Reflections

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Thursday, 8 February 2024 : 5th Week of Ordinary Time, Memorial of St. Jerome Emiliani, and St. Josephine Bakhita, Virgin (Homily and Scripture Reflections)

Liturgical Colour : Green or White (Saints or Holy Virgins)

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, we are reminded this day by the readings from the Sacred Scriptures of the need for all of us to have true and genuine faith in the Lord. We must always ever be vigilant in obeying the Lord and in doing His will, resisting the temptations of the world, and all the coercions and the corruptions of worldly glory and greed, of all the wickedness and evils of this world, which can mislead us down the path of ruin and damnation. We must always hold fast to this faith and trust that we should have in the Lord, and put ourselves in His hands, having that strong and enduring conviction to follow the Lord no matter what, not being easily swayed by all kinds of worldly glory and attachments that had mare so many of our predecessors to fall into sin.

In our first reading today, we heard from the Book of Kings of the account of the downfall of King Solomon of Israel, who had not remained faithful wholeheartedly to the Lord unlike that of his father, King David. As we heard from the Scriptural account, Solomon was swayed in his old age and tempted by his many wives and concubines, by his greatness, power and glory, that he fell into the path of disobedience and sin. Solomon had been faithful in the early years of his reign and had been blessed bountifully by the Lord for his family’s trust and faith in Him, that the Kingdom of Israel reached the zenith of its might and glorious days under his reign. Unfortunately, he was eventually misled by the many worldly glory and attachments he grew to have, and he was no longer completely faithful to God.

While we did not have much details beyond what was provided to us in the Scriptures, we can guess that it was likely because of his growing attachment to all the riches, wealth and fame he has attained over the years which made him to forget how he reached that height in the first place, and he became more stubborn and refused to obey the Lord. This showed to all of us how even a faithful man and great servant of God could be swayed by the temptations of sin if we allow ourselves to be swayed and tempted by the various temptations present all around us, and most importantly if our faith in the Lord is not strong and vibrant, we may likely be tempted the way how King Solomon had been tempted by his many sources of temptations and distractions in life, be it his wives and concubines, his wealth and possessions, power and glory, and other pleasures of the world.

In our Gospel passage today, we are reminded that faith can be as powerful and even more powerful than the temptations all around us. The Syro-Phoenician woman in the story with the Lord Jesus reminded us that great faith in the Lord is what truly matters for Him, and not one’s status or background. There is that marked irony highlighted in the comparison between what happened in our first reading account of the sin and downfall of King Solomon of Israel and then what was recorded in the Gospel of the interaction between the Lord and the Syro-Phoenician woman. This is because by the time of the ministry of the Lord Jesus, the division between the Jewish people, descendants of the Israelites who inhabited the lands of Judea and Galilee, and those who are not counted among the Jews, like the Samaritans and the Gentiles, had become crystallised and hardened.

At that time, the Jewish people, particularly among the members of the Pharisees, saw themselves as being superior and more worthy than the non-Jewish people, like the Samaritans in Samaria and the other non-Jewish people known as the Gentiles. They deemed themselves as the only ones who were worthy of God, and others were inferior and undeserving of God’s love and grace. This attitude was shown in how they deemed Samaritans and Gentiles with contempt, and did not mingle with them, avoiding them and their dwelling places because by their version and interpretation of the Law of God, that would have made them to be unclean and to sin against God. Yet, in today’s Gospel, as we heard, the Syro-Phoenician woman, who was considered as a Gentile, had more faith than many if not most of the Jews and the Pharisees among them.

Initially as we heard in that same Gospel passage, it might seem that the Lord was being very rude and harsh towards the woman, as He ignored her pleas and cries for help, as she begged the Lord to help her and her afflicted daughter. Not only that, but He even told her directly that He should not give what was meant for the children of God, referring to the Israelites and their descendants, to the dogs, which was an indirect reference to the Syro-Phoenician woman and the other Gentiles. Why did the Lord utter such a despicable set of words? It is truly uncharacteristic of His loving and forgiving nature. This is where we must understand that the Lord was making a point of the folly of the Jews and the Pharisees in particular for thinking that just because they were descended from the Israelites then they had the exclusive and automatic privilege of God’s grace.

That was why the Lord highlighted the absurdity of such way of thinking, and showcasing the great faith which the Syro-Phoenician woman had in Him, that she humbled herself and did not allow herself to be deterred by whatever obstacles in her trust and faith in God. Such faith in God was indeed rare, and the Lord commended the woman for having that kind of great and enduring faith. This is contrasted with the way how many of the Jewish people, especially among the Pharisees, who refused to believe in the Lord, rejected Him and persecuted Him and His disciples simply because what He had brought upon them in this world, were not in accordance to what they all believed and held to be true. Their pride and arrogance, ego and ambitions became serious obstacles in their path towards God.

Today, the Church commemorates the feast of two great saints, whose faith, dedication and commitment to God, piety and exemplary lives have become the source of great inspirations for many people throughout the world since their time up to now. First of all, St. Jerome Emiliani was a man who lost his father early in his teenage years, and eventually joining the army and was captured, and while imprisoned, he had a conversion experience, as he attributed his escape and well-being to the intercession of the Blessed Mother of God. Later on, as a local magistrate, he showed great care for the needy people under his care and custody, establishing orphanages for the orphans, as well as hospitals and care houses for the sick and the suffering. He also established hostels and other places to care for prostitutes and others who needed shelter.

This inspired two priests named Alessandro Besuzio and Agostino Bariso, who were touched and inspired by the examples and role model shown by this great man of God, and eventually with St. Jerome Emiliani, they would all go on to establish the Congregation of Regular Clerics as a religious society, gathering together all those who share in the passion and desire of St. Jerome Emiliani in reaching out to the less fortunate, to the orphans, the prostitutes, those who are sick and troubled. They are also known as the Somaschi Fathers after their first house and centre in the Italian town of Somasca. St. Jerome Emiliani himself continued to labour for the sake of the people of God for the rest of his life, inspiring many others to follow in his footsteps.

Meanwhile, St. Josephine Bakhita was the renowned freed slavewoman who had very difficult childhood and early years, as she was born in the region now known as Sudan, and was captured, separated from her family in a very young age, enslaved and sold from master to master. Some of those experiences saw her being treated unfairly and she suffered throughout those years, until eventually she was bought by an Italian Vice Consul, who relented to her begging to him to bring him out of Sudan. She then became a nanny to the children of an Italian familu, and eventually, when she returned to Sudan with that family, she had an encounter experience with God and the Christian faith through the Canossian Sisters in Venice, with whom she would eventually associate herself with.

Finally, after some time, when her master tried to bring his family permanently back to Sudan, St. Josephine Bakhita firmly refused to follow them. Eventually, through the help of the Church and the Patriarch of Venice, the courts ruled in her favour, declaring that her enslavement had been unlawful because it had been outlawed by the British who ruled Sudan before St. Josephine Bakhita was even born, and Italian law likewise did not recognise slavery. As a free woman, St. Josephine Bakhita continued to associate herself and live among the Canossian Sisters, where she would spend the rest of her life dedicating herself to God and to her community around her, living a holy and pious life.

