25 June 2014

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Wednesday, 25 June 2014 : 12th Week of Ordinary Time (Scripture Reflections)

Liturgical Colour : Green

Brothers and sisters in Christ, today we are reminded by the Lord to be cautious, of the false prophets and leads in our lives, many of which may detract us and distract us from our true goal in life, that is to be faithful and loving disciples and children of God. Falsehoods and lies of the devil are ever present around us, and if we are not careful, they may lead us further from salvation in God.

If you are to compare between the offers of the Lord and the offer of Satan, it is quite obvious that Satan is using all of his power to subvert us to his cause, offering whatever pleasures this world can offer to us, so that we may follow in his rebellion against God and walking ever further and further away from the Lord into damnation prepared for the devil and his fellow fallen angels.

Satan himself will be the false prophet, and he will turn the hearts of many against God and His people. Already in this world today we live in a time where Satan grow ever stronger in power and dominion. And he had made the people to sin, just as the people of Israel and Judah had done earlier on throughout the history of salvation. Mankind rebelled constantly against God, and they continued to commit blasphemous things before the Lord.

Remember, brethren, I know that we recognise God as a loving and merciful God who cares for all of us, and who seeks to reunite us to Himself and reconcile us by overcoming our sins and faults. Nevertheless, we cannot forget, and indeed we cannot deny, that the Lord our God is also a vengeful and angry God, One who does not take sin and rebellion against His will lightly.

God is perfect and He is perfectly good. Sin and evil has no place in His presence, just like darkness has no place before light that penetrates everything. And God knows it all. He knows all the secrets and the things within our heart, no matter how well we try to conceal them from Him. And the more we sin, the more we depart from the grace of God and towards damnation.

We have to be like King Josiah of Judah, who, immediately after he found out about the Book of the Law in the Temple and its contents, lowered and humbled himself, and led the whole people in a concrete act of penitence and seeking the forgiveness of the Lord, promising to cast away unworthiness and sin from their lives and from the society.

We have to be like him in his zeal and dedication to the Lord. Cast far, far away our wicked lifestyle and from now on, do only things that are favourable and in the grace of God. We cannot dwell any longer in this pit of sin, or else we will likely fall into the eternal damnation and death. God does not want this to happen to us, but if we persist in our obstinate behaviour, we seal our own fate and end.

Brothers and sisters in Christ, let us renew our faith and devotion to the Lord, that we will no longer dwell in the darkness, but instead move towards the light, that is the true light, our Lord Jesus Christ. May God be with us all, and lead us on our way to Him, into our eternal joy and redemption. Amen.

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Wednesday, 25 June 2014 : 12th Week of Ordinary Time (Gospel Reading)

Liturgical Colour : Green

Matthew 7 : 15-20

Beware of false prophets : they come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inside they are wild wolves. You will recognise them by their fruits. Do you ever pick grapes from thornbushes, or figs from thistles?

A good tree always produces good fruit, a rotten tree produces bad fruit. A good tree cannot produce bad fruit, and a rotten tree cannot produce good fruit. Any tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown in the fire. So you will know them by their fruit.

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Wednesday, 25 June 2014 : 12th Week of Ordinary Time (Psalm)

Liturgical Colour : Green

Psalm 118 : 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 40

Explain to me, o Lord, Your commandments, and I will be ever faithful to them.

Give me understanding, that I may observe Your law with all my heart.

Guide me in obeying Your instructions, for my pleasure lies in them.

Incline my heart to follow Your will and not my own selfish desire.

Turn my eyes away from vanities and direct them to Your life-giving word.

Oh, how I long for Your precepts! Renew my life in Your righteousness.

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Wednesday, 25 June 2014 : 12th Week of Ordinary Time (First Reading)

Liturgical Colour : Green

2 Kings 22 : 8-13 and 2 Kings 23 : 1-3

At that moment Hilkiah, the high priest, said to Shaphan, the secretary, “I have found the Book of the Law in the House of YHVH.” And he entrusted the Book to Shaphan who read it. Then Shaphan went to the king and said, “We have gathered the money in the House, and this has been turned over to the caretakers of the House to make the repairs.”

And Shaphan added, “The priest Hilkiah has turned over a book to me.” And Shaphan read the book to the king. When the king heard the contents of the book, he tore his clothes and commanded Hilkiah, Ahikam, Achbor, the secretary Shaphan, and Asaiah, his minister, to do the following, “Go and consult YHVH about the threats in this book which you have found.”

“Consult Him for me, for the people and for the whole of Judah, since our fathers did not listen to what this book says nor to its ordinances. This is why the anger of YHVH is ready to burn against us.”

The king summoned to his side all the leaders of Judah and Jerusalem. Then he went up to the House of YHVH followed by all the people of Judah and Jerusalem. The priests with the prophets and all the people went with him, from the youngest to the oldest. When all were gathered, he read to them the book of the Law found in the House of YHVH.

The king stood by the pillar; he made a covenant in the presence of YHVH, promising to follow Him, to keep His commandments and laws, and to respect His ordinances. He promised to keep this covenant according to what was written in the book with all his heart and with all his soul. And all the people promised with him.