Fifth Week of Lent

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Monday, 23 March 2026 : 5th Week of Lent, Memorial of St. Turibius de Mogrovejo, Bishop (Homily and Scripture Reflections)

Liturgical Colour : Purple/Violet

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, today as we continue to progress through this time and season of Lent, we are reminded through the readings of the Sacred Scriptures, that the Lord loves each and every one of us and He does not discriminate between any one of us. All of us are equally beloved by Him despite of the sins we have committed against Him out of disobedience. He wants us all to find our way towards Him, journeying together with Him in love, in embracing His most generous mercy and compassion, knowing that He has infinite Love and mercy towards us, extending His loving Presence and embrace and reaching out to us sinners, and be ever willing to forgive us and be reconciled with us. This Lent we are reminded to seek the Lord ever more genuinely and intentionally, doing our best to grow in our connection and relationship with Him just as we ought to do the same to those around us as well.

In our first reading, taken from the Book of the prophet Daniel, we heard the rather long passage regarding the story of one woman named Susanna, a respected member of the community of the Israelite exiles in Babylon, who was known as being righteous and God-fearing, and at the same time was also charming and beautiful. And as we heard, this brought temptation upon two of the elders of the people of God who were there in the gardens of Susanna’s residence, lusting over her as she was bathing, despite knowing that she was married and was an upright woman, and despite the fact that they were the respected elders of the community of the Israelites. Not only that, but as we heard from the story, when they were foiled in their efforts as Susanna refused to follow them into sin, they were determined to silence her and to destroy her.

That was how the two elders ended up conjuring up false evidences and false accusations against Susanna, accusing her of having committed what they themselves sought to impose on her with another man. And amidst all that, Susanna, powerless in all the accusations brought up against her, with the two most respected figures of her own community plotting against her, could only pray to the Lord, surrendering everything to God’s will, protection and providence. That was precisely the very moment when the Lord chose to act, to intervene for the sake of those who have trusted wholeheartedly in Him. He spoke through the Holy Spirit that He aroused in Daniel, who acted and spoke with Wisdom, trapping the two elders in their own lies and exposing their deceitful actions before all, saving the life of the righteous.

Then, from our Gospel passage today, taken from the Gospel according to St. John the Apostle and Evangelist, we heard of the well-known story of the contention between the Lord Jesus and the teachers of the Law and the Pharisees who brought unto Him a woman who had been caught in the act of adultery. In that well-known story we heard how the Pharisees and the teachers of the Law were all trying very hard to trap the Lord with the case of the adulterous woman, as through their inquiry on what the Lord would do, they hope to get something out of what He would respond to them, be it that He supported the choice of actions of the Pharisees and the teachers of the Law in stoning the woman according to the Law of Moses, or whether the Lord opposed them and wanted them to free the woman.

If the Lord supported the course of actions of the Pharisees and the teachers of the Law, then they could have used that to their advantage, by saying that the Lord was after all no different from the Pharisees and the teachers of the Law themselves, and use that to further support their position and their way of doing things regarding the Law and its application. On the other hand, if the Lord opposed the actions of the Pharisees and the teachers of the Law, they would have then been able to accuse Him of wrongdoing, of trying to defend sinner and therefore going against the Law of Moses. Either way, if the Lord responded, that would have led to Him suffering losses against those Pharisees and teachers of the Law.

However, the Lord calmly waited for all of them to state their arguments, and patiently waited it out until then He wisely spoke the truth and reality, that every single one of them there were sinners, just like the adulterous woman, and none of them in truth had the right to condemn or to strike against the woman when they themselves had their own baggage of sins and disobedience against God. And that’s how we heard that one by one, starting from the oldest ones, who likely had committed the most sins, began to leave and soon there were nobody left to condemn the woman. In this then, we are all reminded that as Christians, we should not act in haughty and prideful manner, thinking that we are better than any others, even against those who do not believe in God. We are reminded to be always humble and to trust in God’s love and mercy, such as what He has shown to the woman.

That is why during this time of Lent, all of us are reminded to refocus our lives and our attention on the Lord. We should not allow the many distractions all around us from pulling us away from the path of the Lord. We should therefore also follow the good examples set by one of our holy predecessors, whose feast we are celebrating today, with the hope that we all may be inspired by his life and good examples. St. Turibius de Mogrovejo was a Spanish priest that eventually became a missionary and appointed as Archbishop of Lima in the then New World, what is today Peru. St. Turibius de Mogrovejo was truly a humble and committed servant of God, whose personal piety and obedience to God, love for Him and love for his fellow men inspired many who followed in his footsteps and examples. St. Turibius de Mogrovejo spent a lot of time reaching to his flock, teaching them about the faith and catechising them, and according to history and records, baptised no less than half a million of them, including the saints St. Rose of Lima and St. Martin de Porres.