For about five decades, a very long period of time, St. Josephine Bakhita dedicated herself to a life of service to help the Canossian Sisters community, as their cook, their sacristan and doorkeeper, and was also involved in caring for the local community for their needs. Her great faith in God, righteousness and piety inspired many people far and wide, and she was well-respected among the Canossian Sisters and in the community, and even when she was sick in her last years, she continued to do her best for the Lord and for her community. Her forgiveness and prayers for her captors and slavers early in her life also inspired many for her kindness, love and compassion.

Brothers and sisters in Christ, from what we have heard in the Sacred Scriptures today, as well as from the lives and works of St. Jerome Emiliani and St. Josephine Bakhita, let us all therefore renew our faith and commitment to God, resisting the temptations and wickedness of this world that can coerce and tempt even the righteous into sin, as what had happened to King Solomon and many among our predecessors. Let us all turn away from sin and evil, and let us all strive to be good, worthy and pure in all things like what St. Jerome Emiliani and St. Josephine Bakhita had done. Let our lives be great examples for others, and let us all be inspiration for them, now and always. Amen.

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Wednesday, 7 February 2024 : 5th Week of Ordinary Time (Homily and Scripture Reflections)

Liturgical Colour : Green

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, today we are all presented with the words of the Scriptures, in which each and every one of us are called and reminded to keep our faith in the Lord, to trust in Him and to do what He has taught and commanded us to do. Today, we are all reminded that we should always be filled with God’s grace and wisdom at all times, so that we may truly be worthy of God, full of righteousness and grace, and not merely be formal Christians and disciples of the Lord, and yet having no true and genuine faith in us. This is not what we should be doing, brothers and sisters, as all of us should always be truly full of faith and love for the Lord, and be genuine in our commitment in following Him.

In our first reading today we heard of the famous encounter between the Queen of Sheba and King Solomon of Israel, when the former came to Jerusalem, to the land of Israel from her distant kingdom. Sheba is often associated with the region now known as Ethiopia, as a region and kingdom rich in gold, spices and other worldly goods, and the great riches of her kingdom was what the Queen of Sheba brought to Jerusalem with her, as she went on a journey to seek audience with Solomon, the famous King of Israel, full of Wisdom and grace of God, whose wisdom and power, glory and fame were without compare at that time. All of these were given to Solomon by God because of the great faith and righteousness of his father David, as well as because Solomon’s own faith and humility, as he asked the Lord for the wisdom to rule and reign wisely over the people of God.

We heard how God truly blessed King Solomon as he showed the Queen of Sheba the great wealth and glory that God had granted him, in his palaces and his residences, his many attendants and all the food and things he possessed, as well as the great Temple that he had built for the Lord. As long as God’s blessings endured, Solomon would indeed be glorious and mighty in his reign, but, as has always been common for all those people with great riches and power throughout history, they became tempted and overcome by the glory of the world, and came to forget the need for all of them to be truly faithful and committed to God. As what eventually would happen to King Solomon himself, he would be swayed by all those glory and riches of the world, and ended up disobeying and sinning against God.

Then, in the Gospel passage we heard from the Gospel of St. Mark in which the Lord continued with His discourse and teaching against the hypocrisy and the mistaken way of belief as propagated by the Pharisees and the teachers of the Law in how they all obeyed the Law and the commandments of God. The context was that the Lord and His disciples were confronted by the Pharisees and the teachers of the Law who criticised them all for the disciples’ lack of observance and adherence to the customs, practices and rituals involved in the Law of God, as they did not wash their hands in the way prescribed by the Law, particularly in the manner that the Pharisees and the teachers of the Law themselves had prescribed.

The Pharisees and the teachers of the Law had a very strict interpretation of the Law of God, following them in the manner that was literal and also ritualistic, putting a lot of attention and emphasis on the details of the Law, in how the laws and customs of the people of God were to be carried out to the smallest details. They were particularly concerned about the external appearances of the Law, the rituals and practices, which they enforced heavily on everyone else. Those who did not observe the Law in the manner that they had prescribed were looked down upon, ostracised and even persecuted against, just as what they had done against the Lord Jesus and His disciples, because they deemed themselves to be more worthy and better than others around them.

For example, with regards to the custom of the washing of hands before meals, to the Pharisees and the teachers of the Law, according to their traditions and practices, they would wash the hands all the way through the whole arm up to the elbows, and making sure that this is done meticulously and clearly. There was indeed merit in doing such a practice as hygiene was indeed important at a time when healthcare was not as good and comprehensive as today, and it was indeed good and recommended practice that the people ought to wash their hands before they eat their meals. However, the excessive emphasis and focus placed on the rituals of washing and the self-righteous attitude of the Pharisees and the teachers of the Law were the problems involved as their overly zealous and misguided obedience to the Law ended up becoming source of major distraction to them being able to truly follow the Law of God wholeheartedly.

Then, it was also the attitude of the Pharisees and the teachers of the Law who often paraded their faith and actions made before everyone else especially in the public places, which led to them having diverged from the path which the Lord had entrusted to them. They ended up doing the practices and customs of the Law not for the glory of God or to help guide others to the Lord as they had been expected to do, but rather for their own fame and glory, for their vanity and pride, to satisfy their ego and their desire for human praise and for power, for influence among the community of the people of God, among other things that they had desired to have. This led them to oppose the good works of the Lord and His disciples, and hence leading to them being rebuked and criticised by the Lord.

Brothers and sisters in Christ, today therefore we are all reminded that we should not allow the temptations and the glory of this world to distract us from the path which the Lord has shown and led us into. We should not allow ourselves to be easily swayed by these worldly attachments which had led so many people into their downfall all these while. We should strive to deepen our relationship with God and to grow ever stronger in our faith and love for Him. This is why we should always remind ourselves of everything which the Lord had done for us in His love and kindness, of all the things and wonders that He had blessed us with, so that through His Wisdom, He may continue to guide us to walk faithfully in the path of truth and righteousness, and not be swayed to go into the wrong path of sin and evil.

May the Lord be with us all, and may He continue to strengthen our faith in Him, and help us so that we may grow ever stronger in our love for Him, in each and every moments of our lives. May God bless us always, in our every good efforts and endeavours, in all of our good works and contributions, all for His greater glory, and for the good of all the people of God, now and always, forevermore. Amen.

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Tuesday, 6 February 2024 : 5th Week of Ordinary Time, Memorial of St. Paul Miki and Companions, Martyrs (Homily and Scripture Reflections)

Liturgical Colour : Red

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, today as we all listened to the words of the Scriptures, we are all called to remember the obligations and the focus that all of us should have in the Lord as Christians, that is as those who have believed in the Lord and accepted Him as our God and Saviour. Each and every one of us have been entrusted by the Lord with the Law and commandments which He has taught and shown to us. However, we cannot just be blind followers or merely paying lip service to the Lord through those Law, commandments and obligations. Instead, we must be truly genuine in obeying God, in our wholehearted commitment to follow Him and to do His will, and we must always be filled with love for Him, in committing ourselves wholly to the path that He has led us all into.

In our first reading today, we heard from the Book of Kings of Israel and Judah, in which the King of Israel, the great and renowned King Solomon, dedicated the Temple that he had prepared and built for the Lord, and in today’s passage in particular we heard of the moment when the King prayed on behalf of the whole people, offering their prayers and thanksgiving to the Lord, before the Holy Presence of God present on the Ark of the Covenant. The King thanked and praised the Lord for all the wonders and great things which He had done on behalf and for the sake of all the people, and praised Him for the Covenant which He had made and constantly renewed with all of the people dearly beloved to Him, and showed the humility of the people upon God’s willingness to dwell among them in the humble House which the King had prepared and built for Him.

