Saints

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Saturday, 31 May 2025 : Feast of the Visitation of the Blessed Virgin Mary (Homily and Scripture Reflections)

Liturgical Colour : White

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, today marks the Feast of the Visitation of the Blessed Virgin Mary, on this last day of the month of May, which we all know is the month of Mary, the Mother of God. As we come to the end of this Marian month, we remember the great faith and role model that Mary has shown us all as the ideal and most amazing saint, as well as being our loving Mother, entrusted to us by the Lord Himself from His Cross. And this day in particular we remember that occasion when Mary was visiting her cousin Elizabeth, and both of them were pregnant at that time, with pregnancies that were both miraculous and wonderful in nature. The visitation of Mary upon Elizabeth and what happened during that event is a powerful reminder for us of God’s constant love for us and His ever powerful providence and help.

In our first reading today, taken from the Book of the prophet Zephaniah, we heard of the words of the Lord spoken through Zephaniah in which the Lord reassured all of His people, referred to as the daughters of Zion and Israel, that God would rescue all of them and restore them all once again to greatness, which they had lost because of their past and disobedience. The prophet Zephaniah carried out his ministry and works during the time and reign of King Josiah of Judah, towards the end of the days of the kingdoms of Israel and Judah. By that time, the northern kingdom of Israel had been destroyed for about a century, with its people scattered and brought in exile by their conquerors, forced to wander off in distant and foreign lands, away from the lands of their ancestors.

At that time the kingdom of Judah itself was not really in a good shape, surrounded by its many enemies and powerful neighbours, and the end of the kingdom itself was fast approaching, although during the time and reign of the faithful king Josiah, this was not so evident and Judah was experiencing some resurgence during his reign. Nonetheless, it was far cry from the glorious days of the once united and powerful kingdom of the time of King David and King Solomon. Therefore, what the Lord told His people in Judah regarding these promises and reassurances are reminders that God has always loved His people unconditionally, no matter what, and He has always been very patient in reaching out to them and waiting for them to return to Him and to be reconciled to Him.

Even when those same people had erred against Him and frequently disobeyed Him and His Law, the Lord still patiently sent His prophets and messengers, His servants and many others to help lead and guide the people to return to Him, to walk once again in the path that He has taught and shown them. That is truly how much the Lord loved His people, and the other first reading passage today from the Epistle of St. Paul to the Romans told us all that we should embody this same love, this same unconditional and patient love that God has shown to us His people in how we love one another, with generosity and sincerity. And what St. Paul told the faithful in Rome is essentially what the Lord wants us all, His people to carry out in each and every one of our lives, to be truly good and faithful in all of our deeds and actions, in our every interactions and dealings with one another.

Then, from our Gospel passage today, we heard of course the account of the moment of the Visitation itself, when Mary went to visit Elizabeth, her elderly cousin, to find out about what the Archangel Gabriel had told her regarding her miraculous pregnancy, when she herself was also with Child in her, miraculously conceived by the will of the Father and by the power of the Holy Spirit. In both of Mary and Elizabeth therefore were contained the fulfilment of God’s great promises, which He has shown to His faithful, the long-awaited coming of His salvation, brought into this world through the Virgin, and the Herald that had also been promised, to be the one to prepare the path for the Saviour, the Holy One of God.

What happened then was Mary being filled with the Holy Spirit when Elizabeth greeted her as the Mother of her Lord and God, and we heard her song full of praise and thanksgiving to God, which we also know as the Magnificat, a great song of praise by Mary, highlighting her great joy and also summarising the joy that all of us mankind had felt and experienced as the Lord finally fulfilled everything that He has promised to us throughout all of history. And what is most significant and wonderful is the fact that the Lord had done all of these not through grand and mighty gestures or came as a conquering King, but He did so in His own mysterious and wonderful way, in miraculously lifting the shame of barrenness from an elderly woman, and also by fulfilling His promise of bringing forth the salvation through the Virgin.

All these remind us of the great love and kindness which the Lord has constantly shown us, in His patient and ever present love, compassion and kindness towards each and every one of us. He has never abandoned us in our hour and time of great need, but instead, He always fulfils His promises, and gave unto us all the most perfect of all gifts and wonders in His Son, Whom He has sent to be born of Mary, and through Him, and by His mother’s obedience, all of us have received the sure guarantee and assurance of eternal life and grace. And that is why we should truly be thankful and appreciative of everything which we have enjoyed through His love and kindness, and not to take all of these for granted. And we should also be inspired by Mary’s faith, obedience and examples in how we ought to live our lives as well.

