Easter Homily

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Sunday, 8 June 2025 : Solemnity of Pentecost Sunday (Homily and Scripture Reflections)

Liturgical Colour : Red

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, this Sunday marks the very last day of this joyful and glorious Easter season, the fiftieth day since Easter Sunday, when we mark the Day of Our Lord’s glorious Resurrection from the dead. This Sunday is the Pentecost Sunday, with the word Pentecost meaning ‘fifty’ dating from the ancient Jewish and Israelite tradition of celebrating the Festival of the Pentecost, fifty days after the Passover. And since Easter is truly the New, Christian and Eternal Passover which the Lord Jesus, Our Lord, God and Saviour had sealed and made with all of us, therefore, this Pentecost is the celebration of the renewed Pentecost of the ancient past. This is why we celebrate this fiftieth day of Easter marking the coming of the Holy Spirit upon the Church as a very significant event.

On this Sunday’s celebration, we remember the moment when the Lord’s promised Advocate or Helper, the Holy Third of the Holy Trinity, the Holy Spirit, came down upon the Apostles and the disciples of the Lord, marking the moment when the Church was revealed to the whole world. This day of the Pentecost was often mistaken as the ‘birthday of the Church’ as it is understandable that many would have seen it that way. After all, it was the moment when the Church was manifested and became real to the world, as the Apostles and the other disciples, traditionally numbering a hundred and twenty of them all according to Apostolic traditions, went forth from their hiding place to go public and courageously proclaiming the Good News of God, gaining three thousand converts that day, and hence laying the foundation for the visible Body of Christ, the Church.

However, the true birthday of the Church actually happened on the Good Friday according to the Catechism of the Catholic Church, as the Church of God came forth from the side of the Lord, His pierced side that gave the outpoured Precious Blood and water, coming forth into this world after He has proclaimed it before the disciples, the Church of God, the Body that the Lord Himself has broken and shared with us all, so that by His gift of His Most Precious Body and Blood, all of us become sharers and partakers in the same Eucharist, the Real Presence of Our Lord, and thus becoming united as one Body of Christian believers, and hence, the Church of God. Nevertheless, this does not mean that what happened at Pentecost was less important in any way, as up to the Descent of the Holy Spirit, the Church was hidden from the world, hiding in fear and uncertainty.

In our first reading this Sunday, we heard of the account of what had happened at the moment of that Pentecost, when the Holy Spirit descended upon the Apostles and disciples, strengthening and rejuvenating them all with hope and great courage, overcoming all their doubts, fears and all the things that had kept them in hiding from all those who sought to persecute and oppress them with threats and harm. They went forth joyfully in carrying out everything that the Lord had commanded them all to do, to proclaim Him and His Good News to all the people of all the nations. The Lord has reassured them of the Holy Spirit that He would send to them to remind them of everything that He had taught them and to strengthen them in their labours, and that was exactly what He had done for them.

Through the Holy Spirit, God had strengthened the hearts of the disciples, and gave them the wisdom and knowledge of languages and tongues, through which they had proclaimed courageously the Good News and truth of God to all those people who were assembled in Jerusalem at that time for the Festival of the Pentecost. It was symbolic reversal of what had happened in the past with the Tower of Babel, which if we recalled was the moment when God confused the language of mankind when they all came in pride and arrogance in trying to become like God themselves. Through the Holy Spirit, God brought back the unity that was lost to us mankind, gathering us all from the nations, regardless of our languages, races and origins, all called to become the same children and holy people of God.

Then, from our second reading, taken from the Epistle to the Romans, St. Paul the Apostle spoke to the faithful people of God in Rome referring to the Holy Spirit that has been given to all of the faithful, calling on all of them to holiness and to live their lives in accordance to the way of the Lord and the Holy Spirit. It is a reminder that all of us as Christians should also always strive to live in the manner that is worthy of the Lord, following His examples and the inspiration of the Holy Spirit at all times, keeping ourselves away from the wickedness of the world and from all the sins and darkness present all around us. By the Holy Spirit that we have received from the Lord, we should be encouraged and strengthened in our faith so that we can continue to persevere and be strong despite the challenges and trials that we may have to face and endure in life.

Therefore, brothers and sisters in Christ, as we have reflected well upon these words from the Sacred Scriptures and reminded of what the Lord Himself had told His disciples in our Gospel passage today that all of us should keep His commandments, the Law of God, which is love, loving God and loving one another, and referring to the Holy Spirit that we have all received through Baptism, and which is then further strengthened and confirmed with us with the Sacrament of Confirmation, therefore, let us all as Christians joyfully proclaim the Lord at all times, all of His goodness and graces, through our works and actions, through everything we do, our every interactions with one another, filled ever more wonderfully by the gifts of the Holy Spirit within us, so that we may truly bear rich fruits of the Holy Spirit.

Come, Holy Spirit, fill the hearts of the faithful and enkindle in all of us the fire of Your love. Lord, send forth Your Holy Spirit upon us and this world, and renew the face of the earth. May all of us be the loving examples and inspirations to one another, the perfect manifestation of the Love of God and the works of the Holy Spirit in our world today, now and always. Amen.

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Sunday, 8 June 2025 : Vigil Mass of the Solemnity of Pentecost Sunday (Homily and Scripture Reflections)

Liturgical Colour : Red

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, in this evening we celebrate the Vigil of the great Solemnity and Feast of Pentecost Sunday, marking the fiftieth day since the celebration of the Day of the Lord’s glorious Resurrection from the dead, that is Easter Sunday. This Solemnity of the Pentecost Sunday, one of the greatest feasts and celebrations of the Church, together with Easter and Christmas had its roots from the ancient Jewish and Israelite Festival of the Pentecost, which means ‘fifty’, marking fifty days from the time of the Passover. And since Easter is truly the New, Christian and Eternal Passover which the Lord Jesus, Our Lord, God and Saviour had sealed and made with all of us, therefore, this Pentecost is the celebration of the renewed Pentecost of the ancient past.

On this Sunday’s celebration, we remember the moment when the Lord’s promised Advocate or Helper, the Holy Third of the Holy Trinity, the Holy Spirit, came down upon the Apostles and the disciples of the Lord, marking the moment when the Church was revealed to the whole world. This day of the Pentecost was often mistaken as the ‘birthday of the Church’ as it is understandable that many would have seen it that way. After all, it was the moment when the Church was manifested and became real to the world, as the Apostles and the other disciples, traditionally numbering a hundred and twenty of them all according to Apostolic traditions, went forth from their hiding place to go public and courageously proclaiming the Good News of God, gaining three thousand converts that day, and hence laying the foundation for the visible Body of Christ, the Church.

However, the true birthday of the Church actually happened on the Good Friday according to the Catechism of the Catholic Church, as the Church of God came forth from the side of the Lord, His pierced side that gave the outpoured Precious Blood and water, coming forth into this world after He has proclaimed it before the disciples, the Church of God, the Body that the Lord Himself has broken and shared with us all, so that by His gift of His Most Precious Body and Blood, all of us become sharers and partakers in the same Eucharist, the Real Presence of Our Lord, and thus becoming united as one Body of Christian believers, and hence, the Church of God. Nevertheless, this does not mean that what happened at Pentecost was less important in any way, as up to the Descent of the Holy Spirit, the Church was hidden from the world, hiding in fear and uncertainty.

