Doctors of the Church

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Tuesday, 15 July 2025 : 15th Week of Ordinary Time, Memorial of St. Bonaventure, Bishop and Doctor of the Church (Homily and Scripture Reflections)

Liturgical Colour : White

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, as we all listened to the words of the Sacred Scriptures today, we are all reminded of God’s love and providence, His kindness and compassion for all those who are dear and beloved to Him. God has always remembered us all in our good and bad times, and we are never forgotten or abandoned even when we cannot feel or see His Presence and works immediately. God is always with us regardless of the circumstances because He truly cares for us, and He has shown us His wonders and love again and again throughout history, in what He had done to His first-called people, the Israelites when they suffered in Egypt, and also in giving us all the best and most perfect gift of all, His own Begotten Son, Our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ.

In our first reading today, we heard the continuation of the account from the Book of Exodus in which the moment when Moses was born was told to us. Moses was the one whom God had promised to His people to be the one to lead them all out of their slavery in the land of Egypt. At that time, the new generation of Pharaohs had arisen in Egypt that did not know about the great deeds of Joseph and his exploits, and feared the rapidly growing numbers and prosperity of the Israelites who were dwelling in the region of Goshen somewhere in the Nile River delta region. Therefore as we heard yesterday, the Pharaoh decreed first the enslavement of the Israelites, forced to do hard labour for the Egyptians, and then, in a more desperate effort, the order to throw all the sons born to the Israelites into the Nile River to try to destroy them as a nation.

But God was with His people and despite all these challenges that they faced, they kept on growing in numbers and in one of the babies which had been saved from the water by God’s interventions, it was Moses who was named as such because he had been taken out and rescued from the water by his adoptive mother, the Pharaoh’s daughter. According to tradition, the Pharaoh’s daughter was childless and hence, she took upon herself the Hebrew baby that she found floating on the Nile as her own adopted son, and that was how Moses grew up in the court of Pharaoh as an Egyptian prince. But then we heard how Moses grew up seeing the injustice faced by his people, the Israelites, who were persecuted and oppressed by the Egyptians, and he fled from Egypt after killing one of the Egyptian slavemasters that struck upon a Hebrew, one of his own people.

But God would be with Moses, who fled to the land of the Midianites, and after many years later, he would be called by God and would return back to Egypt with God’s mission and words to the Pharaoh, beginning the fulfilment of His promises to them and their ancestors, where by His power and might, God would rescue all of them, with the Ten Great Plagues that He sent unto Egypt, the Egyptians and their Pharaoh. All of these show us the great might of God and the enduring love and patience which God has always had for those who are dearly beloved to Him. And this is an important reminder for all of us not to take this same love which He has shown all of us for granted. We should always be grateful of God’s love and Providence, everything that He had done for our sake.

Then, in our Gospel passage, taken from the Gospel according to St. Matthew the Apostle and Evangelist, we heard of the Lord Jesus and His lamentations on the cities in the region of Galilee such as Capernaum, Chorazin and Bethsaida. Why did the Lord make such denunciations and lamentations? That is because of the lack of faith which many of the people in those places had shown despite having witnessed and seen all the miracles and wonders that the Lord had performed before them all. Some among them, especially from among the Pharisees, doubted and criticised the Lord for His actions and teachings, questioning His authority and authenticity, and even accusing Him of colluding with evil spirits and demons in doing His works.

It is all these lack of faith and trust in the Lord, in all that God had done through His Son, sent into our midst, into this world to bring all of us into His loving embrace and salvation which had led to the lamentations and anguish that the Lord had spoken against those places. This was compared to the faith of those whom the people of God then often deemed to be sinners and unworthy, like those of the Syro-Phoenicians, those living in the region of Tyre and Sidon that the Lord mentioned, as a Syro-Phoenician woman had such great faith in the Lord that she believed in Him so wholeheartedly even against His harsh words towards her. And the Samaritans whom the Jewish people often regarded as heretics and pagans, proved to be more welcoming to the Lord and His words and teachings.

All these showed us that we must not be prejudiced against anyone, and we must realise that God truly loves each one of us, all of us mankind without limits and boundaries. He loves each one of us unconditionally and He has always patiently done so, even when we ourselves had not been faithful to Him, and even when we have taken His love and kindness for granted. Each and every one of us should strive to do what is right and just, in loving, following and obeying the Lord to the best of our abilities, in each and every moments in life so that by our love for Him and in loving one another in the same manner, we may truly be worthy to be called as Christians, as those whom God had called and chosen as His own holy and beloved people.

