after Pentecost

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Friday, 29 September 2017 : Feast of the Holy Archangels Michael, Gabriel and Raphael (First Reading)

Liturgical Colour : White

Daniel 7 : 9-10, 13-14

I looked and saw the following : Some thrones were set in place and One of Great Age took His seat. His robe was white, as snow, His hair, white as washed wool. His throne was flames of fire with wheels of blazing fire. A river of fire sprang forth and flowed before Him. Thousands upon thousands served Him and a countless multitude stood before Him.

Those in the tribunal took their seats and opened the book. I continued watching the nocturnal vision : One like a Son of Man came on the clouds of heaven. He faced the One of Great Age and was brought into His presence. Dominion, honour and kingship were given Him, and all the peoples and nations of every language served Him. His dominion is eternal and shall never pass away; His kingdom will never be destroyed.

Alternative reading

Revelations 12 : 7-12a

War broke out in heaven, with Michael and his Angels battling with the dragon. The dragon fought back with his angels, but they were defeated, and lost their place in heaven. The great dragon, the ancient serpent, known as the devil, or Satan, seducer of the whole world, was thrown out. He was hurled down to earth, together with his angels.

Then, I heard a loud voice from heaven : Now has salvation come, with the power and the kingdom of our God, and the rule of His Anointed. For our brothers’ accuser has been cast out, who accused them night and day, before God. They conquered him, by the Blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony, for they gave up their lives, going to death.

Rejoice, therefore, o you heavens, and you who dwell in them.

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Thursday, 28 September 2017 : 25th Week of Ordinary Time, Memorial of St. Wenceslaus, Martyr and St. Lawrence Ruiz and Companions, Martyrs (Homily and Scripture Reflections)

Liturgical Colour : Green or Red (Martyrs)

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, on this day we heard about the times of difficulties and challenges facing those who are faithful to God. In the first reading we heard of the ruination of Israel and its Temple in Jerusalem, destroyed by the Babylonians. The prophet Haggai reprimanded the leader of the people, Zerubbabel, for having neglected the rebuilding of the Temple and therefore, House of God.

At that time, the people of Israel have just returned from their exile in Babylon and dwell once more in the land of Israel. It was a time of recovery and healing from the sorrows and sufferings they have encountered during the time of their exile. They have been restored to their ancestral land, and they have regained the hope in life, for God Himself has rescued them and liberated them.

Then in the Gospel we heard of the fear that king Herod of Galilee had, after having heard of the miracles performed by the Lord Jesus, Whom he mistakenly thought to be St. John the Baptist, risen from the dead. For he himself had arrested the good saint due to his opposition to his adultery with Herodias, his brother’s wife, and he had also ordered the execution of the messenger and servant of God, and he himself have witnessed that death.

Yet, even though king Herod mistook Jesus for St. John the Baptist, but all of us Christians believe that death does not have the final say over us, and therefore, even though St. John the Baptist had suffered and died, but through his holy death, as a defender of the faith and the truth, St. John the Baptist had deserved and indeed had received the eternal glory which the Lord our God has promised to all those who are faithful to Him.

In what we have heard from these two Scripture readings, one from the Old Testament and another from the Gospel, we can see how God does not abandon all those who are true in their faith to Him, and ultimately, He will reward their faith with everlasting happiness and true joy, which no other can give. This is what each and every one of us must know, so that in our lives, we may always strive to glorify God and to persevere in faith regardless of the difficulties, challenges and temptations.

Brothers and sisters in Christ, on this day we celebrate the feast of many great martyrs and saints, who have given their lives for the greater glory of God, dying in the defence of their faith, so that even though they might have lost their lives for the sake of God, they shall regain them again from the Lord, and their rewards are truly great in the world that is to come.

First of all, St. Wenceslaus is the patron saint of Bohemia, a region now known as the Czech Republic. He lived during a time when the Christian faith gradually became accepted throughout the country, as the old pagan faith and ways faded in the face of the true faith. Yet, there were still many oppositions against the Christian faith, and St. Wenceslaus as the Duke and ruler of Bohemia worked patiently to continue to establish the foundations of the Christian faith, and ruled his people with justice.

Yet, those who were opposed to the rule of St. Wenceslaus banded together and with the support from his brother, who desired power and the rule of the realm, and they murdered this just and righteous ruler for their own selfish gains. Nonetheless, the bravery, faith and commitment of St. Wenceslaus have inspired many others, just as St. John the Baptist remained true to his mission even unto imprisonment and death.

