coming of the Messiah

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Tuesday, 8 September 2015 : Feast of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary (First Reading)

Liturgical Colour : White

Micah 5 : 1-4a

But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, so small that you are hardly named among the clans of Judah, from you shall I raise the One who is to rule over Israel. For He comes forth from of old, from the ancient times.

YHVH, therefore, will abandon Israel until such time as she who is to give birth has given birth. Then the rest of His deported brothers will return to the people of Israel. He will stand and shepherd His flock with the strength of YHVH, in the glorious Name of YHVH, His God. They will live safely while He wins renown to the ends of the earth. He shall be peace.

Alternative reading

Romans 8 : 28-30

We know that in everything God works for the good of those who love Him, whom He has called according to His plan. Those whom He knew beforehand, He has also predestined to be like His Son, similar to Him, so that He may be the Firstborn among many brothers and sisters.

And so, those whom God predestined He called, and those whom He called He makes righteous, and to those whom He makes righteous He will give His Glory.

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Tuesday, 12 May 2015 : 6th Week of Easter, Memorial of St. Nereus and St. Achilleus, Martrys, and St. Pancras, Martyr (Gospel Reading)

Liturgical Colour : White or Red (Martyrs)

John 16 : 5-11

At that time, Jesus said to His disciples, “But now I am going to the One who sent Me, and none of you asks Me where I am going; instead you are overcome with grief, because of what I have said. Believe Me, it is better for you that I go away, because as long as I do not leave, the Helper will not come to you.”

“But if I go away, it is to send Him to you, and when He comes, He will vindicate the truth before a sinful world; and He will vindicate the paths of righteousness and justice. What is the world’s sin, in regard to Me? Disbelief. What is the path of righteousness? It is the path I walk, by which I go to the Father; and you shall see Me no more.”

“What is the path of justice? It is the path on which the prince of this world will always stand condemned.”

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Sunday, 25 January 2015 : Third Sunday of Ordinary Time, Feast of the Conversion of St. Paul the Apostle, Week of Prayer for Christian Unity (Second Reading)

Liturgical Colour : Green

1 Corinthians 7 : 29-31

I say this, brothers and sisters : time is running out, and those who are married must live as if not married; those who weep as if not weeping; those who are happy as if they were not happy; those buying something as if they had not bought it, and those enjoying the present life as if they were not enjoying it.

For the order of this world is vanishing.

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Sunday, 18 January 2015 : Second Sunday of Ordinary Time, World Day of Migrants and Refugees and Week of Prayer for Christian Unity (Gospel Reading)

Liturgical Colour : Green

John 1 : 35-42

At that time, on the following day John was standing there again with two of his disciples. As Jesus walked by, John looked at Him and said, “There is the Lamb of God.” On hearing this, the two disciples followed Jesus. He turned and saw them following, and He said to them, “What are you looking for?”

They answered, “Rabbi (which means Master), where are You staying?” Jesus said, “Come and see.” So they went and saw where He stayed, and spent the rest of that day with Him. It was about four o’clock in the afternoon.

Andrew, the brother of Simon Peter, was one of the two who heard what John had said, and followed Jesus. Early the next morning he found his brother Simon and said to him, “We have found the Messiah (which means the Christ),” and he brought Simon to Jesus.

Jesus looked at him and said, “You are Simon, son of John, but you shall be called Cephas (which means Rock).”

 

Homily and Reflection :

https://petercanisiusmichaeldavidkang.com/2015/01/18/sunday-18-january-2015-second-sunday-of-ordinary-time-world-day-of-migrants-and-refugees-and-week-of-prayer-for-christian-unity-homily-and-scripture-reflections/

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Thursday, 8 January 2015 : Thursday after the Epiphany (Gospel Reading)

Liturgical Colour : White

Luke 4 : 14-22a

At that time, Jesus acted with the power of the Spirit; and on His return to Galilee, the news about Him spread throughout all that territory. He began teaching in the synagogues of the Jews and everyone praised Him.