In this Pentecost Vigil’s many readings, which stemmed from the ancient practice and tradition that Pentecost Vigil in fact mirrored that of Easter Vigil with its multiple readings from the Old Testament, with the most solemn and greatest of solemn celebrations, symbolising the fulfilment of God’s plan of salvation, and also the fulfilment of everything that the Lord Himself has promised, in promising to send the Holy Spirit, the Holy Advocate and Helper to strengthen, guide and encourage all the disciples and the others whom He has called and chosen to be part of His Church, the members of His Body. We heard of the many occurrences and instances in the past when the Holy Spirit had been at work and highlighting to us what the nature of the Holy Spirit is all about, in all of His works among us mankind.

In the first one from the Book of Genesis we heard of the time after the Great Flood, the Flood that had destroyed most of mankind except that of Noah and his immediate family, and we heard how at that time the whole earth still spoke in one same language. And at that time, the people grew proud and haughty in their achievements and abilities, boasting that they could build a tower that reached to the Heaven itself, known as the Tower of Babel, building ever higher and seeking to be like God’s equal. And hence, in their moment of pride and arrogance, they had sinned against God and the Lord then withdrew the gift of His Spirit, the gift of understanding and unity, and hence, bringing about divisions and lack of understanding, as the people became unable to comprehend each other, and henceforth, stopped the project that they had pridefully undertaken.

Then, in the next reading from the Book of Exodus, we heard of the moment when the Israelites were encamped at Mount Sinai, the Mountain of God, at the time when the Lord was to establish a Covenant with all of them through Moses. God called all of His people to Himself, gathering them there and revealing His great glory before all of them, The Lord’s Holy Presence descended on the Mountain itself, and He spoke to them all with the voices that sounded like great thunder and roll of trumpets. And this is a very significant event, when compared to what happened at the actual Pentecost Sunday itself, two millennia ago, together with the earlier reading from the Book of Genesis. For we can see clear parallel and contrast between those events and that of the Coming of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost.

First of all, God made His Covenant with His people at Mount Sinai and wanted to establish it with them, and yet, as we all should also know, at that time, after waiting for many days, the Israelites grew restless and chose to act in a manner that displeased the Lord, in making a golden calf idol over themselves and calling it their god who saved them from Egypt. As a result, if we read on, three thousand people were destroyed and punished because of their rebellions and sins afterwards, and we can see the contrast with the three thousand people who accepted the Lord as their Saviour at the time of the Pentecost, where the Covenant of God was affirmed to His people, restoring the unity that was lost between God and us mankind.

Not only that, but the confusion of languages that happened at the Tower of Babel was also reversed as the Apostles and disciples also received the gift of languages and tongues at Pentecost, speaking in various languages understandable to the many people that gathered at that time in Jerusalem, that they all understood the message of God’s truth and Good News through the words spoken by those faithful servants of God. We can see how the Holy Spirit carried out His works, restoring the unity and the wisdom that had been lost to us mankind because of our rebelliousness, our pride and arrogance, our haughtiness and wickedness. Thus, through the Holy Spirit, God restored unto us the grace and the gifts which He has always intended for us from the beginning of time.

From the Book of the prophet Ezekiel, the other one of the Old Testament readings we heard of his vision of a great valley that was filled with vast multitudes of dry bones, which represented the people of God, that had been laid to waste by the darkness of sin and the corruption of evil. But then Ezekiel saw the Spirit of God came from the Lord and then gradually restoring those dry bones, bone by bone, sinew by sinew, flesh by flesh, reconstructing and rejuvenating what was once there, the life that had been lost from them. This highlighted to us what we believe in the Holy Spirit as we always say in the Nicene Creed, ‘I believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the Giver of Life.’ And we also heard of God giving us all life and created the whole world by His Spirit, present in all.

Then lastly from the Book of the prophet Joel, we heard of the words of reassurance from the Lord telling the people, all of us that His Spirit will come in due time, to strengthen all of us and to be strong amidst the challenges and trials that we had to face in this world. And His salvation and grace would come upon us all, as He has indeed promised and fulfilled by the sending and arrival of His Son, Jesus Christ, Our Lord and Saviour, and by the outpouring of the Holy Spirit that had come upon us all, His Church. This is also echoed by St. Paul in his Epistle to the Romans, in our second reading this Vigil Mass, which spoke about the coming of the Holy Spirit upon us, which we have all received, and how salvation has been reassured to us and strengthening us with His hope and love, that we may have the courage and strength to fulfil everything that God had entrusted to us.

Therefore, brothers and sisters in Christ, as we have reflected well upon these words from the Sacred Scriptures and reminded of what the Lord Himself had told His disciples in our Gospel passage today, ‘Let anyone who is thirsty come to Me, and let the one who believes in Me drink, for the Scripture says : Out of the believer’s heart shall flow rivers of living water’, referring to the Holy Spirit that we have all received through Baptism, and which is then further strengthened and confirmed with us with the Sacrament of Confirmation, therefore, let us all as Christians joyfully proclaim the Lord at all times, all of His goodness and graces, through our works and actions, through everything we do, our every interactions with one another, filled ever more wonderfully by the gifts of the Holy Spirit within us, so that we may truly bear rich fruits of the Holy Spirit.

Come, Holy Spirit, fill the hearts of the faithful and enkindle in all of us the fire of Your love. Lord, send forth Your Holy Spirit upon us and this world, and renew the face of the earth. May all of us be the loving examples and inspirations to one another, the perfect manifestation of the Love of God and the works of the Holy Spirit in our world today, now and always. Amen.

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Saturday, 7 June 2025 : 7th Week of Easter (Homily and Scripture Reflections)

Liturgical Colour : White

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, today as we all listened to the words of the Sacred Scriptures, we are reminded of the need for us to continue to trust in the Lord and to journey faithfully with Him, carrying out our actions with great faith and commitment, in doing God’s will and in proclaiming His truth and Good News in our respective communities today. All of us have received this commandment from the Lord and we have been entrusted with this important mission as those whom He has called and chosen, and placed in this world, so that by our actions and works, many more may come to know the Lord and more may be called to the Lord’s Presence and receive the grace and salvation from Him, which He has reassured to all of us.

In our first reading today, we heard from the Acts of the Apostles of the story of the time when St. Paul was in Rome, at the end of his many missionary journeys. Chronologically, this happened approximately three decades after the Lord’s Passion, death and Resurrection, after St. Paul had spent many years and decades in the service of the Lord, going on four missionary journeys of extended period in visiting many places, cities and towns throughout the Mediterranean region, just as the other Apostles went to the many other regions and places, proclaiming the Good News of the Lord and establishing the Church of God, the various faithful Christian communities in the places that they had visited and laboured in.

And as we heard from that account in the Acts of the Apostles, St. Paul had a rather good and smooth time in Rome, after a rather arduous journey from Jerusalem to Rome, if we are to read the earlier part of the Acts of the Apostles. It was indeed God’s grace and Providence, by which He allowed St. Paul to minister to the faithful in Rome and to strengthen them, establishing together with St. Peter, who as the first Bishop of Rome was also likely ministering there in Rome as well. St. Paul had a good few years or so in ministering to the people of God and to proclaim the Good News before the time of tribulation that would end with his martyrdom, at the event known as the Great Fire of Rome, in the Year of Our Lord 64, when the Emperor Nero who was widely thought to start the fire, blamed the fire to the Christians of Rome, and hence launched an intense persecution of Christians, where many including St. Paul, were martyred.

