Saints

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Wednesday, 23 August 2023 : 20th Week of Ordinary Time, Memorial of St. Rose of Lima, Virgin (First Reading)

Liturgical Colour : Green or White (Holy Virgins)

Judges 9 : 6-15

Then all the lords of Shechem and the whole council assembled together by the oak of the pillar in Shechem, and proclaimed Abimelech king. When Jotham was told about this, he went to the top of Mount Gerizim. There he cried out to them, “Listen to me, lords of Shechem, that God may listen to you!”

“The trees once set out to find and anoint a king. They said to the olive tree, ‘Be our king.’ The olive tree answered, ‘Am I going to renounce the oil by which – thanks to me – gods and people are honoured, to hold sway over the trees?'”

“The trees said to the fig tree : ‘Come and reign over us.’ The fig tree answered them, ‘Am I going to renounce my sweetness and my delicious fruit, to hold sway over the trees?'”

“The trees said to the vine : ‘Come and reign over us.’ The vine answered, ‘Am I going to renounce my juice which cheers gods and people to sway over the trees?'”

“Then the trees said to the bramble bush : ‘Come, reign over us.’ The bramble bush answered the trees, ‘If you come in sincerity to anoint me as your king, then come near and take shelter in my shade; but if not, let fire break out of the bramble bush to devour even the cedars of Lebanon.'”

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Tuesday, 22 August 2023 : 20th Week of Ordinary Time, Memorial of the Queenship of the Blessed Virgin Mary (Homily and Scripture Reflections)

Liturgical Colour : White

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, today the Church celebrates the Feast of the Queenship of the Blessed Virgin Mary, as we honour Mary, the Mother of God through her motherhood of our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ, Who is truly the Son of God Most High, as acclaimed by the Archangel Gabriel in our Gospel passage today. And since the Lord Jesus is truly the King and Master of all the whole entire Universe, our great and sovereign King, therefore His Mother Mary is indeed a Queen, and hence today we rejoice in the glory and honour of Mary as Queen, in her various titles and honours as Queen of Heaven, as Queen of All Saints, Queen of Angels, Queen of Peace and others. We rejoice greatly in Mary’s Queenship because we see in her the perfect and most wonderful example of a faithful disciple and follower of our Lord.

In our first reading today, we heard of the words from the Book of the prophet Isaiah, which is the same reading used on the Christmas Midnight Mass, telling us about the coming of the salvation of God, revealed to us through Mary, by her motherhood of the Saviour of the whole world, Jesus Christ, Who as the Son of God is the fulfilment of all the prophecies of the Messiah or Saviour that God had made through His prophets, and in particular what we have heard from the prophet Isaiah. The prophet Isaiah spoke of God’s Light and salvation that would come to the people who have lived in the darkness, promising to them the coming of the salvation in God, through the Holy Child that would be born, through a Virgin, a Woman, to the House of David, fulfilling everything that God had promised to His people, which were indeed fulfilled with the birth of Jesus Christ, Our Lord and Saviour.

The words of the prophet Isaiah prefigured and revealed the nature of the Messiah or Saviour that God would send to His people, that this Saviour would be no less than God Himself manifested in the flesh, and dwelling among us, from His Name given to Isaiah, as Emmanuel, which means ‘God is with us’, and His many titles that are highlighted in today’s passage. After all, which man, no matter how great and powerful, and which Son, born of a Woman, would be titled as ‘Wonderful Counsellor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace’? All these titles point out to the Saviour to be born of the Virgin woman, that He is to be God Himself, coming down to us in the appearance and nature of our human flesh, as both Son of God and Son of Man, which therefore made Mary, the Woman prophesied by Isaiah and the other prophets, to be the Mother of God.

And with reference to David, whose Heir and Son our Lord and Saviour is considered to be, Mary is truly a Queen because the mother of a King is considered a Queen, both during the time of King David of Israel, as well as other time and moments of history throughout the world, in the various kingdoms and dominions present in the past and present. The mother of the king is honoured as a queen mother, and is often accorded a position of great importance in the royal court, and is usually a highly honoured and respected advisor to the reigning monarch. For example, David’s son, King Solomon of Israel, had his mother, Bathsheba seated by his throne’s side as the Queen Mother of the kingdom, and he often asked her for advice and help in the ruling of his kingdom, and highly respected and honoured his mother in his rule.

