Advent homily

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Sunday, 15 December 2024 : Third Sunday of Advent, Gaudete Sunday (Homily and Scripture Reflections)

Liturgical Colour : Rose (Gaudete Sunday) or Purple/Violet

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, on this Sunday, the third one in this time and season of Advent, we commemorate the occasion of the Gaudete Sunday, an occasion of joy and rejoicing during this mostly penitential and more sombre season of Advent as we remember that this Advent season is ultimately a time of preparation for the coming of our true joy in Christ which we will soon celebrate in Christmas. This Sunday we focus on the theme and aspect of Joy in Advent, continuing on from the themes of Hope and Peace that we have focused on in the previous Sundays of Advent. And the name for this Sunday, ‘Gaudete’ itself means ‘joy’ or ‘rejoice’, from the beginning of the Introit of this Sunday, ‘Gaudete in Domino semper: iterum dico, gaudete.’ which means ‘Rejoice in the Lord always; again I say, rejoice.’

On this Sunday we briefly enter a pause in the penitential and sombre nature of this time of Advent preparations to focus on the Joy that we are expecting to come in the soon to come time and season of Christmas. That is why we remind ourselves today of the great Joy that is found in Christmas and which we all celebrate most wonderfully, and the very reason for this great Joy is none other than Jesus Christ Himself, the Son of God and the One Whom God had sent into this world, Incarnate in the flesh, the Love of God manifested before us and making us all able to come towards Him, tangible and approachable, no longer distant and unimaginable for us. Through Christ His Son, Our Lord has given us all the One through Whom our Joy and Hope will be restored to us.

In our first reading this Sunday, we heard from the Book of the prophet Zephaniah in which the words of joy and the promise of God’s guidance and presence among His people, strengthening and reassuring them all that God has always loved them and cared for them despite their constant rebelliousness and stubborn attitudes. God has always watched over them, His beloved ones, ever so patiently, caring for their needs and guiding them patiently through His prophets and messengers. He chastised and disciplined them whenever they were wayward and wicked in their ways, but He also nurtured and cared for them along their journey, like that of a loving Father Who is both stern and loving to His children, wanting them all to turn out good and worthy, and not be corrupted by the evils around us.

Then, from our second reading passage this Sunday taken from the Epistle of St. Paul the Apostle to the Church and the faithful in the city and region of Philippi, we are yet again reminded of God’s most generous love and how fortunate and blessed each and every one of us have been because our Lord and our Father has always loved us and how He has always had us all in His mind at all times, being ever present all around us, knowing all of our needs and wishes, and He has always been ready to walk this journey we have, each and every one of us, together with Him. Thus, it is imperative that all of us should respond to His love with gratitude and appreciation, and most importantly with love and rejoicing towards Him, to the Joy that He has brought upon us once again through His Son, Our Lord and Saviour.

Lastly, from the Gospel passage this Sunday, we are reminded by the words of St. John the Baptist who spoke clearly about the Messiah Who was to come at that time, and how that faithful servant of God proclaimed Him to all the people who had come to him to listen to him and to be baptised by him. St. John the Baptist was indeed very popular and he had a lot of following among the people, who came to him likely in their hundreds and even perhaps thousands, seeking his baptism and seeking in him the hope of God’s long awaited salvation. But St. John the Baptist made it clear to the people that he was not the one who would save Israel, as he was merely just the one to herald and prepare the coming of the true Messiah or Saviour, Jesus Christ.

St. John the Baptist had shown great humility in obeying the commands which He had received from the Lord, refusing to be swayed by the temptations of worldly glory and ambitions, all the things which had led so many people, our predecessors and we ourselves to our downfall. It is easy for one to be swayed and tempted by great popularity and acclamation, such as in the case of St. John the Baptist, but the man of God continued to have strong faith and commitment to God, and he remained focused on what he was tasked to do, that is to prepare the way for the Lord and His coming, and to direct all of us to Him, to the One Who is our Light, Hope and Salvation. And we all should be inspired by his great faith, humility and examples, his commitment and dedication  to his mission.

As Christians, it is important that we also show this true focus of Christmas in Our Lord and Saviour to everyone. Indeed, in our world today, Christmas is often no longer about Christ but rather about excesses of worldly comforts, pleasures and commercialisation which had made many people to forget about what Christmas is truly all about. In many cases, our Christmas celebrations end up becoming yet just another holiday time and season, a time for rejoicing and celebrations that is yet bereft of its true purpose and reason for celebration, because Christ is not in all those celebrations and rejoicing. Often we can see how people compete with one another in how glamorous they can celebrate their Christmas, or compare the gifts that they had received at Christmas. And no one remembered the greatest gift of Christmas they had received, that is Christ, Our Lord and Saviour.

Therefore, as Christians, we are all challenged to put Christ at the centre of our Christmas celebrations and rejoicing. We should not give in to the temptations and false pleasures of the world, all the excessive commercialisation of Christmas that do not lead us to Christ. Each one of us are called to proclaim Christ, Our Lord, the true reason for our rejoicing at Christmas, and let it show through our preparations and our constant focus on Christ as the One in Whom we rejoice, and in all the happiness that we share with one another, let it be the love of God and the genuine love for one another that we show in our Christmas joy and festivities, and be the beacons of God’s Light, Hope and Love for everyone around us. Let our joy be shared with everyone and let us all remember those who are not able to rejoice the way we do, and continue to direct all people to Christ, His Hope and salvation, now and always. Amen.

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Saturday, 14 December 2024 : 2nd Week of Advent, Memorial of St. John of the Cross, Priest and Doctor of the Church (Homily and Scripture Reflections)

Liturgical Colour : White

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, as we continue to progress through this time and season of Advent, and as we listened to the readings from the Sacred Scriptures, we are invited to reflect today on the one figure that is part of the story leading up to the coming of the salvation from God. And this figure was that of St. John the Baptist, the one that had been sent from God to prepare the path for His coming into this world. We heard of everything that God had done in sending us all His servants, His messengers and prophets, and through all of these we are reminded of just how beloved we are by God, and truly how fortunate we are because God has always patiently loved us that He gave us all the assurance of His salvation, and how we should also be thankful for all those who have dedicated themselves to the Lord to fulfil the missions entrusted to them.

In our first reading today, we heard from the Book of the prophet Sirach in which the story of the life, ministry and departure of the famous prophet Elijah was told to us. The author spoke of the wonderful things which prophet Elijah had done in the land of Israel as he laboured hard against the people and their king whose hearts and minds had been hardened against the Lord, facing persecutions and ordeals in his ministry, and having to flee for his life and safety on several occasions. But the Lord was with Elijah and he continued to labour and do great things for the Lord and His people, performing many miracles and wonders among them, proving that the Lord is the one true God and Master over all the people, and not those pagan idols and gods like Baal that they had worshipped.

Then, the author of the Book of the prophet Sirach spoke of the other things that Elijah had done, culminating in how he was eventually taken away from the world in a flaming chariot. God sent a flaming chariot to take Elijah away just as He foretold to him, and his successor, the prophet Elisha, witnessed this great event. This event is also significant because it means that Elisha did not suffer from death, one of the few recorded in the Scriptures that had returned to the Lord not through bodily and physical death, but taken up into Heaven, like that of Enoch in the early days of the world, Elijah himself, and later on Mary, the Mother of God, assumed body and soul into Heaven. And it was a popular belief that Elijah would come and return once again into the world to fulfil God’s promises.

