33rd Sunday of Ordinary Time

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Monday, 16 November 2015 : 33rd Week of Ordinary Time, Memorial of St. Margaret of Scotland, and St. Gertrude, Virgin (First Reading)

Liturgical Colour : Green or White (Saints and Virgins)

1 Maccabees 1 : 10-15, 41-43, 54-57, 62-64

From the descendants of Alexander’s generals there came a godless offshoot, Antiochus Epiphanes, son of king Antiochus, who had been held as hostage in Rome. He became king in the one hundred and thirty-seventh year of the Greek era (175 B.C.).

It was then that some rebels emerged from Israel, who succeeded in winning over many people. They said, “Let us renew contact with the peoples around us for we had endured many misfortunes since we separated from them.”

This proposal was well-received and some eagerly went to the king. The king authorised them to adopt the customs of the pagan nations. With his permission, they built a gymnasium in Jerusalem in the pagan style. And as they wanted to be like the pagans in everything, they made artificial foreskins for themselves and abandoned the Holy Covenant, sinning as they pleased.

Antiochus issued a decree to his whole kingdom. All the peoples of his empire had to renounce their particular customs and become one people. All the pagan nations obeyed and respected the king’s decree, and even in Israel many accepted the imposed cult. They offered sacrifices to idols and no longer respected the Sabbath.

On the fifteenth day of the month of Chislev, in the year one hundred and forty-five, Antiochus erected the “abominable idol of the invaders” on the altar of the Temple. Pagan altars were built throughout the whole land of Judea; incense was offered at the doors of their houses and in the squares. There wicked men tore up the Books of the Law they found and burned them. They killed anyone they caught in possession of the Book of the Covenant and who fulfilled the precepts of the Law, as the royal decree had ordered.

But in spite of all this, many Israelites still remained firm and determined not to eat unclean food. They preferred to die rather than to make themselves unclean with those foods (prohibited by the Law) that violated the Holy Covenant. And Israel suffered a very great trial.

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Sunday, 15 November 2015 : Thirty-Third (33rd) Sunday of Ordinary Time, Memorial of St. Albert the Great, Bishop and Doctor of the Church (Homily and Scripture Reflections)

Liturgical Colour : Green

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, on this sacred day we celebrate together the Holy Mass in remembrance of the fact which the the Lord Who had offered and given Himself for our sake, that through Him and through His loving works, we may be given safety and assurance of the eternal life, which God has promised to all of those who remain faithful to Him.

And His desire is for us to bring us out of the darkness and back into the light. And through His works, He will liberate us from all the wickedness and vile things that held us back from our path to salvation. God will deliver us from the punishment and the suffering that awaits us all if we continue to progress on this path towards damnation. This path is the path of selfishness, of individualism and indifference and apathy towards God and His people.

Many of us in our human nature, we have the tendency to satisfy our own needs and desires first before the needs of others, and it is often that we even trample on the rights of others and bring suffering to others in order to make ourselves feel happy and satisfied. As a result, through these behaviours, we committed sin before the Lord, and thus we sink deeper into the darkness that seeks to claim our souls.

At first, indeed, there seemed to be no hope out of the darkness, for through sin, our ancestors had been cast out of the good and wonderful life they had led in the Gardens of Eden, and for their sins they had to suffer the consequences of their disobedience, succumbing to the sentence and the power of death. And death would have won the final victory had it not been for our Lord Himself, Who endeavoured and did His best to help us all.

Because of sin, we have been defiled and corrupted in our bodies, hearts, minds and souls. And because of the filth and corruption, we have been sundered from the Lord our God, Who is all good and perfect, as no evil and wickedness can withstand His presence. But this does not mean that we have been condemned forever or assured of hell, as sin is just like debt, and debt can indeed be paid for.

In the past, the priests offered sacrifices for the sake of the people by sacrificing unblemished lamb and other animals, shedding their blood and pouring them on the altar. The sweet offering of these goods pleased the Lord, who took them as the payment for our debts, that is our sins. The sweet smell of the offerings and the blood which is then sprayed on the people of God are the symbol of purification from the sins that had assailed them.

