after Pentecost

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Friday, 6 October 2017 : 26th Week of Ordinary Time, Memorial of St. Bruno, Priest (Psalm)

Liturgical Colour : Green or White (Priests)

Psalm 78 : 1-2, 3-5, 8, 9

O God, the pagans have invaded Your inheritance; they have defiled Your holy Temple and reduced Jerusalem to rubble. They have given Your servants’ corpses to the birds, and the flesh of Your saints, to the beasts of the earth.

They have poured out the blood of Your faithful, like water around Jerusalem, and there was no one to bury them. Mocked and reviled by those around us, we are scorned by our neighbours. How long will this last, o YHVH? Will You be angry forever? Will Your wrath always burn to avenge Your rights?

Do not remember against us the sins of our fathers. Let Your compassion hurry to us, for we have been brought very low.

Help us, God, our Saviour, for the glory of Your Name; forgive us, for the sake of Your Name.

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Friday, 6 October 2017 : 26th Week of Ordinary Time, Memorial of St. Bruno, Priest (First Reading)

Liturgical Colour : Green or White (Priests)

Baruch 1 : 15-22

You will say : May everyone recognise the justice of our God but, on this day, shame and confusion befit the men of Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem – our kings and princes, our priests, our prophets, and our fathers, because we have sinned before the Lord.

We have disobeyed Him and have not listened to the voice of the Lord our God, nor have we followed the commandments which the Lord had put before us. From the day that the Lord brought our ancestors out of the land of Egypt until this day, we have disobeyed the Lord our God and we have rebelled against Him instead of listening to His voice.

Because of this, from the day on which the Lord brought our ancestors out of the land of Egypt, so as to give them a land flowing with milk and honey, the evils and the curse which the Lord pronounced by Moses, His servant, have dogged our footsteps right down to the present day.

We did not listen to the voice of the Lord our God speaking through the words of the prophets whom He sent to us, but each one of us followed his perverted heart, serving false gods and doing what displeases the Lord our God.

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Thursday, 5 October 2017 : 26th Week of Ordinary Time (Homily and Scripture Reflections)

Liturgical Colour : Green

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, on this day all of us heard firstly from the Book of the prophet Nehemiah, in which we heard of the moment when the Law of God was read to assembly of the faithful of Israel by Ezra the priest and prophet. The people wept because they heard the Law, which showed them just how sinful and wayward they had become. They wept because they were aware that they were sinners before God, and the consequences for sins were very severe.

But Ezra calmed the people down and reminded of the love and mercy of God to them. That day was a day dedicated for joyous celebration in the Lord, for God had gathered back His scattered people and allowed them to return to the land of their ancestors. A new hope had dawned on Israel at that time, a hope once hidden beneath the suffering and humiliation of having to endure exile from their homeland, the destruction of their Holy City and Temple.

God was once again with His people and dwelled among them. This is the hope which Ezra placed on the people, even as the Law became a constant reminder of what would happen to those who had become wayward in their lives. And this is what the Gospel today also reminded each and everyone of us Christians. In the Gospel today, the Lord Jesus sent forth His disciples on their way to preach the truth and the faith which He had brought into this world.

He reminded them that such a task would not be an easy one. There will be challenges and persecutions awaiting them. There would be many of those who sought to undermine the good works they have done. There are those who have refused to listen to the truth, and they also refused to listen to the Word of God preached to them. Those who showed no repentance and desire to be forgiven therefore received also a rejection from God.

While those who wanted to listen to the word of God and turn back from their sins, received from God the forgiveness and mercy He had promised to them. And God’s peace and harmony was theirs. Just as the Israelites were forgiven by their sincere repentance, the sorrow they showed for their sins, the regrets they exhibited as we saw in the first reading today, therefore God will forgive all those who sincerely seek His forgiveness.

