Liturgical Colour : Green or White (Religious)
Psalm 147 : 12-13, 14-15, 19-20
Exalt YHVH, o Jerusalem; praise your God, o Zion! For He strengthens the bars of your gates and blesses your children within you.
He grants peace on your borders and feeds you with the finest grain. He sends His command to the earth and swiftly runs His word.
It is He, Who tells Jacob His words; His laws and decrees, to Israel. This, He has not done for other nations, so His laws remain unknown to them. Alleluia!
Liturgical Colour : Green or White (Religious)
Romans 9 : 1-5
I tell you, sincerely, in Christ, and my conscience assures me in the Holy Spirit, that I am not lying : I have great sadness and constant anguish for the Jews. I would even desire, that, I myself, suffer the curse of being cut off from Christ, instead of my brethren : I mean, my own people, my kin.
They are Israelites, whom God adopted, and on them, rests His glory. Theirs, are the Covenants, the Law, the worship and the promises of God. They are descendants of the patriarchs, and from their race, Christ was born, He, Who, as God, is above all distinctions. Blessed be He forever and ever. Amen!
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.
Liturgical Colour : Green or White (Religious and Holy Virgins)
Luke 11 : 29-32
At that time, as the crowd increased, Jesus spoke the following words : “People of the present time are troubled people. They ask for a sign, but no sign will be given to them except the sign of Jonah. As Jonah became a sign for the people of Nineveh, so will the Son of Man be a sign for this generation.”
“The Queen of the South will rise up on Judgment Day with the people of these times and accuse them, for she came from the ends of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon; and here, there is greater than Solomon. The people of Nineveh will rise up on Judgment Day with the people of these times and accuse them, for Jonah’s preaching made them turn from their sins, and here, there is greater than Jonah.”
Liturgical Colour : Green or White (Religious and Holy Virgins)
Psalm 97 : 1, 2-3ab, 3cd-4
Sing to YHVH a new song, for He has done wonders; His right hand, His holy arm, has won victory for Him.
YHVH has shown His salvation, revealing His justice to the nations. He has not forgotten His love, nor His faithfulness to Israel.
The farthest ends of the earth all have seen God’s saving power. All you, lands, make a joyful noise to YHVH, break into song and sing praise.
Liturgical Colour : Green or White (Religious and Holy Virgins)
Romans 1 : 1-7
From Paul, a servant of Jesus Christ, an Apostle, called and set apart for God’s Good News, the very promises He foretold through His prophets in the sacred Scriptures, regarding His Son, Who was born in the flesh a descendant of David, and has been recognised as the Son of God, endowed with Power, upon rising from the dead, through the Holy Spirit.
Through Him, Jesus Christ, our Lord, and for the sake of His Name, we received grace, and mission in all the nations, for them to accept the faith. All of you, the elected of Christ, are part of them, you, the beloved God in Rome, called to be holy : May God our Father, and the Lord Jesus Christ, give you grace and peace.
Liturgical Colour : Green or White (Religious)
Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, today as we listened to the words of the Scriptures, we are all reminded of the mission that each and every one of us have in our lives, as God’s people, as Christians, that we are all expected to be a people filled with God’s love and grace, with all of His virtues and righteousness, and hence, we should always strive to be exemplary in all of our actions, words and deeds, in our every moments in life. All of us should always strive to live our every moments with dedication and love for God, so that by our every examples and good efforts, we may indeed be the bearers of His truth, love and Good News in all things and at all opportunities.
In our first reading today, taken from the Book of the prophet Nehemiah, we heard of the actions of the priest and prophet Ezra who led the people in the celebration of the Lord’s festival and gathering, as Ezra and Nehemiah assembled all the people of God who have relocated back to their ancestral lands. Ezra and Nehemiah called on the people of God so that they could all be reminded of the Law of God which their ancestors and predecessors had disobeyed and failed to fulfil and obey, which led them to their downfall and destruction. That is why, the people of God were reminded of those Law and commandments, so that they would not repeat the mistakes and failures of their ancestors, as they had been shown great mercy, forgiveness and compassion from God.
Back then, most of the people were illiterate and were unable to read the Scriptures, or to comprehend the Law in words of the Torah or the scrolls of the Law. Instead, they heard and passed down those laws and commandments, traditions and practices through oral traditions and inheritance, from generation to generation. And hence, this teaching session just as what we have heard in our first reading today was truly a really important one for the people of God, as after many decades in exile and after many generations previously having neglected the Law and the commandments of God, many would have forgotten or become ignorant of what they would have to do as the followers and the people of God, whom He had chosen from among the nations.
Upon hearing the Law and the commandments of God, we heard how the people became visibly upset and sad, because they rightfully feared the retribution and punishments from the Lord for their sins and wickedness, and for having neglected the Law and the commandments of God just as their predecessors had done before them. But Ezra told the people not to despair or be sad, because they have been reminded of the Law so that ultimately, they might turn away from their past mistakes and return once again to the path of righteousness and virtue that the Lord has taught and shown to them and their ancestors. They should put their trust in the Lord, live their lives faithfully and commit themselves henceforth to the Lord and His cause.
In our Gospel passage today, we heard of the Lord Who sent out His disciples before Him, a total of seventy-two of them, which were among His close confidants and followers. He entrusted to them the care of His flock and also the missions which He wanted them all to carry out, as they had been sent to proclaim God’s Good News and truth among the people who have not yet known the Lord and this truth, His love, kindness and mercy. And linking to what we have discussed and learnt earlier from our first reading today, each and every one of us should keep in mind that every one of us as Christians have the same responsibilities and missions as those disciples of the Lord, in going forth and continuing the mission which God has entrusted to us, His Church.