Then, from our Gospel passage today, taken from the Gospel according to St. John the Apostle and Evangelist, we heard of the conversation between the Risen Lord and His disciples after His Resurrection, after the Lord had entrusted His flock to St. Peter, with renewed commitment and dedication that the latter had shown as we heard in our Gospel passage yesterday. And St. Peter asked about the disciple whom Jesus loved, which referred to St. John, the same author of this Gospel, which among the disciples were well-known to be the Lord’s favourite. This conversation did show that while the Apostles and disciples of the Lord had experienced great transformation by their interaction and knowledge of the Risen Lord, but they were ultimately still human like us, with their flaws and all.

Why is that so? That is because just like earlier on in the Lord’s ministry, when we heard from the other parts of the Gospels, of the frequent bickering and disagreements between the Lord’s disciples, who were feuding and arguing among themselves on who among them were the better ones and the more worthy ones, seeking to be the ones who were more favoured and closer to the Lord, thus even the Church and the disciples after the Resurrection of the Lord, and even later on after the Pentecost, the Descent and Arrival of the Holy Spirit, were still filled with flawed humans, which while strengthened by the Lord and the Holy Spirit, were still susceptible to sin, to jealousy and other forms of human and worldly emotions and desires.

That is why all of us as Christians are being reminded of this so that we may not end up being divided against each other, and that we are reminded that after all, everything that we have in this life, all those are meant to glorify God and not to seek our own personal ambitions and goals. We should not seek for personal glory and other things which may lead us astray in how we live our lives in this world. Instead, as Christians, we should always be focused on the Lord and maintain our commitment to Him in all things. Like the Apostles, the courageous St. Paul, who dedicated his whole life to the service of God after his conversion, tirelessly going forth to proclaim the Good News and introducing Him to many people he encountered, we too should have this zealous missionary spirit in our own lives.

Brothers and sisters in Christ, as we are about to celebrate the end of this joyful and glorious Easter season tomorrow with the Solemnity of Pentecost Sunday, let us remind ourselves firstly that the joy of Easter and our mission should not be limited to this season and time, but that we should in fact continue to go forth most joyfully in proclaiming the Risen Lord to more and more people throughout all the time we have been given. And let us all also entrust ourselves to the Lord and to the guidance of the Holy Spirit that had been imparted and entrusted to us all through God’s Church. Let us ask the Holy Spirit to guide us through His Wisdom, courage and strength, so that in our every words, actions and interactions, we will always bring glory to God and proclaim Him at all times.

May the Risen Lord continue to guide us all in our respective lives, ministry and missions, in whatever capacities and circumstances that He has placed us in, so that in our every actions, works, words, interactions and more, we will always be worthy bearers of His truth and Good News, and be the ones to proclaim Him ever more joyfully in our world today, amongst all those whom the Lord had placed in our lives, all those whom we have met and encountered daily in our workplaces and elsewhere. May God bless our every good efforts and endeavours, now and forevermore. Amen.

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Friday, 6 June 2025 : 7th Week of Easter, Memorial of St. Norbert, Bishop (Homily and Scripture Reflections)

Liturgical Colour : White

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, today as we all listened to the words of the Scriptures, we are all reminded of the mission for all of us as Christians to do our part in proclaiming the Good News and the Gospel of the Lord at all times. All of us as Christians have been entrusted with the responsibility to proclaim the Lord in all of our various places and communities, in the many opportunities that we have been given by the Lord all these while. The Lord has provided us with the means to carry out His many good works, all the things that we can do for our fellow brethren, in showing them all the love of God manifested through us and our actions in our daily living. Therefore we should always be courageous in loving Him and in doing our best to follow Him in proclaiming His truth and Good News to all the people of all the nations.

In our first reading today we heard from the Acts of the Apostles of what happened in Jerusalem in the aftermath of the hearing and judgment session by the Sanhedrin against St. Paul, which ended up in great division between the Pharisees and the Sadducees among the members of the Sanhedrin. This led to a significant limbo and delay in the case which St. Paul stood as a defendant against the accusations which were placed against him by the Sanhedrin. We heard how his case was stalled between two governors, Felix and then Festus who took over his case, and we heard how Festus discussed with King Agrippa also known as Agrippa II, the last Herodian ruler of the lands of Israel, with his sister Berenice regarding St. Paul.

And we heard how St. Paul chose to be judged and to stand before the presence of the Emperor himself instead of allowing himself to be judged and put to task by the local authorities. In this manner therefore, the Lord led St. Paul to the path towards his martyrdom, by which he would help to establish the firm foundation for the Church in Rome and elsewhere along his path. St. Paul trusted in the Lord’s providence and guidance, and he allowed the Lord to lead him to wherever He would lead him to. St. Paul did not fear the persecutions and hardships that he might have to face because he knew that the Lord would always be by his side, and all his enemies and those who persecute him cannot harm him beyond his physical body, and his soul will always be with God and safe with Him.

This is why we are reminded today of the great courage of the Apostle St. Paul and are reminded of how the Lord has always provided for us and our needs, and as long as we put our trust and faith in Him, we truly have no need to be afraid or fearful, as the Lord Himself will always be by our side, guarding and providing for us, strengthening us in our journey and in our every actions. As Christians we must always remember that the Lord is our Shepherd and Master, and with Him ever providing for us, we shall never face ultimate defeat and destruction. We must not fear what can only harm and destroy our bodies but not our eternal souls. That is why we have to be strong in our faith and courage, to embrace the various missions and opportunities that God had provided to us so that we may truly be evangelising and missionary disciples of Our Lord at all times.

Then, from our Gospel passage today, taken from the Gospel according to St. John the Apostle and Evangelist, we heard of the time when the Risen Lord, soon after His Resurrection, appeared to the disciples in Galilee, and after having shown Himself to them and had meal with them, He had a private time with St. Peter, the leader of the Twelve Apostles, and in a very symbolic moment as we heard in today’s Gospel, He asked St. Peter not just once but three times, ‘Peter, do you love Me?’. For those who did not see the link with what happened earlier on, then they may miss the significance of these three repeated questions, which was in fact the Lord showing St. Peter that He has always loved him and had forgiven him for his earlier triple denial of Him.

Yes, brothers and sisters in Christ, at the time of the Lord’s Passion, when He faced His great sufferings and persecutions, being betrayed by one of His own closest disciples, Judas Iscariot, another member of the Twelve, He was also denied not just once but three times by St. Peter himself, who was likely afraid of being found out that he was a disciple of the Lord, at the time when all the disciples were scattered and alone by themselves. And this was despite St. Peter himself having made promises and proclamations that he would even die for the sake of the Lord, previously at the time of the Last Supper and earlier on. And despite having been abandoned by St. Peter and the other disciples, the Lord still loved them and cared for them, and He reached out to them, and especially to St. Peter, knowing that despite his denial, ultimately, his faith and love for Him were really genuine and true.