That House, the Temple of God in Jerusalem, also known popularly as Solomon’s Temple, was far from simple or small, as it was well-known throughout history as a great marvel of mankind’s works, as a grand House and Temple that was built for the purpose of Divine worship. What King Solomon meant was that, no matter how glorious or grand the Temple of Jerusalem might have been, but there is truly no place could have been worthy enough to contain the Lord, the Master of all the whole Universe, the King of Kings and Almighty God, He Who is almighty and all-powerful. But yet, God willingly came down to us, to dwell in our midst, and He wanted to show His people that He truly loved them all, reaching out to them and gathering all of them back to His loving Presence.

But in time, the people’s love and obedience for the Lord became merely a formality, and they did not love Him wholeheartedly anymore. Although King Solomon had been faithful to the Lord during the early years and period of his reign like David his father before him, but in the later part of his reign, he likely became corrupted by power and worldly glory, and he ended up being easily swayed by his many wives and concubines, who caused him to disobey God and to sin against Him, in doing what the Lord had forbidden, by raising altars and idols to the pagan gods to satisfy the needs of those wives and concubines, and this was when political and worldly desires trumped the need for one to be truly faithful and committed to the Lord. The later kings of Israel and Judah after Solomon also often did the same things, in disobeying the Lord and not being truly and wholly committed to Him, and thus leading the people into the path of sin and evil.

In our Gospel passage today, we then heard of the interactions and disagreements between the Lord and the Pharisees and the teachers of the Law who had disagreed with Him and His disciples on how they practiced the Law of God, the various rituals and customs which the Pharisees and the teachers of the Law followed, obeyed and enforced upon the people of God. As a context, the Pharisees and the teachers of the Law were particularly fanatical about their version of obeying and following the many customs and practices of the Jewish people, and they represented an extreme in the particularly strict and rigid application of the Law and the commandments of God. They were a party and faction that were then powerful among the Jewish people who advocated very literal and strict interpretation of the Law, and placed very particular attention to the details of the rituals and practices of the Law.

However, this had led them being overzealous and overly focused on the practices, rituals and customs of the Law that they had forgotten about why the Law and the commandments of God were given to His people in the first place. They placed a lot of barriers and obstacles on the path of the people of God, by treating those who have not obeyed the Law of God in the manner that they preferred and liked, with contempt and opposing them, like what they had done to the Lord and His disciples, stubbornly and fiercely trying to defend their way of obeying and following the Law, even though their fanaticism and efforts ended up making them truly foolish and unable to appreciate and understand the true intention and meaning of the Law, just as the Lord pointed out their folly before the people who were listening to Him. The Lord rebuked those Pharisees and teachers of the Law for their overly exaggerated focus on the externals but failing to understand and appreciate the interior orientation of oneself towards God, which they had neglected.

This is why, we are all therefore also reminded through what we have heard in our Scripture passages today, that we should not be merely paying lip service to the Lord, to His Law and commandments, but we must develop and deepen our relationship with Him, or else, it will be easy for the temptations of worldly matters, attachments, glory and desires to turn us away from the path towards God’s grace. We must not be swayed by worldly temptations of wealth and desires like that of Solomon, or by pride and ego, ambition and greed like those of the Pharisees and the teachers of the Law who had allowed themselves to be tempted and swayed by all those things that they all fell into the path towards their downfall and sin. We must strive to strengthen our faith and dedication to God, and not be easily tempted by hardships, challenges, and the allures of worldly comfort that we may always remain firm in our faith in the Lord.

The Church today also celebrates the Feast of the Holy Japanese Martyrs, the Twenty-Six Martyr Saints of Japan, namely St. Paul Miki and his companions in martyrdom. They were all martyred in the city of Nagasaki, during a time of particularly harsh persecution and repression of Christians throughout the whole region of Japan. At that time, Japan had been a very fertile ground for the Christian faith for a few decades, and the Church was growing rapidly there with the efforts of the missionaries and the support from the local rulers accelerating the process of conversions and the growth of the Church both among the elites of the community as well as among the general population. However, oppositions against the Church and its missionaries grew, and at that time, the de facto ruler of Japan, Hideyoshi Toyotomi feared the foreign ties of the Christian missionaries, and hence, announced edicts that began restricting the activities of Christians, and in some cases, actively persecuting them.

For St. Paul Miki and his companions, they were arrested by the Japanese authorities, and were tortured and made to suffer because of their Christian faith. Among the twenty-six individuals were both foreign Christian missionaries and priests, as well as the local Christian converts, who were all put to suffering and hardships because of their faith. They were all eventually sentenced to death after refusing to betray and abandon their faith in God, and they all chose to suffer and die rather than to give up their Christian faith and beliefs. They were condemned to death and to be punished by crucifixion in an effort of mockery to the death of Christ on the Cross. From Kyoto, the seat of government of the Toyotomi government, St. Paul Miki and his companions, the twenty-six faithful people of God went on a long, almost a thousand kilometres of march to Nagasaki, the site of their martyrdom. They were ridiculed and tortured along the way, but they continued to glorify God and chanted ‘Te Deum’, the glorious hymn in honour of God’s greatness along the entire way.

The perseverance and faith of St. Paul Miki and his faithful companions in martyrdom, the Twenty-Six Holy Martyrs of Japan, all of these have shown us all what it truly means to be Christians, to be full of love and commitment to God, and as they laid crucified on a hill in Nagasaki, their place of martyrdom, pierced by lances in mockery of the Lord’s Crucifixion, they never gave up on their faith and continued to keep their faith in the Lord to the very end, despite having many opportunities to recant their faith and live. They showed their ultimate commitment and love for the Lord, and therefore gained the promise of eternal glory and true happiness in Heaven with God. This is what we are all reminded of today, so that in our own lives, we may also strive to follow the great examples of our holy predecessors, the Twenty-Six Holy Martyrs of Japan. May the Lord, our most loving God and Father, Who has always loved us and cared for us, continue to strengthen our faith, and may the intercession of the Holy Martyrs of Japan be with us always. Amen.

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Monday, 5 February 2024 : 5th Week of Ordinary Time, Memorial of St. Agatha, 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 God’s ever consistent and loving Presence in our midst. God has always been with us and He has never left us, no matter how much we have constantly caused Him to be angry at us because of our many wickedness, evils and sins. This is because of God’s ever enduring love for us, which He has always had since the very beginning of time. This love endures even when we have sundered ourselves off from His love and kindness, through our disobedience and sins. God has reached out to us, extending His love and compassionate mercy, which He has made ever ready to reconcile all of us to Him, for it was never His desire to condemn us to destruction.

In our first reading today, we heard of the moment recorded in the Book of Kings when King Solomon completed the building project of the Temple of God in Jerusalem, which would also become known as Solomon’s Temple. This was a grand project started and envisioned by Solomon’s father, King David, who had set aside and gathered large amount of resources in preparation for the building of the Temple and House worthy of God Himself to dwell in. We can get the details of all these and the preparations both in the Book of Chronicles as well as the other parts of the Book of Kings. After many years of construction and preparations, the Temple was finally completed and ready to be consecrated and dedicated to God, which was recorded in our first reading passage today.

