Feast of St. Cosmas and St. Damian

by

Saturday, 26 September 2026 : 25th Week of Ordinary Time, Memorial of St. Cosmas and St. Damian, Martyrs (Homily and Scripture Reflections)

Liturgical Colour : Green or Red (Martyrs) or White (Saturday Mass of Our Lady)

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, today as we listened to the words of the Scripture we are reminded yet again of the need for each one of us as Christians to be always mindful and aware of what we all need to do in our lives, in doing the actions that are in accordance with God and His ways, obeying His will and commandments, and keeping in mind that each and every single things that we say and do, all these will be accountable to God on the Day of Judgment. And not only that, but in all the things that we are able to do and in the capacity of doing, but not doing because we neglect our responsibilities, we shall also be made accountable for them as well, for everything that we have failed to do when we are perfectly capable of doing them.

That was the gist of what we heard from the Book of Ecclesiastes or Qoheleth in our first reading today. We heard how the author reminded those who were young that they ought to keep those words in mind, reminding them that each and every one of their actions will be accountable to God. There is nothing that we do which will not be known or unveiled to God. The Lord knows everything in our hearts and minds, and He shall judge us all by everything He knows of us. We have been given the opportunities and the time to do the things that God has shown us, to be His faithful disciples and witnesses in the midst of our communities, in each and every chances and moments provided to us.

And we should not be ignorant of that calling to do something, to participate in the good works and efforts of the Church, in its various outreach and commissions, and not only that but also in our own individual capacities, even to the smallest and simplest things like living our lives worthily and faithfully in accordance to the Law and commandments of God. In a world where there are plenty of temptations for us to disobey God and to embrace the path of worldliness and sin, each one of us have been called to seek the Lord wholeheartedly and to follow Him, while knowing that this path that God has called us to walk in, may not be an easy or smooth one. There may be lots of hardships and challenges, but we must persevere and continue going on, with God by our side, guiding and strengthening us.

As we heard in our Gospel passage today, the Lord spoke to His disciples regarding Who He truly was, and what He was about to endure during the moments of His Passion, suffering and death. Back then, no one would have known or expected that the Lord would have suffered such a grievous fate. In fact, many among the followers of the Lord would have expected that He would lead them all into glory and victory against the Romans and other oppressors, and reestablish the kingdom of David, the kingdom of God’s people Israel. The coming of the Messiah was understood as a time of great glory and triumph, where the Lord would gather His people and give them the freedom and victory against their enemies.

But they had misunderstood the Lord’s intentions, and the Lord Himself told them that in truth, He, the Messiah, the Son of Man, just as the prophets themselves had predicted, particularly that of the prophet Isaiah, He would have to suffer grievously for the sake of His beloved ones. He would have to be rejected and oppressed, punished and tortured, scourged, beaten and spat upon for the sake of our salvation and liberation. And yet, knowing all that would happen to Him, and all the sufferings that He would have to endure, the Lord Jesus still obeyed His Father’s will perfectly and carried out everything to perfection, suffering and dying on His Cross at Calvary. Out of His ever enduring and amazing love, He willingly embraced His role in bringing forth our salvation.

Through that act of supreme love and sacrifice, the ultimate selfless expression of love, God has shown us first of all that He loves us in an infinitely wonderful way, and He has always cared for us all these times despite of our frequent disobedience and refusal to believe in Him. And not only that, but through His Son, the same Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, the same suffering Son of Man, God showed us the perfect obedience and the perfect role model that His Son has done for us, so that we know that it truly means for us to be Christians. The Apostles and disciples of the Lord themselves followed His examples, remembering His new commandment and mandate at the Last Supper, that they ought to do whatever that their Lord and Master had done.

This is a reminder that each one of us following in the footsteps and examples of the Apostles and the innumerable saints, holy men and women of God, we have to listen to the Lord, obey His will, His Law and commandments, and do what He has called us to do and make good use of the time and opportunities that He has presented to us. We are all given many different and unique talents, opportunities and other things that can allow us to do so many great wonders, and we should realise that each one of us have this part to play as God’s people, to be active and committed in giving ourselves and our lives for the cause of the Lord at all times. This is what we should do instead of being distracted by the many temptations all around us, the temptations of power, wealth, worldly glory and many others.