St. Turibius de Mogrovejo was also very staunch in his dedication to the reforms of the Church, and launched a campaign of reform and reorganisation of his Archdiocese, to ensure that the clergy and the members of the faithful lived their lives in accordance to what the Lord has taught them, to the Church teachings and Apostolic traditions. He spent a lot of time in prayer and reflection, and dedicated himself to the betterment and help for his flock, to his fellow brothers and sisters, especially to those who were less fortunate and who were suffering. The dedication of St. Turibius de Mogrovejo, his faith and love both for God and for his fellow men should inspire us all that we may also live our lives well and in righteous manner, that we may truly be found worthy and good by the Lord our God, and worthy indeed to inherit the great things that God has prepared for us.

May the Lord hence guide and help us in our journey of faith through life, particularly during this blessed season and time of Lent. May He continue to strengthen our faith in us and encourage us all to continue carrying out our lives with great sincerity and desire to walk in the path that the Lord Himself has shown us. Let us all be reminded that our actions, our words and deeds, our every moments in life may be either good or negative examples for everyone around us, and if we truly consider ourselves as Christians, then we ought to live our lives sincerely and genuinely as how Susanna and St. Turibius de Mogrovejo had lived theirs. May all of us be good role models and exemplary Christians, bearers of God’s truth and Good News to all, now and always. Amen.

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Monday, 23 March 2026 : 5th Week of Lent, Memorial of St. Turibius de Mogrovejo, Bishop (Gospel Reading)

Liturgical Colour : Purple/Violet

John 8 : 1-11

At that time, Jesus went to the Mount of Olives. At daybreak He appeared in the Temple again. All the people came to Jesus, and He sat down and began to teach them. Then the teachers of the Law and the Pharisees brought in a woman who had been caught in the act of adultery. They made her stand in front of everyone.

“Master,” they said, “this woman has been caught in the act of adultery. Now the Law of Moses orders that such women be stoned to death; but You, what do You say?” They said this to test Jesus, in order to have some charge against Him. Jesus bent down and started writing on the ground with His finger. And as they continued to ask Him, He straightened up and said to them, “Let anyone among you who has no sin be the first to throw a stone at her.” And He bent down again, writing on the ground.

As a result of these words, they went away, one by one, starting with the elders, and Jesus was left alone with the woman standing before Him. Then Jesus stood up and said to her, “Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?” She replied, “No one.” And Jesus said, “Neither do I condemn you; go away and do not sin again.”

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Monday, 23 March 2026 : 5th Week of Lent, Memorial of St. Turibius de Mogrovejo, Bishop (Psalm)

Liturgical Colour : Purple/Violet

Psalm 22 : 1-3a, 3b-4, 5, 6

The Lord is my Shepherd, I shall not want. He makes me lie down in green pastures. He leads me beside the still waters. He restores my soul.

He guides me through the right paths for His Name’s sake. Although I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I fear no evil, for You are beside me : Your rod and Your staff comfort me.

You spread a table before me in the presence of my foes. You anoint my head with oil; my cup is overflowing.

Goodness and kindness will follow me all the days of my life. I shall dwell in the house of the Lord as long as I live.

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Monday, 23 March 2026 : 5th Week of Lent, Memorial of St. Turibius de Mogrovejo, Bishop (First Reading)

Liturgical Colour : Purple/Violet

Daniel 13 : 1-9, 15-17, 19-30, 33-62

There lived in Babylon a man named Joakim, who was married to a very beautiful God-fearing woman, Susanna, Hilkiah’s daughter, whose pious parents had trained her in the law of Moses. A very rich man and greatly respected by all the Jews, Joakim was frequently visited by the Jews in his house adjoining a garden.

That year, two elders of the people were appointed judges, in whom this word of the Lord became true, “Wickedness has come forth from Babylon, through the elders appointed judges, who were supposed to govern the people.” These men frequented Joakim’s house, and all who had legal disputes used to come to them.

After the people had left at noon, Susanna would go into her husband’s garden for a walk. The two old men began to lust for her as they watched her enter the garden every day. Forgetting the demands of justice and virtue, their lust grew all the more as they made no effort to turn their eyes to heaven.

