Liturgical Colour : White

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, today we listened to the words of the Sacred Scriptures in which we are all reminded that as Christians, each and every one of us have been called from the world and chosen to be God’s own beloved people, as we have embraced His love and truth, His salvation and assurance of eternal life for all of us. All of us as His beloved and holy people have been called and expected to live our lives worthily of God, that we may do our very best in proclaiming His truth and love in our respective communities, in every opportunities and responsibilities entrusted to us. Each and every one of us as Christians have been called to be those who are truly exemplary and inspirational in our lives and actions so that by our every actions, words and deeds, we may continue to inspire and touch the lives of many others around us.

In our first reading today, we heard the continuation of the account from the Acts of the Apostles in which the works of St. Paul was further elaborated to us, in how he carried on his missionary journey and works among the people in various places. At that time in particular, St. Paul was travelling with his companions such as St. Timothy mentioned in the passage today, and others like St. Luke, St. Barnabas and more, all throughout the different parts and regions of Asia Minor, going from place to place, towns to towns to glorify the Lord and to proclaim His Good News and truth. Through their hard works and efforts, they had convinced many people to become Christian believers as well, embracing God’s fullness of truth and love, and entering into a new relationship with Him and a new life in Him.

We heard how the Lord was with His Apostles, guiding and strengthening them in their path as they carried out their mission, amidst all the challenges and trials that they were facing. He guided them through the Holy Spirit, Who led and guided them to go wherever God had wanted them to go to, just as we heard how the Spirit guided St. Paul to go to a certain place, giving him dreams and leads to bring him and his companions to places where there are more need for evangelisation and outreach towards all those who have not yet known the Lord. Essentially what we have heard was the way how the Lord exercised His guidance and providence for His faithful servants, guiding and leading the works and ministries of His Church so that through everything that they did, they might spread ever further the message of the Gospel of Christ, the Good News of God.

In our Gospel passage today, we then heard of the words of the Lord Jesus Who reassured His disciples and reminded them all that if they were to suffer persecutions, oppressions and hardships in the future, then all those happened just because the world itself had also opposed and persecuted the Lord Himself, Who had to endure the most painful sufferings and the greatest of humiliations for the sake of our salvation, just as He took upon His Cross and faced the greatest of all of His trials, so that by His suffering and death, He might save all of us and bring us all into a new and eternal life with Him, reconciled and reunited with God. If the Lord Himself had suffered, then it is only natural that His disciples and followers would likely have to endure the same fate as well.

But the Lord reassured them all that they were not alone, and the Lord Himself would always be with them, promising them that the Advocate, the Helper, Who is the Holy Spirit, would come into their midst and be with them, helping and guiding them in their works and ministries, in everything that they say and do, for the greater glory of God. The Lord promised them all that their rewards would truly be great in Him and that He will be with them in all things and at all times, and would prepare for them the everlasting glory and honour reserved to those who have remained and kept their faith in Him, despite all the challenges, trials and sufferings that they had to face as the disciples, followers and missionaries of the Lord and Saviour of all.

Brothers and sisters in Christ, today as we listened to these words from the Sacred Scriptures, we are therefore reminded of the Lord’s Presence in our midst and in all the things that we say and do, in all of our efforts, endeavours and good works that He has entrusted to us and which we have carried out and are doing for the greater glory of God and for the salvation of souls. We are all called to continue the great works which the Lord had begun through His Apostles and disciples, all those who have given their best efforts and their whole lives for the Lord. There are still a lot of works for us to do in this world today, in our various communities and places of responsibilities, in proclaiming God’s Good News and truth to all the people of all the nations.

Each and every one of us have been entrusted with the gifts, abilities and opportunities which the Lord had provided to us and blessed us with. With these comes the responsibilities and calling through which we should commit ourselves in even the smallest ways that we will always continue to show the Lord’s Good News and truth, His love and ways to everyone whom we encounter and interact with. We should always strive to be the bearers of God’s truth and be good and worthy role models for one another. Like that of the Apostles and the disciples of the Lord before us, who have inspired us with their exemplary lives and actions, we should ourselves therefore be good and worthy disciples and followers of the Lord as well, in living our own lives led and strengthened by the Holy Spirit.

May the Risen Lord continue to be with us and guide us in all of our journey and efforts throughout life. May He continue to strengthen our resolve to live our lives worthily of Him and to endure all sorts of trials, challenges and tribulations, so that despite whatever it is that we may need to face in our lives, we will always be strong and inspired to follow His path, and the examples of the holy men and women who had gone before us, so that by our lives and perseverance, our own faith and commitment, more and more may come to believe in the Lord as well and be saved through God’s light and salvation. Amen.