19th Week of Ordinary Time

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Sunday, 10 August 2025 : Nineteenth Sunday of Ordinary Time (Homily and Scripture Reflections)

Liturgical Colour : Green

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, on this Sunday as we all listened to the words of the Sacred Scriptures, we are all reminded to continue to be faithful to the Lord at all times despite the difficulties, trials and challenges that we may be facing in life. We must always remain faithful at all times, persisting through the hardships and trials, all the obstacles and disappointments, all the times when we want to give up due to all those challenges and hurdles. This is because the Lord is always ever faithful to the Covenant that He has made with us, and He will never abandon us or leave us behind, and will always provide us all that we need. In the end, we shall be triumphant with Him and if we have enough faith and trust in Him, then we shall share in the eternal glory and joy that He has promised to all of us.

In our first reading this Sunday, we heard from the Book of Wisdom in which the author spoke of the events of the past, and how the people of God trusted in the promises of the Lord, in everything that He would do for the sake of His people, all the love and kindness that He would show, and how He would not forsake everyone who are dear to Him. That was how they endured the hardships and sufferings that they faced, because they believed in the faithfulness of God’s promises and love, referring to the moment when the people of God, the Israelites were enslaved in the land of Egypt for a long period of time, after they had settled there for centuries. God had promised their ancestors that their descendants would be blessed and would return to the land promised to them, and that was what God exactly had done.

They remained hopeful and continued to hope for a deliverer to come from the Lord as they had been promised, and God did send them a deliverer indeed in the person of Moses, who brought God’s consoling words and reassurances at last, and showing the great power and might by which He brought them out of the land of Egypt, the Ten great Plagues which He had struck Egypt and its people with, humbling the mighty Pharaoh and his armies, destroying his chariots and forces, all so that the Israelites could go free, departing from the land of their enslavement and suffering, to journey towards the land that had been promised to them. This is one of the many proofs of God’s great love and faithfulness to everything that He has promised to His beloved ones.

Then, from our second reading this Sunday, taken from the Epistle to the Hebrews, we heard of the words of the author of the Epistle speaking about the importance of our faith in God, and how the author quoted the examples of our fathers in faith, from Abraham and his wife Sarah, to Isaac and Jacob among others, in how they had been faithful to the Lord, despite the challenges and trials that they had to face in their respective paths and journeys, just as what we have heard in our first reading earlier. For example, Abraham was childless with his wife and was without an heir, and God was calling on him to follow Him to a distant land away from the comfort of his homeland and family. And yet, Abraham believed and trusted in the Lord, followed Him faithfully and did everything that he had been asked to do.

That was how Abraham received everything that he had been promised, as were Isaac and Jacob, and all those who had faith in the Lord. And as the author of the Epistle to the Hebrews mentioned, they all still believed even though they could not see what it is that they had been promised for, and even when what they had been waiting for took longer than expected. Abraham remained firmly faithful even when he was tested for his faith, such as when he had to wait longer and longer for the promised son, and when the promised son had been given to him, that is Isaac, he obeyed perfectly even when the Lord asked of him to offer and sacrifice his own son. Abraham trusted wholeheartedly in God and did as he was asked, and his faith is truly an example for all of us.

That is why we are reminded that we too should be faithful to the Lord, doing whatever that the Lord has asked of us, because God is the only One Who will never disappoint us, and unlike depending on worldly things which may be fickle and unreliable, we should first and foremost trust in the Lord. And true faith is such that we continue to believe even when we cannot see clearly where the path forward will lead us, and what we shall have in the end, other than knowing that God will be true to all of His promises. To be truly faithful for us as Christians require strong and enduring faith in God, and this is not something that is easy or smooth-going for us. Instead, there will be lots of challenges and trials facing us, but with faith in God, we must remember that there can be no obstacle that is too great for us all to overcome.

