Ordinary Time 2023

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Thursday, 22 June 2023 : 11th Week of Ordinary Time, Memorial of St. Paulinus of Nola, Bishop, St. John Fisher, Bishop and Martyr, and St. Thomas More, Martyr (Gospel Reading)

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

Matthew 6 : 7-15

At that time, Jesus said to His disciples, “When you pray, do not use a lot of words, as the pagans do; for they believe that, the more they say, the more chance they have of being heard. Do not be like them. Your Father knows what you need, even before you ask Him.”

“This, then, is how you should pray : Our Father in heaven, holy be Your Name, Your kingdom, come, Your will be done on earth, as in heaven. Give us today, our daily bread. Forgive us our debts, as we forgive those who are in debt to us. Do not bring us to the test, but deliver us from the evil one.”

“If you forgive others their wrongdoings, your Father in heaven will also forgive yours. If you do not forgive others, then your Father will not forgive you.”

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Thursday, 22 June 2023 : 11th Week of Ordinary Time, Memorial of St. Paulinus of Nola, Bishop, St. John Fisher, Bishop and Martyr, and St. Thomas More, Martyr (Psalm)

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

Psalm 110 : 1-2, 3-4, 7-8

Alleluia! I thank YHVH with all my heart in the council of the just, in the assembly. The works of YHVH are great and pondered by all who delight in them.

Glorious and majestic are His deeds, His righteousness endures forever. He lets us remember His wondrous deeds; YHVH is merciful and kind.

The works of His hands are faithful and just, trustworthy are all His precepts, ordained to last forever, bearers of truth and uprightness.

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Thursday, 22 June 2023 : 11th Week of Ordinary Time, Memorial of St. Paulinus of Nola, Bishop, St. John Fisher, Bishop and Martyr, and St. Thomas More, Martyr (First Reading)

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

2 Corinthians 11 : 1-11

May you bear with me in some little foolishness! But surely you will. I confess that I share the jealousy of God for you, for I have promised you, in marriage, to Christ, the only Spouse; to present you to Him, as a pure virgin. And this is my fear : the serpent that seduced Eve, with cunning, could also corrupt your minds, and divert you from Christian sincerity.

Someone, now, comes, and preaches another Jesus, different from the One we preach, or you are offered a different spirit from the One you have received, with a different gospel from the one you have accepted – and you agree! I do not see how I am inferior to those super Apostles. Does my speaking leave much to be desired? Perhaps, but not my knowledge, as I have abundantly shown to you in every way.

Perhaps my fault was, that I humbled myself, in order to uplift you, or that, I gave you the Gospel free of charge. I called upon the services of other churches, and served you with the support I received from them. When I was with you, although I was in need, I did not become a burden to anyone. The friends from Macedonia gave me what I needed. I have taken care, not to be a burden to you in anything, and I will continue to do so.

By the truth of Christ within me, I will let no one in the land of Achaia stop this boasting of mine. Why? Because I do not love you? God knows that I do!

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Wednesday, 21 June 2023 : 11th Week of Ordinary Time, Memorial of St. Aloysius Gonzaga, Religious (Homily and Scripture Reflections)

Liturgical Colour : White

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, today as we listened to the words of the Lord in the Scriptures, all of us are again reminded that each and every one of us have to be sincerely and genuinely faithful to God. In all of our actions and deeds, in our every words and interactions with one another, each one of us should always be filled with genuine commitment to God, in our way of life and in whatever we believe in. Otherwise, our faith is no better than that of the faith of the hypocrites, who only show their faith in order to impress others, or to advance their own desires and ambitions. Or as compared to the faith of those who are lukewarm and lacking in true dedication to God, where their faith is flickering and weak, and not supported by the strong desire to follow the Lord or to love Him.

In our first reading today, we listened to the words of the Scriptures from the Epistle of St. Paul to the Church and the faithful in the city of Corinth. In that passage, the Apostle St. Paul spoke to the faithful people of God in the city of Corinth that the Lord has blessed them wonderfully and generously, and hence, in the same way, the people of God are therefore called and expected to do the same as well, in showing their love and generosity towards each other, in caring for their fellow brothers and sisters. Each one of us as Christians are reminded that the riches and the blessings we have are gifts from the Lord, and we should be happy and willing to share these with each other, particularly with all those who are lacking and short in the things that they needed. It is an important aspect for us as Christians to be selfless and to be filled with love in all of our actions.

