Reflections

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Sunday, 29 October 2023 : Thirtieth Sunday of Ordinary Time (Homily and Scripture Reflections)

Liturgical Colour : Green

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, this Sunday as we listened to the words of the Scriptures, each and every one of us are reminded of our first and most important obligation as Christians, as God’s people, that all of us must always be filled with love, both for our Lord and God, as well as for our fellow brothers and sisters, our fellow mankind. Love is always at the centrepiece of our Christian faith and devotion to God, and it is the central theme upon which our whole faith and existence revolve around. Without love, our faith in God is empty and meaningless, and not only that, but without love we would not have existed in the first place, as it was first of all by God’s love that each and every one of us were created and saved. Love is and has always been the cornerstone of our faith in God, and is the most fundamental and core tenet of our Christian beliefs.

In our first reading passage this Sunday, taken from the Book of Exodus, we heard about the words of the Lord to His people through Moses, in which He presented to them everything that He expected of all of them to do in their lives, so that, in all of their ways, actions and in everything they say and do, they would always be exemplary, faithful and committed to God, in obeying His Law and commandments just as He has shown and commanded each and every one of us to do. The Lord wants each and every one of His disciples, followers and people to be truly filled with love, first of all the love for Him, and then at the same time, He also wants each one of them to love one another, for us all to be loving towards our fellow brothers and sisters all around us. Unless we are filled with this love for God and for our fellow brethren, we cannot truly live our lives wholeheartedly and properly as Christians.

That is why He showed us all His love through His Law and commandments, by revealing to His people, to all of us, this path of true love as He has passed down first of all through Moses to the people of Israel, and which He would later on explain and expand upon through His prophets and messengers, and most important of all, through His own beloved Son, Our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, Who have brought the full revelation of God’s love in the flesh, manifested and made tangible for us, and also taught and explained to us the full meaning and purpose of the Law which God has given us. God showed us all His love first of all, so that we too may also love Him with all of our heart, dedication and might, and then we may also practice and experience the same love in our interactions with our fellow brothers and sisters all around us.

Then, in our Gospel passage today, we heard of the confrontation between the Lord Jesus and the Pharisees, who tried to test and trap the Lord with their questions. The Pharisees in particular were a group of the Jewish people who were very particular and concerned regarding the Law of God, which had been passed down through Moses and many generations of the people of God, from time to time and from mouth to mouth, in oral and written traditions down the many centuries since the time of the Exodus. This Law of God had gone through many changes, additions and transformations, as the teachers and preservers of the Law and commandments, traditions and customs of the people of God had made amendments and modifications to them according to the prevailing conditions and situations of the time. This resulted in the Law of God and its many stipulations and tenets, as listed in the Torah or the original Scriptures, listed in the Books of Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers and Deuteronomy to be twisted and changed out of context from their original purpose.

And it is worth mentioning today that the Pharisees were those who were particularly concerned about the details, rituals and practices of the Law, as one of the most influential groups and leaders among the Jewish community. The Pharisees had a very strict and rigid interpretation of the Law of God, as they enforced upon the people a very detailed, ritualistic and particular way of observing the Law, from how they ought to live their lives in the community, the practice of ritual washing and purification, and the enforcement of the Law of the Sabbath and the ban on any works and actions on that day, among many other things. Unfortunately, this led to them opposing the Lord and His disciples, persecuting and oppressing them throughout His earthly ministry, dogging them and disturbing them throughout including the occasion highlighted today in the Gospel passage, when they tried to question and trap the Lord with the question regarding the Law.

What was their intention? They thought and claimed to know the Law better than anyone else, and that they and their interpretation of the Law alone was correct and acceptable, worthy and good for the Lord and His people. Hence, perhaps out of the desire to test the Lord, and to see if the Lord was truly One Who knows about the Law, they asked Him regarding the Law, of which one among the many hundreds of the commandments, laws, tenets and practices, which traditionally numbers six hundred and thirteen if not more, is the most important one among all of them. This exposed the flaw and mistakes in the way that the Pharisees had lived their lives and faith, as they focused so much and was so obsessed with the details and the minute things in the Law, that they ended up doing the practices, commandments and other tenets of the Law without truly understanding the purpose and intention of why the Law was given to us in the first place.

It means that they have lived their lives and faith, practicing very strictly the commandments of God, the Law and the rituals, emphasising on the details of the Law, and doing them to the letter, but not appreciating and understanding the spirit of the Law, the intention of why the Lord had given the Law to us, which is in fact is to teach us all about love, and how love is very crucial for us to be able to understand, appreciate and apply the Law fruitfully in our lives. First of all, the Law was meant to help all of God’s people, all of us to put the Lord at the centre and as the focus of our lives, as we are reminded to love the Lord with all of our heart, with all of our might and strength, just as the Lord Himself has loved us all so dedicatedly and wonderfully. Then, as the Lord Jesus Himself highlighted, the same kind of love ought to be shown to others all around us, our own fellow brothers and sisters, be it those whom we know and love, and those whom we encounter, acquaintances, strangers, and even those who despised and hated us.

This is why all of us as Christians, we are all called to be truly faithful to God in all things, and we have to be full of His love, kindness and compassion, in loving Him as well as our fellow brethren all around us, at all circumstances and opportunities. The Lord has taught and shown us by His own examples and experiences, which Our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ, had done in His ministry and works in our midst. We should not be like many among the Pharisees who merely were going through the motion and focusing so much on the details, rituals and particulars of the Law, that they forgot to love, to practice what the Lord Himself wanted them to do in their own lives. Instead, they had used the Law to lord over their fellow brethren, in being condenscending and superior-minded, in thinking that they were better than others simply because they obeyed the Law in the manner that they did.

Brothers and sisters in Christ, let us all in our daily living, in our every words, actions and interactions be truly faithful and obedient to God, and be filled with love for Him, at all times. Let our lives as Christians be enriching in love and faith, and let us all be great examples, role models and inspirations for one another, so that our lives may truly bring the richness of God’s grace and love to all of mankind, all over the whole world, in whichever parts and places that we all encounter each other. Let us all bring God’s love, truth and Good News to more and more people throughout the world, and enlighten them in this world darkened by sin and evil, wickedness and disobedience, with our love and kindness, our compassion and exemplary attitudes, in following and doing what God Himself has shown and taught us through His Son and His Church. Let us truly embody our Christian faith and obey God’s Law and commandments in doing so, not just in the letter but also in the spirit. May God be with us all, and may He continue to empower and strengthen each one of us, so that we may remain always ever faithful to Him, now and always, forevermore. Amen.

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Friday, 27 October 2023 : 29th 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, we are all reminded by them to be ever vigilant and careful lest we may be swayed, tempted and misguided by the various temptations to sin and to disobey the Lord, because of the weaknesses and the vulnerabilities of our human physical selves and the weakness of our existence in the flesh, ever susceptible to corruption by sin and the wickedness of this world all around us. We must always remind ourselves that the wage and consequence of sin is death and destruction for us, while the reward for faith and obedience to God is eternal life and true joy with Him. The Lord has shown us all the path of righteousness and virtue worthy of Him, and laid before us what we all should do in obeying Him and His commandments. Ultimately, it is our choice to make, for us to choose either God’s path or the path of sin.

