for the greater glory of God

by

Thursday, 20 August 2015 : 20th Week of Ordinary Time, Memorial of St. Bernard, Abbot and Doctor of the Church (Homily and Scripture Reflections)

Liturgical Colour : White

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, on this day we heard about how God yet called another, and chose him to be judge over His people Israel, Jephthah, to liberate the people of God from oppression and tyranny of the Ammonites. He called Jephthah and made him the tool of victory against the Ammonites, crushing them and freeing the Israelites after many years of suffering.

But Jephthah made a vow before God, which certainly made him to regret having made such a vow. He vowed that whatever came out of his house, he would sacrifice it to God, and his own daughter became a victim of his own lack of faith and impulsiveness. He made a vow to the Lord, likely because there remained doubt in his heart that he could have done what he was called to do.

Remember that Jesus told His disciples and the people not to swear or make a vow in the Name of God? That is because when one makes a vow, that means actually that the person is not entirely sure or committed to the cause for which he was making a vow for. If one is sure about making a commitment or a decision, and if one is able to make a stand, then surely, a simple ‘yes’ or ‘no’ would suffice.

In the Gospel today, Jesus told His disciples and the people of God the parable of the wedding garment, which is related to what we have heard in the first reading. In that parable we heard how the king held a wedding feast where he invited many of his invited guests, to come and join in the celebration, and yet those invited guests refused to come and continued with their own lives as if ignoring the king and his wedding feast.

The king represents the Lord, and the wedding feast represents the gathering of the people of God who had been invited to the feast, where the King, our Lord, had given us His blessings, to share in the food and drink which He blesses us with. And in this, we see yet another connection with what we have witnessed in the first reading today.

And what is this connection? Jephthah indeed had made such a great vow, and on one side, we can see how he should not have done that. However, the connection that we should see is how Jephthah fulfilled the vow which he had made to the Lord, and gave even his only daughter to God, as a sacrifice according to his vow, and how this is in perfect parallel and harmony to the example of Jesus, the Son of God.

For God Himself had been perfectly faithful to His promise and vow to us, to the covenants which He had established and renewed again and again with us mankind, since the days of Adam, to the days of Abraham and then David, and until the time of Jesus, and until this very day and on the days that are to come. God showed His perfect faithfulness and love, by giving us and not holding back from us, His only Son, whom He sent into the world to be our Redeemer.

And through this God had also invited all of us, His beloved people, to the banquet which He had prepared for all of us. He had prepared for us the banquet, the wedding feast, in which God and mankind are to be reunited again, because the shackles and obstacles of sin had been removed from all of us who heeded His call and join in the feast of the Lord.

The Holy Mass is the banquet of the Lord, where God gives us His own Body and Blood, that we may share in them and therefore, partake of the Lord, and be made holy and just. For the Lord Himself would dwell in us and make us the Temples of His holy presence.

And then, this is where we must take heed of another part of the Gospel today. The man without the wedding garment was taken out of the banquet and cast out into utter darkness. This means that, when we take part in the Holy Mass, and whenever we live our daily lives, we who have the Lord dwelling in us, the Temple of His presence and His Spirit, should act according to what He had shown and taught us, abandon all forms of wickedness and sin, or else risk to suffer the consequences of our Lord’s wrath.

Let us all follow the example of St. Bernard the Abbot, also known as St. Bernard of Clairvaux, whose feast we celebrate today. He was truly a holy and great man, whose works and devotions to the Lord was fully well known throughout Christendom, and many aspired to follow his examples. He dedicated his whole life in good service of the Lord, preaching the truth about the Lord and calling many sinners to forgiveness and grace of God.

St. Bernard of Clairvaux did not fear trouble or heresy that were threatening the souls of many around him. He waded through the difficulties and challenges, and called out many people out of the darkness and out of the terrible heresies, by his tireless works and commitments, seeking to bring salvation to as many as possible. He preached well into his old age, and trying to advance the cause of the Lord and His Church wherever possible.

May Almighty God help us that we may also follow in the examples of St. Bernard of Clairvaux and become ever more devoted servants of our Lord, and in our words and actions, may all of us be true to our faith and bring love and goodness to each other in all the world. God bless us all. Amen.

by

Thursday, 20 August 2015 : 20th Week of Ordinary Time, Memorial of St. Bernard, Abbot and Doctor of the Church (Gospel Reading)

Liturgical Colour : White

Matthew 22 : 1-14

At that time, Jesus went on speaking to them in parables : “This story throws light on the kingdom of heaven : A king celebrated the wedding of his son. He sent his servants to call the invited guests to the wedding feast, but the guests refused to come.”