Meanwhile, St. Lawrence Ruiz or Lorenzo Ruiz was the first saint who hailed from the Philippines. He was wrongly accused of murder, and took refuge in a ship that brought him the land of Japan, at that time in the midst of a great persecution of the Church and the faithful. He and his many fellow Christians refused to betray the Lord and abandon their faith, and they were persecuted and tortured as a result.

Through grievous torture and painful suffering, he and his fellow companions in martyrdom refused to let go of the firm assurance of salvation from the Lord. They remained strong in their convictions, and they died giving praise and glory to God, knowing that while their earthly lives ended, God will glorify them and give them a new life that will never end.

Brothers and sisters in Christ, on this day, all of us should heed the examples of these holy saints and martyrs, and we should dedicate ourselves to the Lord in the same manner. It does not mean that we have to go through martyrdom and die in suffering or agony as they had been subjected to, but instead, it means that all of us must be aware that to be Christians, it will often mean that we will end up facing challenges, sufferings, rejections and oppositions, and we must remain strong in our faith to overcome all these.

For the Lord is forever always faithful to His people, and He wants only that each one of us remain faithful in Him as well. Let us all dedicate our time and effort from now on for the greater glory of God, and let us ask for the intercession of the holy saints and martyrs, our examples. St. Wenceslaus, and St. Lawrence Ruiz and companions, martyrs of Japan, pray for us! Amen.

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Thursday, 28 September 2017 : 25th Week of Ordinary Time, Memorial of St. Wenceslaus, Martyr and St. Lawrence Ruiz and Companions, Martyrs (Gospel Reading)

Liturgical Colour : Green or Red (Martyrs)

Luke 9 : 7-9

At that time, king Herod heard of all that Jesus and His disciples had done, and did not know what to think, for people said, “This is John, raised from the dead.”

Others believed that Elijah, or one of the ancient prophets, had come back to life. As for Herod, he said, “I had John beheaded. Who is this Man, about Whom I hear such wonders?” And he was anxious to see Him.

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Thursday, 28 September 2017 : 25th Week of Ordinary Time, Memorial of St. Wenceslaus, Martyr and St. Lawrence Ruiz and Companions, Martyrs (Psalm)

Liturgical Colour : Green or Red (Martyrs)

Psalm 149 : 1-2, 3-4, 5-6a and 9b

Alleluia! Sing to YHVH a new song, sing His praise in the assembly of His saints. Let Israel rejoice in his Maker; let the people of Zion glory in their King!

Let them dance in praise of His Name; and make music for music for Him with harp and timbrel. For YHVH delights in His people; He crowns the lowly with victory.

The saints will exult in triumph; even at night, on their couches, let the praise of God be on their lips. This is the glory of all His saints. Alleluia!

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Thursday, 28 September 2017 : 25th Week of Ordinary Time, Memorial of St. Wenceslaus, Martyr and St. Lawrence Ruiz and Companions, Martyrs (First Reading)

Liturgical Colour : Green or Red (Martyrs)

Haggai 1 : 1-8

In the second year of the reign of Darius, on the first day of the sixth month, a word of YHVH was directed to the prophet Haggai, for the benefit of Zerubbabel, the son of Shealtiel, governor of Judah, and Joshua the son of Jehozadak, the high priest.

So says YHVH of hosts : This people claim that the time to rebuild the House of YHVH has not yet come. Well now, hear what I have to say through the prophet Haggai : Is this the time for you to live in your well-built houses while this House is a heap of ruins? Think about your ways : you have sown much but harvested little; you eat and drink, but are not satisfied; you clothe yourselves, but still feel cold; and the labourer puts the money he earned in a tattered purse.

Now think about what you must do : go to the mountain and look for wood to rebuild the House. This will make me happy; and I will feel deeply honoured, says YHVH.

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Wednesday, 27 September 2017 : 25th Week of Ordinary Time, Memorial of St. Vincent de Paul, Priest (Homily and Scripture Reflections)

Liturgical Colour : White

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, as we heard the readings from the Sacred Scriptures this day, there are two key takeaways which we should keep with us, as we proceed on with our daily living. First of all, it is about our sins and how God has been merciful to us, as He forgave us our sins and were willing to overlook our trespasses. And secondly, it is also about what each of us as Christians have been called to do in our lives.

In the first reading we heard today, we saw how Ezra the priest, prophet and leader of Israel humbled himself such before God that he offered the humble subjection on behalf of the whole nation and people of Israel, admitting the many sins and faults which they have committed before the Lord, all the betrayals they have made against their God, when they stumbled and worshipped the pagan gods, in all of their inappropriate and wicked actions.