Therefore, by comparing that example with that of the fact that Mary is the Mother of our Lord and Saviour, and our King, Jesus Christ, therefore, she is indeed a Queen, like that of other Queen Mothers of this world, past and present, honoured and respected by their relationship with the monarch, who is their sons or daughters. If we honour any earthly and worldly kings and rulers, it is not right for us to despise or disregard their mothers, and thus, similarly, it is not right for us to disregard and disrespect Mary, who is the Mother of God, if we truly love and honour the Lord, our God. We cannot claim to be Christ’s disciple, follower or His faithful ones if we treat Mary with disdain or contempt, or ignore her as if she is just like another ordinary human beings. Yes, there is no doubt that Mary is a human being just like us, but she has been prepared, by God’s singular grace, to be special, being full of grace and free from the taint of original sin, as the Church from its earliest days had believed.

That was why in our Gospel passage today, the Archangel Gabriel in the account of the Lord’s Annunciation greeted Mary with ‘Full of Grace’, which highlighted her special status as a hallowed being, spared by God from any taint of original sin, and through her total obedience to the will of God, her love for Him and her commitment, she has become the worthy vessel through whom the Saviour of this world, the Son of God Himself, became incarnate in the flesh, and entered into our world. Mary is the New Ark of the New Covenant, and the great Tabernacle of the Lord’s Holy Presence, through whom God is revealed to us all. And as last week we celebrate together, the Lord raised her up and assumed her into Heaven, body and soul, to be with Him and to rule together in Heaven, showing us all that Mary is truly a Queen worthy of our honour and respect.

With Mary, our Mother and Queen being by the side of her Son in Heaven, at the side of the Throne of God, all of us have a truly great ally in the daily struggles of life, and in all the challenges that this world present to us. Through Mary, all of us are shown the light of God’s salvation and grace, and we have the most sure and direct path to her Son, our Lord, Saviour and King. Mary has also been given to us as our Mother, as a loving mother to care for us and all of us as her beloved children. Mary has shown us the perfect example of faith and commitment, dedication and obedience to God and His will. She is also our greatest intercessor, ever praying and interceding on our behalf, and ever asking her Son to show us all His mercy, kindness and love, for us all sinners, her wayward sons and daughters.

Let us all seek to emulate Mary’s examples, and let us all strive to live our lives worthily of the Lord from now on. Let us all no longer be easily swayed and tempted by the allure of worldly glory, evils and wickedness, and by the temptations of our desires, greed, ambition and pride, all of which may end up leading us to our downfall. Let us all ask Mary, our Queen and Mother, to pray for us all and to help inspire us and guide us in our journey of faith and life, so that in all the things that we say and do, we will always strive to do our best to do God’s will, and to do what we can, in order to live lives that are truly exemplary and genuine as Christians, that is as God’s beloved and holy people. May the Lord continue to be with us and bless all of us in His Church, empowering us to be the shining beacons of His light and truth, now and always. Amen.

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Tuesday, 22 August 2023 : 20th Week of Ordinary Time, Memorial of the Queenship of the Blessed Virgin Mary (Gospel Reading)

Liturgical Colour : White

Luke 1 : 26-38

In the sixth month, the Angel Gabriel was sent from God to a town of Galilee called Nazareth. He was sent to a young virgin, who was betrothed to a man named Joseph, of the family of David; and the virgin’s name was Mary.

The Angel came to her and said, “Rejoice, full of grace, the Lord is with you.” Mary was troubled at these words, wondering what this greeting could mean. But the Angel said, “Do not fear, Mary, for God has looked kindly on you. You shall conceive and bear a Son, and you shall call Him Jesus. He will be great, and shall rightly be called Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give Him the kingdom of David, His ancestor; He will rule over the people of Jacob forever, and His reign shall have no end.”

Then Mary said to the Angel, “How can this be, since I am a virgin?” And the Angel said to her, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; therefore, the Holy Child to be born of you shall be called Son of God. Even your relative Elizabeth is expecting a son in her old age, although she was unable to have a child; and she is now in her sixth month. With God nothing is impossible.”

Then Mary said, “I am the handmaid of the Lord, let it be done to me as you have said.” And the Angel left her.