One day, as they were waiting for an opportune time, Susanna entered the garden as usual with only two maids. She decided to bathe, for it was a hot day. Nobody else was there except the two elders watching her from where they had hidden themselves. She said to the maids, “Bring me oil and ointments, and shut the garden doors while I bathe.”

When the maids had left, the two elders hurried to her and said, “Look, the garden doors are shut and no one sees us. We desire to posses you. If you refuse to give in, we will testify that you sent your maids away for there was a young man here with you.” Susanna moaned, “Whatever I do, I am trapped. If I give in to your desire, it will be death for me; if I refuse, I will not escape your persecution. I would rather be persecuted than sin in the eyes of the Lord.”

Susanna shrieked, but the old men shouted, putting the blame on her. One of them ran and opened the garden doors. Hearing the noise in the garden, the household servants rushed in by the side entrance to see what was happening. They were taken aback when they heard the elders’ accusation, for never had anything like this been said of Susanna.

The next day a meeting was held at Joakim’s house. The two elders arrived, vindictively determined to have Susanna sentenced to death. They ordered before all the people, “Send for Susanna, Hilkiah’s daughter and Joakim’s wife.” They sent for her, and she came with her parents, children and all her relatives. Her family and all who saw her wept.

The two elders stood up and laid their hands upon her head. Completely trusting in the Lord, she raised her tearful eyes to heaven. The elders started making their accusation, “We were taking a walk in the garden when this woman came in with two maids. She ordered them to shut the garden doors and dismissed them. Then a young man came out of hiding and lay with her. We were in a corner in the garden, and we saw this crime from there.”

“We ran to them, and caught them in the act of embracing. We were unable to take hold of the man. He was too strong for us. He made a dash for the door, opened it and ran off. But we were able to seize this woman. We asked her who the young man was, but she refused to tell us. This is our statement, and we testify to its truth.”

The assembly took their word, since they were elders and judges of the people. Susanna was condemned to death. She cried aloud, “Eternal God, nothing is hidden from You; You know all things before they come to be. You know that these men have testified falsely against me. Would You let me die, though I am not guilty of all their malicious charges?”

The Lord heard her, and as she was being led to her execution, God aroused the Holy Spirit residing in a young lad named Daniel. He shouted, “I will have no part in the death of this woman!” Those present turned to him, “What did you say?” they all asked.

Standing in their midst, he said to them, “Have you become fools, you Israelites, to condemn a daughter of Israel without due process and in the absence of clear evidence? Return to court, for those men have falsely testified against her.” Hurriedly they returned, and the elders said to Daniel, “Come and sit with us, for you also possess the gifts bestowed by God upon the elders.”

Daniel said to the people, “Separate these two men from one another and I will examine each of them.” When the two elders were separated from each other, Daniel called one of them and said, “How wicked you have grown with age. Your sins of earlier days have piled up against you, and now is the time of reckoning.”

“Remember how you have passed unjust sentences, condemning the innocent and freeing the guilty, although the Lord has said, ‘The innocent and the just should not be put to death.’ Now, if you really witnessed the crime, under what tree did you see them do it?”

The elder answered, “Under a mastic tree.” Daniel said, “Your lie will cost you your head. You will be cut in two, as soon as the Lord’s Angel receives your sentence from God.” Putting the first one aside, Daniel called the other elder and said to him, “You offspring of Canaan and not of Judah, you have long allowed yourself to be perverted by lust.”

“This is how you have dealt with the daughters of Israel, who out of fear have yielded to you. But here is a daughter of Judah who would not tolerate your wickedness. Tell me then, under what tree did you catch them committing the crime?”

The answer came, “Under an oak.” “Your lie has also cost you your head,” Daniel said. “God’s Angel waits to cut you both in two.” The whole assembly shouted and blessed God for helping those who hope in Him. They turned against the two elders who, through Daniel’s efforts, had been convicted by their own mouths. In accordance with Moses’ law, the penalty the two elders had intended to impose upon their neighbour was inflicted upon them. They were sentenced to death. Thus was the life of an innocent woman spared that day.

Alternative reading (shorter version)

Daniel 13 : 41c-62

Susanna was condemned to death. She cried aloud, “Eternal God, nothing is hidden from You; You know all things before they come to be. You know that these men have testified falsely against me. Would You let me die, though I am not guilty of all their malicious charges?”