It is a belief of the Church since the days of the early Christians that St. John the Baptist had the spirit of the prophet Elijah in him, or that he was none other than the prophet Elijah himself, returning in the flesh into this world to complete what the Lord had entrusted to him, in calling the people of God and all those who have been wayward in their lives to return to their Lord and Master, to be forgiven from all of their many sins and wickedness. We are reminded of this today so that we can realise that God has done all these for our sakes, out of His generous love and kindness, His mercy and compassion. And He is also the Lord and Master over all things, over life and death, and in the end, death shall have no hold over us, as our part shall be eternal life and true happiness with God.

Then, in our Gospel passage today from the Gospel according to St. Matthew the Apostle and Evangelist we heard of the same matter that we have discussed from the earlier first reading passage about the relationship between the prophet Elijah and St. John the Baptist. We heard from the Lord Jesus Himself telling His disciples that the prophet Elijah had already come into their midst but the people had rejected him and refused to listen to his words. There was also a specific reference to St. John the Baptist being the prophet Elijah. Now, regardless whether it was truly Elijah that had come into this world again, or whether St. John the Baptist had the spirit of Elijah in him, that is immaterial, as what matters is that God sent St. John the Baptist to carry out His will, and the man of God dedicated himself fully to the very end. 

Today, the Church also celebrates the Feast of St. John of the Cross, a renowned Carmelite saint who helped to reform the Carmelite Order and built the foundation of a popular religious order and inspired countless other people who were touched by his great faith and commitment to God. He was born as Juan de Yepes y Álvarez in the region of Castile in Spain into the family of an accountant, his father, who was married to an orphan of the lower class. His family faced a lot of tough early years as St. John of the Cross’ father and elder brother passed away due to malnourishment and disease. The young St. John of the Cross then went to a school which took care of his basic needs and education, and his upbringing eventually led him to be called to religious life as a member of the Carmelite Order and became a priest.

St. John of the Cross met St. Teresa of Avila afterwards, the other reformer who together with St. John of the Cross would eventually reform the Carmelite Order, establishing the Order of the Discalced Carmelites, marking all those Carmelites who sought to return to the original rules and intentions of the founders of the Order, which had been relaxed by the earlier Popes and leaders of the Order, leading to the corruption of those members of the Carmelites, who became corrupted and misled by the worldly temptations and desires, and by the impurities and corruptions of sin due to the lack of discipline and piety in their lives, which St. John of the Cross and St. Teresa of Avila worked hard to reverse by returning to the original rules and discipline to root out the corruption and wickedness among the Carmelites.

Thus, those Carmelites who sought to return to the original intentions of the founders became known as the Discalced Carmelites, as they frequently went barefoot (discalced or without shoes), practicing ascetic and simple lifestyle without all the excesses and comforts that their predecessors had enjoyed and experienced in lavish lifestyle incompatible to the spirit of the Carmelite Order. Through the many efforts of St. John of the Cross and St. Teresa of Avila, despite the many challenges and oppositions that both of them and the other reformers had faced, but they continued courageously with their efforts and reforms, and they pioneered great examples of their faith and dedication to God as examples for many others around them. Their piety and dedication inspired many even right up to this very day.

Brothers and sisters in Christ, as we reflect upon the words of the Scriptures and also the life and examples shown to us by St. John of the Cross, let us all therefore remind ourselves of the need for all of us to centre our lives upon the Lord and turn away from all sorts of distractions and temptations around us, all the false paths and leads that do not bring us towards God and His salvation. This Advent season we should remind ourselves that we must return to the true spirit of Christmas, so that in all of our preparations and efforts to celebrate the upcoming Christmas season we will put the Lord, the One Whom we ought to be celebrating about at the very centre of our rejoicing, jubilation and commemorations, and not the false and illusory pleasures of the world.

May the Lord, our most loving God and Creator continue to help and strengthen us all in our journey, and help us so that we may always strive to focus our lives on Him and do whatever we can to be good role for one another in how we carry out our lives and how we glorify Him by each and every moments in our daily living, like those of the prophet Elijah, St. John the Baptist and all the holy saints of God, our holy predecessors. May all of us be strengthened and encouraged in this journey we have during this time of Advent, and be ever greater in our commitment and piety, now and always. Amen.

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Friday, 13 December 2024 : 2nd Week of Advent, Memorial of St. Lucy, Virgin and Martyr (Homily and Scripture Reflections)

Liturgical Colour : Red

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, today as we all continue to progress through this time and season of Advent, we are all reminded that we should continue to keep closely attuned to the Lord and maintain our focus on Him amidst all the temptations and false leads in this world, and amidst all the secular rejoicing, festivities and celebrations of the worldly Christmas that may not have their focus on the Lord. We should always remember that ultimately Christmas is a great celebration and rejoicing because of the Lord and His great and most wonderful love by which He has sent us all His assurance and salvation through His Beloved Son, born into this world two millennia ago and which we celebrate as this celebration of Christmas.

In our first reading today, we heard from the Book of the prophet Isaiah in which God told His people, the Israelites in the kingdom of Judah about how they all would have prospered and lived wonderfully had they obeyed His words and commandments, listened to Him and followed the path that He has revealed to them. At that time many of the Israelites had wandered off from the path of the Lord and disobeyed His words, refusing to follow the advice and exhortations from the prophets and messengers of God sent to them to remind them. However, the Lord Who truly loved all of His people refused to give up on them and that is why He kept reminding them through His prophets like Isaiah, to help at least some of them to find their bearing in life and to be able to return back to Him.

In our Gospel passage today, taken from the Gospel according to St. Matthew the Apostle and Evangelist, we heard the Lord telling the people of the frustrations He faced from many among them because of their lack of faith and trust in Him, and how they kept on changing their thoughts and ways according to their ever changing priorities and preferences, and as their leaders often criticised Him and St. John the Baptist, the one who was the Herald of the Saviour. They refused to listen to St. John the Baptist when he called on all of them to repent from their sins, and criticising the man of God for his ascetic lifestyle and appearance. Then, afterwards, they also refused to listen to the Lord and criticised Him because He was not following the strict rules and practices of the Law which they had interpreted and enforced.

Essentially from what we have heard, the people of God applied their own inconsistent standards and demands, being swayed by their own desires and ambitions, instead of listening to the Lord and embracing His truth and Good News. They were too focused on their own worldly pursuits and ambitions that they were not able to open their minds and hearts to listen to the Lord Who has delivered unto them His truth, His love and the revelation of what He wanted to tell them. And this is in a way, a warning for each and every one of us as well, in how we must be careful and not give in to the temptations of worldliness that can lead us to our downfall by distracting us from the path towards God and His salvation. This Advent, we should remind ourselves what is the true focus and reason for our lives, and that is the Lord, our God and Master.