But these sacrifices and the blood of the lamb and the other animals are only temporary solutions to our problem of sin, as these do not offer us lasting protection and absolution from all of our sins. No amount of mortal blood, sacrifices and offerings can remove from us the multitudes and the huge amounts of our wickedness, sins, and unworthiness.

We may not realise it, but in our own lives, we have committed so many sins in our life, from the beginning to its end, and even now for us still living in this world, our sins are still adding up and growing in amount. Even all the small sins we have committed will be considered, as we have to realise that no matter how small the sin is, it will still impact us and prevent us from reaching out to the Lord our God, for sin has no place in His presence.

And many of us are unaware of this fact, thinking that we are all alright and have no issues in living our lives, in ignorance of the sins which we committed. And even more of us are likely to be unaware of the very important role that our Lord had taken up and in which capacity He had endeavoured to bring us all into the salvation and eternal life which He had promised all of His faithful ones.

He has taken up the role to be our Saviour, and to be the One High Priest, the True High Priest, as Priest of all priests, to offer the perfect sacrifice through which He would sanctify all of His beloved people, purifying all of us mankind from the taints of our original sins, the accumulated sins of our rebellion and our iniquities since the very beginning of time and creation.

And He did not offer the blood of animals, or their flesh to be immolated and offered to God, but rather, He came down to us in the flesh of Man, that by mingling Himself with our substance, we become sharers in His divine mission, through which, He offered His own Most Precious Body and the Most Precious Blood to be the perfect sacrifice and offering, through which the salvation of this world came from.

He did not offer this offering many times, as the priests of old had done. Instead, through the one and only sacrifice which He performed on that fateful day at the hills of Calvary, bearing His cross on His back, He was lifted up high as the very perfect sacrifice that becomes the sacrifice which obliterates and absolves all of us from the taints of our sins. And this purification He offered to all of us, and to all of us who receive Him as our Lord and Saviour, He will bless us with the eternal life and blessings that He had promised all of us.

But this comes with a reminder, that all of us, even after we have been baptised into the Faith in God, and received as the members of His Church, we are still susceptible to the corrupting power of sin, and temptations are always abound around us. Satan and all of his allies, his fellow fallen angels, the demons and the tempters are always trying day and night to assault us, corrupt us and turn us away from the path towards salvation and instead into damnation.

It is important therefore that we are prepared for what is to come, that we must know that the Lord Jesus, our Lord, Saviour and God will come again just as He has said and promised to all of us, that when He comes again at the end of time, He shall judge all of creation, and all those who are righteous He will gather up and keep to Himself, while those who have not walked in His path will be rejected and cast out to eternal darkness.

What is important is that we must take note that the time of His coming will not be known to us. Only God alone knows at what exact and precise time He will come again to judge all things. This means that we cannot be lax and ignorant of this fact, living our lives as we please and as we want it, committing sins day and night, big and small, while thinking that we are assured of salvation.

Rather, all of us must always be vigilant and be ever ready to welcome the Lord when He comes again, and when He comes again, we want ourselves to be found worthy and in His grace, and thus merit the eternal life and joy He has promised to all those who remain true to Him to the end. Let us all strive for goodness in all things and commit ourselves to do good in all of our actions, trusting in God and in all of His promises, and make ourselves ever worthy of Him. God bless us all. Amen.

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Sunday, 15 November 2015 : Thirty-Third (33rd) Sunday of Ordinary Time, Memorial of St. Albert the Great, Bishop and Doctor of the Church (Gospel Reading)

Liturgical Colour : Green

Mark 13 : 24-32

At that time, Jesus said to His disciples and to the people, “Later on in those days, after that disastrous time, the sun will grow dark, the moon will not give its light, the stars will fall out of the sky, and the whole universe will be shaken.”

“Then people will see the Son of Man coming in the clouds with great power and glory. And He will send the Angels to gather His chosen people from the four winds, from the ends of the earth to the ends of the sky.”

