Catholic homilies

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Wednesday, 10 November 2021 : 32nd Week of Ordinary Time, Memorial of Pope St. Leo the Great, Pope and Doctor of the Church (Homily and Scripture Reflections)

Liturgical Colour : White

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, today as we listened to the words of God, we are all reminded of the great power of God and His most loving compassion and mercy, through the works which He has shown to us, by which He has manifested Himself before all of us, His people, that we all may know the existence of our most Almighty God and Saviour, the One Whom we ought to love and show our dedication and commitment to.

In our first reading today, we heard from the Book of Wisdom the words of the Lord spoken and directed towards the kings and rulers of the world. The Lord spoke through the author of the Book of Wisdom, which traditionally was attributed to King Solomon, or one of the prophets or some others who compiled the sayings of the Lord, in which He chastised the attitudes of the kings and the rulers who were often corrupt and wicked, who abused their power and authority for their own benefits and causing sufferings to others.

The Lord reminded all of them that all of their power and authority ultimately came from Him, and that they would themselves be held accountable for all of their actions and choices. For all of their good and evil deeds they shall be judged and measured, and those who committed bad and wicked deeds shall be punished for their actions while those who are good and righteous, dutiful and just in being a ruler and governor over the people will be judged in a favourable way in the end.

At that time, many of those rulers and other powerful lords did things without much regard or concern for the poor and the needy in their domain, or anyone else, save for their own desires and wishes for power, for glory and more of the wealth and possessions that many of them already had plenty of. It was these excesses that the Lord condemned and criticised, and through what we have heard today from the Book of Wisdom, all of us are therefore also reminded not to do the same in our own lives. The greater the position we have in the community, the more responsibilities are expected of us.

In our Gospel passage today, we heard about the Lord Who healed the ten lepers who came to Him as outcasts from the community in the wilderness. Ar that time, according to the Law, those who contracted leprosy had to be excluded from the community and had to wander off in the wilderness and away from others until they were cleansed and healed from their leprosy. As long as they were still suffering from the leprosy, they would not be allowed to return back to the community.

The Lord then told them that they would be healed while telling them to go and show themselves to the priests. On the way, as mentioned, they were all healed, but only one of them, a Samaritan actually went back to the Lord Jesus and thanked Him, while the other nine all were too happy and joyful that they just went on their way and not even showing any gratitude to the Lord for having healed them. The fact that it was a Samaritan who had the faith made it even more ironic, as Samaritans then were considered by the Jews as being pagans and worthy of condemnation.

What the Lord wants us to know from that episode is that all of us have to remember that everything and every blessings have come to us from God, and we must not be prideful in thinking that everything happened for us because of our own success and power. It is not that the Lord expects us to show Him gratitude and thanksgiving. On the contrary, it is by right and justice that all of us must show Him proper reverence and gratitude for all that He had done for us, even for us wicked sinners.

The Lord Himself showed a good example for us to follow, in how He did not even show off His power and glory, as He healed those ten lepers. He could have performed magnificent miracles before them and then told them all to proclaim His works before all the people. No, that was not what He did. What He did was to simply tell them to show themselves to the priests to prove that they had been cured, while the miracles happened quietly and without fanfare. The Lord, the One true authority and font of all power in the Universe, humbly hid Himself and His glory.

That is how all of us as Christians ought to act, with humility and prudence, with true faith and love for God, and not greed and love for ourselves. And today, we all should follow the faithful examples set by one of our holy predecessors, namely that of Pope St. Leo the Great, whose feast we celebrate this very day. Pope St. Leo the Great can show us what it means for us to be faithful Christians and to obey God and His will in our lives, in remaining humble before Him and in staying true to our faith.

Pope St. Leo the Great was the first Pope to be called the Great, and he was the Pope and Leader of the entire Universal Church during crucial moments in the history of the world and Christendom. At that time, the Western Roman Empire and the city of Rome itself had been beset by barbarian invasions, and there were much devastation caused in those difficult years of conflicts and wars. At the same time, the Church had also faced a lot of problems with heretical and unorthodox teachings, most prominently the heresies of Nestorianism and Monophysitism, which both were at the extremes of the Christian theology, threatening to break the Church apart.

Pope St. Leo the Great was a powerful figure, a humble yet very respected leader throughout Christendom, who devoted his time and efforts to care for the needs of his flock, to prevent the Church from falling into heretical ways and to support the Church and the community of the faithful by his great leadership. He also wrote extensively to the bishops and other leaders of Christendom, adhering and affirming to the tradition of the faith of the Apostles, keeping the Church united in the midst of divisions and disagreements. He stopped the barbarian hordes of Attila the Hun, which until then was mostly unstoppable, and prevented Rome itself from being sacked and destroyed by those Huns.

Brothers and sisters in Christ, Pope St. Leo the Great through his actions, leadership and great personal qualities and humility showed us how each and every one of us can become faithful Christians in our own way of life. Are we all willing to follow his good examples and practice our faith courageously and devotedly the way that he had done? Let us all discern these carefully, and pray to the Lord, asking Him to guide us in our journey, that we may make the right decisions and choices, to walk in the path that God has set before us.

May the Lord continue to guide us and remain with us, and may He empower us all to live faithfully as true and genuine Christians, in all things and not just in formality and name only. May all of us who are entrusted with power and authority also use them with prudence and with genuine care and concern for those who are placed under their care and for others. May God bless us and all of our efforts and endeavours, now and always. Amen.

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Tuesday, 9 November 2021 : Feast of the Dedication of the Lateran Basilica (Homily and Scripture Reflections)

Liturgical Colour : White

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, today we all celebrate together as the entire Church in honour of the great Mother Church of the whole world, namely the Papal Basilica of St. John Lateran, also known as the Lateran Basilica or by its full name as the Papal Archbasilica of Our Most Holy Saviour, of St. John the Baptist and St. John the Evangelist at the Lateran, the Mother and Head of all the Churches in the City (of Rome) and the World. That Basilica of St. John Lateran has such a singular honour because it is the church where the Cathedra of the Pope is, and as such, it is the Cathedral of the Vicar of Christ.

All dioceses in the world have a church in which the bishop’s seat or throne is located at, also known as the Cathedra. This is where the name Cathedral came from, designating the church in which the bishop presides over the entire diocese, as the seat of his authority and also as the mother church of the entire diocese. That church is known as the cathedral of the diocese, and the Diocese of Rome, of which the Bishop is the Pope himself, also has a cathedral, namely that of the Basilica of St. John Lateran, which feast of its dedication we are celebrating today.

