4th Week of Ordinary Time

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Wednesday, 2 February 2022 : Feast of the Presentation of the Lord, World Day of Consecrated Life (Homily and Scripture Reflections)

Liturgical Colour : White

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, today the Church celebrates the great Feast of the Presentation of the Lord, also known as Candlemas, because of the tradition of bringing candles to the Mass for them to be blessed and brought home, as a reminder of the Light of Christ that came to this world bringing a new hope and a new path towards God’s salvation and eternal life. Today is the fortieth day of Christmas in the tradition of the Church marking the forty days that have passed since the great celebration of Christmas.

This is the day that marked the moment back then when the Blessed Virgin Mary, the Mother of God was welcomed back into the community of the faithful people of God after her giving birth. According to the tradition of the Jewish people, a woman who had given birth was unclean until the fortieth day during which time the new mother was put in confinement. On the fortieth day, the mother ought to be brought to the Temple of God and then the priest would welcome the mother back into the community through a ritual of purification.

That is why today we traditionally also celebrate the Feast of the Purification of the Blessed Virgin Mary, which is now highlighted as the Presentation of Our Lord. That is because as mentioned in the Scriptures, both events happened at the same time as it would not have been possible for Mary to bring the Baby Jesus to the Temple unless she has been purified according to the Law. There, as Mary was purified and welcomed back into the community of the faithful, at the same time, her firstborn Son, Jesus Christ, Our Lord and Saviour was presented to the Lord according to the Law.

In the Presentation of the Lord, we heard how God was revealed to the people of Israel through His Son, born into this world in the flesh, the One begotten from the Father and not made, consubstantial and co-eternal with Him. This same Son, Our Lord and Saviour was presented before His Father, to be the Sign for all the Israelites of the coming of God’s salvation and grace at long last. At that time, the people had been waiting for a very long time for the coming of God’s salvation and the fulfilment of everything that He had promised through the prophets.

He came into this world, sharing in our human essence and existence so that He may bring unto us the salvation that He has promised. He was offered and consecrated at the Temple, the House of God, to be the High Priest of all the people of God, as a prefigurement of what He was to do for the sake of all mankind. As the High Priest of all, He would be the One offering the worthy sacrifice on our behalf, the offering for the atonement of our sins, and not just any offering but the perfect offering which He made on the Cross, the offering of His Most Precious Body and Blood.

Thus, today’s celebration of the Presentation of the Lord serves as the bridge that connects between the celebrations of Christmas and Easter, reminding us that the same Child born into this world and which we celebrate in Christmas is the same One Who would bear the burden of our sins on His Cross, as He ascended the Hill of Golgotha at the time of His Passion, as Our High Priest, offering His prayers and His oblations, the gift of His own Precious Body and Blood freely offered and given for the perfect atonement of our many and innumerable sins.

Today therefore we are reminded in our lives that we should live our lives faithfully as Christians following what Our Lord had taught and revealed to us. He has shown us all the path to eternal life, and He has done so many wonderful things for us because He loves each and every one of us, without any exception. He has provided for us all these while and given nothing less than His own Beloved Son to be Our Lord and Saviour. Are we not appreciative of all that He has done for us? Are we still going to be stubborn in our refusal to follow His path and in our own attachments to sin and evil?

These are the questions that we should ponder carefully in our hearts, and which we should consider as we continue to walk our path through the respective journey of our lives. Today we also celebrate the World Day of Consecrated Life, praying for all those who have given themselves and consecrated themselves to the Lord, following His very own examples, in becoming those who entered into consecrated life, as religious brothers and sisters, all who have committed themselves to a life of holiness and sacrifice, giving themselves for the greater glory of God, in serving us and many of their fellow brothers and sisters through prayer and works.

Let us all therefore seek the Lord with a renewed heart filled with hope for God’s salvation, and let us renew our faith in Him, our trust in His love and providence, and do whatever we can to glorify Him by our actions and deeds, through our every interactions and works in each and every moments of our daily lives, following the good examples of the many people who have given themselves to the service of God. May the Lord, our most loving God and Saviour, our Eternal High Priest, continue to love us and be with us throughout our long journey of life, that we may draw ever closer to Him and be worthy to find eternal life through Him. Amen.

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Wednesday, 2 February 2022 : Feast of the Presentation of the Lord, World Day of Consecrated Life (Gospel Reading)

Liturgical Colour : White

Luke 2 : 22-40

When the day came for the purification according to the law of Moses, they brought the Baby up to Jerusalem, to present Him to the Lord, as it is written in the law of the Lord : Every firstborn male shall be consecrated to God. And they offered a sacrifice, as ordered in the law of the Lord : a pair of turtledoves or two young pigeons.