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Tuesday, 22 August 2023 : 20th Week of Ordinary Time, Memorial of the Queenship of the Blessed Virgin Mary (Psalm)

Liturgical Colour : White

Psalm 112 : 1-2, 3-4, 5-6, 7-8

Alleluia! Praise, o servants of YHVH, praise the Name of YHVH! Blessed be the Name of YHVH now and forever!

From eastern lands to the western islands, may the Name of YHVH be praised! YHVH is exalted over the nations; His glory above the heavens.

Who is like YHVH our God, Who sits enthroned on high, but also bends down to see on earth as in heaven?

He lifts up the poor from the dust and the needy from the ash heap. He makes them sit with princes, with rulers of His people.

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Tuesday, 22 August 2023 : 20th Week of Ordinary Time, Memorial of the Queenship of the Blessed Virgin Mary (First Reading)

Liturgical Colour : White

Isaiah 9 : 1-6

The people who walk in darkness have seen a great light. A light has dawned on those who live in the land of the shadow of death. You have enlarged the nation; You have increased their joy. They rejoice before You, as people rejoice at harvest time as they rejoice in dividing the spoil.

For the yoke of their burden, the bar across their shoulders, the rod of their oppressors, You have broken it as on the day of Midian. Every warrior’s boot that tramped in war, every cloak rolled in blood, will be thrown out for burning, will serve as fuel for the fire.

For a Child is born to us, a Son is given us; the royal ornament is laid upon His shoulder, and His Name is proclaimed : “Wonderful Counsellor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.”

To the increase of His powerful rule in peace, there will be no end. Vast will be His dominion, He will reign on David’s throne and over all his kingdom, to establish and uphold it with justice and righteousness from this time onward and forever. The zealous love of YHVH Sabaoth will do this.

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Monday, 21 August 2023 : 20th Week of Ordinary Time, Memorial of Pope St. Pius X, Pope (Homily and Scripture Reflections)

Liturgical Colour : White

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, today as we listened to the words of the Scriptures, we are all reminded of the commandments, the Law and the path which the Lord our God have presented to us, taught and shown to us. All of us as God’s beloved people, His followers and disciples, each one of us are expected to follow Him and His path, and to dedicate ourselves in what He has shown us, and what He has always patiently led us all through, that our lives may truly be aligned and attuned to Him in all things, in all of our actions, words and deeds. We have to be truly committed and dedicated to God, and we should not be just showing merely outwardly signs and external piety, but we must also have deep understanding, knowledge and appreciation of the Lord’s truth and our faith in order to do so. We have to make sure that our whole entire lives are truly attuned to the Lord and His path.

In our first reading today, we heard of the story from the Book of Judges summarising to us what happened in the years between the moment when the Israelites had arrived and established themselves in the Promised Land of Canaan and the time of the establishment of the kingdom of Israel. During those years, the Lord sent many of His servants, calling those whom He called to be the leaders and guides for all of His people, namely the ‘Judges of Israel’. These Judges, whose lives and works, struggles and efforts were highlighted and detailed throughout the Book of Judges, were sent by God to help correct and guide His people, who frequently rebelled against Him and disobeyed His Law and commandments, as they grew ever more lax in their obedience to God and in falling into the worship of the pagan and false idols of the false gods of Canaan.

Those people had not been truly faithful to the Lord, and they did not truly understand and appreciate everything that God had granted to them and whatever that God had provided for them with love. That was why every time the Lord’s Judges helped them all out of their struggles and problems, and helped to correct their paths and ways, they tended to fall again and again into sinful ways, turning back into their rebellious ways and disobedience, by keeping their worship of the false gods and idols and by refusing to stay faithful to the Lord, and to worship Him alone. This is the result of a superficial kind of faith, in which one may just show an outward expression of the faith, but whose hearts and minds might not have been truly attuned and harmonised with God and His will, and whose ways were not inclined to follow God’s path.

That was also highlighted again in our Gospel passage today, as the Lord Jesus talked to a young rich man, who asked Him what else that he had to do after he had done everything that the Law and the commandments of God had asked him to do. When the Lord told the man that he should sell everything that he had and give them all to the poor, his sorrow and dejection at such a suggestion indicated that ultimately, his greatest love and attachment was still his wealth and material possession, and not that of the Lord. The Lord wanted to use this as an example for all of us that it is possible for us to do so much and to obey so many of God’s commandments and Law and all that the Church had instructed to do, and yet, we do not truly and genuinely have faith in God as we should have. This is why, we are reminded today that we should have a faith that is truly living and genuine in us, that we know the Lord well and truly love Him with all of our heart and might.