Yet, God has been willing to overlook our sins and to forgive us, so long as we are willing to be forgiven. And how is it that we know that we are willing to be forgiven? It is by our sincere desire to repent from our sins, in the manner as Ezra the priest had shown us all today. He has humbled himself, lowered himself greatly before God, recognising the faults and the unworthiness of his corrupt and impure self, having been corrupted by sin, just as the people of Israel have been corrupted by their disobedience.

This is a very important step in the path of forgiveness, for many of us often forget that in order to be forgiven, we must be ready to change ourselves, and to admit our shortcomings and inadequacies, our imperfections and flaws. We often think that we cannot be wrong, and that our way is correct, and we are too proud to admit that we are in the wrong. It is often our pride and ego that prevented us from attaining true redemption.

Brothers and sisters in Christ, let us all not be prideful or arrogant, but instead let us be humble in everything, especially before God. For He has been willing to forgive us from our sins, if we are just able to humble ourselves and seek for His forgiveness, by actively turning ourselves ever closer towards His ways. This is what all of us should be doing, and what all of us should be focusing on in life.

Let us all heed the examples of St. Vincent de Paul, the saint whose feast we celebrate today, and whose life exemplifies what we have also heard in the Gospel today. All of us as Christians are also called to reach out to our brethren, bearing the words of the Gospels and the truth of our Lord, through our love and our caring outreach to them, as St. Vincent de Paul himself had done.

St. Vincent de Paul was the patron saint of charity who was renowned for his many works among the poor and the needy in the society, who was the inspiration for the Society of St. Vincent de Paul today, which continued to carry out the same works begun by the saint all those years ago. St. Vincent de Paul had a tough life, for once he was captured by pirates and was enslaved for a number of years.

But his actions, piety and exemplary life inspired one of his masters, who repented his sinful life, and helped to return St. Vincent de Paul to his homeland. These experiences affected St. Vincent de Paul, who was ever since then, always sought to care for the poor and the needy, all those who have little or nothing to survive on, by founding several congregations to gather the like-minded people to participate in helping the least of their brethren, obeying what the Lord Jesus Himself had told His disciples to do.

The examples of the good works of St. Vincent de Paul should be our inspiration in life, that as Christians all of us are called for a higher purpose in life, that is to look beyond our own needs, especially our selfish desires, and seek for the betterment of our brethren who are not as fortunate as us in life. Let us all reach out to them, and out of true spirit of charity, let us show our love towards them.

Therefore, let us from now on be ever humble in the presence of God and men alike, knowing that each and every one of us are sinners, to whom God has given the grace of forgiveness and mercy, and let us thoroughly repent from our sinful ways, and from now on, let us all be loving and charitable, in the same way as St. Vincent de Paul had been in his life. May the Lord bless us all, and may He continue to inspire us to live worthily of Him at all times. Amen.

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Wednesday, 27 September 2017 : 25th Week of Ordinary Time, Memorial of St. Vincent de Paul, Priest (Gospel Reading)

Liturgical Colour : White

Luke 9 : 1-6

At that time, Jesus called His Twelve disciples and gave them power and authority to drive out all evil spirits and to heal diseases. And He sent them to proclaim the kingdom of God and to heal the sick. He instructed them, “Do not take anything for the journey, neither staff, nor bag, nor bread, nor money; and do not even take a spare tunic.”

“Whatever house you enter, remain there until you leave that place. And wherever they do not welcome you, leave the town and shake the dust from your feet : it will be as a testimony against them.”

So they set out, and went through the villages, proclaiming the Good News and healing people everywhere.

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Wednesday, 27 September 2017 : 25th Week of Ordinary Time, Memorial of St. Vincent de Paul, Priest (Psalm)

Liturgical Colour : White

Tobit 13 : 2, 3-4a, 4bcd, 5, 8

It is He Who punishes and He Who has mercy; Who makes people go down to the depths off the underworld and rise up again from the great abyss. No one can escape His hand.

Give Him thanks, people of Israel, before all the nations. Though He has dispersed you among them, He now shows you His greatness.

Exalt Him before all the living, because He is our God and Lord, our Father forever.

He punishes us for our wrongdoing but again He will forgive us. He will bring us together again from amongst all the nations among whom we have been dispersed.

I, in the land of my captivity, will return Him thanks and show His strength and greatness to My sinful people. Be converted, you sinners, and live justly before Him, certain that He will be pleased with you and show you mercy.

