1st Week of Advent

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Saturday, 9 December 2023 : 1st Week of Advent, Memorial of St. John Diego Cuauhtlatoatzin (Homily and Scripture Reflections)

Liturgical Colour : Purple/Violet or White (Saints)

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, today as we listened to the words of the Scriptures, all of us are reminded that all of us have been called and chosen to be His missionaries and messengers, that we should always strive to reach out to our fellow brothers and sisters all around us, while introducing and revealing the truth and Good News of God to everyone. And how should we do that? We should do that by truly living our lives in a most Christian manner, dedicating our time and works, our lives and examples to do what we can so that by our lives, God may truly be glorified and known by more and more people in this world, those whom we encounter and interact with in each and every moments of our lives. As we continue to progress through this blessed time and season of Advent, it is important that we should always do our best that we keep our gaze and attention focused on the Lord too.

In our first reading today, we heard from the Book of the prophet Isaiah in which the prophet spoke to the people of God, relating to them how they would be reconciled to Him, helped and assisted in their troubles and challenges. Contextually, at that time, the people of God in the kingdom of Judah, to whom Isaiah ministered to, have faced a lot of trials and hardships, humiliations and challenges because of their own folly in rejecting God and abandoning Him for worldly temptations and the allures of false pleasures and comfort present around them. They had disobeyed the Lord and His commandments, persecuted His prophets and messengers who have been sent into their midst in order to help and assist them in their path.

The Lord therefore reminded all of His people that He still loved them while at the same time despising their sins and wickedness. As their loving Father and Creator, He wanted all of them to come back to Him, and to be reunited with Him, and hence, He promised them that His salvation will come into their midst, as He revealed His grace and love, His compassion and patience, in leading them all towards Himself. The Lord has sent to them His messengers and prophets, all the help and guide to allow them to find their way back to Him, and He would reveal Himself to them, just as the prophet Isaiah mentioned in today’s first reading passage, revealing the truth about His love and His Good News to all of His beloved ones, all of which are fulfilled with the advent and the coming of Jesus Christ, the long promised Saviour of the world.

In our Gospel passage today, we then heard of the words of the Lord to His disciples and followers, reminding all of them that they are all labourers and workers in the field of the Lord. This field of the Lord refers to this world, all of its people and everything that we have all around us. These words are always important reminders for us, that in His own words, the Lord said that, “The harvest is abundant, but the workers are only few. Ask the Master of the harvest to send workers to gather His harvest.” What this means is that, while there are many people out there who are ripe for the revelation of the Lord’s truth and Good News to be given to them, but there are few of those who are willing and are actually doing God’s works in revealing all these truth and love of God to those who have not yet to know the Lord and His salvation.

Now, each and every one of us as Christians have received this assurance of salvation and grace through none other than Jesus Christ, the Son of God, Our Lord and Saviour. All of us have been called to put our faith and trust in the same Lord and God, as we are all taught to do through the Church. And as we have been given the revelation of God, and have professed our faith and belief in Him, it is then only right that we should do what He has called and entrusted to us to do, that is to be the ones to proclaim the Good News to the nations, to proclaim God’s truth and love through our every actions, words and deeds in life, at each and every moments. All of us are the ones who ought to continue the works of the Apostles and disciples of the Lord, to be missionaries and evangelisers in our daily lives today.

That is why, all of us should lead by good example especially during this time of Advent and in the events leading up to Christmas that we all truly show the world Who it is that we are celebrating about, that is Christ our Lord, Who has willingly and generously come down to us, to dwell in our midst, showing all of us God’s perfect and ever enduring love in the flesh. That means our preparation for Christmas and its celebrations should always be centred on the Lord and be focused on Him, rather than on our own desires and wants for worldly glory and glamour. Unlike the secular celebrations of Christmas that are often devoid of Christ, our Christmas joy which we begin preparing this Advent should always be Christ-centric in all things.

Today the Church also celebrates the Feast of St. John Diego Cuauhtlatoatzin, also known as St. Juan Diego, as we recall the life and holiness of this great man of God, whose devotion to Him and to His blessed mother had brought about great conversions and much good for the Church and for the people of God. St. John Diego was especially known for his role in revealing to the world the now world famous apparition of Mary, who appeared to St. John Diego as Our Lady of Guadalupe. At that time, not long after the conquest of the New World, the Americas by the Spanish forces, there were a lot of disruptions and chaos, which therefore brought the Blessed Mother of God herself to appear before her beloved children to remind them to turn away from their sins and wickedness, and return to the side of her Son, their Lord and Saviour.

