Christmas season

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Wednesday, 28 December 2016 : Feast of the Holy Innocents, Martyrs (First Reading)

Liturgical Colour : Red
1 John 1 : 5 – 1 John 2 : 2

We heard His message from Him and announce it to you : God is light and there is no darkness in Him. If we say we are in fellowship with Him, while we walk in darkness, we lie instead of being in truth. But if we walk in the light, as He is in the light, we are in fellowship with one another, and the Blood of Jesus, the Son of God, purifies us from all sin.

If we say, “We have no sin,” we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, He Who is faithful and just will forgive us our sins and cleanse us from our wickedness. If we say that we do not sin, we make God a liar, His word is not in us.

My little children, I write to you that you may not sin. But if anyone sins, we have an Intercessor with the Father, Jesus Christ, the Just One. He is the sacrificial Victim for our sins and the sins of the whole world.

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Tuesday, 27 December 2016 : Feast of St. John, Apostle and Evangelist (Homily and Scripture Reflections)

Liturgical Colour : White
Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, on this day, after yesterday we celebrated the feast of St. Stephen, the first martyr of the Church, today we remember and honour one of the twelve principal and most important disciples of our Lord, and one of the four writers of the Holy Gospels, namely St. John the Apostle and the Evangelist. He was the disciple beloved by the Lord and the only one among the Twelve Apostles who did not suffer martyrdom.

He was also likely the writer of the Book of the Revelations or the Apocalypse, which contains the visions of what is to come for us in this world, as the Lord revealed His will to St. John, the warnings about the persecution that is to come for the faithful, and the challenges many of them will have to endure as those who believe in the Lord and as those who walk in His ways.

St. John has followed the Lord Jesus from the very beginning, as he was one of the four fishermen whom the Lord called at the beginning of His earthly ministry, together with his brother, St. James, with St. Peter and St. Andrew, the fellow Apostles of the Lord. He witnessed all that the Saviour had done, in all His teachings and works of mercy among the people, healing those who were sick and with afflictions.

And despite the doubts that he and his fellow Apostles had, and the amazement and wonders they always had at what Jesus did, St. John and his fellow disciples of the Lord believed in Him, and by the power and inspiration of the Holy Spirit, they became witnesses to the Lord’s actions among the people, spreading the Good News of God’s salvation to all of them.

And so that the people would be able to remember what they have testified and witnessed for the sake of the Lord, St. John together with some other Apostles and disciples wrote down what they have preached and said, in the many letters and Epistles that they wrote, and also the four holy Gospels, one of which was written by St. John, relating about the life of Jesus and the proof of His earthly ministry.

Through all of these we have received the same witness which the Apostles and the disciples had made before the world, just as many generations of the faithful throughout the ages had also received the same witnesses of faith through the Scriptures. Let us remember that saints and martyrs, our forefathers had to toil and suffer for the sake of their faith, risking their lives so that many more people could be saved through their efforts, including eventually all of us as well.

Now, the challenge is for us to continue their works, as the work of the Apostles is not yet complete. There are still many people who have not yet heard of the Lord and His salvation, and it is now up to us to do the work to spread the Good News of the Lord to our brethren who are in need and continue the good works the Apostles have started. And we do this, by applying what we believe into our own actions and deeds.

It is important that we should do as we preach and say, or else no one will believe in us. The Apostles including St. John demonstrated it to us well, as they were ready to live fully in their faith, including standing up for the Lord’s sake against those who would accuse them and cause harm against them. He did not fear the persecution of the world, but remaining true to the mission which had been entrusted to him and the other Apostles, that is to show the love of God to all the nations and call them into repentance and to turn themselves to God.

They showed love, care and concern for the poor and the less fortunate, caring for their flock as the Lord had instructed them. And they shared their joy and blessings among themselves, helping each other out of charity and love. They did what the Lord had asked them to do and taught them to do, and as a result, many people saw what they did and listened to their witnesses and believed. The same too should be done by each and every one of us.

Therefore, brethren, in the spirit of what St. John the Apostle and Evangelist had done for the good of the Church and of God’s people, let us all as Christians dedicate ourselves anew to God and to His ways. Let us commit ourselves wholeheartedly to His ways, and no longer believing Him just through words but also through actions. Let our Christmas season and celebration be filled with joy, as we share our joy with those who have little or none to celebrate with.

May the Lord bless us all and keep us in His grace. And may St. John the Apostle and Evangelist intercede for our sake before Him, that He may awaken in each and every one of us the strong desire to love Him and to obey His will as St. John himself had once done. May God be with us all and with our endeavours, now and forevermore. Amen.

