Saints

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Monday, 7 April 2025 : 5th Week of Lent, Memorial of St. John Baptist de la Salle, Priest (First Reading)

Liturgical Colour : Purple/Violet

Daniel 13 : 1-9, 15-17, 19-30, 33-62

There lived in Babylon a man named Joakim, who was married to a very beautiful God-fearing woman, Susanna, Hilkiah’s daughter, whose pious parents had trained her in the law of Moses. A very rich man and greatly respected by all the Jews, Joakim was frequently visited by the Jews in his house adjoining a garden.

That year, two elders of the people were appointed judges, in whom this word of the Lord became true, “Wickedness has come forth from Babylon, through the elders appointed judges, who were supposed to govern the people.” These men frequented Joakim’s house, and all who had legal disputes used to come to them.

After the people had left at noon, Susanna would go into her husband’s garden for a walk. The two old men began to lust for her as they watched her enter the garden every day. Forgetting the demands of justice and virtue, their lust grew all the more as they made no effort to turn their eyes to heaven.

One day, as they were waiting for an opportune time, Susanna entered the garden as usual with only two maids. She decided to bathe, for it was a hot day. Nobody else was there except the two elders watching her from where they had hidden themselves. She said to the maids, “Bring me oil and ointments, and shut the garden doors while I bathe.”

When the maids had left, the two elders hurried to her and said, “Look, the garden doors are shut and no one sees us. We desire to posses you. If you refuse to give in, we will testify that you sent your maids away for there was a young man here with you.” Susanna moaned, “Whatever I do, I am trapped. If I give in to your desire, it will be death for me; if I refuse, I will not escape your persecution. I would rather be persecuted than sin in the eyes of the Lord.”

Susanna shrieked, but the old men shouted, putting the blame on her. One of them ran and opened the garden doors. Hearing the noise in the garden, the household servants rushed in by the side entrance to see what was happening. They were taken aback when they heard the elders’ accusation, for never had anything like this been said of Susanna.

The next day a meeting was held at Joakim’s house. The two elders arrived, vindictively determined to have Susanna sentenced to death. They ordered before all the people, “Send for Susanna, Hilkiah’s daughter and Joakim’s wife.” They sent for her, and she came with her parents, children and all her relatives. Her family and all who saw her wept.

The two elders stood up and laid their hands upon her head. Completely trusting in the Lord, she raised her tearful eyes to heaven. The elders started making their accusation, “We were taking a walk in the garden when this woman came in with two maids. She ordered them to shut the garden doors and dismissed them. Then a young man came out of hiding and lay with her. We were in a corner in the garden, and we saw this crime from there.”

“We ran to them, and caught them in the act of embracing. We were unable to take hold of the man. He was too strong for us. He made a dash for the door, opened it and ran off. But we were able to seize this woman. We asked her who the young man was, but she refused to tell us. This is our statement, and we testify to its truth.”

The assembly took their word, since they were elders and judges of the people. Susanna was condemned to death. She cried aloud, “Eternal God, nothing is hidden from You; You know all things before they come to be. You know that these men have testified falsely against me. Would You let me die, though I am not guilty of all their malicious charges?”

The Lord heard her, and as she was being led to her execution, God aroused the Holy Spirit residing in a young lad named Daniel. He shouted, “I will have no part in the death of this woman!” Those present turned to him, “What did you say?” they all asked.

Standing in their midst, he said to them, “Have you become fools, you Israelites, to condemn a daughter of Israel without due process and in the absence of clear evidence? Return to court, for those men have falsely testified against her.” Hurriedly they returned, and the elders said to Daniel, “Come and sit with us, for you also possess the gifts bestowed by God upon the elders.”

Daniel said to the people, “Separate these two men from one another and I will examine each of them.” When the two elders were separated from each other, Daniel called one of them and said, “How wicked you have grown with age. Your sins of earlier days have piled up against you, and now is the time of reckoning.”

“Remember how you have passed unjust sentences, condemning the innocent and freeing the guilty, although the Lord has said, ‘The innocent and the just should not be put to death.’ Now, if you really witnessed the crime, under what tree did you see them do it?”