St. John Diego Cuauhtlatoatzin was one of the early converts among the native populations of Central America, and he was known to be a devout person, dedicating himself to his new faith zealously, and he was also known to be a righteous and good person in his deeds. One day, at the hill of Tepeyac, where the great Basilica of Our Lady of Guadalupe now stands, St. John Diego saw the apparition of the Blessed Virgin Mary, appearing to him like a woman of his own race, and she revealed herself to him as the Mother of God and told him to inform the local bishop that a shrine should be built at the site so that she could assist those who have been troubled and distressed. St. John Diego obediently told the bishop and after another apparition, again shared with the local bishop what he had witnessed.

And when the bishop requested from the Apparition for a heavenly sign to show the authenticity of the supernatural event, the Blessed Virgin Lady of Guadalupe told St. John Diego that she would provide one. But when St. John Diego’s uncle was very sick and he missed the appointed time of the apparition, and attending to his uncle, later on when Our Lady of Guadalupe once again appeared to St. John Diego, she chided him gently for not having sought for her intercession and help, telling him in the now famous words, ‘Am I not here, who am your Mother?’ Then, while assuring St. John Diego that his uncle has fully recovered, she told him to gather flowers that were blooming at the site, using his own mantle, known as tilma, to hold those flowers to be shown to the bishop.

The moment that St. John Diego returned to the bishop and revealed the unusual flowers that he had gathered from the Blessed Lady of Guadalupe, the bishop was astonished to have seen the imprint of Our Lady of Guadalupe herself on the tilma or cloak of St. John Diego. This assured the bishop that the Apparition was truly genuine, and he immediately venerated the Blessed Lady of Guadalupe. Henceforth, the devotion to Our Lady of Guadalupe became very popular, bringing countless souls to God, being saved through His mother’s love and care for us, and until today, countless millions came to venerate Our Lady of Guadalupe at her shrines, and many more throughout the world devoted themselves to the Lord through her, His Blessed Mother, who is also our Mother.

Brothers and sisters in Christ, having heard the reminders from the Scriptures about the love and the salvation which God Himself has brought unto us through His Son, and also having listened to the great faith and dedication which St. John Diego Cuauhtlatoatzin has shown us, in his commitment to God, his obedience to His Blessed Mother, Our Lady of Guadalupe, and more of his other virtues, let us all therefore strive to be ever good and worthy in our own lives and deeds, so that by our good examples and actions, our every words and interactions with each other, we may always be the good role models and inspirations for all around us, that God may be better known to more and more.

Let us all also keep our focus and attention ever directed to God especially as we continue to prepare ourselves in this time and season of Advent for the upcoming joyful celebration of Christmas. May the Lord, Who has chosen to come to us, Incarnate in the flesh, continue to bless each one of us and bless our Advent observances and actions. Amen.

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Saturday, 9 December 2023 : 1st Week of Advent, Memorial of St. John Diego Cuauhtlatoatzin (Gospel Reading)

Liturgical Colour : Purple/Violet or White (Saints)

Matthew 9 : 35 – Matthew 10 : 1, 5a, 6-8

At that time, Jesus went around all the towns and villages, teaching in their synagogues and proclaiming the Good News of the kingdom; and He cured every sickness and disease. When He saw the crowds, He was moved with pity; for they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd.

Then He said to His disciples, “The harvest is abundant, but the workers are only few. Ask the Master of the harvest to send workers to gather His harvest.”

Jesus called His Twelve disciples to Him, and gave them authority over unclean spirits, to drive them out, and to heal every disease and sickness. Jesus sent these Twelve on mission, with the instruction : “Go, instead, to the lost sheep of the people of Israel. 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. Freely have you received, freely give.”

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Saturday, 9 December 2023 : 1st Week of Advent, Memorial of St. John Diego Cuauhtlatoatzin (Psalm)

Liturgical Colour : Purple/Violet or White (Saints)

Psalm 146 : 1-2, 3-4, 5-6

Alleluia! How good it is to sing to our God, how sweet and befitting, to praise Him! YHVH rebuilds Jerusalem; He gathers the exiles of Israel.

He heals their broken hearts and binds up their wounds. He determines the number of stars; He calls each of them by name.