In our first reading today, we heard from the continuation of this past two weeks or so discourse from the Epistle of St. Paul to the Romans, in which the Apostle spoke to the faithful in Rome about how the nature of their human flesh and existence may bring about conflict and interference with their obligation in serving the Lord and following Him. St. Paul mentioned how he himself was also constantly tempted and persuaded by the desires of the flesh and the body, which was contradictory to the path of the Lord. He mentioned that while his inmost self and overall his whole being agreed with the Lord and obeyed Him, yet, there was indeed that part of him which kept on trying to drag him out of the path of righteousness and obedience to God, which is caused by the temptations and the weakness of our human flesh and existence.

Brothers and sisters in Christ, this is a reference to the fact of how we are still susceptible to sin and evil, even after the Lord Himself has come to us, in saving us through His ultimate sacrifice on the Cross. He has indeed redeemed and liberated us from the tyranny and dominion of sin, which had ruled and reigned over us ever since the beginning of time, when our ancestors first fell into temptations, disobeyed God and sinned against Him. The Lord had liberated us all from the tyranny and dominion of this original sin of ours, but our human nature and existence remained bound to the world and as long as there is still evil in this world, the temptations to sin and all, we will still be vulnerable and susceptible to sin, and all of its corrupting influences.

In our Gospel passage today, we then heard of the Lord Jesus speaking to His disciples and to the people regarding the matter of signs of nature and how He used that example and comparison to highlight how all of us must always be ever vigilant in keeping mind that at any time, any one of us can be called to be accountable for our lives, our every actions, works and deeds. When will this happen, brothers and sisters in Christ? It is at the end of our worldly existence, our earthly lives, which we absolutely have no idea of when this will exactly happen. This is something that we all must be mindful of, that there is nothing more certain than the certainty of death, that each and every one of us will certainly and definitely die one day, at the time of God’s own choosing. On the contrary, there is nothing more uncertain than the time of our passing from this world.

That is why we must always be prepared for any eventualities and we cannot assume that we still have the time and opportunities to fix whatever is wrong and improper in our lives. The Lord has given us ample time and opportunities to do what He has called, taught and shown us all to do, and we should always strive to do what is right and just in God’s eyes such that we can be truly exemplary in our faith and way of life, in inspiring our fellow brothers and sisters to do the same in their own lives as well. We should always do our best such that our every words, actions and deeds may always truly show our faith, our obedience and commitment to God. It means that we cannot be idle in living our lives as Christians, and we should not be ignorant in not realising what we are all supposed to do each day in our lives.

The Lord pointed out in our Gospel passage today, that we can discern things happening in our world or predict what will happen by observing our environment and all the signs that we can see and feel from the nature. Therefore, if we can do that, in the same way, we should have been capable in discerning how our lives are like as compared to what we are expected to do as Christians, that is as God’s followers and disciples. We all should have heeded God’s call and understood the urgency with which the Lord has always called and reminded us, that we may all live our lives with faith and virtues at all times. We should not allow ourselves to be easily swayed and misguided by sin and all of its allures, its falsehoods and wickedness.

We must also be ever vigilant lest we fall into the temptations and the coercions leading us into the path of sin. Often times, throughout our lives, there will likely be a lot of occasions when we will have to choose between obeying God and His Law, and to follow the path of worldly desires and ambitions, the path of conforming to the norms and habits of this world, which are often against the Lord and His truth. There will be a lot of times when our faith will likely be tested and we will be tempted to do what is against God and His path, but which is more convenient and comfortable for us. The choice is ours whether we want to conform to that easier path, or whether we want to stay faithful and committed to the Lord, although the latter path might be more difficult and challenging for us.

What is important is for each and every one of us to keep in mind and to remember at all times that the Lord has always given us the chance and the help, the guidance and encouragement that we may truly be courageous and strong in our journey of faith. Let us all now therefore be receptive and willing to embrace God and His truth, His love and guidance, so that in each and every moments of our lives, we may always strive to be righteous, just and worthy of Him, and resist all the temptations and the false paths of sin, evil and wickedness of this world, and instead continue to dedicate ourselves wholly to God at all times. May the Lord be with us always and may He empower each and every one of us, in our every moments in life, now and forevermore. Amen.

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Thursday, 26 October 2023 : 29th Week of Ordinary Time (Homily and Scripture Reflections)

Liturgical Colour : Green

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, through the Scripture readings we have heard today, we are all reminded that each and every one of us have been called to follow the Lord in our everyday living and at every moments. All of us as Christians must always be filled with the desire and passion to serve the Lord our God in all circumstances and we must always have the strong commitment to follow the Lord in all things, and live our lives ever more faithfully and courageously in accordance with what God Himself has shown and taught us all. We must not be complacent or be ignorant of our calling to be truly righteous, good, just and worthy of the Lord in all of our actions, words, deeds and way of life at all times. That is because we will likely often face situations and moments when we will have to stand up for our faith, make a firm commitment and choice for the Lord or against the Lord.

In our first reading today, we heard the continuation from the Epistle of St. Paul to the Romans in which the Apostle highlighted of the contrast and differences between the path of sin, evil and wickedness, with the path of righteousness, justice and virtue, in which the first one is the path that is against God, in rebellion against Him, and therefore leads to death and destruction, eternal damnation and suffering. On the other hand, the other path is the path of obedience to God, of following whatever He has led us into, and in doing all that He has commanded us to do. This latter path leads us into the assurance of eternal life, true joy and glory, which God promised to all of His faithful and beloved people. We have once been subjected to the power of sin and evil, and we have been dominated by them in the past, but through Christ, all of us have been shown and delivered to freedom from the dominion of sin.

Yes, brothers and sisters in Christ, as St. Paul himself had elaborated to the faithful people of God in Rome, all of us who have been called and brought out of the darkness of sin, through the power of Christ, our Lord and Saviour, each and every one of us should no longer do things that are contrary to God’s will, Law and commandments. As Christians, God’s chosen and beloved people, all of us should always strive to do what is right and worthy of God, keeping ourselves pure and blameless, resisting the temptations and the pressures for us to conform to the corrupted ways of sin and disobedience against God, the worldliness and all the attachments to worldly pleasures, glory, achievements and ambitions that can lead us astray from the path that we have been shown towards the Lord, our God. The path of the Lord is different and distinct from the path of sin.

Then, in our Gospel passage today, we heard the Lord pointing out to His disciples and followers, how His coming into this world would not usher an era of peace, harmony and glory for the people, but instead, it would lead to division and disagreements, disunity and resistance, as there would be those who refused to believe in God and His truth, and those would likely oppose the ones who have embraced the Lord and His truth as revealed through Our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ. At that time, the Jewish people, the people of God had been awaiting for the coming of the Messiah, the One Whom God had promised to His people, that He would come to them, bringing about God’s salvation and liberation from their troubles. However, many of the people thought that the Messiah would come and liberate them all from their Roman and other foreign oppressors, restored an era of peace and glory for Israel, and reestablished David and Solomon’s glorious kingdom.