And because the Pope as the Bishop of Rome by the virtue of his position as the successor of St. Peter the Apostle as the first Pope and Bishop of Rome, and as leader of the entire Universal Church, therefore, the Cathedral of the Diocese of Rome has a most special significance, not only as the mother church of the entire Diocese and city of Rome, but also as the Mother Church of the entire world, highlighting the Pope’s special and most important role in his Petrine ministry as the Vicar of Christ and leader of all of God’s faithful people.

That Basilica of St. John Lateran is therefore dignified as the only one in the world to hold the title of Archbasilica, as the chief and mother of all churches, surpassing in honour of all the churches and houses of the Lord in the entire world. Many people thought that the Pope’s Cathedral and seat is at the Papal Basilica of St. Peter in Vatican, the largest and most majestic of all the churches, but that is because the Pope resides in the Vatican City, and he celebrates most of the liturgical events in that Basilica. The Papal Basilica of St. Peter in Vatican is no doubt the second most important due to its location, being built above the location of the martyrdom and the tomb of St. Peter himself.

But the Basilica of St. John Lateran is where the Cathedral of the Pope has always been, since it was built as one of the first churches to be established after the official toleration of the Christian faith by the Roman Emperor, Emperor Constantine the Great. It was established as the first major church buildings built in Rome after centuries of persecution which saw Christians being hunted and oppressed, forced to hide in the catacombs and practice their faith in secret. The church that was to become the Basilica of St. John Lateran therefore in way became a symbol of the triumph of the Christian faith, and became the seat of the Pope as the Bishop of Rome.

And what is the dedication of a church? It is the moment and special occasion when the building of the church is consecrated and sanctified by God, as a place of worship and as a place worthy to be the house of God, as the place where the Altar of the Lord’s Sacrifice would be established and placed, worthy for the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass. In the dedication of a church, the church building and especially the Altar is blessed and sanctified, made to be worthy of the Lord’s Sacrifice in the Mass. The relics of saints, at least one of a martyr are placed in the Altar, in memory of how the early Christians celebrated the Mass in catacombs on the tombs of the saints and martyrs.

On this day, as we rejoice in the memory of the great dedication of this most magnificent and worthy House of God, the Mother Church of all the whole entire world, all of us do not in fact just celebrate the dedication of this great House and Temple of God. As we heard from the Epistle of St. Paul to the faithful in the city of Corinth, one of the first readings used today, all of us God’s faithful people are in fact also the Temples of the Holy Presence, the Temples and dwelling place of God that He Himself has sanctified and marked through the Sacraments we received.

How is that so, brothers and sisters in Christ? That is because just as the church is blessed with holy water during its dedication, thus we have also been washed with the waters of the Sacrament of Baptism, and anointed with oil just as the Altar that is consecrated is also anointed with oil, and had white cloth put over it just as we have also been clothed when we were baptised, and we have also received the light of Christ, the same light placed upon the consecrated Altar. And we are also incensed just as the Altar is incensed.

What is the significance then? All of us are the Living Church of God, the living members of God’s One, Holy, Catholic and Apostolic Church, the Body of Christ. All of us are united as one people and one Church, as one community of the faithful. We must not limit our understanding of the Church merely to the buildings and the structures, or just to the hierarchy of bishops and priests, as all of us are also part of that same Church, all united together in our faith in God, and all journeying together in faith.

Just as the churches are holy and a place made and kept worthy for the worship of God, as St. Paul had also said in the reading today, all of us are also called to maintain ourselves in a state of purity and holiness, so that our lives and our bodies, our whole beings may remain in a state that is worthy of God, for God Himself dwells in us, through the Eucharist, the Most Precious and Holy Body and Blood of the Lord that we have received and partaken, and through the Holy Spirit that He has sent down upon us.

Brothers and sisters in Christ, let us all therefore walk with faith in God’s presence, and do our best as we celebrate today’s Feast of the Dedication of the great Basilica of St. John Lateran that we will always strive to live a holy and worthy life, where our faith became evident in our lives and actions. Let us all serve the Lord faithfully in each and every moments of our lives from now on, and may God Who lives and dwells in us, give us the strength and courage to carry out our duties as faithful and dedicated Christians in our world today. Amen.

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Monday, 8 November 2021 : 32nd Week of Ordinary Time (Homily and Scripture Reflections)

Liturgical Colour : Green

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, on this day as we listened to the words of the Scriptures, we are all reminded to keep our faith in God, having received the Wisdom of God and the truth that He has revealed to us. All of us should help one another to stay faithful to the Lord, and not instead make others to fall into sin. Essentially, we are reminded that as Christians, we have a very important responsibility of being good role models for each other in our faith and way of life so that we can help each other true to our faith in God.

In our first reading today, as we listened to the words of the Lord through the Book of Wisdom, we heard how the Lord’s Wisdom remains in the just people and in all those who are willing to listen to God and to embrace His ways. If on the other hand we prefer to keep to our own wayward paths, disobeying the Lord, His laws and commandments, then in the end, we may end up walking the path of foolishness and lacking in God’s Wisdom and guidance. That is what happened to many who have chosen to disobey the Lord and walk their own path.

And as we heard in our Gospel passage today, these foolish actions lead to scandals that happened in our faith and the Church. And there were those who misled others into committing such scandals as well, in their lack of faith and misguided actions, which not only led themselves to their downfall but others as well. The Lord was at that time also alluding to the actions of those who have been entrusted with the guidance and guardianship over the people of God, such as the Pharisees and the teachers of the Law, and the chief priests who were the custodians of the Law.

The Lord however still wants to forgive us and be reconciled with us, even with all those misdeeds, just as He said right immediately afterwards about forgiveness, and how we ought to forgive one another ceaselessly, the number seven used having the meaning perfection, and therefore is a call for all of us to be generous in forgiving just as God Himself is generous in forgiving us our sins, provided that we are willing to repent from our sins and waywardness and accept His ever generous mercy.

If only that we have true and genuine faith in the Lord, and entrust ourselves in Him and His Wisdom, and allow Him to do His wonderful works through us, then many more of us could have found our way to the Lord and His salvation. Unfortunately, many of us prefer to trust in our own flawed judgments and ideas, and we ended up doing things that led us deeper and further into sin, and as such, causing us to fall further into the path towards damnation. And not only that, we also dragged others into our folly.