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Tuesday, 27 December 2016 : Feast of St. John, Apostle and Evangelist (Gospel Reading)

Liturgical Colour : White
John 20 : 2-8

At that time, Mary of Magdala ran to Peter, and the other disciple whom Jesus loved, and she said to them, “They have taken the Lord out of the tomb and we do not know where they have laid Him.”

Peter then set out with the other disciple to go out to the tomb. They ran together, but the other disciple outran Peter and reached the tomb first. He bent down and saw the linen cloths lying flat, but he did not enter. Then Simon Peter came, following him, and entered the tomb; he, too, saw the linen cloths lying flat.

The napkin, which had been around His head, was not lying flat like the other linen cloths, but lay rolled up in its place. Then the other disciple, who had reached the tomb first, also went in; he saw and believed.

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Tuesday, 27 December 2016 : Feast of St. John, Apostle and Evangelist (Psalm)

Liturgical Colour : White
Psalm 96 : 1-2, 5-6, 11-12

The Lord reigns; let the earth rejoice; let the distant islands be glad. Clouds and darkness surround Him; justice and right are His throne.

The mountains melt like wax before the Lord, the Lord of all the earth. The heavens proclaim His justice, all peoples see His glory.

He sheds light upon the upright, and gladness upon the just. Rejoice in the Lord, you who are blameless, and give praise to His holy Name.

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Tuesday, 27 December 2016 : Feast of St. John, Apostle and Evangelist (First Reading)

Liturgical Colour : White
1 John 1 : 1-4

This is what has been from the beginning, and what we have heard and have seen with our own eyes, what we have looked at and touched with our hands, I mean the Word Who is Life…

The Life made Itself known, we have seen Eternal Life and we bear witness, and we are telling you of it. It was with the Father and made Himself known to us. So we tell you what we have seen and heard, that you may be in fellowship with us, and us, with the Father and with His Son, Jesus Christ.

And we write this that our joy may be complete.

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Monday, 26 December 2016 : Feast of St. Stephen, Protomartyr (Homily and Scripture Reflections)

Liturgical Colour : Red
Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, on this day we remember and celebrate the memory of St. Stephen, the first martyr or Protomartyr of the Church. He was one of the first seven Deacons of the Church, who in the Book of the Acts of the Apostles was described as a man filled with the Holy Spirit and with the grace of God, but who was persecuted by the Jewish authorities, who pressed false charges against him and eventually made him to suffer and die.

Brothers and sisters in Christ, many of us must be wondering why are we celebrating the memory of a martyr, so brutally tortured and made to die by stoning as described in the Acts of the Apostles, just one day after Christmas, a day of rejoicing and celebration for the birth of our Lord Jesus Christ. It must have felt very weird to rejoice on one day with festivities and celebration, and suddenly on the next day, to remember the memory of a great martyr persecuted for his faith.

But this is the reality of our faith, brothers and sisters in Christ, that St. Stephen had made very clear in his defence before the elders and the Jewish authorities. St. Stephen made a long and passionate defence of himself and what he believe in before those leaders as seen in the Acts of the Apostles, where he cited how God had made His salvation through Jesus Christ His Son, tracing it right down from the beginning of time to the time of Christ.

And yet, those leaders and many of the people refused to believe in God even after seeing and witnessing all that Jesus had done before them. There were still many who were stubborn and refused to believe because they have hardened their hearts against God and His love. And these persecuted those who believe in the Lord, and spoke out against those who believe in the Saviour of the world, Jesus Christ.

It is a reminder for all of us that our faith is not just about rejoicing and happiness, not just about Christmas and its festivities. It is also about the Passion of our Lord Jesus Christ and His suffering, which the world had inflicted upon Him, because they were against Him. There are always going to be many people who are adamantly against the Lord and His ways, and in their stubbornness, they oppose us and made us to suffer, as they themselves had done upon our Lord.

Jesus Himself had said that all who followed Him would suffer, from the persecution by the world and from rejection by all who rejected His message. That was what happened to the Apostles and to the many disciples of Jesus. Many had to grapple with the many problems they encountered when they had to choose between obeying their families and their societal norms and rules against their faith in the Lord.

It is important for us to take note of this as Christians. As those who believe in the Lord Jesus Christ, we will endure difficulties and obstacles in our lives, and from time to time we will be challenged and we will be asked to stand up for our faith. Are we then ready to stand up and defend our faith as St. Stephen had done? St. Stephen stood up for his faith, and he was richly rewarded for that faith.

Are we able to do the same, brethren? Are we able to devote ourselves to our God in the same way? It is important that we are able to stick closely to what the Lord had taught us, and not to falter in the face of persecution and challenges. We should not be those who choose what we want to believe and what we do not want to believe.