St. Paul told the faithful that all those who have sowed meagerly would reap meagerly while those who sowed generously would also reap generously, as a reminder that each one of us as Christians should not be calculating and transactional in how we conduct ourselves, that we only love those who can benefit us or return us what we have given them. That is not what we should be doing, brothers and sisters, as it is what the Lord Himself has taught us or shown us to do in our respective lives. As we heard the Lord Himself saying in our Gospel passage today, all of us should truly be sincere in doing all of our actions in faith, and not because we want to gain benefits, glory, fame and satisfaction for ourselves. Otherwise, it is easy for us to end up losing focus on what each and every one of us are called to do as Christians, as God’s holy people.

All of us are reminded that whenever we fast, and whenever we give alms, we should do them because we truly and sincerely desire to glorify God and to turn away from the path of sin and wickedness, and also because we are genuinely concerned about others whom we care about. We should not be centred and focused on ourselves, our own greed and ambition, and all the things we usually pursue in life. We should always remind ourselves that what we have in this world, are also not ours to begin with, but in fact they have been given to us by our Lord and loving Father, Who blesses us according to our needs and by His will and desire. That is why we should not seek to gain more worldly glory and achievements, or more of the other temptations and desires of this world, but instead, we should do our best to follow the Lord and His ways, walking down the path that God has led us into.

Each one of us have been reminded that we have to be truly genuine in faith, in our every actions and way of life, in how we pray and carry out our lives and our faith lives. Unless we commit ourselves thoroughly to the Lord, we will likely end up being swayed into the path of sin and evil, misled by the many temptations present all around us. That is why we have to listen to the Lord reminding us today so that we may return our focus and attention once again towards God, to His Law and commandments. Let us all also look upon the great examples set by our holy predecessors, many of whom had lived their lives worthily of the Lord and became great examples and sources of inspiration for many throughout the lives and the history of the Church, as we celebrate one of them on his feast day today.

Today, the Church celebrates the feast of St. Aloysius Gonzaga, a renowned saint who has shown in his rather short life, a true dedication and commitment to God, as well as great and generous love for his fellow brothers and sisters around him, in caring for them and ministering to them. St. Aloysius Gonzaga was born as the eldest son and heir of one of the cadet branches of an influential Italian family, the Gonzaga family. He was expected to succeed to his family’s fortunes and positions, and yet, he turned to the Lord instead, and sought Him rather than indulging in the life’s excesses as were common during that time in the late Renaissance era. He felt called to become a missionary and began to adopt an ascetic lifestyle. Ultimately, he remained resolute in his desire to be a missionary and joined the Society of Jesus, after giving up all of his rights and inheritance, to the dismay of his family, especially that of his father, who begrudgingly allowed his son to do as he wished.

St. Aloysius Gonzaga committed his life to his new ministry and calling, dedicating himself to the service of God and living a very devout and ascetic lifestyle. He kept on caring for the sick and those who suffered, especially at that time when a plague broke out in Rome and afflicted many people, even many among the Jesuit brothers. This however did not deter or dissuade St. Aloysius Gonzaga from continuing his work and efforts to care for those who were sick, despite having suffered from poor health and having contracted the plague himself. To the very end, St. Aloysius Gonzaga continued to commit himself for the good of others around him, and he never stopped caring for those whom he has shown compassion for, not even at the expense of his own health and life. In essence, St. Aloysius Gonzaga has shown us what true Christian charity and love is all about.

Brothers and sisters in Christ, let us all therefore be inspired by the faith and examples showed by St. Aloysius Gonzaga, and also by our other holy predecessors, the innumerable saints and martyrs, and all other holy men and women who had dedicated their lives to God. Let us all therefore do our best in our lives to give ourselves in serving God and in loving our fellow brothers and sisters, in whatever way we can, so that by our actions and works, more and more people may come to know the Lord and His love, His ways and Good News. Let us all be genuine Christians in all things, in our every works and actions, so that through us more and more may come to believe in God and be saved, together with us. May God bless us all and our every good works, now and always. Amen.