May the Blessed Mother of God, Mary, our loving mother, continue to pray and intercede for all of us sinners, and may she continue to inspire us all by her own faith and examples, and by her tireless commitment and dedication to help us all, her beloved children, to bring us all ever closer to her Son, now and always. Mary, Holy Mother of God, pray for us all sinners now, and at the hour of our death. Amen.

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Saturday, 31 May 2025 : Feast of the Visitation of the Blessed Virgin Mary (Gospel Reading)

Liturgical Colour : White

Luke 1 : 39-56

Mary then set out for a town in the hill country of Judah. She entered the house of Zechariah and greeted Elizabeth. When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the baby leapt in her womb.

Elizabeth was filled with Holy Spirit, and giving a loud cry, said, “You are most blessed among women, and blessed is the Fruit of your womb! How is it that the mother of my Lord comes to me? The moment your greeting sounded in my ears, the baby within me suddenly leapt for joy. Blessed are you who believed that the Lord’s word would come true!”

And Mary said, “My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord, my spirit exults in God my Saviour! He has looked upon His servant in her lowliness, and people forever will call me blessed.”

“The Mighty One has done great things for me, Holy is His Name! From age to age His mercy extends to those who live in His presence. He has acted with power and done wonders, and scattered the proud with their plans. He has put down the mighty from their thrones, and lifted up those who are downtrodden. He has filled the hungry with good things, but has sent the rich away empty.”

“He held out His hand to Israel, His servant, for He remembered His mercy, even as He promised to our fathers, to Abraham and his descendants forever.”

Mary remained with Elizabeth about three months, and then returned home.

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Saturday, 31 May 2025 : Feast of the Visitation of the Blessed Virgin Mary (Psalm)

Liturgical Colour : White

Isaiah 12 : 2-3, 4bcd, 5-6

He is the God of my salvation; in Him I trust and am not afraid. YHVH is my strength : Him I will praise, the One Who saved me. You will draw water with joy from the very fountain of salvation.

Praise to the Lord, break into songs of joy for Him, proclaim His marvellous deeds among the nations and exalt His Name.

Sing to the Lord : wonders He has done, let these be known all over the earth. Sing for joy, o people of Zion, for great in your midst is the Holy One of Israel.

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Saturday, 31 May 2025 : Feast of the Visitation of the Blessed Virgin Mary (First Reading)

Liturgical Colour : White

Zephaniah 3 : 14-18

Cry out with joy, o daughter of Zion; rejoice, o people of Israel! Sing joyfully with all your heart, daughter of Jerusalem! YHVH has lifted your sentence and has driven your enemies away. YHVH, the King of Israel is with you; do not fear any misfortune.

On that day they will say to Jerusalem : Do not be afraid nor let your hands tremble, for YHVH your God is within you, YHVH, saving Warrior. He will jump for joy on seeing you, for He has revived His love. For you He will cry out with joy, as you do in the days of the Feast.

I will drive away the evil I warned you about, and you will no longer be ashamed.

Alternative reading

Romans 12 : 9-16b

Let love be sincere. Hate what is evil and hold to whatever is good. Love one another and be considerate. Outdo one another in mutual respect. Be zealous in fulfilling your duties. Be fervent in the Spirit and serve God.

Have hope and be cheerful. Be patient in trials and pray constantly. Share with other Christians in need. With those passing by, be ready to receive them. Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not wish evil on anyone. Rejoice with those who are joyful, and weep with those who weep.

Live in peace with one another. Do not dream of extraordinary things.

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Tuesday, 27 May 2025 : 6th Week of Easter, Memorial of St. Augustine of Canterbury, Bishop (Homily and Scripture Reflections)

Liturgical Colour : White

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, today as we listened to the words of the Lord contained within the passages of the Sacred Scriptures, we are reminded that we should continue to have hope in the Lord, believing that in His Providence, His presence and help, we will always find hope and strength, as well as the sure path out of our predicaments and sufferings, all the hardships and challenges that we have had to endure in our lives. We must never allow ourselves to be easily swayed and pressured by fear, indecision and doubt. We must continue to hold up firmly that faith in the Lord, that we should always have in our hearts and minds. That is why we are all called to reflect upon this hope which He has placed in us, so that we may continue to faithfully serve Him at all times.