Today, the Church celebrates the Feast of St. Bonaventure, a renowned Franciscan bishop and Cardinal of the Holy Roman Church who was remembered for his great many works and writings that eventually also earned him the honour of being one of the Doctors of the Church. St. Bonaventure was born in Italy during the High Middle Ages and while nothing much was known about his childhood and younger years, he eventually joined the Franciscans, and at the same time gaining great experiences and respect as an academic, earning his doctorate in theology which inspired him further in his many writings and works later on. St. Bonaventure was then also elected as the Minister General of the Franciscan Order, the overall head and authority over all the Franciscans.

He was also involved deeply in the works of reform of the Church at that time, before and after he helped the election of Pope Gregory X, who then appointed him as a Cardinal, as the Cardinal Bishop of Albano for his role in his election. St. Bonaventure continued to do great works in his various capacities, and it was well-known that he led the Franciscans in a moderate way, balancing faith and reason, making them very popular and outstanding in the Church. While he passed away not long after his appointment as Cardinal, St. Bonaventure’s legacy and inspiring works in various areas, especially in many matters of the faith and theology continued to touch the lives of many people even long after his lifetime.

Brothers and sisters in Christ, let us all therefore reflect upon the words of the Scriptures that we have received today, remembering the love that He has always shown us, and through the inspiration and examples of St. Bonaventure, who has dedicated his life in the service of God and his fellow brothers and sisters. May the Lord help us all to be ever more faithful and committed to Him, to follow Him ever more wholeheartedly in each and every moments, becoming good role models and examples in faith to one another, now and always. Amen.

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Tuesday, 15 July 2025 : 15th Week of Ordinary Time, Memorial of St. Bonaventure, Bishop and Doctor of the Church (Gospel Reading)

Liturgical Colour : White

Matthew 11 : 20-24

At that time, Jesus began to denounce the cities in which He had performed most of His miracles, because the people there did not change their ways.

“Alas for you Chorazin and Bethsaida! If the miracles worked in you had taken place in Tyre and Sidon, the people there would have repented long ago in sackcloth and ashes. But I assure you, for Tyre and Sidon; it will be more bearable for Tyre and Sidon on the day of judgment than for you.”

“And you, Capernaum, will you be lifted up to heaven? You will be thrown down to the place of the dead! For if the miracles which were performed in you had been performed in Sodom, it would still be there today! But I tell you, it will be more bearable for Sodom on the day of judgment than for you.”

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Tuesday, 15 July 2025 : 15th Week of Ordinary Time, Memorial of St. Bonaventure, Bishop and Doctor of the Church (Psalm)

Liturgical Colour : White

Psalm 68 : 3, 14, 30-31, 33-34

I am sunk in the miry depths, where there is no foothold; I have come into deep waters, swept and engulfed by the flood.

But I pray to You, o YHVH. At a time most favourable to You, in Your great love, o God, answer me, with Your unfailing help.

But I myself, am humbled and wounded; Your salvation, o God, will lift me up. I will praise the Name of God in song; I will glorify Him with thanksgiving.

Let the lowly witness this, and be glad. You who seek God, may your hearts be revived. For YHVH hears the needy; and does not despise those in captivity.

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Tuesday, 15 July 2025 : 15th Week of Ordinary Time, Memorial of St. Bonaventure, Bishop and Doctor of the Church (First Reading)

Liturgical Colour : White

Exodus 2 : 1-15a

Now a man belonging to the clan of Levi married a woman of his own tribe. She gave birth to a boy and, seeing that he was a beautiful child, she kept him hidden for three months. As she could not conceal him any longer, she made a basket out of papyrus leaves and coated it with tar and pitch. She then laid the child in the basket and placed it among the reeds near the bank of the Nile; but the sister of the child kept at a distance to see what would happen to him.

Now the daughter of Pharaoh came down to bathe in the Nile; her attendants meanwhile walked along the bank. When she saw the basket among the reeds, she sent her maidservant to fetch it. She opened the basket and saw the child – a boy, and he was crying! She felt sorry for him, for she thought : “This is one of the Hebrew children.”

Then the sister of the child said to Pharaoh’s daughter, “Shall I go and get one of the Hebrew women to nurse the baby for you?” Pharaoh’s daughter agreed, and the girl went to call the mother of the child. Pharaoh’s daughter said to her, “Take the child and nurse him for me and I will pay you.”

So the woman took the child and nursed him and, when the child had grown, she brought him to Pharaoh’s daughter who adopted him as her son. And she named him Moses to recall that she had drawn him out of the water. After a fairly long time, Moses, by now a grown man, wanted to meet his fellow Hebrews. He noticed how heavily they were burdened and he saw an Egyptian striking a Hebrew, one of his own people.