That is why all of us as Christians have to remember this great love of God, the call that He has in calling us all to love Him wholeheartedly and to follow Him, as St. Peter had done. We are all sinners, but God has called us all and gathered us all from being scattered all over the world, from the darkness, bringing us back to His light and grace. Hence, we need to continue to remind ourselves this calling to love the Lord and to focus our lives and attentions, our efforts and works on the Lord, glorifying Him by everything that we do, carry out and perform in each and every moments of our lives. We should always strive to inspire one another in faith, through our exemplary living and our commitment to follow the teachings of the Lord in the Gospels and His Church, to be missionary and evangelising at all times.

Today, the Church also celebrates the Feast of St. Norbert, also known as St. Norbert of Xanten, a great and holy man of God who had lived in a state of worldliness and pursuit of worldly desires early in his life, and then went through a conversion experience in which he encountered a life-changing experience that led him to lead a more devout life. St. Norbert henceforth devoted his time and efforts to the poor, caring for the needy, and upon the request of the Pope himself, St. Norbert established a community of religious order in the Diocese of Laon in France where he ministered to the people, becoming known as the Canons Regular of Premontre, also known as the Premonstratensians. Later on, through the rapid expansion of this order and his role as the Archbishop of Magdeburg in northern Germany, St. Norbert continued to lead a life of great evangelising and missionary zeal, proclaiming the Good News of God to many more people that he encountered through his life and mission, which he faithfully carried out to the end of his life.

Brothers and sisters in Christ, let us all therefore be inspired by the great courage, faith and examples of St. Peter and St. Paul, the Holy Apostles in seeking the Lord and dedicating themselves and their efforts to serve Him faithfully, and also from St. Norbert, the great and holy servant of God, and our many other holy predecessors, so that in everything that we do in our own respective lives may truly be holy and dedicated to God, that we may be truly missionary and evangelising, in our own exemplary faith and actions, in everything that we say and do, in our every interactions with each other. May the Lord be with us always, and may He continue to strengthen us in each and every moments of our lives, now and always. Amen.

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Thursday, 5 June 2025 : 7th Week of Easter, Memorial of St. Boniface, Bishop and Martyr (Homily and Scripture Reflections)

Liturgical Colour : Red

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, today as we all listened to the words of the Sacred Scriptures, we are reminded of the need for all of us to continue to put our trust and faith in the Lord, to be united to Him and to be united with one another, with our fellow brothers and sisters. That is because if we are united with God and are united with our fellow brethren, united in our purpose and faith, then we will be strong against all the challenges and trials that we may have to face in life, and we will not be easily swayed by the temptations, pressures and coercions around us. We have to be resilient and faithful, trusting in the Lord and His Providence, while also praying for one another and helping each other in our journey towards God.

In our first reading today, we heard from the Acts of the Apostles of the moment when St. Paul faced the whole Sanhedrin or the Jewish High Council, consisting of the members of the Pharisees and the Sadducees, the two most influential groups within the Jewish community at that time. The Pharisees were those religious and intellectual elites of the community, who were highly educated and knowledgeable about the Torah and the saying of the prophets, and who also espoused a rather strict interpretation of the Law of God, enforcing it upon the people of God. In contrast, the Sadducees were the ones who were influential in worldly ways, the opposite of the Pharisees in nature, as they upheld worldly influences more, and their members included the chief priests and the High Priest, those who have been given worldly importance and power.

And it was against these two groups that St. Paul was facing, with both groups fully intent on bringing about condemnation and punishment upon the faithful servant of God. St. Paul himself was a former Pharisee, as early in his youth, as Saul, he was a very ardent and zealous young Pharisee, dedicating himself and his works to try and destroy the early Church, arresting and persecuting Christians in various places, using even violent and harsh methods in doing so. But he was converted to the true faith in the Lord after the encounter which he had on the way to Damascus, and thereafter becoming a great champion and defender of the Christian faith and truth. St. Paul, through the guidance of the Holy Spirit, knew of the division between the Pharisees and the Sadducees, who were fielding a lot of accusations against him.

Hence, as we heard, he was speaking about how he did believe what the Pharisees were believing, in matters such as the resurrection and other beliefs which the Sadducees were very loathful against, and as we heard, a great argument immediately broke out in the place where St. Paul was to be judged by the Sanhedrin. This proves to all of us that as united as the Pharisees and the Sadducees among the Sanhedrin were in their desire to stamp out the Christian faith and the efforts of St. Paul, but in the face of the Wisdom and truth of the Lord, their facade of unity came apart, and they ended up fighting each other and continuing their old bickering and disagreements rather than to do what they had originally intended to do.

Then, from our Gospel passage today, taken from the Gospel according to St. John the Apostle and Evangelist, we heard the continuation of the prayer that the Lord Jesus prayed on behalf of His disciples and followers, directed to His heavenly Father, which took place not long before He was to embark on His last mission, the moment of His Passion, His path of suffering and the Cross, and His ultimate sacrifice on that same Cross, to die for the sins of the whole world. He prayed for the unity of all those who have followed Him and became His disciples, so that they would truly be one in unity just as He Himself and the Father are One, the Holy Trinity of God the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. With the same unity therefore, the Lord wanted His faithful ones in His Church to have, to be truly united in the one Body of all believers, the Body of Christ, the Church of God.

This is the prayer that the Lord Jesus offered to His Father, the prayer which He has prayed for all of us His faithful ones, for the unity of our purpose and our existence as those who have followed Him and entrusted ourselves to Him, so that we will not be divided one against another anymore. As we heard from our first reading passage today, we can see what happens when people were not united in their purpose and action, as what happened in the bickering between the Pharisees and the Sadducees in the Sanhedrin. They ended up quarrelling and fighting each other, and being distracted and misguided in their ways and path, instead of doing what the Lord had entrusted to them and wanted them to do. As Christians, we should not end up doing the same against one another, against our fellow brothers and sisters in Christ.

Instead, as Christians, unity should always be an important priority for us, and we should always strive for unity in our actions and purpose, remaining firmly united in the Lord, in remaining as a united body of believers, and not to stray from God and be divided against each other. In the past history of the Church, there had been quite a number of occasions when this unity had been threatened and harmed, and led to the divisions and bitter tears and break in the unity of the Body of Christ, the Church of God. And all these divisions bring about difficulties and obstacles in the many good things that the Church could have done together, in proclaiming the Good News of the Gospel, and in doing what the Lord has commanded us to do. If only we have stayed united in the Lord, there could have been so many more great things we can do together instead of by ourselves, or worse still, us working against each other.

One of the main reason of this division is pride and stubbornness, our prideful attitude and stubbornness in refusing to listen to the Lord and to one another. It is when we stop to listen actively and properly to one another that we end up being divided against each other. As our Pope, Pope Leo XIV himself said that, ‘We have to know how to listen, not to judge, and not to shut doors as if we hold all the truth and no one else has anything else to offer.’ This attitude of thinking that we know it better than others and thinking that we are superior than another is what often led to bitter divisions in the Church, harming many souls and all those who have been caught in the division. Who ultimately benefits from all these? It is Satan, the evil one, the orchestrator of division.

Today, the Church also celebrates the Feast of St. Boniface, a great and holy man of God, a devoted bishop and martyr, who was known particularly for his great commitment to the works of mission, in evangelising to the pagans and to all those who have not yet known God. St. Boniface is also known as the Apostle to the Germans for his great contributions in the area of evangelisation and mission amongst the pagan German peoples at the time. St. Boniface was known for his missionary zeal and efforts in introducing Christ to the people in Germania, especially the northern parts where pagan worship was still commonplace. In one often known story, St. Boniface chopped down a sacred oak that was held sacred to Odin, the chief god of the Norse and Germanic paganism, and the people there expected that St. Boniface would be struck down from doing so. But when he remained unharmed, many were convinced and became Christians.