Brothers and sisters in Christ, today as we listened to these, we are reminded to be faithful to God and to entrust ourselves to His Wisdom and providence. If we have erred and walked the wrong path thus far, God is always ever merciful and kind, and willing to embrace us and forgive us as He Himself has promised. However, are we willing to embrace Him and to be forgiven by Him. And are we also willing to listen to Him and allow ourselves to be guided by Him as we walk this path of life? Or do we prefer instead to continue trusting our own judgments and ideas?

Brothers and sisters in Christ, let us all therefore commit ourselves anew to the Lord from now on. Let us learn to accept God and His wisdom and truth into our own lives, and strive to do our best to live a life that is worthy of us being called as Christians, a life sanctified and blessed by God, and a life that is modelled after that of Christ Himself, and also after our innumerable holy predecessors, all the saints, the holy men and women of God. God has given us the free will and the freedom to choose our path, but let us also trust in His Wisdom to guide us so that we may choose the right path in life.

May God bless us all and may He remain with us in our journey of life, so that we may draw ever closer to Him, and continue to walk this path of life, and be strengthened in faith, at all times. May God bless us all, now and always, forevermore. Amen.

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Sunday, 7 November 2021 : Thirty-Second Sunday of Ordinary Time (Homily and Scripture Reflections)

Liturgical Colour : Green

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, this Sunday as we all heard the words of the Lord in the Scriptures, each and every one of us are reminded of the love and dedication that each and every one of us should have for the Lord, the faith and trust that we must have in Him so that in everything we do, we always put Him first and foremost in our minds and hearts. As Christians, all of us have to be thoroughly committed to God and not just paying lip service or lacking in genuine devotion and love for Him. That is what all of us are challenged to do as Christians.

In our first reading today, taken from the First Book of Kings, we heard about the story of the prophet Elijah who went to Zarephath following the instruction of the Lord. Zarephath was a place in Sidon, in the region of the Phoenicians beyond the traditional boundary of the land of Israel, and this fact was mentioned in the Scriptures. The prophet Elijah back then had just delivered his warning against King Ahab of Israel and the people that their sins and wickedness would lead them to suffer a period of drought and famine for the next few years.

That drought and famine struck hard on the land of Israel and its neighbouring countries, including Zarephath where Elijah visited during his trip. The widow whom Elijah encountered had also suffered from the effects of the drought and famine, and at that time, she herself admitted that she was about to cook the last meal for herself and for her son, as they had nothing left, no more food to sustain themselves, just a little flour and oil enough for their last meal.

It was then that the prophet Elijah came by and asked for a little food for himself, and the widow told him about her own predicament, and how she could not spare anything for him, whom she recognised as a man of God. But the prophet Elijah reassured the widow of the Lord’s kindness and providence, and the widow, despite her hesitation and doubts, chose to make the food, making a bread for the prophet. She gave from her poverty, from the very little that she had, to the servant of God.

Elijah promised the widow that the Lord would provide for her, and that her containers of flour and jugs of oil would not run out while the period of hardships last, and everything did happen as Elijah had foretold, and the widow’s flour and oil remained, to feed her and her son, throughout the difficult times. The widow of Zarephath, although she was likely not even one of the Israelites, had faith in the Lord and chose to be generous even in her moment of suffering and misery, and gave from whatever little she had left. God provided for her and cared for her.

Then, in our Gospel passage today, we heard the story of yet another woman, a poor widow who came to the Temple and made her offering to the Temple treasury, a very small amount of two copper that when compared to the offerings made by some of the rich were totally insignificant. Yet, the poor widow truly gave from her heart, and from her poverty just like that of the widow of Zarephath. She gave those coins even when she had not enough for herself, and although those coins might have had a very small value, but they could have helped her, and yet, she still chose to offer it to the Lord.

And the Lord earlier on also highlighted to His disciples and the people the warning for them not to follow the examples of those who liked to flaunt their wealth, power, possessions and piety before others. It is not that wealth or worldly possessions and things themselves are bad, but it is our attachment to them and our desires to gain them, all of which end up leading us down the path of selfishness and self-indulgence, which then gradually can mislead us into the wrong path of sin and evil.

The Lord was also indirectly making comparison between the poor widow and those who made big donations and offerings, as well as with the attitudes of the self-righteous and pompous Pharisees and the teachers of the Law. It is not that it is bad to give large donations, but rather, we must understand that the context is easily lost when we read a story recorded in the Scriptures, as it was likely that at that time, linking to what the Lord just said earlier regarding those with long robes and those publicly flaunting their wealth and faith, those rich who gave the offerings made the offerings to be seen and praised by others.

Essentially, the important point that the Lord wants us to know is that we are all called to be generous in giving, in the giving of our blessings that we have received, and even more importantly in the giving of our love. No matter how great or significant the amount that we give, and no matter how large or small, in whatever form we give, as long as we give it with sincerity from the heart, out of love, then that is what matters in the end. On the contrary, if one were to give a large amount, but did so out of vanity and desire for his or her own selfish benefits, or worse still, desiring return for the investment, then it is not a sincere and true giving or generosity.

The widow of Zarephath gave generously to the servant of God, the prophet Elijah despite her earlier doubts, and that poor widow who gave the two copper coins at the Temple also gave generously from her heart. Both of them gave even from their poverty, and they did not seek acclaim, fame or expecting what they had given to be returned to them. As such, God blessed them and remembers their generosity. They may not receive any rewards in this world, but their rewards in Heaven shall be great, and that is what we can also be sure of if we are generous in the giving of ourselves.

The Lord Himself did so by His own example, in giving most generously and selflessly, as we heard in our second reading taken from the Epistle to the Hebrews. The author of that Epistle prominently represented the Lord Jesus Christ as the Saviour of all mankind, and also as a High Priest. And not just like any other High Priest appointed by God to lead the people of Israel in their offerings of sacrifices, for this High Priest is the One that is True and Eternal, and One Who offered, once and for all, the sacrifice worthy for all of us, for all mankind and our sins, by His most loving sacrifice on the Cross.

Brothers and sisters in Christ, in the Crucifixion, the Lord showed us what true generosity is all about. He gave us all everything when He had everything. He is the Lord, the Almighty, far and infinitely above all other things in this Universe, above all of us and everything is His. He is Divine, All-Powerful and All-Knowing, and yet, for our sake, out of His equally infinite love for each and every one of us, He emptied Himself, humbled Himself so low and so despicable, all so that by sharing in our Humanity and in His perfect obedience, He may save us all and reunite us with Himself.