This was where the Lord Jesus revealed to all of His disciples that the truth about His mission and coming into this world was not that which the people had expected or assumed to be. Instead of bringing about immediately an era of glory and peace to the people of God, the reality is that, such fulfilment of what God promised to His people, to all of us, will come in the future, at the time of His own determination. And His first coming into this world was meant to proclaim God’s truth, Good News and salvation to everyone. Essentially, He was gathering all of His beloved people, His flock back towards Himself. Yet, not all of them would listen to Him, as some of those to whom the Lord had revealed Himself rejected Him and chose to trust in their own path and beliefs, refusing to believe in Him, even though He has shown them all His wisdom and power, His assurance and truths. Why is that so? That is because they allowed themselves to be swayed by worldly temptations and sins, and hence, fell into the wrong paths.

The conflict and disagreements, divisions and hardships that came about because of the disagreements and incompatibilities between those who sided with the Lord and those who refused to believe in Him inevitably happened. That was also exactly why throughout the history of the Church and our Christian faith, many of our predecessors have faced multiple challenges, trials and difficulties because they remained firmly faithful to the Lord, and chose to follow the Lord and trust in Him rather than to obey and conform to the worldly norms and paths. Some chose to abandon God’s path and conform to the path of worldliness and sin to save themselves, but many remained true to their faith in God, and faced persecution, oppression and opposition from even within their own families and friends. Not few among the saints experienced these trials and challenges.

Now, brothers and sisters in Christ, for all of us, what truly matters is that we need to be prepared to stand up for our faith, and to be true to our calling and mission as Christians. Each and every one of us should always remind ourselves and one another that we are all as members of God’s Church, as parts of His one united Body, we must always stand together, and be filled with the fullness of God’s grace, love and truth. We should always strive to be exemplary and inspirational in how we live our lives, in our every words, actions and deeds, so that even in the smallest of things, in the seemingly least significant of our works, actions and all that we do, and our every interactions with each other, we may always strive to glorify God, and be genuine and faithful Christians.

May the Lord our God continue to strengthen and empower us all, so that in our every day moments, and in our every efforts, good works and commitments, we may always be strong and courageous in living our lives according to the path that God has shown us. Let us all help and support one another so that despite the many trials and challenges that we may have to face amidst our commitment and obedience to God, we will always remain firm and strong in our faith and trust in the Lord. May the Lord bless our efforts and works, and may He continue to journey with each one of us, in our journey of faith, that we may be truly worthy shining beacons of His Good News and truth, leading countless more towards Him. Amen.

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Tuesday, 24 October 2023 : 29th Week of Ordinary Time, Memorial of St. Anthony Mary Claret, Bishop (Homily and Scripture Reflections)

Liturgical Colour : Green or White (Bishops)

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, today we listened to the words of the Scriptures in which we are reminded of the need for all of us as Christians to continue to be vigilant and be prepared throughout our lives so that we may indeed be filled with faith, grace and righteousness in our every actions, words and deeds, throughout every moments in our lives. We must always be ready to follow God’s path, and do our every works and actions in proclaiming His truth and Good News, by showing them through our sincere commitment to His cause, at every moments. We should not be ignorant of our need and obligations to do God’s will in all things, and to be good role models, examples and inspirations for one another, so that we may strengthen one another in faith.

In our first reading today, in the continuation from the Epistle of St. Paul to the Romans, we heard of the reminders that all of us have been saved through the works and the perfect obedience shown by one Jesus Christ, Our Lord and Saviour, the One Whom God had sent into our midst to bring us all to salvation and redemption through Him. St. Paul also mentioned how one man, that is Adam, and his disobedience against God had led to the downfall and damnation of mankind, to all the sufferings and challenges that we face in this world, and how this is opposed and compared to the righteousness and obedience of the Lord Jesus, Who obeyed His heavenly Father so perfectly, that by His obedience He might show all of us how we should live our lives faithfully in each and every moments of our lives.

In our Gospel reading today, the Lord presented it plainly before His disciples and followers, that all of us must always be prepared and ready to follow Him, in all of our ways, and we must always be prepared, as at any moment, the Lord can indeed ask us to account for our actions and works, our activities and our failures to do what we are expected to do throughout our lives. The Lord has clearly reminded all of us to keep ourselves and our lives pure and worthy so that we do not end up being caught unprepared and unworthy of God, and therefore may be bound for eternal damnation and Hell. We should always be active in living up to our Christian faith, committing ourselves to proclaim the Lord, our God, through our every actions, words and deeds, our interactions and works, as our holy predecessors, the holy saints of God, had done.

Today, the Church celebrates the Feast of St. Anthony Mary Claret, the founder of the religious order of the Claretians also known as the Congregation of Missionary Sons of the Immaculate Heart of Mary, named after its founder. St. Anthony Mary Claret was an archbishop and renowned missionary, who lived approximately two centuries ago, laboured and worked as God’s servant in various places especially Spain and in the colonies of the Spanish Empire, such as in Canary Islands, and also in other areas. He was a great missionary with zeal and love for God, felt and embraced the call to the priestly life, and thereafter went on missions to evangelise and to spread the Good News of God to more and more people. He faced a lot of challenges along his mission and journey, but he always did his best to proclaim the Lord faithfully and courageously.

St. Anthony Mary Claret spent a lot of time in preaching among the people, which became very popular, and many people came to listen to his preachings. He also spent a lot of time in the confessionals, helping many people to come closer to the Lord, by reconciliation and healing, and by listening to their troubles and problems. Many were touched by the courageous and clear sermons from this holy man of God, and by his dedication as a shepherd of the Lord’s flock. He established the Claretians soon after he returned from his missionary works in the Canary Islands, and then later on was quickly appointed as Archbishop of Santiago de Cuba, in which he continued his mission as shepherd and missionary in the territory of Spanish Cuba, reforming the diocesan seminary, establishing schools and hospitals, and founding another religious order named Religious of Mary Immaculate.

St. Anthony Mary Claret continued to serve the people of God with amazing commitment and dedicating his great charism with most passion and commitment, and many came to be saved through his efforts. Miracles and wonders were attributed to him, as according to accounts and eyewitnesses, he levitated during prayers and celebrations of the Mass, and his prayers stopped even calamities like storms and earthquakes, and supernatural lights and phenomena would be seen as he celebrated Mass, facts which astounded many and attested to his great personal holiness and virtues, and he was also given gift of foresight and revelation, as the Lord revealed to him several challenges and trials that the world and the Church would be facing.