The Lord heard her, and as she was being led to her execution, God aroused the Holy Spirit residing in a young lad named Daniel. He shouted, “I will have no part in the death of this woman!” Those present turned to him, “What did you say?” they all asked.

Standing in their midst, he said to them, “Have you become fools, you Israelites, to condemn a daughter of Israel without due process and in the absence of clear evidence? Return to court, for those men have falsely testified against her.” Hurriedly they returned, and the elders said to Daniel, “Come and sit with us, for you also possess the gifts bestowed by God upon the elders.”

Daniel said to the people, “Separate these two men from one another and I will examine each of them.” When the two elders were separated from each other, Daniel called one of them and said, “How wicked you have grown with age. Your sins of earlier days have piled up against you, and now is the time of reckoning.”

“Remember how you have passed unjust sentences, condemning the innocent and freeing the guilty, although the Lord has said, ‘The innocent and the just should not be put to death.’ Now, if you really witnessed the crime, under what tree did you see them do it?”

The elder answered, “Under a mastic tree.” Daniel said, “Your lie will cost you your head. You will be cut in two, as soon as the Lord’s Angel receives your sentence from God.” Putting the first one aside, Daniel called the other elder and said to him, “You offspring of Canaan and not of Judah, you have long allowed yourself to be perverted by lust.”

“This is how you have dealt with the daughters of Israel, who out of fear have yielded to you. But here is a daughter of Judah who would not tolerate your wickedness. Tell me then, under what tree did you catch them committing the crime?”

The answer came, “Under an oak.” “Your lie has also cost you your head,” Daniel said. “God’s Angel waits to cut you both in two.” The whole assembly shouted and blessed God for helping those who hope in Him. They turned against the two elders who, through Daniel’s efforts, had been convicted by their own mouths. In accordance with Moses’ law, the penalty the two elders had intended to impose upon their neighbour was inflicted upon them. They were sentenced to death. Thus was the life of an innocent woman spared that day.

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Sunday, 22 March 2026 : Fifth Sunday of Lent (Homily and Scripture Reflections)

Liturgical Colour : Purple/Violet

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, on this Fifth and last Sunday of Lent before the beginning of Holy Week, all of us are reminded that each and every one of us are ultimately bound for the eternal existence in perfect grace in Heaven with God, the Lord and Master over all life and death. In Him is the authority to give us life and to take, and to restore us even from death should He will it to be, according to His Divine plan and all that He has desired. This Sunday is also the beginning of the Passiontide, the more intense phase of this time of Lent which lasts all through the Holy Week right up to the moment of Our Lord’s Passion, His suffering and death, and finally culminating in His glorious Resurrection. Therefore, we are invited on this Sunday to spend more time reflecting on Our Lord’s Passion, reminding ourselves of everything that He had done for our sake, out of pure and unconditional Love.

In our first reading this Sunday, we heard from the Book of the prophet Ezekiel, in which the Lord spoke to His people, the Israelites living in exile in the land of Babylon, to whom Ezekiel was sent to minister, the words of encouragement and reminder from their Lord and Master to keep the courage and strength within their hearts and minds, as they all had experienced lots of hardships, trials and struggles, having been forced to endure the shame of losing not only their homeland and cities, but also to see the destruction of their great and much revered Temple, the Temple and House of God which King Solomon once built for the Lord, and yet their ancestors had desecrated through their many years living in wickedness and sins, in disobedience against God.

God reassured His people that their sufferings and ordeals would be temporary and none of those hardships would be permanent. He would also remain with them, supporting and strengthening them throughout their journey, and one day, He would erase from them the shame of their exile and their homelessness, their sojourn in the distant and foreign lands. And the Lord promised that He would lead them back to the lands of their ancestors, to the land of Israel, a promise that He Himself would fulfil in due time. In the end, indeed, the Israelite exiles would be allowed to return to their homeland, to reestablish their lives there, their homes and their cities amidst the ruins of the old kingdoms of Israel and Judah.

And within this same prophecy, there was also an underlying prophecy and revelation of how God would also eventually lead all of us, His beloved people, not just the Israelites, but all of mankind, who have been forced to wander in exile in suffering in this world, in reference to what happened in the beginning of the Book of Genesis, back to Himself. Why is this so, brothers and sisters in Christ? This is because just like the Israelites who have been forced to wander in exile away from their homeland by their disobedience and sins, it was also by the sins and disobedience of our ancestors that we have been sundered and separated from God. God Who created each and every one of us out of His infinite Love for us never intended for this fate to befall us, and the same God therefore wanted us all to realise that we are truly Beloved, and that He is always with us, by our side, journeying with us.

