24 March 2018

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Saturday, 24 March 2018 : 5th Week of Lent (Homily and Scripture Reflections)

Liturgical Colour : Purple/Violet

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, on this day we listened to the Scriptures speaking to us about the promises God had made to His people at the time of the prophet Ezekiel, a prophet who spoke about God’s words during the time when Israel had fallen into a state of humiliation and great misery. God promised His people that He would no longer turn His gaze away from them, but He would take care of them again as He had before.

This happened in the context of the people of Israel at that time having been exiled from their homeland, and having their cities destroyed and conquered. And at that time, the kingdom of Judah was also destroyed, with all of the people carried off to Babylon far away from their homeland. It was a time of great humiliation and misery for the people, who had to endure exile and persecution as their ancestors had experienced before in Egypt.

But God would not forget His people, and instead, He gave them help and liberation through His servants, and called upon the king of Persia, Cyrus, to emancipate the Israelites and send them back to their homeland. The people of Israel would return to their homeland and reestablish their livelihood there. However, eventually they would once again fall into sin and disobedience against God.

And God once again sent His deliverance to His people, by sending unto them Jesus, His own beloved Son, to be their Saviour. Unfortunately, they did not appreciate what God had done for them, and in fact, they persecuted the Lord Jesus and His disciples just as their ancestors had refused to listen to the prophets and messengers that God had sent among His people in the days past.

They were even plotting against Him, the chief priests, the Pharisees and the teachers of the Law, all those who had frequently been on the collision course against the Lord and His teachings. They made life very difficult to the Lord Jesus and His disciples to the point that, according to the Gospel passage today, He had to hide from all those who were after Him and wanted His death.

Now, brothers and sisters in Christ, the reality is that, we also often act in the same manner, without regard for God and for His laws and commandments. We refused to listen to Him and we would rather follow the whim of our desires and our worldly concerns. As a result, we have fallen deeper and deeper into sin. But yet, the Lord has always given us opportunities, one after another, giving us help wherever and whenever we need them.

Are we grateful for all that we have been given and what we have been blessed with, by God Himself? And above all else, are we grateful for the ultimate gift which God has given us, that is eternal life, which is given to us by the loving sacrifice He performed on the cross? Whenever we look at the Christ crucified on the crucifix, do we realise just how much it is that God loves each and every one of us?

As we enter into the celebration of the Passion of Our Lord Jesus Christ and the beginning of the Holy Week tomorrow, during the Palm Sunday, let us all deepen our understanding of God’s marvellous work among us, and how He has given us all His everything and every effort, that as we are going to hear the Passion Reading tomorrow, relating to us the moment when He laid down His life for us, that we may live, we may grow deeper in our relationship with Him and in our faith.

May the Lord be with us all, brothers and sisters in Christ, and may He continue to bless us with a good and living faith. May He empower us all to live faithfully, ever in His loving presence. May God bless us all. Amen.

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Saturday, 24 March 2018 : 5th Week of Lent (Gospel Reading)

Liturgical Colour : Purple/Violet

John 11 : 45-56

At that time, many of the Jews who had come with Mary believed in Jesus when they saw what He did; but some went to the Pharisees and told them what Jesus had done. So the chief priests and the Pharisees called together the Council.

They said, “What are we to do? For this Man keeps on giving miraculous signs. If we let Him go on like this, all the people will believe in Him and, as a result of this, the Romans will come and destroy our Holy Place and our nation.”

Then one of them, Caiaphas, who was High Priest that year, spoke up, “You know nothing at all, nor do you see clearly what you need. It is better to have one Man die for the people than to let the whole nation be destroyed.” In saying this Caiaphas did not speak for himself, but being High Priest that year, he foretold like a prophet that Jesus would die for the nation, and not for the nation only, but also would die to gather into one the scattered children of God. So, from that day on, they were determined to kill Him.

Because of this, Jesus no longer moved about freely among the Jews. He withdrew instead to the country near the wilderness, and stayed with His disciples in a town called Ephraim. The Passover of the Jews was at hand, and people from everywhere were coming to Jerusalem to purify themselves before the Passover. They looked for Jesus and, as they stood in the Temple, they talked with one another, “What do you think? Will He come to the festival?”

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Saturday, 24 March 2018 : 5th Week of Lent (Psalm)

Liturgical Colour : Purple/Violet

Jeremiah 31 : 10, 11-12ab, 13

Hear the word of YHVH, o nations, proclaim it on distant coastlands : He Who scattered Israel will gather them and guard them as a shepherd guard his flock.

For YHVH has ransomed Jacob and redeemed him from the hand of his conqueror. They shall come shouting for joy, while ascending Zion; they will come streaming to YHVH’s blessings.

Maidens will make merry and dance, young men and old as well. I will turn their mourning into gladness, I will give them comfort and joy for sorrow.

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Saturday, 24 March 2018 : 5th Week of Lent (First Reading)

Liturgical Colour : Purple/Violet

Ezekiel 37 : 21-28

You will then say to them : Thus says YHVH : I am about to withdraw the Israelites from where they were among the nations. I shall gather them from all around and bring them back to their land. I shall make them into one people on the mountains of Israel and one king is to be the king of them all.

They will no longer form two nations or be two separate kingdoms, nor will they defile themselves again with their idols, their detestable practices and their sins. I shall free them from the guilt of their treachery; I shall cleanse them and they will be for Me a people and I shall be God for them.

My servant David will reign over them, one shepherd for all. They will live according to My laws and follow and practice My decrees. They will settle in the land I gave to My servant Jacob where their ancestors lived. There they will live forever, their children and their children’s children. David My servant will be their prince forever.

I shall establish a covenant of peace with them, an everlasting covenant. I shall settle them and they will increase and I shall put My sanctuary in their midst forever. I shall make My home at their side; I shall be their God and they will be My people. Then the nations will know that I am YHVH Who makes Israel holy, having My sanctuary among them forever.