King Solomon brought the Ark of the Covenant, in the presence of all the elders and leaders of the people of Israel to the new Temple of God, as the key event and moment in the completion and preparation of the Temple of God as the place of Divine worship and as the place where God Himself dwells among His beloved ones, the people of Israel, whom He had first called and chosen from all the children of Adam and Eve. That Ark of the Covenant was indeed important aspect of this event, because throughout the time since it was crafted and made at the time of the Exodus, it has always been the tangible and real sign of God’s Holy Presence amongst His people. We heard of the details of the Ark of the Covenant, the golden Cherubim crafted on top of it, which was where God’s Presence descended upon and rested whenever He came among His people.

Within the Ark was contained first of all the two slabs of stone on which the Ten Commandments, the centre of all of God’s Law and commandments were stored. It also stored the manna, the heavenly bread by which God had fed the Israelites throughout their entire time in the desert during the Exodus. Last of all it also contained the Staff of Aaron, the staff of authority and sign of God’s power, through which God had performed many wonders and signs, in liberating the people of Israel from the slavery in Egypt. All in all, the Ark of the Covenant is the tangible, real and symbolic reminder of God’s Covenant and Presence in this world, His Presence and ever enduring love for His people, and that it had been brought to the new Temple built by Solomon signified the renewal of this Covenant.

In our Gospel passage today, we then heard about the Lord Jesus amidst His ministry among the people of God, how He performed many miracles and healed many of the people who had come to Him with various ailments and sickness, troubles and difficulties. We heard how the Lord patiently cared for all of them, and how He healed all of those who came to Him. This is linked to what we have heard in our first reading today, because the Lord Jesus Himself is the bearer and Mediator of the New Covenant to be established between God and all of us mankind. He is the perfect manifestation of God’s Love, that God’s Divine Being has been manifested in the flesh, appearing and dwelling in our midst much as how He once descended upon us all through the Ark of the Covenant.

But the Lord Jesus has manifested to us God’s Presence in a much more real way, and far greater experience than what the people of Israel had once experienced through the Ark of the Covenant. But regardless, in both instances, God’s love and compassion, caring nature and attention to His beloved ones, all of us, have been shown. After all, He has sent us His own Beloved Son, to come into our midst, to be Emmanuel, God Who is with us, to be tangible, real and approachable in His love and grace, that through Christ, His love for us and ultimately His mercy and kindness have been revealed and shown to us. God Himself has come into our midst and He has shown it through real action, by dwelling among us just as He has always promised to us. This is a reminder for us all that we should indeed be faithful to Him, and do our best to live worthily as His beloved and holy people.

Today, the Church also celebrates the Feast of St. Agatha, a renowned saint and martyr of the faith who had lived her life worthily of the Lord, and whose actions and commitment to God, even through bitterness of sufferings and hardships, should inspire each and every one of us in how we should be living our own lives. St. Agatha was born in Sicily during the third century, when the Roman Empire was going through some upheavals and disturbances. She was born into a noble family and was approached by many suitors whom she rejected because of she had made a vow of virginity to the Lord, and the Roman prefect Quintianus, whose proposal St. Agatha had rejected, reported her to the authorities, as he knew of St. Agatha’s Christian faith.

At the time, it was the moment when a particularly intense persecution of Christians under the Roman Emperor Decius were occurring, and many Christians were tortured and put to death on account of their faith in God and their refusal to worship the Emperor or the pagan gods and idols. St. Agatha was arrested and persecuted greatly, by the same Roman prefect Quintianus, who hoped that St. Agatha would give in to his demands through the torture. However, St. Agatha remained firm in her faith in the Lord. She reaffirmed her faith in God through this powerful prayer, “Jesus Christ, Lord of all, You see my heart, You know my desires. Possess all that I am. I am Your sheep: make me worthy to overcome the devil.” Eventually, she was martyred as a great example to all the other Christians who were inspired by her faith and courage.

Brothers and sisters in Christ, let us all therefore also be inspired by the faith of St. Agatha, in all her commitment to God and the courage she showed in resisting all the efforts to turn her away from the Lord. Let us all be strengthened in faith in the Lord, being always reminded that God Himself has willingly dwelled in our midst, and He has always been loving and compassionate towards us. Let us all place Him at the centre of all of our lives, and let us continue to live our lives worthily in accordance to what God has shown and taught us, that we may be truly exemplary and inspirational in our own way of life. May God bless us always, now and forevermore. Amen.

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Sunday, 4 February 2024 : Fifth Sunday of Ordinary Time (Homily and Scripture Reflections)

Liturgical Colour : Green

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, this Sunday’s Scripture readings are clear reminders for each and every one of us of the fickleness of our human nature and existence, and of everything which we have and which we are currently experiencing in this world. All that we have enjoyed and all the wonderful and marvellous things we possess, all these are ultimately illusory in nature, and they may even distract us from our true path and progress in life, from our true focus and commitment, which is none other than the Lord, our God Himself. We must remember that we have been entrusted by the Lord with many things, with blessings and opportunities that we may glorify Him by our lives, and we should therefore make good use of them for the greater glory of God at all times.

In our first reading today, we heard from the Book of Job, of the lamentations and sorrows which the man of God, Job uttered as he was reflecting upon the sufferings and hardships that he had been enduring and experiencing at that time. Job was a great and rich man, greatly blessed by God in all things on account of his great faith and righteousness, his commitment and dedication to Him. However, Job encountered great moment of trial and tribulation, hardship and difficulty when he was attacked by the devil, who struck him, his possessions and loved ones to test him and his faith in God. But Job remained firm in his faith and did not allow the devil and his machinations to dissuade him and to take him away from the faith that he had in the Lord.

Despite suffering greatly and being ridiculed, rejected and ostracised by those whom he knew, even those who were near to him, Job remained faithful to the Lord, and trusted in Him regardless of what he had experienced. While his heart was filled with sorrow and pain, despair and regret of what happened to him, and blaming himself on occasions that everything happened because of his fault, but he still held on firmly to his faith in the Lord no matter what. And this is what all of us should be inspired to follow in our own lives, as we should also do whatever we can such that we may truly live our lives most worthily as best as we are able to, and despite the challenges and trials that we may have to encounter and face along our journey, we can always continue to persevere in righteousness and virtue, to be always ever worthy of God.

In our second reading today, St. Paul in his Epistle to the Corinthians spoke about how he cannot boast for whatever he had done in preaching the Gospel, in doing God’s works and in carrying out everything that had been entrusted to him by the Lord, all the missions and miracles he had performed. All these are reminders that in everything that we do as Christians, and as God’s people in this world should not be seeking personal glory and ambition, worldly attachments and matters, and we should not revel in worldly praise and jubilation, or to be proud and haughty because we have done great deeds in our lives. Instead, like St. Paul himself, we should always remain rooted in the Lord and continue to live our lives with Him as the centre and focus, and not the many worldly matters and attachments we have.

That was also how Job managed to remain strong in faith despite having suffered many personal losses, of property, wealth and loved ones. If Job had placed his trust and immersed himself in those things, then losing all of them would have made him to despair and lose all hope. But he remained faithful to God and did not blame the Lord for his losses. He was also able to let go of his losses and accepted what he had suffered as his fate. St. Paul similarly endured many things throughout the period of his work and ministry, which he could do precisely because he trusted in the Lord, and he did not let himself to be misled and swayed by the temptations of worldly glory and ambitions. He trusted the Lord in everything that he has been entrusted to do, and followed the Lord wherever He led him to.