Then, from our second reading this Sunday, we heard from the Epistle of St. Paul the Apostle to the Church and the faithful people of God in Rome. In that occasion we heard how St. Paul mentioned that those who walked in accordance to the flesh cannot please God, referring to how many people at that time lived in a worldly manner, refusing to follow the path of the Lord. He reminded the faithful people of God there in Rome that amidst their largely pagan and immoral surroundings, they, as Christians, as the ones whom God had called and chosen, and who have embraced God as their Lord and Saviour, ought to act, behave and live their lives as those who truly believe in God and not merely paying lip service to their faith.

This of course must not be understood as St. Paul requiring the faithful people of God to reject all sorts of worldliness and all kinds of worldly way of life. After all, each and every one of us living in our world today, in our respective communities and among our circles of family, friends and more, all of us are not required, expected or demanded to abandon our way of life in this world altogether. Rather, what St. Paul truly meant especially in the context of our world today is that, we should always be genuine in what we believe in, and practice them actively in our lives, in how we carry ourselves, in our interactions with one another, in how we love each other genuinely and sincerely just as much as we love God and ourselves.

There is indeed so many hurts, sufferings and troubles happening in this world today, and even scandals and problems facing the faithful people of God. And we may be surprised to know that it is often our fellow Catholics who caused many among us the greatest hurts and sufferings. Why is that so? That is because they are the ones we least expected to behave in the manner as they had done, and it is especially scandalising and unbecoming of our identity as Catholics that on one side, outwardly, we may appear to be pious, following the rules and commandments of the Church and the Lord, and yet, in how we treat one another, and even more so, those who are dear and closest to us, we caused hurt and sufferings instead. This is what St. Paul is warning us all about, that as Christians, we should not behave in the manner that bring scandal to our faith.

Finally, from our Gospel passage this Sunday from the Gospel according to St. John the Apostle and Evangelist, we heard of the well-known story of the resurrection of Lazarus from the dead by the Lord Jesus. In that well-known story, we heard how Lazarus, who was one of the Lord’s good friends, the brother of the sisters Mary and Martha, became very sick and was dying, and then we heard how the Lord purposefully went late and reached only after Lazarus had died from his sickness. All these happened in order that everything would come to be within God’s plan, and for God to be glorified through what His Son would do before everyone, in raising Lazarus from the dead. And in this occasion, this was where one of the occasions where we heard the Lord showed His great love for us manifested, as He wept for Lazarus.

Yes, brothers and sisters in Christ, while the Lord knew that He has the power to raise Lazarus from the dead, seeing one of His close friends passing from sickness and all the sorrows showed by his sisters and all the mourners who were there mourning Lazarus certainly struck the Lord Who loved us all dearly. His weeping for Lazarus, the tears that He shed for Lazarus were real tears, tears that He shed out of His pure and ever enduring Love for him and for all of us. We can see here how God manifested His Love for us so wonderfully, just as He reminded us all through raising Lazarus afterwards, that He has power over life and death, how each and every one of us are precious to Him, and He wants us all to share in the everlasting Love He has for us, in how we should love all those around us, and especially so those who are dearest and most beloved to us.

Brothers and sisters in Christ, therefore, having been reminded of God’s ever present and patient Love for each and every one of us, His promise of new life and resurrection, and everything He had done for us, for our good and for our salvation, let us all therefore be thankful and grateful for all the opportunities, patient Love, kindness and mercy that we have been shown by the Lord. Let us all strive to do our best to emulate His examples in loving us, in being merciful and forgiving in our own attitudes, actions and way of life each day, and in every moments. Let us all be good role models, inspirations and examples for one another, and be the faithful and worthy bearers of God’s Light and truth at all times, called to be full of God’s love in all things, in how we treat others around us, those whom we have been entrusted to love, and also those strangers we encounter.

May the Lord continue to strengthen our faith and teach us all to love generously and patiently as He Himself had done. May He continue to guide us through this time and season of Lent as we spend this time to deepen our spirituality and relationship with God, but at the same time we must also remember to deepen our relationship with one another as well. May God bless our every efforts and endeavours, and continue to accompany us lovingly as He has always done. Amen.