There lived in Jerusalem at this time a very upright and devout man named Simeon; the Holy Spirit was in him. He looked forward to the time when the Lord would comfort Israel, and he had been assured, by the Holy Spirit, that he would not die before seeing the Messiah of the Lord. So he was led into the Temple by the Holy Spirit at the time the parents brought the Child Jesus, to do for Him according to the custom of the Law.

Simeon took the Child in his arms, and blessed God, saying, “Now, o Lord, You can dismiss Your servant in peace, for You have fulfilled Your word and my eyes have seen Your salvation, which You display for all the people to see. Here is the Light You will reveal to the nations, and the glory of Your people Israel.”

His father and mother wondered at what was said about the Child. Simeon blessed them, and said to Mary, His mother, “Know this : your Son is a Sign, a Sign established for the falling and rising of many in Israel, a Sign of contradiction; and a sword will pierce your own soul, so that, out of many hearts, thoughts may be revealed.”

There was also a prophetess named Anna, daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Asher. After leaving her father’s home, she had been seven years with her husband, and since then she had been continually about the Temple, serving God as a widow night and day in fasting and prayer. She was now eighty-four. Coming up at that time, she gave praise to God, and spoke of the Child to all who looked forward to the deliverance of Jerusalem.

When the parents had fulfilled all that was required by the law of the Lord, they returned to their town, Nazareth in Galilee. There the Child grew in stature and strength, and was filled with wisdom: the grace of God was upon Him.

Alternative reading (shorter version)

Luke 2 : 22-32

When the day came for the purification according to the law of Moses, they brought the Baby up to Jerusalem, to present Him to the Lord, as it is written in the law of the Lord : Every firstborn male shall be consecrated to God. And they offered a sacrifice, as ordered in the law of the Lord : a pair of turtledoves or two young pigeons.

There lived in Jerusalem at this time a very upright and devout man named Simeon; the Holy Spirit was in him. He looked forward to the time when the Lord would comfort Israel, and he had been assured, by the Holy Spirit, that he would not die before seeing the Messiah of the Lord. So he was led into the Temple by the Holy Spirit at the time the parents brought the Child Jesus, to do for Him according to the custom of the Law.

Simeon took the Child in his arms, and blessed God, saying, “Now, o Lord, You can dismiss Your servant in peace, for You have fulfilled Your word and my eyes have seen Your salvation, which You display for all the people to see. Here is the Light You will reveal to the nations, and the glory of Your people Israel.”

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Wednesday, 2 February 2022 : Feast of the Presentation of the Lord, World Day of Consecrated Life (Psalm)

Liturgical Colour : White

Psalm 23 : 7, 8, 9, 10

Lift up, o gateways, your lintels, open up, you ancient doors, that the King of glory may enter!

Who is the King of glory? YHVH, the Strong, the Mighty, YHVH, valiant in battle.

Lift up your lintels, o gateways, open up, you ancient doors, that the King of glory may enter!

Who is the King of glory? YHVH of Hosts, He is the King of glory!

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Wednesday, 2 February 2022 : Feast of the Presentation of the Lord, World Day of Consecrated Life (First Reading)

Liturgical Colour : White

Malachi 3 : 1-4

Now I am sending My messenger ahead of Me to clear the way; then suddenly the Lord for Whom you long will enter the sanctuary. The Envoy of the covenant which you so greatly desire already comes, says YHVH of hosts. Who can bear the day of His coming and remain standing when He appears? For He will be like fire in the foundry and like the lye used for bleaching.

He will be as a refiner or a fuller. He will purify the sons of Levi and refine them like gold and silver. So YHVH will have priests who will present the offering as it should be. Then YHVH will accept with pleasure the offering of Judah and Jerusalem, as in former days.

Alternative reading

Hebrews 2 : 14-18

And because all those children share one same nature of flesh and blood, Jesus, likewise, had to share this nature. This is why His death destroyed the one holding the power of death, that is the devil, and freed those who remained in bondage all their lifetime, because of the fear of death.

Jesus came, to take by the hand, not the Angels but the human race. So, He had to be like His brothers and sisters, in every respect, in order to be the High Priest, faithful to God and merciful to them, a Priest, able to ask pardon, and atone for their sins. Having been tested through suffering, He is able to help those who are tested.

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(Special) Tuesday, 1 February 2022 : Lunar New Year Mass (Homily and Scripture Reflections)

Liturgical Colour : Red

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, today for all those of us who are celebrating the Lunar New Year, also known as the Chinese New Year to the Chinese people who celebrate it every year. This day marks the celebration of the beginning of the end of winter in the Northern Hemisphere, as it was noted as the Spring Festival due to the period of time being the time when the temperatures of the ground and the environment begin to increase again after it has declined over the past few weeks and months.