When Jesus came to Nazareth, where He had been brought up, He entered the synagogue on the Sabbath, as He usually did. He stood up to read, and they handed Him the book of the prophet Isaiah.

Jesus then unrolled the scroll and found the place where it is written : ‘The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me. He has anointed Me to bring Good News to the poor, to proclaim liberty to captives and new sight to the blind; to free the oppressed and to announce the Lord’s year of mercy.’

Jesus then rolled up the scroll, gave to to the attendant and sat down; and the eyes of all in the synagogue were fixed on Him. Then He said to them, “Today these prophetic words come true, even as you listen.”

All agreed with Him, and were lost in wonder, while He spoke of the grace of God.

 

Homily and Reflection :

https://petercanisiusmichaeldavidkang.com/2015/01/07/thursday-8-january-2015-thursday-after-the-epiphany-homily-and-scripture-reflections/

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Tuesday, 6 January 2015 : Tuesday after the Epiphany (First Reading)

Liturgical Colour : White

1 John 4 : 7-10

My dear friends, let us love one another for love comes from God. Everyone who loves is born of God and knows God. Those who do not love have not known God, for God is love.

How did the love of God appear among us? God sent His only Son into this world that we might have life through Him. This is love : not that we loved God but that He first loved us and sent His Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins.

 

Homily and Reflection :

https://petercanisiusmichaeldavidkang.com/2015/01/05/tuesday-6-january-2015-tuesday-after-the-epiphany-homily-and-scripture-reflections/

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Monday, 5 January 2015 : Monday after the Epiphany (Gospel Reading)

Liturgical Colour : White

Matthew 4 : 12-17, 23-25

At that time, when Jesus heard that John had been arrested, He withdrew into Galilee. He left Nazareth and went to live in Capernaum, a town by the lake of Galilee, at the border of Zebulun and Naphtali.

In this way the word of the prophet Isaiah was fulfilled : ‘Land of Zebulun and land of Naphtali, crossed by the Road of the Sea, and you who live beyond the Jordan, Galilee, land of pagans : The people who lived in darkness have seen a great Light; on those who live in the land of the shadow of death, a Light has shone.’

From that time on, Jesus began to proclaim His message, “Change your ways : the kingdom of heaven is near.” Jesus went around all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, proclaiming the Good News of the kingdom, and curing all kinds of sickness and disease among the people.

The news about Him spread through the whole of Syria, and the people brought all their sick to Him, and all those who suffered : the possessed, the deranged, the paralysed, and He healed them all. Large crowds followed Him from Galilee and the Ten Cities, from Jerusalem, Judea, and from across the Jordan.

 

Homily and Reflection : 

https://petercanisiusmichaeldavidkang.com/2015/01/04/monday-5-january-2015-monday-after-the-epiphany-homily-and-scripture-reflections/

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Sunday, 4 January 2015 : Solemnity of the Epiphany of the Lord (Gospel Reading)

Liturgical Colour : White

Matthew 2 : 1-12

At that time, when Jesus was born in Bethlehem, in Judea, during the days of King Herod, wise men from the East arrived in Jerusalem. They asked, “Where is the newborn King of the Jews? We saw the rising of His star in the East and have come to honour Him.”

When Herod heard this he was greatly disturbed, and with him all Jerusalem. He immediately called a meeting of all high ranking priests and scribes, and asked them where the Messiah was to be born.

“In the town of Bethlehem in Judea,” they told him, “for this is what the prophet wrote : ‘And you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, you are by no means the least among the clans of Judah, for from you will come a Leader, the One who is to shepherd My people Israel”

Then Herod secretly called the wise men and asked them the precise time the star appeared. Then he sent them to Bethlehem with the instruction, “Go and get accurate information about the Child. As soon as you have found Him, report to me, so that I too may go and honour Him.”