Today, the Church celebrates the feast of a great saint and man of God, whose life hopefully can serve as a source of inspiration and strength for each and every one of us in how we ought to live our lives with faith and commitment to God. Pope St. Pius X, one of the more recent Popes, was a truly great and devoted servant of God, who had dedicated his life, ministry and work throughout his life for the greater glory of God and for the well-being of God’s people. He showed many of us what it means to have a strong commitment and love for God, and also a desire to bring God closer to each one of us, and as the shepherd and leader of the Church, Pope St. Pius X had done most wonderfully in fulfilling his calling and mission, in leading the Church in the journey towards greater connection and in being better attuned with God, His Law, commandments and will.

Pope St. Pius X was born as Giuseppe Melchiorre Sarto in Riese, in what is now the northern part of Italy, as one of the many children of a poor Italian family, with his father working as a village postman while his mother was a housewife. His parents had great impact on the young Giuseppe Sarto’s life, as they valued education and proper upbringing for their children, despite themselves being poor and destitute. This would have great impact on the future Pope St. Pius X, that despite his rise in the Church hierarchy and society, remained humble and dedicated to the cause that he had devoted himself into, in faithfully serving and leading the people of God and the Church. He was raised in poverty, but remained dedicated to his studies and preparations, which saw him eventually finishing his academic studies with great distinction even though he was often ridiculed and teased for his poverty.

Giuseppe Sarto was eventually ordained as a priest and was especially renowned for his great holiness, which inspired many people by his life and examples. He devoted his life to his mission and works, in caring for the people and the sick, and in managing Church institutions and efforts through the various capacities that he had been entrusted with. He always showed care and concern for the sake of his flock, especially those who were underprivileged and poor, being reminded of having been raised in poverty himself, and he strived hard to ensure that many youths were able to access educations and other privileges that were often denied to them. He was eventually chosen and ordained as bishop, to lead the Diocese of Mantua, where he continued to devote himself vigorously to the many missions and works that he was very renowned for.

He remained dedicated to his aged mother as well, showing her respect and it was well known that even after he was made a Cardinal, and then as the Patriarch of Venice, the then Cardinal Giuseppe Sarto visited his mother, in what was to be their last meeting, and gave her a blessing. He later on celebrated his mother’s funeral and went on to become a great Patriarch and shepherd, and then elected as the Pope and successor of St. Peter the Apostle as the Vicar of Christ, taking the name Pius, and hence he was then on known as Pope Pius X, now saint. As Pope, Pope St. Pius X continued to devote himself vigorously to the causes and missions that he had led through previously, and he was well-known for his love for Church music, hence leading through a great effort of reform in ensuring that the Gregorian Chant has the prime and most important position in Church music.

Pope St. Pius X was also known for his great love of the Lord and for his efforts in bringing the Lord closer to His people, by encouraging earlier reception of the Sacrament of the Holy Eucharist, after having heard and investigated the wonderful and inspirational faith story of the 4 years old Ellen Organ, whom despite her very young age, showed great understanding and grasp of the faith, that convinced Pope St. Pius X through his decree Quam Singulari, allowed young children as young as seven, as long as they have shown adequate understanding and appreciation of the faith, to receive their first Holy Communion. Through this and many other efforts, Pope St. Pius X had brought so many people closer to God, and he was also well-known for his advocacy and efforts for peace, in his efforts to prevent the outbreak of the Great War, later known as the First World War, and he died heartbroken very shortly after the beginning of that devastating war.

Brothers and sisters in Christ, we can clearly see how Pope St. Pius X is truly a great example for all of us in his faith and life, and in his dedication to God. Are we all able to love the Lord our God, sincerely and genuinely, with all of our heart, with all of our might and strength, and with our whole being? Let us all follow in the footsteps of Pope St. Pius X, in all that he had done, and in the examples of the many other saints, holy men and women of God whose lives and experiences had inspired us all as well. May God be with us always, and may He empower each one of us so that we may draw ever closer to Him, and be ever more faithful to Him, with each and every passing moments. Pope St. Pius X, pray for us all! Amen.