The Lord is great, and mighty in power; His wisdom is beyond measure. YHVH lifts up the humble, but casts the wicked to the ground.

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Saturday, 9 December 2023 : 1st Week of Advent, Memorial of St. John Diego Cuauhtlatoatzin (First Reading)

Liturgical Colour : Purple/Violet or White (Saints)

Isaiah 30 : 19-21, 23-26

O people of Zion, who dwell in Jerusalem, you will weep no more. When you cry, He will listen; when He hears, He will answer. When the Lord has given you the bread of anguish and the water of distress, He, your Teacher will hide no longer. Your own eyes will see Him, and your ear will listen to His words behind you : “This is the way, walk in it.”

He will then give rain for the seed you sow and make the harvest abundant from the crops you grow. On that day your cattle will graze in wide pastures. Your beasts of burden will eat silage tossed to them with pitchfork and shovel. For on the day of the great slaughter, when fortresses fall, streams of water will flow on every mountain and lofty hill.

The light of the moon will be as the light of the sun, and the light of the sun seven times greater, like the light of seven days, when YHVH binds up the wounds of His people and heals the bruises inflicted by His blows.

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Friday, 8 December 2023 : Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary (Homily and Scripture Reflections)

Liturgical Colour : White

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, today the Church celebrates the great Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary, in which occasion, we commemorate the moment when the Blessed Mother of God, Mary, ever-Virgin and ever full of grace, was conceived Immaculate, that means, free from any taint of original sin and defects, and kept by the singular grace of God in the fullness of grace, and therefore, became the perfect Vessel through whom the Saviour of this world, Jesus Christ, Son of God Most High, enters into our midst through His glorious Incarnation in the flesh. Today’s celebration reminds us all that Mary is truly the New Ark of the New Covenant of God, bearing within her the Salvation which God has promised all of us.

Now, all of us need to understand the significance of the celebration today, and why the Church teaches that the Blessed Virgin Mary, Mother of God, has been conceived without any taint of sin, spared and protected from the corruption of evil and sin. This is because we must understand that first of all, sin did not exist in the beginning, as God created all things good and perfect, just as we heard them in the Book of Genesis during the time of Creation. Mankind were also created perfect in the very image of God, and were all meant to dwell with God forever, in a state of perfect happiness, harmony and bliss. That is because God loves each and every one of us, all those whom He has created out of His perfect and overflowing love.

God did not have need for anything or anyone, as He is all perfect and all encompassing. There is nothing and no one who can satisfy God, as in His perfection, He has no need for all those things. Yet, in the overflowing love that came forth from the perfect love and union in His Most Holy Trinity, the unity and love between the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit, God wants us all to share in this love. Hence, that is why God created us all so that we all may share in His generosity and compassion, His richness of love and mercy. God has never meant for us to suffer in this world, or to endure any hardships, bitterness, challenges or trials, as He wants us to be truly happy and blessed, at all times. And therefore, from the beginning of time, He has shown us His love, enduring ever always despite our many sins.

Now, brothers and sisters in Christ, it is crucial that we understand how our disobedience against God and His Law, His commandments and ways has led us into the path of sin. Sin has caused us to be corrupted and turned away into the path of wickedness and evil, and leading us down the path of rebellion against God. Through sin, we have been brought away from the righteous path of God, and we have been afflicted with this corruption of sin, which made us to be unworthy of God’s grace and love, that He has always ever generously given to us. We have rejected Him by our disobedience and preference to follow the path of Satan and sin, in turning away from His love and path. Thus, by our disobedience sin has been borne by us, and by sin thus we have entered into this state of suffering and we have to suffer death.

Yet, God’s love for each and every one of us endured, and that is why from the beginning He has already planned way ahead for our salvation and ultimate liberation from all those wicked forces and sin. He revealed to our ancestors and Satan himself, that through the Woman, the salvation of all mankind and this whole world would come, and Satan would be dealt a great defeat, and eventually he shall be thrust forever into Hell and destroyed. And this Woman is none other than Mary, the Mother of God, the one through whom the Saviour of the world, the Son of God Most High, Jesus Christ, would be born through. She is the Woman through whom God would restore all of His beloved people back to His grace and love, because by her ready acceptance of her role and part in the history of salvation, she has brought unto us the love of God made flesh, in Jesus Christ.