St. Boniface himself tirelessly went to do many works and efforts to build up the Church in the areas that he has visited, planting the firm foundation for the Church in those areas, and as bishop, he established the Church and its various institutions among the new communities that he had helped establish by his courageous missionary zeal and works. And in the midst of one of these many missionary works and journeys, St. Boniface and his entourage was beset by Frisian bandits, who attacked him and killed him, and hence, he died a martyr for the faith, thinking that the items that they had been holding and carrying were precious treasures and wealth. Instead, they were in fact the Scriptures and other holy books of the faith. To the very end, St. Boniface carried out his mission with faith, and many people were inspired by his dedication and example long after his martyrdom.

Brothers and sisters in Christ, let us all therefore continue to do our best in our own lives, to strive for unity in the Church, by first maintaining unity among ourselves, among our fellow brothers and sisters. Let us always be ready to listen to one another and to understand each other, instead of being so ready to judge and point fingers to others, or to disagree without first trying to listen and empathise to another. Let us also continue to pray for one another and support each other in our journey together towards God. Let us continue to be united as one Church in our mission to proclaim the Lord, His Good News and truth to all the people of all the nations. Amen.

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Thursday, 5 June 2025 : 7th Week of Easter, Memorial of St. Boniface, Bishop and Martyr (Homily and Scripture Reflections)

Liturgical Colour : Red

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, today as we all listened to the words of the Sacred Scriptures, we are reminded of the need for all of us to continue to put our trust and faith in the Lord, to be united to Him and to be united with one another, with our fellow brothers and sisters. That is because if we are united with God and are united with our fellow brethren, united in our purpose and faith, then we will be strong against all the challenges and trials that we may have to face in life, and we will not be easily swayed by the temptations, pressures and coercions around us. We have to be resilient and faithful, trusting in the Lord and His Providence, while also praying for one another and helping each other in our journey towards God.

In our first reading today, we heard from the Acts of the Apostles of the moment when St. Paul faced the whole Sanhedrin or the Jewish High Council, consisting of the members of the Pharisees and the Sadducees, the two most influential groups within the Jewish community at that time. The Pharisees were those religious and intellectual elites of the community, who were highly educated and knowledgeable about the Torah and the saying of the prophets, and who also espoused a rather strict interpretation of the Law of God, enforcing it upon the people of God. In contrast, the Sadducees were the ones who were influential in worldly ways, the opposite of the Pharisees in nature, as they upheld worldly influences more, and their members included the chief priests and the High Priest, those who have been given worldly importance and power.

And it was against these two groups that St. Paul was facing, with both groups fully intent on bringing about condemnation and punishment upon the faithful servant of God. St. Paul himself was a former Pharisee, as early in his youth, as Saul, he was a very ardent and zealous young Pharisee, dedicating himself and his works to try and destroy the early Church, arresting and persecuting Christians in various places, using even violent and harsh methods in doing so. But he was converted to the true faith in the Lord after the encounter which he had on the way to Damascus, and thereafter becoming a great champion and defender of the Christian faith and truth. St. Paul, through the guidance of the Holy Spirit, knew of the division between the Pharisees and the Sadducees, who were fielding a lot of accusations against him.

Hence, as we heard, he was speaking about how he did believe what the Pharisees were believing, in matters such as the resurrection and other beliefs which the Sadducees were very loathful against, and as we heard, a great argument immediately broke out in the place where St. Paul was to be judged by the Sanhedrin. This proves to all of us that as united as the Pharisees and the Sadducees among the Sanhedrin were in their desire to stamp out the Christian faith and the efforts of St. Paul, but in the face of the Wisdom and truth of the Lord, their facade of unity came apart, and they ended up fighting each other and continuing their old bickering and disagreements rather than to do what they had originally intended to do.

Then, from our Gospel passage today, taken from the Gospel according to St. John the Apostle and Evangelist, we heard the continuation of the prayer that the Lord Jesus prayed on behalf of His disciples and followers, directed to His heavenly Father, which took place not long before He was to embark on His last mission, the moment of His Passion, His path of suffering and the Cross, and His ultimate sacrifice on that same Cross, to die for the sins of the whole world. He prayed for the unity of all those who have followed Him and became His disciples, so that they would truly be one in unity just as He Himself and the Father are One, the Holy Trinity of God the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. With the same unity therefore, the Lord wanted His faithful ones in His Church to have, to be truly united in the one Body of all believers, the Body of Christ, the Church of God.

This is the prayer that the Lord Jesus offered to His Father, the prayer which He has prayed for all of us His faithful ones, for the unity of our purpose and our existence as those who have followed Him and entrusted ourselves to Him, so that we will not be divided one against another anymore. As we heard from our first reading passage today, we can see what happens when people were not united in their purpose and action, as what happened in the bickering between the Pharisees and the Sadducees in the Sanhedrin. They ended up quarrelling and fighting each other, and being distracted and misguided in their ways and path, instead of doing what the Lord had entrusted to them and wanted them to do. As Christians, we should not end up doing the same against one another, against our fellow brothers and sisters in Christ.

Instead, as Christians, unity should always be an important priority for us, and we should always strive for unity in our actions and purpose, remaining firmly united in the Lord, in remaining as a united body of believers, and not to stray from God and be divided against each other. In the past history of the Church, there had been quite a number of occasions when this unity had been threatened and harmed, and led to the divisions and bitter tears and break in the unity of the Body of Christ, the Church of God. And all these divisions bring about difficulties and obstacles in the many good things that the Church could have done together, in proclaiming the Good News of the Gospel, and in doing what the Lord has commanded us to do. If only we have stayed united in the Lord, there could have been so many more great things we can do together instead of by ourselves, or worse still, us working against each other.

One of the main reason of this division is pride and stubbornness, our prideful attitude and stubbornness in refusing to listen to the Lord and to one another. It is when we stop to listen actively and properly to one another that we end up being divided against each other. As our Pope, Pope Leo XIV himself said that, ‘We have to know how to listen, not to judge, and not to shut doors as if we hold all the truth and no one else has anything else to offer.’ This attitude of thinking that we know it better than others and thinking that we are superior than another is what often led to bitter divisions in the Church, harming many souls and all those who have been caught in the division. Who ultimately benefits from all these? It is Satan, the evil one, the orchestrator of division.

Today, the Church also celebrates the Feast of St. Boniface, a great and holy man of God, a devoted bishop and martyr, who was known particularly for his great commitment to the works of mission, in evangelising to the pagans and to all those who have not yet known God. St. Boniface is also known as the Apostle to the Germans for his great contributions in the area of evangelisation and mission amongst the pagan German peoples at the time. St. Boniface was known for his missionary zeal and efforts in introducing Christ to the people in Germania, especially the northern parts where pagan worship was still commonplace. In one often known story, St. Boniface chopped down a sacred oak that was held sacred to Odin, the chief god of the Norse and Germanic paganism, and the people there expected that St. Boniface would be struck down from doing so. But when he remained unharmed, many were convinced and became Christians.

