10th Week of Ordinary Time

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Thursday, 12 June 2014 : 10th Week of Ordinary Time (Scripture Reflections)

Liturgical Colour : Green

Brothers and sisters in Christ, today it is revealed to us that in our obedience to God, we cannot be blindly obedient and obeying Him for the sake of obedience, or because we fear the wrath of God and His punishments. That is because any faith based on such reasons is likely to be weak and unstable, easily manipulated and shaken when we are in our most vulnerable moments.

Our faith must in fact be based on genuine love and devotion for God. And how do we devote ourselves to God, brothers and sisters in Christ? It is by finding out the true meaning of God’s love for us and His Laws, that we obey Him and follow Him not for the sake of obedience or merely for the fulfillment of our obligations to God, but because we truly understand that our obedience is because we realise our frailty and our need for the Lord to be our guide and help.

What the Lord told the disciples today is that, there is reason behind every single tenets and parts of the Law which God has given His people to follow, and that reason is all based on nothing else but love. Yes, the love of God for mankind, and the love which we ought to show and emulate among ourselves, to each other. And love is the heart of the Law, which we all need to remember always, and yet often forgets.

People like the Pharisees and the scribes like to dwell in very detailed scrutinies of the Law and certain rules, which inadvertantly diverted their attention from the true focus, that is love. Their preoccupation with otherwise minor details on the Law of God prevented them from showing acts of love and acts of mercy when they were expected to do so.

In fact, not only just that, but they even often misused their power and abused it for their own purposes, that is to secure their own positions, their own power and to preserve the dominion and authority which they felt was rightfully theirs as the leaders of the people. They would do things in direct contravention with the true meaning of the Law of God, if those things would help them to preserve themselves.

For example, the case of the woman caught in adulterous behaviour and brought to Jesus was a clear example of this abuse. The Pharisees and the elders of Israel brought her to Jesus not because they were concerned a single bit about her, whether for her redemption or condemnation, but they did so in order to discredit Jesus and trap Him in His own words, and thus constituted a vile attempt to mock the love of God and the Law itself.

Therefore, brothers and sisters in Christ, today we are urged to build our relationships with God anew, that is to reaffirm our complete and total devotion to His love, and vow to carry on that love with us as we live our lives and as we interact with one another in this world, so that God’s love may ever be more ubiquitous and evident in our world which is increasingly lacking in love.

We are called to reflect on our own actions, on whether we have truly been faithful disciples of the Lord, that is truly taking into account how each and every one of our actions stand with reference to the Lord and His love. Have we attain a high standard of love in our actions? And have we truly been obedient to the will of God? Or are we only concerned about our own fates and well-being, often to the disadvantage of others around us?

Let us use this opportunity to reflect, and from then on, to take concrete actions, which will benefit all of us, and further spread the love of God for His people throughout the world, and make it a much better place. Remember, obey the Lord and all His ways, with all of our hearts and minds. God preserve us. Amen.

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Thursday, 12 June 2014 : 10th Week of Ordinary Time (Gospel Reading)

Liturgical Colour : Green

Matthew 5 : 20-26

I tell you then, if you are not righteous in a much broader way than the teachers of the Law and the Pharisees, you cannot enter the kingdom of heaven. You have heard that it was said to our people in the past : “Do not commit murder; anyone who does kill will have to face trial.”

But now I tell you : whoever gets angry with a brother or sister will have to face trial. Whoever insults a brother or a sister deserves to be brought before the council. Whoever calls a brother or a sister “Fool!” deserves to be thrown into the fire of hell. So, if you are about to offer your gift at the altar, and you remember that your brother has something against you, leave your gift there in front of the altar, go at once and make peace with him, and then come back and offer your gift to God.

Do not forget this : be reconciled with your opponent quickly when you are together on the way to court. Otherwise he will turn you over to the judge, who will hand you over to the police, who will put you in jail. There you will stay, until you have paid the last penny.

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Thursday, 12 June 2014 : 10th Week of Ordinary Time (Psalm)

Liturgical Colour : Green

Psalm 64 : 10abcd, 10e-11, 12-13

You water the land and care for it, enriching it with natural resources. God’s stream is filled with water; so you prepare the earth.

To give us its fruits, You drench the furrows in the land and level the ridges, You soften the soil with showers and bless its crops.

You crown the year with Your goodness; abundance flows everywhere. The deserts have become pasture land, the hills are clothed with gladness.

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Thursday, 12 June 2014 : 10th Week of Ordinary Time (First Reading)

Liturgical Colour : Green

1 Kings 18 : 41-46

Elijah then said to Ahab, “Go up, eat and drink, for the sound of rain is rushing in.” So Ahab went up to eat and drink. Elijah, in the meantime, went to the top of Carmel, bowed to the ground and put his face between his knees. Then he said to his servant, “Go up and look in the direction of the sea.”

