Easter Homily

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Sunday, 1 June 2025 : Solemnity of the Ascension of the Lord (Homily and Scripture Reflections)

Liturgical Colour : White

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, today marks the Solemnity of the Ascension of the Lord, which takes place forty days from the time of the Resurrection of the Lord on Easter Sunday. On this day we remember how the Lord Jesus, after having spent that period of forty days appearing before His disciples and manifesting Himself in His Risen glory, then went on to ascend to Heaven in order to return to where He has come from. And although He has ascended into Heaven, He did not abandon any one of us, His disciples and His Church, as while He is no longer physically present and tangible, but He is always with His Church and followers, and through the Holy Spirit that was sent shortly after the Ascension, the Lord guided His faithful ones in the right path and was with them all.

In our first reading today, we heard of the account from the Acts of the Apostles about the moment of the Ascension itself, where the Lord ascended into Heaven in the view of many of His disciples, and reassured them all of the guidance and providence that they all would receive through the Holy Spirit. The Lord told them all when they asked whether He would restore the Kingdom of Israel, that the hour is not known for them of when the Lord will do all that is intended by Him and how He will do these. The Lord told them all that through the strength and power of the Holy Spirit, they all would be His witnesses to the whole world, to bring forth His Good News and truth to more and more people that they encounter in their lives and respective ministries.

Thus, the Lord entrusted the works of His Church and all that He has initiated and begun to the Apostles and the other disciples, who have witnessed all that He has done and taught to the people, and then from them to all of us, through the many generations of the faithful who have received and passed on the same faith and belief in the Risen Lord. That we believe in this same faith which the Apostles themselves had believed, came from the fact that countless people, our holy and committed predecessors had laboured hard to bring these revelations and truths to us, passing them down through the generations, even when things and conditions were tough and challenging for them, such as through persecutions and trials, oppositions and rejections.

We are all reminded that God’s works, His Providence and grace are far greater than all these challenges and trials, and nothing can prevent the Lord from accomplishing His works and His will, much as how the Church is still standing firm and strong even after so many challenges and hardships, trials and obstacles that have been facing the Church and all the faithful disciples and followers of the Lord. Many of our predecessors had suffered and even perished in martyrdom in the defense of their faith, in their commitment to remain true in their faith in God, as well as their commitment to their mission and love for God, their desire to proclaim the Good News and the truth and hope in the Lord, the One and only True God, our Lord and Master.

From our second reading passage today, taken from the Epistle to the Hebrews, we heard of the words of the author of this Epistle, which many took to be St. Luke the Evangelist, among others, who spoke about the role of the Lord Jesus Who as the High Priest of all the faithful, the One True and Eternal High Priest of all, Who has entered into the Heavenly Sanctuary, and Who has taken upon Himself the most important role of offering on our behalf the most perfect and worthy sacrifice worthy in atonement of all of our many sins, wickedness and evils. He chose willingly and most lovingly to bear upon His own shoulders the heavy weight and burden of the Cross, so that by becoming at the same time, the Paschal Lamb of Sacrifice, by the offering of His own Most Precious Body and Most Precious Blood, He has given us all the perfect and only means worthy of our salvation.

Yes, brothers and sisters in Christ, the reality and truth is such that Our Lord and Saviour, Who is both our High Priest and the Paschal Lamb of Sacrifice, has offered on our behalf the most perfect and worthy sacrifice and offering in atonement for our many sins, wickedness and evils, such that He has opened for us the gates of Heaven and offer us the sure path to salvation. If we truly believe in Him and put our faith in Him, then we shall indeed experience and receive the fullness of all that He has promised to us, all the love, kindness and grace that He has promised to everyone who believe in Him, out of His infinite love and compassion, His mercy and kindness to us, His beloved people and children. That is why we are reminded today of the great grace which we have received from the Lord, and how Our Lord has always loved us, and even as He ascended into Heaven, He did so in order to prepare the places for us in Heaven.

Then, lastly, from our Gospel passage taken from the Gospel according to St. Luke the Evangelist, once again we are briefly reminded of everything that had happened at that time after the Lord’s Resurrection when He went around showing Himself to the disciples and many others who have seen the Risen Lord in person. From what we heard we are reminded that everything that we believe in, the Lord’s Resurrection and Ascension into Heaven really happened and occurred as how it was happening at that time. This is because of the many witnesses that had seen all that happened and which they testified courageously and fearlessly despite the opposition and obstacles they encountered in their journey and mission as the disciples and followers of Christ.

This is a reminder for all of us as Christians living in our world today that all of us ought to continue doing the great works of the Lord in proclaiming His Good News and truth, and in proclaiming His Resurrection to all. After all, the works of the Lord are still aplenty and have not been fully accomplished yet. Even when the Apostles and the other disciples of the Lord had achieved so much and converted so many to the Lord, but there have always been a lot of areas and opportunities still awaiting us to explore and go forth in being missionary and evangelising in our faith, as there are many more out there who have not yet known the Lord, His Good News and truth, His salvation and all that He has offered and assured us all, in the eternal life that He has promised to us through His Passion, death and Resurrection.

Therefore, brothers and sisters in Christ, as we all rejoice and greatly celebrate in the Lord’s glorious Ascension into Heaven today, let us all remember that while the Lord has ascended into Heaven, we are never alone, and the Lord Himself is still with us, in each and every moments of our respective journeys in life. That is why we have to trust in the Lord’s Providence and help, and trust in Him to lead and guide us in our respective missions and works so that by our efforts and good works, our commitments to proclaim Him and His truth, we will always be courageous and strengthened with the desire to always glorify Him by our lives, our actions and by our every interactions with those whom we meet and encounter daily in life.

May the Risen Lord, ascended into glory to Heaven, continue to bless us all and our missionary efforts, bless our every good endeavours and works, our interactions with everyone we meet in life, and may He continue to be with His Church and allow us all to go forth ever more courageously to the nations, now and always. Amen.

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Saturday, 31 May 2025 : Feast of the Visitation of the Blessed Virgin Mary (Homily and Scripture Reflections)

Liturgical Colour : White

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, today marks the Feast of the Visitation of the Blessed Virgin Mary, on this last day of the month of May, which we all know is the month of Mary, the Mother of God. As we come to the end of this Marian month, we remember the great faith and role model that Mary has shown us all as the ideal and most amazing saint, as well as being our loving Mother, entrusted to us by the Lord Himself from His Cross. And this day in particular we remember that occasion when Mary was visiting her cousin Elizabeth, and both of them were pregnant at that time, with pregnancies that were both miraculous and wonderful in nature. The visitation of Mary upon Elizabeth and what happened during that event is a powerful reminder for us of God’s constant love for us and His ever powerful providence and help.