St. Boniface himself tirelessly went to do many works and efforts to build up the Church in the areas that he has visited, planting the firm foundation for the Church in those areas, and as bishop, he established the Church and its various institutions among the new communities that he had helped establish by his courageous missionary zeal and works. And in the midst of one of these many missionary works and journeys, St. Boniface and his entourage was beset by Frisian bandits, who attacked him and killed him, and hence, he died a martyr for the faith, thinking that the items that they had been holding and carrying were precious treasures and wealth. Instead, they were in fact the Scriptures and other holy books of the faith. To the very end, St. Boniface carried out his mission with faith, and many people were inspired by his dedication and example long after his martyrdom.

Brothers and sisters in Christ, let us all therefore continue to do our best in our own lives, to strive for unity in the Church, by first maintaining unity among ourselves, among our fellow brothers and sisters. Let us always be ready to listen to one another and to understand each other, instead of being so ready to judge and point fingers to others, or to disagree without first trying to listen and empathise to another. Let us also continue to pray for one another and support each other in our journey together towards God. Let us continue to be united as one Church in our mission to proclaim the Lord, His Good News and truth to all the people of all the nations. Amen.

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Wednesday, 4 June 2025 : 7th Week of Easter (Homily and Scripture Reflections)

Liturgical Colour : White

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, today as we all listened to the Sacred Scriptures, we are again reminded just as yesterday of the need for all of us to continue to be well-attuned and connected to God, to trust in Him and in His Providence, to keep an active and dynamic prayer life, so that we may truly know what the Lord wants to do with our lives, as well as knowing where He is leading us towards. As Christians, that is as those who believe in Christ as our Lord and Saviour, we may encounter a lot of hardships and challenges, trials and even persecutions in our path, but we must not lose faith in the Lord, as we must remember, as what we have heard from our Scripture passages today, that the Lord is and will always be with us, journeying with us and providing all that we need.

In our first reading today, we continue to hear the farewell speech which St. Paul the Apostle told to the elders of the community and the faithful in the city of Ephesus during the time when he was to embark on his last missionary journey, one which eventually led him to the city of Rome and then his martyrdom there. He was on the way back to Jerusalem to address the accusations and the other matters that the Jewish authorities, the Sanhedrin and its members had been bringing up against him to the Roman governor. Hence, St. Paul chose to obey the Lord and follow His guidance, in choosing to go back to Jerusalem knowing full well that there he would likely face hardships and persecutions, instead of staying away and perhaps having a better life where he was accepted and embraced.

St. Paul encouraged the faithful community in Ephesus through his speech, reminding them all to stay faithful in all things, and especially to the elders to take good care of the flock that had been entrusted to them. St. Paul also highlighted the examples of his own mission and how he carried out his ministry, in trusting completely in the Lord, and in not seeking for material and worldly desires, or any kind of earthly glory, and desiring instead in giving of himself in love to the people to whom he had been ministering to, sharing the love of God to all of them. And he used this example to encourage them all to do the same as well in how they carry out their Christian life and missions, so that they may truly be good and faithful disciples and followers of the Lord at all times.

Then, we heard how St. Paul knelt and prayed together with them, and how the faithful in Ephesus were sorrowful and supported him, and were distressed because they likely would not see him again. And yet, through the words that St. Paul had imparted to them, this likely strengthened them for the challenges, trials and hardships that were to come, as there were many among those faithful who would encounter those persecutions in various forms in the early days of Christianity, the opposition from both the Jewish authorities, and later on, the official persecutions from the Roman state and government. It is also an important reminder for all of us that we must also be faithful to the Lord and put our trust in Him, so that even despite the challenges and trials that we may have to face, we will continue to keep up our faith in Him.

From our Gospel passage today, taken from the Gospel according to St. John the Apostle and Evangelist, we heard of the continuation of the prayer that the Lord Jesus had prayed for His disciples and followers, asking His heavenly Father to pray for the disciples, to strengthen and encourage them all so that despite all the challenges and persecutions, uncertainties and difficulties that they might have to endure and go through, particularly during the time of His Passion that He was soon to go through, those disciples would not lose faith and their path in the Lord, and that they would remain united as one faithful people and flock of the Lord. Through that prayer, the Lord wanted to reassure the disciples that God would always be with them, providing and protecting them, and they would never be alone.

The Lord also highlighted an important fact in that prayer, as He also reminded His disciples and followers how following Him would often mean that they would likely have to face rejection, oppression, hardships and trials from the world, because the same world had also rejected Him. The ways of the world are likely not compatible to the ways of the Lord, and this would make many among the disciples to face difficult moments where they might be tempted to give up their faith in God and instead conform to the expectations and ways of the world. But the Lord prayed for them so that hopefully their faith might be strengthened, and through encouragement and the right guidance, they may continue to persevere in their faith and commitment to Him, and that they will not lose their faith and path in life.

This is therefore an important reminder for all of us that as Christians, all of us must always care for our fellow brothers and sisters around us, ever always praying for those who are in need of them and extending our hands to actively help all those to whom we are in the position to help and assist. Like the faithful in Ephesus praying for and supporting St. Paul, we should always continue to be good and loving brothers and sisters to our fellow Christians, showing God’s love in all our words, actions and deeds, in all of our interactions with one another. We should always show sincerity and genuine love in our love and commitment to one another, to fulfil what the Lord has commanded us to do, to love one another just as we have loved Him with all of our heart and might.

May the Risen Lord, our Saviour and Master continue to help and strengthen us all in our own respective journeys and paths in life. May He continue to strengthen, empower and encourage each one of us in our progress forward in faith and life so that we may be good role models and inspirations for everyone around us. May God bless our every good efforts, endeavours and works, and may He continue to be with us and guide us through life, now and always. Amen.

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Tuesday, 3 June 2025 : 7th Week of Easter, Memorial of St. Charles Lwanga and Companions, Martyrs (Homily and Scripture Reflections)

Liturgical Colour : Red

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, today as we all listened to the words of the Lord through the Sacred Scriptures we are reminded of the need for all of us to continue to have faith in God and to put our trust and faith in Him, dedicating our efforts and attention towards Him, even in our most difficult and darkest moments. We must always have hope in the Lord, believing that with His light, hope and encouragement, with His guidance and strength, all of us can overcome the many challenges, trials and difficulties that we have to face in our journey each and every day. We should not turn away from the Lord when things does not go according to our plans, but instead we should listen to the Lord speaking to us and guiding us in our path, so that we may find the best way that the Lord wants to guide us through in our lives.

In our first reading today, we heard of the time when St. Paul the Apostle went to Ephesus during one of his last missionary journeys, and at that time he was heading towards Jerusalem from his ministry throughout various cities and places across the Mediterranean. St. Paul was responding to the Lord’s call, as He sent him to the last mission of his life, to go and face the members of the Sanhedrin in Jerusalem that sought to prosecute him for his beliefs and works in propagating Christ’s truth and Good News among the people of God. He could have chosen to remain far from Jerusalem and avoid prosecution and avoid facing his opponents, but he entrusted fully in God’s plan and providence, and listened to His words calling on him to follow Him wherever He would lead him to.

Therefore, fully knowing of what he would likely have to endure in that final part of his journey, all the persecutions, hardships and more that he might have to go through, St. Paul was making a farewell speech to the elders and the faithful people of God in Ephesus, telling them that the Lord has always been with him in all of his works and endeavours, and they should also continue to have faith in the Lord despite all the challenges, trials and difficulties that they may have to encounter in life because of their Christian faith. This is also therefore a reminder for all of us to keep our faith and trust in God despite the obstacles and hardships we may be facing, and to keep on that strong relationship and connection with God at all times.

