Saints

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Wednesday, 20 August 2025 : 20th Week of Ordinary Time, Memorial of St. Bernard, Abbot and Doctor of the Church (Homily and Scripture Reflections)

Liturgical Colour : White

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, today as we all gather together and listen to the words of the Lord contained within the Sacred Scriptures, we are reminded that we should not allow ourselves to be swayed and dragged by our own worldly desires and ambitions, all the things which may often cause us to fall into temptations and lose sight of our focus and attention in the Lord, and instead, we may end up walking down the wrong path towards damnation and destruction, especially if we continue to follow the path of worldliness. And we have been given this reminder hopefully that we may turn away from all those temptations and desires before it is too late for us. But the question is, are we willing to commit ourselves to reject the path of worldliness and embrace instead God’s path, His wisdom and truth? This is something that we need to decide on, brothers and sisters.

In our first reading today taken from the Book of Judges detailing to us the activities of the Judges of Israel, in which we heard of the details of the strife that happened that time in Israel between the sons of Gideon, whose exploits we heard in our first reading yesterday. During the time of the Judges, the Lord sent those judges, called from among His own people the Israelites to lead them all out of their predicament and troubles, from those who have oppressed and subjugated them like the Midianites in the case of Gideon. The Israelites had sinned against God by their stubbornness and disobedience, and yet, God still showed His mercy and compassion on them, by giving them the Judges to lead them out of their troubles, to govern and guide them in the right path.

And Gideon managed to defeat and liberate the Israelites from the domination of the Midianites with the guidance and strength of God, and he reigned for a while as the Judge and leader of all the Israelites. According to the Scriptural evidence, he went on to have many children, numbering seventy all in all, and one among them, who was mentioned in the first reading today, Abimelech, had a great ambition to become a Judge succeeding his father and even as king, and was indeed made king of Shechem. And in his attempts to do that, after the passing of Gideon the Judge, he gathered all of his father’s other children and massacred all of them, except for one who escaped, the one known as Jotham. When Abimelech sought to be chosen and crowned as king over Shechem, Jotham appeared in that city and cried out before them, speaking God’s words against Abimelech.

Essentially, the words of Jotham inspired by God highlighted the disapproval that God has over how Abimelech rose to power and massacred his own brothers in his efforts to rise to power and dominion over the people of Shechem, one of the major centres of the Israelites at the time. Abimelech rose to power on violence, and his reign over Shechem was also dominated by violence and conflict, and eventually, as the fulfilment of whatever Jotham had courageously spoken before the people of Shechem, Abimelech would be killed by a woman who threw down a stone from the tower that Abimelech and his forces was besieging in his ambitious efforts to expand his power and dominion. This is a reminder for all of us not to allow ourselves to be swayed by worldly ambitions or else, we may fall into the path to our downfall and destruction. 

Then, from our Gospel passage today, taken from the Gospel according to St. Matthew the Apostle and Evangelist, we heard of the parable that the Lord Jesus spoke of to His disciples, sharing with them the story of a vineyard owner and master who sought workers for his vineyard, and how the owner kept on going to various places, to the roadsides and other places to find people to work in his vineyard, even right up to the eleventh hour, that is just an hour or so before the end of the work day at sunset. And the owner gathered all those who agreed to work in his vineyard, and by the end of the day, he gave all of them the reward which he had promised to them, and they were all paid equally as agreed, only for those who had started to work earlier in the day to grumble because they were not being paid more than those who started later.

Brothers and sisters in Christ, this is a representation of what God has called us to do, what He has presented to us and what He has promised us. The master of the vineyard represents the Lord Himself, our God and Master, while each of the people whom He had called represent each and every one of us those whom He had called from the world. Some indeed He called earlier on and responded earlier on, while others responded much later and some even hesitated and tarried, but eventually they also went to follow the Lord as well. This is also an important reminder for all of us that our salvation and ultimate reward from God is the same for all of us, and unlike how we usually think of it in this world, we cannot quantify or compare them among us, as we are all ultimately, equally beloved by God and precious to Him.