Then, as we have already spoken about how sin has led to the corruption and downfall of mankind, because we have been made corrupted and unworthy of God, Who is all holy and perfect, and hence, this is why this belief we have in the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Mother of God and Bearer of the Messiah, is necessary and important. Why is that so, brothers and sisters in Christ? That is because for Mary to bear God Himself in her, present in the flesh in Jesus Christ, thus, she has to be immaculate and holy, perfect and free from the taint of sin. That is because no sin can exist in God’s Presence, and nothing impure and imperfect can be in the Vessel of His Saviour, His own Son, Who is co-equal and consubstantial with the Father.

In the past, the Ark of the Covenant was the centre and focus of the worship and the whole community of the people of Israel, because God Himself has hallowed and blessed it, and His Holy Presence came down upon the Ark and rested on it. The Ark was made by the craftsmen from the finest worldly materials, and was made to contain the two tablets on which the Ten Commandments of God were written, as well as the heavenly bread manna, by which God had fed His people with, and also the Staff of Aaron, the staff of authority by which God had performed His signs and wonders in the land of Egypt before the Pharaoh and the Egyptians. That Ark of the Covenant was the manifestation of God’s Presence among His people, and as it has been hallowed and made holy to allow God’s Presence to rest on it, thus, it cannot be touched by anyone, and there was a case when a priest accidentally touched the Ark, and he was struck dead on the spot.

Why is that so? That is because of our sins, which will be our undoing if we come to God in a state of sin and wickedness. Thus, that is why, in the same idea and logic, therefore, is the reason why Mary, the Mother of God, who was to bear the Lord Himself in her own hallowed womb, has to be truly free from any taint of sin, and thus, she, by the singular grace of God, had been kept from the taint of original sin and any other sin throughout her whole life. She is indeed the New Ark of the New Covenant of God, which the Lord Jesus would establish with all of us. This is also what is referred to by the Archangel Gabriel when he hailed Mary as ‘Full of Grace’. One who is in the state of fullness of grace means that the person is fully attuned and aligned with God and His will, and therefore, has no sin. This is why, the Church has consistently taught that Mary was conceived without sin in the Dogma of the Immaculate Conception, and then remained ever holy and pure throughout her life.

That is also why the Church teaches that Mary has also been assumed to Heaven at the end of her worldly existence, in the Dogma of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary, with the same reason that if sin has never corrupted her, then she should not suffer the consequences of sin, and thus, by the grace of God, she has been assumed and taken, body and soul into Heaven. Now, as we reflect on all these roles that Mary had played in the story of our salvation by God, let us all therefore remind ourselves to be more like her in all that she had done throughout her whole life. Mary was indeed honoured greatly and exalted, first and foremost because she is none other than the Mother of God herself, and if we truly love and honour the Lord our God, with all of our hearts and might, then we should also honour His mother in the same way.

However, we also honour Mary because of her great dedication and commitment to God, her ready and willing acceptance of God’s will and all that He had told her to do. She accepted everything humbly and lovingly, committing herself to what she had been entrusted to do. As the bearer of the Lord and His Mother, she has dedicated herself to care for her Son, Our Lord and Saviour, and she followed Him throughout His ministry faithfully, even to the foot of the Cross, where she saw with her very own eyes, the most painful suffering and death that her own Son had to suffer for the sake of our salvation, and to liberate all of us from the tyranny and dominion of sin and evil. All of these had been patiently endured by Mary, who continued to humbly and devotedly follow the Lord and fulfil her mission as intended.

Let us therefore as Christians be inspired by the examples and the faith of Mary, the Blessed ever Virgin, Mother of God, and do what we can so that our own lives may truly be worthy of the Lord, in obeying His will, Law and commandments at all times. Let us all strive to be ever more worthy of the Lord by doing what is right and just, and what He has taught and shown us all to do in our respective lives. May all of us as Christians be true and genuine disciples and followers of Christ in all things, and not merely a formality only. May all of us strive to keep ourselves away from sin and evil, as we ought to remember that we ourselves have been chosen and blessed to be God’s holy people, and hence, we should not allow ourselves to be corrupted by sin and evil, by distancing ourselves from the many temptations being present all around us.

May the Blessed Mother of God, Mary, most holy, the Immaculate Conception, be our guide and our help, in our journey of faith towards her Son, Our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ. May God bless our every good efforts and endeavours, and may He continue to bless our lives and fill us all with His ever enduring love and grace. Amen.