In our first reading today, taken from the Book of the prophet Zephaniah, we heard of the words of the Lord spoken through Zephaniah in which the Lord reassured all of His people, referred to as the daughters of Zion and Israel, that God would rescue all of them and restore them all once again to greatness, which they had lost because of their past and disobedience. The prophet Zephaniah carried out his ministry and works during the time and reign of King Josiah of Judah, towards the end of the days of the kingdoms of Israel and Judah. By that time, the northern kingdom of Israel had been destroyed for about a century, with its people scattered and brought in exile by their conquerors, forced to wander off in distant and foreign lands, away from the lands of their ancestors.

At that time the kingdom of Judah itself was not really in a good shape, surrounded by its many enemies and powerful neighbours, and the end of the kingdom itself was fast approaching, although during the time and reign of the faithful king Josiah, this was not so evident and Judah was experiencing some resurgence during his reign. Nonetheless, it was far cry from the glorious days of the once united and powerful kingdom of the time of King David and King Solomon. Therefore, what the Lord told His people in Judah regarding these promises and reassurances are reminders that God has always loved His people unconditionally, no matter what, and He has always been very patient in reaching out to them and waiting for them to return to Him and to be reconciled to Him.

Even when those same people had erred against Him and frequently disobeyed Him and His Law, the Lord still patiently sent His prophets and messengers, His servants and many others to help lead and guide the people to return to Him, to walk once again in the path that He has taught and shown them. That is truly how much the Lord loved His people, and the other first reading passage today from the Epistle of St. Paul to the Romans told us all that we should embody this same love, this same unconditional and patient love that God has shown to us His people in how we love one another, with generosity and sincerity. And what St. Paul told the faithful in Rome is essentially what the Lord wants us all, His people to carry out in each and every one of our lives, to be truly good and faithful in all of our deeds and actions, in our every interactions and dealings with one another.

Then, from our Gospel passage today, we heard of course the account of the moment of the Visitation itself, when Mary went to visit Elizabeth, her elderly cousin, to find out about what the Archangel Gabriel had told her regarding her miraculous pregnancy, when she herself was also with Child in her, miraculously conceived by the will of the Father and by the power of the Holy Spirit. In both of Mary and Elizabeth therefore were contained the fulfilment of God’s great promises, which He has shown to His faithful, the long-awaited coming of His salvation, brought into this world through the Virgin, and the Herald that had also been promised, to be the one to prepare the path for the Saviour, the Holy One of God.

What happened then was Mary being filled with the Holy Spirit when Elizabeth greeted her as the Mother of her Lord and God, and we heard her song full of praise and thanksgiving to God, which we also know as the Magnificat, a great song of praise by Mary, highlighting her great joy and also summarising the joy that all of us mankind had felt and experienced as the Lord finally fulfilled everything that He has promised to us throughout all of history. And what is most significant and wonderful is the fact that the Lord had done all of these not through grand and mighty gestures or came as a conquering King, but He did so in His own mysterious and wonderful way, in miraculously lifting the shame of barrenness from an elderly woman, and also by fulfilling His promise of bringing forth the salvation through the Virgin.

All these remind us of the great love and kindness which the Lord has constantly shown us, in His patient and ever present love, compassion and kindness towards each and every one of us. He has never abandoned us in our hour and time of great need, but instead, He always fulfils His promises, and gave unto us all the most perfect of all gifts and wonders in His Son, Whom He has sent to be born of Mary, and through Him, and by His mother’s obedience, all of us have received the sure guarantee and assurance of eternal life and grace. And that is why we should truly be thankful and appreciative of everything which we have enjoyed through His love and kindness, and not to take all of these for granted. And we should also be inspired by Mary’s faith, obedience and examples in how we ought to live our lives as well.

May the Blessed Mother of God, Mary, our loving mother, continue to pray and intercede for all of us sinners, and may she continue to inspire us all by her own faith and examples, and by her tireless commitment and dedication to help us all, her beloved children, to bring us all ever closer to her Son, now and always. Mary, Holy Mother of God, pray for us all sinners now, and at the hour of our death. Amen.

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Friday, 30 May 2025 : 6th 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, all of us are reminded as always of the nature of our faith as Christians, as those who profess to have faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, the One True Lord and Saviour of all, the One Who has been persecuted, suffered and died on His Cross, and then Risen gloriously from the dead, and ascending into the Heavenly glory as we have just celebrated yesterday in the Solemnity of the Ascension of the Lord. And we are reminded that as Christians, all of us may also likely face similar sufferings, trials and hardships in our path because the world that has hated the Lord and despises His teachings and ways will also likely despise us and hate us all as well.

Yet, as we all heard from our first reading and Gospel passage today, all of us must always have faith and trust in the Lord. We must not allow ourselves to be swayed by the forces of darkness and by all those who seek to dissuade and tempt us away from following and committing ourselves to the Lord and His path. We are reminded that no matter what, the Lord is always ever with us, providing for us and journeying with us. We are never alone, and even after the Lord has ascended in glory to His heavenly Throne, He is still with us, by our side ever always, and the Holy Spirit that He has sent into our midst, dwelling among us and strengthening us and the Church continue to do great wonders in each day and opportunity, inflaming the hearts of countless faithful in their daily struggles in life against sin and darkness.

In our first reading today, we heard from the Acts of the Apostles on the continuation of the works of St. Paul the Apostle as we continue to follow his missionary journey throughout the then known world and the areas of the Mediterranean region. This time, St. Paul was at the area of Achaia in what is today central part of Greece, where he encountered troubles because of the actions of the Jewish diaspora there who were against St. Paul and his works, after he had ministered there for a period of a year and a half. Contextually, quite a number of the members of the Jewish diaspora sided with the Pharisees and the Sanhedrin which at that time and earlier had opposed the works and teachings of the Lord Jesus, and persecuted openly the Christian followers and missionaries.

Hence, those people who were opposing St. Paul and his works tried to get the local governor Gallio to act against St. Paul by casting false accusations and lies against him before the governor as we have heard in that passage from the Acts of the Apostles. Yet, Gallio the governor refused to act against St. Paul and despite the further efforts of histhe Jewish opponents to prosecute him, they were unsuccessful, and it was told that St. Paul continued to minister to the people of God in that region, in Corinth and elsewhere. All of these were proof and evidence that God was always with His faithful disciples and servants, who had encountered great difficulties and challenges along the way. No matter how difficult it had been for them, but the Lord was always by their side, journeying with them.