Lastly, we heard of the parable that the Lord Jesus told to His disciples in our Gospel passage today taken from the Gospel according to St. Luke the Evangelist. In that parable, the Lord told the disciples of the servants of a household awaiting for the return of their master, and He used that parable to highlight the importance of trusting in God and to be prepared for God’s return one day, as the Lord indeed will return just as He has promised to us. He will not abandon us and He will always be with us, although the waiting may be long and arduous. In the end, if we remain truly faithful to Him, we shall indeed enjoy the fruits of our labours and faith. At the end of our journey, at the very end of time, at the time of the final reckoning and judgment, we shall have to account for our every deeds and actions.

That was what the Lord presented in the parable He mentioned to His disciples, comparing the actions of the servants who ignored their responsibilities and slacked in their duties, thinking that the master was not returning soon, with those servants who faithfully carried out their duties and responsibilities even when the master was not yet returning. Those servants clearly represented each and every of us, God’s holy people, with God Himself being represented by the master of the household. If we do not have faith in God and continue to walk down the path of worldliness, then in the end, we will regret it because when the reckoning comes, we shall be found wanting and lacking in faith, and I am certain that we do not want to end up in this situation.

Brothers and sisters in Christ, let us all hence remind ourselves to be ever more faithful and committed to God at all times. Let us not be easily swayed by temptations and hardships of this world, the obstacles and challenges that we have to face in our path. Let us continue to have faith and trust in God, doing our very best to walk consistently and faithfully in this journey of faith and life, loving God and loving one another, especially those who are dear and beloved to us. Let us all grow ever stronger in our faith and in our commitment to God. May the Lord continue to bless and guide us all, and may He continue to strengthen and encourage us all in all things, now and always, forevermore. Amen.

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Sunday, 10 August 2025 : Nineteenth Sunday of Ordinary Time (Gospel Reading)

Liturgical Colour : Green

Luke 12 : 32-48

At that time, Jesus said to His disciples, “Do not be afraid, little flock, for it has pleased your Father to give you the kingdom. Sell what you have and give alms. Get yourselves purses that do not wear out, and an inexhaustible treasure in the heavens, where no thief comes and no moth destroys. For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.”

“Be ready, dressed for service, and keep your lamps lit, like people waiting for their master to return from the wedding. As soon as he comes and knocks, they will open the door to him. Happy are those servants whom the master finds wide-awake when he comes. Truly, I tell you, he will put on an apron, and have them sit at table, and he will wait on them. Happy are those servants, if he finds them awake when he comes at midnight or daybreak!”

“Pay attention to this : If the master of the house had known at what time the thief would come, he would not have let his house be broken into. You also must be ready, for the Son of Man will come at an hour you do not expect.”

Peter said, “Lord, did You tell this parable only for us, or for everyone?” And the Lord replied, “Imagine, then, the wise and faithful steward, whom the master sets over his other servants, to give them wheat at the proper time. Fortunate is this servant if his master, on coming home, finds him doing his work. Truly, I say to you, the master will put him in charge of all his property.”

“But it may be that the steward thinks, ‘My lord delays in coming,’ and he begins to abuse the male servants and the servant girls, eating and drinking and getting drunk. Then the master will come on a day he does not expect, and at an hour he does not know. He will cut him off, and send him to the same fate as the unfaithful.”

“The servant who knew his master’s will, but did not prepare and do what his master wanted, will be soundly beaten; but the one who does unconsciously what deserves punishment, shall receive fewer blows. Much will be required of the one who has been given much, and more will be asked of the one who has been entrusted with more.”

Alternative reading (shorter version)

Luke 12 : 35-40

At that time, Jesus said to His disciples, “Be ready, dressed for service, and keep your lamps lit, like people waiting for their master to return from the wedding. As soon as he comes and knocks, they will open the door to him. Happy are those servants whom the master finds wide-awake when he comes. Truly, I tell you, he will put on an apron, and have them sit at table, and he will wait on them. Happy are those servants, if he finds them awake when he comes at midnight or daybreak!”