He was willing to strip Himself of all power and dignity so that by His offering of His own life, His Most Precious Body and Blood, as the Paschal Lamb of sacrifice, He, the Eternal High Priest of all of us, representing every single one of us, may deliver us from our fated destruction because of our sins, caused by our disobedience to God. He selflessly took all of our sins and their consequences upon Himself, and generously gave us a new lease of life, one that promises upon us true happiness and glory for eternity.

Brothers and sisters in Christ, through what we have just discussed and heard from the Scriptures, as Christians we are therefore reminded to be generous in our love and giving, in reaching out to God, Who has loved us so much that He gave us His only Son, to suffer and die in our stead, so that we may live and have eternal life. And we also have to love our fellow brothers and sisters just as much as we love God and just as much as God loves all of us. How can we hate anyone if God Himself does not? God does not despise the sinners, but instead the sins that we committed before Him.

Let us all therefore carefully discern our path in life, our actions and way of life, so that we may learn to live our lives with genuine faith and with generosity of love, in loving God and dedicating ourselves and our time and effort to serve Him, and as well as in loving our fellow men, and not just those who have loved us, but even strangers and those who despise us. Let us learn to forgive and to love one another unconditionally, remembering how the Lord Himself had died for us sinners, with the perfect, most selfless, unconditional love.

May our ever loving God and Father continue to watch over us and strengthen us that we may walk ever more faithfully in His presence with faith, and that we may dedicate more and more of our time, effort and attention to be good and dedicated Christians, from now on and always. Amen.

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Saturday, 6 November 2021 : 31st Week of Ordinary Time (Homily and Scripture Reflections)

Liturgical Colour : Green or White (Saturday Mass of Our Lady)

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, this day as we listened the words of the Scriptures we are all reminded to remain faithful and focused on the Lord, to follow Him wholeheartedly and not to be easily swayed and tempted by worldly temptations and distractions, all of which can mislead us and end up falling into the path of sin and damnation if we are not careful and allow ourselves to be misguided.

In our first reading today, we heard from the Epistle of St. Paul to the Church and the faithful in Rome, in which the Apostle spoke about his many contemporaries and fellow Christians, who have dedicated themselves in their own way, both in the city of Rome and in other places, in order to serve the Lord and to proclaim His truth to more and more people. It was their dedication and hard work, their contributions and efforts which allowed the faith to blossom rapidly in Rome and elsewhere.

St. Paul highlighted how God had called all the people to follow Him, Jews and Gentiles alike, from all origins and from various nations and races that had received His words and answered His call. And the ones St. Paul highlighted in his Epistle were just a few examples of the many others who had listened to the Lord and chose to respond to His call to be the bearers of the truth and to proclaim the same truth that they have received to many others who have not yet heard them.

In our Gospel passage today, we heard the continuation of the words of the Lord regarding the parable of the dishonest steward which we have heard yesterday. The Lord told His disciples and the people who were gathered about the matter, including the Pharisees and the teachers of the Law who were also in the midst of the crowd, and to whom the Lord actually addressed the parable to.

That is because in the parable of the dishonest steward, the Lord mentioned how a dishonest and greedy steward who was about to be dismissed by his master for his actions and mismanagement of the property, actually committed even more dishonest and wicked actions in order to secure for himself a good and comfortable life after he lost his job. And the Lord thereafter explained to the people, as we heard in our Gospel today, is why the actions of those who sought their own personal benefit is despicable, such as that done by the Pharisees and the teachers of the Law.

When the Lord mentioned these things, He wants us to know that we all have a choice to make, which involves the choice between following the Lord and the path of the world, that is the path of Satan and evil. God has given us the free will and the freedom to choose our path in life, but we have to make good use of the opportunities given to us, as well as the truth and wisdom given to us to decide carefully which path we ought to follow in live, as we go forward living them.

The examples of the Pharisees and many others amongst our predecessors should have shown us how dangerous and alluring the temptations of power and worldly glory and wealth can be. If we are not careful, we may end up falling deeper and deeper into its clutches, and slowly it will corrupt us more and more, eventually leading us down to fall into the depth of sin and evil, and from which we may find it difficult to escape, if we keep on allowing sin to affect us.

Let us instead follow the examples of St. Paul and his contemporaries, all those who decided to follow the Lord and answer His call. We should do as they had done, in following the path that God had set before them. They devoted their time, effort and attention to serve the Lord and placed His will and commandments, His missions and works ahead of their own personal ambitions, desires or any other worldly aims that they might have had.

May the Lord help us and strengthen us in our faith, and may He empower each and every one of us to follow Him wholeheartedly, that all of us may find our way to the Lord and we may dedicate our time and attention to Him the way our holy predecessors had done. May God bless us all and our every endeavours, now and always. Amen.

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Friday, 5 November 2021 : 31st Week of Ordinary Time (Homily and Scripture Reflections)

Liturgical Colour : Green

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, today as we listened to the words of the Scriptures, we are all called and reminded to be prudent in how each and every one of us live our lives so that we do not end up falling into the temptations of pride and sin. We are called to remember that we live in this world to serve the Lord and not to serve our own selfish desires and greed, not for our own gain and benefits, but rather for the greater glory of God.

In our first reading today, taken from the Epistle of St. Paul to the Church and the faithful in Rome, we heard of the Apostle speaking to them regarding the matter of serving God and all that he had done to glorify the Lord and to proclaim His truth among the nations. In that occasion, St. Paul told all of the people that everything that he had done, all the great deeds and hard works he had made and contributed, were all done for the greater glory of God, and when he boasted, he boasted not about himself or his own personal achievements. Rather, everything were done for the greater glory of God.

That was how St. Paul dedicated himself, his life and his efforts to serve the people of God, to bring more and more to follow the Lord and to know His truth, by going from place to place and reminding the people of the Lord’s truth and salvation. He always strived to seek the salvation of many, both Jews and Gentiles alike, reaching out to them and speaking courageously despite the challenges and trials that he had to go through, the opposition and persecution that he had to endure in the process, all those things he did not do for himself, but for God’s glory.

In our Gospel passage today, we heard the Lord speaking to His disciples using the parable of the dishonest steward, which may sound rather strange to us if we do not understand the context of what we have been hearing, and what actually the Lord intended to tell the people and His disciples using that parable. In that parable, we heard the Lord relating the story of a dishonest steward who was about to be dismissed from service because of his alleged mismanagement of his master’s property.