That is why we should not be jealous at those whom God had called later on in their lives, or think that in any way that we are better or superior than them simply because we think that we deserve more or better, or that we are more beloved or precious than those whom we are prejudiced and biased against. The Lord wants each and every one of us to realise that all of us are brothers and sisters, all of His children that He truly loves wholeheartedly, and that is why we should always show care, concern, love and compassion to one another. We should not allow ourselves to be swayed by the desires for glory and greatness to the exclusion of others, and we should not be discriminatory to anyone in our actions and interactions. That is what we are expected to do as Christians, as those whom God has called and chosen.

Today, the Church celebrates the Feast of St. Bernard, a holy and renowned Abbot and honoured as one of the Church’s Doctor of the Church. St. Bernard, also known as St. Bernard of Clairvaux, was born into a noble French family in Burgundy, and he was third of seven children. He was eventually convinced of becoming a priest after having gone through education with the priests of his local school, and this led to St. Bernard of Clairvaux joining several others in founding a community of monks that followed the Rule of St. Benedict, known as the Order of Cistercians, with St. Bernard himself as one of the founders of the Order. His epithet ‘of Clairvaux’ stemmed from the foundation of this monastery that he established for his community in Clairvaux, and over which he was the abbot of.

St. Bernard of Clairvaux spent many years in managing his Clairvaux Abbey and community, and at the same time also spent a lot of time outside the monastery as a preacher and a trusted diplomat of the Pope. He preached in many places and gained a large following, gaining more popularity for his growing Cistercian Order, and was also involved in the promotion of the efforts of the Crusades at the time. He was also a mystic and received visions from God, and he wrote extensively on many matters, and his great preachings, all of these eventually led him to be honoured after his passing, not just as a revered saint but also as one of the Doctors of the Church, a rare honour reserved to those who have contributed a lot to the Christian theology, teachings and have extensive writings and homilies attributed to them.

Brothers and sisters in Christ, inspired by the faith and examples of St. Bernard of Clairvaux, let us all therefore remember that our primary objective in this world is not to amass for ourselves worldly riches, glory and fame, and that all of these cannot truly satisfy us. Instead, we should always put our focus in the Lord, remembering that we have been given such a great grace and blessing by God, and the expectation of true and everlasting joy with Him. We should not therefore take what God has given us for granted, and we should strive to live our lives to the fullest with the genuine efforts and work to live lives that He has called us to do. We should do our best to glorify Him by our lives and to do things for the good of everyone around us.

May the Lord continue to help and strengthen us in our journey in life, and may He bless our every good efforts and works, all the things that we do for the good of others and for the greater glory of His Name, in every circumstances and opportunities which He had provided us. May all of us continue to be worthy bearers of His truth, Good News and salvation, to all those whom we encounter daily in life. Amen.

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Wednesday, 20 August 2025 : 20th Week of Ordinary Time, Memorial of St. Bernard, Abbot and Doctor of the Church (Gospel Reading)

Liturgical Colour : White

Matthew 20 : 1-16a

At that time, Jesus said to His disciples, “This story throws light on the kingdom of heaven : A landowner went out early in the morning, to hire workers for his vineyard. He agreed to pay each worker the usual daily wage, and sent them to his vineyard.”

“He went out again, at about nine in the morning, and, seeing others idle in the town square, he said to them, ‘You also, go to my vineyard, and I will pay you what is just.’ So they went. The owner went out at midday, and, again, at three in the afternoon, and he made the same offer.”

“Again he went out, at the last working hour – the eleventh – and he saw others standing around. So he said to them, ‘Why do you stand idle the whole day?’ They answered, ‘Because no one has hired us.’ The master said, ‘Go, and work in my vineyard.'”

“When evening came, the owner of the vineyard said to his manager, ‘Call the workers and pay them their wage, beginning with the last and ending with the first.’ Those who had gone to work at the eleventh hour came up, and were each given a silver coin. When it was the turn of the first, they thought they would receive more. But they, too, received one silver coin. On receiving it, they began to grumble against the landowner.”

“They said, ‘These last, hardly worked an hour; yet, you have treated them the same as us, who have endured the heavy work of the day and the heat.’ The owner said to one of them, ‘Friend, I have not been unjust to you. Did we not agree on one silver coin per day? So take what is yours and go. I want to give to the last the same as I give to you. Do I not have the right to do as I please with what is mine? Why are you envious when I am kind?'”