Had the Lord not been the foundation and backbone of their efforts and works, then whatever the Apostles and disciples had carried out, no matter how much effort and work they had put in, would have floundered and faltered just as with any other works that solely depended on the strength of men. But because the Lord was with them, and the Holy Spirit strengthened and encouraged them all, giving them all the Wisdom and power to continue despite the great challenges they had to face. That is why we ourselves must also put our faith and trust in the Lord at all times as well, entrusting all of our good works and efforts for His sake to Him, doing everything with prayer and faith, trusting that God will always be with us at every turn of the way.

In our Gospel passage today, taken from the Gospel according to St. John the Apostle and Evangelist, we heard of the powerful reassurance from the Lord Jesus Himself to the disciples, as He told them the reality that they would all likely have to face sufferings, sorrows and mournings amidst their work and commitment to Him, but they should not lose faith or trust in God’s providence as the Lord would always be with them and good times will always come in the end, as the Lord knows well all those who have endured sufferings and hardships for His sake and glory, and He will always provide for them and their needs, protecting and guiding them through the greatest of challenges and trials, and even in the case of intense sufferings and martyrdom, which not few among the disciples of the Lord suffered, they all would all share in the eternal glory with God.

This is why all of us are reminded today that as the Lord’s disciples and followers, we must always be resolute in carrying out the missions and works which the Lord Himself has entrusted to us all, in each and every opportunities and circumstances that He has provided to us. We must always put our trust and faith in the Lord, knowing that with God everything is possible and that nothing is too difficult or impossible for us to do as long as we have God by our side, journeying with us and providing for us, fortifying our resolve and commitment even in the face of the greatest and most difficult adversaries and obstacles. We have to allow the Lord to carry out His good works in us, and we can do this by completely entrusting ourselves to Him and allowing Him to do His works through us by our faith and devotion to Him.

May the Lord therefore continue to help, strengthen and guide us all in our journey, empowering each and every one of us to walk ever more faithfully in our path, in whatever good works and missions that we do, so that we will always be worthy as the holy and devoted disciples of the Lord at all times. Let us all continue to put our trust and faith in God at all times, and be exemplary in our every efforts and commitments, now and forevermore. Amen.

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Thursday, 29 May 2025 : Solemnity of the Ascension of the Lord (Homily and Scripture Reflections)

Liturgical Colour : White

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, today marks the Solemnity of the Ascension of the Lord, which takes place forty days from the time of the Resurrection of the Lord on Easter Sunday. On this day we remember how the Lord Jesus, after having spent that period of forty days appearing before His disciples and manifesting Himself in His Risen glory, then went on to ascend to Heaven in order to return to where He has come from. And although He has ascended into Heaven, He did not abandon any one of us, His disciples and His Church, as while He is no longer physically present and tangible, but He is always with His Church and followers, and through the Holy Spirit that was sent shortly after the Ascension, the Lord guided His faithful ones in the right path and was with them all.

In our first reading today, we heard of the account from the Acts of the Apostles about the moment of the Ascension itself, where the Lord ascended into Heaven in the view of many of His disciples, and reassured them all of the guidance and providence that they all would receive through the Holy Spirit. The Lord told them all when they asked whether He would restore the Kingdom of Israel, that the hour is not known for them of when the Lord will do all that is intended by Him and how He will do these. The Lord told them all that through the strength and power of the Holy Spirit, they all would be His witnesses to the whole world, to bring forth His Good News and truth to more and more people that they encounter in their lives and respective ministries.

Thus, the Lord entrusted the works of His Church and all that He has initiated and begun to the Apostles and the other disciples, who have witnessed all that He has done and taught to the people, and then from them to all of us, through the many generations of the faithful who have received and passed on the same faith and belief in the Risen Lord. That we believe in this same faith which the Apostles themselves had believed, came from the fact that countless people, our holy and committed predecessors had laboured hard to bring these revelations and truths to us, passing them down through the generations, even when things and conditions were tough and challenging for them, such as through persecutions and trials, oppositions and rejections.

We are all reminded that God’s works, His Providence and grace are far greater than all these challenges and trials, and nothing can prevent the Lord from accomplishing His works and His will, much as how the Church is still standing firm and strong even after so many challenges and hardships, trials and obstacles that have been facing the Church and all the faithful disciples and followers of the Lord. Many of our predecessors had suffered and even perished in martyrdom in the defense of their faith, in their commitment to remain true in their faith in God, as well as their commitment to their mission and love for God, their desire to proclaim the Good News and the truth and hope in the Lord, the One and only True God, our Lord and Master.

From our second reading passage today, taken from the Epistle to the Hebrews, we heard of the words of the author of this Epistle, which many took to be St. Luke the Evangelist, among others, who spoke about the role of the Lord Jesus Who as the High Priest of all the faithful, the One True and Eternal High Priest of all, Who has entered into the Heavenly Sanctuary, and Who has taken upon Himself the most important role of offering on our behalf the most perfect and worthy sacrifice worthy in atonement of all of our many sins, wickedness and evils. He chose willingly and most lovingly to bear upon His own shoulders the heavy weight and burden of the Cross, so that by becoming at the same time, the Paschal Lamb of Sacrifice, by the offering of His own Most Precious Body and Most Precious Blood, He has given us all the perfect and only means worthy of our salvation.

Yes, brothers and sisters in Christ, the reality and truth is such that Our Lord and Saviour, Who is both our High Priest and the Paschal Lamb of Sacrifice, has offered on our behalf the most perfect and worthy sacrifice and offering in atonement for our many sins, wickedness and evils, such that He has opened for us the gates of Heaven and offer us the sure path to salvation. If we truly believe in Him and put our faith in Him, then we shall indeed experience and receive the fullness of all that He has promised to us, all the love, kindness and grace that He has promised to everyone who believe in Him, out of His infinite love and compassion, His mercy and kindness to us, His beloved people and children. That is why we are reminded today of the great grace which we have received from the Lord, and how Our Lord has always loved us, and even as He ascended into Heaven, He did so in order to prepare the places for us in Heaven.

Then, lastly, from our Gospel passage taken from the Gospel according to St. Luke the Evangelist, once again we are briefly reminded of everything that had happened at that time after the Lord’s Resurrection when He went around showing Himself to the disciples and many others who have seen the Risen Lord in person. From what we heard we are reminded that everything that we believe in, the Lord’s Resurrection and Ascension into Heaven really happened and occurred as how it was happening at that time. This is because of the many witnesses that had seen all that happened and which they testified courageously and fearlessly despite the opposition and obstacles they encountered in their journey and mission as the disciples and followers of Christ.