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Sunday, 22 March 2026 : Fifth Sunday of Lent (Gospel Reading)

Liturgical Colour : Purple/Violet

John 11 : 1-45

At that time, there was a sick man named Lazarus who was from Bethany, the village of Mary and her sister Martha. This is the same Mary, who anointed the Lord with perfume and wiped His feet with her hair. Her brother Lazarus was sick.

So the sisters sent this message to Jesus, “Lord, the one You love is sick.” On hearing this, Jesus said, “This illness will not end in death; rather it is for God’s glory, and the Son of God will be glorified through it.”

It is a fact that Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus; yet, after He heard of the illness of Lazarus, He stayed two days longer in the place where He was. Only then did He say to His disciples, “Let us go into Judea again.” They replied, “Master, recently the Jews wanted to stone You. Are You going there again?”

Jesus said to them, “Are not twelve working hours needed to complete a day? Those who walk in the daytime shall not stumble, for they see the light of this world. But those who walk at night stumble, for there is no light in them.” After that Jesus said to them, “Our friend Lazarus has fallen asleep, but I am going to wake him.”

The disciples replied, “Lord, a sick person who sleeps will recover.” But Jesus had referred to Lazarus’ death, while they thought that He had meant the repose of sleep. So Jesus said plainly, “Lazarus is dead; and for your sake I am glad I was not there, for now you may believe. But let us go there, where he is.” Then Thomas, called the Twin, said to his fellow disciples, “Let us also go, that we may die with Him.”

When Jesus came, He found that Lazarus had been in the tomb for four days. As Bethany is near Jerusalem, about two miles away, many Jews had come to Martha and Mary, after the death of their brother, to comfort them. When Martha heard that Jesus was coming, she went to meet Him, while Mary remained sitting in the house. And she said to Jesus, “If You had been here, my brother would not have died. But I know that whatever You ask from God, God will give You.” Jesus said, “Your brother will rise again.”

Martha replied, “I know that he will rise in the resurrection, at the last day.” But Jesus said to her, “I am the Resurrection. Whoever believes in Me, though he die, shall live. Whoever lives and believes in Me will never die. Do you believe this?” Martha then answered, “Yes, Lord, I have come to believe that You are the Christ, the Son of God, He Who is coming into the world.”

After that Martha went and called her sister Mary secretly, saying, “The Master is here and is calling for you.” As soon as Mary heard this, she rose and went to Him. Jesus had not yet come into the village, but was still in the place where Martha had met Him. The Jews, who were with her in the house consoling her, also came. When they saw her get up and go out, they followed her, thinking that she was going to the tomb to weep.

As for Mary, when she came to the place where Jesus was and saw Him, she fell at His feet and said, “Lord, if You had been here, my brother would not have died.” When Jesus saw her weeping, and the Jews also weeping, who had come with her, He was moved in the depths of His Spirit and troubled. Then He asked, “Where have you laid him?” They answered, “Lord, come and see.” Jesus wept.

The Jews said, “See how He loved him!” But some of them said, “If He could open the eyes of the blind man, could He not have kept this man from dying?” Jesus was deeply moved again, and drew near to the tomb. It was a cave with a stone laid across it. Jesus said, “Take the stone away.” Martha said to Him, “Lord, by now he will smell, for this is the fourth day.” Jesus replied, “Have I not told you that, if you believe, you will see the glory of God?” So they removed the stone.

Jesus lifted up His eyes and said, “Father, I thank You for You have heard Me. I knew that You hear Me always; but My prayer was for the sake of these people, that they may believe that You sent Me.” When Jesus had said this, He cried out in a loud voice, “Lazarus, come out!”

The dead man came out, his hands and feet bound with linen strips, and his face wrapped in a cloth. Jesus said to them, “Untie him, and let him go.” Many of the Jews who had come with Mary believed in Jesus when they saw what He did.

Alternative reading (shorter version)

John 11 : 3-7, 17, 20-27, 33b-45

So the sisters sent this message to Jesus, “Lord, the one You love is sick.” On hearing this, Jesus said, “This illness will not end in death; rather it is for God’s glory, and the Son of God will be glorified through it.”

It is a fact that Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus; yet, after He heard of the illness of Lazarus, He stayed two days longer in the place where He was. Only then did He say to His disciples, “Let us go into Judea again.”

When Jesus came, He found that Lazarus had been in the tomb for four days. When Martha heard that Jesus was coming, she went to meet Him, while Mary remained sitting in the house. And she said to Jesus, “If You had been here, my brother would not have died. But I know that whatever You ask from God, God will give You.” Jesus said, “Your brother will rise again.”