In our Gospel passage this Sunday, we then heard of the moment when the Lord Jesus healed and ministered to the mother-in-law of one of His disciples, that is St. Peter, whose mother-in-law was very sick. The Lord miraculously healed her, and made her well again, and we heard then how the whole neighbourhood found out about what happened, and many people came to the Lord bearing their sick ones, so that the Lord might hopefully heal all of them as well. He cared for those who had been brought to Him and healed them all. Then, curiously, we heard how the Lord went off in the very early morning to pray, disappearing from the place, to the consternation from His disciples and the people. That was when He told the disciples that there were still many people that He had to minister to, and they all ought to move on to other places as well.

The Lord Jesus could have stayed on in that place, well-liked and adored by all the people who have witnessed and believed in His miracles. He could very well have gained a large following and popularity without much effort, and lead a rather comfortable and convenient work, instead of having to go from places to places, without proper accommodations and encountering oppositions and challenges throughout His efforts and journeys. Yet, the Lord obeyed the will of His Heavenly Father, Who had sent Him, the Son, into this world to proclaim the Good News and the salvation of God to more and more people. Hence, this is why the Lord carried out His mission faithfully and did everything not for worldly comfort or glory, but to fulfil the will of God, and to glorify Him.

Brothers and sisters in Christ, therefore, having heard of all these readings and reminders from the Sacred Scriptures, we are all reminded that as God’s faithful disciples and followers, we too should be filled with faith and trust in the Lord, and we should always continue to put God as the centre and the focus of our whole lives. We should not allow worldly temptations, attachments, glory, ambitions and our pride and greed, our desires and all other obstacles to prevent us from reaching ever closer to God, to His grace and salvation. Like Job, let us all detach ourselves from worldly matters and attachments, and remind ourselves that all the wealth and glory of the world are not lasting or permanent. Instead of seeking for worldly glory and greatness, we should seek the true joy and satisfaction which we can find in the Lord alone.

Let us all hence be good role models and inspirations, and be the worthy bearers of the light of God, His grace and love for us all. May all of us be blessed in our every good works, efforts and endeavours, now and always. Amen.

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Saturday, 3 February 2024 : 4th Week of Ordinary Time, Memorial of St. Blaise, Bishop and Martyr, and St. Ansgar, Bishop (Homily and Scripture Reflections)

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

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, today we heard from the Sacred Scriptures the words of the Lord in which we are all reminded to seek the Lord whenever we have any need or problems, and we should always keep our faith in Him regardless of the challenges, trials and difficulties that we may encounter in our lives and respective journeys. We must always be faithful to God and trust in Him in whatever path that He has called us into, and we must not allow the temptations of worldly glory and pleasures to distract and discourage us from this path that we have been called and led into by the Lord. We should also seek the Lord for help, guidance and strength, in all occasions and opportunities.

In our first reading today, we heard of the young King Solomon of Israel, who had just taken over the rein of the kingdom from his recently deceased father, King David of Israel. The young Solomon was lacking in experience and his youth is something that had often been taken against rulers of his age, by the people and the important figures of the kingdom. Hence, he came to Gibeon to offer prayers to God, and in that prayer, he sought God’s guidance and help, asking Him for wisdom and knowledge, the understanding and the ability to judge well, between things that are good and evil. And we heard how God was pleased with Solomon and his prayers, and blessed him more than what he had asked for, because he had not asked for wealth, worldly glory or power, as what many others would have done instead.

Through this simple example of the prayer of Solomon, we are all reminded that we should always anchor ourselves firmly and faithfully in God, and not to allow ourselves to be easily swayed and turned by our desires and by all other sorts of wicked things and temptations present all around us. We must remain firm in our commitment and in our desire to walk down this path of righteousness, grace and virtue as the Lord Himself has shown and led us through. Like Solomon and his father David before him, we should also humble ourselves before the Lord and ask Him for help and assistance, guidance and strength that we may be better able to live our lives worthily and with devotion as good and faithful Christians, in all moments and opportunities that have been provided to us.

In our Gospel passage today, we heard of the moment when the Lord and His disciples were ministering to the multitudes of people who came to them seeking the Lord, wanting to listen to His teachings and wanting to be healed and freed from their diseases, ailments and problems. We heard how the Lord and His disciples had been working for a very long time and how exhausted and tired they were. They were looking for a place to rest and to eat properly, but the people kept looking for the Lord and they all went before the Lord and His disciples, waiting for them and giving the Lord and His disciples no proper time to even rest and relax. Yet, we heard how the Lord had compassion on them all and He preached to them and taught them all, seeing that they were all like sheep without a shepherd.

From this short passage of course we are reminded that often as Christians we tend to take for granted those whom the Lord had sent to help, guide and minister to us. We often took them for granted and mistreat them, thinking that they had to work for us and to cater to our every desires and needs. We must keep in mind that they are also humans like us, who needs rest and sustenance, and we must also help and support them so that they can better minister and help us in our lives and journeys of faith. Then, at the same time, we are also reminded of just how beloved and precious we are by God, that He was willing to spend more time and effort to care for us, to help and guide us like what the Lord Jesus had done.

The Lord was also responding to the people’s desire to look for Him for guidance, and the many multitudes of people who were all looking for Him showed us all the desire they had in seeking for God’s help and guidance, and the Lord responded to that desire, as He also showed them all His great love, compassion and generosity. And therefore, we are all reminded that we should not take for granted this great love of God which He has shown to all of us, and we must always do our best such that in all occasions and opportunities provided to us, we are always grateful for the love and generous compassion which God has provided to us all these while. We should never forget how He has blessed us with many wonderful things throughout our lives, and we must keep ourselves rooted firmly in Him, at all times.

Today, the Church also celebrates the Feast of two holy saints, namely St. Blaise and St. Ansgar, whose lives and examples can hopefully inspire us all in how we should lead lives that are truly worthy of the Lord. First of all, St. Blaise was the renowned saint whom many of us will remember for his intercessions for the sake of those who are suffering from throat problems and diseases, and the related popular Blessing of the Throats and the intercession of St. Blaise. St. Blaise was also a renowned physician who helped to treat many people for their diseases and ailments. He performed many miracles and healings which made him to be well-sought and respected by so many people, and which led him to be elected by the people who acclaimed him to be their bishop, in the area of Sebastea in Asia Minor. St. Blaise continued to care for the needs of the people under his care, and devoted his time and effort for their sake.

During that time, the Church and its Christian faithful had been under constant threats of persecutions and hardships, and despite the Edict of Milan which had been declared by the then Roman Emperors Constantine the Great and Licinius, very soon, in the Eastern parts of the Roman Empire ruled by the Emperor Licinius, the suspicion of that Emperor against the plans and support that Constantine the Great tacitly gave to the Christians and to the Church led to renewed persecutions against the faithful in his dominion, including that of St. Blaise’s diocese and domain. The governor arrested St. Blaise and persecuted him, and amidst all that, in what would make him well-known for his intercession for those afflicted with throat maladies, a woman who had a boy choking to death because of fish bone in his throat placed that son at his feet as he was led to his torture place, and the boy was miraculously healed almost immediately. In the end, as St. Blaise continued to resist the efforts to turn him away from his faith, he was martyred, and yet, his examples, courage and faith continued to inspire many others throughout history.

