religious

by

Saturday, 9 August 2025 : 18th Week of Ordinary Time, Memorial of St. Teresa Benedicta of the Cross, Virgin and Martyr (Gospel Reading)

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

Matthew 17 : 14-20

At that time, when Jesus and His disciples came to the crowd, a man approached Him, knelt before Him and said, “Sir, have pity on my son, who is an epileptic and suffers terribly. He has often fallen into the fire, and at other times into the water. I brought him to Your disciples but they could not heal him.”

Jesus replied, “O you people, faithless and misled! How long must I be with you? How long must I put up with you? Bring him here to Me.” And Jesus commanded the evil spirit to leave the boy, and the boy was immediately healed. Later, the disciples approached Jesus and asked Him privately, “Why could we not drive out the spirit?”

Jesus said to them, “Because you have little faith. I say to you : if only you had faith the size of a mustard seed, you could tell that mountain to move from here to there, and the mountain would obey. Nothing would be impossible for you.”

by

Saturday, 9 August 2025 : 18th Week of Ordinary Time, Memorial of St. Teresa Benedicta of the Cross, Virgin and Martyr (Psalm)

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

Psalm 17 : 2-3a, 3bc-4, 47 and 51ab

I love You, o YHVH, my strength. YHVH is my Rock, my Fortress, my Deliverer and my God.

He is the Rock in Whom I take refuge. He is my Shield, my powerful Saviour, my Stronghold. I call on YHVH, Who is worthy of praise : He saves me from my enemies!

YHVH lives! Praised be my Rock! Exalted be my Saviour God. He has given victories to His king; He has shown His love to His anointed ones.

by

Saturday, 9 August 2025 : 18th Week of Ordinary Time, Memorial of St. Teresa Benedicta of the Cross, Virgin and Martyr (First Reading)

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

Deuteronomy 6 : 4-13

Listen, Israel : YHVH, our God, is One YHVH. And you shall love YHVH, your God, with all your heart, with all your soul and with all your strength. Engrave on your heart the commandments that I pass on to you today.

Repeat them over and over to your children, speak to them when you are at home and when you travel, when you lie down and when you rise. Brand them on your hand as a sign and keep them always before your eyes. Engrave them on your doorposts and on your city gates.

Do not forget YHVH when He has led you into the land which He promised to your fathers, to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob; for He will give you great and prosperous cities which you did not build, houses filled with everything good which you did not provide, wells which you did not dig, vineyards and olive groves which you did not plant.

So when you have eaten and have been satisfied, do not forget YHVH Who brought you out from Egypt where you were enslaved. Fear YHVH, your God, serve Him and call on His Name when you have to swear an oath.

by

Friday, 8 August 2025 : 18th Week of Ordinary Time, Memorial of St. Dominic, Priest (Homily and Scripture Reflections)

Liturgical Colour : White

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, today as we all listened to the words of the Sacred Scriptures, we are reminded that we are truly fortunate as those whom God has loved, has called and chosen to be His own beloved people, much as He has shown His faithfulness to the Covenant and promises that He gave to His first-called ones, the people of Israel, who have been taken care of, protected and provided for throughout all of their time in their journey from the land of Egypt, through the desert and towards the Promised Land. All of us have received the great grace from God, manifested in perfection through Our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ, through Whom we have been assured of God’s loving grace and blessings, His boundless and most compassionate love.

In our first reading today, we heard from the Book of Deuteronomy of the words that Moses, the leader of the Israelites to the people, exhorting all of them and their descendants to continue to keep faithfully all the Law and commandments that God had presented, taught and revealed to them. This was likely taking place when Moses was already old and it had been many years since the time of the Exodus from Egypt, as the Israelites were forced to wander off in the desert for a whole forty years period due to their own lack of faith and trust in the Lord. But God did not abandon or forsake His people, as He still cared for them, fed them daily with manna and food, and also gave them all water to drink, and other provisions for them to thrive and survive.

And Moses highlighted to the people of Israel how blessed they had been to be loved so by the Lord, because there is no other people and nation which had been taken care of and blessed in such a manner, from how God brought them out with great might and miracles from the land of Egypt, crushing and smiting their oppressors and slavers, and how He had brought them to triumph against their enemies like the Amalekites and the Midianites, throughout their time and sojourn in the desert. God had done so much for His beloved people, and He has always been patient in loving and caring for them, and that is why they should continue to be faithful and committed to God, and not to take His love, patience and kindness for granted.