Martha replied, “I know that he will rise in the resurrection, at the last day.” But Jesus said to her, “I am the Resurrection. Whoever believes in Me, though he die, shall live. Whoever lives and believes in Me will never die. Do you believe this?” Martha then answered, “Yes, Lord, I have come to believe that You are the Christ, the Son of God, He Who is coming into the world.”

Jesus was moved in the depths of His Spirit and troubled. Then He asked, “Where have you laid him?” They answered, “Lord, come and see.” Jesus wept.

The Jews said, “See how He loved him!” But some of them said, “If He could open the eyes of the blind man, could He not have kept this man from dying?” Jesus was deeply moved again, and drew near to the tomb. It was a cave with a stone laid across it. Jesus said, “Take the stone away.” Martha said to Him, “Lord, by now he will smell, for this is the fourth day.” Jesus replied, “Have I not told you that, if you believe, you will see the glory of God?” So they removed the stone.

Jesus lifted up His eyes and said, “Father, I thank You for You have heard Me. I knew that You hear Me always; but My prayer was for the sake of these people, that they may believe that You sent Me.” When Jesus had said this, He cried out in a loud voice, “Lazarus, come out!”

The dead man came out, his hands and feet bound with linen strips, and his face wrapped in a cloth. Jesus said to them, “Untie him, and let him go.” Many of the Jews who had come with Mary believed in Jesus when they saw what He did.

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Sunday, 22 March 2026 : Fifth Sunday of Lent (Second Reading)

Liturgical Colour : Purple/Violet

Romans 8 : 8-11

So, those walking according to the flesh cannot please God. Yet your existence is not in the flesh, but in the spirit, because the Spirit of God is within you. If you did not have the Spirit of Christ, you would not belong to Him.

But Christ is within you; though the body is branded by death as a consequence of sin, the spirit is life and holiness. And if the Spirit of Him Who raised Jesus from the dead is within you, He Who raised Jesus Christ from among the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies. Yes, He will do it through His Spirit Who dwells within you.

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Sunday, 22 March 2026 : Fifth Sunday of Lent (Psalm)

Liturgical Colour : Purple/Violet

Psalm 129 : 1-2, 3-4, 5-7a, 7bc-8

Out of the depths I cry to You, o Lord, o Lord, hear my voice! Let Your ears pay attention to the voice of my supplication.

If You should mark our evil, o Lord, who could stand? But with You is forgiveness.

For that You are revered. I waited for the Lord, my soul waits, and I put my hope in His word. My soul expects the Lord more than watchmen the dawn.

O Israel, hope in the Lord, for with Him is unfailing love and with Him full deliverance. He will deliver Israel from all its sins.

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Sunday, 22 March 2026 : Fifth Sunday of Lent (First Reading)

Liturgical Colour : Purple/Violet

Ezekiel 37 : 12-14

YHVH said to Ezekiel, “So prophesy! Say to them : This is what YHVH says : I am going to open your tombs, My people, and lead you back to the land of Israel. You will know that I am YHVH, o My people! When I open your graves and bring you out of your graves.”

“When I put My Spirit in you and you live. I shall settle you in your land and you will know that I, YHVH, have done what I said I would do.”

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Saturday, 1 April 2023 : 5th Week of Lent (Homily and Scripture Reflections)

Liturgical Colour : Purple/Violet

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, today we listened to the words of the Scriptures, preparing us and reminding us of what we are about to celebrate in the upcoming Holy Week and Easter Triduum starting tomorrow on Palm Sunday of the Passion of the Lord. We are about to enter into the most solemn and important moments in the story of the salvation of the whole world and all of mankind. Therefore, that is why we are reminded again and again these days of what we are about to commemorate and celebrate, in this holiest and most important moments of our whole liturgical year, and we should understand it all that we may truly benefit from the celebration and commemoration of Our Lord’s Passion, His suffering, death and resurrection. We should prepare ourselves well, physically, mentally and spiritually for these that we may grow deeper in faith and appreciation of our Christian faith.