He looked around and seeing no one, he killed the Egyptian and hid him in the sand. When he went out the next day he saw two Hebrews quarrelling. Moses said to the man in the wrong, “Why are you striking a fellow countryman?” But he answered, “Who has set you prince and judge over us? Do you intend to kill me as you killed the Egyptian?”

Moses was afraid and thought, “What I did must be known.” When Pharaoh heard about it he tried to kill Moses, but Moses fled from Pharaoh and went to live in the land of Midian.

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Friday, 13 June 2025 : 10th Week of Ordinary Time, Memorial of St. Anthony of Padua, Priest and Doctor of the Church (Homily and Scripture Reflections)

Liturgical Colour : White

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, as we all listened to the words of the Sacred Scriptures, we are all called to reflect upon what we have just heard from the Lord speaking to us through His Word, reminding each and every one of us that as Christians, we are all called to be truly genuine in loving the Lord and His people, our fellow brothers and sisters in the same Lord, to be truly compassionate and kind, full of grace and love of God manifested in us and our actions in daily life. All of us should truly embody what we believe in, and we should not merely just believing outwardly and externally only. Instead, we should be truly genuine in our faith, commitment and dedication to God, and we should be the great examples of how beautiful our Christian faith is in all the things we do.

In our first reading today, taken from the Epistle of St. Paul the Apostle to the Church and the faithful people of God in Corinth, we heard of the reminder from the Apostle to us all that we should not be disheartened should difficulties and challenges come to us and become barriers in our path. Instead, we should continue to trust in the Lord and in His Providence, entrusting ourselves to His loving care and compassion. God has given us all His assurances that we will always be taken care of and that we will never be alone. He has also given us the Holy Spirit to help and guide us all in our journey throughout life. And therefore it is indeed important that we should make good use of what God has granted to us at all times, by using them for good purposes.

Then, from the Gospel passage today, taken from the Gospel according to St. Matthew the Apostle and Evangelist, we heard of the Lord’s reminders for His disciples and followers, and all of those who were listening to Him, and hence all of us of the dangers of sin and why we must therefore strive to keep ourselves from sin and from the corruptions of this world. In the language that the Lord used in delivering His ideas and teachings, it may indeed bring about discomfort for some of us as He used a rather blatant and direct language, telling all of them that if any parts of their bodies should lead them to sin, then they should discard and cut them off from their bodies. This is actually one very good example why we should not take every words of the Lord and the Scriptures literally without understanding the context behind them.

What the Lord wanted to highlight in using such a language and terms is that sin is something serious and harmful to us, and sin separates us from God and His love, His grace and compassion. Yet at the same time, the mercy of God is so great and boundless, that He is capable of healing us of all those troubles. At the same time, those limbs and parts of our bodies themselves are not to blame for our sins. Rather, it is our desires that had led us to disobey the Lord and therefore leading us into sin and evil. In fact, what God has given to us, our body and all are capable of many great and wonderful things just as they are capable of evil and sin. That is why what we need to do is rather to focus on using them for good things instead of evil.

Today, the Church also celebrates the Feast of St. Anthony of Padua, a renowned saint and dedicated servant of God who had been born into a wealthy noble family in Portugal, and he was eventually joining the Order of the Canons Regular of the Order of the Holy Cross and was ordained a priest at a rather young age, which then led him on a journey of encounter with several Franciscan friars that inspired him to join their order. St. Anthony of Padua adopted his well-known name from the name of the patron saint of the friary, St. Anthony the Great. He went to various places like Morocco and then Italy in pursuit of his vocation and mission, and in Italy, in one well known occasion, when the Dominicans and the Franciscans in the town of Forli could not agree on who to preach in an ordination ceremony, it fell onto St. Anthony of Padua, whose homily moved the heart of the entire audience with his wisdom and eloquence.

St. Anthony worked together with the founder of the Franciscan order, St. Francis of Assisi himself, convincing the latter of the importance of theological and spiritual preparation, studies and all related matters for the Franciscan friars, and he was tasked to take care of this matter henceforth for the friars. And in what happened in Bologna would later inspire the popular tradition and devotion that St. Anthony of Padua is often invoked for his intercession in finding lost items as it was told that a Franciscan novice stole the psalter that belonged to St. Anthony of Padua, and the latter prayed that the book be returned to him, and indeed it happened, as not only that the thief returned the book but he also returned to the order as well.