“Pay attention to this : If the master of the house had known at what time the thief would come, he would not have let his house be broken into. You also must be ready, for the Son of Man will come at an hour you do not expect.”

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Sunday, 10 August 2025 : Nineteenth Sunday of Ordinary Time (Second Reading)

Liturgical Colour : Green

Hebrews 11 : 1-2, 8-19

Faith is the assurance of what we hope for, being certain of what we cannot see. Because of their faith our ancestors were approved. It was by faith that Abraham, called by God, set out for a country that would be given to him as an inheritance; for he parted without knowing where he was going.

By faith he lived as a stranger in that promised land. There he lived in tents, as did Isaac and Jacob, beneficiaries of the same promise. Indeed, he looked forward to that city of solid foundation of which God is the Architect and Builder.

By faith Sarah herself received power to become a mother, in spite of her advanced age; since she believed that He Who had made the promise would be faithful. Therefore, from an almost impotent man were born descendants as numerous as the stars of heavens, as many as the grains of sand on the seashore.

Death found all these people strong in their faith. They had not received what was promised, but they had looked ahead and had rejoiced in it from afar, saying that they were foreigners and travellers on earth. Those who speak in this way prove that they are looking for their own country. For if they had longed for the land they had left, it would have been easy for them to return, but no, they aspired to a better city, that is, a supernatural one; so God, Who prepared the city for them is not ashamed of being called their God.

By faith Abraham went to offer Isaac when God tested him. And so he who had received the promise of God offered his only son although God had told him : Isaac’s descendants will bear your name. Abraham reasoned that God is capable even of raising the dead, and he received back his son, which has a figurative meaning.

Alternative reading (shorter version)

Hebrews 11 : 1-2, 8-12

Faith is the assurance of what we hope for, being certain of what we cannot see. Because of their faith our ancestors were approved. It was by faith that Abraham, called by God, set out for a country that would be given to him as an inheritance; for he parted without knowing where he was going.

By faith he lived as a stranger in that promised land. There he lived in tents, as did Isaac and Jacob, beneficiaries of the same promise. Indeed, he looked forward to that city of solid foundation of which God is the Architect and Builder.

By faith Sarah herself received power to become a mother, in spite of her advanced age; since she believed that He Who had made the promise would be faithful. Therefore, from an almost impotent man were born descendants as numerous as the stars of heavens, as many as the grains of sand on the seashore.

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Sunday, 10 August 2025 : Nineteenth Sunday of Ordinary Time (Psalm)

Liturgical Colour : Green

Psalm 32 : 1 and 12, 18-19, 20 and 22

Rejoice in YHVH, you who are just; praise is fitting for the upright. Blessed is the nation whose God is YHVH – the people He has chosen for His inheritance.

But YHVH’s eyes are upon those who fear Him, upon those who trust in His loving-kindness, to deliver them from death and preserve them from famine.

In hope, we wait for YHVH, for He is our help and our shield. O YHVH, let Your love rest upon us, even as our hope rests in You.

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Sunday, 10 August 2025 : Nineteenth Sunday of Ordinary Time (First Reading)

Liturgical Colour : Green

Wisdom 18 : 6-9

That night had been foretold to our ancestors, and knowing in what promise they trusted, they could rejoice in all surety. Your people waited for both the salvation of the just and the downfall of their enemies, for the very punishment of our enemies brought glory to the people you have called – that is, to us.

The holy race secretly offered the Passover sacrifice and really agreed on this worthy pact : that they would share alike both blessings and dangers. And forthwith they began to sing the hymns of their fathers.