In our first reading today, we heard from the Acts of the Apostles of the continuation of the account of the works of the Apostles in the ministry of the proclaiming of the Good News of God among the people, calling more and more towards the Lord and to His salvation. And even in the midst of their predicament and hardships, the Apostles continued to receive guidance, strength and encouragement from the Lord. God did not abandon those whom He had called and chosen to be His own, and He heard the prayers of those who have fervently prayed to Him and kept their faith in Him. We heard how a great earthquake struck when St. Paul and the other faithful disciples of the Lord were put in incarceration, and they were miraculously freed.

But what was even more wonderful was the fact that the Lord did not in fact just free St. Paul and the other disciples from their bondage and imprisonment, but He also made it such that the jailor and his family were also freed from their own bondage and slavery to sin, as St. Paul convinced the jailor not to take his own life out of guilt, but rather to put his trust in the Lord, and which led therefore to his conversion together with that of his own family members. Therefore, God did not just bring His servants to their safety, but was even adding to their numbers in such moments of darkness and suffering. All of these serve to remind us ever more of God’s greatness and His wonderful grace towards us, in how He has constantly and patiently guided us in our journey through faith and life.

Then, from our Gospel passage today, we heard from the Gospel according to St. John the Apostle and Evangelist, in which the Lord Jesus continued to speak to His disciples about what would happen to Him at the moment surrounding His Passion, His suffering and death on the Cross, all of which would soon happen, and He told these all to the disciples so that they would not fall into despair and fear, and that they would continue to put their trust and faith in Him even in difficult times. And as He had shared with the disciples in today’s passage, that everything had to happen as according to the will of the Father in Heaven, Who would send to them all the Helper or the Advocate, which refers to the Holy Spirit, the Spirit of God that would strengthen all of the followers of the Lord.

And the Lord told them all that everything had to happen as it had been planned by God, or else, the Holy Spirit would not come into this world as He should have. Through the Holy Spirit that eventually came upon all the disciples, guiding the Church of God, the Lord would do wonderful things for His people, growing the reach of His works to the whole world through the works of evangelisation and mission, as the disciples of the Lord courageously went forth to proclaim the Good News and the truth about God and His salvation, strengthened and encouraged by the Holy Spirit, sent unto them by the Lord Himself, dwelling in their hearts. Through the tireless effoorts and works of these dedicated missionaries and many other holy and faithful people of God, countless people and souls have been saved from eternal damnation and brought into the light of God’s salvation.

Today, the Church also marks the occasion of the Feast of St. Augustine of Canterbu ry, the very first bishop of the restored Church hierarchy and structure in England, after the turmoil and destruction of the previous two centuries when civil upheavals and problems led to the loss of contact between the Church in England and that in the rest of the Christendom at the time. After the downfall of the Roman Empire in the Western Europe, as well as the invasion of England by the pagan Anglo-Saxons, the state of the Church in the formerly Christian England was dire, but this did not lead to total destruction of the Christian faith in the region as many still held onto their faith in God despite being separated from the hierarchy and administration of the Church.

And most importantly, at that time, Pope St. Gregory the Great initiated important efforts to reevangelise the many areas that had fallen back to paganism and where the faith had floundered, sending among others, St. Augustine of Canterbury to be the Papal representative and missionary in England. It was at Canterbury in southeastern England where he ministered and worked patiently for the Lord’s sake, eventually leading to the conversion of many to the Lord, and beginning a great period of rejuvenation of the Christian faith there, that in the end brought back the whole England to the faith, as the Anglo-Saxons eventually completely and entirely adopted the Christian faith and were baptised in the Lord. Thanks to the courageous and tireless efforts of St. Augustine of Canterbury and the many other missionaries, all these good things happened.

Brothers and sisters in Christ, as we have heard today from our Scripture passages and also from the life and works of St. Augustine of Canterbury among others, let us all therefore be evangelising and missionary in our own actions, words and all the things that we do in our respective lives daily, in each and every moments, and in all of our encounters with those whom we meet in our lives. Let us all therefore be the faithful and worthy beacons of God’s light and truth, His Good News, love and hope to everyone around us. May the Lord bless our every good efforts, works and endeavours, and bring us all to be the great examples to all the people, now and always. Amen.