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Monday, 21 August 2023 : 20th Week of Ordinary Time, Memorial of Pope St. Pius X, Pope (Gospel Reading)

Liturgical Colour : White

Matthew 19 : 16-22

At that time, it was then, that a young man approached Him and asked, “Master, what good work must I do to receive eternal life?” Jesus answered, “Why do you ask Me about what is good? One, only, is good. If you want to enter eternal life, keep the commandments.”

The young man said, “Which commandments?” Jesus replied, “Do not kill; do not commit adultery; do not steal; do not bear false witness; honour your father and mother. And love your neighbour as yourself.” The young man said to Him, “I have kept all these commandments. What do I still lack?”

Jesus answered, “If you wish to be perfect, go, sell all that you possess, and give the money to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come back and follow Me.” On hearing this, the young man went away sad, for he was a man of great wealth.

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Monday, 21 August 2023 : 20th Week of Ordinary Time, Memorial of Pope St. Pius X, Pope (Psalm)

Liturgical Colour : White

Psalm 105 : 34-35, 36-37, 39-40, 43ab and 44

They dared not destroy the pagans, as YHVH commanded; they mingled with these nations and learnt to do as they did.

In serving the idols of the pagans, they were trapped into sacrificing children to demons.

They defiled themselves by what they did, playing the harlot in their worship. The anger of YHVH grew intense and He abhorred His inheritance.

He delivered them many a time, but they went on defying Him and sinking deeper into their sin. But He heard their cry of affliction and looked on them with compassion.

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Monday, 21 August 2023 : 20th Week of Ordinary Time, Memorial of Pope St. Pius X, Pope (First Reading)

Liturgical Colour : White

Judges 2 : 11-19

The Israelites treated YHVH badly for they served the Baals instead. They abandoned YHVH, the God of their ancestors who had brought them out of Egypt, and served other gods, the gods of the neighbouring peoples. They bowed before those gods and offended YHVH.

When YHVH saw that they had abandoned Him to serve Baal and Ashtaroth, He became angry with His people and gave them into the hands of plunderers who left them in misery. He Himself sold them to their enemies who completely surrounded the Israelites, so that these Israelites could no longer withstand them. Whenever they felt strong for an offensive, YHVH would turn against them and send evil upon them, as He had warned them and sworn to do. And this caused much distress and anguish for the Israelites.

YHVH raised up “judges” (or liberators) who saved the Israelites from their exploiters. But neither did they obey those “judges” for they still prostituted themselves to other gods and worshipped them. They soon left the way of their fathers who obeyed the commandments of YHVH; they did not follow the way of their fathers.

When YHVH made a judge appear among His people, YHVH was with him and saved them from their enemies. That lasted as long as the judge lived, for YHVH was moved to pity by the lament of His people who were oppressed and persecuted. But when the judge died, they again became worse than their ancestors – worshipping and serving other gods. They would not renounce their pagan practices and stubborn ways.

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Saturday, 19 August 2023 : 19th Week of Ordinary Time, Memorial of St. John Eudes, Priest (Homily and Scripture Reflections)

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

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, today as we listened to the readings from the Sacred Scriptures, each and every one of us are reminded again to remain true to our faith in God at all times, and each one of us are called to deepen our faith and knowledge of God and His ways, so that in all and every thing that we do, we will always do what He has taught and commanded us all to do in our daily lives. We should have faith that is strong and pure, unbridled by the many temptations of worldly glory and fame, and faith that is truly vibrant and alive, that can inspire many others to continue to be faithful and dedicated to God. This is what we have been called to do as Christians, and we are constantly being reminded so that we will always be exemplary in our every actions and deeds throughout life.

In our first reading today, we heard the continuation of the Book of Joshua in which Joshua, the leader of the Israelites that succeeded Moses, continued to remind the Israelites of what they had to do in obeying God’s Law and commandments, in doing God’s will and in living their lives truly worthily of His cause. Each and every one of us ought to heed these reminders as well, because we are all have been called and chosen by God as His people too. Joshua told all the people of Israel that they all should not forget about the Lord, their God, and they must not establish or erect any altars or worship any pagan idols or gods in their midst, aside from the Lord only. This is because the Lord alone is the one true God Who is worthy of worship, and the people of God must not be easily swayed by the allures of their neighbours or other worldly temptations all around them.