St. Anthony Mary Claret eventually became the personal confessor of the Queen of Spain, Isabella II. He continued to do his many works for the glory of God and for the good of his fellow men in his various capacities, continuing to commit himself wholeheartedly for the Lord’s mission and works. He continued to inspire many people in generations after his passing to this very day, and his religious orders continued to work and being inspired by their founder’s great examples. Therefore, each one of us should also be inspired to do God’s will and to follow Him wholeheartedly as St. Anthony Mary Claret and many other holy men and women of God had done. Each and every one of us as Christians should always strive to do what the Lord has taught and shown us all to do.

Brothers and sisters in Christ, let us all hence commit ourselves anew and let us be exemplary in our every actions and works throughout our lives. May God be with us all and may He empower and strengthen each and every one of us, so that we may continue to live our lives most worthily and be the shining beacons of His light and truth, bearing His Good News and love to all whom we encounter daily in life, just as St. Anthony Mary Claret had done in his life and ministry. May God bless our every good endeavours and efforts, now and always. Amen.

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Monday, 23 October 2023 : 29th Week of Ordinary Time, Memorial of St. John of Capestrano, Priest (Homily and Scripture Reflections)

Liturgical Colour : Green or White (Priests)

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, today as we listened to the words of the Scriptures, we are all reminded to put our faith and trust in the Lord, that we should always put our focus in life and centre our attention and efforts on the Lord and in glorifying Him instead of trusting in the various worldly means and methods for us to seek happiness and achievements in our lives. We must not allow ourselves to be easily swayed by those temptations and coercions of the world, all the things that may end up leading us down the wrong path in life, because they may end up preventing us from recognising God’s presence in our lives and turning us into people who are more concerned about attaining wealth and all sorts of worldly pleasures and ambitions rather than to live our lives in a righteous and worthy manner.

In our first reading today, we heard from the Epistle of St. Paul to the Romans in which St. Paul the Apostle spoke about the faith that Abraham had in the Lord. Abraham, who is the father of many nations and the faithful servant of God, with whom the Lord has established His Covenant, was found righteous, worthy and just because he trusted the Lord wholeheartedly and obeyed Him, His will and commands, despite perhaps having doubts or uncertainties at times in his heart and mind. Abraham allowed the Lord to lead him in all of his path and actions throughout life, and dedicated himself and his every moments to do what God has told him to do. He left behind his past life, his homeland and ancestral family in Ur of the Chaldeans, in what is now parts of Iraq, following the Lord Who called him to embark on a journey to the land He promised to him and his descendants.

Then, Abraham also obeyed the Lord when he was told to bring his beloved son, Isaac, whom the Lord had promised to him, and whom he finally received, to be offered as a sacrifice at Mount Moriah. But despite the prospect of losing this precious son to be slaughtered and offered to God, Abraham trusted in God wholly, and according to St. Paul in another occasion in one of his Epistles, Abraham had faith in God that even if he were to lose Isaac, in some way or some form God would restore Isaac to him, or fulfil His promise to him in another different way. This complete and total obedience to God is something that is truly rare amongst us mankind, and it is what made Abraham to stand out and why he is revered as the paragon of virtue and faith.

In what we have heard from our Gospel passage today, there is something similar in what the Lord Jesus had told to His disciples and followers, as He answered one of them who asked Him to be a judge and to convince his brother to share the family inheritance with him, and as He used a parable to highlight to them the futility and folly of one’s pursuit of worldly matter and inheritance, possessions and material wealth, as all those things will not avail us and will not remain with us in the end. None of our worldly goods, wealth and all the riches we have will be ours to possess or bring as we move on to the world that is to come. All those things are ultimately temporary and fleeting in nature, and no matter how rich or how many things we possess in this world, those things will be taken away from us at the end of our brief earthly sojourn, and as we enter the afterlife.

In that Gospel passage today, as we heard in the Lord’s parable, of how futile the rich man’s efforts and plans were, when he planned everything he could, to store for himself more and more of the worldly riches, when he already had so much, in his many granaries and storehouses, but only to lose all of them, because the Lord, the Master of all life and death, could call him back to Him, that very night, and all of his worldly plans, desires, ambitions and all of his attachments and designs, all of them would come to nothing in the end. This is an important reminder that if we allow ourselves to be swayed by worldly temptations and desires, we will likely end up being disappointed, and we may even end up falling into the path towards eternal damnation, because those things will likely tempt and keep us away from truly being able to follow the Lord and trust in Him. Abraham, on the other hand, was willing to even part with his precious treasure, his own beloved son, Isaac.

This is why all of us as Christians must always keep ourselves free from the temptations of worldly desires, ambitions, glory and the pleasures of life. All of us must always stay away from the things that can distract and mislead us down the wrong paths in life, and we must always remind ourselves to stay focused in the Lord at all times. We should always be inspired by the examples of our holy predecessors, like Abraham and the many other saints, holy men and women of God who have dedicated themselves thoroughly to the Lord, in obeying His Law, His will and commandments. Each and every one of us must also follow their examples and inspirations, their lives and works, so that we ourselves may also ever be faithful to God in all things.

Today, the Church celebrates the Feast of St. John of Capestrano, whose life and examples should inspire us all in how we can be better disciples and followers of the Lord in all things. St. John of Capestrano was a famous Franciscan friar and priest, and a courageous and dedicated preacher and servant of God who committed himself wholeheartedly to the Lord, in obeying the commandments and the Law of God. He was a renowned theologian whose works and efforts, in spreading the Good News and the truth of the Gospel of Christ have borne a lot of good fruits, in proclaiming the salvation of God to more and more of those who have not known them. He preached to huge crowds that came to listen to him, which numbered even more than a hundred thousand people in one occasion, and he also attained great successes in other places as well.

St. John of Capestrano also dedicated himself to the Lord, putting Him above all else, even volunteering to raise and lead a large army together to fight against the forces of the Ottoman Turks that were threatening Christendom at that time, fighting in a Crusade launched by the Pope to resist the mighty forces of the enemy and unbelievers. He kept on inspiring all the soldiers who fought during that Crusade and conflicts, and while he eventually survived the battle, he fell ill from the bubonic plague and passed away shortly after. Nonetheless, the memories of his courage, commitment to God and efforts in proclaiming the Lord, in giving himself completely to the Lord and His cause are remembered by many long after his death, even to this very day.

Brothers and sisters in Christ, let us all henceforth renew our commitment to the Lord, and strive to lead a life that is also truly holy and worthy of the Lord. Let us all commit ourselves to follow God in all things, and do whatever we can so that our lives may always be exemplary and inspirational to all others around us, and to all who interact and spend time with us. We should always be the source of inspiration and the bearers of God’s light and truth to others all around us, that we may help more and more people to come ever closer to the Lord and to His loving Presence. May God be with us always, and may He empower and strengthen each and every one of us, in our every day moments, and may He bless our every efforts and good works in glorifying His Name, now and always. Amen.