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Tuesday, 27 May 2025 : 6th Week of Easter, Memorial of St. Augustine of Canterbury, Bishop (Gospel Reading)

Liturgical Colour : White

John 16 : 5-11

At that time, Jesus said to His disciples, “But now I am going to the One Who sent Me, and none of you asks Me where I am going; instead you are overcome with grief, because of what I have said.”

“Believe Me, it is better for you that I go away, because as long as I do not leave, the Helper will not come to you. But if I go away, it is to send Him to you, and when He comes, He will vindicate the truth before a sinful world; and He will vindicate the paths of righteousness and justice.”

“What is the world’s sin, in regard to Me? Disbelief. What is the path of righteousness? It is the path I walk, by which I go to the Father; and you shall see Me no more. What is the path of justice? It is the path on which the prince of this world will always stand condemned.”

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Tuesday, 27 May 2025 : 6th Week of Easter, Memorial of St. Augustine of Canterbury, Bishop (Psalm)

Liturgical Colour : White

Psalm 137 : 1-2a, 2bc-3, 7c-8

I thank You, o Lord with all my heart, for You have heard the word of my lips. I sing Your praise in the presence of the gods. I bow down towards Your holy Temple and give thanks to Your Name.

For Your love and faithfulness, for Your word which exceeds everything. You answered me when I called; You restored my soul and made me strong.

You save me from the wrath of my foes, with Your right hand You deliver me. How the Lord cares for me! Your kindness, o Lord, endures forever. Forsake not the work of Your hands.

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Tuesday, 27 May 2025 : 6th Week of Easter, Memorial of St. Augustine of Canterbury, Bishop (First Reading)

Liturgical Colour : White

Acts 16 : 22-34

So the slave owners of Philippi set the crowd against Paul and Silas and the officials tore the clothes of them and ordered them to be flogged. And after inflicting many blows on them, they threw them into prison, charging the jailer to guard them safely. Upon receiving these instructions, he threw them into the inner cell and fastened their feet in the stocks.

About midnight, Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the other prisoners were listening. Suddenly a severe earthquake shook the place, rocking the prison to its foundations. Immediately all the doors flew open and the chains of all the prisoners fell off.

The jailer woke up to see the prison gates wide open. Thinking that the prisoners had escaped, he drew his sword to kill himself, but Paul shouted to him, “Do not harm yourself! We are all still here.” The jailer asked for a light, then rushed in, and fell at the feet of Paul and Silas. After he had secured the other prisoners, he led them out and asked, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?”

They answered, “Believe in the Lord Jesus Christ and you and your household will be saved.” Then they spoke the word of God to him and to all his household. Even at that hour of the night, the jailer took care of them and washed their wounds; and he and his whole household were baptised at once. He led them to his house, spread a meal before them and joyfully celebrated with his whole household his newfound faith in God.

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Monday, 26 May 2025 : 6th Week of Easter, Memorial of St. Philip Neri, Priest (Homily and Scripture Reflections)

Liturgical Colour : White

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, today all of us as Christians, as God’s disciples and followers are reminded through these passages of the Sacred Scriptures that we have received today of the calling and missions which each and every one of us have as Christians, as God’s holy people, to proclaim the Good News to the whole world. That is what the Lord Himself has entrusted to us all, as the Church’s primary mission which is evangelisation, ‘To go forth to the world and to make the Lord known to all the people of all the nations, and to baptise them all in the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.’ And as we are reminded of this mission which we have as parts and members of the same Church of God, we are called to discern carefully our actions and works in our lives going forward, so that we may do our best to glorify God by our lives and actions.

In our first reading today, taken from the Acts of the Apostles we heard of the continuation of the great works of the Apostles, in which St. Paul went from cities and towns, going to different places to proclaim the Good News of God and His works among His people. It was told in that account how a particular God-fearing woman named Lydia who chose to believe in the Lord, accepting the grace of baptism and hence becoming a member of the Church. While it was not truly known whether she was a Jew or a Gentile, or a non-Jewish woman, but what matters here is how the works of the Apostles and the Lord’s missionaries continue to bear rich fruits for the Lord and His people, growing the Church ever more in its reach and size, as more and more came to be baptised.

In those early days of the Church, the Church grew rapidly due to the tireless efforts of those disciples and followers of the Lord, some of whom were the Apostles that went to the different parts of the known world then to proclaim the Good News of the Lord both to the Jewish diaspora community and to the Gentiles in the region. As what we had heard in the Acts of the Apostles throughout the season of Easter, the works of the Apostles and their companions in mission continued to gain many wonderful fruits and results as more and more came to believe in the Lord as they listened to the words and teachings of those disciples of the Lord, or that they were inspired by the way and manner in which they lived and cared for one another.

