Liturgical Colour : Red
Psalm 111 : 1-2, 3-4, 9
Alleluia! Blessed is the one who fears YHVH, who greatly delights in His commands. His children will be powerful on earth; the upright’s offspring will be blessed.
Wealth and riches are for his family; there, his integrity will remain. He is for the righteous a light in darkness; he is kind, merciful and upright.
He gives generously to the poor; his merits will last forever; and his head will be raised in honour.
Liturgical Colour : Red
2 Corinthians 9 : 6-11
Remember : the one who sows meagerly will reap meagerly, and there shall be generous harvests for the one who sows generously. Each of you should give as you decided personally, and not reluctantly, as if obliged. God loves a cheerful giver. And God is able to fill you with every good thing, so that you have enough of everything, at all times, and may give abundantly for any good work.
Scripture says : He distributed, he gave to the poor, his good works last forever. God, Who provides the sower with seed, will also provide him with the bread he eats. He will multiply the seed for you and also increase the interest on your good works. Become rich in every way, and give abundantly. What you give will become, through us, a thanksgiving to God.
Liturgical Colour : Green
Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, on this day we listened to the words of the Scripture speaking to us about the need for all of us to be truly faithful in all the things we do, in being genuinely faithful through our dedication and love for the Lord. And being true in our faith requires us all to be filled with love, and not just any love, but love that is selfless and generous, to all people.
In our Gospel passage today, we heard the Lord Jesus saying that we all should love everyone, including even our enemies and all those who have persecuted us and rejected us. He called on us all to bring love to our fellow brethren, regardless of who they are and give our very best in love for others not counting for the love to be returned or reciprocated. This is indeed something that is easier said than done.
Why is that so, brothers and sisters in Christ? That is because loving an enemy is something that is not easily done, as when we love, we commonly love with the intention of being reciprocated and appreciated, to be loved back in the same way if not more than how we have loved another person. But to love an enemy seems to be like a folly, a giving of one’s love to someone whom in our minds may be unworthy and undeserving.
But that is where we really need to change our mentality and mindset, to redirect our thoughts and change our prejudices about others. For we must understand that love is not a transaction or something where we expect to gain things for our own benefit. If we think of love in that manner, then perhaps it is time for us to change our mindset and how we see love in our daily interactions and lives.
Love in truth is not of receiving but in fact of giving, the giving of oneself and even making sacrifices for another. That is in essence, what true love is all about. True love does not lead to jealousy, and neither does it lead to selfishness and desire, but rather, it leads to happiness in knowing that we have given of ourselves for the sake of another, and the other person is better because of the love which we have given.
Brothers and sisters in Christ, we do not have to go far to see the example, other than what the Lord Jesus Himself had shown us all. The Lord Jesus had shown us all what it means by true love, love that is selfless, self-giving, in all that He had done for our sake, even to us all who have disobeyed and not listened to Him all these while. St. Paul himself said of how wonderful God’s love for us is, that even if it is possible for someone to love and to be willing to die for the sake of a very good person and friend, God did so for all of us who are wicked and sinners.
Now, brothers and sisters in Christ, each and every one of us are called to follow the examples of Our Lord in the generous and true love that He has shown to each and every one of us. He has loved us all so greatly that we should love Him in the same way as is only right for us to do so. It is indeed not easy for us to love everyone, especially those who have hurt us and caused us harm and pain.
May the Lord help us all to be more loving and to be more forgiving, to all our brothers and sisters just as He Himself has done it. May He strengthen in us this love that we have so that each and every moments in our lives we may draw ever closer to Him and be more faithful with every passing moment. May God bless us all, now and forevermore. Amen.
Liturgical Colour : Green
Matthew 5 : 43-48
At that time, Jesus said to His disciples, “You have heard, that it was said : Love your neighbour and do not do good to your enemy. But this I tell you : love your enemies, and pray for those who persecute you, so that you may be children of your Father in Heaven. For He makes His sun rise on both the wicked and the good; and He gives rain to both the just and the unjust.”
“If you love those who love you, what is special about that? Do not even tax collectors do as much? And if you are friendly only to your friends, what is so exceptional about that? Do not even the pagans do as much? As for you, be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect.”
Liturgical Colour : Green
Psalm 145 : 1-2, 5-6ab, 6c-7, 8-9a
Alleluia! Praise YHVH, my soul! I will sing to YHVH all my life; I will sing praise to God while I live.
Blessed are they whose help is the God of Jacob, whose hope is in YHVH their God, Maker of heaven and earth, the sea and all they contain.
YHVH is forever faithful; He gives justice to the oppressed and gives food to the hungry. YHVH sets the prisoners free.
YHVH gives sight to the blind; YHVH loves the virtuous; but He brings to ruin the way of the wicked. YHVH straightens the bent. YHVH protects the stranger.
Liturgical Colour : Green
2 Corinthians 8 : 1-9
Now, I want you to know about a gift of divine grace among the Churches of Macedonia. While they were so afflicted and persecuted, their joy overflowed, and their extreme poverty turned into a wealth of generosity. According to their means – even beyond their means – they wanted to share, in helping the saints.