Then, from our Gospel passage today, taken from the Gospel according to St. Matthew the Apostle and Evangelist, the Lord Jesus spoke to His disciples and first presenting to them all the reality of becoming one of His disciples and followers, that challenges and hardships are likely to be part of their lives and journey, and therefore, unless one is ready to take up their crosses and follow Him, then one cannot truly be a good and faithful disciple and follower of Our Lord. If we want to seek the Lord and His salvation, true joy and eternal life then it is necessary for us to endure the crosses that we may have to carry throughout our lives, in their different forms and kinds. But we must not lose hope because in the end, God will reward all those who have been faithful to Him.

The Lord reassured us all that if we continue to be faithful and committed to Him and to His path, He will be with us throughout our journey, just as He has guided and helped the Israelites in the past throughout their way, despite them having often disobeyed and disregarded the Lord and His reminders to them. He still loved them all nonetheless and continued to help and guide them, patiently chastising and leading them to the right path. That is what we shall experience as well, as we continue to walk down the path that the Lord our God has shown us. We must not lose sight on what is important and we must always keep steady in our faith and focus on the Lord, doing our very best so that we do not give in to the temptations all around us.

Today, the Church also celebrates the Feast of the renowned St. Dominic, the founder of the Dominican Order or the Order of Preachers. St. Dominic, also known as St. Dominic de Guzman, was exposed to monastic and religious life early on in his life, as he was sent to a Premonstratensian monastery when he was just fourteen years old, and having studied arts and theology, he eventually embraced the calling to the priesthood and became a priest. As a priest, St. Dominic would be involved in various ministries and missions, and even in diplomatic mission such as one that he did for the King of Castile in Spain. St. Dominic was also then heavily involved in the evangelising mission in the then hotbed of the Cathar heresy in southern region, during the time of what is known as the Albigensian Crusade.

St. Dominic was also remembered for his popularisation of the rosary devotion, based on a vision which that he received of the Blessed Virgin Mary, where she appeared to St. Dominic, presenting a rosary to him, and thereafter beginning that very popular prayer and devotion of the rosary in all of its forms. He founded the Order of Preachers, the Dominicans, to minister to more of the faithful and of the needs of the society at the time, balancing the monastic seclusion of several monastic orders with the need to minister to the community, with particular focus and emphasis on preaching, which is why the religious order he founded is named as the Order of Preachers. Through his preaching and other efforts, St. Dominic had touched so many people, and many of them were the Cathar heretics, who were convinced to return once again to the Holy Mother Church. He devoted his whole life to the service of God, and we should be inspired by this.

Brothers and sisters in Christ, as we recalled the words of the Sacred Scriptures that we have just heard and discussed earlier on, and strengthened by the great examples and inspiration from St. Dominic, his faith and zeal in spreading the Good News and in his patience in guiding all those who have strayed from the true faith back to the Lord, let us all therefore strive to live our own lives with faith and dedication to God, remembering how blessed we truly are to have been loved so greatly by Him. Let us all therefore commit ourselves anew to Him, dedicating our time and efforts to continue to do His good works in our respective communities. May the Lord be with us always and may He strengthen us all in love and courage, in faith and hope so that we may continue to be good and worthy bearers of His light and truth, now and always. Amen.

by

Friday, 8 August 2025 : 18th Week of Ordinary Time, Memorial of St. Dominic, Priest (Gospel Reading)

Liturgical Colour : White

Matthew 16 : 24-28

At that time, Jesus said to His disciples, “If you want to follow Me, deny yourself. Take up your cross and follow Me. For whoever chooses to save his life will lose it, but the one who loses his life, for My sake, will find it. What will one gain by winning the whole world, if he destroys his soul? Or what can a person give, in exchange for his life?”

“Know, that the Son of Man will come, in the glory of His Father with the holy Angels, and He will reward each one according to his deeds. Truly, I tell you, there are some standing here who will not taste death, before they see the Son of Man coming in His kingdom.”

by

Friday, 8 August 2025 : 18th Week of Ordinary Time, Memorial of St. Dominic, Priest (Psalm)

Liturgical Colour : White

Psalm 76 : 12-13, 14-15, 16 and 21

I remember the deeds of YHVH; I recall His marvels of old. I meditate on all Your work, and consider Your mighty deeds.

Your way, o God, is most holy. Is there any god greater than You, our God? You alone, are the God Who works wonders, Who has made known His power to the nations.