Therefore, all of us living in this world today should also be inspired by the examples showed by those missionaries who have spent a lot of time and effort to proclaim the truth and Good News of God. We do not have to do exactly what they had done, but rather, we should live our lives to the fullest as those whom the Lord had called and chosen, to live in the manner as Christians, in our genuine faith and dedication to the Lord at all times. We should not easily be swayed and shaken by the trials, hardships and challenges that we may have to face in our journey and in the path of our mission. If we are courageous and trusting in the Lord, in His guidance, providence and help, eventually, no matter what we may encounter in our path, we will be strengthened and empowered, and through our efforts we shall bring about lots of wonderful things for others around us, bringing them closer to God.

Then, from our Gospel passage today, we heard of the account from the Gospel according to St. John the Apostle and Evangelist, in which the Lord Jesus told His disciples about the events that would soon happen to Him and to all of them as well, as His disciples and followers. He told them all about the time of His Passion, His suffering and all that He had to endure for the sake of the whole race of mankind, and how they all might be shaken, but they all should not lose faith because God would always be by their side, strengthening them all, and the Lord Jesus Himself would also not leave them, because in the end, He would be triumphant against all the trials and challenges Himself, and would gloriously rise from the dead in the Resurrection.

Then the Lord also told them all about how He is the True Vine and the Father is the Vinegrower. Through this, He wanted to tell all of His disciples and therefore all of us that we have to be faithful and committed to His teachings and ways, and we should not easily lose hope and faith in Him due to the many pressures and temptations of the world around us. We should always hold firmly to our faith in God, and help one another to remain firmly attached to the Lord’s Vine, that is His teachings, truth and Good News as preserved and proclaimed, contained and upheld by the Church of God, the One, Holy, Catholic and Apostolic Church. And as Christians, it is our duty and responsibility to proclaim this truth and Good News in each and every moments of our lives.

Today, the Church also celebrates the Feast of St. Philip Neri, a faithful and holy priest of God, whose life and examples can serve as great inspiration for all of us to follow. St. Philip Neri was an Italian priest and saint who had great dedication in ministering to the poor and the marginalised in the community, which he helped the founding of the Confraternity of the Most Holy Trinity of Pilgrims and Convalescents, gathering all those who sought to minister to the needs of pilgrims and those who were suffering in the community. He was also later known even more for founding the Congregation of the Oratory, spreading the Word of God and truth through missionary works among the people of God, and the works of St. Philip Neri amongst the people of Rome were so profound that he was also known as the Second Apostle to Rome.

Brothers and sisters in Christ, let us all therefore be inspired to proclaim the words and truth of the Lord to all those whom we encounter daily around us, and do our very best in living our lives faithfully as Christians, in each and every opportunities so that we may truly touch the lives and hearts of those whom we encounter and interact with, in making God known to more and more of the people of all the nations just as He had commanded us to do. Like St. Philip Neri before us, let us all be missionary and evangelising in our every actions and works, in our every good efforts and commitments in life. May God bless our every good efforts and works, and may He strengthen us always with the courage and wisdom, and with the desire to glorify Him at all times. Amen.

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Monday, 26 May 2025 : 6th Week of Easter, Memorial of St. Philip Neri, Priest (Gospel Reading)

Liturgical Colour : White

John 15 : 26 – John 16 : 4a

At that time, Jesus said to His disciples, “From now on the Helper, the Holy Spirit Whom the Father will send in My Name, will teach you all things, and remind you of all that I have told you.”

“Peace be with you! I give you My peace; not as the world gives peace do I give it to you. Do not be troubled; do not be afraid. You heard Me say, ‘I am going away, but I am coming to you.’ If you loved Me, you would be glad that I go to the Father, for the Father is greater than I.”

“I have told you this now before it takes place, so that when it does happen you may believe. It is very little what I may still tell you, for the prince of this world is at hand, although there is nothing in Me that he can claim. But see, the world must know that I love the Father, and that I do what the Father has taught Me to do. Come now, let us go.”

“I am the True Vine and My Father is the Vinegrower. If any of My branches does not bear fruit, He breaks it off; and He prunes every branch that does bear fruit, that it may bear even more fruit. You are already made clean by the word I have spoken to you. Live in Me as I live in you.”