That dishonest steward is a representation of those who have been wicked and unfaithful, a rebuke and criticism which the Lord actually made against the Pharisees and the teachers of the Law in an indirect manner, because they had acted in the same way as that dishonest steward. How is that so? That is because the dishonest steward who had been dishonest in his dealings and in his mismanagement, chose to commit even more vices and selfish deeds to preserve himself. In doing what he had done, he in fact had proven that what was alleged about him regarding his mismanagement was likely to be true.

The dishonest steward acted in order to enrich and take care of himself, and to advance his own desires and cause, and as he was about to be dismissed, he also thought about himself first and thinking how he could secure for himself a good life even after he was dismissed. That is exactly what happened when we allow ourselves to be misguided and led by our desires, our ego and our greed. All those things lead us down the slippery path of disobedience and sin, and just as the dishonest steward, we may end up doing more and more dishonest, unjust and evil actions to satisfy ourselves and our desires.

As Christians, all of us are reminded to distance ourselves from this attitude and way of life. Worldly things and matters like money and possessions by themselves are not inherently evil, but it is our desire and attachment to them which led us to disobey the Lord and to fall into the path of evil. As such, like St. Paul mentioned in his Epistle and as we have heard regarding his actions and works, first and foremost we have to seek the glory of God and focus ourselves on Him rather than to focus our attention on ourselves. We must strive not to indulge our ego and desires.

Let us all help one another in this, brothers and sisters in Christ, that we will not end up falling into the temptations and the allures of the evil one, in all of his many efforts to lead us to our downfall. Let us all help one another in focusing our attention and effort on the Lord. May the Lord continue to guide us and strengthen us in our journey of faith, that we may remain faithful through life, now and always. Amen.

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Thursday, 4 November 2021 : 31st Week of Ordinary Time, Memorial of St. Charles Borromeo, Bishop (Homily and Scripture Reflections)

Liturgical Colour : White

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, today as we recall what we have just heard in the Sacred Scriptures, we are all reminded of God’s ever generous love and mercy for each and every one of us. God has desired to be reconciled with us and He wants to forgive us our sins, making us sharers in His glorious promise and inheritance because that was what He had intended for us in the very beginning. God created us all out of love and wanted us to share in His love.

In our first reading today, taken from the Epistle of St. Paul to the Church and the faithful community in Rome, we heard the Apostle reminding them all of the fact that all of them, all mankind exists for the Lord and the Lord is the Master of all, and therefore is the One holding the control over all things that are in our lives, and whatever we say and do, we ought to do them while knowing this fact, which means that we must not forget that the Lord will hold us accountable over all of our actions, words and deeds.

St. Paul made this exhortation to the people in order to address the issue that often arose within the Church, both at that time and even to this very day, of how we often criticise and gossip against one another, or comparing among ourselves who are better and holier, while despising and condemning others whom we look down upon. In this way, we end up causing divisions and unhappiness within the Church, causing us to be set against our fellow brothers and sisters, and we are not doing what the Lord wanted us to do, that is to love one another just as He has loved each and every one of us.

In our Gospel passage today, we heard the Lord speaking to His disciples and the people using a parable, that is the parable of the lost sheep and the lost coin. In that parable, the Lord mentioned how a man who had a hundred sheep and lost one of those sheep would do everything he could to find that one lost sheep, going around and doing everything in order to find and be reunited with that lost sheep. Once he had found that lost sheep, he would rejoice for the lost sheep even greater than for the other sheep that were not lost. The same logic was applied with the lost coin as well.

The Lord used this parable to counter the argument of the Pharisees and rebuking them for their self-righteous and elitist attitude in looking down on all those whom they deemed to be less worthy than they were. Those Pharisees frowned because they saw the Lord speaking and having a meal with tax collectors and all those whom they deemed to be sinners. To those Pharisees, the tax collectors, as were prostitutes and others who were deemed unclean and unworthy, as sinners and incapable of being saved.

The Lord proved them wrong and rebuked them for their attitude and short-sightedness, as well as for their lack of love, care and concern for their fellow brethren. They were entrusted with the guardianship and guidance for the people, and yet, they sought mostly their own justification and salvation over that of others, and even made it difficult for many others to come to the Lord by making the Law so strict and oppressive that it turned away many that could have been saved in the Lord.

This is what each and every one of us as Christians are called to distance ourselves from, from the attitude of excesses of pride and haughtiness, of arrogance and selfishness. We are instead called to be loving and selfless in our actions and deeds, to be caring towards one another and to show love and mercy to our fellow brothers and sisters. And as Christians we are all called to reflect the love of God in our every actions and to proclaim His truth through our every deeds and words. We cannot do so unless we love one another and consider each other fellow brethren in the same Lord.

Today, we should look upon the good examples set by one of our holy predecessors, whose feast we are celebrating, namely that of St. Charles Borromeo. St. Charles Borromeo was the famous Archbishop of Milan who was a faithful servant of God and one of the courageous leaders of Counter-Reformation. St. Charles Borromeo was remembered for his great piety and dedication to the Lord. St. Charles Borromeo spent a lot of effort to reform the Church and to lead his flock down the right path, leading by example in his many years as shepherd of the faithful.

St. Charles Borromeo was involved in many aspects of the Church, its leadership and pastoral engagements, spending a lot of time and effort to restructure and to purify the Church and its institutions from creeping corruptions from worldly forces and influences. He reinvigorated the faithful in all of his diocese and in other parts of Christendom through his contributions, and together with other leaders of Counter-Reformation was crucial in preventing many others from falling to the falsehoods of heresies and other wrong teachings.

Brothers and sisters in Christ, the great examples set by St. Charles Borromeo should inspire each and every one of us to follow the Lord more courageously, and we should spend more effort and time to seek the Lord more wholeheartedly, and to dedicate our entire lives to serve the Lord and to love our fellow brothers and sisters, in each and every moments and in every opportunities we are given. May the Lord continue to guide us and help us in our journey, and strengthen us in faith. Amen.

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Wednesday, 3 November 2021 : 31st Week of Ordinary Time, Memorial of St. Martin de Porres, Religious (Homily and Scripture Reflections)

Liturgical Colour : Green or White (Religious)

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, on this day as we listened to the words of the Scripture, we are called to reflect on our lives in this world as Christians, as those who belong to the Lord and who have been called to live a good and devout life worthy of God. We are all called to do what is right according to the Law and the commandments of the Lord, distancing ourselves from evil and wicked deeds and things that may end up leading us into our downfall and destruction in hell.