Today, the Church also celebrates the Feast of two great saints, St. Cosmas and St. Damian, whose faith and devotion to God, and whose actions and contributions to their fellow brothers and sisters, fellow faithful people of God, should inspire all of us to live our own lives faithfully and worthily of the Lord. St. Cosmas and St. Damian were known to be a pair of twin brothers who were both physicians, renowned for their care for the sick and the needy in their community, as they provided care for the physical ailments of the people, and gave the care for free to the poor and those who could not afford to be healed. Miracles were attributed to them, and many came to them seeking for help.

Their faith and dedication to God also became inspiration to many people, as they lived virtuously and with great dedication to God. And as they were arrested and persecuted by the local governor for being Christians, then being the height of the intense persecutions of Christians under the Diocletianic Persecution, they remained firm to their faith in God to the very end, as they gave up their lives in honouring God, in refusing to bend to the demands of the pagan authorities to obey the Emperor’s orders and to abandon their Lord, God and Master. They chose to live worthily and die in faith and obedience, showing every members of the Christian faithful what it truly means to be Christians.

Brothers and sisters in Christ, can we all therefore be inspired by these great examples as well, that each and every one of us should be great role models and inspirations ourselves to our fellow brothers and sisters, in all of our lives, actions and deeds. Let us all be the bearers of the light of God to our fellow brethren, especially all those who have not known God and His love, His truth and Good News. Let us all do our very best to glorify God by our lives and actions, and be with Him, doing our part to serve Him all the days of our lives, as we should have done. Amen.

by

Saturday, 26 September 2026 : 25th Week of Ordinary Time, Memorial of St. Cosmas and St. Damian, Martyrs (Gospel Reading)

Liturgical Colour : Green or Red (Martyrs) or White (Saturday Mass of Our Lady)

Luke 9 : 43b-45

At that time, while all were amazed at everything Jesus did, He said to His disciples, “Listen, and remember what I tell you now : The Son of Man will be betrayed into the hands of men.” But the disciples did not understand this saying; something prevented them from grasping what He meant, and they were afraid to ask Him about it.

by

Saturday, 26 September 2026 : 25th Week of Ordinary Time, Memorial of St. Cosmas and St. Damian, Martyrs (Psalm)

Liturgical Colour : Green or Red (Martyrs) or White (Saturday Mass of Our Lady)

Psalm 89 : 3-4, 5-6, 12-13, 14 and 17

You turn humans back to dust, saying, “Return, o mortals!” A thousand years in Your sight are like a day that has passed, or like a watch in the night.

You sow them in their time, a dawn they peep out. In the morning they blossom, but the flower fades and withers in the evening.

So make us know the shortness of our life, that we may gain wisdom of heart. How long will You be angry, o YHVH? Have mercy on Your servant.

Fill us at daybreak with Your goodness, that we may be glad all our days. May the sweetness of YHVH be upon us; may He prosper the work of our hands.

by

Saturday, 26 September 2026 : 25th Week of Ordinary Time, Memorial of St. Cosmas and St. Damian, Martyrs (First Reading)

Liturgical Colour : Green or Red (Martyrs) or White (Saturday Mass of Our Lady)

Ecclesiastes (Qoheleth) 11 : 9 – Ecclesiastes 12 : 8

Rejoice, young man, in your youth and direct well your heart when you are young; follow your desires and achieve your ambitions but recall that God will take account of all you do.

Drive sorrow from your heart and pain from your flesh, for youth and dark hair will not last. Be mindful of your Creator when you are young, before the time of sorrow comes when you have to say, “This gives me no pleasure,” and before the sun, moon and stars withdraw their light, before the clouds gather again after the rain.

On the day when the guardians of the house tremble, when sturdy men are bowed and those at the mill stop working because they are too few, when it grows dim for those looking through the windows, and the doors are shut and the noise of the mill grows faint, the sparrow stops chirping and the bird-song is silenced, when one fears the slopes and to walk is frightening;

Yet the almond tree blossoms, the grasshopper is fat and the caperberry bears fruit that serves no purpose, because man goes forward to his eternal home and mourners gather in the street, even before the silver chain is snapped or the golden globe is shattered, before the pitcher is broken at the fountain or the wheel at the mill, before the dust returns to the earth from which it came and the spirit returns to God Who gave it.