The elder answered, “Under a mastic tree.” Daniel said, “Your lie will cost you your head. You will be cut in two, as soon as the Lord’s Angel receives your sentence from God.” Putting the first one aside, Daniel called the other elder and said to him, “You offspring of Canaan and not of Judah, you have long allowed yourself to be perverted by lust.”

“This is how you have dealt with the daughters of Israel, who out of fear have yielded to you. But here is a daughter of Judah who would not tolerate your wickedness. Tell me then, under what tree did you catch them committing the crime?”

The answer came, “Under an oak.” “Your lie has also cost you your head,” Daniel said. “God’s Angel waits to cut you both in two.” The whole assembly shouted and blessed God for helping those who hope in Him. They turned against the two elders who, through Daniel’s efforts, had been convicted by their own mouths. In accordance with Moses’ law, the penalty the two elders had intended to impose upon their neighbour was inflicted upon them. They were sentenced to death. Thus was the life of an innocent woman spared that day.

Alternative reading (shorter version)

Daniel 13 : 41c-62

Susanna was condemned to death. She cried aloud, “Eternal God, nothing is hidden from You; You know all things before they come to be. You know that these men have testified falsely against me. Would You let me die, though I am not guilty of all their malicious charges?”

The Lord heard her, and as she was being led to her execution, God aroused the Holy Spirit residing in a young lad named Daniel. He shouted, “I will have no part in the death of this woman!” Those present turned to him, “What did you say?” they all asked.

Standing in their midst, he said to them, “Have you become fools, you Israelites, to condemn a daughter of Israel without due process and in the absence of clear evidence? Return to court, for those men have falsely testified against her.” Hurriedly they returned, and the elders said to Daniel, “Come and sit with us, for you also possess the gifts bestowed by God upon the elders.”

Daniel said to the people, “Separate these two men from one another and I will examine each of them.” When the two elders were separated from each other, Daniel called one of them and said, “How wicked you have grown with age. Your sins of earlier days have piled up against you, and now is the time of reckoning.”

“Remember how you have passed unjust sentences, condemning the innocent and freeing the guilty, although the Lord has said, ‘The innocent and the just should not be put to death.’ Now, if you really witnessed the crime, under what tree did you see them do it?”

The elder answered, “Under a mastic tree.” Daniel said, “Your lie will cost you your head. You will be cut in two, as soon as the Lord’s Angel receives your sentence from God.” Putting the first one aside, Daniel called the other elder and said to him, “You offspring of Canaan and not of Judah, you have long allowed yourself to be perverted by lust.”

“This is how you have dealt with the daughters of Israel, who out of fear have yielded to you. But here is a daughter of Judah who would not tolerate your wickedness. Tell me then, under what tree did you catch them committing the crime?”

The answer came, “Under an oak.” “Your lie has also cost you your head,” Daniel said. “God’s Angel waits to cut you both in two.” The whole assembly shouted and blessed God for helping those who hope in Him. They turned against the two elders who, through Daniel’s efforts, had been convicted by their own mouths. In accordance with Moses’ law, the penalty the two elders had intended to impose upon their neighbour was inflicted upon them. They were sentenced to death. Thus was the life of an innocent woman spared that day.

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Saturday, 5 April 2025 : 4th Week of Lent, Memorial of St. Vincent Ferrer, Priest (Homily and Scripture Reflections)

Liturgical Colour : Purple/Violet

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, today as we all listened to the words of the Sacred Scriptures and as we continue to pass through this penitential season of Lent, we are being reminded through what we heard from the Word of God of the challenges and trials that the Lord Himself had been facing in His ministry, and the similar sufferings and challenges which His servants and messengers, the prophets and the Lord’s disciples had also endured in the midst of their works and efforts. And all of these things happened because of the temptations of worldly desires and pleasures which had afflicted many people and made them to disobey the Lord and entertain instead their greed, pride, ambition and other worldly pursuits that brought them to clash against God and His ways.