“Again he sent other servants, ordering them to say to the invited guests, ‘I have prepared a banquet, slaughtered my fattened calves and other animals, and now everything is ready. Come to the wedding!’ But they paid no attention and went away, some to their fields, and some to their work. Others seized the servants of the king, insulted them and killed them.”

“The king became angry. He sent his troops to destroy those murderers and burn their city. Then he said to his servants, ‘The wedding banquet is prepared, but the invited guests were not worthy. Go instead to the crossroads, and invite everyone you find to the wedding feast.'”

“The servants went out at once into the streets and gathered everyone they found, good and bad alike, so that the hall was filled with guests. The king came in to see those who were at table, and he noticed a man not wearing the festal garment. So he said to him, ‘Friend, how did you get in without the wedding garment?’ But the man remained silent.”

“So the king said to his servants, ‘Bind his hands and feet and throw him into the dark, where there is weeping and gnashing of teeth.’ Know that many are called, but few are chosen.”

by

Thursday, 20 August 2015 : 20th Week of Ordinary Time, Memorial of St. Bernard, Abbot and Doctor of the Church (Psalm)

Liturgical Colour : White

Psalm 39 : 5, 7-8a, 8b-9, 10

Blessed is the one who relies on the Lord and does not look to the proud nor go astray after false gods.

Sacrifice and oblation You did not desire; this You had me understand. Burnt offering and sin offering You do not require. Then I said, “Here I come!”

As the scroll says of me. To do Your will is my delight, o God, for Your Law is within my heart.

In the great assembly I have proclaimed Your saving help. My lips, o Lord, I did not seal – You know that very well.

by

Thursday, 20 August 2015 : 20th Week of Ordinary Time, Memorial of St. Bernard, Abbot and Doctor of the Church (First Reading)

Liturgical Colour : White

Judges 11 : 29-39a

The Spirit of YHVH came upon Jephthah. He went through Gilead and Manasseh, passed through Mizpah of Gilead, and then entered the territory of the Ammonites. Jephthah made a vow to YHVH : “If You make me victorious, I shall sacrifice to You whoever first comes out of my house to meet me when I return from battle. He shall be for YHVH and I shall offer him up through the fire.”

Jephthah crossed the territory of the Ammonites to fight against them, and YHVH gave him victory. He pursued them from the city of Aroer to the entrance of Minnith and Abel Keramim, seizing twenty towns. So he defeated the Ammonites.

When Jephthah returned home to Mizpah, his daughter came out to meet him. She was so happy to see her father that she danced to the sound of her tambourine. She was an only child; besides her he had no other daughter or son. When Jephthah saw her, he tore his clothes and cried out, “My daughter, you have shattered me; you have brought me misfortune. For I have made a foolish vow to YHVH, and now I cannot take it back.”

She answered, “Father, even if you have made such a foolish vow, you have to do to me just as you promised, for YHVH has avenged you and crushed your enemies. I only beg of you to give me two months to live with my companions in the mountains. There I shall lament because I will never marry.”

Jephthah said to her, “Go then.” And he sent her away for two months. She and her companions went to the mountains and wept because she would never marry. At the end of two months, she returned to her father and he fulfilled the vow he had made.

by

Wednesday, 19 August 2015 : 20th Week of Ordinary Time, Memorial of St. John Eudes, Priest (Homily and Scripture Reflections)

Liturgical Colour : Green or White (Priests)

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, on this day we heard about the story related by Jotham, youngest son of Jerubaal or Gideon, the one who saved Israel from the tyranny of the Midianites. This was related by him to the people, to protest against their support for Abimelech, another son of Gideon, who aspired to be king over the people of Israel, and in the process, killed all the other seventy sons of Gideon, except Jotham himself who managed to escape.

The people of Israel had lost their bearings in life, and as later occurrences would tell us, this would repeat itself again when Saul was made the king of Israel, as the people complained that they had no king over themselves, and they wanted the awe of human power and glory, to have someone powerful and mighty to lead them against their enemies and show the power of Israel to all those around them. But it was also the kings who then eventually led them to sin and to all sorts of wickedness that brought about their downfall.

They were buoyed and mesmerised by human power, and they failed to realise that human power and all sorts of good things that exist in the world are just temporary and will not last, whereas if they put their trust in God, they can be assured that they would not be disappointed because God Himself will take good care of them. And God through Jesus wanted to show them this in what we heard in the Gospel today.

In the Gospel, we heard about how Jesus spoke about the parable on the kingdom of God, using the workers gathered by a landlord, who were then paid one silver coin as their reward, to show the people on what the kingdom of God is like, and what they are expected to do. The workers represented all mankind, the landlord is God Himself, and the silver coin reward is God’s promise of eternal life.