Meanwhile, St. Ansgar was known well for his many efforts and missionary works among the Germans, whom at the time were still following their pagan ways. He devoted much of his time and efforts to proclaim the Word of God and the Good News of His salvation to those who still followed their pagan ways, as he was sent in his capacity of a missionary. He went to proclaim the truth of God amidst the challenges, hardships and trials which he had to endure throughout that journey and efforts, going back and forth between many places, caring for the needs of the countless souls who have been attracted to God thanks to his efforts and works. Eventually he was made a bishop, and he continued to devote himself to his work, and which made him known as the ‘Apostle to the Germans’ or the ‘Apostle of the North’, marking his commitment to his mission to those who have not yet known the Lord, which he continued to do till the end of his life.

Brothers and sisters in Christ, as we have listened through today’s Scripture readings of putting our trust and faith in the Lord, and also through the lives and works of St. Blaise and St. Ansgar, let us all therefore do our best so that in each and every moments of our lives, we may continue to live ever more worthily in God’s Presence, and to come ever closer to the Lord. Let us all therefore come to the Lord, asking Him to help and guide us, and strengthen and encourage us in our path, so that in everything that we say and do, we will continue to glorify God, and that like St. Blaise and St. Ansgar before us, we may be the shining examples of our faith, commitment and love for God, now and always. Amen.

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Friday, 2 February 2024 : Feast of the Presentation of the Lord, World Day for Consecrated Life (Homily and Scripture Reflections)

Liturgical Colour : White

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, on this day we celebrate the occasion of the Feast of the Presentation of the Lord, commemorating the moment when the Lord Jesus was presented at the Temple of Jerusalem, at the House of God according to the Law and customs of the people of God, forty days after He was born, which was also the moment when His mother Mary was welcomed back into the community, in a celebration of purification from sin and corruption, which all mothers who have just given birth had to undergo. Today is that fortieth day since the celebration of Christmas, and traditionally this is the definitive end of the Christmas season, where all Christmas celebrations and commemorations end, and we transition into the period of contemplation and preparation as we are about to enter into the Season of Lent soon, which itself is a preparation for the Holy Week and Easter season.

In our first reading today, we heard from the Book of the prophet Malachi, in which the Lord proclaimed His salvation which He would send into this world, and which would be preceded by the coming of the messenger whom He would send to precede the coming of His Saviour and the salvation He provided to all of us. The prophet Malachi himself was the last in the long line of prophets whom God had sent to the people of Israel, speaking and prophesying about what would come to happen. The prophet Malachi spoke of the coming salvation from God and reassured the people who had been waiting a long time for the coming of God’s Saviour. This would all be fulfilled and completed through the coming of St. John the Baptist, the one who preceded the Lord’s coming, preparing the path for Him to come into our midst, calling on all the people of God to repent and turn away from their sins.

That was exactly what the prophet Malachi had spoken about, as he spoke of the coming time of purification, and how everyone would be made worthy again, which was the baptism of repentance which St. John the Baptist had proclaimed, drawing thousands upon thousands to come back towards the Lord with hearts full of regret for their sins and wickedness, and hence opening the doors of their hearts and minds to the Lord, Who would come henceforth to lead everyone together back towards our loving Father and Creator, through everything that He would be doing as our Eternal High Priest and as the Lamb of God, offered and slain on the Altar of the Cross at Calvary, to be the perfect and worthy offering and sacrifice for our reconciliation with God.

In the second reading passage from the Epistle to the Hebrews, we then heard of the work which the Lord Jesus has come to perform in this world in our midst, as He entered into this world to become the One through Whom the New Covenant of God would be made anew and sealed, by none other than the most worthy and perfect offering of Himself, as the Lamb of God, our Paschal Lamb of Sacrifice. And as just mentioned earlier, He is also our one and true Eternal High Priest, as in that capacity, He offered on our behalf, the one worthy and perfect offering that is His own Precious Body and Blood, on the Altar of His Cross, broken and poured out for us, that by this offering, a New and Eternal Covenant may be made for us. Through this, all of us have received the assurance of God’s eternal love and grace, and we have been reconnected and reconciled with God.

In our Gospel passage today, we therefore heard of the account of the moment when the Lord Jesus as a newborn Child, was presented at the Temple of Jerusalem, at the House of God. This event, which is the main focus of our celebration and commemoration today, is a reminder of this role that Our Lord has in being our High Priest and as the One Whom the Lord had promised to us, and Whom therefore had been sent to us, appearing before us, as the perfect manifestation of His love and compassionate kindness, as He reached out to us, never giving up on us and desiring for us to be reconciled and reunited with Him. The Lord Jesus was consecrated and offered to God, His Heavenly Father from early in His life, that He may truly, in accordance with the Law, be a worthy High Priest to offer for us the sacrifice in atonement for our many sins.

Thus, we recall today with great joy the moment when the Lord was presented before all of us, as the One true High Priest and as the One Who would bring about our salvation and liberation to us. This day we are all reminded of the great joy which the old man of God Simeon and the prophetess Anna had when they saw the Saviour and the salvation of God being brought to them in the flesh, appearing before their very own eyes. They had been promised the opportunity to witness the salvation of God before they passed on from this world, and they had indeed seen the Light of God’s salvation, His hope and His love for all of us. That is why, this celebration today is also often known as the Candlemas, where candles are blessed and lighted, representing the Light of Christ, being brought into our midst, renewing our hopes and faith in God. This is also a reminder for us all that as the bearers of Christ’s Light, we should also show His Light to the world, to the people all around us.

Brothers and sisters in Christ, today in a special way we also pray for all those who have dedicated themselves in religious and consecrated life, committing themselves completely and wholeheartedly to God. On this day of World Day for Consecrated Life, we remember all those who have followed in the footsteps of the Lord, in consecrating themselves to a holy life committed to God, and in doing what God has commanded each one of them to do, in their various missions, in their various religious orders and institutions, organisations and groups. They had made a lot of sacrifice and efforts in glorifying God by their lives, in many different ways, and many of them have also helped and assisted us all in their own ways, all these while. Let us all pray that they may be strengthened, empowered and encouraged by God in all the things that they do. Let us also pray for more vocations to the consecrated life, of various kinds, that those who have been called may respond positively to their calling.

May the Lord continue to guide and bless us in our whole lives, in everything that we say and do, so that by our exemplary lives and actions, we will always continue to grow ever stronger in faith, and continue to love Him at all times, remembering always how He has loved us so much, that He gave us all the perfect gift in His Son, Our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, through Whom all of us have received the asssurance of eternal life and true happiness and joy with God. May God bless our every good efforts and endeavours, now and always. Amen.

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Thursday, 1 February 2024 : 4th Week of Ordinary Time (Homily and Scripture Reflections)

Liturgical Colour : Green

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, we are all reminded that the Lord has entrusted to us many things and responsibilities which He has passed down unto us, giving us the means and the opportunities for all of us to do what He has called us to do, in doing our responsibilities and works for His greater glory. Each and every one of us have been entrusted with various missions in our respective lives, which God has given to us through His Church. Now, the choice is ours to make whether we want to follow His path and whether we want to commit ourselves to the missions and works which He has given to us. All of us have been called to embrace this calling and path, and be truly worthy and faithful in all of our actions and ways as Christians, as God’s beloved people.