“So will it be : the last will be first.”

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Wednesday, 20 August 2025 : 20th Week of Ordinary Time, Memorial of St. Bernard, Abbot and Doctor of the Church (Psalm)

Liturgical Colour : White

Psalm 20 : 2-3, 4-5, 6-7

The king rejoices in Your strength, o YHVH, and exults in Your saving help. You have granted him his desire; You have not rejected his request.

You have come to him with rich blessings; You have placed a golden crown upon his head. When he asked, You gave him life – length of days forever and ever.

He glories in the victory You gave him; You shall bestow on him splendour and majesty. You have given him eternal blessings, and gladdened him with the joy of Your presence.

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Wednesday, 20 August 2025 : 20th Week of Ordinary Time, Memorial of St. Bernard, Abbot and Doctor of the Church (First Reading)

Liturgical Colour : White

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, 19 August 2025 : 20th Week of Ordinary Time, Memorial of St. John Eudes, Priest (Homily and Scripture Reflections)

Liturgical Colour : Green or White (Priests)

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, today as we all listened to the words of the Sacred Scriptures, we are reminded that with God there is nothing that is impossible, and all things are possible for God, even whatever that is beyond our area and possibility of understanding. We should always trust in Him and put our faith in His Providence and care, knowing that He will do everything that needs to be done for our sake, so that we will be protected and guarded, and we will not suffer without any consolation and hope. In the end, we will share in God’s triumph and glory, and we shall enjoy forever the fullness of His loving grace and inheritance intended for us. God has indeed intended for many good things for us, and we will not be disappointed if we put our faith wholeheartedly in Him.

In our first reading today, we heard from the Book of Judges in which God spoke and revealed His plans to Gideon, the one that He had chosen to lead His people, the Israelites in the struggle against the Midianites, who have risen to oppress and persecute the Israelites. At that time, the repeated disobedience and refusals of the people of Israel to obey the Lord and to follow His ways led to them continuously being subjected to difficulties and challenges, attacks and subjugation by their neighbours, because God withdrew His protection and power, so that the Israelites, who had become proud and filled with hubris, thinking that they did not need God, would come to realise just how powerless they truly were without God and His Providence.

Gideon did begin with lamentations and sharing to the Angel of the Lord that came before Him with God’s words, how the Israelites had truly suffered and endured a lot of troubles, and they cried out to the Lord wondering where this same God that had protected their ancestors and brought them out from the land of Egypt, and through their journey in the desert with great power and wonders. And that was when the Lord through His Angel showed His reassurance, and when Gideon asked the Lord for a sign, God heard him and showed the sign that he asked for, and Gideon believed in God’s words and Providence, and He told the former how he would be the instrument by which God would act against the Midianites for the sake of His beloved people, to lead them to freedom and to return once again to His grace and protection.

Then, in our Gospel passage today, we heard from the Gospel according to St. Matthew the Apostle and Evangelist in which the Lord told His disciples and followers that if they all wanted to enter into the Kingdom of Heaven then it is important that they all must seek to be humble and to strive to reach that desired existence with God by resisting the many temptations, pressures, coercions and distractions that are present in this world which can lead us astray and prevent us from finding the path towards God. The Lord also said that it is ‘easier for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle’ than for the rich man to enter into the Kingdom of Heaven. This is indeed puzzling and we may wonder what the Lord actually meant by these words, but we have to understand His intentions and thoughts carefully.

When a camel wants to go through a door or gateway, it is common for them to lower their heads to allow them to be able to enter through the gate, and to lower their bodies in doing so. This is a symbol of humility and simplicity against the excesses of the worldly riches and desires, all of which often lead us to hubris, ambition and stubbornness in refusing to follow God’s ways and commandments. That was what happened with many of those who were entangled and trapped by their own wealth and possessions, and most importantly by the unhealthy attachments and desires towards them. Those who suffer from this cannot attain the Kingdom of Heaven not because they are rich and wealthy, but rather because they put their wealth and ambitions above even God.