Brothers and sisters in Christ, let us all therefore reflect upon the words of the Sacred Scriptures and look upon the inspiring life and examples of St. Anthony of Padua, remembering how he dedicated his life in service to the Lord and in his commitment for the betterment of the lives of those who were around him. As Christians, let us all always be full of faith in the Lord, full of hope and trust in Him, and then also full of love firstly of the Lord but also full of the same love for our fellow brothers and sisters as well. Our love and care for one another, just as our strong and enduring faith in the Lord are hallmarks of our Christian faith, and it is what we are all challenged to do in each and every moments of our lives.

May the Lord continue to strengthen our faith in Him, giving us the courage and inspiration to remain firm in our path as we walk and journey together towards Him, and to remain holy and worthy of Him at all times, distancing ourselves from sin. Let us all continue to encourage one another that we may always strengthen each other and support our fellow brethren around us as much as we are able to, that all of us may find the path towards the Lord and remain fully committed to Him at all times despite the many challenges in life. May God bless our every good efforts, works and endeavours, now and always. Amen.

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Friday, 13 June 2025 : 10th Week of Ordinary Time, Memorial of St. Anthony of Padua, Priest and Doctor of the Church (Gospel Reading)

Liturgical Colour : White

Matthew 5 : 27-32

At that time, Jesus said to His disciples, “You have heard that it was said : Do not commit adultery. But I tell you this : anyone who looks at a woman with lustful intent, has already committed adultery with her in his heart.”

“So, if your right eye causes you to sin, pluck it out and throw it away! It is much better for you to lose a part of your body, than to have your whole body thrown into hell. If your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away! It is better for you to lose a part of your body, than to have your whole body thrown into hell.”

“It was also said : Anyone who divorces his wife, must give her a written notice of divorce. But what I tell you is this : if a man divorces his wife, except in the case of unlawful union, he causes her to commit adultery. And the man who marries a divorced woman commits adultery.”

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Friday, 13 June 2025 : 10th Week of Ordinary Time, Memorial of St. Anthony of Padua, Priest and Doctor of the Church (Psalm)

Liturgical Colour : White

Psalm 115 : 10-11, 15-16, 17-18

You, family of Aaron, trust in YHVH; He is your help and your shield! You who fear YHVH, trust in Him; He is your help and your shield!

May you be blessed by YHVH. Maker of heaven and earth. Heaven belongs to YHVH, but the earth He has given to humans.

It is not the dead who praise YHVH, for they have gone down to silence; but it is we, the living who praise YHVH, from now on and forever.

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Friday, 13 June 2025 : 10th Week of Ordinary Time, Memorial of St. Anthony of Padua, Priest and Doctor of the Church (First Reading)

Liturgical Colour : White

2 Corinthians 4 : 7-15

However, we carry this treasure in vessels of clay, so that this all-surpassing power may not be seen as ours, but as God’s. Trials of every sort come to us, but we are not discouraged. We are left without answer, but do not despair; persecuted but not abandoned, knocked down but not crushed.

At any moment, we carry, in our person, the death of Jesus, so, that, the life of Jesus may also be manifested in us. For we, the living, are given up continually to death, for the sake of Jesus, so, that, the life of Jesus may appear in our mortal existence. And as death is at work in us, life comes to you.

We have received the same Spirit of faith referred to in Scripture, that says : I believed and so I spoke. We also believe, and so we speak. We know that He, Who raised the Lord Jesus, will also raise us, with Jesus, and bring us, with you, into His presence. Finally, everything is for your good, so that grace will come more abundantly upon you, and great will be the thanksgiving for the glory of God.

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Saturday, 10 May 2025 : 3rd Week of Easter, Memorial of St. John of Avila, Priest and Doctor of the Church (Homily and Scripture Reflections)

Liturgical Colour : White

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, today as we continue to progress through this time and season of Easter, and as we listened to the words of the Sacred Scriptures, we are all reminded of the need for all of us as Christians to be truly faithful to God and to put our trust in Him especially whenever we are faced with doubt and uncertainties in life. We should not allow ourselves to be easily swayed by all those challenges and temptations that we end up losing our faith and focus in the Lord. Instead, we should continue to deepen our faith and trust in the Lord, committing ourselves ever more wholeheartedly to what the Lord has called us all to do in our own lives. Each and every one of us who are part of the Church of God have our own roles to play in the work of God’s salvation.

In our first reading today, we heard of the works of St. Peter the Apostle, who like the other Apostles were going around many places, visiting towns one after another to minister to the people of God in all those places. St. Peter performed many miracles and signs in his visits to the towns of Lydda and Joppa, healing the paralysed and bedridden man named Aeneas by the power of the Lord and through the man’s faith in God, and we have also heard how he raised the dead woman named Tabitha, who had been righteous and beloved by the community of the people for her loving actions to her fellow brethren around her. In both cases, we heard how God performed His wonderful works through St. Peter the Apostle to show His faithfulness to the promises which He had reassured them all.