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Wednesday, 21 June 2023 : 11th Week of Ordinary Time, Memorial of St. Aloysius Gonzaga, Religious (Gospel Reading)

Liturgical Colour : White

Matthew 6 : 1-6, 16-18

At that time, “Be careful not to make a show of your good deeds before people. If you do so, you do not gain anything from your Father in heaven. When you give something to the poor, do not have it trumpeted before you, as do those who want to be noticed in the synagogues and in the streets, in order to be praised by people. I assure you, they have their reward.”

“If you give something to the poor, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, so that your gift remains really secret. Your Father, Who sees what is kept secret, will reward you. When you pray, do not be like those who want to be noticed. They love to stand and pray in the synagogues or on street corners, in order to be seen by everyone. I assure you, they have their reward.”

“When you pray, go into your room, close the door, and pray to your Father Who is with you in secret; and your Father Who sees what is kept secret will reward you. When you fast, do not put on a miserable face, as do the hypocrites. They put on a gloomy face, so that people can see they are fasting. I tell you this : they have been paid in full already.”

“When you fast, wash your face and make yourself look cheerful, because you are not fasting for appearances or for people, but for your Father, Who sees beyond appearances. And your Father, Who sees what is kept secret, will reward you.”

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Wednesday, 21 June 2023 : 11th Week of Ordinary Time, Memorial of St. Aloysius Gonzaga, Religious (Psalm)

Liturgical Colour : White

Psalm 111 : 1-2, 3-4, 9

Alleluia! Blessed is the one who fears YHVH, who greatly delights in His commands. His children will be powerful on earth; the upright’s offspring will be blessed.

Wealth and riches are for his family; there, his integrity will remain. He is for the righteous a light in darkness; he is kind, merciful and upright.

He gives generously to the poor; his merits will last forever; and his head will be raised in honour.

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Wednesday, 21 June 2023 : 11th Week of Ordinary Time, Memorial of St. Aloysius Gonzaga, Religious (First Reading)

Liturgical Colour : White

2 Corinthians 9 : 6-11

Remember : the one who sows meagerly will reap meagerly, and there shall be generous harvests for the one who sows generously. Each of you should give as you decided personally, and not reluctantly, as if obliged. God loves a cheerful giver. And God is able to fill you with every good thing, so that you have enough of everything, at all times, and may give abundantly for any good work.

Scripture says : He distributed, he gave to the poor, his good works last forever. God, Who provides the sower with seed, will also provide him with the bread he eats. He will multiply the seed for you and also increase the interest on your good works. Become rich in every way, and give abundantly. What you give will become, through us, a thanksgiving to God.

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Tuesday, 20 June 2023 : 11th Week of Ordinary Time (Homily and Scripture Reflections)

Liturgical Colour : Green

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, today as we listened to the words of the Scriptures, all of us are reminded of the need for all of us as Christians to be always filled with love and concern, empathy and compassion for our fellow brethren all around us. We must always be exemplary in how we live our lives, as God’s followers and disciples, so that in everything we say and do, we will always be the worthy bearers of His truth and Good News, and in our every words, actions and deeds, in our every interactions with one another, we will always be truly faithful in all things, and not just merely paying lip service to the Lord. All of us have to be genuinely committed to the Lord and be wholeheartedly dedicated to Him, showing our faith at every moment, in every possible things.

In our first reading today, we heard from the Epistle of St. Paul to the Church and the faithful in the city of Corinth, the words of the Apostle St. Paul exhorting the people of God in Corinth to be inspired by the great examples set by their fellow brethren in the region of Macedonia, which St. Paul had also ministered in, in how the faithful there had persevered and endured even though they had faced quite a few obstacles and hardships, persecutions and trials. They helped and encouraged one another, and remained firmly faithful to the Lord despite the hardships that they had to endure all those while. Therefore, their obedience to God and perseverance, their commitment to God was shared by St. Paul, who hoped that other Christians elsewhere, be it in Corinth or in other places, may also share the same commitment and faith in God.

St. Paul highlighted how each and every members of the faithful in Macedonia had lived their lives well as those whom the Lord had called and chosen, in their support for each other and in their love for God as well as in their love for their fellow brothers and sisters. In essence, they were following the very examples set by the Lord Jesus Christ Himself, their Lord and Saviour, Who had come into our midst, enduring persecution, rejection and ridicule, stubbornness and even betrayal by those who were closest to Him. The Lord had done so because of His obedience to His Father’s will, His love for all of us, His beloved ones. He had endured the worst of treatments, sufferings and humiliations so that by His endurance and commitment, He might save us all from our impending destruction.