Then from our Gospel passage today, taken from the Gospel according to St. John the Apostle and Evangelist, we heard of the prayer which the Lord Jesus made to His heavenly Father, asking Him to watch over His beloved disciples and followers at the time when many of them would be tested for their faith in Him, and would be scattered by what would soon happen to all of them. At that time, this prayer was made by the Lord just shortly before the commencement of His Passion, that is the moment of His ultimate suffering and leading to His death on the Cross. As we all know, when that happened, the Lord suffered greatly, betrayed by one of His own closest disciples, one of the Twelve, and all the other disciples were scattered when that happened, fearing for their lives and all.

Therefore, the Lord Jesus prayed for His disciples and followers, praying that the Father would strengthen each and every one of them in the upcoming struggles and hardships that they would all face, not only during the time and moment of His Passion, His suffering and death, but in fact also referring to what they all would have to suffer and face in continuing to do their works in ministering to the faithful and to the others, in their works of evangelisation and in their various ministries among the world. Just as the Lord Himself has been hated and persecuted by the world, therefore, the disciples would also face similar persecutions, rejections and hardships in their various journeys, and they would need the strength and courage from God to be able to continue onwards, and hence the Lord was praying for them.

That is why, brothers and sisters in Christ, it is important that we should also do the same in our own respective lives, that is in how we pray for our fellow brothers and sisters in faith, so that they may all be strengthened and encouraged despite the challenges, difficulties and obstacles that we may have to face in the midst of living our lives faithfully in God. We should also continue to show and give our support to everyone around us who are in need of our help and support. We should show the love of God generously to our brethren through our own love for one another, and this is indeed what we have been reminded to do each day as Christians, as those whom the Lord Himself has called and chosen to be His own people.

Today the Church also marks the occasion of the Feast of St. Charles Lwanga and Companions, who were martyred in what is today Uganda, also known as the Holy Martyrs of Uganda. St. Charles Lwanga was the chief of the royal pages of the Kingdom of Buganda, which today still exists as a major part of the country of Uganda. At that time most of the kingdom was still practicing pagan beliefs, and the king and his court were living in a state of great sin. But when the Christian missionaries came to Uganda and began proclaiming the Good News of Christ and the salvation in God, some among the people, including that of St. Charles Lwanga were touched by their message of hope and righteousness, and eventually chose to be baptised as Catholics.

However, the king of Buganda began to see the growing number of converts within his domain as a threat to his power and to the community, and hence, he began to carry out systematic persecutions against Christians in his kingdom. Many among the faithful, both the foreign missionaries and the local converts alike were persecuted and not few were martyred among the missionaries for their great zeal and commitment to God, and also among the local converts for refusing to recant and abandon their faith in God. St. Charles Lwanga protected some of those Christian converts using his position, and his examples touched many others who therefore also chose to accept the Lord as their Saviour as well. In the end, St. Charles Lwanga himself and several others were martyred by burning on a stake, at the site where now the great Basilica of the Holy Martyrs of Uganda in Namugongo is standing.

Brothers and sisters in Christ, through what we have heard and reflected from the passages of the Sacred Scriptures and from the life and examples of St. Charles Lwanga and his companions in martyrdom, the Holy Martyrs of Uganda, let us all therefore do our very best to be faithful and committed disciples of the Lord at all times, in doing His will and in being courageous and strong in proclaiming our faith and belief in the Lord in every opportunities. Let us all not be easily distracted or discouraged by the many pressures, temptations and other obstacles around us, but instead we should continue to commit ourselves to the Lord, doing our very best at glorifying Him by our lives and actions, in everything that we say and do, at all times. May the Lord be with us always, and may He strengthen our resolve to live our lives well in accordance to His will, to proclaim His truth and Good News to all the nations. Amen.

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Monday, 2 June 2025 : 7th Week of Easter, Memorial of St. Marcellinus and St. Peter, Martyrs (Homily and Scripture Reflections)

Liturgical Colour : White or Red (Martyrs)

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, on this day we are reminded that we must have strong faith and trust in the Lord, believing in the great and ever enduring love which He has always had for us, without exception and without limit. God has indeed always loved us all so generously, without any conditions and without any boundaries. And we should indeed consider ourselves truly fortunate to have been beloved in such a manner, and to have the Lord by our side at all times. We must not lose faith in Him and we should always strive to be faithful because it is in Him alone that we can find true assurance and strength, consolation and freedom. There is nothing that is impossible for us as long as we continue to have faith in the Lord, entrusting ourselves to Him and His will.

In our first reading today, we heard from the Acts of the Apostles of the ministry and works of St. Paul the Apostle and his companions in the work of evangelisation, as they continued on their missionary journeys across the known world, spreading the Word of God and the Good News of His salvation to all the people of all the nations. St. Paul in particular was known for his great outreach to the Gentiles, or the non-Jewish people that he has always championed and sought to lead towards God despite the opposition and resistance from some of the more hardline ones among the early Christians, particularly those belonging to the Pharisees that joined the Church. St. Paul kept on ministering faithfully to the Gentiles, and as we heard in today’s reading, he achieved great success in them.

We heard how St. Paul went to Ephesus and found some disciples there that had been baptised according to the way that St. John the Baptist did it, likely due to the works of the disciples gathered by St. John the Baptist that went to the diaspora communities. However, they had not yet known of the fullness of truth and the teachings of Christ, which St. Paul therefore told to them, which eventually led to them agreeing to be baptised in the Name of the Lord, and we heard how they all received the Holy Spirit, and became the disciples of the Lord. And through this we know that God truly calls on all the people to become His disciples and followers, and His grace, blessings and inheritance are to be shared by everyone without exception.

Then, from our Gospel passage today, we heard of the words of the Lord to His disciples who commented that He had finally revealed to them in plain words Who He was and what He was doing, and then the Lord told them a premonition of what would soon happen, in how they would all lose faith in Him and be overcome with doubt at the moment when He was facing His Passion, when all of the disciples would abandon Him and choose to safeguard themselves. And yet, He also told them all that He Himself remained steadfast in His mission, as the Father was with Him regardless, and He also prayed for the disciples that they would also be strengthened in their faith, and that they would not lose their faith going forward.

This is an important reminder for all of us that as Christians, we are all likely to encounter and face challenges, trials and difficulties in our path forward, and we must not easily lose faith and trust in the Lord, as the Lord Himself will indeed always be with us, guiding and providing for us, ensuring that we are all taken care of, and that we will never have to face all the challenges alone by ourselves. We have to trust in the Lord and have faith in Him so that we do not end up being easily distracted and swayed by the many temptations and pressures found all around us in this world. We have to remain strong, firm and resolute in our faith and trust in God, no matter what circumstances, and we should always have that conviction to continue moving forward with God as our Guide, at all times.

Today, the Church also celebrates the feast of two great and holy martyrs of the Church, namely that of St. Marcellinus and St. Peter. Both of these holy servants of God were not known much beyond some hagiographical stories about them, but they were greatly venerated by many generations of Christians after their time, for their great faith and courage in defending their faith in God. According to that hagiographical story, St. Marcellinus was a priest while St. Peter was an exorcist who lived and ministered to the faithful people of God during the reign of the Roman Emperor Diocletian and his fellow co-Emperors. That time was a time of great challenge and difficulty for the Church of God, as intense persecutions against Christians was carried out by the state.