As Christians, all of us should strive to centre all of our preparations and efforts to the Lord, to the One Who had made all things possible for us, and He Who has always loved us and constantly provided for us without cease. We should always remind ourselves and one another that our lives should always be focused on the Lord, following His words and commandments, entrusting ourselves to His Providence and care, and walking in the path that He has shown us, so that by our dedication and obedience, we may find the surest and straightest path towards the eternal life and salvation that we can gain through God alone. We should make good use of the many opportunities provided for us so that we may continue to grow ever stronger in our faith and trust in the Lord.

Today, the Church also celebrates the Feast of St. Lucy, also known as Santa Lucia, or St. Lucy of Syracuse, a great Roman martyr and saint of the early fourth century. She was born to a noble Roman family during the late third century, during the time of the rise to power of Emperor Diocletian, the Roman Emperor who would become infamous among Christians for his particularly intense persecution against them and the Church. St. Lucy devoted herself to God and was very pious in her life, and she committed herself to a sacred vow of virginity to God. Yet, things came to issue when her mother, who took care of St. Lucy betrothed her to a rich and young pagan nobleman, having worried about her future after the passing of her father when she was just merely five years old.

St. Lucy’s mother, Eutychia, was also then suffering from a disease, and through the intercession of another famous local martyr, St. Agatha, who appeared to St. Lucy in a dream, her mother was cured, and this prompted St. Lucy to persuade her mother to give generously from her family’s estate and patrimony to the poor and the less fortunate. However this action was not viewed kindly by the pagan nobleman that St. Lucy was betrothed to, and he reported St. Lucy to the Roman governor, Paschasius. Paschasius forced St. Lucy to burn offerings to the Roman Emperor, but she courageously refused, and when she was sentenced to be defiled in a brothel, the people assigned to bring her to the brothel could not manage to move her, as the Lord protected her from defilement. Eventually, she was martyred by a sword thrust into her throat.

Brothers and sisters in Christ, just as we have discussed earlier from the readings of the Sacred Scriptures, and also from the life and examples set by St. Lucy of Syracuse, holy martyr of the Church, let us all therefore remember that our lives in this world should be holy and exemplary, and we should always focus on the Lord at all times that we do not end up losing sight on His hope and salvation, and be tricked and misled by all sorts of worldly temptations and distractions around us. May the Lord our most loving God and Master continue to help and guide us all in our journey so that we may come to Him and find true happiness and consolation in Him at the end of our life’s journey. Amen.

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Thursday, 12 December 2024 : 2nd Week of Advent, Memorial of Our Lady of Guadalupe (Homily and Scripture Reflections)

Liturgical Colour : Purple/Violet or White (Our Lady of Guadalupe)

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, this day the Church celebrates the great occasion of the Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe, Mary, the Holy Mother of God in her Apparition to St. John Diego Cuauhtlatoatzin about five centuries ago in what is the present day Mexico at the great shrine that now stands at the site of Guadalupe. This great shrine of Our Lady of Guadalupe is now one of the most popular pilgrimage sites in the world and many millions flock to the shrine of Our Lady of Guadalupe every year, particularly during the time of her Feast that we celebrate this day. The Blessed Mother of God has made her appearances during times of strife and hardships for the Church, in various moments throughout history, including the time when she appeared at the site of Guadalupe in Mexico, which happened shortly after the arrival of the Spanish and other European explorers to the New World, the American continent.

At that time, it was at the beginning of the evangelisation of the lands of the New World, with missionaries and priests beginning to proclaim the Good News of God to many of the people of the Americas who have not yet heard and known the Lord. It came after years of devastation and destruction caused by the greed of the early European explorers, also commonly known as ‘Conquistadors’ that had brought about the ruin of the great kingdoms of the Aztecs and the Incas. The greed of those early conquerors had brought about great sufferings for the local natives, as well as plenty of destruction and exploitation of the region. During those turbulent years, even back in Christendom there were also a lot of divisions and conflicts, happening at that time in the midst of the Protestant reformation.

Amidst the backdrop of all these challenges and difficulties, our loving Mother, Our Lady of Guadalupe made her appearance to a local native named Juan Diego Cuauhtlatoatzin, who would later on be honoured as St. John Diego Cuauhtlatoatzin. According to the tradition and hagiographic story, at that moment, St. John Diego Cuauhtlatoatzin was a Christian convert, among the first of the natives to be baptised by the missionaries upon their arrival in those lands. He regularly travelled between his house and the Franciscan mission station where he had his religious instruction, and this travel passed by the Hill of Tepeyac, the site of the Apparition. On the dawn of the ninth day of December, which date is now celebrated as the Feast of St. John Diego, this man of God encountered the Apparition of Mary, who instructed him to tell of her appearance to the local bishop and to build a shrine at that location in order to provide help and comfort for all those who seek God’s mercy through her.

The bishop was initially skeptical and doubtful of the authenticity of the Apparition, and it was only after Our Lady of Guadalupe again repeated her message to St. John Diego that the latter went again to the bishop who then made a request that Our Lady of Guadalupe provide him with evidence of the authenticity of her Apparition with a miraculous sign. At that same time, St. John Diego’s uncle became very sick and he hurried to his uncle’s place through a different route, not passing through the site of Our Lady’s Apparition, as he was embarrassed that he was unable to fulfil the promise he made to her about the request that she has entrusted to him. But on his way, St. John Diego was intercepted by Our Lady who appeared to him and chastising him for not having faith in her intercession and help, and she reassured him that his uncle has recovered fully and was all well.

She told St. John Diego with the words that would become famous today, ‘¿No estoy yo aquí que soy tu madre?’ which means, ‘Am I not here, I who am your mother?’. St. John Diego then followed the instruction of Our Lady to collect some flowers at the nearby hill into his cloak or tilma, and then bringing them immediately to the bishop. Then as St. John Diego presented the flowers to the bishop, what truly amazed the bishop was not the seemingly unseasonal and uncommon Castilian flowers growing on that hill which St. John Diego had collected, but rather the image and likeness of Our Lady of Guadalupe herself being imprinted on the tilma or cloak worn by St. John Diego. The bishop, who was initially skeptical about the Apparition, immediately believed and venerated the image of Our Lady of Guadalupe.

Ever since that moment, the belief and the devotion in the Apparition of Our Lady of Guadalupe grew rapidly, and a shrine was built in that site of the Apparition, at the Hill of Tepeyac, known as Guadalupe, which led to the naming of the Apparition as Our Lady of Guadalupe, the loving Mother of God herself making her appearance to her beloved children, the people of God, at the time of great strife and challenge faced by them, in the New World due to the destruction wrought by wars and conflicts, and in the Christendom as a whole due to the effects of the Protestant reformation and other strife in the Church of God and among the Christian population of the whole Christendom. Mary, Our Lady of Guadalupe made her Apparition so as to strengthen our faith and resolve to follow the Lord faithfully, and not to give in to sin and corruption. Many people came back to the Lord and found their way to Him through His mother Mary, Our Lady of Guadalupe.