After the meeting with the king, they set out. The star that they had seen in the East went ahead of them and stopped over the place where the Child was. The wise men were overjoyed on seeing the star again. They went into the house, and when they saw the Child with Mary, His mother, they knelt and worshipped Him. They opened their bags and offered Him their gifts of gold, incense and myrrh.

In a dream they were warned not to go back to Herod, so they returned to their home country by another way.

 

Homily and Reflection :

https://petercanisiusmichaeldavidkang.com/2015/01/03/sunday-4-january-2015-solemnity-of-the-epiphany-of-the-lord-homily-and-scripture-reflections/

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Sunday, 28 December 2014 : Feast of the Holy Family of Jesus, Mary and Joseph, and Feast of the Holy Innocents, Martyrs (Gospel Reading)

Liturgical Colour : White

Luke 2 : 22-40

When the day came for the purification according to the Law of Moses, they brought the Baby up to Jerusalem, to present Him to the Lord, as it is written in the Law of the Lord : ‘Every firstborn male shall be consecrated to God.’ And they offered a sacrifice, as ordered in the Law of the Lord : a pair of turtledoves or two young pigeons.

There lived in Jerusalem at this time a very upright and devout man named Simeon; the Holy Spirit was in him. He looked forward to the time when the Lord would comfort Israel, and he had been assured, by the Holy Spirit, that he would not die before seeing the Messiah of the Lord.

So he was led into the Temple by the Holy Spirit at the time the parents brought the Child Jesus, to do for Him according to the custom of the Law. Simeon took the Child in his arms, and blessed God, saying, “Now, o Lord, You can dismiss Your servant in peace, for You have fulfilled Your word and my eyes have seen Your salvation, which You display for all the people to see. Here is the Light You will reveal to the nations, and the glory of Your people Israel.”

His father and mother wondered at what was said about the Child. Simeon blessed them, and said to Mary, His mother, “Know this : your Son is a sign, a sign established for the falling and rising of many in Israel, a sign of contradiction; and a sword will pierce your own soul, so that, out of many hearts, thoughts may be revealed.”

There was also a prophetess named Anna, daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Asher. After leaving her father’s home, she had been seven years with her husband, and since then she had been continually about the Temple, serving God as a widow night and day in fasting and prayer. She was now eighty-four. Coming up at that time, she gave praise to God, and spoke of the Child to all who looked forward to the deliverance of Jerusalem.

When the parents had fulfilled all that was required by the Law of the Lord, they returned to their town, Nazareth in Galilee. There the Child grew in stature and strength, and was filled with wisdom : the grace of God was upon Him.

 

Alternative reading (shorter version)

Luke 2 : 22, 39-40

When the day came for the purification according to the Law of Moses, they brought the Baby up to Jerusalem, to present Him to the Lord.

When the parents had fulfilled all that was required by the Law of the Lord, they returned to their town, Nazareth in Galilee. There the Child grew in stature and strength, and was filled with wisdom : the grace of God was upon Him.

 

Homily and Reflection :

https://petercanisiusmichaeldavidkang.com/2014/12/26/sunday-28-december-2014-feast-of-the-holy-family-of-jesus-mary-and-joseph-and-feast-of-the-holy-innocents-martyrs-homily-and-scripture-reflections/

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Saturday, 27 December 2014 : Feast of St. John, Apostle and Evangelist (Homily and Scripture Reflections)

Liturgical Colour : White

Brothers and sisters in Christ, after yesterday we celebrate the feast of St. Stephen, the first martyr of the Church, today we celebrate the feast of St. John the Evangelist, one of the four Evangelists, who wrote the Holy Gospels. He was the closest disciple to Christ, and also reputedly the youngest among them, the one to whom Christ entrusted His mother Mary to be under his care.

And St. John the Evangelist was special among the Apostles in a way that, he did not die from martyrdom of faith, but through a natural death of old age. Yet, before he met his death and pass from this world, he saw the final and complete fulfillment of God’s plan and promises as we can read in the Book of the Apocalypse or Revelation of St. John. This is the vision which John received regarding the coming of the end times.