The man went up, looked, and said, “There is nothing.” Then Elijah said, “Go again” and seven times he went. At the seventh time, he perceived a little cloud, the size of a man’s hand rising out of the sea.

Elijah told him, “Go, tell Ahab : Prepare your chariot and go down before the rain stops you.” A little later the sky grew dark with clouds and wind and a strong rain fell. Ahab was riding on his way to Jezreel; as for Elijah, the hand of YHVH was on him, and tucking his cloak in his belt, he ran before Ahab to the entrance of Jezreel.

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Wednesday, 11 June 2014 : 10th Week of Ordinary Time, Memorial of St. Barnabas, Apostle (Scripture Reflections)

Liturgical Colour : Red

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, today we celebrate the feast of St. Barnabas, one of the Apostles of Christ, and an important messenger of the Lord, although he was not among the Twelve Apostles. St. Barnabas was renowned especially for his works and his mission activities together with St. Paul the Apostle, the other great Apostle who was known for his extensive works to bring the Good News to the Gentiles and pagans.

St. Barnabas was one of the first teachers of the faith, and he preached the Good News to many people since the beginning of the Church, travelling to many places with St. Paul and the other Apostles to bring the teachings of Christ to many people. St. Barnabas was one of the principal workers of the evangelisation, and through him, the early Christian communities were strengthened and empowered.

He went on from place to place, and having been set aside by the Lord, as we witnessed in the first reading today, he brought the message of salvation just as we heard it in the Gospel today. To the people who still live in darkness and the ignorance of the world at that time, the words and preachings of St. Barnabas must have been a refreshing stream of water which enlightens the eyes and minds of the people, and bring them to realisation of the truths in Christ.

He went around many cities, towns and places throughout the Roman Empire, many of the journeys together with St. Paul, and in many places he was welcomed cordially, and the people eagerly welcomed his teachings, and listened to them. There were many who became believers of Christ after they heard the testimony of St. Barnabas and St. Paul, the pair who became the greatest tool of evangelisation of the early Church.

However, as many as there were those who accepted and welcomed St. Barnabas, there were also equally many those who rejected his preachings and his testimonies, if not even more than those who accepted him and St. Paul. And if we read the entirety of the Acts of the Apostles, we can see how difficult it was for these two Apostles, and the other Apostles in general, in carrying out their missions.

There were always those who stubbornly refused to listen to reason, and refused to listen to the word of truth, as spoken by the Apostles, and many of these people were the fanatical Jews and Pharisees who were spread widely in the Jewish Diaspora in the Greek cities, where they often fiercely contested the teachings of the Apostles in the synagogues and among the people, inciting the people to rise up against them.

And eventually, St. Barnabas also met his end in violent death through martyrdom, in the defense of his faith while ministering to the people of God and preaching the faith, commonly agreed to have happened in the island of Cyprus, where his tomb can now be found at. This faithful man of God had dedicated much of his life to the faith and to God, and even though he met his end, but through his works, he brought many people to salvation in God.

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, therefore we are once again presented with the life of this dedicated saint, who worked hard for the sake of the Lord and His people without fear and full of courage, despite all of the oppositions against him and all the persecutions that he had to endure. St. Barnabas showed us all how to be zealous and faithful servants of the Lord, and his example can indeed help us to find our own purpose in life, as children of God and members of His Church.

Let us ask for the intercession and prayer from St. Barnabas, that he will constantly pray for us, that we may find our way and purpose in this life, and that we may serve the Lord in the way that St. Barnabas himself had done in the past, to proclaim the Lord and His truth to others without fear, and filled with zeal and encouragement of the Holy Spirit.

May God guide our path at all times, and help us to carry out the mission that He has entrusted to all of us, that is to become the modern day Apostles and disciples, to bring the light of God to all peoples of all nations. God bless us all. Amen.

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Wednesday, 11 June 2014 : 10th Week of Ordinary Time, Memorial of St. Barnabas, Apostle (Gospel Reading)

Liturgical Colour : Red

Matthew 10 : 7-13

Go and proclaim this message : The kingdom of heaven is near. Heal the sick, bring the dead back to life, cleanse the lepers, and drive out demons. You received this as a gift, so give it as a gift. Do not carry any gold, silver or copper in your purses. Do not take a traveller’s bag, or an extra short, or sandals, or a staff : workers deserve their living.

When you come to a town or a village, look for a worthy person, and stay there until you leave. When you enter the house, wish it peace. If the people in the house deserve it, your peace will be on them; if they do not deserve it, your blessing will come back to you.

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Wednesday, 11 June 2014 : 10th Week of Ordinary Time, Memorial of St. Barnabas, Apostle (Psalm)

Liturgical Colour : Red

Psalm 97 : 1, 2-3ab, 3c-4, 5-6

Sing to the Lord a new song, for He has done wonders; His right hand, His holy arm, has won victory for Him.