They asked us for this favour, spontaneously, and with much insistence, and, far beyond anything we expected, they put themselves at the disposal of the Lord, and of us by the will of God. Accordingly, I urged Titus to complete, among you, this work of grace, since he began it with you.
You excel in everything : in the gifts of faith, speech and knowledge; you feel concern for every cause and, besides, you are first in my heart. Excel, also, in this generous service. This is not a command; I make known to you the determination of others, to check the sincerity of your fraternal concern.
You know well, the generosity of Christ Jesus, our Lord. Although He was rich, He made Himself poor, to make you rich, through His poverty.
Liturgical Colour : Green
Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, on this day we listened to the words of the Scripture speaking to us about the actions and things we need to do with our lives as Christians, as those who profess the faith in God and have been taught what it means for us to be His followers. We must be exemplary in all things so that our lives truly become testimonies of our faith.
In today’s first reading we heard St. Paul encouraging the faithful and the Church in the city of Corinth that they should be courageous in living their faith, becoming good examples for others in how they lived their lives with genuine faith so that everyone who see them will truly know that they are Christians, full of faith and righteousness, and not just faithful in formality only.
And in the Gospel passage today, we heard the Lord Jesus speaking to His disciples about what we may be expected to do as Christians, when He spoke of giving one’s left cheek if one is slapped on the right side, and not to seek vengeance and retaliation unlike how people then behaved, and to go the extra mile when one is walking and helping someone. Essentially, as Christians, we are expected to do as the Lord has told His disciples.
It means that while the world and its people expect selfishness, greed and pride to be the force driving every actions and every words and deeds of the people, as Christians we are expected to eschew all of these selfishness, greed, human pride and all sorts of things that prevent us from being true Christians. The world expects us to seek our own happiness, joy and satisfaction first over all else, but the Lord taught us otherwise.
After all, we have to realise that happiness and satisfaction as what we usually know in this world cannot last forever, be it money, be it material possessions, satisfaction of the mind and body, pleasures of the flesh and body, or whatever else that we have been accustomed and inundated with, in all the things we seek in this world. As Christians we are called to be above all these things, and to seek greater things beyond this world.
Brothers and sisters in Christ, on this day all of us are called to reflect on our lives and think of how we can make good use of this life to be instruments of God’s greater glory. We are called to follow the teachings of Christ, to do our best on each and every days of our lives, without seeking glory for ourselves, to be generous in all things and to give our very best to be examples of our faith.
Let us all spend our every moments in life to glorify God, spending our time, effort and attention, committing ourselves to the cause of the Lord, and enduring difficulties, challenges and all sorts of temptations and all that prevented us from truly devoting our whole selves to God. Let us all persevere through even those who oppress and challenge us, and do our very best to be model Christians in all things.
May the Lord be with us all, and may He continue to guide us through this journey of life. May He bless us all in our every endeavours, spending every moments of time to follow Him and to dedicate ourselves to Him. May God be with our every actions, words and deeds, now and always. Amen.
Liturgical Colour : Green
Matthew 5 : 38-42
At that time, Jesus said to His disciples, “You have heard, that it was said : An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth. But I tell you this : do not oppose evil with evil; if someone slaps you on your right cheek, turn and offer the other. If someone sues you in court for your shirt, give him your coat as well.”
“If someone forces you to go one mile, go two miles with him. Give when asked, and do not turn your back on anyone who wants to borrow from you.”
Liturgical Colour : Green
Psalm 97 : 1, 2-3ab, 3cd-4
Sing to YHVH a new song, for He has done wonders; His right hand, His holy arm, has won victory for Him.
YHVH has shown His salvation, revealing His justice to the nations. He has not forgotten His love, nor His faithfulness to Israel.
The farthest ends of the earth all have seen God’s saving power. All you, lands, make a joyful noise to YHVH, break into song and sing praise.
Liturgical Colour : Green
2 Corinthians 6 : 1-10
Being God’s helpers, we beg you : let it not be in vain, that you received this grace of God. Scripture says : At the favourable time I listened to you, on the day of salvation I helped you. This is the favourable time, this is the day of salvation.
We are concerned, not to give anyone an occasion to stumble or criticise our mission. Instead, we prove, we are true ministers of God, in every way, by our endurance in so many trials, in hardships, afflictions, floggings, imprisonment, riots, fatigue, sleepless nights and days of hunger.
People can notice, in our upright life, knowledge, patience and kindness, action of the Holy Spirit, sincere love, words of truth, and power of God. So we fight with the weapons of justice, to attack, as well as to defend. Sometimes, we are honoured, at other times, insulted; we receive criticism as well as praise. We are regarded as liars, although we speak the truth; as unknown, though we are well known; as dead, and yet we live.
Punishments come upon us, but we have not, as yet, been put to death. We appear to be afflicted, yet always joyful; we seem to be poor, but we enrich many; we have nothing, but we possess everything!