Many among the faithful people of God suffered, were arrested and tortured, and not few were martyred for their faith, including those of St. Marcellinus and St. Peter themselves. They refused to give up their faith in the Lord, and they continued to keep their trust in God to the very end, and they were executed for their Christian faith as example for many others. But the courageous examples that they had shown, together with the great inspirations they had made, the miracles associated to them strengthened many other fellow Christians both of their generations and those who came after them. And hopefully this also strengthens our own faith in the Lord, that we may not easily give up our own faith in the face of the many struggles and hardships we may have to face in our own paths and journeys towards God.

Therefore, brothers and sisters in Christ, let us all hence continue to be ever more faithful and dedicated in proclaiming the Word of God, His Good News and love to all those whom we encounter in this world, in each and every moments of our lives, inspired by the great examples of all those who have gone before us. Let us all not be discouraged by fear and doubt, but instead be strengthened ever more by our faith and trust in the Lord. Let us also encourage and strengthen one another as well, now and always. Amen.

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Sunday, 1 June 2025 : Seventh Sunday of Easter, World Social Communications Sunday (Homily and Scripture Reflections)

Liturgical Colour : White

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, this Sunday is the seventh Sunday of Easter, on which day we also commemorate the occasion of the World Social Communications Sunday. On this Sunday we are reminded that it is important for us to make good use of the social communications, the social media and other means in our world today to elevate the Good News and the truths of the Gospels, the teachings of Our Lord and the Christian truths in a world where many did not know the Lord and where many, even those within the Church, do not really know, understand and appreciate what they all believe in, our faith in the One, True God. That is why we are being reminded again of the great opportunities and the many wonderful things that we have been given through this mission we have in our capabilities to communicate about the Lord and His truth in our society today.

In our first reading this Sunday, taken from the Acts of the Apostles, we heard of the account of the time when St. Stephen, one of the first seven Deacons of the Church was persecuted and martyred by the mob gathered in the presence of the Sanhedrin or the Jewish High Council. At that time, the Sanhedrin had been intensifying their efforts to silence the disciples and followers of the Risen Lord, Whom they had condemned to suffer and die on the Cross, and yet, Whose Resurrection and the great courage shown by His disciples threw their plans and ideas into disarray. Hence, they resorted to using dirty tactics if we read through the earlier part of the account from the Acts of the Apostles, by using false witnesses and lies to try to implicate and accuse St. Stephen of wrongdoing.

However, if we continue to read on the same account, St. Stephen, strengthened and encouraged by the Holy Spirit, firmly stood up for his faith in the Lord, and proclaimed the salvation of God throughout history and how everything had been accomplished perfectly in the same Jesus Christ that had come into this world and which many of the members Sanhedrin had rejected and persecuted, and crucified on the Cross. St. Stephen was facing many of those who were against him and wanted to see him silenced, and yet, he still courageously spoke out for his faith in the Lord, and he did not let his fears to overcome him. Instead, he fully trusted in the Lord and the wisdom of the Holy Spirit and courageously proclaimed the Lord and His salvation.

And that was how St. Stephen was martyred, in the midst of his courageous preaching and ministry, as he remained true to his commitment to the very end, standing up to his beliefs and doing his best, even amidst all those who rose up in anger against him. And even in suffering and death, St. Stephen continued to proclaim the Lord, as he showed those who persecuted him the true face of God’s love and mercy, as he forgave them all that they had inflicted upon him, asking the Lord not to hold those sins and wrongdoings against those who have attacked and persecuted him, just as the Lord Himself had done from His Cross. Thus, the examples showed to us by St. Stephen should indeed serve as a good example for ourselves to follow in our own lives as Christians, in how we communicate our faith in this world to one another.

Then, from our second reading today, taken from the Book of Revelations, we heard of the great vision of St. John the Apostle which had come to its conclusion in what we heard from the passage. After the many visions on sufferings and tribulations that the faithful had to experience, the Lord also then showed St. John, who personally had to suffer many decades of suffering and hardships, that glimpse of reassuring hope by revealing to him what he and all the other faithful disciples and followers will enjoy in the end. And St. John saw all the true joy that will be found in the Lord, the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End, all the comfort and true happiness that will be found in Him alone, in the satisfaction of eternal life that surpass anything that can be found in this world.

And St. John was told by the Lord to record everything that he had seen and witnessed so that everyone else can also believe and be strengthened in their faith, and that was exactly what he had done, communicating all that he had seen and compiled them all in his Book of Revelations, with the help of all those who have listened to his visions and accounts. Again, this is how all of us should communicate our faith as Christians, in proclaiming the truth of God, His revelations and ways to more and more people we encounter so that we may be encouraged in facing the trials, hardships and obstacles that may be found in our path. We must not lose sight on what is truly important, that is God and His assurance, and we who know this fact ought to communicate it well to everyone around us.

Then, from our Gospel passage this Sunday, we heard of the prayer that the Lord Jesus made on behalf of His disciples and followers to His heavenly Father, praying for them that they all may be one and united with each other just as He Himself and the Father are One, and that they may be strengthened amidst the challenges and trials that they all may have to face in carrying out their faith and actions to fulfil what the Lord has entrusted to them. He prayed for all of them that they may have perfection in unity, and that none of them may be lost from Him, as He truly loves them all very much. And whatever the Lord has prayed for at that time still very much ring true to this day, to all of us who continue to follow Christ our Lord and continue to carry out His good works in our respective communities today.

But more importantly, again linking to the same theme of the communication and social communication that is one of the focus of today’s celebrations, we see that the Lord Jesus Himself constantly prayed to the Father, as mentioned here in today’s Gospel and also in other occasions throughout the Gospels, and this highlights to us the importance of prayer in our faith life as Christians. For without prayer we will easily be swayed and pulled away from the path towards God, falling prey to temptations and all other pressures that may keep us away from God. But with prayer and especially a good and healthy prayer life, as the Lord Himself has shown us, we will be firmly rooted in faith and we will not lose sight on what is truly important in our lives. We will find that with God by our side, whatever challenges and trials we may have to face, all will be possible for us.

Therefore, brothers and sisters in Christ, let us all ponder upon these readings from the Sacred Scriptures and reflect upon our faith and relationship with the Lord, especially in how we have communicated with Him through prayer and other means. It is imperative that we should be constantly connected with God and be attuned to Him and His will. At the same time, it is important that we should also communicate our faith and belief to others around us, to fulfil what the Lord has commanded us to do, in all the things that He has entrusted to us, in proclaiming the truth and salvation in God to all the people of all the nations. We should be courageous and faithful like that of St. Stephen and our many other holy predecessors, in faithfully proclaiming God’s Word and truth to all.

May the Risen Lord continue to be with us always and may He strengthen and empower us all with the resolve and courage to walk ever more faithfully in God’s Presence and in proclaiming His truth and Good News in our world today, amongst our communities and all those whom we encounter daily in life. May God bless our good efforts and endeavours, all the works we have done in His Name. May He grant us the wisdom and eloquence to proclaim His truth with sincerity and love, now and always. Amen.