It is a time of gathering of families and great celebrations, when large extended families came back together to their ancestral places and hometowns, bearing the tidings and stories of what had happened throughout the previous year. It is a time when the family reunites and shares in each others’ love and as a reminder of the important bonds and relationships between us, among the members of our close and extended family members both. It is a time for thanksgiving, giving thanks for all the wonders and blessings that we have received.

Yet, if we realise, the tone of the Lunar New Year celebrations in the recent years have increasingly become more and more materialistic and excessive in nature, focusing a lot on prosperity and wealth, fortunes and worldly pleasures. And it did not help that many companies and organisations also took part in propagating this culture of excess and materialistic focus in the Lunar New Year celebrations. Ultimately, all these were meant to drive up profits in the weeks leading up to the festivities, and it is often corporate and marketing greed that gained from making use of our desires and wants.

In our first reading today, we heard from the Book of Numbers of the words of the Lord speaking to Moses regarding the blessing that Aaron and all the priests God has appointed to be the priests over all the Israelites ought to give to the people, a blessing that came from the Lord and reminded all the people that all grace and blessings came from the Lord alone. The Lord’s blessings and kindness have always been extended to all His people, as He continued to watch over us and provided for us, even when we constantly disobeyed and disregarded Him all the time.

The Lord’s blessings have always been extended to us and many of us have been fortunate to receive more blessings than others. Yet, there are those among us who worry unnecessarily because we worry about what we shall have, what we are to enjoy in life, as mentioned in the Gospel passage today. The Lord wants to remind us that it is foolish and futile for us to worry about all these things, as in the end, if we walk in the right path and trust in the Lord, then all these worries are really unnecessary and irrational for of us to do.

St. James in his Epistle which is our second reading today also echoed the same sentiment, as he spoke of the folly of putting one’s trust in their plans and preparations, how people often planned well ahead and worry about what will come in the future, and often overthinking things and being too paranoid of what we may lose out on. It is therefore timely and apt that we heard these readings from the Scriptures today, which served as a reminder for us all not to give in to the excesses of worldly temptations and desires as we celebrate the great festivities of the Lunar New Year.

We are reminded that as we rejoice today this Lunar New Year, we must not lose sight of what the celebrations of the Lunar New Year is all about. It is not about prosperity and fortune, but rather about love and family. It is not about the food and feasts, but rather about the time spent with each other and the quality interactions we have with our loved ones. The Lunar New Year should be the opportunity for us to remember the love which each and every one of us ought to have for those who are precious and close to us, a time for forgiveness and reconciliation, and a time for seeking true happiness.

How do we do so, brothers and sisters in Christ? It is by seeking the Lord and focusing our lives and attention on the Lord and remembering all that He had taught us, in loving Him and one another, in being virtuous and just in all the things we do. Let us all remember that even as we rejoice during this great occasion of the Lunar New Year, that there are those who are not as fortunate as us and who struggle even to make their ends meet each day to be able to celebrate at all. And let us not forget that we are still currently suffering the effects from the extended pandemic and many people out there are still enduring difficulties in various aspects.

Let us therefore share our blessings and instead of seeking personal prosperity and selfish desires this New Year, we instead be ever more generous in giving, both of ourselves and our extra blessings, especially to those who are not as fortunate as we are. For it is in giving and sharing that we will find true happiness, and God’s love, favour and joy will be upon us too, rather than us hoarding all the glory and happiness for ourselves. Let us give thanks to the Lord for all His kindness and blessings as well. May God be with us all, our families and loved ones and bless our year ahead. Amen.

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(Special) Tuesday, 1 February 2022 : Lunar New Year Mass (Gospel Reading)

Liturgical Colour : Red

Matthew 6 : 31-34

At that time, the Lord said to His disciples, “Do not worry, and say : What are we going to eat? What are we going to drink? or : What shall we wear? The pagans busy themselves with such things; but your heavenly Father knows that you need them all.”

“Set your heart, first, on the kingdom and righteousness of God; and all these things will also be given to you. Do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.”

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(Special) Tuesday, 1 February 2022 : Lunar New Year Mass (Second Reading)

Liturgical Colour : Red

James 4 : 13-15

Listen now, you who speak like this, “Today or tomorrow we will go off to this city and spend a year there; we will do business and make money.”

You have no idea what tomorrow will bring. What is your life? No more than a mist, which appears for a moment and then disappears. Instead of this, you should say, “God willing, we will live and do this or that.”

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(Special) Tuesday, 1 February 2022 : Lunar New Year Mass (Psalm)

Liturgical Colour : Red

Psalm 89 : 1-2, 3-4, 5-6, 12-14, 16-17

YHVH, You have been our refuge through all generations. Before the mountains were formed, before You made the earth and the world, from eternity to eternity – You are God.