By those signs and wonders, the Lord wanted to show His people just how He would always be with them, guiding them and being by their side. He would never abandon them to the darkness or to persecution and suffering alone by themselves. Those signs, the miracles and wonders showed that the power and the hands of the Lord were with His Church and His servants, strengthening both the Apostles, the disciples and the whole body of the faithful alike. The Lord never abandoned those whom He has loved, and He gave them all peace as mentioned in the same passage, after Saul the Pharisee, who had intensely persecuted the Church even miraculously and almost unbelievably turned over to the Christian faith himself, becoming a member of the Church and one of its greatest defenders in time.

Then, in our Gospel passage today, we heard of the aftermath of the discourse on the Bread of Life which we have heard in these past few days, where the Lord presented Himself fully and clearly before the people who listened to Him that He is truly the One Whom God had sent into our midst from Heaven, revealing the method by which He would do this. He would give all of them His Body and Blood to share and partake, to have Him as the Bread of Life, the Living Bread from Heaven through which all of them would receive life from God, justification and liberation from their troubles and hardships. Through the giving of His own Precious Blood and Body, the Lord wants each and every one of us to be strengthened and empowered by His Presence in us, as with Him, truly there is no obstacle that is too great or too difficult to be overcome.

We should also keep our trust and faith in the Lord, even when things are not favourable for us. Often times in living our faith in our respective lives, we may encounter difficult and challenging moments, just as how the Lord Himself was abandoned and left by many of His followers who felt uncomfortable at the words that He had used in describing Himself as the Bread of Life, in how He would indeed give them all His own Most Precious Body and Blood to share and partake. Such a truth and reality was too hard for many among the disciples and followers of the Lord at the time to accept and embrace, and they chose to walk away from Him. But for us, should we do the same as well? Should we abandon the Lord and leave Him behind simply because what we believe in is something difficult for us to accept and embrace as well?

Today, the Church marks the Feast of St. John of Avila, a great and holy man of God, a truly inspiring example for all of us to follow in our own faith and life. He was born to a pious couple and was a pious young man himself dedicated to God since his youth. He eventually went through the priestly formation and became a priest, in which he dedicated his time and efforts to evangelise and inflame the hearts of the faithful, so much so that he was also known popularly as the ‘Apostle to Andalusia’. St. John of Avila worked hard in the many areas of Andalusia, and his sermons and works were always very well attended with packed churches and many flocking to listen to him. He was also critical of the debauchery and wickedness of the aristocracy and nobility, as well as the higher echelon of the Church, calling for reforms in their behaviour.

For all these, St. John of Avila did face obstacles and difficulties, and he was even imprisoned amidst those struggles. But all those things did not prevent or discourage this man of God from continuing to do his best for the Church and the faithful people of God. He continued with his ministry and works, and he was well-known with his numerous writings and works that still inspired many throughout the ages, right up to this very day. That was why after his passing, he was venerated by the people and was eventually canonised by Pope St. Paul VI in the year 1970, and very recently, in recognition for his many works of the matters of the faith, his writings and other inspirations, Pope Francis declared him to be one of the few Doctors of the Church.

Brothers and sisters in Christ, let us all therefore be inspired by the examples showed unto us by St. John of Avila and many others of our holy predecessors. Let us all continue to go forth in life proclaiming the Lord ever more faithfully and courageously, ever strengthened by His Real Presence in our midst, by our partaking of the Eucharist, that is the Lord Himself being truly present in our midst, giving us His strength, grace and love amidst the challenges and trials that we may have to face or endure in our daily living. Let us all therefore remain firmly faithful and committed to the Lord, now and always, and strive our best to do His will at all times. Amen.

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Saturday, 10 May 2025 : 3rd Week of Easter, Memorial of St. John of Avila, Priest and Doctor of the Church (Gospel Reading)

Liturgical Colour : White

John 6 : 60-69

At that time, after the Jews heard Jesus, many of His followers said, “This language is very hard! Who can accept it?”

Jesus was aware that His disciples were murmuring about this, and so He said to them, “Does this offend you? Then how will you react when you see the Son of Man ascending to where He was before? It is the Spirit that gives life, not the flesh. The words that I have spoken to you are Spirit and they are life. But among you there are some who do not believe.”

From the beginning, Jesus knew who would betray Him. So He added, “As I have told you, no one can come to Me unless it is granted by the Father.” After this many disciples withdrew and no longer followed Him. Jesus asked the Twelve, “Will you also go away?

Peter answered Him, “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life. We now believe and know that You are the Holy One of God.”