St. John the Evangelist wrote his Gospel in a very different manner compared to the three other Gospels, as while the other three focuses more on the history and on the chronological actions of Christ, St. John in his Gospel is much deeper in terms of depth of the meaning of the words he had written, and this Gospel of St. John discusses more about the nature and the mission which Christ is undertaking in His salvation of the world, hidden behind the mysteries of the faith.

He has the gift of faith, readily believing and putting his trust in the Lord. As one of the very first disciples to be called by Jesus, he had followed the Lord on many occasions, and is among the most trusted by Jesus, along with St. Peter and St. James, his own brother. He witnessed the Transfiguration of the Lord, when Jesus was transformed right before his eyes and revealed the truth about His divinity.

All these serve to shape St. John the Evangelist as who he was and in how he wrote his Gospel, which serve to deepen the faith among the people of God, by revealing the great extent of the mysteries which surround the glory and majesty of the Lord made flesh in Jesus Christ. Through his works in the Gospels and through his letters and Epistles, he made clear to the faithful about who Christ is, and what He has been sent into this world for.

Brothers and sisters in Christ, we are now still in the midst of the Christmas season, which was just the day before yesterday. In Christmas we celebrate and honour our Lord Himself who has made Himself to assume the humble form of a Man, so that He may dwell among us, and by His works, He made manifest God’s love for us through the healing of the body and soul of many people. And ultimately, by His suffering and death on the cross, and by the offering of His own Body and Blood,

And that is exactly the focus of the Gospel of John, as it had been iterated very clearly in the first chapter of the Gospel, that the Word is God, He is with God, and He has been incarnate into flesh and born of the Virgin, that is Mary. It is this very nature of Christ which John is focusing on throughout his Gospel, and which we too should reflect as we live out our faith.

For God is Love, and He has loved us so much that He is willing to give Himself, a part of Himself, the Divine Logos or the Word, who created the universe, to save us from certain death and destruction. This is also the meaning of Christmas, that the Lord who has descended upon this world, to dwell among us His people, as one of us, and through His actions and works we are justified.

Although He is divine, but He is also Man at the same time, fully God and fully Man, and thus He was tempted as all of us were tempted, and He faced challenges just as we too face our challenges in life. And while Adam and all of us fell into the temptations and sinned, but Christ in His obedience and love for His Father became the exemplary Man, the new Adam, who became a beacon of true Light shining in the path of all mankind as an example to all.

Therefore, as we continue our celebration of this holy Christmas season, and as we honour St. John the Evangelist on his feast day, let us all deepen our faith in Christ, following the examples of faith of St. John the Evangelist, and also the obedience of Christ and the love He had shown to us, His beloved people. We cannot separate Christmas for this celebration of God’s love, for without Christ, our Christmas is meaningless.

Brothers and sisters in Christ, may our faith in the Lord be strengthened, and may all of us come to greater realisation of the love which our Lord has for us, so that we may appreciate His love and therefore come to also show this love to our fellow brethren. That is the true essence of Christmas, brothers and sisters in Christ. St. John had shown us that Christ is the manifestation of God’s love, and just as He had shared His love with us, we too should share this love with one another.

May our Christmas celebrations and joys be truly enriching and meaningful, that everyone may share in the Joy that Christ had brought us, our Lord and God who loved us so much that He was willing to come to us and even lay down His life to liberate us from eternal death. May God bless us all. Amen.

 

First Reading :

https://petercanisiusmichaeldavidkang.com/2014/12/25/saturday-27-december-2014-feast-of-st-john-apostle-and-evangelist-first-reading/

 

Psalm :

https://petercanisiusmichaeldavidkang.com/2014/12/25/saturday-27-december-2014-feast-of-st-john-apostle-and-evangelist-psalm/

 

Gospel Reading :

https://petercanisiusmichaeldavidkang.com/2014/12/25/saturday-27-december-2014-feast-of-st-john-apostle-and-evangelist-gospel-reading/