In our first reading today, we heard from the Book of the prophet Jeremiah in which the prophet spoke about the plotting and all the sufferings which the people of God, those who resisted God’s words and truth, had done towards His prophets, including to that of Jeremiah himself. For the context, Jeremiah was sent to the kingdom and people of Judah at the last years of its existence as an entity, and just before Judah and Jerusalem were crushed, conquered and destroyed by the Babylonians and their armies. Jeremiah tried to remind the people of the sins that they had committed, which had greatly angered God, and of the consequences which they would have to face amidst the sins that they had committed. But the people of Judah continued to resist his efforts and even plotted against him, almost killing him on occasions, but God saved him from death and safeguarded him.

That was mentioned in the same passage where Jeremiah mentioned how God would indeed remember His servants, and how He would protect them and provide for them, so that even though they would have to suffer and endure challenges and trials, but ultimately, God will avenge all those misdeeds from those who have wronged His servants and messengers. He would not abandon them in their time of need, and this is a reminder therefore also for those who have kept their faith in God, for all of us that if we trust in the Lord and believe in Him wholeheartedly, we will then receive the assurance of God’s providence and guidance, and in the end, we will share together in the Lord’s triumph and glory. Not even the forces of evil and darkness can overcome us all if we remain truly faithful in God.

Then, in our Gospel passage today, taken from the Gospel according to St. John the Apostle and Evangelist, we heard of the moment when the members of the Sanhedrin, or the Jewish High Council, consisting of many of the Pharisees, the Sadducees and other influential leaders of the Jewish community, deliberated and debated with one another, disagreeing on the nature and identity of the One known as Jesus, Whom some of them considered as the Prophet of God or the Messiah, but many others rejected and refused to believe in, accusing Him of wrongdoing and even blasphemy against God in whatever He had taught and done before the people of God. Many of those who opposed the Lord were truly ‘blinded’ by their jealousy against Him, because He grew increasingly popular, and they probably even feared Him and His growing influence, fearing that it would affect their own popularity and privileged status in the community.

That was why we heard such bitter and persistent opposition against the Lord despite all the Wisdom that He has shown in His teachings and words, and despite all the wonders and miracles that He has performed, which certainly and clearly indicated that He is truly the Messiah, the Holy One of God, the One sent into this world in order to redeem and save it, to save all of us mankind from certain damnation and destruction. The same hardships and challenges that the prophets in the past like Jeremiah had faced, which we heard in our first reading passage today, was also faced by the Lord. And this pointed out to us the ugly nature of our human and worldly desires, our ambitions and greed, all the things which can prevent us from truly finding our way to God and His salvation, and which this Lenten season is meant to help us to overcome these obstacles.

Today, the Church celebrates the Feast of St. Vincent Ferrer, a renowned and holy priest who was born in the region of Valencia in what is now the eastern part of Spain. St. Vincent Ferrer joined the Dominican Order or the Order of Preachers from a rather young age of eighteen, and he committed himself to become a Dominican priest despite his parents pleading with him to take the path of secular priesthood instead due to the latter having more worldly privileges and renown than being a religious priest. But St. Vincent Ferrer remained firm in his vocation and conviction to serve the Lord as a Dominican, and eventually he was ordained as a priest. He was involved in the conflicts surrounding the contemporary Western Schism in which rival claimants to the Papacy caused bitter divisions among the faithful people of God along political lines. He was a good preacher and missionary, converting many of those who have fallen to the wrong paths into the true path of Christ.

St. Vincent Ferrer was also known for his role in mediating political issues and conflicts, in helping to resolve the conflicts between the rival kingdoms at the time, ending wars and bringing about peace to the region. He also continued to do many other good works for the glory of God and for the benefit of the faithful and holy people of God. Through his commitment and dedications, his efforts and tireless works, his personal piety and faith in God, he has inspired many others to follow the Lord and to believe in Him. And therefore, we ourselves have also been called to be good role models and inspirations to our brethren around us, to everyone whom we encounter in our daily lives, so that by our examples and actions, we may help lead more and more people ever closer to God.

Brothers and sisters in Christ, just as we have all heard from the story and life of St. Vincent Ferrer and through what we have just discussed from the readings of the Sacred Scriptures, we are all called to embrace God’s love and mercy, and to be truly virtuous and just in our actions, in our whole way of life. Each and every one of us should not allow the temptations of the world, the temptations of worldly pleasures and ambitions to keep us away from God or to put obstacle in the path of our fellow brethren as we all journey together towards God as one faithful flock of His beloved people. Let us instead be the shining beacons of His truth and love, and be the bearers of His Good News and salvation to the nations, through our every actions, words and deeds, all anchored in our firm faith in Him, now and always. Amen.