Now, as we heard earlier on, it means that each and every one of us should always strive to live our lives faithfully and with genuine devotion, so that we may indeed be filled with God’s grace and love in all things, and that our lives may be truly exemplary and inspirational in our faith. It is by our actions and examples that we can remind one another, our fellow brothers and sisters around us, of what we need to do in remaining ever faithful and committed to God. We should not only just observe or remember His Law, commandments and teachings externally but we must also be truly genuine in loving the Lord wholeheartedly from the depth of our hearts and minds. We must be truly be faithful, so that by our examples, we may help lead others ever closer to God, His love and mercy.
Today, we celebrate the feast of a great and renowned saint who lived and worked in the previous century, who helped many of us to come to know the love and mercy of God, His compassion and kindness, in the figure and persona of the Divine Mercy of God. St. Faustina Kowalska, a religious nun who was famous for her vision of the Lord’s aspect as the Divine Mercy, through her words and writings helped the world to come to know the vastness of God’s love and merciful kindness towards each and every one of us. She had felt the calling of religious life from early on in her life, and embraced that call by becoming a religious sister, and entering a convent in Warsaw, in her native Poland.
St. Faustina Kowalska was renowned for her great piety and dedication to God, and she periodically received visions of the Divine Mercy in the convent, throughout her period of prayers and contemplation, in which the Lord continued to reveal Himself and His desire for all mankind to embrace His ever generous love and mercy. St. Faustina Kowalska faced a lot of trials and hardships in the process, as there were quite a few who were skeptical about the veracity, authenticity and orthodoxy of her visions, and she faced interdict, restrictions and questioning from the religious superiors and other leaders of the Church regarding her visions and writings. Nonetheless, St. Faustina Kowalska persevered on and continued to do what the Lord had told her to do, and eventually, many years after her passing, she was vindicated, and her vision of the Divine Mercy of God became a very popular devotion in the Church.
Brothers and sisters in Christ, as we heard and discerned on the readings from the Sacred Scriptures that we have just received, and also through the inspiring example and story of the life of St. Faustina Kowalska, let us all therefore do our part as members of God’s Church, as His beloved people and as His disciples, to proclaim Him and His truth, His love and Good News through our own exemplary lives and examples. Let us always strive to live our lives worthily of the Lord, as our holy predecessors, the saints and martyrs, and like St. Faustina Kowalska have shown us, while resisting the temptations to sin and to disobey God. May the Lord continue to help and strengthen us all in our journey of faith throughout life. Amen.
Liturgical Colour : Green or White (Religious)
Luke 10 : 1-12
At that time, the Lord appointed seventy-two other disciples, and sent them, two by two, ahead of Him, to every town and place, where He Himself was to go. And He said to them, “The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few. So you must ask the Lord of the harvest to send workers to His harvest.”
“Courage! I am sending you like lambs among wolves. Set off without purse or bag or sandals; and do not stop at the homes of those you know. Whatever house you enter, first bless them, saying, ‘Peace to this house!’ If a friend of peace lives there, the peace shall rest upon that person. But if not, the blessing will return to you. Stay in that house, eating and drinking at their table, for the worker deserves to be paid. Do not move from house to house.”
“When they welcome you to any town, eat what they offer you. Heal the sick who are there, and say to them : ‘The kingdom of God has drawn near to you.’ But in any town where you are not welcome, go to the marketplace and proclaim : ‘Even the dust of your town that clings to our feet, we wipe off and leave with you. But know for a certainty that the kingdom of God has drawn near to you.'”
“I tell you, that on the Day of Judgment it will be better for Sodom than for this town.”
Liturgical Colour : Green or White (Religious)
Psalm 18 : 8, 9, 10, 11
The Law of YHVH is perfect : it gives life to the soul. The word of YHVH is trustworthy : it gives wisdom to the simple.
The precepts of YHVH are right : they give joy to the heart. The commandments of YHVH are clear : they enlighten the eyes.
The fear of YHVH is pure, it endures forever; the judgments of YHVH are true, all of them just and right.
They are more precious than gold – pure gold of a jeweller; they are much sweeter than honey which drops from the honeycomb.
Liturgical Colour : Green or White (Religious)
Nehemiah 8 : 1-4a, 5-6, 7b-12
In the seventh month, all the people gathered as one man in the square before the Water Gate, and they asked Ezra to bring the book of the Law of Moses, which YHVH had given to Israel. Ezra brought the Law before the assembly, both men, women and all the children who could understand what was being read.
It was the first day of the seventh month. So he read it before the plaza in front of the Water Gate from dawn till noon, before the men, women and those children who could understand. All the people were eager to hear the book of the Law. Ezra, the teacher of the Law, stood on a wooden platform built for that occasion.
Ezra opened the book in the sight of all the people, for he was in a higher place; and when he opened it, all the people stood. Ezra praised YHVH the great God; and all the people lifted up their hands and answered, “Amen! Amen!” And they bowed their heads to the ground.
The Levites explained the Law to the people who were standing. They read from the book of the Law of God, clarifying and interpreting the meaning, so that everyone might understand what they were hearing. Then Ezra, the teacher of the Law, said to the people, “This day is dedicated to YHVH, your God, so do not be sad or weep.”
He said this because all wept when they heard the reading of the Law. Then he said to them, “Go and eat rich foods, drink sweet wine and share with him who has nothing prepared. This day is dedicated to the Lord, so do not be sad. The joy of YHVH is our strength.”
The Levites also calmed the people down, saying, “Do not weep. This day is a festival day. Do not be sad.” And the people went their way to eat, drink and share, and they had a great feast, because they had understood the words that had been proclaimed to them.
petercanisiusmichaeldavidkang 