In this season of Christmas, and particularly on this day when we honour St. Stephen, the great martyr and servant of God, let us all devote ourselves anew to the Lord, and find in ourselves the courage and the determination to live faithfully in all our ways, so that in everything we say and do, we will always honour God and give glory to Him. Let us not forget that out of His great love for us, He has willingly given Himself as a willing and worthy sacrifice for our sake, that we may be saved.

He wants nothing else but love and commitment from us. Let us all use this opportunity to thank Him and to show Him our love, by following in the footsteps of St. Stephen, be loving and caring to our brethren in need, and be forgiving for those who have slighted us and persecuted us. Let us be courageous to live in accordance with our faith, and not be fearful anymore, for surely God will be with us. May God bless us all, and may St. Stephen intercede for us sinners. Amen.

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Monday, 26 December 2016 : Feast of St. Stephen, Protomartyr (Gospel Reading)

Liturgical Colour : Red
Matthew 10 : 17-22

At that time, Jesus said to His disciples, “Be on your guard with people, for they will hand you over to their courts, and they will flog you in their synagogues. You will be brought to trial before rulers and kings because of Me, so you may witness to them and the pagans.”

“But when you are arrested, do not worry about what you are to say, or how you are to say it; when the hour comes, you will be given what you are to say. For it is not you who will speak, but the Spirit of your Father in you. Brother will hand over brother to death, and a father his child; children will turn again parents and have them put to death.”

“Everyone will hate you because of Me, but whoever stands firm to the end will be saved.”

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Monday, 26 December 2016 : Feast of St. Stephen, Protomartyr (Psalm)

Liturgical Colour : Red
Psalm 30 : 3cd-4, 6 and 8ab, 16bc and 17

Be a Rock of refuge for me, a Fortress for my safety. For You are my Rock and my Stronghold, lead me for Your Name’s sake.

Into Your hands I commend my spirit; You have redeemed me, o Lord, faithful God. I will rejoice and be glad in Your love, for You have seen my affliction.

Deliver me from the hand of my enemies, from those after my skin. Make Your face shine upon Your servant; save me in Your love.

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Monday, 26 December 2016 : Feast of St. Stephen, Protomartyr (First Reading)

Liturgical Colour : Red
Acts 6 : 8-10 and Acts 7 : 54-59

Stephen, full of grace and power, did great wonders and miraculous signs among the people. Some persons then came forward, who belonged to the so-called Synagogue of Freedmen from Cyrene, Alexandria, Cilicia and Asia. They argued with Stephen but they could not match the wisdom and the spirit with which he spoke.

When the Council heard the reproach Stephen made against them, they were enraged and they gnashed their teeth against him. But he, full of the Holy Spirit, fixed his eyes on heaven and saw the glory of God and Jesus at God’s right hand, so he declared : “I see the heavens open and the Son of Man at the right hand of God.”

But they shouted and covered their ears with their hands and rushed together upon him. They brought him out of the city and stoned him, and the witnesses laid down their cloaks at the feet of a young man named Saul. As they were stoning him, Stephen prayed saying : “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.”

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Sunday, 25 December 2016 : Solemnity of the Nativity of the Lord, Christmas Day (Homily and Scripture Reflections)

Liturgical Colour : White
Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, this moment has finally come, the time we have been waiting for during the season of Advent. For today we celebrate the Nativity of our Lord Jesus Christ, the moment when our Lord Jesus Christ, our God and King was born unto us in Bethlehem, in the city of David through His mother, the Blessed Virgin Mary.

This is a day full of joy, not because of the celebrations and festivities themselves, but rather because of what happened on this day two millennia ago, all of us can rejoice with an understanding that darkness and destruction will no longer be our fate, but instead the new path filled with hope towards salvation and eternal life in God. And Jesus made all of that possible because of His entry into this world, and later on, because of what He had done in His life.

And the Scripture readings for Christmas made it all clear to us, Who He is, Why He came into the world, and what He was going to do in order to bring His salvation upon us. And understanding all these is very important for us as Christians, as otherwise, when others ask us the simple question, what is the significance of Christmas, we will not be able to answer them and we indeed should feel very ashamed in that situation.

Brothers and sisters in Christ, what is it that made us all very special compared to all the other beliefs and religions around the world? What is it that made it to be the one and only true Faith? That is because what we believe is not just a myth or a belief founded upon things that are unreal and imaginary, but on things that are factual and there had been many witnesses testifying to the events of what have formed our Faith to be as what we know it today.

And ultimately, that is because our God has done what many others would think to be impossible and demeaning, that is for God to become Man, meaning that He would lower Himself to become one of us mankind, to become one of His own creatures even though He is the All Powerful and Almighty Creator of the whole universe. Imagine a great king humbling himself to act like one of his servants, and not just any servants, but as the lowest of his slaves.