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Saturday, 17 August 2024 : 19th Week of Ordinary Time (Homily and Scripture Reflections)

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

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, today as we all listened to the words of the Sacred Scriptures, we are all once again reminded that each and every one of us are God’s children, truly precious and beloved to Him, and at the same time, He is also a God Who is all holy and perfect, without blemish or taint of sin, and our own attitudes, actions and sinfulness in life in this world are the things which often prevented us from being able to reach out to the Lord and embrace Him fully and wholeheartedly. Yet, God is also ever forgiving and merciful towards us, and He extends towards us His mercy and forgiveness at all times, desiring us all to return back to Him, to embrace once again the fullness of His love and grace, which He has meant for us from the very beginning but which we have squandered out of our disobedience.

In our first reading today, taken from the Book of the prophet Ezekiel, we heard of the Lord’s words reminding and exhorting His people, the Israelites who were by then living in the exile in the lands far away from their homeland to turn away from their wickedness and the sins that their ancestors and predecessors had once committed so that they all could be freed from their predicament and sufferings, because all that they had experienced and endured, their sufferings and tribulations were caused from their own offences against the Lord and also their sins and mistakes against their fellow brethren. Their disobedience and wickedness brought them to their doom, all of their greed and injustice against their fellow men and women, all of which led them to fall into the trap of sin and destruction.

But the Lord also reassured them all at the same time, that if they were to turn away from their sins and wickedness, then in the end, they would again receive God’s grace and love, and they would be blessed once again, and be assured of the glorious inheritance and the great and wonderful things which God would grant to them all. The Lord is ever merciful and kind to His people, to those whom He loves, like that of a father who may be strict on his children, and yet, loved them all the same. What God does not want to happen to any of us is that He does not want any one of us to fall into the path of sin and darkness because of our disobedience and inability to follow the Law and the rules which He has provided to us to help us in our journey and path in life.

Then, in our Gospel passage today, we heard from the short Gospel passage from the Gospel according to St. Matthew of the Lord telling His disciples not to prevent little and young children from coming towards Him. At that time, people were bringing their little and young children towards the Lord, wanting the Lord to bless them and to pray for them. The disciples were likely annoyed at having to cater and care for those little children who were there, as we all know how lively, energetic and loud those children could be. But the Lord told them all that this was precisely why they must let those children to come to Him, to know Him and to be embraced by Him, so that they might know His love and kindness, and develop that relationship with Him.

This is because those children seek the Lord with sincerity and desire to love Him without any other ulterior or alternative motives and desires. A child’s mind and actions are still pure, and the children are still easily mouldable by their experiences. Hence, this is a reminder that we ourselves must be like those children in our own faith, unencumbered and unburdened by all sorts of desires and worldly ambitions that can lead us down the path of ruin and destruction. We must not let all those things to distract us from the Lord and from His love, and we have to seek to be truly sincere and genuine in our love and desire to serve the Lord faithfully just as those little children have shown us all.

This is easier said than done because it can truly be quite difficult to resist the temptations of sin and evil, unless we make the conscious effort and having the strong desire to resist the temptations of the devil, as he and his many other wicked allies are certainly always active and on the lookout for the opportunities to strike at us and to destroy us by leading us down into the path of evil and wickedness, by trying to seduce and coerce us with various temptations of worldly pleasures and desires, all the comforts and good things that we often desire for in this world, and which had caused so many of our predecessors and ancestors to lose their way amidst the journey of life. We must not allow this to happen to us as well, and we should strive to commit ourselves ever more worthily to God from now on.

Therefore, brothers and sisters in Christ, let us all continue to discern carefully our path and journey in life so that we do not end up falling into the trap of sin and evil, of all the worldly desires and all the temptations around us. Let our lives be truly faithful to God, exemplary in our every deeds, actions and interactions with everyone around us. Let our works, actions and commitments be truly sincere and filled with God’s grace, love and truth, so that everyone who witness us and interact with us may come to know the Lord and experience Him through what we have done and through our genuine love and desire to serve the Lord and to walk ever more courageously and faithfully in His path, in each and every moments of our lives.