“Learn a lesson from the fig tree : as soon as its branches become tender and it begins to sprout leaves, you know that summer is near. In the same way, when you see these things happening, know that the time is near, even at the door. Truly, I say to you, this generation will not pass away until all this has happened. Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will not pass away.”

“But, regarding that day and that hour, no one knows when it will come, not even the Angels, not even the Son, but only the Father.”

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Sunday, 15 November 2015 : Thirty-Third (33rd) Sunday of Ordinary Time, Memorial of St. Albert the Great, Bishop and Doctor of the Church (Second Reading)

Liturgical Colour : Green

Hebrews 10 : 11-14, 18

So, whereas every priest stands daily by the altar offering repeatedly the same sacrifices that can never take away sins, Christ has offered for all times a single sacrifice for sins and has taken His seat at the right hand of God, waiting until God puts His enemies as a footstool under His feet. By a single sacrifice He has brought those who are sanctified to what is perfect forever.

So, if sins are forgiven, there is no longer need of any sacrifice for sin.

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Sunday, 15 November 2015 : Thirty-Third (33rd) Sunday of Ordinary Time, Memorial of St. Albert the Great, Bishop and Doctor of the Church (Psalm)

Liturgical Colour : Green

Psalm 15 : 5 and 8, 9-10, 11

O Lord, my inheritance and my cup, my chosen portion – hold secure my lot. I keep the Lord always before me; for with Him at my right hand, I will never be shaken.

My heart, therefore, exults, my soul rejoices; my body too will rest assured. For You will not abandon my soul to the grave, nor will You suffer Your Holy One to see decay in the land of the dead.

You will show me the path of life, in Your presence the fullness of joy, at Your right hand happiness forever.

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Sunday, 15 November 2015 : Thirty-Third (33rd) Sunday of Ordinary Time, Memorial of St. Albert the Great, Bishop and Doctor of the Church (First Reading)

Liturgical Colour : Green

Daniel 12 : 1-3

At that time, Michael will rise, the Great Commander who defends your people. It shall be a time of anguish as never before since the nations first existed until this very day.

Then all those whose names are written in the Book will be saved. Many of those who sleep in the Region of the Dust will awake, some to everlasting life but others to eternal horror and shame.

Those who acquired knowledge will shine like the brilliance of the firmament; those who taught people to be just will shine like the stars for all eternity.

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Saturday, 22 November 2014 : 33rd Week of Ordinary Time, Memorial of St. Cecilia, Virgin and Martyr (Homily and Scripture Reflections)

Liturgical Colour : Red

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, today we celebrate the feast day of St. Cecilia, virgin and martyr of the Faith. St. Cecilia was also well known as the patron saint of Church music and hymns, and as the patron of choirs. She was a Roman noblewoman who lived a pious Christian life, and was martyred for her faith together with her husband, and other Christians, who were also counted the holy martyrs.

St. Cecilia is one of the most renowned and prominent saints of the Church, as she is the patron of musicians and songs made to glorify God. St. Cecilia married her husband, whose name was Valerian, and during the wedding it was said that St. Cecilia sang in her heart full of joy and praise to God, which then became the reason why she is associated with musicians and all those involved in Church music.

When the time came for her to consummate her marriage to her husband, an angel of the Lord appeared to her and proclaimed to her that the wrath of the Lord would come upon whoever it was that tried to violate the virginity of St. Cecilia. When her husband inquired about the angel, St. Cecilia pointed out where he could witness the sign of God, and as a result, her husband became a believer of Christ and was baptised.

St. Cecilia was martyred and her memory was preserved by veneration of the faithful. Her former residence became the site of the Church of St. Cecilia, to where many people thronged to, even until this day. St. Cecilia became a long time patron of music, and in particular the beautiful Church music and symphonies of praise to God, and numerous musical establishments and choirs were named in her honour.

Today, as we come together to celebrate the feast of this great saint and martyr, we listened to the words of the Sacred Scripture, in the Gospel we heard how the Lord rebuked the Sadducees, the faction of the people of Judea who did not believe in the resurrection from the dead, angels, or any other supernatural phenomena, beyond what they could prove with their senses.