In our first reading today, we heard from the Book of Kings in which the moment when King David of Israel was about to die, and we heard how he passed over the kingship to his son, Solomon, who would become the King of Israel after him. King David reminded Solomon of what he should be doing as the king and ruler over the whole people of God, in doing what God has commanded him to do and in the responsibilities that he would be having as king. David reminded Solomon that he should always firmly hold onto the Law and commandments which God had entrusted to His people, and if he did so, then the Lord would continue to bless him and his descendants, and keep their reigns secure and strong as how it has been during the days of David’s reign.

Solomon took over from David as King of Israel and as we all should be familiar with, he was a truly mighty and wise king, whose reign was blessed by God in all things, and he was abundant in wealth and glory, and all of his works and designs were successful. Early in his reign, Solomon was faithful and obedient in following God’s commands and laws, and in doing what he has been entrusted to do. But, as the years gone by, and he grew ever more in wealth and power, gradually, he began to be swayed and tempted by power and corruptions, and he began to listen to his many wives and concubines instead of obeying God’s words, Law and commandments. That was how eventually Solomon fell into disobedience and sin against God, as he allowed pagan and idol worship to happen throughout the kingdom.

All of those things happened because Solomon became enamoured and misguided by all the power, glory and wealth which he had gained and accumulated, and he ended up falling deeper and deeper into the trap of the worldly desires and temptations, which led him and many others from the path of God’s righteousness and grace. And as a result, eventually after Solomon passed away, the kingdom of Israel was torn apart into two, the northern kingdom of Israel and the southern kingdom of Judah, which reminds us all that what God had told Solomon through David, were not just merely instructions, but they are reminders that God is always true to His words, and He also expects each and every one of us to do what we are supposed to do as His followers and people, or otherwise, we will have to suffer the consequences of our disobedience and sins, just as King Solomon and the Israelites had experienced.

In our Gospel passage today, we then heard of the moment when the Lord Jesus sent out the Twelve disciples ahead of Him, for them to carry out their missions and works, in caring for the need of the people of God. They were told not to bring anything extra with them beyond just the minimum of what was necessary, except for a staff and the clothes that were on their bodies, with no food or money or bag on themselves. What this means is that, the disciples were told to trust in the Lord and in His providence, guiding them through the goodwill of all those to whom the disciples were sent to. There were bound to be those who would refuse to welcome them and rejected them, but there were also bound to be those who would accept them and embrace the truth and Good News which they brought with them.

Then, at the same time, the Lord wanted them all not to depend on their own strength and the worldly means to settle their troubles and issues. If the disciples had brought their money and possessions with them, then upon their success and moments of glory, they might instead put their trust in their own power, attributing their success to their own might, intellect and abilities. Like that of King Solomon mentioned in our first reading today, when one began to allow the temptations of worldly possessions, desires and attachments to overcome them, then, in the end, we will likely end up following the wrong path in life, and falling into the temptations to sin. This is why each and every one of us should also remind ourselves, that in all that we do, we must not allow worldly matters and means to mislead and corrupt us.

Brothers and sisters in Christ, therefore as Christians, as those whom God had called and chosen to be His own beloved sons and daughters, we are all called to put our faith and trust in the Lord, and while carrying out what He has entrusted to us to do, like how He sent out His disciples, we should not depend on our own strength and might alone, but we must always have faith in the Lord, in all the things that we say and do, so that by our commitment and great efforts, works and actions, we will always glorify the Lord in all things, and remain firmly focused on Him. We should not allow ourselves to be so easily turned into the path of greed and desire, of ambition and vainglory. We have to resist these temptations that we will not end up being dragged down ever further into damnation and destruction.

May the Lord our most loving God and Father continue to help and guide us in our journey, so that in all the things that we do in this life, we will always strive to keep our faith in Him. May He empower each and every one of us and give us all the courage so that by our every commitment, works and deeds, by all of our whole lives and in each and every moments of our existence, we will continue to proclaim the truth and Good News of God, and remain truly in His grace and love, and continue to be faithful to Him, despite the many challenges and temptations present all around us. May God bless our every good efforts and endeavours, now and always. Amen.

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Wednesday, 31 January 2024 : 4th Week of Ordinary Time, Memorial of St. John Bosco, Priest (Homily and Scripture Reflections)

Liturgical Colour : White

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, today in our Scripture passages which we have heard, we are all reminded of the need for us to restrain our human desires, pride, ego and greed, all the ambitions and worldly glory that we seek, which may lead us down the path towards ruin and destruction. We must always be mindful that if we allow our worldly and human ambitions to lead us in our lives and actions, then we may end up falling into sin, and end up losing our focus and emphasis on God, as we may end up falling into the trap of our pride and ego, and be swallowed up by the desire to satisfy our own wants and greed for pleasures and attachments for worldly things. We may end up rejecting God’s generous offer of love and kindness, and instead preferring the illusory pleasures of this world around us.

In our first reading today, taken from the Book of the prophet Samuel, we heard about the moment when David, the famous and great King of Israel sinned once again against the Lord, when he decided to launch a great census of the whole entirety of his kingdom, counting all the number of the people, especially the ones who are able to bear weapons and fight, and as we heard in that passage, a truly large number of people were counted by Joab, David’s commander and right-hand man, and this was David’s folly in putting his trust more in his worldly power, glory and greatness. While it may not intrinsically be wrong for a census to be carried out, which is often done by many states and countries periodically to allow for better assessment of its resources and taxes, but in this context of David carrying it out, it was a show of pride and arrogance that because God has blessed him with so much that David became temporarily swayed by all that power and worldly glory.

But in that same passage we also heard how David quickly realised his folly and mistake, and begged the Lord for forgiveness, humbling himself before Him. God was indeed ever generous and forgiving, and He forgave David from his sins. But there were still consequences that David had to bear for his mistakes, as a consequence to his poor choice of actions. We heard how David sought for him to be struck by the hands of God rather than by human hands, and that was how pestilence spread throughout the land, and the Angel of God almost destroyed Jerusalem until God withheld His punishment and judgment, sparing Jerusalem and all of its inhabitants. Through what we have heard, we are reminded that after all, no matter what kind of worldly glory and power we have, God still reigns and have dominion over all things.

This means that we should not allow ourselves to be easily swayed by the many desires and ambitions, all the temptations of pleasures and the various other corruptions present all around us. We should always be vigilant that we do not let all those things from misleading us down the path towards ruin, just as David had done. David had mostly been faithful to the Lord, and save for this occasion and the other one when he planned the death of Uriah in order to gain Bathsheba, Uriah’s wife to be his own wife, he has mostly been faithful and committed to the Lord. Yet, as the evidences showed that even this man of faith and obedience to God could still fall into the same temptations and commit grievous sins against God, and hence, we too may encounter the same problem as well.

In our Gospel passage today, we heard of the time when the Lord Jesus was teaching in the synagogue, which was likely in the region of Galilee near where Jesus hailed from, the small town of Nazareth. That was why we heard how the people recognised Him and then became judgmental of Him because they deemed that His supposed parents and family were humble and did not have good status in the community, as His father St. Joseph was just a carpenter, and His family members were living in the region. To the people at that time, which is something that is still true to this day, one’s background and pedigree are often taken into account and determine whether one is respected, honoured or despised and rejected. Hence, in this case, those people doubted the Lord simply because they all thought that His background was rather too humble and insignificant.