God is not in fact against us having possessions and wealth, or for us to be rich and wealthy. What He wants us to know in fact is that we should make good use of whatever blessings that we have received and whatever we have been fortunate to gain from God’s grace. But when we allow ourselves to be swayed by all the worldly temptations and be overcome by our greed and selfish desires, for example when we desire to gain more of what we already have aplenty, even to the point of causing sufferings and hardships to others around us, and in ignoring the plight of the needy, then it is in all these things that we shall be found wanting and lacking in worthiness by God, because we have not used our blessings for the good purposes set before us by God.

Brothers and sisters in Christ, as we listened to the words of the Sacred Scriptures, we are reminded that each and every one of us as God’s beloved and holy people should always trust in Him and have faith in His Providence. We should continue to make good use of what He has entrusted to us and blessed us with so that we may use them for the benefit and the good of others around us, for everyone whom we encounter in this life. This is not what we should be doing, to put our faith and trust in God for the direction in our lives, trusting that He will bless us in the manner that we need them, and He will provide for all of us, and our part is to make good use of what He has entrusted to us, even in the smallest things. Let us all not be overcome and be swayed by worldly corruptions and ways which can lead us away further from God.

Today, the Church also celebrates the Feast of St. John Eudes, who hailed from France and was a priest that was the founder of the Order of Our Lady of Charity and also the Congregation of Jesus and Mary, known as the Eudists after their founder. St. John Eudes was born in rural France in the early seventeenth century and made an early vow of chastity in his teenage years before eventually joining the priesthood after being guided and educated under the Jesuits and the Oratorians with the latter showing him strong emphasis on the relationship with Christ and the Holy Spirit. He then went on to minister in various parishes and did a lot of missions, and he was noted for his great and prodigious skills in evangelisation and in reaching the hearts and minds of the people that he ministered to.

He also played a role in the development and training of priests, helping to establish several seminaries after having been concerned with the upbringing and education of future priests in France. Then, in his concern and care for the poor and marginalised, especially with prostitutes and others who were often encountering a lot of hardships in life, as mentioned, St. John Eudes established the Order of Our Lady of Charity of the Refuge to care for the needs of those prostitutes who sought to turn away from their lives of sin. He then eventually left the Oratorians and founded the Eudists, the Congregation of Jesus and Mary with the focus and emphasis on education of priests and parish missions, works which he continued to carry out faithfully until the end of his life.

Let us all therefore be inspired by the examples and faith of St. John Eudes, in his determination to serve the Lord and His people, in all the things he had done in reaching out to the marginalised and those who have been less fortunate, those who have been lost to the Lord and facing difficulties in life. Let us all as Christians be always charitable and be kind in all things, doing whatever we can so that we may always be good examples and role models for everyone around us, and that we may show God’s love and kindness, His truth and salvation to everyone whom we encounter in life. May God be with us all and bless our every good endeavours and efforts, now and always. Amen.

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Tuesday, 19 August 2025 : 20th Week of Ordinary Time, Memorial of St. John Eudes, Priest (Gospel Reading)

Liturgical Colour : Green or White (Priests)

Matthew 19 : 23-30

At that time, Jesus said to His disciples, “Truly I say to you : it will be hard for one who is rich to enter the kingdom of heaven. Yes, believe Me : it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of the needle than for the one who is rich to enter the kingdom of heaven.”

On hearing this, the disciples were astonished and said, “Who, then, can be saved?” Jesus looked at them and answered, “For human beings it is impossible, but for God all things are possible.” Then Peter spoke up and said, “You see, we have given up everything to follow You. What, then, will there be for us?”

Jesus answered, “You, who have followed Me, listen to My words : on the Day of Renewal, when the Son of Man sits on His throne in glory, you, also, will sit, on twelve thrones, to judge the twelve tribes of Israel. As for those who have left houses, brothers, sisters, father, mother, children or property for My Name’s sake, they will receive a hundredfold, and be given eternal life. Many who are now first, will be last, and many who are now last, will be first.”

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Tuesday, 19 August 2025 : 20th Week of Ordinary Time, Memorial of St. John Eudes, Priest (Psalm)

Liturgical Colour : Green or White (Priests)

Psalm 84 : 9, 11-12, 13-14

Would, that I hear God’s proclamation, that He promise peace to His people, His saints – lest they come back to their folly.