With power, You have redeemed Your people, the descendants of Jacob and Joseph. You led Your people, as a flock, by the hand of Moses and Aaron.

by

Friday, 8 August 2025 : 18th Week of Ordinary Time, Memorial of St. Dominic, Priest (First Reading)

Liturgical Colour : White

Deuteronomy 4 : 32-40

Ask of the times past. Inquire from the day when God created man on earth. Ask from one end of the world to the other : Has there ever been anything as extraordinary as this? Has anything like this been heard of before? Has there ever been a people who remained alive after hearing as you did the voice of the living God from the midst of the fire?

Never has there been a God Who went out to look for a people and take them out from among the other nations by the strength of trials and signs, by wonders and by war, with a firm hand and an outstretched arm. Never has there been any deed as tremendous as those done for you by YHVH in Egypt, which you saw with your own eyes.

You saw this that you might know that YHVH is God and that there is no other besides Him. He let you hear His voice from heaven that you might fear Him; on earth He let you see His blazing fire and from the midst of the fire you heard His word. Because of the love He had for our fathers, He chose their descendants after them, and He Himself made you leave Egypt with His great power.

He expelled before you peoples more numerous and stronger than you, and He has made you occupy their land : today He has given this to you as an inheritance. Therefore, try to be convinced that YHVH is the only God of heaven and earth, and that there is no other. Observe the laws and the commandments that I command you today, and everything will be well with you and your children after you. So you will live long in the land which YHVH, your God, gives you forever.

by

Wednesday, 23 July 2025 : 16th Week of Ordinary Time, Memorial of St. Bridget of Sweden, Religious (Homily and Scripture Reflections)

Liturgical Colour : Green or White (Religious)

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, today as we all gather together to reflect upon the words of the Sacred Scriptures, we are reminded of the great love and providence which God has given to each and every one of us, and how this love has been shown to us most generously through what He had done to us mankind throughout history, and how He has indeed sowed the seeds of His love in us, the seeds of our faith and trust in Him, and the seeds of hope, which He has provided to us so that we may all grow ever stronger in our faith, hope and love, in our commitment and dedication as Christians, as those whom God had called and chosen to be His own, as the ones whom He had made holy so that we may be truly worthy of Him and everything that He has prepared for us.

In our first reading today, we heard from the Book of Exodus of the account of the time when the Israelites were journeying through the desert, continuing from the account of the Exodus and liberation of the Israelites from their slavery in Egypt that we have heard in the past few weekdays. In that account of what happened, the people of Israel had been journeying hungry and thirsty through the dry and lifeless desert, and they began to complain against God and Moses for having brought them all out of the land of Egypt, where they had been enslaved by the Egyptians before. They complained that although they were enslaved but at least they had good food and good things to drink in Egypt, and they would rather be slaves instead of dying there in the desert.

This attitude, which would be repeated again and again throughout Israel’s long sojourn in the desert showed the lack of genuine and strong faith in God. They kept on grumbling and complaining despite having seen God’s signs and wonders, His miracles and power being shown before them when He was liberating them from the hands of the Pharaoh and the Egyptians, when He opened the sea itself before them to walk through the seabed, dry and safe, and crushing the forces and chariots of Pharaoh afterwards, among other mighty deeds He had done. And we heard how despite the complaints and grumblings that His people had made, God was still very patient in loving them and in caring for them, promising that He would send them food and sustenance throughout their time and journey in the desert.

That was how the Israelites came to be sustained and nourished by the manna, the heavenly bread that came down upon them on every morning except on the morning of the Sabbath days. They also received another sustenance through the flock of birds that the Lord sent to them every evening. Through all of these we can see just how great and loving God is towards all those who are beloved to Him. He always provides for the needs of those who are dear to Him, caring for them to the best way possible, leading them all to the path of grace and happiness. He never breaks His promises and reassurances, and we are reminded to be ever more faithful and committed to the Lord at all times, and no longer allow ourselves to be swayed and tempted by the pressures and the fears in our hearts and minds that may lead us astray as they had done to the Israelites.

From our Gospel passage today, taken from the Gospel according to St. Matthew the Apostle and Evangelist, we heard of the well-known parable of the sower in which the Lord used the example of the sower spreading his seeds in various places to highlight His intentions in teaching His disciples and others about providing for ourselves favourable and good conditions for our faith to grow so that we may grow ever stronger in our faith and love for God, that as Christians we may be ever more committed in following the Lord, our most loving God and Master. In that parable, the Lord spoke of a sower who actually represented the Lord Himself, the One Who sowed the seeds of faith, hope and love in the hearts and minds of many in this world, that is represented by the field and the other places that the seeds have been sown.