This is a reminder for all of us as Christians living in our world today that all of us ought to continue doing the great works of the Lord in proclaiming His Good News and truth, and in proclaiming His Resurrection to all. After all, the works of the Lord are still aplenty and have not been fully accomplished yet. Even when the Apostles and the other disciples of the Lord had achieved so much and converted so many to the Lord, but there have always been a lot of areas and opportunities still awaiting us to explore and go forth in being missionary and evangelising in our faith, as there are many more out there who have not yet known the Lord, His Good News and truth, His salvation and all that He has offered and assured us all, in the eternal life that He has promised to us through His Passion, death and Resurrection.

Therefore, brothers and sisters in Christ, as we all rejoice and greatly celebrate in the Lord’s glorious Ascension into Heaven today, let us all remember that while the Lord has ascended into Heaven, we are never alone, and the Lord Himself is still with us, in each and every moments of our respective journeys in life. That is why we have to trust in the Lord’s Providence and help, and trust in Him to lead and guide us in our respective missions and works so that by our efforts and good works, our commitments to proclaim Him and His truth, we will always be courageous and strengthened with the desire to always glorify Him by our lives, our actions and by our every interactions with those whom we meet and encounter daily in life.

May the Risen Lord, ascended into glory to Heaven, continue to bless us all and our missionary efforts, bless our every good endeavours and works, our interactions with everyone we meet in life, and may He continue to be with His Church and allow us all to go forth ever more courageously to the nations, now and always. Amen.

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Wednesday, 28 May 2025 : 6th 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 all reminded of the truth and Good News of God which we have all received from Him, and which we therefore should always be ready to share with all those whom we encounter in our daily lives, in how we live our lives worthily in the Lord’s Presence at all times, becoming exemplary disciples and followers of the Lord at all times. Each and every one of us have been called to be good and worthy witnesses of Our Lord’s Resurrection, His Good News, love and hope to everyone we encounter, and we must not forget of this mission and calling which the Lord has entrusted to us. In each and every moments, we have to strive and do our best to fulfil what we have been called to do.

In our first reading today, we heard of the account from the Acts of the Apostles in which St. Paul the Apostle went to Athens in Greece, at the centre of the Greek philosophy and also paganism at that time. He went to the place called the Areopagus, which in Athens was the place where all the philosophers went to openly say their opinions and debate with one another on various issues. It was there that St. Paul, inspired by the Holy Spirit, spoke about the Lord, the One and only True God before the people assembled at the Areopagus, to introduce and let Him be known to all of them, so that they may all come to know Who this God and Lord is, beyond what worldly philosophies, discussions and all other material matters that they had commonly discussed and debated about.

Essentially, St. Paul presented to all of them the knowledge and truth of the Unknown God Who had been not known and not identified to those people in Athens, who at that time believed in a variety of deities, gods and goddesses, according to the Greek and other mythologies of the region. All those deities were often personification of various natural phenomena and bodies, such as sky, thunder, sea and earthquakes, among many others, but St. Paul presented to all of them the one and only True God, the One Who has until then been unknown and indiscernible to them, the One Who created the Heaven and the Earth and the whole Universe, including all the wonderful things that the Greeks and others had been modelling their gods and goddesses upon.

And through the great Wisdom of the Holy Spirit, St. Paul managed to convince some amongst those people of the truth, who became intrigued at wanting to know more about the Lord, God and Master of all the Universe. There were indeed those who refused to believe and made fun of St. Paul and what he taught, but the Lord was with him and through his efforts, the Good News began to spread to the land of Greece, in Athens and many other cities and towns, where Christian communities of believers began to spring up despite the often difficult and hostile conditions that the faithful had to face in the midst of opposition and persecutions against them, which led to many of them suffering greatly and many were also martyred for their faith. And yet, these led to even more courageous efforts at evangelisation and mission.

Then, from our Gospel passage today, taken from the Gospel according to St. John the Apostle and Evangelist, we heard of the words of the Lord speaking to His disciples and reassuring all of them, telling them that the Holy Spirit will come upon them, strengthening and encouraging them amidst all the trials and challenges that they might have to face in their path and journey, in their missions and works as Christians. It is a powerful assurance and message of hope from the Lord to His disciples, reminding them that they will never be alone in their ministry and works, and the Lord Himself would always be with them, guiding and inspiring them, empowering them at every stage of their journey and ministry. The Lord will never leave them all by themselves, and He will be with them even in the darkest moments.

As what the Apostles and the disciples themselves would experience, they would face the greatest trials and challenges, hardships and evils, and yet, because of their faith in the Lord and in the assurances which He Himself has given to them, they did not give in to fear, doubt or despair, but they continued to go forth courageously in proclaiming the Good News of God and His truth to all the people of all the nations to whom they ministered. The Holy Spirit guided them all in all that they said and acted on, and they did not allow the temptations and pressures of the world, the trials, challenges and hardships that they faced to discourage them from their works and ministry. Instead, they kept on going with faith, with great confidence that came from the Lord Himself, performing many good works for God and His people.

Brothers and sisters in Christ, let us all therefore reflect upon what we have just heard and received today from the Word of God. As the disciples and followers of Christ, all of us should indeed be courageous and joyful in proclaiming the Good News and truth that God has entrusted to all of us. But it is not enough that we just proclaim the Lord’s words and truth, but even more importantly, we must live our Christian lives each day with great commitment and dedication, that in each and every one of our actions, we will always be good role models and examples for our fellow brothers and sisters around us. We must continue to be good and worthy in our every actions, words and works, so that by our lives and examples, we may truly glorify God in all things.

May the Risen Lord, our Lord Who has loved us all so wonderfully and reassured us all again and again of His hope and love, continue to bless our every good works, efforts and actions, so that we may continue to glorify Him and do many great works in Him at all times, in everything that we say and do, now and always. Amen.

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Tuesday, 27 May 2025 : 6th Week of Easter, Memorial of St. Augustine of Canterbury, Bishop (Homily and Scripture Reflections)

Liturgical Colour : White

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, today as we listened to the words of the Lord contained within the passages of the Sacred Scriptures, we are reminded that we should continue to have hope in the Lord, believing that in His Providence, His presence and help, we will always find hope and strength, as well as the sure path out of our predicaments and sufferings, all the hardships and challenges that we have had to endure in our lives. We must never allow ourselves to be easily swayed and pressured by fear, indecision and doubt. We must continue to hold up firmly that faith in the Lord, that we should always have in our hearts and minds. That is why we are all called to reflect upon this hope which He has placed in us, so that we may continue to faithfully serve Him at all times.