Love and faithfulness have met; righteousness and peace have embraced. Faithfulness will reach up from the earth while justice bends down from heaven.

YHVH will give what is good, and our land will yield its fruit. Justice will go before Him, and peace will follow along His path.

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Tuesday, 19 August 2025 : 20th Week of Ordinary Time, Memorial of St. John Eudes, Priest (First Reading)

Liturgical Colour : Green or White (Priests)

Judges 6 : 11-24a

The Angel of YHVH came and sat under the sacred tree at Ophrah, which belonged to Joash, of the family of Abiezer. Gideon, the son of Joash, was threshing the wheat in the wine press to hide it from the Midianites.

The Angel of YHVH said to him, “YHVH be with you, valiant warrior.” Gideon answered, “Please, my lord, if YHVH is with us, why is all this happening to us? Where are the wonders which our fathers recounted to us? Did they not say that YHVH led them up from Egypt? Why has He abandoned us now and given us into the hands of the Midianites?”

YHVH then turned to him and said, “Go, and with your courage, save Israel from the Midianites. It is I Who send you.” Gideon answered : “Pardon me, Lord, but how can I save Israel? My family is the lowliest in my tribe and I am the least in the family of my father.”

YHVH said to him, “I will be with you and you shall defeat the people of Midian with one single stroke.” Gideon said to Him, “Please give me a sign that it is indeed You Who speak. Do not leave until I return with an offering and present it to You.” YHVH responded, “I am going to wait for you here.”

Gideon went and prepared a young goat, took a measure of flour and baked unleavened bread. He put the broth in a pot and the meat in a basket, and went to present them to the Angel under the tree. Then the Angel of God said to him, “Take the meat and the bread; put them on this rock, and pour the broth over them.”

Gideon did so. At that moment, the Angel of YHVH extended the staff he was holding and touched the meat and the bread. Suddenly, fire blazed from the rock. The fire consumed the meat and the bread, and the Angel of YHVH disappeared.

Gideon realised that he was the Angel of YHVH and said, “Alas, o Lord YHVH! I have seen the Angel of YHVH face to face.” But YHVH said to him, “Peace be with you. Do not fear for you shall not die.” Gideon built an altar to YHVH in that place and called it YHVH-Peace.

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Saturday, 16 August 2025 : 19th Week of Ordinary Time, Memorial of St. Stephen of Hungary (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 words of the Sacred Scriptures, we are all reminded of the need for all of us to remain truly faithful to the Lord at all times, through good and bad times, through moments of difficulties and trials, and when we are facing various temptations and challenges that may make us to question our faith in God or to forget and abandon Him. When times and moments are good, we may also be so preoccupied by our joy and pursuits in life that we may ignore the Lord and forget about Him as well. This is why it is important for us to remain truly grounded in our faith in the Lord and not to be easily swayed by the various temptations, pressures and coercions all around us.

In our first reading today, we heard from the Book of Joshua of the moment when many years after the Israelites had arrived in the promised land of Canaan and having settled there with God’s guidance, protection and providence, managing to overcome their enemies and all those who have opposed them, then Joshua and the Israelites gathered together in Shechem which was roughly at the centre of the land of Israel, to renew their commitment towards God. Why is that so? That is because by that time, Joshua was already old and he knew that he did not have much longer as the leader of the people of Israel. The older generations who had witnessed God’s miracles, providence and works had passed away and many of the younger generations might not have known and experienced God’s works, providence and signs.

Therefore Joshua gathered the Israelites and told them that they should all choose and decide whether they want to follow the Lord and commit to Him or not, highlighting all the great wonders and deeds which the Lord Himself had done for the sake of His beloved ones, and they need to remember all that God had done for their sake because it would be easy for them to forget about God and abandon Him when things are good and happy for them in the lands that they were settling in. And like their predecessors before them, they might be tempted to worship other gods and idols instead of following the Lord, as they were still surrounded by their Canaanite neighbours with their idols and all their pagan way of living, which might lead them away from the path of the Lord.