May the Lord, our most loving God and Father continue to care for us and to be patient with us, we all who are sinners and are His wayward children, followers and disciples, who have disappointed Him many times through our unfaithfulness and inability to resist the temptations and coercions of sin and evil around us. May He continue to guide us to the right path, and help us with the strength and courage to resist the temptations of sin and evil at every step of our journey in life, reminding us that we need to be truly faithful to Him, and to discard from our hearts and minds, all the obstacles that have prevented us to come to Him, that we may truly be pure in our faith like that of little children, and come towards our loving Father, to love Him and to be with Him forever. Amen.

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Saturday, 17 August 2024 : 19th Week of Ordinary Time (Gospel Reading)

Liturgical Colour : Green or White (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.

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Saturday, 17 August 2024 : 19th Week of Ordinary Time (Psalm)

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

Psalm 50 : 12-13, 14-15, 18-19

Create in me, o God, a pure heart; give me a new and steadfast spirit. Do not cast me out of Your presence nor take Your Holy Spirit from me.

Give me again the joy of Your salvation and sustain me with a willing spirit. Then I will show wrongdoers Your ways and sinners will return to You.

You take no pleasure in sacrifice; were I to give a burnt offering, You would not delight in it. O God, my sacrifice is a broken spirit; a contrite heart You will not despise.

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Saturday, 17 August 2024 : 19th Week of Ordinary Time (First Reading)

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

Ezekiel 18 : 1-10, 13b, 30-32

The word of YHVH came to me in these terms, “Why are you applying this proverb to the land of Israel : ‘The parents have eaten sour grapes and the children’s teeth are set on edge?’ As I live, word of YHVH, this proverb will no longer be quoted in Israel. All life is in My hands, the life of the parent and the life of the child are Mine. The lives of both are in My hands; so, the one who sins will die.”

“Imagine a man who is righteous and practices what is just and right. He does not eat at the mountain shrines, or look towards the filthy idols of Israel, does not defile his neighbour’s wife, or have intercourse with a woman during her period; he molests no one, pays what he owes, does not steal, gives food to the hungry and clothes to the naked, demands no interest on a loan and does not lend for interest, refrains from injustice, practices true justice, man to man, follows My decrees and obeys My laws in acting loyally. Because such a man is truly righteous, he will live, word of YHVH.”

“But perhaps this man has a son, who steals and sheds blood, committing crimes which his father never did. Will such a man live? No, he will not! Because he has committed all these abominations he will die : his guilt will fall upon him. That is why I will judge you, Israel, each one according to his ways, word of YHVH. Come back, turn away from your offences, that you may not deserve punishment.”

“Free yourselves from all the offences you have committed and get a new heart and a new spirit. Why should you die, Israel? I do not want the death of anyone, word of YHVH, but that you be converted and live!”

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Friday, 16 August 2024 : 19th Week of Ordinary Time, Memorial of St. Stephen of Hungary (Homily and Scripture Reflections)

Liturgical Colour : Green or White (Saints)

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, on this day as we listened to the words of the Sacred Scriptures we are all reminded of God’s great love and mercy towards us, as He constantly sought us out, reaching out to us with His great and ever enduring love although we have often disappointed Him, turning away from His Law and commandments, disobeying Him and not listening to Him and His words. God has sent His many messengers, the prophets and many other servants to remind and help them in their journey, calling upon them to embrace His love and grace once again, and while His people constantly rebelled against Him and even persecuted His prophets and messengers, He still loved them all nonetheless, and while chastising and punishing them for their sins, He still opened the path to forgiveness and reconciliation for His beloved but wayward children and people.

In our first reading today, taken from the Book of the prophet Ezekiel we are reminded of the time when the Lord showed His people through Ezekiel how He still loved them all despite all the wicked things that they had done, despite all the evils and the betrayals which they all had done to Him, all of which had caused them to be sundered and separated from His grace and love, and brought them to their downfall. God listed down all the wickedness they had done, how they had tainted themselves with wickedness and corruptions of the world, and how they had spurned and rejected His love, His kindness and patient care. Yet, He still wished to heal them from their troubles, to bless and endow them with all the good things and blessings which He had given to them earlier on, to show just how precious and beloved they all are to Him.