In our first reading today, we heard from the Acts of the Apostles of the continuation of the account of the works of the Apostles in the ministry of the proclaiming of the Good News of God among the people, calling more and more towards the Lord and to His salvation. And even in the midst of their predicament and hardships, the Apostles continued to receive guidance, strength and encouragement from the Lord. God did not abandon those whom He had called and chosen to be His own, and He heard the prayers of those who have fervently prayed to Him and kept their faith in Him. We heard how a great earthquake struck when St. Paul and the other faithful disciples of the Lord were put in incarceration, and they were miraculously freed.

But what was even more wonderful was the fact that the Lord did not in fact just free St. Paul and the other disciples from their bondage and imprisonment, but He also made it such that the jailor and his family were also freed from their own bondage and slavery to sin, as St. Paul convinced the jailor not to take his own life out of guilt, but rather to put his trust in the Lord, and which led therefore to his conversion together with that of his own family members. Therefore, God did not just bring His servants to their safety, but was even adding to their numbers in such moments of darkness and suffering. All of these serve to remind us ever more of God’s greatness and His wonderful grace towards us, in how He has constantly and patiently guided us in our journey through faith and life.

Then, from our Gospel passage today, we heard from the Gospel according to St. John the Apostle and Evangelist, in which the Lord Jesus continued to speak to His disciples about what would happen to Him at the moment surrounding His Passion, His suffering and death on the Cross, all of which would soon happen, and He told these all to the disciples so that they would not fall into despair and fear, and that they would continue to put their trust and faith in Him even in difficult times. And as He had shared with the disciples in today’s passage, that everything had to happen as according to the will of the Father in Heaven, Who would send to them all the Helper or the Advocate, which refers to the Holy Spirit, the Spirit of God that would strengthen all of the followers of the Lord.

And the Lord told them all that everything had to happen as it had been planned by God, or else, the Holy Spirit would not come into this world as He should have. Through the Holy Spirit that eventually came upon all the disciples, guiding the Church of God, the Lord would do wonderful things for His people, growing the reach of His works to the whole world through the works of evangelisation and mission, as the disciples of the Lord courageously went forth to proclaim the Good News and the truth about God and His salvation, strengthened and encouraged by the Holy Spirit, sent unto them by the Lord Himself, dwelling in their hearts. Through the tireless effoorts and works of these dedicated missionaries and many other holy and faithful people of God, countless people and souls have been saved from eternal damnation and brought into the light of God’s salvation.

Today, the Church also marks the occasion of the Feast of St. Augustine of Canterbu ry, the very first bishop of the restored Church hierarchy and structure in England, after the turmoil and destruction of the previous two centuries when civil upheavals and problems led to the loss of contact between the Church in England and that in the rest of the Christendom at the time. After the downfall of the Roman Empire in the Western Europe, as well as the invasion of England by the pagan Anglo-Saxons, the state of the Church in the formerly Christian England was dire, but this did not lead to total destruction of the Christian faith in the region as many still held onto their faith in God despite being separated from the hierarchy and administration of the Church.

And most importantly, at that time, Pope St. Gregory the Great initiated important efforts to reevangelise the many areas that had fallen back to paganism and where the faith had floundered, sending among others, St. Augustine of Canterbury to be the Papal representative and missionary in England. It was at Canterbury in southeastern England where he ministered and worked patiently for the Lord’s sake, eventually leading to the conversion of many to the Lord, and beginning a great period of rejuvenation of the Christian faith there, that in the end brought back the whole England to the faith, as the Anglo-Saxons eventually completely and entirely adopted the Christian faith and were baptised in the Lord. Thanks to the courageous and tireless efforts of St. Augustine of Canterbury and the many other missionaries, all these good things happened.

Brothers and sisters in Christ, as we have heard today from our Scripture passages and also from the life and works of St. Augustine of Canterbury among others, let us all therefore be evangelising and missionary in our own actions, words and all the things that we do in our respective lives daily, in each and every moments, and in all of our encounters with those whom we meet in our lives. Let us all therefore be the faithful and worthy beacons of God’s light and truth, His Good News, love and hope to everyone around us. May the Lord bless our every good efforts, works and endeavours, and bring us all to be the great examples to all the people, now and always. Amen.

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Monday, 26 May 2025 : 6th Week of Easter, Memorial of St. Philip Neri, Priest (Homily and Scripture Reflections)

Liturgical Colour : White

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, today all of us as Christians, as God’s disciples and followers are reminded through these passages of the Sacred Scriptures that we have received today of the calling and missions which each and every one of us have as Christians, as God’s holy people, to proclaim the Good News to the whole world. That is what the Lord Himself has entrusted to us all, as the Church’s primary mission which is evangelisation, ‘To go forth to the world and to make the Lord known to all the people of all the nations, and to baptise them all in the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.’ And as we are reminded of this mission which we have as parts and members of the same Church of God, we are called to discern carefully our actions and works in our lives going forward, so that we may do our best to glorify God by our lives and actions.

In our first reading today, taken from the Acts of the Apostles we heard of the continuation of the great works of the Apostles, in which St. Paul went from cities and towns, going to different places to proclaim the Good News of God and His works among His people. It was told in that account how a particular God-fearing woman named Lydia who chose to believe in the Lord, accepting the grace of baptism and hence becoming a member of the Church. While it was not truly known whether she was a Jew or a Gentile, or a non-Jewish woman, but what matters here is how the works of the Apostles and the Lord’s missionaries continue to bear rich fruits for the Lord and His people, growing the Church ever more in its reach and size, as more and more came to be baptised.

In those early days of the Church, the Church grew rapidly due to the tireless efforts of those disciples and followers of the Lord, some of whom were the Apostles that went to the different parts of the known world then to proclaim the Good News of the Lord both to the Jewish diaspora community and to the Gentiles in the region. As what we had heard in the Acts of the Apostles throughout the season of Easter, the works of the Apostles and their companions in mission continued to gain many wonderful fruits and results as more and more came to believe in the Lord as they listened to the words and teachings of those disciples of the Lord, or that they were inspired by the way and manner in which they lived and cared for one another.