We have heard these through our Scripture readings today, from the account by St. John the Apostle and Evangelist in his Book of Revelations, in which the vision of the great War in Heaven and the end times were told to us. St. John saw in one of those visions a great vision of a Woman bearing a Child, which is in fact a personification of the Church of God, and at the same time is a reminder of Mary as the Mother of God and the Mother of the Church. Through her great obedience and faith in God, Mary, Our Lady of Guadalupe had responded positively, with love and commitment to the mission which God has entrusted to her, as we heard in our Gospel passage today from the Gospel of St. Luke. When the Archangel Gabriel revealed the Good News to Mary, while she was hesitant and unsure about what she had heard, but she ultimately trusted in the Lord and believed in Him.

Mary’s great faith in the Lord, her commitment and obedience, and all the virtues and righteousness that she has shown in life, all these are great examples and inspiration for all of us to follow. She is the perfect example and role model, the one who is our beacon to be followed. Her Apparition to St. John Diego Cuauhtlatoatzin and many others who witnessed her appearance served to remind us of God’s great love that has been manifested and made visible, tangible and approachable to us through Mary. And if we follow her examples, inspiration and faith, we will surely find ourselves on the firm path towards God and His salvation. Mary made herself available to us, guiding us patiently towards her Son. Her apparitions in Guadalupe, Lourdes, Fatima and others were all meant to this purpose.

Brothers and sisters in Christ, let us all therefore remind ourselves especially during this time and season of Advent, to refocus our lives and attention once again towards the Lord, our Master and Creator. Let us all no longer be distracted by all sorts of temptations and pleasures in life, all the attachments we have on worldly glory that can lead us astray in our path. May the Lord be with us always, and may He strengthen our faith and resolve, and through His loving Mother Mary, Our Lady of Guadalupe, bring us ever closer to His Holy Presence, and help us to turn away from and reject all the sins and wickedness of this world. Amen.

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Wednesday, 11 December 2024 : 2nd Week of Advent, Memorial of Pope St. Damasus I, Pope (Homily and Scripture Reflections)

Liturgical Colour : Purple/Violet or White (Popes)

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, today as we listened to the words of the Lord contained in the Scriptures, we are all reminded that God is the source of our Hope, comfort and joy, and it is in Him alone that we shall find true satisfaction and liberation from our many troubles and challenges, difficulties and hurdles in life. Unfortunately many of us often do not realise this and we do not perceive His love and compassion for us enough, and many of us sought comfort and satisfaction in worldly things instead of putting our trust and faith in God. This is why we are reminded through these readings from the Scriptures so that we do not end up going down the wrong path in life and seek the false pleasures and satisfactions that came not from God but from the evil ones.

In our first reading today taken from the Book of the prophet Isaiah, we heard of the words of the Lord through Isaiah in which He lamented how the people had not realised that they had been taken care of, given attention and help by the Lord all the way at that time, and yet, those people still complained and refused to believe in Him whenever He gave them His help, love and providence. They often hardened their hearts and minds, and closed them off to the Lord, Who had often come to them offering His help and guidance. And yet, the Lord still patiently cared for them and loved them even as He constantly chastised them for their sins and wickedness, like a loving Father who cared for his children while disciplining them.

The Lord has repeatedly shown His love and kindness to His people, that even though they had always been rebellious and stubborn in their attitudes and ways, but He has never given up on them. Instead, He kept on sending them His messengers and guides, the prophets and many others to help them to find their way back towards Him. He reassured all of them that despite all the sufferings and difficulties that they might be facing, but His might, power and love transcend and surpass all those challenges and trials. As long as they remain firm in their faith in Him and put their faith in Him then He will provide for them, bless them and strengthen them, and they shall share in His glorious promise and inheritance, all the good and wonderful things that He had intended for them.

In our Gospel passage today, taken from the Gospel according to St. Matthew the Apostle and Evangelist, we heard of the words of reassurance from the Lord Jesus to His disciples and all of us, that all of us can come to Him and we will have rest in Him. He offers us all a yoke that is lighter and more manageable than the yoke of the world. Truly, this is just as what I had just mentioned earlier, how God is truly like a loving Father Who truly cares for all of us His beloved children. Each and every one of us are precious to Him, and that was why He sent to us all His beloved Son, Our Lord and Saviour so that through Him we may see and witness His love manifested to us in the flesh, in Christ, Who is tangible and approachable by us all.

And the Lord’s words are important reminders for all of us that as Christians we must also be prepared to expect challenges and hardships, difficulties and obstacles in our path. That is why the Lord referred to the presence of His yoke, which is lighter than that of the yoke of the world. If we become Christians and expecting that we will have good and smooth, easy and comfortable lives, then we may be easily disappointed once we realise that there are likely plenty of challenges, oppositions and labours that we may have to endure throughout our lives and journeys as God’s faithful people. In fact, the more committed we are to the Lord’s path, the chances are that we may encounter even more challenges and difficulties in our journey because this world that has been corrupted by sin and evil, it will be in opposition to the Lord and His righteous path.

However, we must remember that we do not go through this path and journey alone. The Lord is always by our side, guiding and helping us whenever we need His help and guidance, and He will never abandon or leave us alone in our time of greatest need. We may indeed have to suffer and endure hardships, but in the end, we will be triumphant with God and He shall justify us all and bring us all into the true happiness and everlasting glory that we have been promised. In fact, His yoke is indeed lighter and better for us not because it may seem to be easier or less challenging, but rather because it does not lead us into the path towards downfall and eternal damnation. As a comparison, the alternative paths offered by the world may seem to be easier and better, lighter and less challenging, but they give us false hope and delude us into this path of darkness.

Today the Church also celebrates the Feast of Pope St. Damasus I, one of the Popes of the early Church. Pope St. Damasus I was the leader of the Universal Church as the Pope and Bishop of Rome, Vicar of Christ and Supreme Pontiff in the middle of the fourth century. Pope St. Damasus I was born into a family of a priest in Rome and that eventually inspired and led him to be a priest in turn, rising up to the position of the Archdeacon of Rome under Pope Liberius and when the latter was exiled by the Roman Emperor, it was the future Pope St. Damasus I that helped to take care of the governance and the issues of the Roman Church. Later on, he was elected as Pope to succeed Pope Liberius after the Pope’s death, during a time of strive in the Church. 

At that time, he had to contend with rival claimant and candidate to the Papacy, a popular deacon named Ursinus who became an Antipope for a short time and whose supporters and Ursinus himself continued to oppose Pope St. Damasus I’s election as Pope. Nonetheless, despite the challenges and the difficulties that Pope St. Damasus I had to face, he managed to gain a lot of important achievements in successfully navigating the Church through the difficult period at that time filled with divisions within the Church and conflicts, opposing quite a number of serious heresies that affected many in the Church such as Arianism, Apollinarianism, Macedonianism and many others. He also led the Church courageously through such difficult moments and helped many people to remain strong and firm in their faith.

The great examples shown by Pope St. Damasus I should inspire each and every one of us in our own faith in God, and remembering how even this great servant of God had suffered and endured many challenges in the midst of his ministry throughout his years in service to the Lord, as priest, archdeacon and then as Pope and leader of the Universal Church. He remained firmly faithful to the Lord and did not allow all those difficulties and challenges to stop or dissuade him from continuing to do what God had entrusted to him, and he continued to serve the Lord ever more faithfully in his ministry. This is something that we all as Christians should be doing as well. And therefore, let us all reflect upon these and discern carefully our path forward in our respective lives.