In our first reading today taken from the Epistle of St. Paul to the Church and the faithful in the city of Rome, we heard the Apostle speaking to the faithful through his letter regarding the commandments of God, the Law that God has placed in our midst to govern us and how we ought to be living this life in obedience to God. We have to do as commanded by the Lord, to love Him first and foremost above any other things, and to love one another in the same way that we love ourselves.

St. Paul mentioned this in his Epistle to remind the people of God there in Rome of their obligation as Christians to love, loving God and loving one another. Otherwise, they will not be truly faithful to the Lord and whatever faith they had will be meaningless and empty. For in another occasion, St. Paul also said that, we may have received many gifts, talents and abilities, the gift of speaking in tongues, of prophecy and even miracles and healing, but unless we have love in us, then everything we have is meaningless.

Love indeed lies at the centre of our faith and existence as Christians, as the Law of God and the rules and regulations set by the Church are all meant to help and guide us in our journey towards the Lord, to help us in redirecting our attention to Him, to love Him and to be able to show that love which God Himself has shown us, in our lives and in how we interact with one another. As Christians, we are all called to love and love generously, to show care and concern, compassion and love to everyone, and especially to those who need them the most.

Then, in our Gospel passage today, as we heard the words of the Lord speaking to His disciples, we heard how He told them what it truly means to become His disciples. He told them that they ought to be ready to leave everything behind, every attachments, every other desires and put the Lord and His cause first and foremost, or else, we may get our priorities wrong. However, we must not interpret this as the Lord is asking us to leave behind our family members and relatives, our loved ones. God did not call us to be people who are irresponsible.

On the contrary, what He wants us to do is to reorientate our lives and change our focus from one that is centred on ourselves to one that is centred in God. Our families and relationships should also be framed in the presence of God and His path, and that is essentially how we lead a more wholesome and holy Christian life. We have to live our lives with true love, love for God and love for our fellow brothers and sisters, and not just selfish love and desire for ourselves and our own needs and wants.

The Lord then went on to speak regarding the plans one ought to go through before building a house, and the considerations and plans that kings must have prepared before they marched out to meet other kings for war and battle. What the Lord meant with this is that, all of us have known what is due for us at the end of the journey, and therefore, we are all called to discern carefully how we are to live our lives from now on. Are we going to continue living our lives in the manner as wretched and sinful as they may be, or are we going to embrace the Lord and His path?

We know that following the Lord will also likely include plenty of obstacles and challenges, and many occasions where we may have to make sacrifices and endure the trials and tribulations of being faithful to God, of standing up to our Christian faith and remaining resolute in living our Christian calling in each and every moments of our lives. But it is possible for us to do this if we put our faith and trust in God, and allow Him to lead us in the path that we traverse through life.

And we should also follow the great examples of our holy predecessors, the saints, holy men and women of God who are our role models in faith. Today, in particular we celebrate the feast of St. Martin de Porres, who was a renowned religious and member of the Dominican Order as a lay brother. He was renowned for his great personal holiness and dedication to the Lord, his care and love for his fellow men and women, especially all those who have suffered oppression and prejudice just as he himself had experienced and suffered from.

St. Martin de Porres was born in Lima in Peru as the illegitimate son of a Spanish nobleman with his freed slave, and as a mixed race or mestizo person, he was accorded like many others a second class treatment below that of those with European descent or came directly from Europe, the latter of which which had the highest prestige and position in the society. He lived his early life in poverty, and as a descendant of the Native Americans, he was barred by law from becoming full member of the religious orders, although he desired to become a priest and religious.

As such, St. Martin had to beg the Dominicans to be allowed to join as a lay brother, who dedicated his life from then on to do the many works of the Order, supporting the religious brothers and the community. It was a lot of hard work, and was sometimes looked down upon by the members of his own community and by the priests, some of whom looked upon his descent and ancestry with disdain, as well as the illegitimacy of his birth.

Nonetheless, St. Martin de Porres dedicated himself all the harder to serve his community, and he dedicated himself to the Lord all the more, especially in the Blessed Sacrament. He ministered to the poor and the sick as part of his works, and for many years, cared for many of the people in his community, as well as within the Dominican religious community. His dedication and faith eventually earned him great respect and support by the time of his passing. Many attributed miracles to him and his tomb also exuded great fragrance and other signs of holiness.

Brothers and sisters in Christ, if St. Martin de Porres had been able to commit himself and his life despite his difficult background and conditions, to love the Lord and also to love his brothers and sisters, even those who despised and made his life difficult, then why can’t we, most of us with much better condition than he was, dedicate ourselves in the same way too? Are we too complacent and lazy to follow in the same path that this holy saint had walked? Are we not courageous and faithful enough to follow the Lord in the same way?

Let us all discern our path in life carefully then, so that all of us may hence learn to live our lives with greater devotion from now on. May God be with us always and may He guide us and strengthen us so that we may be more willing to follow Him with ever greater sincerity, just as St. Martin de Porres had shown us, in being true and genuine Christians as we should. Amen.

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Tuesday, 2 November 2021 : Feast of All Souls (Homily and Scripture Reflections)

Liturgical Colour : Black or Purple/Violet

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, today all of us come together to mark the occasion of All Souls Day, on which day we remember our brothers and sisters who have departed from this world before us. Today we remember all those who have left their worldly existence in the flesh, and who have died in the Lord, as those who are not considered as saints, whose feast we celebrate yesterday in All Saints Day, but are still probably in Purgatory, waiting to enter the glory of Heaven.

What is Purgatory, brothers and sisters in Christ? Purgatory is a place where the holy souls who have passed on from this world are in, in a time and existence between that of this world and Heaven. They are not yet able to enter Heaven, because unlike the saints whose faith and virtues had deemed them to be worthy, over their venial sins, to enter Heaven directly at the moment of their passing from this world, those holy souls in Purgatory are still burdened by the residual sins that they had not been forgiven from.

One may then think that if God is so great and merciful, then He could have forgiven all of us all of our sins at His will and whim alone, and that isn’t it because of His suffering and death on the Cross that He has liberated all of us mankind from sin and evil, and freed us from our bondage? Then, why is it that Purgatory exists? The same question then can be asked of why does hell still exist then. If God has redeemed and saved us all, then should not all mankind free to enter Heaven at the end of their lives in this world?

This is where many of us often lack the proper understanding of our faith and how the afterlife works. Many aspects of what will happen after death remains a mystery to us, but through the teachings of the Lord, the wisdom of the Holy Spirit given to us through the Apostles and many other saints, including visionaries and all those who have witnessed Heaven, Hell, and Purgatory, the Church therefore had revealed to us from what it had kept in the treasures of the faith, of what happens to us after we pass on from this world.