Therefore, all of us living in this world today should also be inspired by the examples showed by those missionaries who have spent a lot of time and effort to proclaim the truth and Good News of God. We do not have to do exactly what they had done, but rather, we should live our lives to the fullest as those whom the Lord had called and chosen, to live in the manner as Christians, in our genuine faith and dedication to the Lord at all times. We should not easily be swayed and shaken by the trials, hardships and challenges that we may have to face in our journey and in the path of our mission. If we are courageous and trusting in the Lord, in His guidance, providence and help, eventually, no matter what we may encounter in our path, we will be strengthened and empowered, and through our efforts we shall bring about lots of wonderful things for others around us, bringing them closer to God.

Then, from our Gospel passage today, we heard of the account from the Gospel according to St. John the Apostle and Evangelist, in which the Lord Jesus told His disciples about the events that would soon happen to Him and to all of them as well, as His disciples and followers. He told them all about the time of His Passion, His suffering and all that He had to endure for the sake of the whole race of mankind, and how they all might be shaken, but they all should not lose faith because God would always be by their side, strengthening them all, and the Lord Jesus Himself would also not leave them, because in the end, He would be triumphant against all the trials and challenges Himself, and would gloriously rise from the dead in the Resurrection.

Then the Lord also told them all about how He is the True Vine and the Father is the Vinegrower. Through this, He wanted to tell all of His disciples and therefore all of us that we have to be faithful and committed to His teachings and ways, and we should not easily lose hope and faith in Him due to the many pressures and temptations of the world around us. We should always hold firmly to our faith in God, and help one another to remain firmly attached to the Lord’s Vine, that is His teachings, truth and Good News as preserved and proclaimed, contained and upheld by the Church of God, the One, Holy, Catholic and Apostolic Church. And as Christians, it is our duty and responsibility to proclaim this truth and Good News in each and every moments of our lives.

Today, the Church also celebrates the Feast of St. Philip Neri, a faithful and holy priest of God, whose life and examples can serve as great inspiration for all of us to follow. St. Philip Neri was an Italian priest and saint who had great dedication in ministering to the poor and the marginalised in the community, which he helped the founding of the Confraternity of the Most Holy Trinity of Pilgrims and Convalescents, gathering all those who sought to minister to the needs of pilgrims and those who were suffering in the community. He was also later known even more for founding the Congregation of the Oratory, spreading the Word of God and truth through missionary works among the people of God, and the works of St. Philip Neri amongst the people of Rome were so profound that he was also known as the Second Apostle to Rome.

Brothers and sisters in Christ, let us all therefore be inspired to proclaim the words and truth of the Lord to all those whom we encounter daily around us, and do our very best in living our lives faithfully as Christians, in each and every opportunities so that we may truly touch the lives and hearts of those whom we encounter and interact with, in making God known to more and more of the people of all the nations just as He had commanded us to do. Like St. Philip Neri before us, let us all be missionary and evangelising in our every actions and works, in our every good efforts and commitments in life. May God bless our every good efforts and works, and may He strengthen us always with the courage and wisdom, and with the desire to glorify Him at all times. Amen.

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Sunday, 25 May 2025 : Sixth Sunday of Easter (Homily and Scripture Reflections)

Liturgical Colour : White

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, this Sunday which marks the Sixth Sunday of Easter, all of us are reminded that as Christians, it is important for us to be truly filled with the love of God in all things, in our every actions, words and deeds. We are all called to follow the Lord in all of our ways, in our everyday interactions, actions and works so that by our complete and total dedication to God’s ways as Christians, as those whom God had called and chosen. We must not easily be distracted by the many alternative ideals and ways which may be contrary to the ways that the Lord had presented to us. This is why it is important that we have to discern carefully our actions and choices in life, so that we may truly walk faithfully the path that the Lord has guided us through in life.

In our first reading this Sunday, taken from the Acts of the Apostles, we heard of the aftermath of the First Council of Jerusalem, the first major gathering of the assembly of the faithful in the history of the Church, which dealt with the issue of the disagreements that happened due to the efforts by some among the early Christians to impose the full weight of the Jewish customs, practices and ways on the whole Church. And as I have explained in detail in the deliberations earlier this week, such a rule and requirement would have made it very difficult for the believers from among the Gentiles, or the non-Jewish people to follow the Lord and becoming His disciples, as certain practices and customs of the Jews such as circumcision and dietary restrictions are viewed with disgust and suspicion by the Gentiles as a whole.

That was why after deliberations and discussions, guided by the Lord through the Holy Spirit, the Apostles led by St. Peter the Apostle decided that the whole Church should not be bound by the whole extensive and cumbersome Jewish customs, traditions and practices, which numbered about six hundred and thirteen in all, not counting the many other rites and rituals, practices and interpretations that the Pharisees often enforced. After all, the Lord Jesus Himself had criticised those same Pharisees for their way of observing the Law, for their overly rigid and strict interpretation of the Law of God, and most importantly for their hypocrisy in exercising their authority and in their own way of living and practicing the Law. And in accordance to what the Lord Himself had taught and presented before the disciples, the Church required only the fulfilment of what the Lord had told His people to follow.

As ultimately, the Law of God was meant as the guide for the faithful to follow in how they ought to live up their lives, and in showing all of them on how they ought to love God first and foremost, above all else, and then to love one another, their fellow men and women, their brothers and sisters in the same Lord. It is meant to lead us all towards God, and not to burden us unnecessarily. That is why the Apostles sent out the letters and messages to the faithful throughout the various community then present, through St. Paul and the other missionaries so that they might be able to practice the Christian faith in the proper and right manner without unnecessary burden and inconvenience. The Lord guided His Church and the efforts of the disciples, and the Church continued to keep on growing ever since.

This is also an important reminder for us that we should always have the right focus in our way of obeying the Lord’s commandments and laws, and we should not be easily distracted by certain tenets or doctrines that ended up causing us to lose sight and focus on what the Law of God is truly all about. As Christians, it is most important that we focus our attention on the Lord and not on our own different preferences and prejudices, and it is also very important that we must all be ready to listen to one another, and not to be hardened in our attitudes, in refusing to listen to the opinions of others around us. We should learn to understand the true will of God and the path that He is guiding and leading us through, by the guidance of the Holy Spirit instead of insisting on our own way and methods.