Meaningless! Meaningless! The teacher says; all is meaningless!

by

Thursday, 26 September 2024 : 25th Week of Ordinary Time, Memorial of St. Cosmas and St. Damian, Martyrs (Homily and Scripture Reflections)

Liturgical Colour : Green or Red (Martyrs)

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, today from the passages of the Sacred Scriptures we are all reminded of the reality of the impermanence of our earthly existence and worldly matters, of all the things we have and possess in this world, all the things that we often crave and desire for in this life. Each and every one of us are reminded that we should not spend so much effort and time in trying to gain all those things at the expense of our faith in the Lord and what we should and could have done as good and faithful Christians in each and every moments of our lives. We are all reminded that no matter how much we have gained and built up in the worldly treasures, glory and fame, among other things, none of these can truly satisfy and fulfil our needs, as we are in the end are bound to be disappointed unless we put our faith and trust in the Lord.

In our first reading today taken from the Book of Ecclesiastes or Qoheleth we heard the beginning of the discourse which we will hear for the next few days reminding us all that ultimately each and every one of us should put our faith and trust not in any worldly matters and things, but we must put our faith and trust in God, in His providence, love and grace, believing that through His help and strength, by the encouragement and the power which He has granted to us, we may truly find true satisfaction and the true path towards salvation and redemption in God, and not be swayed into the false paths of temporary and illusory pleasures, all of which were not true treasures and destinations that we all should be aiming for in life.

The author of the Book of Ecclesiastes pointed out that nothing in this world lasts forever, and no matter whatever achievements, greatness, fame and glory that we may attain and accumulate, all the monuments and great things that we have established, all of these eventually would fade away and be forgotten, just as the author have mentioned and just have history itself had shown us again and again, repeatedly. All those achievements, greatness and things eventually fade away and others replace them, and even many among the greatest figures in history had also faded away, and are no longer remembered besides the broken and faded remnants of statues, cities and ruins, all of which are yet again acute reminders for us of the impermanence of all the things of this world, and why we should not spend so much time in trying to accumulate for ourselves all these worldly greatness.

Then in our Gospel passage today, we heard from the Gospel according to St. Luke in which the short passage showing the astonishment of King Herod at the news of the Lord Jesus and His actions, which many among the Jewish people confused and thought to be the resurrection or return of St. John the Baptist from the dead, and which led to the amusement and surprise from Herod because it was by his actions that the man of God, St. John the Baptist had been put to death when he was imprisoned for criticising and rebuking the king and his unlawfully wedded wife, Herodias. St. John the Baptist was killed by the instigation of Herodias who trapped Herod into ordering the execution of the faithful man of God, and this act was a great sin that tainted and truly shook Herod.

Eventually, as we have heard, one of the reasons why Herod was truly astonished, troubled and amazed by what he had heard from the news of the activities of the Lord Jesus was because despite all of his wealth, glory, power, fame and all the things that he had achieved and gained, and despite having taken his own brother’s wife to be his own, which led him to sin in adultery, but all those things could not truly satisfy him, and in the end, he did not have any peace, and having killed a holy man of God, this blame would remain with him for the rest of his life. This is again another reminder for all of us not to seek any forms of worldly comforts and satisfaction, pleasures and joys, all of which can easily distract and sway us away from the true path towards God and His salvation.

Today, the Church celebrates the Feast of the two great saints and martyrs, St. Cosmas and St. Damian. Both of them were renowned physicians that gained renown for their works among the people, healing many of the sick and caring for the needs of the less fortunate such that they did not charge the poor and those who were unable to afford their medical services. They showed us all exactly what the Scriptures today had told us, that each one of us should not put worldly pursuits and desires, such as for money and material wealth at the forefront of our lives. Instead, like the examples of St. Cosmas and St. Damian, all of us should be generous in loving others around us and in being kind to one another, especially to those who are in need. They were eventually martyred during the intense persecutions under the Roman Emperor Diocletian, but their great generosity and courage in defending their faith in God lived on in many others inspired by their lives and examples.

Therefore, brothers and sisters in Christ, as we all have heard from the story of the lives and the dedication of St. Cosmas and St. Damian, and from what we have discussed earlier on regarding the futility and impermanence of all worldly matters and things around us, let us all strive hence to live our lives in a more godly and Christ-like manner, distancing ourselves from all the temptations and distractions, all of which can mislead and prevent us from truly finding our way to the Lord, to His salvation and grace. Each and every one of us are reminded that we must always be vigilant and careful lest these temptations drag us down into the slippery slope of sin, evil and bring us to our downfall and destruction.