Essentially after we pass on from this world, a certainty for all of us due to our mortality, as no one can ever evade death, then there are three paths for us. Those as mentioned earlier who have lived their lives with great virtue and devotion to God, or even had shed their blood, suffered and died a martyr’s death, all of them are deemed worthy to enter into the glory of Heaven, to enjoy the beatific vision and the joy of being with God, as the innumerable saints that we have, and of which some have been officially recognised by the Church.

Then, for those who have died rejecting the Lord and His mercy to the very end, refusing to repent and continuing to live a life of sin and wickedness to their last moment, then they most likely end up in Hell, to suffer with the devil and all of his fellow fallen angels, the demons and evil spirits that dwell there, as a consequence of their conscious rejection of God’s love, compassion and mercy. Hell as the Church teaches us, is not as much a place as a state of existence, where the rejection of God led to a most bitter and terrible suffering.

Then, for many others, if not the vast majority of us, then we will end up in Purgatory, as our sins are not that terrible and horrendous that it merits us Hell, but at the same time, sin is still sin, no matter how small and insignificant it may be, and as long as our souls are still tainted by the residual sins that we have, then we cannot yet enter into Heaven, to where God dwells and be in His presence. And why not? That is because God is so good and perfect, that no sin can be in His presence.

That is why, in Purgatory, those holy souls are still suffering not because of the suffering that is like those who are in Hell are suffering, as they all suffer while knowing that Heaven is their ultimate destination. Their suffering came about because they have regretted still having those sins preventing them from immediately coming to be in the presence of God, and those sins have to be purified before they will be able to enter the glory of Heaven.

The Church has offered us all many opportunities to be forgiven from our sins, just as the Lord has given His Church the authority to forgive sins, the same power that He Himself has shown, as God alone can forgive sin. He has delegated that power and authority through the Church and the Apostles, and from them to our bishops and priests. The Sacrament of Reconciliation or Penance is the means by which the Church offers us this chance of forgiveness and reconciliation with God.

As such, when we confess our sins before the priest and are truly regretful of those sins that we confessed, then the Lord will forgive us through the priest, who is acting in the person of Christ, or ‘in persona Christi’, to forgive us our sins through Christ acting through him, as the triumphant Lamb of God and Saviour, Who had redeemed us from all sins and evils through His suffering and death on the Cross. Yet, not all of us have our sins confessed and some of us have carried our sins with us even to the afterlife.

That is why probably many of us will end up in Purgatory, and today, we remember those holy souls, our very own brothers and sisters, who have gone before us and are now there, suffering and waiting for the complete purification of their residual sins, such that they may finally then enter into the glory of Heaven. And those souls cannot pray for themselves to end their time there faster, but we can do that for them. We, the Church Militant still living in this world, as well as the saints, the Church Triumphant in Heaven are able to pray for the Holy Souls in Purgatory, our fellow brethren in the Church Suffering.

Therefore today, on this All Souls Day, let us all remember all the holy souls in Purgatory, especially those souls who have no one to pray for them, that God may have mercy on them, and remembering His great love, compassion and kindness, may be moved to allow them to enter into His glorious kingdom at the soonest opportunity, and therefore enjoy the inheritance that we ourselves will one day enjoy too, if we remain faithful to God. We should pray for them, especially on this special day and also for the rest of the month of November, now that the Church had decided again for this year to extend the indulgence for the dead for a longer period of time.

And let us all also remember that we have to lead a life that is holy and worthy of God, or else we ourselves may end up in Purgatory. Let us all strive to follow the examples of the saints, and distance ourselves from sin and evil, helping one another in this world to live good Christian lives, while also helping those in Purgatory to be closer to God and their Heavenly inheritance and promise. Let us all, members of the same Church of God, the Church Militant, Church Triumphant and Church Suffering pray together as one and help one another in our journey towards the Lord, for us in this world and for those in Purgatory.

May God, our loving God and Father, bless us all and may He have mercy and compassion on the holy souls in Purgatory, that He may lead them all to Himself, gather them in, forgive them their sins and remembering their love for Him, that all the holy souls in Purgatory, our brothers and sisters may have eternal peace and true joy in the Lord’s Presence, one that we hope to share in the future ourselves, one day as is our hope as always. Amen.

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Monday, 1 November 2021 : Solemnity of All Saints (Homily and Scripture Reflections)

Liturgical Colour : White

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, today we celebrate the great Solemnity of All Saints, celebrating the memory of the Lord’s innumerable great saints, all those who have been found worthy and been officially canonised as saints by the Church, and therefore worthy of veneration by the entire Church and all the faithful. Today we remember the glorious deeds and the lives of those saints, our own holy predecessors, all those who have given themselves and their whole lives in the service of God, who lived worthily of God.

In our first reading today, we heard of the words from the Book of Revelation of St. John the Apostle which detailed his glorious vision of Heaven as he received it during his exile at the island of Patmos. St. John saw a great number of the descendants of Israel, as well as innumerable people of every nations and races, all gathered and brought together in the presence of God. They were all those whom according to the Angel that guided St. John, had lived their lives with faith in God, and there were still many among them who had been persecuted for the Lord.

What St. John had seen in his vision was a proof that there is life and existence beyond death, and the saints represent all those whom the Lord had deemed to be worthy to join Him in the glorious kingdom He had prepared for them in Heaven, where they would be all His people and He would be their God forevermore. Sin and death would no longer come between Him and them, and those saints, some suffering persecution before they gained the promised eternal glory, all have been faithful to God to the very end.

In our second reading today, we then heard from St. John the Apostle in his Epistle, the same St. John who had seen the heavenly vision at Patmos. Whether St. John wrote this Epistle before or after his exile at Patmos and the vision, he knew, after having journeyed with the Lord and receiving the truth through the Holy Spirit and Wisdom of God, that all of us are truly beloved children of God, and therefore as God’s own children, therefore, we are called to be more like our heavenly Father in all things.

What does that mean, brothers and sisters in Christ? It means that since God is our Creator and our Father, and as He considered us all His own children, then naturally all of us as His children must be like Him in all things, just as children usually follow after the example of their parents, especially their fathers. It is just right and fitting that as God’s children that we walk in the path of righteousness and justice, to be good just as our Lord and God, our heavenly Father is all good and perfect.