And many would think that this is something strange that God had done, but essentially, that is what our faith is about, that we all believe in the one and only True God, Who loves each and every one of us so much so that He was willing to go through all those ordeals for our sake. It was what St. John wrote in his Gospel, that as Jesus said to Nicodemus, that God so loved the world, that is us all mankind, that He sent us His only begotten Son, Jesus Christ, into the world, so that through Him we will not perish but instead have life.

It is only in our faith alone that God, our Lord Jesus Christ has willingly come down upon us, to be one like us and taking up the form of our flesh and to share in our human nature that He has become the Son of Man just as He is the Son of God. In the first chapter of St. John’s Gospel, what was usually known as the Last Gospel said at the ending of each Mass, lies the very essence of this belief in the Incarnation of the Divine Word.

For the Divine Word of God, Equal and Part of God, as one of the Holy Trinity of Father, Son and Holy Spirit, all part of one and only true God, has been incarnated into the flesh of Man, by the will of God and the power of the Holy Spirit. This very act is an act of tremendous love, that He was willing to lay down everything for our sake, out of His love for us.

St. Paul in his letter to the Church and the faithful in Rome spoke about how very few people will want to die for another person, more so if the person is a bad person. A good person might have merited such things, but sinners and delinquents would normally be shunned and not be considered worthy to have someone to lay down his or her life for his or her sake.

And yet, that was what Christ precisely had done. He came into the world as a King, but not as a proud and boastful King. Instead, He came as a servant King, Who led by example and lived humbly, and did all He can to save His beloved people from certain destruction because of their sins. And He did so by laying down His own life, that by His death on the cross, He may unite us to Himself that we share in His death, dying to our own sins, and be resurrected in glory as He Himself had risen from the dead.

That is why when we celebrate Christmas, there are three very important things that we have to take note of. First of all, is the meaning of Christmas itself. What are we celebrating in Christmas? Is it our holiday season and our travels or trips around the world? Is it our merrymaking and the plans for our holidays? Or is it the gifts we are about to give and which we are also about to receive?

Christmas is about Christ, and we should not forget about Him as we celebrate. He ought to be the centre of our joy and our celebrations, for without Him and His coming into the world, there can be no hope or joy for us. It is because of Him that we now have the chance to be joyful and to be happy, because in Him is our hope, and He has shown us the salvation that He brought upon us.

And secondly, then, we have to understand that Christmas itself is not complete and is meaningless without Easter and the celebrations of the Passion of our Lord preceding it. They are both intimately intertwined together, and one cannot exist without the other. Without Christmas, there is no God Who have become Man, and therefore there can be no crucifixion and the Passion of our Lord, and therefore, no resurrection and thus no hope for us.

But without Easter, then Christmas will be like celebrating any other birthdays, and there would be nothing special and no remarkable event in Christmas. It would be just celebrating the birthday of someone and nothing more. It is what we celebrate during the Holy Week and Easter that made everything we rejoice about in Christmas to come to its full realisation, because we are celebrating our God Who first willingly became Man for our sake, revealed to us His love, and then finally willingly died on the cross for us, that all of us who believe in Him, shared in His death and resurrection may be saved through Him.

And last of all, remember that Christ came into this world, despite being the King of kings and Master of the whole universe, but He came humbly born into a family of a carpenter, and all the inns of Bethlehem were full, and no one had the space to welcome Him. He was rejected and ignored, and only a dirty stable fit for animals was available for Him. This is our Lord, Whose love for us have given us salvation and hope, born into a small, dirty stable.

All of these are reminders for us that we rejoice this Christmas not because of ourselves, but truly it is because of Christ. It is because of Him that we have received the hope of everlasting life, and freedom from all the bonds of sin that had enslaved us since the days of our forefathers. And we cannot be so merry and happy that we forget about our brethren who lack the joy we have, those who are hungry, poor and without the means to even live comfortably, and less still to celebrate.

Yet, there are many people who still celebrate Christmas as best as they could despite their circumstances. Some had to celebrate in secret, fearing persecution by those who are opposed to the faith in places where being a Christian equals a death sentence or great suffering. Some others have no money, or no food on their table, but they shared whatever they had, and still tried to be joyful on this special occasion in memory of our Lord’s birth into the world.

Let us all, therefore, brethren, as Christians challenge ourselves to celebrate Christmas as it should be celebrated, not with excessive and expensive merry-making, but use it to spend our time with our loved ones, and pray together to the Lord, thanking Him for the love He has shown us in Jesus, and remembering our less fortunate brethren around us. Whatever good graces and blessings God had given us, let us all share with those who have little or none, that our joy may be complete.

May the Lord bless us all and our families, and may He continue to guide us, that in this Christmas season, we may grow ever closer to Him, and be more charitable and loving to one another, remembering that it is Christ’s love which has brought us from the brink of destruction into life anew, blessed by Him. May God bless us all. Amen.