Therefore, how do all these then have their relevance for us? First of all, as Christians, all of us have received the truth of God, understood His ways and teachings, and accepted the Lord Jesus as our God and Saviour. But at the same time, we are also still sinners, who constantly get tempted in life, and fall again from time to time into sin. If we do not listen to the word of God and refused to turn away from our sins, then God will still reject us.

Then secondly, all of us as Christians also receive the same mission as what the disciples of the Lord had been given by the Lord. They were sent to preach the Good News to the people of God, reaching out to all those who have not yet been touched by God’s truth. And in this world today, there are still many people out there who have lapsed in their faith, and are in need of guidance from us.

Therefore, all of us Christians must be truly faithful in our lives, committed wholeheartedly to God’s ways, in our every actions, words and deeds. We must show our brethren the way forward to God through our examples. We cannot reach into the hearts of others, if we ourselves have not done what the Lord asked of us, or worse still, doing what is contrary to what our faith is about.

Let us all devote our effort from now on henceforth, trying our best to live righteously in the presence of God, becoming witnesses of the Lord through our deeds. May the Lord bless us all and our endeavours, and may He empower us to do in our lives even more faithful devotion and actions done with courage and commitment to God. Amen.

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Thursday, 5 October 2017 : 26th Week of Ordinary Time (Gospel Reading)

Liturgical Colour : Green

Luke 10 : 1-12

At that time, the Lord appointed seventy-two other disciples, and sent them, two by two, ahead of Him, to every town and place, where He Himself was to go. And He said to them, “The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few. So you must ask the Lord of the harvest to send workers to His harvest.”

“Courage! I am sending you like lambs among wolves. Set off without purse or bag or sandals; and do not stop at the homes of those you know. Whatever house you enter, first bless them, saying, ‘Peace to this house!’ If a friend of peace lives there, the peace shall rest upon that person. But if not, the blessing will return to you. Stay in that house, eating and drinking at their table, for the worker deserves to be paid. Do not move from house to house.”

“When they welcome you to any town, eat what they offer you. Heal the sick who are there, and say to them : ‘The kingdom of God has drawn near to you.’ But in any town where you are not welcome, go to the marketplace and proclaim : ‘Even the dust of your town that clings to our feet, we wipe off and leave with you. But know for a certainty that the kingdom of God has drawn near to you.'”

“I tell you, that on the Day of Judgment it will be better for Sodom than for this town.”

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Thursday, 5 October 2017 : 26th Week of Ordinary Time (Psalm)

Liturgical Colour : Green

Psalm 18 : 8, 9, 10, 11

The Law of YHVH is perfect : it gives life to the soul. The word of YHVH is trustworthy : it gives wisdom to the simple.

The precepts of YHVH are right : they give joy to the heart. The commandments of YHVH are clear : they enlighten the eyes.

The fear of YHVH is pure, it endures forever; the judgments of YHVH are true, all of them just and right.

They are more precious than gold – pure gold of a jeweller; they are much sweeter than honey which drops from the honeycomb.

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Thursday, 5 October 2017 : 26th Week of Ordinary Time (First Reading)

Liturgical Colour : Green

Nehemiah 8 : 1-4a, 5-6, 7b-12

In the seventh month, all the people gathered as one man in the square before the Water Gate, and they asked Ezra to bring the book of the Law of Moses, which YHVH had given to Israel. Ezra brought the Law before the assembly, both men, women and all the children who could understand what was being read.

It was the first day of the seventh month. So he read it before the plaza in front of the Water Gate from dawn till noon, before the men, women and those children who could understand. All the people were eager to hear the book of the Law. Ezra, the teacher of the Law, stood on a wooden platform built for that occasion.

Ezra opened the book in the sight of all the people, for he was in a higher place; and when he opened it, all the people stood. Ezra praised YHVH the great God; and all the people lifted up their hands and answered, “Amen! Amen!” And they bowed their heads to the ground.

The Levites explained the Law to the people who were standing. They read from the book of the Law of God, clarifying and interpreting the meaning, so that everyone might understand what they were hearing. Then Ezra, the teacher of the Law, said to the people, “This day is dedicated to YHVH, your God, so do not be sad or weep.”