The Lord also lamented this fact, and told the people how the prophets and messengers of God from earlier times also faced similar problems, all ultimately because those people to whom they had been sent to, were easily judgmental and biased, and refused to believe in the truth of God. They often chose to dwell in their own prejudices and judgmental attitudes to others, instead of allowing themselves to listen to reason. This was why they ridiculed the messengers of God, the prophets and ultimately the Lord Himself, because they likely thought that they knew it all better, and that they could not have been wrong in their paths and ways. Unfortunately, this hardened and closed their hearts and minds from God’s grace and love. This is not something that we all should be doing in our own lives.

Today, the Church also celebrates the Feast of St. John Bosco, a well-renowned saint whose life and dedication to God had been a great inspiration for many people throughout the Church, and many were touched by God through this great man’s life, works and dedications to the missions entrusted to him. St. John Bosco was renowned for his efforts in reaching out to the less privileged, especially to the juveniles and youths who had been neglected and ignored by the community, all those who had suffered from problems and various challenges in life. He himself faced a lot of hardships and struggles in his youth, having been born amidst times of famines and poverty among the people, and his own family had to endure many losses, including that of his own father early on when he was barely just two years old.

Yet, all those hard life experiences did not make St. John Bosco bitter and angry at his conditions. In fact, that might very well had laid out the foundations for his passion in reaching out to the less fortunate people around him later on, especially those neglected and delinquent youths he dedicated his life to minister and care for. St. John Bosco also experienced personally the bad attitudes the people of his age and older when he was still young and in school, and all these experiences would shape his way of thinking and also encourage him to reach out to those youths to prevent them from falling into the path of vices and wickedness of the world. Eventually, he was called to follow the Lord and become a priest, and was eventually ordained as one after many years of struggles and hardships.

And as a priest, St. John Bosco devoted himself quickly to the poor and marginalised, those who were experiencing things that he and his family had experienced themselves. He reached out to the less fortunate and the suffering ones in his community and parish, and eventually established the Oratorio of St. John Bosco, which was a charitable institution designed to care for the needy and delinquent children so that their needs may be taken care of and that they might be properly mentored and guided to prevent them from falling down the wrong path in life. St. John Bosco dedicated a lot of time and efforts to care for all those people, and helped them to remain in the right path throughout their lives.

Brothers and sisters in Christ, today we are all reminded by what we heard in the Scriptures and the life and examples of St. John Bosco that we should indeed be inspired by the good examples of our holy predecessors, who have dedicated and committed their lives in service to the Lord. Let us all hence do our best to live our lives worthily in the Lord’s Presence, and do what we can so that by all of our actions and every moments in life, we will always glorify the Lord by all of those worthy and good actions. May the Lord be with us always, and may He empower us all to walk in His grace and love, now and always. Amen.

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Tuesday, 30 January 2024 : 4th Week of Ordinary Time (Homily and Scripture Reflections)

Liturgical Colour : Green

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, today as we all heard from the readings of the Sacred Scriptures, we are all reminded of the great love which the Lord, our loving God has for each one of us, and how He wants us all to be healed from our afflictions and hardships, the challenges and trials, all the obstacles which may come in between us and Him. All of us are reminded that God has always been kind and loving towards us, regardless of the wickedness, evils and rebelliousness of our lives and actions, which have kept many of us away from the path of the Lord, for all these time. However, too many of us are too proud and besotted by sin and evil, that we fail to realise this love and compassionate mercy which God has for all of us.

In our first reading today, we heard from the Book of the prophet Samuel of the continuation of the story of the reign of King David, which we have heard in yesterday’s passage on the rebellion of Absalom, one of David’s own sons, whose ambitions and pride led him to rebel against his own father, and attempted to seize the kingdom for himself in an attempted coup. Today’s passage told us all that this attempted coup was ultimately a failure because God was with David, while Absalom depended solely on his might and the means of the world to sustain himself. Absalom was proud and ambitious, and he sought to gain power for himself, by winning over the people and the members of the elite, and his confidence led him to his downfall and undoing.

At the Battle of Ephraim’s Wood, which was mentioned in today’s first reading passage, Absalom’s forces was routed and defeated by those who were loyal to David. Absalom himself was caught up amidst the trees while he was fleeing, and Joab, David’s army commander killed Absalom there where the latter had been trapped. Then, we heard how when the news of Absalom’s death was relayed to David, the King was beset with a great grief, and proclaimed great sorrow and mourning for Absalom. Absalom might have indeed betrayed his father, and committed a great treason and sin, but ultimately, to David, Absalom was still his son, someone whom he loved and cared for. It would not be too far to think that had Absalom survived, Absalom might have been forgiven by David.

Brothers and sisters in Christ, what is significant about this turn of events is that, it actually shows us all the same kind of love and interaction which God has shown to us, His beloved ones, the ones whom He has cared for as His own beloved people and children. God has always been loving and kind towards us, and He has always desired to show His mercy and forgiveness towards us. We may have committed a lot of wicked deeds and evils in our lives, but we are still beloved by God, and while He indeed despises our sins and wickedness, but this does not change the fact that He loves each and every one of us. This was just like how David loved Absalom despite what the latter had done to him. This reminds us all of God’s love and mercy, and how we should respond to Him.

In our Gospel passage today, we heard of two of the Lord’s famous miracles, which happened as He went to help a synagogue official whose daughter was very sick. At that time, the Lord was on His way to Jairus’ house, the synagogue official who knew Him and asked Him to heal his daughter, and as we heard, the crowd were all around Him, and it was then and there that a woman suffering from haemorrhage problem sought the Lord and got healed by her faith in Him. The woman had suffered from the condition for a rather long time, and according to the Law of God and the customs of the Jewish people, that condition would have made her to be unclean and unworthy, and hence ostracised from the community.

This explained why the woman tried to approach the Lord discreetly, and at that time, for a person to touch her, it would have made the person unclean as well. That was why the woman sought the Lord quietly, and her great faith in Him made her to believe in Him, in how just by touching the fringe of His cloak, she believed that it would make her better. She trusted in the Lord and put her faith in Him, believing in the love and kindness which God has for each and every one of us. Thus, we heard how she was healed by her faith, and the Lord also made her faith as a great example for others, and pointing out her unrelenting faith before all, that she was willing to brave through the crowd to be healed by Him.

In the same manner therefore, Jairus’ faith in the Lord and his trust in the Lord’s most amazing and enduring love allowed her daughter to return back to life, by the power and will of God, Who raised her back from the realm of the dead. That was also God’s way of telling us all that, we are all beloved and dear to Him, and He would not want for any one of us to be lost to Him, and He wants us all to be reconciled and reunited to Him, finding our way back to Him. Each and every one of us ought to heed these examples of great faith and trust in God, and be reminded of God’s great love which He has constantly showed us, as our most loving God and Father, Our Lord, Creator and Master. Have we shown Him some appreciation and thanksgiving for everything that He had done for us?

Brothers and sisters in Christ, let us all therefore spend some time to reflect upon our lives and see in what way that we can be better disciples and followers of the Lord, so that in all things we will grow ever stronger in faith, and that we will continue to be empowered, strengthened and encouraged to walk in the path of righteousness and virtue, in turning away from our sins, the wickedness and temptations of the world, which are easily found all around us. We must always be vigilant and careful lest those temptations and pressures bring us to our downfall and destruction. Let us all put our faith and trust always in the Lord from now on, and let us all continue to do His will and works at all times.

May God be with us all, and may He guide and empower us all in all the things we say and do, in our every good efforts and works, in all of our endeavours for the greater glory of God. May God bless us always, now and forevermore. Amen.