God calls us mankind all the time, and regardless of when we decide to respond to His call, whether it is early or late, or even at the hour of death, but as long as inside our hearts, we are sincere about our desire to follow Him, and to abandon all of the past sins that we have committed, as well as all the wickedness in our hearts, and commit ourselves to a new path of righteousness and obedience to God, then all of us will have the path forward opened for us.

God treats all of mankind in the same manner, and all of us are equal before Him, and there is nothing that makes Him favour one of us over the other. This is what Jesus wanted us to understand, when He related the parable of the workers and their pay to the people. Each of the labourers, regardless of the time of their calling, received the same reward. And this shows that all of us regardless of whether we are called young or old, early or late in our lives, as long as we heed God’s call and change our lives in repentance, we will be saved.

And truly, we have to change our ways, from the ways of the people of Israel of old times, to the way that Jesus had shown us, and which we have preserved and received through the Church, passed down to us from the Holy Apostles and disciples of our Lord. This is what we need to do, or else, we will have no share in the inheritance of eternal life and blessings which our Lord had promised to us.

Today, we celebrate the life of a saint, whose examples may be our inspiration. He is St. John Eudes, a holy priest, whose life was entirely dedicated to God, and whose actions were reflections of what Christ had taught us. St. John Eudes was a very dedicated priest who rendered his service and many help to all those who were sick and dying, and all those who were ostracised, unloved and rejected.

St. John Eudes is an example to all of us, because he did not care about himself first, or in selfishness, caring about his own needs. He cared about others first, all those who are around him who are in need for his help. He showed his love to them, the love of God, and he shows how we ought to treat everyone equally, for all are our fellow men, our brothers and sisters before the Lord.

May Almighty God, through the help of St. John Eudes, our intercessor, help us to be more aware of the love which He has for us, and therefore, be stirred to love one another ourselves, and through that love, bear forth much good fruits of love, and bring us closer to Him as a result. God bless us all. Amen.

by

Wednesday, 19 August 2015 : 20th Week of Ordinary Time, Memorial of St. John Eudes, Priest (Gospel Reading)

Liturgical Colour : Green or White (Priests)

Matthew 20 : 1-16a

At that time, Jesus said to the people, “This story throws light on the kingdom of Heaven : A landowner went out early in the morning to hire workers for his vineyard. He agreed to pay each worker the usual daily wage, and sent them to his vineyard.”

“He went out again at about nine in the morning, and seeing others idle in the town square, he said to them, ‘You also, go to my vineyard, and I will pay you what is just.’ So they went. The owner went out at midday, and again at three in the afternoon, and he did the same.”

“Finally he went out at the last working hour – the eleventh hour – and he saw others standing there. So he said to them, ‘Why do you stay idle the whole day?’ They answered, ‘Because no one has hired us.’ The master said, ‘Go and work in my vineyard.'”

“When evening came, the owner of the vineyard said to his manager, ‘Call the workers and pay them their wage, beginning with the last and ending with the first.’ Those who had come to work at the eleventh hour turned up, and were each given a silver coin.”

“When it was the turn of the first, they thought they would receive more. But they, too, each received a silver coin. So, on receiving it, they began to grumble against the landowner. They said, ‘These last hardly worked an hour, yet you have treated them the same as us, who have endured the heavy work of the day and the heat.'”

“The owner said to one of them, ‘Friend, I have not been unjust to you. Did we not agree on one silver coin per day? So take what is yours and go. I want to give to the last the same as I give to you. Do I not have the right to do as I please with what is mine? Why are you envious when I am kind?'”

“So will it be : the last will be first, the first will be last.”

by

Wednesday, 19 August 2015 : 20th Week of Ordinary Time, Memorial of St. John Eudes, Priest (Psalm)

Liturgical Colour : Green or White (Priests)

Psalm 20 : 2-3, 4-5, 6-7

The king rejoices in Your strength, o Lord, and exults in Your saving help. You have granted him his desire; You have not rejected his request.

You have come to him with rich blessings; You have placed a golden crown upon his head. When he asked, You gave him life – length of days forever and ever.

He glories in the victory You gave him; You shall bestow on him splendour and majesty. You have given him eternal blessings, and gladdened him with the joy of Your presence.

by

Wednesday, 19 August 2015 : 20th Week of Ordinary Time, Memorial of St. John Eudes, Priest (First Reading)

Liturgical Colour : Green or White (Priests)

Judges 9 : 6-15

Jotham, the youngest son of Jerubaal, said, “The trees once set out to find and anoint a king. They said to the olive tree, ‘Be our king.’ The olive tree answered, ‘Am I going to renounce the oil by which – thanks to Me – gods and people are honoured, to hold sway over the trees?'”