Brothers and sisters in Christ, we then heard from our Gospel passage today, in which the Lord Jesus Christ highlighted again what He Himself had done and would do for the sake of His loved ones. He told His disciples, that to follow Him and His Father, all of us must be truly filled with Love, pure love that is unconditional and not seeking for returns, a pure love that is genuine and truly rich in compassion. The Lord used the example of how the Lord cared and showed His love on both the upright and the wicked alike, and He did not deny those who have even repeatedly disobeyed and sinned against Him, the grace of having forgiveness and mercy to be shown to them. For as long as they still have the time left, the Lord’s love, mercy and forgiveness will still be given to them should they seek for Him with sincere heart.

The Lord reminded all of us that as Christians, we have to love everyone, as best as we are able to, and we should not be transactional or discriminatory in how we love others around us. Yes, definitely there will be those whom we love more than others, but we should also strive to love all those who have not loved us back, and even treat well those who might have cause us hurt and harm. We should not be the ones who seek vengeance and harm to others as well, because, in doing so, we are only going to perpetuate the cycle of hatred and anger, the cycle of pain and sufferings. We should do our best to break that cycle, and instead, be the ones to live a life truly worthy of God, by loving one another as best as we can.

That was what the faithful people of God in Macedonia had been doing as well, in how they continued to show love and compassion, care for others and all, even when they had faced great hardships and challenges in their lives, being persecuted and oppressed by those who hated and despised them. They did not allow their hurt and pain to turn into hatred and anger, or violence and other forms of evils and wickedness. Instead, they showed all of us, that it is indeed possible for us to follow the Lord’s examples in His most generous and wonderful love for each and every one of us, which He has shown us through none other than the Lord Jesus Himself, Who has given His life for our sake, so that by His suffering and death, all of us may be saved.

The Lord has loved us and cared for us, even when we have not obeyed Him, and when we have constantly disobeyed and rebelled against Him. Yet, the Lord continued to show us His love and compassion most generously, caring for us in the best way that He could, offering us His mercy and salvation, if only we open our hearts and minds to welcome Him, allowing him to enter into our hearts and minds, that He may work His acts of healing and compassion in us, turning us all from the people and children of darkness and sin, into a people of the Light, filled once again with His love and grace. All of us have been called by the Lord to follow Him, and commit ourselves once again to the path that He has shown us.

May the Lord, our most loving God and Father, continue to guide and strengthen us at all times. May He empower each and every one of us so that we may always walk in His path most faithfully, and dedicate ourselves with renewed conviction and strength. Let us all be good role models and inspirations to one another, in living our lives most faithfully at all times, focusing our whole lives and existences to God, Who should be the very reason and the very focus of our lives. May God bless us always, in all of our good works and endeavours, now and always. Amen.

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Tuesday, 20 June 2023 : 11th Week of Ordinary Time (Gospel Reading)

Liturgical Colour : Green

Matthew 5 : 43-48

At that time, Jesus said to His disciples, “You have heard, that it was said : Love your neighbour and do not do good to your enemy. But this I tell you : love your enemies, and pray for those who persecute you, so that you may be children of your Father in Heaven. For He makes His sun rise on both the wicked and the good; and He gives rain to both the just and the unjust.”

“If you love those who love you, what is special about that? Do not even tax collectors do as much? And if you are friendly only to your friends, what is so exceptional about that? Do not even the pagans do as much? As for you, be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect.”

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Tuesday, 20 June 2023 : 11th Week of Ordinary Time (Psalm)

Liturgical Colour : Green

Psalm 145 : 1-2, 5-6ab, 6c-7, 8-9a

Alleluia! Praise YHVH, my soul! I will sing to YHVH all my life; I will sing praise to God while I live.

Blessed are they whose help is the God of Jacob, whose hope is in YHVH their God, Maker of heaven and earth, the sea and all they contain.

YHVH is forever faithful; He gives justice to the oppressed and gives food to the hungry. YHVH sets the prisoners free.

YHVH gives sight to the blind; YHVH loves the virtuous; but He brings to ruin the way of the wicked. YHVH straightens the bent. YHVH protects the stranger.