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Wednesday, 27 September 2017 : 25th Week of Ordinary Time, Memorial of St. Vincent de Paul, Priest (First Reading)

Liturgical Colour : White

Ezra 9 : 5-9

I remained seated and dismayed until the evening sacrifice; and then, at the time for the evening offering, I rose from my fasting, and with my clothes and mantle torn, I knelt down, spreading out my hands to YHVH, my God.

I said, “My God! I am ashamed and confused, my God, I do not dare raise my eyes to You; for our sins have increased over our heads and our crimes reach up to the heavens. From the days of our ancestors to this day, our guilt has been great. We, our kings and priests have been given into the hands of foreign kings because of our crimes; we have been delivered to the sword, to captivity, to plunder, and put to shame as on this day.”

“However, for a brief moment, the mercy of YHVH, our God, has been shown to us. He made a remnant of our people survive, and allowed the survivor to settle once again in His Holy Place. He has given us joy and life, though we are in bondage. We are no more than slaves, but in the midst of our slavery, God has not abandoned us, He has extended a merciful hand over us to support us before the kings of Persia. He has revived our life, enabled us to rebuild the House of our God, and to have walls in Jerusalem and in the other cities of Judah.”

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Tuesday, 26 September 2017 : 25th Week of Ordinary Time, Memorial of St. Cosmas and St. Damian, Martyrs (Homily and Scripture Reflections)

Liturgical Colour : Green or Red (Martyrs)

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, on this day we heard the Gospel speaking to us about doing the will of God in our lives, and that those who obey the Lord and do His will shall be considered as the brothers and sisters of our Lord, meaning as those whom God had chosen to be His own people. And consequently, we are expected, as Christians, to do God’s will in our lives.

In the first reading today, we continue with the discourse from the Book of the prophet Ezra which began yesterday, speaking of the time when the people of Israel were freed from their Babylonian exile and slavery, and they were allowed to return to the land of their ancestors. They were also allowed to rebuild the Temple of God in Jerusalem, and today we heard of the preparations which were in place to reestablish fully the worship of God.

The priests and the relevant people were appointed just as the Temple of God was rebuilt in Jerusalem. The sacrifices and celebrations which had not been celebrated anymore ever since the days of the kingdom of Israel and Judah were celebrated once again, and the worship of God therefore continued once again in its proper order, and the people flocked to return to God.

The people of Israel and Judah had once been sinful and wicked in their actions, and they have not been faithful to God, and instead they worshipped the pagan gods and idols, which resulted in their estrangement from the Lord and their exile, the destruction of their kingdoms and livelihoods, until the time when they have repented from their sins, and therefore were allowed to return to the promised land, as we have heard in the passages from the Book of Ezra.

What God wanted from all of them was their dedication, love and commitment, not their empty gestures and sacrifices. He wanted them to love Him with all of their hearts and not merely just paying lip service in faith. That is why He constantly reminded us His people, that our faith in Him can neither be lukewarm or superficial. We should have genuine love for God, the strong desire in our hearts to be with God and to commit ourselves to His ways.

Today we should learn from the examples of St. Cosmas and St. Damian, the holy and dedicated servants of God, whose commitments to God have been exemplary, and whose faith in the Lord are truly inspirations for all of us. St. Cosmas and St. Damian were told to be twin brothers who were renowned physicians in the Roman province of Syria, who were martyred during the time of the great persecution under the Roman Emperor Diocletian.

They were very renowned physicians who were remembered fondly by many because of their sincere and generous devotion to the people, by not charging a single cent for their services. They did their services out of pure love for God and men alike. Their selflessness turned many towards the Christian faith, who were stirred by the faith which the twin saints practiced in their lives and in how they healed many from their afflictions.

Yet, the two saints were arrested during the great persecution of Christians, and were put to death in martyrdom, defending their faith to the very end. Nonetheless, the memory of their great faith, and the great love and compassion they have shown to their brethren were not forgotten, and still inspired many people to this very day. This is what all of us Christians should aspire to achieve in our lives.

Therefore, brothers and sisters in Christ, let us all, inspired by the holy lives of the saints, particularly that of St. Cosmas and St. Damian, be true disciples of our Lord in deeds and actions, that in our every works, and in our every actions, we will always show forth that we truly belong to the Lord, by loving one another, and by caring for the least fortunate among us, practicing our faith in our every deeds in life. May God be with us all, and may He bless all of our good works. Amen.