You turn humans back to dust, saying, “Return, o mortals!” A thousand years in Your sight are like a day that has passed, or like a watch in the night.

You sow them in their time, at dawn they peep out. In the morning they blossom, but the flower fades and withers in the evening.

So make us know the shortness of our life, that we may gain wisdom of heart. How long will You be angry, o YHVH? Have mercy on Your servant. Fill us at daybreak with Your goodness, that we may be glad all our days.

Let Your work be seen by Your servants and Your glorious power by their children. May the sweetness of YHVH be upon us; may He prosper the work of our hands.

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(Special) Tuesday, 1 February 2022 : Lunar New Year Mass (First Reading)

Liturgical Colour : Red

Numbers 6 : 22-27

Then YHVH spoke to Moses saying, “Speak to Aaron and his sons and say to them : This is how you shall bless the people of Israel; you shall say : May YHVH bless you and keep you! May YHVH let His face shine on you, and be gracious to you! May YHVH look kindly on you, and give you His peace!”

“In that way they put My Name on the people of Israel and I will bless them.”

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Tuesday, 1 February 2022 : 4th Week of Ordinary Time (Homily and Scripture Reflections)

Liturgical Colour : Green

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, today as we listened to the words of the Sacred Scriptures, all of us are called to put our faith in the Lord and entrust ourselves in His providence and love. We must not allow the distractions of worldly glory and power to distract us from the path that Our Lord has shown to each and every one of us. The Lord has told us to believe that in Him alone and we should not follow the path as showed by Absalom, the son of David, King of Israel.

In our first reading today, we have heard from the Book of the prophet Samuel about the time when Absalom, one of the most prominent sons of David rebelled against his father in an attempted coup-d’etat. Absalom was a proud man who had always gained the favour of his father and the people, and was likely the favourite to be the one to succeed his father as King of Israel. He gathered the people to his side and brought his forces to seize Jerusalem and made David his father to flee with some trusted advisors.

Absalom tried to seize power, but God had not chosen him to be king over Israel. Absalom was ambitious and proud, and depended on his power and might to gain glory and kingship for himself, and that was why God had not chosen him to be the one to succeed David, and did not bless his actions and attempts to seize power. Instead, God remained with David and reassured him, and Absalom’s rebellion eventually failed, and the young rebel lost his life. David still grieved over his son despite Absalom having betrayed him and attempted to seize power from him.

In our Gospel passage today, we heard how the Lord Jesus cared for His people in need, reaching out to the sick and dying, in His efforts to reach out to us, sickened and afflicted sons and daughters of man. For we are suffering not only from the physical maladies and troubles, but even more importantly, many of us are suffering the consequences of our sinfulness, our disobedience against God and our refusal to put our trust and faith in Him.

We heard how the Lord Jesus went on a journey to the house of Jairus, a synagogue official upon hearing from him that his daughter was very sick and was on the verge of death. We heard then how a woman who had been suffering from haemorrhage or bleeding problem was healed by the Lord as He saw the great faith that she had in Him, as she believed that even if she just quietly came to touch the fringe of the Lord’s cloak, she would be healed.

That condition had affected her for many years, and she must have been trying to hide it as her symptoms would have made her to be considered unclean and even sinful. Yet, the Lord in His great love embraced her and made her whole again, affirming her and her faith before all the assembled people and everyone who were gathered around them. The Lord praised her faith and trust in the Lord, and blessed her for all that she had done, in gathering her courage to seek the Lord.

We also heard then how Jairus and his family had faith in the Lord even though his young daughter had passed away by the time the Lord reached his place. Although the other people assembled there laughed at the Lord and ridiculed Him when He said that she was only sleeping, it was implied that Jairus, who had such great faith in the Lord to go and seek the Lord in the first place, kept that faith he had in the Lord and he never stopped believing in Him.

Thus that was how the Lord came to raise the dead daughter of Jairus back into life, He Who is the Almighty God, the Master of life and death, and the Resurrection and the Life Himself. The Lord restored Jairus’ daughter to him, and showed His disciples and all of us at the same time, that death will not have the final say over us. He Himself shall overcome death for our sake, and by His suffering and death on the Cross, Christ has brought upon us the certainty and assurance of eternal life.

Brothers and sisters in Christ, let us all therefore seek the Lord our God with renewed faith and zeal, and with all of our hearts and might. Let us all renew our commitment to follow Him and serve Him at every opportunities given to us. May the Lord continue to guide us and strengthen us much as how He has strengthened His servants, King David and many other of our fellow brothers and sisters, who have dedicated themselves to God and had gone before us. May God be with us always, now and forevermore. Amen.