May the Lord our most loving and compassionate God continue to help and bless us, and strengthen us all with the courage and inspiration to continue to do what He has entrusted to us to do. May He continue to love us all and patiently lead us all into His embrace, that we may be always firmly faithful in Him despite the many challenges and trials that we may have to endure in our journey towards Him. Let our actions and efforts continue to be good examples and inspiration for one another to follow, now and always. Amen.

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Tuesday, 10 December 2024 : 2nd Week of Advent, Memorial of the Blessed Virgin Mary of Loreto (Homily and Scripture Reflections)

Liturgical Colour : Purple/Violet or White (Mass of the Blessed Virgin Mary of Loreto)

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, today the Church celebrates the occasion of the Feast of Our Lady of Loreto, a popular Marian pilgrimage site in the city of Loreto in Italy where the Holy House of Nazareth, the very House where Jesus our Lord, Mary His mother and St. Joseph, His foster father had been living in when they were all staying in Nazareth during the younger years of the Lord before He began His ministry. On this day, we rejoice and honour Mary, the Mother of the Holy Family and the patroness of the great Shrine of Loreto and the Holy House of Nazareth, our great patroness and intercessor, the Mother of God and our loving mother as well. We thank her for her constant love and compassionate care for each and every one of us.

The story of the Holy House of Nazareth was truly a story of great miracle and wonders of God, as studies had scientifically proven that the materials used in the House enshrined within the great Basilica now known as the Basilica of the Holy House or Basilica della Santa Casa, was indeed originating from around the time of the Lord’s ministry about two millennia ago, using the materials that were common in the region of Nazareth and Galilee at the time. How the House then ended up in its current location was explained through Church tradition and history, eyewitnesses and visionaries who saw the Holy House of Nazareth being transported by the Angels of God from the original site in Nazareth when the land was in turmoil and conflicts during the end of the era of the Crusades.

At first, the Angels miraculously transported and bore the Holy House from Nazareth to the site of Tersatto in Croatia, and then afterwards, as according to tradition, the pilgrims coming to the House were often waylaid by bandits, the Holy House was once again transported by the Angels to Italy, where after another few occasions of movements and translations, eventually the Holy House settled at the current site in Loreto, Italy, where it had remained for more than seven centuries since. This translation of the Holy House has also been supported by visionaries such as Blessed Anne Catherine Emmerich, who received a vision about the event, centuries after the actual event has taken place, and even she originally could not fully comprehend what she had seen, as she described how the Holy House of Nazareth was borne by seven Angels across the sea.

Regardless of the full truth of how the Holy House was moved from Nazareth to its current location, its historicity and authenticity, we must realise just how popular this devotion is, as many pilgrims and devotees came regularly to the site of the Basilica of the Holy House, seeking the intercession of Mary, Our Lady of Loreto. And through this inspiring story of the Holy House once inhabited by the Holy Family of Jesus, Mary and Joseph, we are all reminded of the exemplary faith that Mary has shown us all in her complete and total obedience to the will of God, and in her desire to glorify the Lord as well as the love which she has shown to her Son, in caring for Him and bringing Him up with faith and love.

In our first reading today, taken from the Book of the prophet Isaiah, we heard of the prophecy of the prophet Isaiah from God which was delivered to King Ahaz, the King of Judah about the coming of the Messiah or Saviour of the world, and how this would happen through a woman who has never borne a child, which all would indeed be fulfilled through Mary and her bearing of her Son, Our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, more than seven centuries after the prophet Isaiah had spoken of this prophecy before King Ahaz. And we ought to notice the manner with which King Ahaz responded to the words of the prophet Isaiah asking him to ask for a sign from God, as King Ahaz said that he would not ask as he did not want to put God to the test.

Those words were met with immediate criticism from Isaiah who said that the King was essentially being a hypocrite as he and the people had long disobeyed the Lord and put the Lord to the test on many occasions, refusing to listen to the words of the Lord and obey His commandments. In fact, by refusing to obey the Lord Who asked King Ahaz to ask for a sign from Him, it was itself a sign of disobedience and even lack of faith in God. This can be contrasted with the attitude which Mary has shown in our Gospel passage today, when the Archangel Gabriel brought forth for her the Good News of the coming of God’s Saviour, Who would come forth through her womb, and born from her. While Mary was uncertain about what she had heard, as at that time she was still quite young in age, but she trusted in the Lord and obeyed Him.

Her words, ‘I am the handmaid of the Lord, let it be done to me as you have said,’ are the marks of obedience, faith and true humility, as she accepted the great mission and responsibility which she had been entrusted with by God. And for this great faith and obedience, her virtues and great love, this is why we truly venerate and honour Mary above all the other saints, and we truly love her as our own beloved Mother, as our great role model, a guide and someone who has always encouraged us in the journey that each and every one of us undertake in the path towards her Son, our Lord and Saviour. And that is why we also rejoice today, as we rejoice in the great inspiration and hope which Mary, Our Lady of Loreto, has brought upon us all.

Brothers and sisters in Christ, as we continue to progress through this season of Advent, let us all therefore strive to focus our attention once again on the Lord, putting Him at the centre of our lives and existence. Let us all resist the temptations of sin and evil, and be inspired as always by the great examples and inspiration from the holy saints, especially that of Mary, Our Lady of Loreto, the Holy Mother of God, who is also our loving mother. As we strive to live our lives more faithfully in God, let us continue to journey towards Him patiently and courageously, doing whatever we can to proclaim His glory by our own exemplary and worthy lives, now and always. Amen.

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Monday, 9 December 2024 : Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary (Homily and Scripture Reflections)

Liturgical Colour : White

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, today the Church celebrates the occasion of the Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Mother of God, marking the moment when Mary was conceived immaculate, full of grace and free from the taint of original sin, at the moment of her conception in the womb of her mother, St. Anne. This celebration is also something that is very important for our faith as Christians because they are very closely related to the crux of the story of our salvation. This is because Mary herself is the Mother of God through her motherhood of Jesus Christ, the Son of God Most High, the Divine Word of God incarnate in the flesh, becoming the Son of Man and Saviour of the world.

In order to understand the significance and reason why we Christians believe in the Immaculate Conception of Mary, which is one of the Four Marian Dogmas, or the core teachings and beliefs of the Church on Mary, we must first look upon the historical example of God manifesting Himself in this world, as He made His appearances to us throughout history as recorded in the Scriptures, and also the nature of sin, which is why the ‘Immaculate’ or sinless nature of Mary is highlighted so prominently especially today. First of all, God created each and every one of us mankind perfect and blameless, and He intended for us all to be just as immaculate and pure as Mary has been designed. However, our inability to resist the temptations of the evil one led us to our downfall.