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Sunday, 22 October 2023 : Twenty-Ninth Sunday of Ordinary Time (Homily and Scripture Reflections)

Liturgical Colour : Green

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, this Sunday all of us are reminded of our obligation as Christians, to obey the Lord our God, His will, His Law and commandments. Each and every one of us as the disciples and followers of the Lord ought to live our lives righteously and virtuously as He has always shown and taught us how to do, and be good and dedicated men and women, who also obey the rules and laws of whichever countries and states that we belong to, or wherever we dwell in. We should always strive to live a good, worthy and exemplary lives that everyone all around us can be inspired by, whenever they witness our works, actions and deeds, and in how we interact with each other.

In our first reading today, we heard from the Book of the prophet Isaiah, in which God spoke through Isaiah to His people, revealing His intent in the many years and even centuries to come, as we heard of one King Cyrus the Great, whom we know today as the first of the Great King of Persia, which was then also known as the Achaemenid Empire. This was in fact a prophecy and premonition of what would come to happen, as the prophet Isaiah and his ministry among the people of Judah happened about two centuries before the time of King Cyrus of Persia. With regards to the Israelites, King Cyrus has a special role and part in their history because this King would liberate the people of Israel and their descendants, who were exiled to Assyria, Babylon and far-off regions, when he came to power over the land.

This mention and praise of Cyrus the Great was notable as usually most of the people who did not belong to the Israelites and their group, were often wicked and evil in their ways of life and in their lack of faith in God. However, King Cyrus the Great was widely seen and regarded as a great example and role model, and was also a paragon of virtue and righteousness, as per the many historical and Scriptural records and evidences. He was often lauded not just as a great and mighty ruler, and conqueror of many nations, but also as a virtuous, just and pragmatic ruler, who respected the customs of the many people who lived in his entire vast dominion, and he also respected the worship of the Lord, God of Israel, allowing the people of Israel to return to their lands and to worship their God.

As such, through the great examples of King Cyrus the Great of Persia, all of us are reminded that as Christians, each and every one of us are also exhorted and expected to do what God had told and taught us to do in our lives. What God wants from us is our faith and commitment to Him, in doing His will and in living our lives in accordance with His ways, as alluded by St. Paul in his Epistle to the Thessalonians, that is part of our second reading passage today. St. Paul mentioned the work of the faith of the people of God, their labour of love and their endurance in remaining faithful despite the many challenges and obstacles that they had to endure throughout their journey of faith and life. This is again a reminder that as Christians, each and every one of us are expected to follow the path that the Lord has shown us, and dedicate ourselves to actions and works that are worthy of God.

This is then related to what we heard in our Gospel passage today, when the Pharisees and the teachers of the Law attempted to test the Lord and trap Him, when they asked of Him if they should be paying taxes to Caesar or not. This question seemed to be a rather ordinary question, but if we understand the implication behind this seemingly simple question, and also the context of the time, then we can better appreciate how dangerous and tricky it was for the Lord, for Him to answer this question. Why was that so? That is because should the Lord have answered that they all should be paying taxes to Caesar, then the Pharisees and the teachers of the Law could use that to discredit the Lord and rally the people’s opinion against Him, because back then, the Romans and their rule over the Jewish people and lands were generally disliked and even hated, especially due to the taxes imposed on them, and the way the Romans treated them as subordinates and subjects.

On the other hand, had the Lord responded by saying that they should not be paying taxes to Caesar, or the Roman Emperor, then the Pharisees and the teachers of the Law could also accuse the Lord of trying to incite the people to disobey the Romans and to start a rebellion, which was a very great treason and fault against the state, which was punishable by death. This was exactly the same accusation which eventually the chief priests, the elders and the Pharisees placed against the Lord when He was condemned to death and handed over to the Romans, under Pontius Pilate, to be crucified, because they accused Him of rebelling against the Emperor and by claiming to be the King of the Jews, which was grave treason. Refusing to pay taxes and the obligations to the Roman state is one of the signs of this treason, and those wicked fellow could have used the Lord’s refusal against Him.

Instead, the Lord knew their intentions and purposes very well when they asked Him that sinister question, and He evaded the troubles altogether, and showed His Wisdom by saying that, since the silver coin or the denarius that they paid their taxes with has the face of the Roman Emperor or Caesar embossed on them, therefore, they should all give back to Caesar what belongs to Caesar, and then at the same time, also give back to God what belongs to God. With this single sentence, the Lord silenced all of His critics and enemies, and made it clear that as His followers, disciples and people, we are not called to resist the worldly obligations or works that we are all called to do, such as obeying the laws and customs of states, in doing our civic duties and obligations, in living our lives ever more faithfully as children of God and as righteous men and women, examples for everyone around us to follow.

Then, all of us should also give back to God what belongs to God just as the Lord Jesus Himself had mentioned, and what is something that belongs to God? It is all of us, brothers and sisters in Christ. God has created each and every one of us, calling us all to do what He has taught and shown us to do. And since we belong to God and we are His people, His beloved children, therefore, it is only right that we should do what is pleasing to God, and to give Him what truly belongs to Him, that is our hearts, our love and devotion. Each and every one of us should always strive to put the Lord as the centre and focus of our whole lives and existence, and do what we can so that we may always glorify Him by our lives, our every actions, works and deeds.

Therefore, brothers and sisters in Christ, as we have heard throughout our Scripture passages today and discussed earlier, let us all do our best in each and every moments of our lives so that we may always be exemplary in our every actions and works throughout each and every opportunities that God has given to us all each day. Let us all be good and obedient citizens, who follow and observe the laws and rules of the state as long as they are for the common good and not a violation of the Divine Law of God. Let us all be exemplary citizens and people, whose lives are truly good examples and inspirations for all those whom we encounter daily in life, that it is not just that we obey the Lord faithfully in our actions and way of life, but we also become the shining beacons of virtue and faith to all others, like Cyrus the Great, the saints and other great examples of our past history had done.

May the Lord continue to guide and strengthen each and every one of us so that in our every commitment and efforts to serve Him, we will always continue to walk ever more devotedly in the path that He has shown us. May He empower us all to continue to carry out our works and actions in accordance with His will, in obedience to His Law and commandments, at all times. May God bless us all and may He remain with us all, in all times and opportunities. Amen.

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Saturday, 21 October 2023 : 28th Week of Ordinary Time (Homily and Scripture Reflections)

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

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, as we listened to the words of the Scriptures today, and we reflect on their messages and meaning, importance and significance for us, we are all reminded that each and every one of us as Christians must always have faith and trust in the Lord, and we must dedicate ourselves and commit ourselves to His cause at all times. Unless we have true, genuine and living faith in the Lord, then we may not be able to follow Him wholeheartedly or commit ourselves thoroughly as we should have, in our way of life, in our every words, actions and deeds as we all should have done. We must always trust in the Lord and we must always believe that in Him alone there is hope and the path to eternal life, true joy and happiness for us.