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Saturday, 5 April 2025 : 4th Week of Lent, Memorial of St. Vincent Ferrer, Priest (Gospel Reading)

Liturgical Colour : Purple/Violet

John 7 : 40-53

At that time, many who had been listening to these words began to say, “This is the Prophet.” Others said, “This is the Christ.” But some wondered, “Would the Christ come from Galilee? Does Scripture not say that the Christ is a descendant of David and from Bethlehem, the city of David? The crowd was divided over Him. Some wanted to arrest Him, but no one laid hands on Him.

The officers of the Temple went back to the chief priests, who asked them, “Why did you not bring Him?” The officers answered, “No one ever spoke like this Man.” The Pharisees then said, “So you, too, have been led astray! Have any of the rulers or any of the Pharisees believed in Him? Only those cursed people, who have no knowledge of the Law!”

Yet one of them, Nicodemus, who had gone to Jesus earlier, spoke out, “Does our law condemn people without first hearing them and knowing the facts?” They replied, “Do you, too, come from Galilee? Look it up and see for yourself that no prophet is to come from Galilee.” And they all went home.

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Saturday, 5 April 2025 : 4th Week of Lent, Memorial of St. Vincent Ferrer, Priest (Psalm)

Liturgical Colour : Purple/Violet

Psalm 7 : 2-3, 9bc-10, 11-12

O Lord, my God, in You I take shelter; deliver me and save me from all my pursuers, lest lions tear me to pieces with no one to rescue me.

O Lord, my righteousness; You see that I am blameless. Bring to an end the power of the wicked, but affirm the just, o righteous God, searcher of mind and heart.

You cover me as a shield. Oh God, for You protect the upright. A righteous judge is God, His anger ever awaiting those who refuse to repent.

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Saturday, 5 April 2025 : 4th Week of Lent, Memorial of St. Vincent Ferrer, Priest (First Reading)

Liturgical Colour : Purple/Violet

Jeremiah 11 : 18-20

YHVH made it known to me and so I know! And You let me see their scheming. But I was like a gentle lamb led to the slaughter. I did not know it was against me that they were plotting, “Let us feed him with trials and remove him from the land of the living and let his name never be mentioned again.”

YHVH, God of hosts, You Who judge with justice and know everyone’s heart and intentions, let me see Your vengeance on them, for to You I have entrusted my cause.

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Friday, 4 April 2025 : 4th Week of Lent, Memorial of St. Isidore, Bishop and Doctor of the Church (Homily and Scripture Reflections)

Liturgical Colour : Purple/Violet

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, today as we all continue to journey through this time and season of Lent, we are reminded of the sufferings, trials and challenges that all of us as Christians may be facing in our journey through life, due to the opposition and incompatibility of the worldly ways with that of the ways and manners of the Lord and His teachings. We are reminded that our journey of life as Christian faithful is not something that is going to be very easy or smooth, and as we journey through this season of Lent, we should prepare ourselves well, spiritually and mentally as we continue to commit ourselves to the Lord, reminding ourselves of the sufferings and persecutions that Our Lord and Saviour Himself had to experience in His efforts to bring us all back to Himself.

In our first reading today, taken from the Book of Wisdom, we heard of the words of the author detailing the plots and the persecutions which the enemies of the Lord’s faithful and servants had to face in their path and journey. In all of the words that the author of this Book of Wisdom mentioned in the part of the passage that we heard today, we saw what kind of malice and wickedness that had been contained in the hearts and minds of many among the people of God, which led to them persecuting and oppressing many of the prophets, messengers and servants of God sent to them to warn and remind them of their obligations to follow the ways of the Lord and to distance themselves away from the sins and wickedness that they had been committing in life.