Then, from the second reading passage this Sunday, we heard of the vision of St. John the Apostle and Evangelist that he had received in the island of Patmos and which he recorded in the Book of Revelations. In that vision and account, we heard about the New Jerusalem, the vision of the city that will come from God at the end of times, a vision of the everlasting and true joy that all of us will share together as God’s holy and beloved people. And through this hope we are all reminded that if we are truly faithful to the Lord, full of love for Him and being dedicated to Him, then we shall receive from God Himself the fullness of everything that He has prepared and intended for us all, the glorious inheritance that He has reserved for us, that even if we are to suffer persecutions and hardships, in the end, we will enjoy forever the true happiness and joy with Him in Heaven.

From the perspective of the Apostle St. John himself, it was also a vision of comfort and strength, which is an encouragement for him, having suffered so many years in persecution and hardships. St. John the Apostle was the only one of the Twelve Apostles that was not martyred for his faith in God, but while he did not face a bloody and painful end of his life, he did suffer a lot throughout his very long life, as according to tradition he lived to the end of the first century, which is about seven decades or so after the Lord’s Resurrection, suffering persecutions, exile and other kinds of trials and difficulties during his ministry, missions and works among the people of God. That is perhaps the Lord showed His vision of the end times to St. John so that it could strengthen him in his own faith and commitment to Him, despite the many sufferings that he had to bear throughout his life.

Lastly, from our Gospel passage this Sunday, taken from the Gospel according to St. John the Apostle, we heard of the Lord telling His disciples about everything that would happen to them, but they should not be afraid or fearful as in the end, God would be with them always, and none of them will be left alone or abandoned as He will always provide for them whatever they need in their journey and ministry. Through the Lord, all of us, His disciples and followers will gain true and lasting peace, through the Holy Spirit, the Holy Advocate and Helper that He has bestowed upon us in this world. That is why we should not fear persecutions or hardships, just as the Lord has reassured us through His visions to St. John the Apostle and the Lord’s own reassuring words through His disciples as we have all heard today.

Essentially, all of us are reminded this Sunday to continue to do our best to carry out our missions in life as Christians, as those whom God has called and chosen to be His own people. Each and every one of us have been entrusted with the various missions and works, in our own areas of expertise and responsibility, as He granted us the various gifts, abilities, talents and all the means by which we may touch the lives of everyone around us, all those whom God had called and chosen, those whom God had placed in our lives and allowed us all to encounter in the different moments and times. All of us have been blessed with many gifts and wonders, and it is time for us therefore to make good use of them so that through our works and efforts, we may glorify the Lord and show His truth, Good News, His love and salvation through our lives and examples.

Brothers and sisters in Christ, let us all therefore strive to do our best in each and every moments of our lives so that our every words, actions and deeds, we may always proclaim the Lord’s truth and Good News to everyone whom we encounter in every opportunities. Let us all continue to be faithful and courageous in all things, doing our best in every opportunities that we have been given so that we may truly be fruitful in doing God’s good works and be strengthened in our resolve to continue to be ever more committed in proclaiming the truth and Good News, the love and hope of the Lord’s salvation to more and more people, just as He has entrusted to all of us His Church, His missionaries and all those whom He has entrusted the good works of His salvation.

May all of us be strengthened and guided as always by the good hands of the Lord in all times and occasions, and may God bless our every good efforts, works and endeavours, all for His greater glory, now and always, forevermore. Amen.

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Saturday, 24 May 2025 : 5th Week of Easter, Memorial of Mary Help of Christians, and Our Lady of Sheshan, and World Day of Prayer for the Church in China (Homily and Scripture Reflections)

Liturgical Colour : White

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, today the Church commemorates in particular the Feast of Mary, Help of Christians and also Our Lady of Sheshan, the popular Marian site in Shanghai region of China, remembering in particular the persecution of Christians, our fellow brothers and sisters in faith throughout the world, but more especially so in the Church in China, where persecutions still often happen daily and where Christians are still being persecuted for their faith and belief in Christ, just it has also happened elsewhere in the world as well. We remember these brethren of ours in our prayers today and ask the intercession of Mary, the Help of Christians and Our Lady of Sheshan so that her prayers and intercession may move the Lord to intervene on their behalf and protect them in their struggles and trials.

In our first reading today, taken from the Acts of the Apostles we heard of the continuation of the works that St. Paul carried out in the ministry of the Word of God, in proclaiming the Good News and works of the Lord to the people in various places, as he went from one place to another in spreading the truth of God, gaining more and more followers and disciples day after day, as the Church kept on growing in each and every efforts that the Apostles and the other missionaries undertook in their good works in the Lord. This is a reminder for all of us that we must be ready to continue the works of the Apostles, which they had begun and which still continued on even to this very present day, as they carried on proclaiming the Good News of the Lord to more and more people they encountered in their journey.

This is also a reminder that the primary mission of the Church is indeed one of evangelisation, of the mission which the Lord Himself had entrusted to His Church through His disciples in the Great Commission, that is the command for all the faithful disciples and followers of the Lord to go forth to all the people of all the nations, and to proclaim therefore the Good News of the Lord, and to baptise all of them in the Name of the Father, and the Son and the Holy Spirit, gathering all the scattered lost children of God, the lost sheep of the Lord’s flock to the one united Body of Christ, the One, Holy, Catholic and Apostolic Church. This is the mission which all of us are sharing in the Church and which we should courageously and devotedly carry out in each and every opportunities presented to us.

Therefore, this is why we should continue to do the works that the Lord has entrusted to each and every one of us in whatever capacities and opportunities that He had presented to us. We should always be courageous in living our lives in the most Christ-like way, in doing our best to glorify the Lord by our exemplary lives and actions. All of us should make good use of the time, opportunities and blessings that He has granted to us so that by our commitment and works, we may truly be His faithful disciples and followers, spreading the truth and Good News of God to more and more people we encounter in each and every moments, leading more and more people and souls towards the Lord, our most loving God and Father. We have to continue to commit ourselves to these good works even amidst persecutions and hardships in our journey.

Then, from our Gospel passage today, we heard from the Gospel according to St. John the Apostle and Evangelist in which the Lord Jesus told His disciples of the reality of them following Him and the kind of difficulties, hardships and persecutions that they might have to endure in their ministry and journey as Christians, as the disciples and followers of His in the world. And the Lord told them that just as He has been persecuted and faced all sorts of challenges and difficulties, therefore the world would also persecuted all those who follow in the Lord’s path and all those who carry out His works. This is something that we must keep in mind especially if we think that following Christ our Lord will be something that is enjoyable, smooth-sailing and easy, as the reality will hit us as being otherwise.