As we heard, the Israelites were united in their commitment towards the Lord, and they professed their faith in Him together there at Shechem before Joshua and in the presence of all the assembly of God’s people. And it was there that Joshua renewed the Covenant between God and His people, solemnly establishing the pact between God and those whom He had called and chosen to be His own, that God would always be their God, providing for them and protecting them all, while the people of God ought to obey the Law and commandments which God has shown, taught and revealed to them all, and to pass these down to their own descendants as well. The reality is such that, even after this moment, God’s people would still falter in their commitments, and they would repeatedly disobeyed and abandoned Him, but each time, God continued to love them and send to them leaders, judges and prophets to help guide them to the right path.

Then in our Gospel passage today taken from the Gospel according to St. Matthew the Apostle and Evangelist, we heard of the words of the Lord Jesus telling His disciples that they should not keep children from coming towards Him. This was because the disciples were likely annoyed at people bringing the little children towards the Lord, for Him to bless them and to be with them. But the Lord told the disciples not to stop those children from coming to Him, because in fact, the kingdom of Heaven truly belong to those who behave like those children, those who are truly humble and faithful in God. On the contrary, for many adults including the disciples themselves, many among them did not truly have genuine faith in the Lord, as many among them attached many conditions to their faith in God.

This is indeed a reminder for all of us as Christians that we must always have genuine and strong faith in God, and not one that is dependent on our desires, ambitions and worldly pursuits. Many among the disciples and followers of the Lord at that time often bickered and quarrelled among themselves because they were seeking vanity, ambition and worldly glory in following the Lord, thinking that they would gain much from following Him and becoming close to Him, such that when Christ restored the Kingdom of Israel as they expected, they would be richly rewarded. But this is not what true faith is all about, and true faith in the Lord is something more than merely just our desires for worldly things and matters. True faith is about truly loving God at all times, and continuing to trust in Him even in most difficult and challenging moments in life.

Today, the Church celebrates the Feast of St. Stephen of Hungary, the very first King of Hungary who was crowned as King and ruler of the Hungarian nation, consecrated as the Divinely appointed ruler of the people entrusted to him and with the blessing and approval of the Pope. At that time Hungary was still in the midst of transformation from the previously pagan Magyar tribal nation after their migration from the Eurasian Steppe to the Pannonian plain where Hungary lies today. St. Stephen was the member of the ruling House of Arpad and while he was not the first Christian in his family, but he was indeed the first one to be devout and truly dedicated to the Christian faith, the first of the Christian Kings and rulers of Hungary.

St. Stephen took his duties and responsibilities as King very seriously, dedicating his time and effort to care for the well-being of his people, to improve their livelihood and to care for their spiritual needs, by establishing the Church and its institutions in all parts of his kingdom. He established many archdioceses and dioceses throughout Hungary, building churches, hospitals, monasteries and other institutions that help improve the livelihood of the Hungarians, both in physical and spiritual dimensions. He also led a pious life, dedicating himself to be a good Christian in all things, reigning justly and maintaining a relatively peaceful time in his reign over Hungary. He was well-remembered for his great faith and commitment to God and to the people entrusted to him, and he is indeed a good source of inspiration for all of us as well.

Brothers and sisters in Christ, let us all therefore do our very best so that we may indeed be truly faithful in the Lord, with the purest intentions and desire to follow and serve the Lord wholeheartedly at all times. Just as we have been inspired by St. Stephen of Hungary, let us all be good inspiration and examples for one another so that we may continue to encourage everyone around us, so that more may come to know the Lord through us, through our actions and interactions with those whom we encounter daily in life. May the Lord give us His guidance and strength, and help us in our journey of faith and life, now and always. Amen.

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Saturday, 16 August 2025 : 19th Week of Ordinary Time, Memorial of St. Stephen of Hungary (Gospel Reading)

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

Matthew 19 : 13-15

At that time, little children were brought to Jesus, that He might lay His hands on them and pray for them. But the disciples scolded those who brought them. Jesus then said, “Let the children be! Do not hinder them from coming to Me; for the kingdom of heaven belongs to those who are humble, like these children.”

Jesus laid His hands on them and went away.