In our first reading today, taken from the Epistle of St. Paul the Apostle to the Church and the faithful in the city of Rome, we heard of the words that the Apostle spoke to the faithful people of God there regarding the faith which Abraham had in the Lord, and this was directed both at the Jews and Gentiles alike among the people of God in Rome. For the Gentiles, he meant to show the example of what true and genuine faith is all about, and how one can be truly devoted and truly faithful to God in all things. And then for the Jews, the descendants of the Israelites and the descendants of Abraham, it was a reminder for all of them that whatever it is that the Lord has taught and revealed to them were compatible with the belief which Abraham himself once had in the Lord.

This must be understood by the context of that time, because back then many among the Jewish community subscribed to the ideology and the way of thinking of the Pharisees, who saw the Lord Jesus and His teachings as being not in tandem or not conforming to the Law of God as revealed through Moses. The Pharisees and the teachers of the Law in particular had a very strict interpretation of the Law of God and had a very rigid application of the Law of God, enforcing it upon all of the people, and persecuting all those who have not followed the Law of God in the same manner as they themselves had done. In the diaspora, such as the one in Rome, the community of the Jewish people were also equally divided, with some of them siding with the Pharisees on this regard.

Hence, St. Paul wanted to engage them and remind them that in the end, what matters for the Lord is not obedience to the Law, but rather, in the end, is for one to have faith and trust in God, to be genuine in their love and commitment to God as they all should have done. This is because it is perfectly possible for one to have no faith or trust in God and yet obey the tenets, precepts and details of the Law, in which case it would be tantamount to hypocrisy and blind obedience, as well as meaningless and superficial faith, as unfortunately shown by some of the Pharisees themselves. Those same Pharisees and teachers of the Law were criticised and rebuked by the Lord Himself for their lack of faith, their arrogance and ambitions, and their mistaken way of living and obeying the Law of God.

Then, in the Gospel passage today, we also heard of the Lord speaking to His disciples with regard to enduring persecutions, challenges and oppositions, and how they all should not lose their faith in God, but in fact they should continue to strive to be faithful to God. They must not lose faith just because of all those persecutions, but they should all hold fast and strong, resisting the temptations to give up their faith in God. Linking to what we have just discussed in our first reading earlier today, it is truly imperative for all of us to follow the Lord wholeheartedly and to hold on to this belief in the Lord, regardless of the opposition that we all may have to endure for the sake of the Lord, His teachings and truth, which is our Christian faith and way of life.

Earlier on the Lord also rebuked again all those who have slandered and opposed Him because of their stubbornness and lack of faith, and because of their pride, ego and greed, all of which led them to stubbornly resist the Lord and His love, kindness and grace. He was obviously referring to the Pharisees and the teachers of the Law, about whom the Lord had warned the people against, to be careful not to make the same mistakes as those people had done, in disobeying the Law and commandments of God, by making show of their faith and by not having true and genuine commitment to God. Not only that, but as mentioned, they even slandered against the Lord and accused Him of blasphemy, collusions with the demons like Beelzebul among other things, which were truly sinful against God.

Brothers and sisters in Christ, therefore, as all of us have been reminded as such by the Lord, through what we have received in the Scriptures today, let us all hence do our very best so that we all may follow the Lord worthily and be full of faith and trust in Him. Let us all embark and continue on with the journey of our lives, with faith and devotion to God, and have all of our actions, words and deeds be filled with the sincerity to love and serve the Lord at all times. Each and every one of us have been entrusted by the Lord with various gifts, abilities, talents and opportunities, all of which should inspire and strengthen us in our resolve to follow and serve Him ever more courageously in each and every moments of our lives.

May the Lord be with us always, His beloved people, and may He empower and encourage all of us so that despite all the trials and challenges that we may face in this journey, we will always ever be faithful to Him in all things. May God bless us all and every one of our good efforts and endeavours, now and always, forevermore. Amen.

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Wednesday, 18 October 2023 : Feast of St. Luke, Evangelist (Homily and Scripture Reflections)

Liturgical Colour : Red

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, today the Church celebrates the Feast of St. Luke the Evangelist, one of the Four Evangelists who wrote the Holy Gospels detailing the life and works of the Lord Jesus Christ, Our Lord and Saviour. Evangelists are important parts of the Church’s efforts and history because they detailed the actions, works and the words that the Lord Jesus spoke of throughout His ministry, giving us the Good News of God, revealed directly through our Lord and Saviour Himself. The word Evangelist itself came from the Latin for the Gospels, that is Evangelium, which also means ‘Good News’, reminding us that the Four Gospels of St. Matthew, St. Mark, St. Luke and St. John, collectively showed us the Good News that God Himself has brought upon us in this world.

St. Luke was a physician and a disciple and follower of St. Paul the Apostle, and was mentioned in the Acts of the Apostles, which was widely considered as St. Luke’s own work as well. St. Luke was likely born of a Greek family in the then Hellenistic city of Antioch in Syria, where he encountered early Christians and became a convert to the Faith. Some tradition held that he was a local Syrian or a Hellenised Jew living in Antioch, but regardless of his origins and background, St. Luke was notable for his educated background and capabilities, and often followed St. Paul in his travels, as well as keeping track of the works and actions of the other Apostles, which allowed him therefore to write the accounts on the works and actions of the Apostles and their companions as recorded in the Acts of the Apostles.

St. Luke was also a close collaborator of the faith, and was sometimes even included among the Apostles as he was considered by some Church fathers to have been part and member of the seventy or seventy-two disciples or Apostles highlighted in the Gospel passage today, those whom the Lord had chosen in the Gospels to be the ones that He sent out before Him to carry out His missions and works. He followed some of the other disciples and Apostles in their ministry, particularly that of St. Paul, whom he accompanied even in Rome, as St. Paul himself said that he was only accompanied by St. Luke in his time there. St. Luke therefore had in depth knowledge, understanding and appreciation of the works of the Lord’s disciples and the Church, as well as the events that happened back then, and his prodigious writing skills and talents contributed greatly to the Church.

According to the Church traditions and well-attested history, St. Luke continued to minister to the faithful in various ways, and went all around various places in supporting the works of the Church, as a missionary as well as a physician, caring for the spiritual and physical needs of God’s people. Eventually, he would live on to an old age of approximately eighty-four years old and passed away in Boeotia in what is parts of Central Greece today. Despite his passing, his enormous contributions in various areas, especially his detailed recollection and record of the Lord’s ministry in his Gospel, and also those of the Apostles in the Acts of the Apostles and other works influenced many others immensely, right up to our own time.

Today, as we celebrate this Feast of St. Luke the Evangelist, let us all therefore strive to do God’s will and deepen our understanding of His will and commandments, devoting ourselves, our time and efforts to follow the Lord ever more faithfully in each and every moments of our lives. Like St. Luke, we should do our best to commit ourselves to follow God and His Law, His commandments and carry out whatever missions and works that He has entrusted to each one of us as Christians. Each and every one of us have been given and entrusted with unique and amazing gifts, talents and opportunities so that in our own special way, we may indeed contribute to the works of the Lord and His Church, in our own capacity and areas of responsibility.