May the Lord our most loving God and Father continue to help and strengthen us in each and every one of our journey through life, so that in all the things that we say and do, we will continue to glorify the Lord by our exemplary living and that we may continue to be encouraged to live our lives worthily at all times in His Holy and loving Presence, now and always, becoming great inspirations and examples for everyone around us. Amen.

by

Thursday, 26 September 2024 : 25th Week of Ordinary Time, Memorial of St. Cosmas and St. Damian, Martyrs (Gospel Reading)

Liturgical Colour : Green or Red (Martyrs)

Luke 9 : 7-9

At that time, king Herod heard of all that Jesus and His disciples had done, and did not know what to think, for people said, “This is John, raised from the dead.”

Others believed that Elijah, or one of the ancient prophets, had come back to life. As for Herod, he said, “I had John beheaded. Who is this Man, about Whom I hear such wonders?” And he was anxious to see Him.

by

Thursday, 26 September 2024 : 25th Week of Ordinary Time, Memorial of St. Cosmas and St. Damian, Martyrs (Psalm)

Liturgical Colour : Green or Red (Martyrs)

Psalm 89 : 3-4, 5-6, 12-13, 14 and 17

You turn humans back to dust, saying, “Return, o mortals!” A thousand years in Your sight are like a day that has passed, or like a watch in the night.

You sow them in their time, a dawn they peep out. In the morning they blossom, but the flower fades and withers in the evening.

So make us know the shortness of our life, that we may gain wisdom of heart. How long will You be angry, o YHVH? Have mercy on Your servant.

Fill us at daybreak with Your goodness, that we may be glad all our days. May the sweetness of YHVH be upon us; may He prosper the work of our hands.

by

Thursday, 26 September 2024 : 25th Week of Ordinary Time, Memorial of St. Cosmas and St. Damian, Martyrs (First Reading)

Liturgical Colour : Green or Red (Martyrs)

Ecclesiastes (Qoheleth) 1 : 2-11

All is meaningless – says the Teacher – meaningless, meaningless! What profit is there for a man in all his work for which he toils under the sun?

A generation goes, a generation comes and the earth remains forever. The sun rises, the sun sets, hastening towards the place where it again rises. Blowing to the south, turning to the north, the wind goes round and round and after all its rounds it has to blow again.

All rivers go to the sea but the sea is not full; to the place where the rivers come from, there they return again. All words become weary and speech comes to an end, but the eye has never seen enough nor the ear heard too much. What has happened before will happen again, what has been done before will be done again : there is nothing new under the sun.

If they say to you, “See, it is new!” know that it has already been centuries earlier. There is no remembrance of ancient people, and those to come will not be remembered by those who follow them.

by

Tuesday, 26 September 2023 : 25th Week of Ordinary Time, Memorial of St. Cosmas and St. Damian, Martyrs (Homily and Scripture Reflections)

Liturgical Colour : Green or Red (Martyrs)

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, today as we listened to the words of the Scriptures, we are all reminded that we should be ever faithful to the Lord our God, in all of our lives, in all of our words and actions. We should always strive to be holy and to be faithful and committed to God, just as all of us have been expected to do as God’s holy and beloved people, whom He had called and chosen from this world to be His own. The Lord has shown all of us His ever patient and generous love, compassion and mercy, calling on all of us to turn once again towards Him, to turn our backs against our past sins and wickedness that had once separated all of us from His amazing love and kindness. He wants each and every one of us to be redeemed and to be reconciled fully with Him, so that through Him we may indeed have love and eternal life.

In our first reading today, in continuation from the reading of the Book of the prophet Ezra from yesterday, we heard of the continuing restoration of Israel, its people and fortunes after they had all been allowed to return from their exile in the distant lands of Babylon and beyond. Back then, the descendants of the people of Israel and Judah had been humiliated and made to suffer because of their own folly and disobedience, by their refusal to obey God’s will, Law and commandments, and by their wickedness and evils, in worshipping pagan gods and false idols, which made them to stumble and fall, and eventually had their cities destroyed, and the great Temple of God in Jerusalem, the House of God built by King Solomon, destroyed as well, and the Ark of the Covenant that had been with them since the time of the Exodus to disappear from their midst.

