Liturgical Colour : Green

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, today as we all listened to the words of the Sacred Scriptures, we are reminded that it is important for us to take note of what we have heard in the reminders we received of how we need to trust in the Lord and in His Wisdom and guidance. We do not need to worry or fear even when we may be facing lots of tribulations, challenges and trials because we must not forget that the Lord is always by our side, providing for us and strengthening us in our respective journeys in life. God will never abandon us even in the darkest and most difficult moments in our lives, and in fact, when we are encountering troubles and challenges, God is always there by our side, journeying with us, supporting us and ensuring that we are able to persist with faith and dedication, at all times.

In our first reading today, we heard from the Book of the prophet Daniel in which king Belshazzar of Babylon celebrated a great feast and banquet in his capital in the presence of his nobles and the important people of his kingdom. Contextually, he was the last king to rule over the Neo-Babylonian Empire before it was toppled and conquered by the Persians under Cyrus the Great. And what we heard in today’s passage detailed the last moments of its existence, when the proud Belshazzar used the holy vessels from the Temple of God in Jerusalem that his predecessor had ransacked and carried to Babylon as vessels for drinking and merrymaking by himself and his nobles. For this act of great blasphemy and blatant arrogance, God’s retribution was swift, which He revealed through miraculous sign of the hands that wrote the three letters ‘Mene, Tekel and Pharsin’.

Through those words, which the Lord used to reveal His intent to Belshazzar and his wicked courtiers, having displeased the Lord by their wickedness, we are shown that those who mocked the Lord, those who persecuted His faithful ones and oppressed the righteous, and those whom God has loved and cared for will not escape unpunished. And as it happened, the forces of the Persians under King Cyrus the Great came suddenly and as attested by historical evidence and records, they overthrew the rule of the Babylonians and conquered their Empire, uniting the whole land under the rule of the Persian Empire. And more significantly, as attested in other parts of the Scripture, this same King Cyrus also emancipated the Israelites and their descendants who had been suffering in exile in Babylon and elsewhere away from their homeland.

Then, from our Gospel passage today, taken from the Gospel according to St. Luke the Evangelist, we heard of the moment when the Lord Jesus told His disciples the harsh and difficult reality of what it truly means to become His disciples and followers, and if they are to faithfully obey Him and His commandments, and carry out the missions which He would entrust to each and every one of them. They would likely face challenges, trials and difficulties amidst them carrying out their missions and works. But if they remained firmly faithful and committed to what the Lord has entrusted to them, then, certainly the Lord will strengthen and bless them all, and He will not abandon them when things are challenging and tough. God is always present in our midst, and He will help us carry out this burden that we have been carrying with us.

The Lord Himself will give us all that we need to persevere and to be strong in facing all those challenges and trials. We must also have faith and trust in the Lord, believing that through His Wisdom and guidance, through the Holy Spirit that He has sent our way to strengthen, empower and encourage all of us, we will be inspired and strengthened, so that even we face the worst and toughest of obstacles, we will be able to endure all those things that come our way, and we can also even inspire all those around us who have seen and witnessed our faith, commitment and dedication in serving the Lord and in living our lives to the best of our abilities. We must not forget that each and every one of us as God’s disciples and followers are the ones to bear witness to His truth and Good News in our world today, even amidst all the darkness and persecution which we may have to face.

Brothers and sisters in Christ, after we have heard from the readings from the Scriptures, discussed and discerned about it, we can clearly see how God is always there for us, providing for us in our own respective journeys, missions and callings in life. He will not give us something that we cannot endure, persevere and overcome. With Him, everything is indeed possible, and no obstacle or hardship will be great enough to make us stumble and fall, or make us give up if we truly have faith in the Lord and trust in Him wholeheartedly. As many of our own holy predecessors, the innumerable saints and martyrs of the Church from the very beginning of the Church history until now can testify to us, we are reminded of their good examples and lives that if we truly trust in the Lord and put our faith in Him, then we too shall share in their joy and glory in the end.

Let us all therefore seek to glorify the Lord by our own lives and examples, which we should carry out faithfully and courageously despite the challenges, trials and difficulties that we may face and encounter, and despite all the temptations and pressures from all around us to give up the fight and struggle for our faith and for the journey towards the Lord and His salvation. Let us all support one another even through the difficult moments and times, and strive our best to be present in supporting everyone around us who need our help and support, in whatever way and manner it may be. We should continue to be the shining beacons of God’s light, be the source of His hope and encouragement to everyone around us, so that more may continue to persevere despite the hardships and struggles they face.

May the Lord continue to bless and guide us all in our every efforts and endeavours, and may He continue to guide us through His Wisdom and the Holy Spirit so that we may continue to bring glory to Him by each and every one of our works, our endeavours and good contributions, all done for His honour and glory. May God bless us all and empower us all to be His shining examples and role models, now and always. Amen.