It means that in each and every parts of the community and in whatever opportunities that God has given us, we are just like the seventy-two disciples that the Lord had appointed and chosen to go forth before Him, carrying out His mission. To be missionary and to spread the Good News of God does not always mean that we have to preach the words of the Lord before others. On the contrary, it is often good and faithful actions that will lead to people coming to believe in us, in our words and in the Good News that God has entrusted to us. If our actions and way of life do not correspond to what we have said and spoken, or preached, then who will believe in us, brothers and sisters in Christ? We are no better than hypocrites and unbelievers in that case.

Like that of St. Luke, who had spent so much of his efforts and so many years of his life to do God’s works and to obey His will, therefore all of us should also do our best, in whatever capacity and opportunities that we have in our lives so that each and every one of us can truly be the good and worthy bearers of God’s truth, His Good News, love and hope to our world today, to everyone whom we encounter in life, to our own family members, brothers and sisters, our parents and children, our various relatives and circles of friends, and even to our acquaintances and strangers, and also to those who despise and hate us. If our actions, words and deeds truly embody our Christian faith, the truth and love, the Good News of God, then surely many will come to believe in God through us.

Brothers and sisters in Christ, let us therefore do our very best to commit ourselves to follow God in all things. Let us always be filled with faith in each and every one of our actions so that by our dedication and commitment to God, we will always be faithful and dedicated to Him, in our every works and efforts, in our words and deeds. May the Lord continue to guide us in our good works and bless our every efforts and endeavours, in glorifying His Name by our lives. St. Luke, Holy Evangelist and servant of God, pray for all of us. Amen.

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Monday, 16 October 2023 : 28th Week of Ordinary Time, Memorial of St. Hedwig, Religious, and St. Margaret Mary Alacoque, Virgin (Homily and Scripture Reflections)

Liturgical Colour : Green or White (Religious and Holy Virgins)

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, today as we listened to the words of the Scriptures, we are all reminded of the words of the Lord being spoken through the promises of God’s servants and His own Son, Our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ, through Whom, salvation has come into this world, and God’s promises have all come true, and been perfectly fulfilled just as He has promised to us. God has never abandoned us, and He has always provided for us in His own mysterious ways. He showed us all the path to Himself, and opened for us the gates of Heaven, ever graciously offering to us the richness of His mercy, compassion and love, that He has always given us all these while.

In our first reading today, taken from the Epistle of St. Paul to the Church and the faithful people of God in the city of Rome, we heard of the reminders from St. Paul the Apostle to the faithful there that all of them have received salvation and grace through none other than Jesus Christ, the Saviour of all, Who is also the Son of God and Heir of David, Who has come into this world in the flesh, Incarnate through His mother, the Blessed Virgin Mary, as the fulfilment of all of God’s promises to us mankind. Through His Son, God has reaffirmed everything that He has promised to us and our forefathers from the very beginning, and reaffirmed to us His love and compassion, to each and every one of us.

Through Christ, God has revealed to us all that He has planned for us, and has reminded us that we truly belong to Him, and therefore we all should embrace Him wholeheartedly, in His Law and commandments, and we should not allow ourselves to be swayed by the many worldly temptations and the evils all around us, and we must always put our trust and faith in Him, at all times. God has never abandoned us, and He has always renewed and made true of everything that He has promised us, making a Covenant with us, that is everlasting and generous. However, it is us mankind who often reneged on our commitments to God and His Covenant, betraying and abandoning Him.

In our Gospel passage today, we heard of the words of the Lord telling to His people, mentioning those of Jonah and the Queen of the South, and highlighted His frustrations at them, at how many of them still refused to believe despite having received and witnessed many proofs and signs of His truth, wisdom and greatness. The Lord Jesus has performed many miracles and wonders, and despite those people having seen those wonders and signs being done before their very own eyes, and despite having heard of the words of wisdom and truth being spoken right before their very own selves, they still failed to believe and even doubting Him, demanding that He gave them signs and proofs of His authenticity and authority.

The Lord mentioned first of the sign of Jonah, because He was comparing of the sign which He Himself would perform to them, as He would lay down in the underworld for three days, just as the prophet Jonah ended up being in the belly of a whale for three days, when the Lord Jesus would face His Passion, suffering and death on the Cross. And then, the mention of the Queen of the South was meant as a rebuke to those people who refused to believe in Him, because this Queen of the South, also known as the Queen of Sheba, went on a long journey from her land to come and listen to King Solomon’s wisdom, and the Lord Himself said that, what the people all beheld before them was One far greater than Solomon himself, in all of his wisdom and power, the Wisdom of God as revealed through Christ, His Son.

Today, the Church celebrates the feast of two holy and great women, whose lives and great examples in faith and in their way of life should inspire each and every one of us in how we should be living our lives, and in how we can be good and devout Christians in all things, in putting our faith and trust in God, rather than in worldly matters and temptations. St. Hedwig, also known as St. Hedwig of Silesia was the Duchess of Silesia as the consort of the Silesian Duke, and was renowned for her great piety and dedication to God, while St. Margaret Mary Alacoque was a French religious nun, who was also renowned for her faith in God, as well as for having received visions and revelation from the Lord, which has shown His Most Sacred Heart to her.

St. Hedwig of Silesia was married to the heir of the Duke of Silesia when she was barely just twelve years old, and she was involved for many years in the great intrigue and court politics involving her husband, who struggled to maintain the ducal authority while at the same time expanding his rule and influence, against rival duchies and other rulers. In one occasion, St. Hedwig interceded on behalf of her husband, when the latter was in captivity, and her husband was released by her efforts. The virtues and good actions of St. Hedwig helped her husband in his rule, and also became great inspiration for many people of her time, and both St. Hedwig and her husband, Duke Henry of Silesia, were very pious and faithful to God. And when she was widowed after many decades of marriage, she moved into a monastery and dedicated the rest of her life in commitment to God.

Meanwhile, St. Margaret Mary Alacoque was a very devout servant of God who had great and intense love for the Lord even from her early childhood. She dedicated herself to the Blessed Sacrament and the Lord, as well as to His Blessed Mother Mary, since early on, especially after recovering from a bout of serious illness, and eventually became a religious nun after having received a vision of Christ, reminding her of her love for Him. St. Margaret Mary Alacoque received several private revelations on the Sacred Heart of Jesus over a period of eighteen months, in which the Lord Jesus revealed to her the intense love that God has for each and every one of us, as manifested through His Most Sacred Heart, injured and wounded because of our many sins and transgressions.

Eventually, St. Margaret Mary Alacoque revealed her visions to her superior, after a period of struggle and discernment, and the messages she received from the Lord were made known, writing testaments and other works to make the Lord’s intentions known better, for the state, the society and all the people of God. Ever since then, and after having her visions and revelations certified as genuine, the devotion to the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus, which had actually begun centuries earlier, came to take form in the manner that we are familiar with today, and became widespread among the people throughout Christendom, which continues to this very day, all thanks to the faith, devotion and commitment shown by St. Margaret Mary Alacoque.