The Lord 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 the Lord, break into song and sing praise.

With melody of the lyre and with music of the harp. With trumpet blast and sound of the horn, rejoice before the King, the Lord!

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Wednesday, 11 June 2014 : 10th Week of Ordinary Time, Memorial of St. Barnabas, Apostle (First Reading)

Liturgical Colour : Red

Acts 11 : 21b-26 and Acts 13 : 1-3

A great number believed and turned to the Lord. News of this reached the ears of the Church in Jerusalem, so they sent Barnabas to Antioch. When he arrived and saw the manifest signs of God’s favour, he rejoiced and urged them all to remain firmly faithful to God; for he himself was a good man filled with Holy Spirit and faith. Thus large crowds came to know the Lord.

Then Barnabas went off to Tarsus to look for Saul and when he found him, he brought him to Antioch. For a whole year they had meetings with the Church and instructed many people. It was in Antioch that the disciples were first called Christians.

There were at Antioch – in the Church which was there – prophets and teachers : Barnabas, Symeon known as Niger, Lucius of Cyrene, Manaen who had been brought up with Herod, and Saul. On one occasion while they were celebrating the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said to them, “Set apart for Me Barnabas and Saul to do the work for which I have called them.”

So, after fasting and praying, they laid their hands on them and sent them off.

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Tuesday, 10 June 2014 : 10th Week of Ordinary Time (Scripture Reflections)

Liturgical Colour : Green

Brothers and sisters in Christ, today’s readings focused on the theme of courage and commitment to carrying out the will of God, without fear and doubt, and the desire to bring the light of Christ to all the peoples, through ourselves and our actions. This is the essence and the heart of today’s Scriptures, which focus on the importance of courage as the servants of the Lord.

We are often doubtful and fearful to showcase our faith to others, and we prefer to keep things to ourselves, and in that way, we keep the light of Christ that is within us under the cover of darkness, and therefore we prevent others from seeing the same light which could have been their salvation. We keep our light hidden and therefore we are found wanting by the Lord.

We have received much gifts and wisdom from the Lord our God through the Holy Spirit which He had granted us through the Apostles. God has given much for us, in terms of resources and understanding, in order to help one another to know and understand God and His will. If we do not make use of these, then it is the same of wasting the good talents and potentials which He had granted us, and we will not receive a favourable treatment from God henceforth.

As I mentioned earlier on during the Solemnity of the Pentecost Sunday, we mankind have been given the Holy Spirit, those of us who believe in the Lord and keep our faith in Him alive. And the Holy Spirit that dwells in us will bear many fruits, the fruits of the Holy Spirit, but only if we allow ourselves to be part of the Holy Spirit and to allow Him to come and make a difference in our lives.

By receiving the Holy Spirit we have received the revelations of truth about God, and in us, we have the knowledge of salvation and everlasting life. And we reflect the very light of Christ, the light of hope He bore, in ourselves, and we show this through our own words, deeds and actions. That is how we become the light of the world, just as Christ is the true light of the world.

If we do not listen to Christ and His teachings, we risk to be stagnant and idle, and our lives become unremarkable. We must have the flavour of Christ in us, and the vibrancy of the light He has in us, so that we may truly be the salt of the earth and the light of the world for the sake of all around us, who see us and become believers on the account of this flavour and uniqueness that is in us.

Our lives cannot be empty and meaningless, for if we do so, them we lose the main impetus in life, that is to make a difference in all that we do, both for ourselves and for others around us. What is this difference that we need to make? We need to make a difference in the lives of others, that through whatever we do or say, we bring new life to them, and that we bring them new purpose in life.

In doing so, we pass on the light and the flavour, that just as the cook add the salt into the dish, and the dish gradually become salty in its entirety, we too may make everyone justified and glorified through our exemplary lives, that whoever sees us, see not ourselves, but the Father who loves us all.

Brothers and sisters in Christ, let us all strive to improve ourselves, on terms of our saltiness, our flavour, that is the vibrancy of our faith, and strengthen the ligh of God that is present inside of us. Let us not be easily affected by doubt or fear, but instead put our complete trust in the Lord, let us stride forth with courage, enlightening mankind who are still in darkness and bring them back into the light.

O Lord our God, be with us today, and make our lives meaningful and useful to You and Your people, that in whatever we do, say or act, we will always bring glory to Your Name and bring enlightenment to Your people, that they too may realise Your love and draw closer to You. God bless us all. Amen.

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Tuesday, 10 June 2014 : 10th Week of Ordinary Time (Gospel Reading)

Liturgical Colour : Green

Matthew 5 : 13-16

You are the salt of the earth. But if salt has lost its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? It has become useless. It can only be thrown away and people will trample on it.

You are the light of the world. A city built on a mountain cannot be hidden. No one lights a lamp and covers it; instead it is put on a lampstand, where it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way your light must shine before others, so that they may see the good you do and praise your Father in heaven.