Sin came forth from our refusal to obey the Lord and His commandments, as we gave in to the temptations and our desire for worldly matters, ambitions, desire for knowledge and power which Satan offered to our ancestors, to Adam and Eve as we heard in our first reading today from the Book of Genesis, and as a result, the corruption of sin came and enter into our hearts, minds and bodies, corrupting us and our souls, tainting them such that we become sundered from God, our Lord, Master and Creator. And that was why mankind were cast out of the Garden of Eden as no corruption and evil can stand in God’s Presence and survive, as God is all good and perfect, and no evil can be in His Presence. That is why except for very few select ones like Abraham, Moses, Elijah and some others, no one could see God and remain alive.

When the Lord gave His Law and commandments to His people through Moses, He commanded Moses to make an Ark to carry the two tablets of the Law of God, the manna, the bread from Heaven that God had given to His people to eat, as well as the staff of Aaron by which God had performed His miracles before the people and also shepherded His people, the Israelites. All of these were placed in the Ark of the Covenant, which was made from gold and other precious materials, and according to the Scriptures, God hallowed and blessed it, and His Presence would regularly come down and rest upon the Cherubim that were carved and made on top of the Ark of the Covenant. And this Ark was so holy and blessed, that no one could touch it, and in one occasion, a priest who accidentally touched the Ark was immediately struck dead.

Again, this highlighted how sin and evil has no place in the Presence of God, and sin would have obliterated us in His Presence. And how is this related to Mary and her Immaculate Conception? That is because Mary is the vessel through whom God would bring forth His salvation into this world, as He sent unto us all His Son, the Son of God Most High that had willingly embraced our humanity and our human nature, that God Himself, the Lord and Master of all the whole Universe and existence became manifested in the flesh in the womb of Mary, who therefore became God’s Mother. If the Ark of the Covenant itself has been made so holy and inviolable, then all the more the one to bear God Himself in the flesh should also be made holy, and this is where it is indeed important that Mary should be made ‘Immaculate’, free from all taints of original sin.

That is because mankind have been tainted by the taint of original sin due to our rebellion against God, and just as mentioned, sin has made us defiled, corrupted and unworthy of God. How can then God be born through a woman who had been defiled and corrupted by sin and evil? How can He spend nine months in the womb of Mary if Mary herself is suffering the same corruption of sin and evil? If we truly believe that Jesus Christ is truly the Son of God, the Divine Word of God incarnate, truly God and truly Man, then we must also believe that God, by His power and will, He Who does things that may seem impossible for us, can keep Mary from being corrupted by the taint of sin. That is what the Church teaches us, that by the singular grace of God, Mary, the Mother of God, was conceived without sin, and remained pure and full of grace all her life.

That is further affirmed in our Gospel passage today from the Gospel according to St. Luke in which the account of the Archangel Gabriel announcing the coming of the Saviour to Mary was told to us. The Archangel Gabriel greeted Mary with the words that we are surely familiar with, ‘Hail Mary, full of grace.’, and for someone to be in the state of fullness of grace means that she truly enjoys the complete favour of God and no sin is found in her at all. This affirms the Church teachings that had been preserved from the days of the Apostles that Mary, the Mother of God has indeed been conceived without sin, and remained pure and blameless throughout all of her life, and this made her to be fully worthy to bear the Lord and Saviour Himself in her, and to be the Mother of God.

Brothers and sisters in Christ, as we have discussed earlier and remembered from the Scripture readings today, let us all therefore celebrate and rejoice greatly in commemorating the Immaculate Conception of Mary, the Holy Mother of God, who is also our loving Mother. We rejoice in her great faith and commitment to the mission which she has embraced and accepted with great love and commitment. And in Mary, conceived without sin we have seen a great role model and inspiration for all of us to follow in our own lives and faith, to do what God has entrusted to us to do, and to be truly faithful and striving to be free from sin and wickedness of this world in our respective lives. In Mary, in her fullness of grace, we see the inspiration and model for us to follow, in aspiring for this state of grace and obedience to God.

Ultimately, all of us are called to be reconciled with God and to be reunited with Him, and in order for that to happen, we should repent from our many sins and reject the temptations of sin and evil. We must no longer be stubborn and resist God’s calling for us all to follow Him. We must embrace God’s ever generous love and mercy, His kindness and compassion which He has always presented to us, loving and forgiving us our sins whenever we come back to Him with sorrowful and contrite hearts. May God, our ever loving Father and Creator, Our Lord and Saviour continue to love us and show His mercy on us, and may His Blessed Mother, Mary, conceived without sin, continue to intercede for us always. Amen.

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Sunday, 8 December 2024 : Second Sunday of Advent (Homily and Scripture Reflections)

Liturgical Colour : Purple/Violet

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, this Sunday we celebrate the occasion of the Second Sunday of Advent as we continue to progress through this time and season of Advent in preparation for the coming of Christmas. During this time of Advent, all of us focus our attention upon the expectation of the coming of God’s salvation, both commemorating His earlier coming and appearance in this world which had happened two millennia ago, as well as the promised Second Coming of Christ, which we have been assured and foretold, and therefore we prepare ourselves spiritually and in other means so that we may be truly ready to welcome the Lord as He comes again into our midst, dwelling among us and within us all, our Hope and our Salvation.

This Sunday, we focus on the Theme of Peace, the second of the four themes we commemorate this Advent on Hope, Peace, Joy and Love. If last Sunday we remind ourselves that Advent is the sign of God’s Hope being manifested to us all through His Son, which is what Christmas is all about, then this Sunday we focus our attention on the Peace that our Saviour, our Prince of Peace, Jesus Christ, has brought into our midst. The coming of the Lord as the Prince of Peace, at His Second Coming at the end of time will herald the era and time of eternal peace, where no more conflict, struggles, wars and hardships will exist anymore around us, unlike what we are facing and dealing with in this world of ours in the present day just as how it had been in the past.

In our first reading this Sunday, we heard the words of the Lord as He had spoken to His people, the Israelites through His prophet Baruch. The prophet Baruch came among the Israelites to minister to them during the time at the ending and final years of the Kingdom of Judah, to a people that had been suffering a lot of struggles and hardships amidst their inability and failures to obey the words and commandments of the Lord. He was the scribe of the prophet Jeremiah who had laboured and struggled for many long years against all those who resisted the Lord’s warning and orders. He helped Jeremiah whenever the latter had to hide from the scrutiny and attack by his enemies, helping him to proclaim the words of the Lord to His people.

According to tradition, both the prophet Baruch and Jeremiah endured the final years of the kingdom of Judah and they were there when Jerusalem was besieged and destroyed by the forces of the Babylonians under King Nebuchadnezzar. Both of them were also brought by some rebels among the people into exile in the land of Egypt, and there together with Jeremiah, the prophet Baruch continued to speak of the words of the Lord’s assurance to His people, reminding them all that their time of sufferings and hardships will eventually come to an end. God would gather them all back from those places that they had all been scattered and exiled to, and He would restore them once again to a state of happiness and joy, with peace and harmony in their midst, no more war and conflicts and all the things that they had endured and suffered.