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Friday, 8 December 2023 : Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary (Gospel Reading)

Liturgical Colour : White

Luke 1 : 26-38

In the sixth month, the Angel Gabriel was sent from God to a town of Galilee called Nazareth. He was sent to a young virgin, who was betrothed to a man named Joseph, of the family of David; and the virgin’s name was Mary.

The Angel came to her and said, “Rejoice, full of grace, the Lord is with you.” Mary was troubled at these words, wondering what this greeting could mean. But the Angel said, “Do not fear, Mary, for God has looked kindly on you. You shall conceive and bear a Son, and you shall call Him Jesus. He will be great, and shall rightly be called Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give Him the kingdom of David, His ancestor; He will rule over the people of Jacob forever, and His reign shall have no end.”

Then Mary said to the Angel, “How can this be, since I am a virgin?” And the Angel said to her, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; therefore, the Holy Child to be born of you shall be called Son of God. Even your relative Elizabeth is expecting a son in her old age, although she was unable to have a child; and she is now in her sixth month. With God nothing is impossible.”

Then Mary said, “I am the handmaid of the Lord, let it be done to me as you have said.” And the Angel left her.

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Friday, 8 December 2023 : Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary (Second Reading)

Liturgical Colour : White

Ephesians 1 : 3-6, 11-12

Blessed be God, the Father of Christ Jesus our Lord, Who, in Christ, has blessed us from heaven, with every spiritual blessing. God chose us, in Christ, before the creation of the world, to be holy, and without sin in His presence.

From eternity He destined us, in love, to be His adopted sons and daughters, through Christ Jesus, thus fulfilling His free and generous will. This goal suited Him : that His loving-kindness, which He granted us in His beloved might finally receive all glory and praise.

By a decree of Him, Who disposes all things, according to His own plan and decision, we, the Jews, have been chosen and called, and we were awaiting the Messiah, for the praise of His glory.

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Friday, 8 December 2023 : Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary (Psalm)

Liturgical Colour : White

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.

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Friday, 8 December 2023 : Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary (First Reading)

Liturgical Colour : White

Genesis 3 : 9-15, 20

YHVH God called the man saying to him, “Where are you?” He said, “I heard Your voice in the garden and I was afraid because I was naked, so I hid.” God said, “Who told you that you were naked? Have you eaten of the tree I ordered you not to eat?”

The man answered, “The woman You put with me gave me fruit from the tree and I ate it.” God said to the woman, “What have you done?” The woman said, “The serpent deceived me and I ate.”

YHVH God said to the serpent, “Since you have done that, be cursed among all the cattle and wild beasts! You will crawl on your belly and eat dust all the days of your life. I will make you enemies, you and the woman, your offspring and her offspring. He will crush your head and you will strike his heel.”

The man called his wife by the name of Eve, because she was the mother of all the living.

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Thursday, 7 December 2023 : 1st Week of Advent, Memorial of St. Ambrose, Bishop and Doctor of the Church (Homily and Scripture Reflections)

Liturgical Colour : White

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, today as we listened to the words of the Scriptures and as we continue to progress through this blessed time and season of Advent, all of us are reminded that the Lord alone is our hope and our strength, and the sure source of salvation and liberation from our troubles, challenges and trials. Each and every one of us should always do our best so that we may indeed be focused on the Lord and remember all that He had done for us, particularly in this blessed season and time of Advent when we are preparing to welcome the Lord into our hearts, minds, into our beings and our homes, and celebrate His coming into our midst at Christmas, as we all gather in faith as one united people of God.

In our first reading today, taken from the Book of the prophet Isaiah, we heard of the words of the Lord to His people in the kingdom of Judah, giving them reassurance and confidence that if they all put their faith and trust in Him, they will be guarded and protected, and they will be prosperous and strong. All of these would have resonated very well with the people of Judah, which at the time of the ministry of the prophet Isaiah, had been beset by many difficulties and troubles. Those among us who are familiar with the history of the kingdom of Judah and the prophets would have known that the prophet Isaiah ministered to the people of God during the reigns of the King Ahaz and Hezekiah of Judah, and during the reign of the latter, the Assyrians had come to destroy their northern neighbour, the Kingdom of Israel, and then went on to besiege Jerusalem and beset Judah with their mighty army under King Sennacherib.