Yet, at the same time, the Lord also reassured His disciples, and therefore all of us because we do not suffer all those sufferings and persecutions alone, as He is always there carrying the Cross with us, by our side, providing for us and not leaving us all alone. And His Blessed Mother, the Help of Christians, Our Lady of Sheshan is always by our side as well, just as she has faithfully walked by the side of her Son during His Passion and sufferings, on the Way of the Cross to His Crucifixion. That is why we should put our trust in the intercession of Mary, Help of Christians and Our Lady of Sheshan, who will always pray for us on our behalf, asking her Son by His Throne in Heaven, to be moved to our plight, sufferings and difficulties. We will never be found wanting or alone, abandoned or without anyone to listen to us, as our prayers are very well heard by the Lord Himself and also through His Blessed Mother.

Let us all offer our prayers today, asking for the Blessed Mother of God, Our Lady of Sheshan and Help of Christians to help and provide for us in the hour of our need, and in particular we pray for all those people who have been persecuted for their faith, our own brothers and sisters, who have endured lots of sufferings and hardships in living their faith daily, especially keeping in mind our brethren who are still suffering and being persecuted in the Church in China, where there are still sporadic persecutions facing the faithful, as the government there tried to put the Church and the local faithful community under their control. But the Lord was always with them and all of us, and He has given us all His own Mother to be our guide and support as well.

Brothers and sisters in Christ, let us all therefore strive to do our best in our various capacities and opportunities provided to us as Christians so that in our every moments in life and in each and every one of our encounters and efforts, we will always be full of faith and love in Christ our Lord, and show this faith we have by our good examples, commitment and dedication. Let us all therefore be the shining examples and role models for our fellow brethren all around us, showing the path for all to reach the Lord, Our Saviour and King. May God be with us always and may He bless us in our every good efforts and endeavours. Amen.

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Friday, 23 May 2025 : 5th 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, all of us are reminded of the need for all of us to be truly filled with God’s love in all of our actions, and be focused on Him in everything that we say and do in our daily living. We should not allow ourselves to be swayed by worldly ways, prejudices and all the things that may lead us to be divided against each other and therefore causing divisions among the members of the faithful and holy people of God. Instead, as God’s holy people and followers, each and every one of us should always strive to follow the Lord faithfully and in each and every one of our actions in life, we must always strive to glorify God, to proclaim His truth and Good News at all times, to do what He has commanded us all to do.

In our first reading today taken from the Acts of the Apostles, we heard of the aftermath of the First Council of Jerusalem, the first major gathering of the assembly of the faithful in the history of the Church, which dealt with the issue of the disagreements that happened due to the efforts by some among the early Christians to impose the full weight of the Jewish customs, practices and ways on the whole Church. And as I have explained in detail in the deliberations of these past two days or so, such a rule and requirement would have made it very difficult for the believers from among the Gentiles, or the non-Jewish people to follow the Lord and becoming His disciples, as certain practices and customs of the Jews such as circumcision and dietary restrictions are viewed with disgust and suspicion by the Gentiles as a whole.

That was why after deliberations and discussions, guided by the Lord through the Holy Spirit, the Apostles led by St. Peter the Apostle decided that the whole Church should not be bound by the whole extensive and cumbersome Jewish customs, traditions and practices, which numbered about six hundred and thirteen in all, not counting the many other rites and rituals, practices and interpretations that the Pharisees often enforced. After all, the Lord Jesus Himself had criticised those same Pharisees for their way of observing the Law, for their overly rigid and strict interpretation of the Law of God, and most importantly for their hypocrisy in exercising their authority and in their own way of living and practicing the Law. And in accordance to what the Lord Himself had taught and presented before the disciples, the Church required only the fulfilment of what the Lord had told His people to follow.

As ultimately, the Law of God was meant as the guide for the faithful to follow in how they ought to live up their lives, and in showing all of them on how they ought to love God first and foremost, above all else, and then to love one another, their fellow men and women, their brothers and sisters in the same Lord. It is meant to lead us all towards God, and not to burden us unnecessarily. That is why the Apostles sent out the letters and messages to the faithful throughout the various community then present, through St. Paul and the other missionaries so that they might be able to practice the Christian faith in the proper and right manner without unnecessary burden and inconvenience. The Lord guided His Church and the efforts of the disciples, and the Church continued to keep on growing ever since.

Then, from our Gospel passage today taken from the Gospel of St. John the Apostle and Evangelist, we heard of the Lord Jesus Himself reminding His disciples of the same commandments and Law that He had revealed to them, which we had just discussed about. The Lord summarised the whole Law of God into two main criteria and categories, that is essentially to love God first and foremost, with all of our heart, might and strength, and then to love one another in the same manner as well. And it is through this love of God and the love for our fellow brothers and sisters that we are truly Christians, not just in name but in deeds as well. We cannot call ourselves as Christians unless we practice this love in each and every moments of our daily actions and living.

The Lord Himself showed this Love to us by manifesting the perfect Love that has come from the loving Father, Our loving God and Creator. We are reminded of the ultimate show of God’s love in the other part of the Gospel of St. John, that God has given us all the perfect and ultimate gift because He so loved us and the world, that He gave us all His only Begotten Son, the One in Whom is manifested the fullness of God’s love and grace. Jesus Christ, the Son of God is indeed the perfect manifestation of God’s Love, made tangible and approachable to us, and through His own most loving examples, in how He reached out to us, to the most marginalised amongst us, and in His most selfless love in bearing His Cross for our salvation, He has indeed taught us the true meaning of Christian love.

Now, brothers and sisters in Christ, as Christians we should follow the examples of Christ Himself, as uiltimately we are called Christians because we believe in Christ our Lord, as our Master and Saviour. If the Lord Himself has loved us all so generously and patiently, then we too should love Him in the same manner as well, and we should also love our fellow brothers and sisters around us in the same manner just as He has taught us. This is what all of us have been called to do as Christians, to be truly committed to the Lord in all things especially in love. Without love we cannot be truly good and worthy disciples of the Lord, as without love, our faith in God is nothing and empty. Are we able to love the Lord and love our fellow brothers and sisters generously?

May the Lord, our most loving God and Father, continue to inspire us all to show love in each and every moments of our lives, to be truly loving and committed to love God and our fellow brothers and sisters around us most generously in all the things that we do. May He continue to empower us all each day to be His loving and faithful disciples, so that by our love, everyone may indeed truly known that we are Christians, and that we truly belong to God. That is why we must always practice this love in our daily actions, or else we may bring about scandal to the Lord’s Name, if our actions and works are contrary to what we profess to believe in. Let us be truly committed to God in all things, and strive to do our best each day to glorify God by our lives, now and forevermore. Amen.