In our first reading today, taken from the Book of the prophet Ezekiel, we heard the reassuring words that the Lord has spoken to His people through Ezekiel, that He would give them the fullness of His grace and blessings once again. He would gather them back from their scattered places among the nations and restore them once again to glory and joy, as how it was during the days of King David and King Solomon. The Lord has promised His people Israel that He will always be faithful to them and to the Covenant that He has made with them and their ancestors, and He will never break the promises He had made even when the people had frequently disobeyed Him and disregarded the many reminders that He has given them through His messengers and prophets. God still cared for all of them and loved all of them nonetheless, and sent Ezekiel to them for the purpose of reminding them of this love.

Ezekiel was sent to the people of Israel in exile in the distant lands of Babylon, where many of them had been exiled after the destruction of their homeland in Israel, in the northern kingdom of Israel and in the southern kingdom of Judah alike. They had been bereft of their homeland, their identity and their honour, cast our from their ancestral lands and cities, forced to wander off in distant places, humiliated and crushed, all because of their sins and disobedience against God. They had abandoned and rejected Him for pagan idols and false gods, and scandalised themselves and their faith by following the ways of their neighbours instead of remaining faithful to the path that the Lord has taught and shown them, persecuting His prophets and messengers, all the servants of God that had been sent to them to remind them of their calling as God’s people.

Ezekiel reminded them of the Lord’s promise that He will establish the rule of the House of David forever, and this rejuvenates the hope in the hearts of the people who were downtrodden and in despair, because God reminded His beloved ones that His salvation will come, and everything will be good again. All of these would indeed come true in Christ, the Lord Jesus and His coming into this world. For He was born as the Son and Heir of David, becoming the great King to sit on the Throne that has remained empty for many centuries since the destruction of the kingdom of the people of God, restoring the union that God has with His people, acting as the Mediator between us and God, our Heavenly Father, the One through Whom God would renew His Covenant, into a new and everlasting Covenant, through which He shall gather all of His faithful ones to be His flock and His one people once again.

In our Gospel passage today, we are reminded then of how the Lord would do all of these which He had planned from the very beginning, as we heard how the Jewish authorities, the Jewish High Council or the Sanhedrin, headed by the chief priests led by Caiaphas, the High Priest then, plotted against the Lord Jesus. They wanted to arrest Him and accuse Him falsely of faults and crimes that would make Him a scapegoat for the Jewish people, with the excuse that what the Lord had done would eventually lead to the Romans ending whatever privileges and autonomy that they had granted the Jews back then. As we can see here, those people were mainly concerned about protecting their own privileges and status, their special grants and property, among other things, rather than to listen to reason and to the truth that God Himself had brought before their very own eyes.

As He Himself said and predicted, the Lord had to suffer grievously at the hands of His enemies and those who opposed Him, much as how His own prophets and messengers had been treated previously. He would be rejected and condemned to death, and yet, He would then become the great Cornerstone, the One through Whom the salvation of the world would come through. He would become the Source of the world’s Hope, the Light of the world and the Saviour of all. By His wounds and by His suffering, we are to be healed and strengthened and made whole once again. Through Christ’s Passion and death, by His willing and most selfless embracing of each and every one of us, all of us have received the assurance of eternal life and true joy and hope, by the most generous show of love that God Himself has made evident and tangible through His Son, Our Lord and Saviour.

That is what we are going to commemorate in this upcoming Holy Week and through the Easter Triduum, as we enter into this most solemn and holy occasion. Are we all ready to enter into this celebration and commemoration of the Lord’s Passion, His suffering and death, remembering everything that He had done for each and every one of us? Have we made good use of the time and the preparation that we have been expected to do during this season of Lent, so that we may draw closer to the Lord and come to better realisation of what God had done for each and every one of us? Have we done what we can so that we may help one another in our journey of faith and to help inspire each other to persevere against the challenges and trials that we have to face as faithful and devout servants and followers of God? As the Lord Jesus had said, that if we are to be His true disciples and followers, we have to pick up our crosses and follow Him. Can we do that, brothers and sisters in Christ?

Let us all therefore commit ourselves anew to the Lord and let us all do our best to walk faithfully in God’s Presence, dedicating more of our time and attention, our efforts and commitments to do the will of God and to glorify Him by our lives and actions in our respective communities. Let us all be great beacons of faith and God’s Light amidst the darkness of this world, and inspire more and more people to break free from the chains of sin. May the Lord continue to bless us all and guide us in our journey through life, that we may ever be strong and courageous to resist the temptations to sin and disobey Him, that we may not falter like how the people of God had done in the past. May God be with us always and may He empower us all in each and every moments, and may all of us have a great and blessed Holy Week ahead. Amen.