In our Gospel passage today, we then heard of the Lord telling off His disciples for keeping young children from coming to Him, when many of them came to be with Him and to greet Him with joy. The Lord’s disciples tried to keep those children away from Him and scolded those who brought the children to the Lord, and this immediately brought about a stern rebuke from the Lord for all those disciples, because the Lord truly wanted all those children to come to Him, and presented of how faithful those children truly were, with faith that were really living and vibrant, true and pure, unadulterated and uncorrupted by the temptations and other forms of worldly vices and allures, and which all of us as Christians, all of God’s disciples and followers, should truly aspire to have in our own respective lives and faith.

What is the faith of a child, brothers and sisters in Christ? It is a pure faith where the child seeks the Lord and focuses their attention on Him alone, just as we can notice how innocent children really are. If they believe in something, or were told about something, they will really believe in it without any skepticism or doubt, and this kind of pure faith is what the Lord truly seeks from all of us, His beloved people and children. However, the reality is such that many of us did not truly have this kind of pure, unadulterated and uncorrupted life, faith and commitment to God, as many of us have been swayed and corrupted by the temptations of worldly glory and desires, all the things which had kept us away from truly being able to serve and follow the Lord wholeheartedly in all of our lives, as we all should have done.

Take for example the people of Israel themselves, whom God had rescued and led out of the land of Egypt, and whom He had loved and taken care of throughout that journey and beyond. There were many times and instances throughout that journey when the Lord were repeatedly angered and saddened by their stubborn refusal to listen to Him or to obey His ways, because all of them sought worldly satisfaction and pleasures, rather than to obey Him and His Law and commandments. Whenever the Israelites rebelled against God and disobeyed Him, or established pagan idols and false gods over them, it was because they were swayed by those temptations, of wickedness and evil, pride, ambition, ego, greed, pleasures of the world, and more, and all those things led them down the slippery path towards their downfall.

The same will likely happen to us as well, brothers and sisters in Christ, unless we take due precaution to avoid suffering the same fate by being ever vigilant in our lives and in how we live them. Unless we watch ourselves and our actions in life, we may all easily end up falling into the trap of sin and evil, and as a result, we may end up losing sight and focus on the Lord and His saving grace, His light and path. When we allow the corruptions and the temptations of this world to sway us, it will likely lead us astray, away from the Lord and His truth, and in the end, we may regret when it is already too late, and when we have to suffer the consequences for our sins and faults. But the Lord is forever always gracious and kind, and He has always given us many opportunities to turn away from the wicked paths and to embrace the path of His light and righteousness.

That is why, all of us should seek inspiration from the good examples of our holy predecessors, like that of St. John Eudes whose feast we are celebrating today. St. John Eudes was a French priest and the founder of the religious congregation, the Congregation of Jesus and Mary. He had been devout and pious throughout his whole life, even from an early age, and developed an intense devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus and the Immaculate Heart of Mary throughout his formative and priestly years and vocation. He dedicated much of his time and efforts to help those who were suffering and sick, and spent the time to evangelise and to let the Lord and His truth known amongst more and more of God’s people. St. John Eudes also cared for some prostitutes and others who had been ostracised by the community for their sinful way of life, developing what came to be known as the Order of Our Lady of Charity of the Refuge.

There were numerous other good deeds and actions which St. John Eudes had done for the greater glory of God and for the benefits of his fellow brothers and sisters, particularly those who had been abandoned and ostracised, and had none to welcome or care for them. Through his efforts in preaching and ministry, and by his establishments of institutions to help the people of God and to gather those who desire to serve the Lord more faithfully, St. John Eudes had touched countless people, and brought so many souls, much closer to God and to His salvation. His strong devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus and the Immaculate Heart of Mary helped many others to come to love the Lord and to know Him more through His blessed Mother as well, and also by the inspiration set by St. John Eudes himself in all of his works.

Let us all therefore do the same in our lives, brothers and sisters in Christ, inspired and strengthened by the good examples and inspiration from St. John Eudes, so that we may also lead lives that are truly worthy of the Lord, free from sin and evil, and full of virtue and righteousness in God. Each and every one of us are expected and called to do God’s will, and to follow Him wholeheartedly, just as how Joshua had reminded the Israelites to be always ever faithful to God in all things. May all of us draw ever closer to God and His salvation, and do our best to remain truly faithful to Him, at all times. Amen.