And what we heard from the parable of the sower is very important because it is related to the behaviour of the Israelites back then during the time of their Exodus and journey towards the Promised Land of Canaan. They did not have much faith in the Lord precisely because they were like those seeds which fell on the roadside or on the barren and rocky soil or on the good soil but with thorns and brambles surrounding them, which means that their faith in the Lord was not cultivated in a truly fertile ‘soil’ that is a commitment to a loving and good relationship with God. That was why they lost their faith in the Lord so quickly, especially when they were facing troubles and difficulties in their journey, leading them to complain and being ungrateful despite everything that God had done for them.

Yes, even after they had been given the manna and the flocks of bird to eat daily, and also good quality water to drink throughout their journey, they still complained nonetheless, and they could not be truly happy because they sought what was material and earthly in their desires, and not trusting in God Who has always loved them and provided for them throughout their whole journey. That would be what we may experience as well if we do not have true and genuine faith in the Lord, and if we do not put Him as an emphasis and focus in our lives. Each and every one of us as Christians should always strive and seek for things that are beyond this world and not to seek or desire for worldly glory and ambitions in this life.

Today, the Church also celebrates the Feast of St. Bridget of Sweden, who was born into a family of nobility in medieval Sweden. She was born in the early fourteenth century, and had a rather usual early life, being married to another nobleman, having several children, one of whom, St. Catherine of Sweden, was also honoured as a saint. When she was widowed by her husband’s death, she became the member of the Third Order of St. Francis, serving the needs of the poor and the less fortunate. St. Bridget herself also established the religious order later known as the Bridgettines, the Order of the Most Holy Saviour, a joint community of men and women dedicated to the care of the needy and the poor, those who are suffering and sick.

She also made many well-known pilgrimages to Rome starting with the Jubilee Year in 1350. Then subsequently, she made more pilgrimages to Rome and worked hard among the people there, caring for the need of those who were troubled by sickness and other maladies. She continued to dedicate herself wholeheartedly to the Lord to the end of her life and inspired many others to do the same as well. She received many visions from the Lord and was a renowned mystic in her own right, and many of her experiences and visions were documented, serving as inspiration for many more people beyond her time and reach. And all of us should also be inspired by her great faith and commitment in loving the poor and caring for the need of those who are sick and less fortunate, in whatever means and capacities we can contribute.

May the Lord continue to help us to appreciate all the love that He has given us, and inspired by the examples and faith shown by our holy predecessors like St. Bridget of Sweden among others, let us all continue to nurture in us a heart that is truly centred on the Lord and commit ourselves with ever greater conviction and faith to serve and follow the Lord at all times. If we provide this fertile ground by which the Lord’s truth, His Good News and teachings can be sowed and nurtured, then surely we will bear rich fruits of our faith and grow ever stronger in virtue and charity, and be good inspiration and example to others, and be worthy beacons of God’s light, now and always. May God bless us all and our every good efforts and endeavours, all for His greater glory. Amen.

by

Wednesday, 23 July 2025 : 16th Week of Ordinary Time, Memorial of St. Bridget of Sweden, Religious (Gospel Reading)

Liturgical Colour : Green or White (Religious)

Matthew 13 : 1-9

At that time, that same day, Jesus left the house and sat down by the lakeside. Many people gathered around Him. So He got into a boat, and sat down, while the crowds stood on the shore; and He spoke to them in parables about many things.

Jesus said, “The sower went out to sow; and, as he sowed, some seeds fell along the path; and the birds came and ate them up. Other seeds fell on rocky ground, where there was little soil, and the seeds sprouted quickly, because the soil was not deep. But as soon as the sun rose, the plants were scorched; and they withered, because they had no roots.”

“Again, other seeds fell among thistles; and the thistles grew and choked the plants. Still, other seeds fell on good soil and produced a crop : some a hundredfold, others sixty, and others thirty. If you have ears, then hear!”

by

Wednesday, 23 July 2025 : 16th Week of Ordinary Time, Memorial of St. Bridget of Sweden, Religious (Psalm)

Liturgical Colour : Green or White (Religious)

Psalm 77 : 18-19, 23-24, 25-26, 27-28

The people of God tested Him, demanding the food they craved. They blasphemed against God, saying : “Can God spread a table in the desert?”

Yet, He commanded the skies above, and opened the doors of heaven; He rained down manna upon them, and fed them with the heavenly grain.

They ate and had more than their fill of the bread of Angels. Then, from heaven He stirred the east wind, and, by His power, let loose the south wind.

To rain down meat on them like dust. Birds as thick as the sand on the seashore fell inside their camp, lying all around their tents.