St. John therefore exhorted all the faithful and the Church to follow the Lord faithfully and commit themselves to a new life and existence centred and focused on God, one in which we, the children of God, are living our lives with virtue and goodness, with faith and devotion to God, that we truly belong to God and everyone who sees us, hears us and our words, witnesses our actions and interactions, all shall know that we come from the Lord, and may come to believe in Him as well through us.

How do we then do this, brothers and sisters in Christ? Then remember what we have heard in our Gospel passage today, in which Our Lord spoke to the people in His Sermon on the Mount or the Beatitudes, detailing the eight ways in which we can be truly blessed living our lives with faith, and when the Lord Jesus praised all those who have lived their lives virtuously according to the Eight Beatitudes, in fact He was exhorting and telling all of us to do the same with our lives.

To be poor in spirit does not mean for us to be physically and materially poor, but rather, it refers to an attitude that we must have in life, to be humble in our disposition and way of life, to be humble and meek in seeking God’s love and fulfilment, to be poor and truly in need of help and guidance from God. We ought not be proud and haughty, ambitious and selfish in our way of living and interaction with each other. Instead, we should always seek the Lord and His love and providence at all times. This is what is meant by being poor in spirit.

Then as we seek justice and righteousness in life, just as we all seek to be merciful in our actions and deeds, in our words and interactions with one another, and in being pure in our hearts, in our conviction and path, we are all called to be exemplary in how we live and act towards our fellow brothers and sisters, our neighbours and those whom we encounter in life. We should strive to be good and righteous and caring towards those who need our love, care and attention.

And then as the Lord also mentioned, we should all seek to make peace and bring harmony in our communities, and wherever we are. We must also be prepared to be persecuted, rejected and oppressed, challenged and our lives made difficult by those who still refused to listen to the Lord and believe in Him. That is because our Christian faith and way of life are often incompatible to the ways and the norms that this world is accustomed to, and many will come to oppose us because they disagree with our faith and way of life.

We must not be afraid, brothers and sisters in Christ. Remember what St. John had seen in his vision? Those martyrs who had shed their blood in the Lord in martyrdom had been blessed and taken up to Heaven for their faith and endurance in their commitment to Him, sharing in the Blood of the Lamb of God, washed clean and purified by their faith in God, as they shed their blood and suffered for the Lord’s sake. And there were many others who suffered other forms of martyrdom as well, such as white martyrdom that does not involve death, but full of suffering.

Listening to the Beatitudes and all that the Lord had revealed to us, we may then become skeptical and doubtful if our lives can become like the saints. After all, having known the lives of many saints, do they not seem like so holy, so good and much more worthy as compared to us? Many of us may think and feel that we are unworthy unlike those saints and martyrs who had done so much for the sake of the Lord and for the sake of the Church and God’s people. Yet, we forget that they too once were sinners just like us.

Saints were not superhumans unlike what some of us often misunderstood. They had their share of troubles and downfalls, moments when they faltered and failed in faith. Some of the saints were even once great sinners and enemies of the Lord, such as St. Paul the Apostle, once a young zealous Pharisee who was number one enemy of the Lord and His Church, persecuting many Christians throughout Judea and Jerusalem before he was called by God and converted to the true faith. Some others like St. Augustine of Hippo, St. Ignatius of Loyola and many others led a sinful and worldly lives in their younger days.

What matters is that, in the end, they turned away from their sins, committed themselves to the Lord and devoted their time, effort and attention on Him, such that they sanctified their lives through God’s grace and by their fervent dedication, in each of their own ways, in how they led lives truly worthy of God, and which we ourselves can also follow as well. By looking at the examples of the saints, we are all challenged to follow the Lord and to change our lives, much like how the Lord called Levi, the tax collector, who later on became a great Apostle and Evangelist, St. Matthew, as well as St. Mary Magdalene, who according to some traditions, was a prostitute.

Brothers and sisters in Christ, God called us all to be holy, to be His beloved children and therefore, as holy as we should be. All of us have the potential in us to be holy and to end up like the saints, who are now enjoying the glorious inheritance promised to all, as their efforts and deeds were deemed worthy by God and His Church. God wants us all to realise that each and every one of us have the capability and the opportunity to be like the saints, if only we follow what our holy predecessors had done, as described in the Beatitudes.

Let us all therefore reform ourselves and change our way of life so that from now on we will live for the greater glory of God and to shine with the brilliance of God’s light and truth. Saints are indeed like the beautiful stained glass in our churches, not only because they are often depicted on them, their lives and ministry, but the fact that they do not produce light on their own, but are beautiful because of the light that shines through them. In the same manner therefore, the saints have no glory on their own save for the glory they have gained through the Lord, in their actions and deeds that are a reflection of God’s righteousness and justice, His truth and love.

Brothers and sisters in Christ, all of us are like that stained glass, and we are all given the opportunity to shine with the light of Christ. But as long as we live in sin, sin is like a dark and thick grease that sticks onto that glass and prevents any light from passing through. As such, a dirty stained glass that is our lives will not be able to shine forth with the light of Christ. How do we then proceed? It is by following the examples of the saints, and asking them for their intercession on our behalf just as we strive to do our best to live our lives in a most Christian manner. In that way, we are making that ‘stained glass’ which is our lives, clean and able to shine with the light of God.

Just as our holy predecessors had done, we have to strive to reject sin and all of its vile influences in our lives. We have to do our best to carry out God’s will and to do His commandments, to be righteous and just in our actions and dealings, to be selfless and loving in our every interactions. Are we able to do this, brothers and sisters in Christ? Are we willing to live our lives from now on as dedicated Christians, modelling ourselves after the great many saints that are our role models? Let us ourselves be role models and inspirations for others to follow, by our own dedicated faith in life.

Let us no longer be saddled by the burden of sin, and instead, let us all, as Church Militant in this world, do our very best to live virtuously in the constant struggle against sin and evil, to be as good and worthy as possible, with the help of those saints, the Church Triumphant, who have already won their struggle, and ask them sincerely for their intercession and help, as they are closer to the Lord than us, that God will grant us His strength and grace to overcome the obstacles and the challenges we may encounter in life. And let us not forget to pray for the Church Suffering as well, our departed brothers and sisters who are still now suffering in Purgatory.

May God bless us all and strengthen us, that we may imitate and follow in the good examples of His saints, all those who have lived their lives worthily in the Lord. May God help us to live our lives worthily like His saints, that we too may share in eternal glory and true joy that is our inheritance, at the end of time. O Holy Saints of God, Holy men and women, our blessed brothers and sisters, the Church Triumphant in God, pray for us sinners! Amen.