And this was also a premonition of what the Lord Himself, Our Saviour would experience at the hands of His enemies, when He, as the Son of God and Son of Man, had to endure rejection, resentment and also false accusations meant to destroy Him, betrayed and handed over to the Romans to be crucified and killed. All of these were done out of the pride, hubris and ego of those who refused to believe in the words of the messengers of God because they thought that they were superior and better than everyone else, and that they could not have been wrong or mistaken in the manner that they have lived their lives. This was how the Pharisees, the teachers of the Law and the chief priests treated the Lord, persecuting Him and wishing to see Him destroyed because their agenda and desires were not in accordance with what God wanted from them and His people.

Then, in our Gospel passage today, taken from the Gospel according to St. John the Apostle and Evangelist, we heard of the story of the ruckus and the unrest among the Jewish people due to some among them wanting to kill and destroy the Lord Jesus because of the teachings and works that He had done among the people, which they disagreed with. That was why the Lord was met with such hostility by His enemies, which by that time had begun to seek His destruction by whatever means. And all these were caused by the jealousy which the Pharisees and the elders had against the Lord because they saw Him as a great threat to their influence in the community of the people of God and they also disagreed with His teachings, thinking that their ways and practices were better and could not have been mistaken.

Here we can see how pride and ego had led mankind down the wrong path in life, and how it had prevented those who hardened their hearts and minds from believing in what God had taught, shown and done before all of them, many times. As we have heard earlier on from our passage taken from the Book of Wisdom, it was our pride, ego and jealousy, among other things that often become serious stumbling blocks preventing us from truly finding our way towards the Lord, our loving God and Saviour. And this is why today we are being reminded of this fact so that we ourselves do not become easily ensnared by these temptations and lured by those things that the evil one may be using to lead us into the path towards damnation and destruction. This Lent, we are reminded that we should be more humble and be more aware of our sinfulness, flaws and problems, and seek the Lord for His mercy and forgiveness with contrite hearts.

Today, the Church celebrates the Feast of St. Isidore, also known as St. Isidore of Seville, a renowned Hispano-Roman scholar and bishop, as the then Archbishop of Seville in what is now southern part of Spain. He was remembered for his great faith and dedication to God, all the hard work he had committed in the evangelisation of the faith among those who have not followed the Lord faithfully. He was especially remembered for his defense of the true, orthodox Christian faith against the falsehoods and waywardness of the heretical Arians, which were still quite prevalent during the time of his ministry among the Visigoths in Hispania. Eventually through his tireless efforts and works, he managed to convert the Visigothic king and many among the nobles to the Nicene Christian faith, after encountering lots of challenges and trials throughout his missions and works.

Brothers and sisters in Christ, as we have heard from the story of the life and ministry of St. Isidore of Seville, let us all therefore reflect on our own lives and actions, and think carefully on how we can live lives that are more harmonious and in accordance with God’s will. We are called to follow in the path that our holy predecessors had done, and we should indeed make good use of the time and opportunities that had been provided to us so that we may reject resolutely the temptations and dangers of sin, all the false promises and lies of the evil one, embracing instead the love and compassionate mercy from God, allowing Him to heal us all from our sickness and troubles due to our disobedience and corruption through our sins.

May the Lord our most loving and compassionate God continue to help and strengthen us in our journey of faith and life, and may He grant us the wisdom and the courage to walk ever more faithfully in all things and in all circumstances, becoming good role models, examples and inspirations to one another, coming ever closer to the Lord and His salvation. May God bless us all and our Lenten observances, that we may have a truly fruitful Lenten journey. Amen.

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Friday, 4 April 2025 : 4th Week of Lent, Memorial of St. Isidore, Bishop and Doctor of the Church (First Reading)

Liturgical Colour : Purple/Violet

Wisdom 2 : 1a, 12-22

Led by mistaken reasons they think, “Let us set a trap for the Righteous, for He annoys us and opposes our way of life; He reproaches us for our breaches of the Law and accuses us of being false to our upbringing. He claims knowledge of God and calls Himself Son of the Lord. He has become a reproach to our way of thinking; even to meet Him is burdensome to us. He does not live like others and behaves strangely.”

“According to Him we have low standards, so He keeps aloof from us as if we were unclean. He emphasises the happy end of the righteous and boasts of having God as Father. Let us see the truth of what He says and find out what His end will be. If the Righteous is a Son of God, God will defend Him and deliver Him from His adversaries.”