Then, in our second reading this Sunday from the Epistle of St. Paul to the Church and the faithful people of God in Philippi, we heard of the Apostle’s words reminding the faithful there of the great love and grace that they all have received from God and which He has done for all of them through His most Beloved Son, Jesus Christ, Our Lord and Saviour, through Whom the salvation for all the whole world has been assured to us. His coming into our midst has brought forth the revelation of what God has intended for each and every one of us, guiding and leading us all into the path towards our reconciliation and reunion with God, as He taught us all how to live our lives more worthily of the Lord, in purifying ourselves from all the evils and wickedness that had afflicted us previously in our lives.

In our Gospel passage today, we heard of something similar from the account in the Gospel according to St. Luke the Evangelist in which the story of the baptism and works by St. John the Baptist was told to us all. St. John the Baptist was the one whom God had sent into our midst right before the coming of the Saviour in order to prepare His way and to call on us all mankind to welcome Him properly and worthily. And hence, he called on all of the people to repent and turn away from their many sins, and to commit themselves anew to the Lord, a commitment which was symbolised by their willingness to be baptised at the River Jordan by St. John the Baptist. The baptism of St. John is the first step for them to come and seek God’s mercy and forgiveness, to be reconciled once again with their Lord and Master.

Brothers and sisters in Christ, in our lives many of us are now facing a lot of struggles, hardships and challenges from various sources and for many different reasons. However, ultimately all these stem from our separation from God, our pursuit of worldly matters and attachments and our lack of genuine and strong faith in God. After all, how can we have true peace and happiness if we are separated from Him Who is the source of all peace and happiness? That is why this Advent we should focus on the Lord, our Prince of Peace, Whose coming into this world has restored our hope for the true peace and happiness that can exist once again in our lives, as we detach ourselves from the false pleasures and joys of the world and seek instead the lasting happiness in God.

May the Lord, our most loving God and Creator, the Master of Peace and Harmony bring us all into His loving and peaceful embrace. May He empower each and every one of us so that we can continue to live in true peace and harmony, and make this as the emphasis and focus of our upcoming celebrations of Christmas. Let our Christmas joy and celebration be truly meaningful and let us all celebrate Christmas with the right emphasis and intention so that they do not become empty joy and superficial jubilation just as how many of the secular Christmas celebrations all around us may show us. May all of us continue to grow ever stronger in our faith in the Lord and may all of us be always reminded of the love and kindness which God, our Lord and Master has always had for us. Amen.

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Saturday, 7 December 2024 : 1st Week of Advent, Memorial of St. Ambrose, Bishop and Doctor of the Church (Homily and Scripture Reflections)

Liturgical Colour : White

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, as we heard from our Scripture passages today, we are all reminded that each and every one of us are called to follow the Lord and to walk faithfully in His path, which is our mission in life, to obey and to do what God has willed for us. As Christians we must always endeavour to glorify God by our everyday living and by each and every one of our words, actions and deeds, and by whatever good works and contributions we have done for the good of everyone in the Church and elsewhere. We have been entrusted with the important mission to proclaim the Lord and His salvation to the world, and to make Him known to more and more people, so that many more may come to be saved through Him.

In our first reading today, taken from the Book of the prophet Isaiah we heard of the words of assurance from the Lord for His people in the kingdom of Judah, in which God reassured them that they would no longer suffer all the difficulties and challenges, trials and persecutions that they had endured at that time. For at that time, the people of God in the kingdom of Judah were in dire straits, facing lots of threats from their enemies and hostile neighbours, and their separated brethren in the northern kingdom of Israel had earlier on been conquered and defeated by the Assyrians, who destroyed their cities and scattered them into the distant lands away from their homeland, and made them to endure bitter and humiliating exile, bondage and submission.

The people of Judah themselves had faced similar difficulties, as they had to face the invasion by a mighty force of the Assyrians that laid siege to their cities and to Jerusalem itself, and yet, for all their hubris, pride and arrogance, God laid them low and humbled them all as He struck many of them and crushed the arrogance of their king, who had to go back to his homeland with great embarrassment and disgrace. These words of God as spoken by the prophet Isaiah in our first reading today are therefore message of hope and assurance, and the people of God themselves likely had experienced God’s help and guidance firsthand, and encountered His great love and mercy, which He had Himself shown before them. This is a reminder therefore for all of us that we may also believe in God and His loving providence.

As we all continue to progress through this time and season of Advent towards Christmas we are constantly therefore being reminded of God’s love and presence in our midst at all times, how He will always be there for us, guiding and strengthening us in our journey throughout the way. We are reminded that in God is our hope and salvation, and if we continue to trust in Him and follow Him wholeheartedly, then eventually we will share in the true and eternal happiness, glory and all that He has promised and reassured us again and again throughout time. In this time and season of Advent, we are all reminded that we are preparing ourselves to celebrate the Lord’s coming into this world, and remember everything that He has done for us through His Son, Jesus Christ, Our Lord and Saviour.

Then, from the Gospel passage today from the Gospel according to St. Matthew the Apostle and Evangelist, we heard of the Lord speaking to His disciples regarding the matter of the mission which He has entrusted to all of them as His disciples and followers. He went from place to place, ministering to the people and teaching them, healing their sick and those with all sorts of ailments, and He cured them all, which led to even more people coming towards Him, seeking His help and healing. It was mentioned how the Lord was moved by the desire in all those people to be healed by Him, and how they were like a flock of sheep without a shepherd. Hence, He made Himself to be their Shepherd, Guide and Leader.

He also commissioned the Apostles and the other disciples to go forth and to proclaim the coming of the salvation in God, giving them the power and authority to heal the sick, to cast out demons and to do all the things that He Himself had done to the people of God. He sent them out to spread His Good News and to do His works, the mission which still continues even to this very day. The Church and all of us, fellow Christians, have all been entrusted with this mission to proclaim the Lord and His salvation to the whole world, to evangelise and to lead more and more people towards the Lord and His salvation. And in this season and time of Advent, once again we are reminded of this salvation which God has sent to us in our midst through His Son, Our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ.

Today, the Church celebrates the Feast of St. Ambrose of Milan, one of the great early Church fathers and one of the four original Doctors of the Church. He was born as Aurelius Ambrosius into a Christian Roman family in the early fourth century, and according to some Church tradition, his father was a high ranking official, the Praetorian Prefect of Gaul in what is France today, and yet some other traditions associated his father as an imperial official. Having been born to such a family and upbringing, he was well educated and brought up to follow his father’s example, rising eventually to the position of governor of the region of Aemilia-Liguria in northern parts of Italy today. From his pious and wise mother, St. Ambrose grew in the faith and his wisdom.

Eventually, during his time as governor, at that time, there was bitter and difficult rift and division among the faithful, as many among them had been influenced by the then popular and raging Arian heresy. When the previous Bishop of Milan, an Arian, passed away, there was great dispute regarding his successor, which led to St. Ambrose coming to the church where the election was held to prevent violence and uprising from the opposing parties. According to tradition, he was then acclaimed by the people to be the new Bishop of Milan. Although initially he was reluctant to do so, and refused at first the position of bishop, eventually through the intervention and encouragement from the Emperor, St. Ambrose eventually relented and was consecrated as the new Bishop of Milan.

