquering that kingdom if not for intervention from the Romans, who opposed the efforts of the Seleucid king. This same king in our first reading passage today went on another campaign to the eastern reaches of his empire and dominion, trying to exert his control and power there, in what was ultimately a failed effort and venture, and we heard how he received the bad news about his failed policies and how the Jewish people had overthrown whatever idols and corruptions he had placed in Jerusalem, reversing his efforts, and all those crushed him and made him to lie dying.

In our Gospel passage today, we then heard of the encounter and disagreements that happened between the Lord Jesus and some of the Sadducees who were trying to question and test Him because of their diverging and incompatible beliefs with His teachings. Back then, the Sadducees represented one of the major and very influential segment of the Jewish community, consisting of the Temple authorities and members of the priesthood, and in this case, it represented those who were not adhering to the concept of spirituality and the afterlife, but preferring to hold onto the current life and to live life in the world the best they could. The Sadducees believed that there is no life after death, and that there is no resurrection of the dead, and hence, they were a truly worldly bunch of people.

The Lord then responded to their queries of who would be the wife of the seven brothers, after the woman married each and every one of them when the latter died one by one without having any child with the woman. The Lord told the Sadducees the folly of their worldly way of thinking, in focusing only on worldly desires, for money, wealth, partner in life, and other things. The Lord told them that in the end, what truly matters is for us to be with God and to enjoy forever the bliss in His presence, where nothing of this world, of all the worldly desires, ambitions and attachments we often have, will exist any longer. This is related to the futility of everything that King Antiochus IV Epiphanes had done, in trying to stabilise his realm and gaining more power and glory, only to have everything collapsing before him at the end of his life.

This is why, brothers and sisters in Christ, all of us are reminded of all these so that we do not end up being obsessed and attached too much to the worldly matters and pursuits, for worldly pleasures, fame, power, glory and all other things that we often look for in this world, and then ending up forgetting our purpose and intention in following and serving the Lord our God. We are all reminded that all the glory and power, wealth and possessions we have in this world are temporary and do not last forever. Hence, we should focus and redirect our attention to the Lord, turn towards Him and commit ourselves to His cause, instead of being distracted by the many temptations of the world that are usually present all around us.

Today, the Church celebrates the feast of a great martyr and servant of God, a great woman whose faith and dedication to Him served as great inspirations and strength for many Christians during and even long after her time. According to Church tradition, St. Catherine of Alexandria was the daughter of the Roman governor of Alexandria, who lived during the reign of the Roman Emperor Diocletian and his successors. At that time, Christians were treated with disdain and contempt, and a particularly intense and bitter persecution was carried out against them. Many Christians had to suffer and die amidst that brutal persecution, and many of them had to choose between remaining faithful in God and suffer, or to betray and abandon the Lord and live.

St. Catherine of Alexandria courageously went to the Emperor himself, the Emperor Maxentius who ruled in Rome and Italy, during one of these episodes of brutal persecutions, rebuking him for his actions and evil deeds. St. Catherine won over the fifty over philosophers that the Emperor set up against her to debate her on her faith and other matters, so much so that some of them converted to the Christian faith and were martyred. St. Catherine also convinced many others to become Christians, including even the Emperor’s own wife, when they visited her during her time in prison. The Lord Himself visited her, and Angels tended her wounds during her incarceration and period of suffering. The Emperor, who grew increasingly desperate in trying to subdue St. Catherine, tried to woo her by proposing marriage to her, which was also rejected by the saint. In the end, she was martyred by beheading, after other methods had failed.

Brothers and sisters in Christ, the examples of St. Catherine of Alexandria and what we heard from our Scripture readings earlier today should serve as good examples and inspirations for each and every one of us, in how we should live our lives, so that we may always be courageous in doing what we can, to glorify the Lord by our lives, and to put Him as the centre and the focus of our whole lives and existence. We should not allow ourselves to be easily swayed by the temptations of pleasures of the world, and all the other temptations and attachments that may mislead us down the path to our downfall and damnation. May the Lord continue to guide, help and strengthen us in our lives, that in each and every moments of our lives, we will always seek the Lord and live our lives faithfully and worthily of Him rather than following the whims of our worldly desires and temptations. Amen.

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Saturday, 25 November 2023 : 33rd Week of Ordinary Time, Memorial of St. Catherine of Alexandria, Virgin and Martyr (Gospel Reading)

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

Luke 20 : 27-40

At that time, then some Sadducees arrived. These people claim that there is no resurrection, and they asked Jesus this question, “Master, in the Law Moses told us, ‘If anyone dies leaving a wife but no children, his brother must take the wife, and any child born to them will be regarded as the child of the deceased.’”

“Now, there were seven brothers : the first married, but died without children. The second married the woman, but also died childless. And then the third married her, and in this same way all seven died, leaving no children. Last of all the woman died. On the day of the resurrection, to which of them will the woman be a wife? For all seven had her as a wife.”

And Jesus replied, “Taking a husband or a wife is proper to people of this world, but for those who are considered worthy of the world to come, and of resurrection from the dead, there is no more marriage. Besides, they cannot die, for they are like the Angels. They are sons and daughters of God, because they are born of the resurrection.”

“Yes, the dead will be raised, as Moses revealed at the burning bush, when he called the Lord the God of Abraham and the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob. For God is God of the living, and not of the dead, for to Him everyone is alive.”

Some teachers of the Law then agreed with Jesus, “Master, You have spoken well.” They did not dare ask Him anything else.