“The trees said to the fig tree : ‘Come and reign over us.’ The fig tree answered them, ‘Am I going to renounce my sweetness and my delicious fruit, to hold sway over the trees?'”

“The trees said to the vine : ‘Come and reign over us.’ The vine answered, ‘Am I going to renounce my juice which cheers gods and people to hold sway over the trees?'”

“Then the trees said to the bramble bush : ‘Come, reign over us.’ The bramble bush answered the trees, ‘If you come in sincerity to anoint me as your king, then come near and take shelter in my shade; but if not, let fire break out of the bramble bush to devour even the cedars of Lebanon.”

by

Tuesday, 18 August 2015 : 20th Week of Ordinary Time (Homily and Scripture Reflections)

Liturgical Colour : Green

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, on this day we heard about how God sent His help and deliverance to His people through His messenger, an Angel, to bring the good news of liberation through the man, Gideon, whom He had appointed to be the one to save His people from the oppression and tyranny of the Midianites. Through Gideon, God would bring His people to remember what He had done to their ancestors when they were oppressed in Egypt.

The people of God had lived for quite some time by then in the land which He had promised them and their ancestors. The land of Canaan was a land that was superbly fertile and flourishing, flowing with milk and honey, and with bountiful harvests too. No other land on earth was comparable, and God gave His people the very best of land, because of the faith of their ancestors, and they inherit the good promise of God.

But in the process, the people of Israel forgot about the Lord and all the good things He has done for them. This is because, as is with human nature, all of us are easily tempted and corrupted by the many temptations and allures of this world. The bounty of goods and wealth that the land had brought them, had made the people of God overjoyed and even proud of what they had and what they had achieved, and in the end, they became like their neighbours, revelling in sin and merrymaking, and forgetting about God.

As a result, God allowed their neighbours to overpower them, to remind them that sin and worldliness lead to nothing but destruction and punishment suitable for that wickedness. And which in the Gospel today, our Lord Jesus Christ had also highlighted this fact, that it is difficult for someone with riches and wealth to enter into the kingdom of God, for their wealth and riches became their undoing.

It is just the same as what we heard in the Gospel yesterday on the young man who eventually did not follow the Lord even though He had faithfully obeyed all the Law and the commandments, because he was unable to part with his riches and wealth, when Jesus told him that the way to go was for him to let go of all that he had, and follow Him.

We have to take note that here, what Jesus is trying to tell us is not that wealth or riches are vile and wicked, and neither it is that rich people are wicked or evil, or that they are condemned. In fact, all people are equal before God, be it rich or poor, strong or weak, smart or foolish, great or small. What differentiates them is the love and devotion which they have for the Lord.

We are challenged today, to look beyond our earthly possessions and wealth that bound us to this world. Look at the disciples of the Lord, the holy Apostles, all of whom, like the many saints and martyrs who had abandoned everything to follow the Lord. They have no need to fear anything, and they were satisfied, for God provided all that they needed, and He cared for them in everything, and most importantly, they received the fullness of the promise of eternal life because of their faith.

Let us all also be able to resist the temptations of the flesh, and keep ourselves free from the allures of the devil and worldly goods. Let us all realise that whatever we have with us, we can use for the betterment of others around us, that all of us are well taken care of, and in love, all of us may be found worthy by our Lord, and be welcomed into His everlasting inheritance. God bless us all. Amen.

by

Tuesday, 18 August 2015 : 20th Week of Ordinary Time (Gospel Reading)

Liturgical Colour : Green

Matthew 19 : 23-30

At that time, Jesus said to His disciples, “Truly I say to you : it will be hard for one who is rich to enter the kingdom of heaven.” Yes, believe Me : it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for the one who is rich to enter the kingdom of heaven.”

On hearing this the disciples were astonished and said, “Who, then, can be saved?” Jesus looked steadily at them and answered, “For human beings it is impossible, but for God all things are possible.”

Then Peter spoke up and said, “You see we have given up everything to follow You. What will be our lot?” Jesus answered, “You who have followed Me, listen to My words : on the Day of Renewal, when the Son of Man sits on His throne in glory, you also will sit on twelve thrones to judge the twelve tribes of Israel.”

“As for those who have left houses, brothers, sisters, father, mother, children or property for My Name’s sake, they will receive a hundredfold and be given eternal life. Many who are now first will be last, and many who are now last will be first.”