“Let us humble and torture Him to prove His self-control and test His patience. When we have condemned Him to a shameful death, we may test His words.” This is the way they reason, but they are mistaken, blinded by their malice. They do not know the mysteries of God nor do they hope for the reward of a holy life; they do not believe that the blameless will be recompensed.

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Wednesday, 2 April 2025 : 4th Week of Lent, Memorial of St. Francis of Paola, Hermit (Homily and Scripture Reflections)

Liturgical Colour : Purple/Violet

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, today as we all listened to the words of the Sacred Scriptures, we are reminded of the great compassion and mercy that God has always shown to us, his beloved and precious people, as well as the call and reminder for us to be truly committed to God, to follow His ways and to obey His Law and commandments, and to resist all the temptations and pressures which may always seek to mislead us down the wrong path in life. We have to listen to the Lord speaking to us and calling on us to follow Him from the depths of our hearts and minds, and we have to always be ready to discern and embrace God’s words, His truth and love as He has revealed to us most generously through His Son, or else we may easily be distracted and lose our path.

In our first reading today, taken from the Book of the prophet Isaiah, in which we heard of the Lord’s words of reassurance and love for His beloved people, the Israelites, whom He assured of His providence and care, of how they would all be blessed and bountiful again by God’s blessings and graces. This came in the context of how the people of Israel by the time of the ministry of the prophet Isaiah had been facing a lot of struggles and hardships, because of the sins which they themselves and their ancestors had committed before. And yet, God did not give up on them and He still patiently guided all of them to Himself, through His sending of the many prophets and messengers that had been sent to help all of His beloved people to find their way back to Him.

And Isaiah was one of these many prophets whom God had sent to be among His people, to chastise them for their sins and wickedness, but at the same time also reminding them of the great and ever enduring love that He has always had for them, despite their stubborn attitudes and rebelliousness. Ultimately, we are reminded that God’s love for us is far greater than all of our sins and iniquities, and through God and His help, by our sincere embracing of the compassion and love of God, we can be healed and brought out from the predicament that is our sins and wickedness, our disobedience and the corruptions that sin has brought unto us. We should always remember the Lord’s love and mercy, and be hopeful and faithful in Him as He will never abandon us willingly. It is rather us mankind who have abandoned God.

Then, from our Gospel passage today taken from the Gospel according to St. John the Apostle and Evangelist, we heard of the words of the Lord Jesus to His disciples in which He detailed to them His relationship with the Father, His heavenly Father Who had sent Him into this world to be the One to save all of us mankind. He as the Son obeyed the will of the Father and did everything that the Father had told Him to do, and through this perfect obedience and commitment, Christ, as the Son of God and Son of Man both, showed all of us the way for us to reach God, our loving Father, as through His incarnation, Christ Our Lord has united all of us and our humanity to His own, making all of us to be beloved children of God as well. And the Lord told us all to obey the Father just as He Himself has obeyed the Father’s will.

Through all of that, the Lord wanted to show us how we can truly be redeemed from our many sins, evils and wickedness, from all the things which had separated us from the fullness of God’s grace and love. The Lord Jesus in that same occasion also told His disciples about the renewal, healing and new life which God has promised to all of them if they all believe in whatever that He had told them. And He also reminded them all of the time of the Last and Final Judgment, in which Christ Himself will be the Judge of all things and of all Creation, the One to judge all of us of our lives, our actions, misdeeds, our failures, our virtues and everything that we do or failed to do in life. Each and every one of us ultimately will have to account for our respective lives before God. And when the time comes, are we ready to face it, and will we be found to be worthy of God?

During this time and season of Lent, we are therefore reminded by these readings and passages from the Sacred Scriptures so that we may be more aware of how our lives have probably fallen far away from the path and the way that God has wanted us all to follow in each and every one of our lives. We should not take all these opportunities and chances that God has generously given to us for granted, or else we may regret our lack of gratitude, appreciation and understanding of just how fortunate we are that God, our most loving and merciful Father, has always had for us, and yet, many of us constantly rebuffed His approaches of love, all of His efforts in reconciling us to Himself and all the avenues and means that He has provided to us to bring us to His grace and salvation.