Then in our Gospel passage today, the Lord Jesus spoke to His disciples and some of the Pharisees who were there, who asked Him about the matter of divorce, and how the Law of God as revealed through Moses, or the Mosaic laws did allow for divorce to happen under certain conditions and arrangements. However, the Lord pointed out that this was not actually what God intended for His people to do, but merely what He allowed them to do through Moses because of their stubbornness and constant disobedience. It is at least a lesser evil compared to letting them to persist in their sinfulness and in refusing to follow other tenets and precepts of the Law of God. God wanted them all to know that His Law and commandments, the rules and regulations that He had put in place was meant to keep them away from immoral living and from all sorts of sins which could further jeopardise them and their souls.

Essentially, through His Son, Our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, the Lord our God has shown His ever present and consistent love, in His desire to lead us all from the path of darkness into the light. It has always been His desire to see us all freed and liberated from the bondage of evil and darkness, from the corruption of sin and of all other human and worldly temptations that have often led many of us astray in our path in life. He wants us all to realise that we have been created in His image and meant to be all good and perfect, holy and worthy of Him, just as He has always intended it. He never intended us to suffer the consequences of our sins and evils, but it is by our own conscious choice that we have chosen the path of darkness, sin and rebellion against our most loving God and Father, Who has always constantly been so loving and generous towards us.

That is why, today, as we all listened to these readings from the Sacred Scriptures, we are all reminded constantly and greatly by what we have received and heard so that in all the things we do in our respective lives, in our choice of actions and the path that we consider to take and stride forward in, we should always strive to do what God had shown and taught us to do, to be righteous, good and worthy in everything that we say and do, in our every interactions and connections with one another. As Christians, God’s holy and chosen people, and as His disciples and followers, all of us should be good role models and inspirations for our fellow brothers and sisters around us, in doing whatever we can so that by our lives, our every examples, many more people may come to know the Lord through us.

Today, the Church celebrates the Feast of St. Stephen of Hungary, a renowned King of Hungary and a great man of God whose life and actions are truly great inspiration for each and every one of us to follow, a noble and virtuous king whose commitment to God and dedication to his people should be great examples for us to follow in our own lives. St. Stephen of Hungary was originally the Grand Prince of the Hungarians from the House of Arpad, who ruled over all the Hungarian people, and was the first in his family to be a devout Christian, a courageous and most faithful follower of the Lord, affirming the trend of conversions of the Hungarians to Christianity which had begun before his time, and which accelerated under his rule, which was truly notable and enlightened, and also marked by his strong support for the Church.

He was crowned shortly after as the first King of Hungary, and ruled for almost four decades, in a rule that was filled with great noble deeds, in caring for the needs of those within his kingdom, in increasing the stature of the Hungarian nation amongst the kingdoms and rulers of Christendom at that time, and for his support in establishing many Church infrastructure and dioceses, spreading the Christian message and truth to many more people, leading to many people embracing God as their Lord and Saviour, abandoning their previous pagan faith and beliefs. St. Stephen also embarked on many important works and projects to improve the livelihood for his people, creating a stable and strong kingdom, united and growing ever more prosperous under his care and reign, and also those of his successors. He committed his life to the very end for the good of his people, entrusted to him by God.

Brothers and sisters in Christ, the great examples which St. Stephen of Hungary has shown us ought to remind each and every one of us to be good and worthy in our own lives and actions as Christians as well. We must always strive to do our best, to be ever more faithful, committed and loving towards God in all things, to embrace God’s ever loving kindness, mercy and forgiveness so that we may walk ever more steadfastly in the path that God has shown to us, and that we may no longer be lost to Him into the darkness and corruptions of sin. Let us ask St. Stephen of Hungary to intercede for all of us, and may the Lord continue to help and strengthen us in all the days of our lives. Amen.