Brothers and sisters in Christ, having reflected upon the Scripture readings we have heard today, and having listened to the lives and examples of both St. Hedwig of Silesia and St. Margaret Mary Alacoque, let us all therefore renew our faith in the Lord, and strive so that we will always be ever more virtuous, worthy and good in all of our works, actions and way of life, in our every interactions with one another. May the Lord continue to guide us in our journey of faith throughout our lives, and may He bless us in our every good works, efforts and endeavours, now and always. Amen.

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Sunday, 15 October 2023 : Twenty-Eighth Sunday of Ordinary Time (Homily and Scripture Reflections)

Liturgical Colour : Green

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, this Sunday through the Scripture readings which we have just heard, all of us are reminded that as God’s beloved and holy people, each and every one of us are partakers of His Covenant and members of His One Church, the one united Body of Christ. Therefore, as we are all parts of this same Church of God, all of us are reminded that all of us should always put our trust and faith in the Lord, and know that it is in Him alone that we can gain true joy and happiness in life, both in this one and the one that is to come. We must also be careful lest we are swayed and tempted to seek for other things and desires which are not in accordance to God’s path, and which may end up leading us into damnation instead of eternal life.

In our first reading today, we heard from the Book of the prophet Isaiah in which the Lord reassured His people through Isaiah, of the coming of the days of true joy and happiness with Him, reminding all of them of the love and all the kindness that He has shown to them and their ancestors in the days past, even as they themselves then were suffering and facing humiliation and indignation due to their own sins and wickedness. Contextually, we have to understand that the prophet Isaiah was delivering the words of the Lord to a people that had been beset by many troubles, difficulties and challenges, as they were faced with many enemies and all those who oppressed them, which also happened because they had abandoned their Lord and God, and chose to follow the worship of the pagan and false gods, over the worship of God.

That was why the Israelites had been divided, fell into hard times and challenges, and by the time of the prophet Isaiah’s ministry, the northern half of the kingdom and the people had been crushed and destroyed by the Assyrians, who have come and conquered the northern kingdom, destroyed and razed its capital of Samaria, and brought off many of the people of God living in that place far away into exile in the lands of Assyria and Mesopotamia, while putting foreigners and other people to dwell in the lands once occupied and dwelled by the Israelites. The southern kingdom of Judah itself had not been spared, and had also faced similar challenges, being subjected to the might of the Assyrians, who almost conquered and destroyed Jerusalem and Judah when King Sennacherib of Assyria came with a mighty army to conquer them. It was only by God’s timely intervention and humiliation of Sennacherib that the people of God were saved.

Thus, the people of God in Judah had received a preview and a foretaste of what God’s salvation will be like, as they are all reminded of just how faithful God has always ever been to His Covenant and promises. After all, the people of Israel are all God’s beloved people and children, and He has made His Covenant with them and their ancestors, renewing them again and again, despite of the people’s lack of faith and frequent rebellions and disobedience against their Lord and Master. God still loved all of them despite of their many transgressions and stubborn attitudes, giving them many opportunities, time and again so that they might find their way back towards Him, opening the way towards His salvation and grace. He has always ever been so generous with His love, mercy and kindness, as He has always done from the very beginning. He could have easily destroyed and wiped us out by the power of His will alone, but instead, He chose to care for us, to heal us from our sins and troubles. We are shown just how beloved we are all to God, from the beginning, now and forevermore.

In our Gospel passage today, we are all reminded that we have all been invited to a life full of joy and happiness, as the Lord Himself has prepared a celebration and banquet for us. He has generously done all these for us, so that by His grace all of us may indeed enjoy forever the fullness of His love and generosity. However, as we heard in that Gospel passage today, many of us often rejected and refused to embrace God’s ever generous offer of love and kindness, as we were often swayed and tempted, distracted and confused because of our many temptations, desires and coercions of this world. In that parable of the wedding banquet, the people and guests whom the king had invited to the banquet, all of them refused to come to the celebration, and they were all busy with their own businesses and preoccupations, and there were even those who killed the ones sent to remind them.

This is a reminder for us that we can be like those who have rejected God’s love and grace, like those wayward guests whom the king had invited to his banquet and yet they all allowed their many distractions and the temptations all around them to get their priorities all wrong. As we heard, they were all punished and destroyed, and they had no part in the king’s banquet and inheritance. Thus, if we also do the same with our own lives, in not heeding God’s words and His call, in rejecting His love and kindness, mercy and compassion, then we will also be rejected in the same manner as well. We are all called to embrace God’s call, His love and mercy, His reminders that we should no longer be ignorant of His love and mercy, and we should not reject His compassion and generous offer of forgiveness. We should answer God’s call with faith and commitment.

And then, we also heard in the end of the same parable in our Gospel today, about how the king invited others who were called to fill up the seats and places vacated by those who have refused to come to the banquet. We heard of how a man, one of the guests, turned up without a wedding garment or a garment suitable for the celebration. As was the custom of that time, and as is also common elsewhere in our world, one ought to turn up in one’s best possible garments, and even the poor people often had their best reserved for the important celebrations in their lives and communities. Therefore, the point that the Lord wanted to make in making that part of the parable is that, in order for us to follow the Lord and to come into His banquet, celebration and into His Holy Presence, all of us need to take up that new garment of faith, and cast off the old garment of wickedness of sin. This is the hidden symbolism that we may often miss out as we read through this parable.

That means all of us must turn away from the temptations of the world, all the things, desires, attachments, all of which had kept us from truly being able to follow the Lord. This had been implied in the earlier part of the same parable, when the earlier invited guests of the king refused to heed the king’s call and invitation because they were all busy and preoccupied with their works and with whatever it is that busied them in their respective lives, their various concerns and attachments. This is why, in the same manner, unless we learn to restrain ourselves, our desires and various attachments, and also unless we strive to resist the temptations to disobey God and sin, it will likely be very difficult for us to follow the Lord wholeheartedly and faithfully as we should have done. In our second reading today, St. Paul in his Epistle to the Philippians reminded the faithful there of the need for all of them, and hence, all of us to trust in the Lord fully, and to heed these words of St. Paul himself, ‘I can do all things in Him Who strengthens me.’

Those words remind us all that the Lord and His Presence in our lives will strengthen us and give us the necessary ability, courage and power to do our part in living a most worthy and virtuous life, in becoming good, faithful and committed Christians, as God’s beloved children and people at all times and in all opportunities. We must always keep in mind that we are all, and we should indeed be good role models and inspirations for our fellow brothers and sisters, all around us. We should embrace God’s path, His ways and teachings wholeheartedly, and do whatever we can so that we truly wear the worthy garments of our faith, as we come to the Lord, to be part of His heavenly banquet, to enter into the glorious kingdom that He has prepared for each and every one of us. May the Lord continue to bless and guide us all, and may He continue to lead us down the path of righteousness and virtue towards Him, free from wickedness, sin, desire and evil, now and always. Amen.