Today the Church also celebrates the Feast of St. Francis of Paola, a holy servant of God and a renowned hermit, whose faith and devotion to God is truly exemplary and a good inspiration for all of us as Christians. St. Francis of Paola was the founder of the Order of Minims, inspired by the simplicity and the way of life shown by his patron saint, St. Francis of Assisi, founder of the Franciscan Order. He was born into a very poor but pious family, who asked for the intercession of St. Francis of Assisi for a son, and after whose birth, committed him to a life of piety and commitment to God, and since his youth, he had been exposed to religious life and virtues, eventually leading to the young St. Francis of Paola to commit himself to a life of seclusion, withdrawing from the temptations and excesses of the world.

In becoming a hermit, St. Francis of Paola gradually inspired more and more people to follow his examples as he lived an ascetic life dedicated to God, full of self-mortification and resistance to all temptations of the flesh, worldly desires and pleasures. He was especially renowned for his great humility which also inspired many of his fellow religious, committing to follow the Lord wholeheartedly and not to indulge in any sorts of temptations that can lead us astray in our lives in this world. They all live their lives in great humility, seeking to be unknown and hidden from the world, as contrasted with the usual desires of men who sought to be praised, famous and glorified. The examples showed by St. Francis of Paola and his brethren should be inspiration for all of us to follow as well in our own lives.

Brothers and sisters in Christ, let us all therefore make good use of the time and opportunities which we have received during this season of Lent so that we may draw ever closer to God and His loving mercy, embrace His kind forgiveness and hope in Him once more, putting our faith and trust in Him as we should always do. Let us all continue to live our lives worthily as Christians, as those whom God had called and chosen to be His own. We should not be idle in living our lives or live our lives in manner that is contrary to our faith and beliefs as Christians, or else we are no different than hypocrites who do not truly act in the manner that they believe in. Let us all continue to be humble in realising our sinfulness and embrace God’s mercy, while encouraging each other to seek God’s mercy as well, and be the worthy beacons of God’s light and truth in our communities today. May God be with us all, in each and every things we do. Amen.

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Wednesday, 2 April 2025 : 4th Week of Lent, Memorial of St. Francis of Paola, Hermit (Gospel Reading)

Liturgical Colour : Purple/Violet

John 5 : 17-30

At that time, Jesus replied to the Jews, “My Father goes on working and so do I.” And the Jews tried all the harder to kill Him, for Jesus not only broke the Sabbath observance, but also made Himself equal with God, calling God His own Father.

Jesus said to them, “Truly, I assure you, the Son cannot do anything by Himself, but only what He sees the Father do. And whatever He does, the Son also does. The Father loves the Son and shows Him everything He does; and He will show Him even greater things than these, so that you will be amazed.”

“As the Father raises the dead and gives them life, so the Son gives life to whom He wills. In the same way the Father judges no one, for He has entrusted all judgment to the Son, and He wants all to honour the Son as they honour the Father. Whoever ignores the Son, ignores as well the Father Who sent Him.”

“Truly, I say to you, anyone who hears My word and believes Him Who sent Me, has eternal life; and there is no judgment for him, because he has passed from death to life. Truly, the hour is coming and has indeed come, when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God and, on hearing it, will live. For the Father has life in Himself, and He has given to the Son also to have life in Himself. And He has empowered Him as well to carry out Judgment, for He is Son of Man.”

“Do not be surprised at this : the hour is coming when all those lying in tombs will hear My voice and come out; those who have done good shall rise to live, and those who have done evil will rise to be condemned. I can do nothing of Myself, and I need to hear Another One to judge; and My judgment is just, because I seek not My own will, but the will of Him Who sent Me.”

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Wednesday, 2 April 2025 : 4th Week of Lent, Memorial of St. Francis of Paola, Hermit (Psalm)

Liturgical Colour : Purple/Violet

Psalm 144 : 8-9, 13cd-14, 17-18

Compassionate and gracious is the Lord, slow to anger and abounding in love. The Lord is good to everyone; His mercy embraces all His creation.

The Lord is true to His promises and lets His mercy show in all He does. The Lord lifts up those who are falling and raises those who are beaten down.

Righteous is the Lord in all His ways, His mercy shows in all His deeds. He is near those who call on Him, who call trustfully upon His Name.