But as mentioned yesterday, God moved the heart and mind of King Cyrus of Persia, who conquered Babylon and then allowed the Israelites and their descendants to return back to their homeland and rebuild their Temple which had been destroyed decades earlier. And as we heard in today’s reading, King Darius of Persia, Cyrus’ successor, encouraged the people of God to rebuild the Temple, the House of God in Jerusalem, as the reconstruction of their homeland continued, with the reestablishment of order and the community, with the appointment of priests and those in charge of various events and festivals, as it was in the days of old when God’s Law and commandments, His festivals and events were still celebrated by the Israelites before their downfall and humiliation. This was a sign and proof of God’s continuing and enduring love and guidance for His people.

We heard of how the planning for the rebuilding of the Temple and the restoration of the community of the Israelites continued to go on, under the leadership of the priest and prophet Ezra, who have led the people of Israel from their exile with the other elders, reestablishing the festivals and celebrations of the Lord according to His Law, and how the people once again gathered in joy to celebrate their faith in accordance with God’s Law and commandments, with their priests and all the other functionaries and celebrants in tandem, showing that the people of God had truly been restored to the favour and grace of God, after they had once fallen from that favour by their own folly, by their wickedness, evils and disobedience against God, by their refusal of God’s ever generous love and compassionate mercy in all things.

In our Gospel passage today, we then heard of the words of the Lord speaking to the people, about the matter of obeying and following God, when His disciples and family reminded Him that His mother and others were waiting on Him as He was busy teaching and ministering to the people of God. At a glance, it might seem that the Lord had been rude to His own mother, but in fact, He was highlighting that His mother, Mary herself, was and is still the perfect example of that obedience and righteousness in God, that all of us as God’s people should follow in our own lives, in doing what He had told and taught us to do, and abandoning our past sinful and wicked ways of life, just as our predecessors had done.

That is why, as we are all reminded by the Sacred Scriptures today, each and every one of us as Christians ought to be ever faithful and committed to God, exemplary and worthy in all of our lives and actions, so that in our every words and actions, we should always embody our faith in God, which should truly shine through our lives, our every words and actions in life, that then should become inspirations for everyone all around us to follow, in their own lives and actions, that all of us may indeed be genuine and faithful people of God in all things, not just in mere name and formality only. This is what we have been reminded to do, to be like the people of Israel who had been restored to God’s favour and grace, that we may also experience the same as well.

Today, the Church also celebrates the Feast of two great saints, St. Cosmas and St. Damian, whose faith and devotion to God, and whose actions and contributions to their fellow brothers and sisters, fellow faithful people of God, should inspire all of us to live our own lives faithfully and worthily of the Lord. St. Cosmas and St. Damian were known to be a pair of twin brothers who were both physicians, renowned for their care for the sick and the needy in their community, as they provided care for the physical ailments of the people, and gave the care for free to the poor and those who could not afford to be healed. Miracles were attributed to them, and many came to them seeking for help.

Their faith and dedication to God also became inspiration to many people, as they lived virtuously and with great dedication to God. And as they were arrested and persecuted by the local governor for being Christians, then being the height of the intense persecutions of Christians under the Diocletianic Persecution, they remained firm to their faith in God to the very end, as they gave up their lives in honouring God, in refusing to bend to the demands of the pagan authorities to obey the Emperor’s orders and to abandon their Lord, God and Master. They chose to live worthily and die in faith and obedience, showing every members of the Christian faithful what it truly means to be Christians.

Brothers and sisters in Christ, can we all therefore be inspired by these great examples as well, that each and every one of us should be great role models and inspirations ourselves to our fellow brothers and sisters, in all of our lives, actions and deeds. Let us all be the bearers of the light of God to our fellow brethren, especially all those who have not known God and His love, His truth and Good News. Let us all do our very best to glorify God by our lives and actions, and be with Him, doing our part to serve Him all the days of our lives, as we should have done. Amen.

by

Tuesday, 26 September 2023 : 25th Week of Ordinary Time, Memorial of St. Cosmas and St. Damian, Martyrs (Gospel Reading)

Liturgical Colour : Green or Red (Martyrs)

Luke 8 : 19-21

At that time, the mother of Jesus and His relatives came to Him; but they could not get to Him because of the crowd. Someone told Him, “Your mother and Your brothers are standing outside and wish to meet You.”

Then Jesus answered, “My mother and My brothers are those who hear the word of God and do it.”