He said this because all wept when they heard the reading of the Law. Then he said to them, “Go and eat rich foods, drink sweet wine and share with him who has nothing prepared. This day is dedicated to the Lord, so do not be sad. The joy of YHVH is our strength.”

The Levites also calmed the people down, saying, “Do not weep. This day is a festival day. Do not be sad.” And the people went their way to eat, drink and share, and they had a great feast, because they had understood the words that had been proclaimed to them.

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Wednesday, 4 October 2017 : 26th Week of Ordinary Time, Memorial of St. Francis of Assisi (Homily and Scripture Reflections)

Liturgical Colour : White

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, on this day we celebrate the feast day of the famous religious and holy man, St. Francis of Assisi. St. Francis of Assisi is the founder of the Franciscan order or the Order of Friars Minor. He was born in the family of a rich silk merchant, Pietro Bernardone as Francesco Bernardone. He was destined to succeed in the family business and inherit the wealth as the eldest son. Yet, God had a very different plan for him.

It was just as the Scripture readings today mentioned, beginning from the first reading from the Book of the prophet Nehemiah. In that passage, we saw how the prophet Nehemiah, who was once the cupbearer and favourite servant of the Persian Emperor, sought the permission of the king to return to his homeland, the ancestral land of the people of Israel, for a number of years in order to supervise the rebuilding of the land and Jerusalem.

Nehemiah had a comfortable life as the king’s court member, and surely he had nothing to worry about in life, as certainly everything has been taken care of, all worldly needs and all that he would ever required. Yet, God called Nehemiah to a higher purpose, to serve Him, Who is the One true King above all the other kings, even far greater than the Persian ruler, the mighty ruler of the then superpower.

In the Gospel today, Jesus also called His disciples and all those who desired to be His followers. His message to them was simple, “Follow Me!” and that was all that was required. He called them, and they followed Him. The followers of Jesus came from various backgrounds. Some of them were rich and influential, while some others were poor. But, all of them were called to the same vocation, that is to serve God and to be wholehearted in their devotion to Him.

However, as seen in the Gospel, when the Lord called them, the people who were called came up with many excuses. Some of them wanted to settle their family matters first, while others wanted to tend to their properties and worldly issues first. And therefore the Lord rebuked them, for they did not place their priorities in God, but in their own worldly and selfish desires and needs.

Perhaps the examples of St. Francis of Assisi will be able to show us the way for us as Christians, in how we ought to commit ourselves to God, and answer His call with a willing heart. To each and every one of us, God has given many different kinds of gifts, and He has called us to different vocations in life. Yet, all of these vocations and callings bring greater glory to God. The calling to religious and priestly life is the greatest of all, for it entails surrendering everything to God’s will.

Brothers and sisters in Christ, in his youth, St. Francis of Assisi, Francesco Bernardone, was endowed with great riches and all that a person could have wished for, as his wealthy and influential family was able to afford anything he would have desired, just as the prophet Nehemiah had nothing lacking as the servant of the ruler of Persia. Yet, God called St. Francis of Assisi to a new life, and he heeded the call.

While he was hedonistic and materialistic during his younger days, spending his father’s money in a life of luxury and filled with parties and revelries, he had a complete turnaround after he was affected personally during a war, in which he was taken hostage and having to endure the sufferings in prison for about a year. Ever since then he began to question the meaning of his life and his calling.

Eventually, having heard God’s call, St. Francis of Assisi decided to leave behind everything, all the money, wealth and possessions, the status and inheritance he was to receive from his father and family. This infuriated his father, who went to reclaim St. Francis of Assisi, who had committed himself to a lifetime of service to God. He complained to the local bishop to whom St. Francis of Assisi had fled to, about all the investments and money he had spent on the education and upbringing of St. Francis as his heir.