The Sadducees thought that resurrection of the dead was meaningless and a nonsense, using the example of a woman who was betrothed to seven brothers as a justification. But their view and opinion on the laws of Moses was twisted and false. They thought not in terms of the divine, but in terms of the flawed senses of men. They trusted their own judgments and wishes rather than to trust in the Lord.

They thought in terms of human lust and desires, and they thought that this life in this world ought to be given to hedonistic pleasures and desires. But they failed to realise that in the world that is to come, all will have no more need for worldly things and desires, for the faithful will be made perfect and united in full perfection with the Lord. And what matters is the purity and sanctity of one’s soul. Being united with God makes us all perfect and all our needs are satisfied. And thus it is shown as if we are like angels before God, praising and singing hymns to God at all times.

Do you know, brothers and sisters in Christ, that singing with devotion is worth twice the prayer? Thus, on this feast day of St. Cecilia, patron saint of music and hymns, let us all seek to bear witness to the Lord through sacred music. Just as in the first reading today, it was told of the witnesses of God who would come at the end of time to preach the truth of God, we too should be witnesses of the Lord, and there is indeed no better way to do so, than to sing hymns of praise to God with the full devotion and focus of our hearts.

The songs of our heart should be song of joy and rejoicing, mimicking the song of the glory of the Lord sung by the angels. That is because we know that we have hope through the Lord who had forgiven us our sins, and to those of us who remain faithful to Him, as St. Cecilia had been, our victory and triumph against evil and darkness is already assured.

St. Cecilia was resolute and firm in defending her faith, and she was also firm in maintaining the purity of her soul, by maintaining her sacred virginity as ordained by God. Through that grace, she had saved not just herself, but also her husband and all those whom she had met and encountered, and many more people inspired by her examples also received the same grace of God.

This is the proof of what Jesus had told to the Pharisees, that in this world, life is more than just enjoyment and pursuit of worldly desires, but indeed, our lives should be filled with meaning and purpose, just as St. Cecilia offered herself to the full and total service to God, singing the hymn of her faith and joy, knowing that she has been found worthy of the Lord and be made pure just as our Lord is pure and good.

The holy witnesses from the Book of revelations were also resolute and firm in their faith, and amidst opposition and threats to them, they remained fully faithful and devoted. And through their witnessing of the faith, they had shown to us, that there is indeed nothing to fear from the power of evil and death, for if we are faithful and truly devoted to God, we have absolutely nothing to fear. The beast might have been able to destroy the body, but it cannot harm our soul. The souls of the faithful are pure and holy, and they are under protection of the Lord, our loving God.

Therefore, be not afraid, brethren! But sing the song of our joy and adulation for the Lord, who alone is worthy of all praise, and be brave in defending our faith and the purity of our hearts. Let us not be like the Sadducees and those others who put their trust in themselves and in the things of this world. Be courageous and faithful in living our faith life, and let us all, inspired by the examples of St. Cecilia, raise the song of our Lord’s praise from our hearts, that through our joyful and triumphant song, we may bring more souls to salvation in Jesus Christ, our Lord.

May Almighty God bring us into His eternal kingdom, which He had prepared for those who had laid down their lives for Him, and also for those who had remained faithful despite the temptations of the world. Let us all be like angels in our honour and praise to God, that our song will echo throughout the heavens and the earth, proclaiming His glory and majesty for all eternity. God bless us all. Amen.