As the Bishop of Milan, St. Ambrose lived a simple and holy lifestyle, and he was very popular with his flock, many of whom had been touched by his tireless efforts to care for them, and in his efforts to eradicate the corruptions and falsehoods of the Arian teachings and heresy that had by then become very popular especially among the higher classes and the clergy. He managed to maintain the unity in his diocese and beyond while at the same time working tirelessly to promote the true, orthodox and clear teachings of the Christian faith as handed down and preserved by the Church from the days of the Apostles. And in one occasion, he was even courageous to stand up against the Emperor himself, when the Emperor Theodosius the Great was implicated in the brutal massacre at Thessalonica, which prompted the excommunication of the Emperor, and the Emperor was only welcomed back to the Church as a penitent through the patient efforts of St. Ambrose of Milan.

Brothers and sisters in Christ, let us all therefore follow in the footsteps of the saints and the Apostles, like those of St. Ambrose of Milan and the countless other servants and disciples of the Lord who had done their best in their lives to show the love and kindness, mercy and compassion of God to all the people whom they encountered and ministered to. Each and every one of us are partakers of God’s mission, the ones entrusted with the responsibility to lead more and more people towards God, through our exemplary lives and actions, through our commitment and dedication to Him, at all times. May the Lord continue to strengthen our faith in us and empower us all so that we may always grow ever stronger in faith and devotion to God, and in our hope in His salvation. Amen.

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Friday, 6 December 2024 : 1st Week of Advent, Memorial of St. Nicholas, Bishop (Homily and Scripture Reflections)

Liturgical Colour : Purple/Violet or White (Bishops)

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, as we continue to listen to the words of the Scriptures presented to us during this time and season of Advent, we are all constantly being reminded of the need for us to continue having faith and trust in God, believing that He can provide us with everything that we need, and that He can lead us all to true happiness and bring us consolation from all the sufferings and struggles that we may be facing in this world. We have to remember the love that God has for each one of us and His patient care for us always endures even though we have often disobeyed Him and rebelled against Him. While He does chastise us for our sins and disobedience, but He always leaves the way open for us to return to Him through our sincere and genuine repentance and through His generous mercy and forgiveness.

In our first reading today taken from the Book of the prophet Isaiah we heard of the words of the Lord to His people in the southern kingdom of Judah, reassuring and encouraging them that He would save all of them and bringing them all to His loving embrace, freeing them from their enemies, healing the blind, the lame, deaf and all those who were troubled among them, a promise that He would indeed fulfil by the sending of His salvation into this world through His Son. And this assurance came at a very good time for the people of God who at that time had been suffering a lot from the attacks by their enemies and everyone around them. God reassured them all that He would never abandon them, and if they continue to be faithful to Him they would be certain of God’s providence and love, and will have share in His eternal glory and joy.

Then, in our Gospel passage today taken from the Gospel according to St. Matthew the Apostle and Evangelist, we heard of the story of the moment when the Lord Jesus encountered two blind men who came to Him and followed Him, begging Him to heal them from their blindness. They kept on asking Him and trusting in Him that He could save them from their predicament, asking Him to show them mercy and love. And the Lord was moved by their faith and persistence in asking and seeking His mercy, healing them from their blindness, and just as we heard and discussed earlier from our first reading today, this was one of the proofs that God has indeed fulfilled what He had promised to His people, His promise to them that He would restore them all and bring them all out of the darkness and evils around us, bringing us into the eternity of happiness and joy with Him.

That is why we are all reminded that we should also seek Him to overcome the troubles and the darkness all around us, asking God to help and heal us from all of our troubles and afflictions. We are reminded that in God alone we can find true consolation and hope, strength and encouragement amidst all the challenges and difficulties we encounter in our daily living. Like those blind men who had physical disabilities, each and every one of us are also afflicted by the affliction of sin, which is far more dangerous and harmful to us than any kind of physical disabilities. This is because while physical disabilities can be cured by doctors and medicine, and even the supposedly incurable one will not last beyond our earthly life, and in the world that is to come, none of us will suffer anymore from those afflictions.

On the other hand, sin is an affliction that is attacking our very own soul, and is something that can lead to eternal damnation and destruction. Not only that but only God alone can forgive us from our sins and heal us in that matter, and as long as we have our sins with us, corrupting us, then we may end up being judged for all those sins, which made us to be unworthy and distant, separated and sundered from God. This is why we should remind ourselves not to be easily swayed by the temptations of sin and the world, and strive to do our best to glorify God by our lives, our every good and worthy actions and efforts in every moments, in our good interactions with one another, and seek the Lord to help and strengthen us in our faith while sincerely repenting from our sins and wickedness, turning back towards God and seeking His love and forgiveness.

Today the Church also celebrates the Feast of St. Nicholas, also known as St. Nicholas of Myra, the one who was the origin of the legend of Santa Claus or Sinterklaas, the famous figure now widely associated with Christmas. Many of the traditions and beliefs associated with the now popular Santa Claus came from the life and practices of St. Nicholas of Myra, who liked to give presents to young children in his diocese, and who was also a very dedicated shepherd and guide to his flock in Myra, a region in Asia Minor which is now part of Turkey. St. Nicholas was one of the very important Church fathers at that time, and his role in fact extended beyond just his ministry to his flock in Myra but also to the larger Church community at a time when many of the faithful were threatened from within by false teachings and heresies.

For at that time, during the early fourth century there were quite a few heresies that had arisen since the earliest days of the Church, but the true and genuine faith had prevailed in all the centuries since by the courageous defence of the dedicated and faithful Church fathers who resisted and opposed the heresies with zeal and commitment to God. Similarly, St. Nicholas of Myra was also an ardent defender of the true and orthodox teachings and faith against the heretics. During the First Ecumenical Council at Nicaea, according to some tradition, St. Nicholas was so incensed by the words of heresy presented by Arius, the popular preacher who initiated the Arian heresy, claiming that Jesus Christ is not equal to the Father, that he hit Arius in the face for his blasphemy against God.

Regardless of whether this actually happened or not, what matters is that St. Nicholas truly stood up for his faith and committed himself wholeheartedly to the Lord, devoting himself for the good of the faithful entrusted to him and for the good of the Universal Church. And his examples should be good inspiration for all of us to follow as well, in how we should continue to live our lives worthily of the Lord, distancing ourselves from sin and obeying the Law and commandments of God, while showing charity and love, care and compassion towards our fellow brothers and sisters around us. Are we able to follow his good examples, brothers and sisters in Christ? Are we willing to commit ourselves to the cause of the Lord and proclaim Him in all and every moments of our lives?

This season of Advent, let us all turn back towards the Lord with faith and have the sincere desire to seek the Lord and His forgiveness and mercy, remembering all the love and kindness that He has always shown us, His beloved people and children. Let us repent from our sins and faults, and reject the temptations of sin, seeking instead the hope and light that the Lord has shown us through His Son, Our Lord and Saviour. May the Lord continue to help and strengthen us in our journey and to persevere amidst all the struggles we may encounter in life. May God continue to help us to have a good and fruitful preparation this Advent so that we may come ever closer to His Presence and to live our lives ever more worthily as best as we are able to. May He bless our every good efforts and endeavours, and strengthen us in faith as once He has strengthened the faith of St. Nicholas, His servant, our great role model. Amen.