Therefore, St. Francis left behind everything, and took off all of his clothings, as a symbol of total rejection of worldliness and all the privileges he had once been entitled to, renouncing all the temptations of life, and giving his all out of pure love and devotion for God. Ever since then, he left behind the world, and became a completely new person, a person totally devoted to the service of God.

He founded the Franciscan order, calling and inspiring many other men who were also called to the same vocation, to serve the Lord and His people in poverty, and to spread the Word of God and His truth to all those who have not yet heard of them or those who have been lukewarm in their faith. Through their works, and their dedication to the Lord, many souls have been saved from damnation.

Brothers and sisters in Christ, reflecting on what we have heard from the Sacred Scriptures, as well as from the life and experiences of St. Francis of Assisi, all of us should also do the same in our lives, by listening attentively to the Lord Who calls us in the depths of our hearts. And having heard His call, we should respond in kind, answering the call with our own response, just as courageously as St. Francis had answered his own.

Let us all no longer be lukewarm or passive in our faith, but instead, from now on let us be active in living a holy life devoted to God, in each of our own ways. God has called us to various vocations in life, and as long as we follow His will and obey His commandments, we shall bring greater glory to God. May the Lord continue to guide us on our path, and let us all renew our devotion to the Lord by doing what He wants us to do, day by day, ever growing more faithful to Him. Amen.

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Wednesday, 4 October 2017 : 26th Week of Ordinary Time, Memorial of St. Francis of Assisi (Gospel Reading)

Liturgical Colour : White

Luke 9 : 57-62

At that time, as Jesus and His disciples went on their way, a man said to Him, “I will follow You wherever You go.” Jesus said to him, “Foxes have holes and the birds of the air have nests; but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay His head.”

To another, Jesus said, “Follow Me!” But he answered, “Let me go back now, for, first, I want to bury my father.” And Jesus said to him, “Let the dead bury their dead; as for you, leave them, and proclaim the kingdom of God.”

Another said to Him, “I will follow You, Lord, but first let me say goodbye to my family.” And Jesus said to him, “Whoever has put his hand to the plow, and looks back, is not fit for the kingdom of God.”

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Wednesday, 4 October 2017 : 26th Week of Ordinary Time, Memorial of St. Francis of Assisi (Psalm)

Liturgical Colour : White

Psalm 136 : 1-2, 3, 4-5, 6

By the streams of Babylon, we sat; and then wept, as we remembered Zion. When, on the poplars, we hung our harps.

Our captors asked for song. Our tormentors wanted songs of joy : “Sing to us one of the songs of Zion!”

How could we sing YHVH’s song in a strange and alien land? If I forget you, o Jerusalem, may my right hand fall useless!

May my tongue cleave to my palate if I remember you not, if Jerusalem is not the first of my joys.

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Wednesday, 4 October 2017 : 26th Week of Ordinary Time, Memorial of St. Francis of Assisi (First Reading)

Liturgical Colour : White

Nehemiah 2 : 1-8

In the month of Nisan, in the twentieth year of king Artaxerxes, I was doing my duty as cupbearer. I took up the wine and gave it to the king. I had never been sad before the king in the past. So, the king said to me, “Why do you look sad? You do not look sick. Is there something that bothers you?”

I became hesitant. And I said, “May the king live forever! How could I afford not to be sad when the city where my ancestors are buried lies in ruins and its gates are burnt down?” The king said to me, “What do you want, then?” I asked help of God from heaven and said to the king, “If it seems good to the king and if he is pleased with my work, then may he send me to the land of Judah, to the city where my ancestors are buried, that I may rebuild it.”

The queen was sitting beside the king, and the king asked me, “How long will you be gone? When will you be back?” I told him the date and he allowed me to leave. And I said to the king, “If it pleases the king, may you give me letters for the governors of the province of the other side of the River that I may travel to Judah; and also a letter to Asaph, the caretaker of the king’s forest, for I will need wood for the gates of the citadel near the Temple, for the walls of the city and for the house where I shall live.”

The good hand of God was supporting me, so that the king gave me what I asked.