 

First Reading :

https://petercanisiusmichaeldavidkang.com/2014/11/19/saturday-22-november-2014-33rd-week-of-ordinary-time-memorial-of-st-cecilia-virgin-and-martyr-first-reading/

 

Psalm :

https://petercanisiusmichaeldavidkang.com/2014/11/19/saturday-22-november-2014-33rd-week-of-ordinary-time-memorial-of-st-cecilia-virgin-and-martyr-psalm/

 

Gospel Reading :

https://petercanisiusmichaeldavidkang.com/2014/11/19/saturday-22-november-2014-33rd-week-of-ordinary-time-memorial-of-st-cecilia-virgin-and-martyr-gospel-reading/

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Saturday, 22 November 2014 : 33rd Week of Ordinary Time, Memorial of St. Cecilia, Virgin and Martyr (Gospel Reading)

Liturgical Colour : Red

Luke 20 : 27-40

At that time, some Sadducees arrived. These people claim that there is no resurrection, and they asked Jesus this question, “Master, in the Law Moses told us, ‘If anyone dies leaving a wife but no children, his brother must take the wife, and any child born to them will be regarded as the child of the deceased.'”

“Now, there were seven brothers; the first married a wife, but he died without children; and the second and the third took the wife; in fact, all seven died leaving no children. Last of all the woman died. On the day of the resurrection, to which of them will the woman be a wife? For all seven had her as a wife.”

And Jesus replied, “Taking a husband or a wife is proper to people of this world, but for those who are considered worthy of the world to come, and of resurrection from the dead, there is no more marriage. Besides, they cannot die, for they are like the angels. They are sons and daughters of God, because they are born of the resurrection.”

“Yes, the dead will be raised, as Moses revealed at the burning bush, when he called the Lord the God of Abraham and the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob. For God is God of the living, and not of the dead, for to Him everyone is alive.”

Some teachers of the Law then agreed with Jesus, “Master, You have spoken well.” They did not dare to ask Him anything else.

 

Homily and Reflection :

https://petercanisiusmichaeldavidkang.com/2014/11/19/saturday-22-november-2014-33rd-week-of-ordinary-time-memorial-of-st-cecilia-virgin-and-martyr-homily-and-scripture-reflections/

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Saturday, 22 November 2014 : 33rd Week of Ordinary Time, Memorial of St. Cecilia, Virgin and Martyr (Psalm)

Liturgical Colour : Red

Psalm 143 : 1, 2, 9-10

Blessed be the Lord, my Rock, who trains my hands for war and my fingers for battle.

My loving God, my Fortress; my Protector and Deliverer, my Shield where I take refuge, who conquers nations and subjects them to my rule.

I will sing a new song to You, o Lord, I will make music on the ten-stringed harp, for You who give victory to kings and deliver David, Your servant.

 

Homily and Reflection :

https://petercanisiusmichaeldavidkang.com/2014/11/19/saturday-22-november-2014-33rd-week-of-ordinary-time-memorial-of-st-cecilia-virgin-and-martyr-homily-and-scripture-reflections/

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Saturday, 22 November 2014 : 33rd Week of Ordinary Time, Memorial of St. Cecilia, Virgin and Martyr (First Reading)

Liturgical Colour : Red

Revelations 11 : 4-12

These are the two olive trees and the two lamps which are before the Lord of the earth. If anyone intends to harm them, fire will come out of their mouths to devour their enemies : this is how whoever intends to harm them will perish.

They have the power to close the sky and hold back the rain during the time of their prophetic mission; they also have the power to change water into blood, and punish the earth with a thousand plagues, any time they wish.

But when My witnesses have fulfilled their mission, the beast that comes up from the abyss will make war upon them, and will conquer and kill them. Their dead bodies will lie in the square of the Great City which the believers figuratively call Sodom or Egypt, where their Lord was crucified.

And their dead bodies will be exposed for three days and a half to people of all tribes, races, languages and nations who will be ordered not to have them buried. Then the inhabitants of the earth will rejoice, congratulate one another and exchange gifts among themselves because these two prophets were a torment to them.

But after those three and a half days, a spirit of life coming from God entered them. They then stood up, and those who looked at them were seized with great fear. A loud voice from heaven called them, “Come up here.” So they went up to heaven in the midst of the clouds in the sight of their enemies.

 

Homily and Reflection :

https://petercanisiusmichaeldavidkang.com/2014/11/19/saturday-22-november-2014-33rd-week-of-ordinary-time-memorial-of-st-cecilia-virgin-and-martyr-homily-and-scripture-reflections/