Therefore, in the context of what the people of Judah and Jerusalem have experienced at that time, it was indeed a soothing and comforting message that the Lord has brought to His people, reassuring them all of His protection and help, so that despite the many challenges and trials that they all may have to face, the Lord will provide for them. For the case of King Sennacherib of Assyria and his mighty force that came to Jerusalem to besiege it, God destroyed most of that mighty force through His Angel, and wiped off the pride, ego and hubris of that wicked king, who also claimed that he was greater than God Himself, by saying that not even God could have saved the people of Jerusalem and Judah from his forces.

In our Gospel passage today, we heard of the Lord Who spoke to His disciples and followers using a parable to show and teach them, using the parable of the foundations or the houses, in which He compared what happened when people built their houses on the shaky foundation of sand versus the firm and strong foundation of rock. He mentioned how those who placed their trust in the other things besides the Lord, they are like those who have built their houses upon the loose and weak foundation of sand, which is easily destroyed by the forces of nature. Meanwhile, those who have placed their trust and faith in the Lord are like those who have built their houses upon the firm foundation of rock, which would endure even against the greatest challenges.

All that we heard in our Scripture readings today are reminders for each and every one of us that we should always put the Lord at the centre and the focus of our lives, and we should not be afraid or fearful because God will always be by our side, providing for our needs and protecting us. And while we may suffer and endure hardships, trials and tribulations, but in the end, all of us will be triumphant with God, and the Lord will lead us all into His loving and holy Presence, to enjoy forever the fruits of His inheritance and promises. This is what all of us should remind ourselves and one another during this season of Advent, when we are reminded again and again of everything that God had done for us through His Son, Our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ, coming down into this world to save us.

Today, the Church celebrates the feast of one of the great saints of God, a truly renowned Church father and a devoted man of God, shepherd to his large number of flocks, both within his diocese, as well as those in the larger Universal Church that he has ministered to, and inspired in following the Lord and His path. St. Ambrose of Milan was one of the early Church fathers and was a very influential Church leader as the Bishop of Milan, which is today part of northern Italy. St. Ambrose of Milan was renowned for his works as bishop, his great piety and devotion to God, and for his inspirational leadership of the Church, within Milan and beyond, during the times of great divisions, struggles and conflicts, both within and outside the Church at that time.

St. Ambrose himself was once an important Roman governor and statesman, born into a very prominent Roman family, with his father being a very senior member of the Roman governance, as a praetorian prefect in some accounts. He was born into a Christian family and was brought up well in the faith as well as academically, eventually making his way to be the governor of Liguria province in what is now part of northern Italy, centred in Milan. It was there then St. Ambrose was trust into the limelight in the Church because of the divisions and rivalries that happened at the time between the followers of the Orthodox and true faith against those who sided with the heresy of Arianism. The bishop of Milan, one known as Auxentius, an Arian heretic, died and his succession was very contentious.

St. Ambrose of Milan came to prevent any uproar and rioting that happened because of the disagreements during the election, only for him to be acclaimed by everyone assembled as bishop, which led to St. Ambrose being properly baptised, ordained and then consecrated as the new Bishop of Milan. St. Ambrose proved to be a great bishop and administrator, and a great shepherd to his flock. He helped to reform the Church and then was involved in combatting the heresy of Arianism that had spread over much of Christendom at that time. He even courageously went up against the Roman authorities, many of whom favoured Arianism back then, including the many high level clergy throughout the Empire and the Church.

St. Ambrose championed the cause of the true, orthodox faith, and did not hesitate to use his power and influence to overcome the grip that Arianism and its heretical teachings had on the Church and the Empire. Later on in his life and ministry, he did not hesitate to chastise a powerful and mighty Emperor, Theodosius the Great, for his irresponsible and wicked action in being an accomplice in the slaughter and destruction of innocents in the great city of Thessalonica. Eventually, the Emperor himself relented and as a penitent, in sackcloth and ashes, came humbly before the Bishop of Milan, St. Ambrose himself, and was reconciled to the Lord and His Church. There were many other great things that this great and holy man of God had done for the Church and for God’s people, and they should inspire all of us to be faithful in the manner that St. Ambrose himself had done.

Brothers and sisters in Christ, let us all therefore do our best so that we may always be faithful in the Lord, and that we may always be focused on Christ, the very reason why we celebrate Christmas, and why we spend this time to prepare ourselves this Advent, spiritually and wholly. Let us all do our part so that we may indeed be filled with the true joy of Christmas, and be ever more focused and committed to the Lord at all times. May our every actions, words and deeds be filled with true and genuine faith in God, and may all of us draw ever closer to Him, now and always, in all circumstances. Amen.