Fourth Sunday of Easter

by

Wednesday, 28 April 2021 : 4th Week of Easter, Memorial of St. Peter Chanel, Priest and Martyr and St. Louis Marie Grignion de Montfort, Priest (Gospel Reading)

Liturgical Colour : White or Red (Martyrs)

John 12 : 44-50

At that time, yet Jesus had said, and even cried out, “Whoever believes in Me, believes not in Me, but in Him Who sent Me. And whoever sees Me, sees Him Who sent Me. I have come into the world as light, so that whoever believes in Me may not remain in darkness.”

“If anyone hears My words and does not keep them, I am not the One to condemn him; for I have come, not to condemn the world, but to save the world. The one who rejects Me, and does not receive My word, already has a judge : the very word I have spoken will condemn him on the last day.”

“For I have not spoken on My own authority; the Father, Who sent Me, has instructed Me in what to say and how to speak. I know that His commandment is eternal life, and that is why the message I give, I give as the Father instructed Me.”

by

Wednesday, 28 April 2021 : 4th Week of Easter, Memorial of St. Peter Chanel, Priest and Martyr and St. Louis Marie Grignion de Montfort, Priest (Psalm)

Liturgical Colour : White or Red (Martyrs)

Psalm 66 : 2-3, 5, 6 and 8

May God be gracious and bless us, may He let His face shine upon us, that Your way be known on earth and Your salvation among the nations.

May the countries be glad and sing for joy, for You rule the peoples with justice and guide the nations of the world.

May the people praise You, o God, may all the peoples praise You! May God bless us and be revered, to the very ends of the earth.

by

Wednesday, 28 April 2021 : 4th Week of Easter, Memorial of St. Peter Chanel, Priest and Martyr and St. Louis Marie Grignion de Montfort, Priest (First Reading)

Liturgical Colour : White or Red (Martyrs)

Acts 12 : 24 – Acts 13 : 5

Meanwhile the word of God was increasing and spreading. Barnabas and Saul carried out their mission and then came back to Jerusalem, taking with them John also called Mark.

There were at Antioch – in the Church which was there – prophets and teachers : Barnabas, Symeon known as Niger, Lucius of Cyrene, Manaen who had been brought up with Herod, and Saul.

On one occasion while they were celebrating the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said to them, “Set apart for Me Barnabas and Saul to do the work for which I have called them.” So, after fasting and praying, they laid their hands on them and sent them off.

These then, sent by the Holy Spirit, went down the port of Seleucia and from there sailed to Cyprus. Upon their arrival in Salamis they proclaimed the word of God in the Jewish synagogue.

by

Tuesday, 27 April 2021 : 4th Week of Easter (Homily and Scripture Reflections)

Liturgical Colour : White

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, today as we listened to the words of the Scripture, we are reminded that we all are the sheep of the Lord, the members of His flock, and we are constantly guided and protected by Him, as our Lord and most loving Shepherd, the Good Shepherd of all. He extends His love and compassion, His mercy and grace to all those whom He loves. He wants each and every one of us to be truly beloved and filled with grace, and He is always with us no matter what, journeying with us and remaining with us.

In our first reading today we heard from the Acts of the Apostles on how the Church in its earliest days faced a lot of challenges, persecution and opposition from the authorities, and how they faced those obstacles frequently, and yet, the Church grew and flourished, gaining converts and new followers each day, as the Apostles went around many places, visiting communities of the faithful and strengthening their faith, while preaching the Good News and the truth of God to more and more people who were willing to listen to them.

Many people came to believe in the Lord, not only from among the Jewish communities and diaspora, but then increasingly more and more of the Gentiles or the non-Jewish people, the Greeks, the Egyptians, the Romans and many others came to believe in the Lord as well, and gave themselves to be baptised. The Apostles St. Barnabas and later on St. Paul was sent to these people to evangelise to them, to minister and deliver to them the truth of God and to reach out to them.

These Apostles had to endure difficult trials and challenges, facing persecution not only from the Jewish authorities, but also from the Roman governors and authorities, the local rulers and magnates, from the pagans and their priests who rejected the efforts of the Apostles in bringing the truth of God to their land. Yet, despite all the challenges and difficulties that they faced, they remained firm in their resolution and commitment to serve the Lord and fulfil the mission entrusted to them, and God was with them throughout the way.

As mentioned in our Gospel passage today, the Lord Himself reassured His disciples and all of us that He is always with us and He will never abandon us. He is our Good Shepherd Who is always ever filled with lots of concern for us, for His beloved ones. He is always by our side, guiding us and He patiently leads us through the difficult paths of life as we learn to navigate our way in our respective journeys of life. Unless we ourselves have rejected Him, the Lord will never abandon us, and He is always ever faithful to the Covenant that He has established with each one of us.

With this in mind, brothers and sisters in Christ, what are we then as Christians going to do with our lives? The Lord has commissioned all of us to be His disciples and witnesses in our respective communities, to be the ones to proclaim His truth and love in the midst of this darkened and sinful world. Through us, like as He had done through the Apostles, God can touch so many more lives and call upon so many more people who are still seeking for the truth and who hunger for the love of God.

It is often that many of us have been idle and ignorant of our responsibilities as Christians, in what we should be doing in reaching out to those who are in need of the truth and the love of God. We should not continue this attitude and this lack of participation in the active efforts of the Church in the evangelisation of the world and in being role models in faith to all. Let us all truly discern what each and every one of us can do, even in the smallest ways, to help and guide, to inspire and encourage each other in living a true and dedicated Christian life.

May all of us be good and devoted Christians in all things, not just as a mere formality only, but also in all of our words, actions and deeds. May all of us be genuine bearers of God’s truth, and help to inspire so many others whom we encounter in life, that through us, God’s Name may truly be glorified, and many more shall come to know of Christ, Our Good Shepherd and Saviour, through Whom all of us shall rejoice forever, with Him and with one another. May God bless all of us, now and always. Amen.

by

Tuesday, 27 April 2021 : 4th Week of Easter (Gospel Reading)

Liturgical Colour : White

John 10 : 22-30

At that time, the time came for the Feast of the Dedication. It was winter, and Jesus walked back and forth in the portico of Solomon. The Jews then gathered around Him and said to Him, “How long will You keep us in doubt? If You are the Messiah, tell us plainly.”

Jesus answered, “I have already told you, but you do not believe. The works I do in My Father’s Name proclaim Who I am, but you do not believe because, as I said, you are not My sheep. My sheep hear My voice and I know them; they follow Me and I give them eternal life.”

“They shall never perish, and no one will ever steal them from Me. What the Father has given Me is above everything else, and no one can snatch it from out of the Father’s hand. I and the Father are One.”

by

Tuesday, 27 April 2021 : 4th Week of Easter (Psalm)

Liturgical Colour : White

Psalm 86 : 1-3, 4-5, 6-7

He Himself has built it in His holy mountain; the Lord prefers the gates of Zion to all of Jacob’s towns. Great things have been foretold of you, o city of God.

Between friends we speak of Egypt and Babylon; and also Philistia, Tyre, Ethiopia : “Here so-and-so was born.” But of Zion it shall be said, “More and more are being born in her.” For the Most High Himself has founded her.

And the Lord notes in the people’s register : “All these were also born in Zion.” And all will dance and sing joyfully for You.

by

Tuesday, 27 April 2021 : 4th Week of Easter (First Reading)

Liturgical Colour : White

Acts 11 : 19-26

Those who had been scattered because of the persecution over Stephen travelled as far as Phoenicia, Cyprus and Antioch, telling the message, but only to the Jews. But there were some natives of Cyprus and Cyrene among them who, on coming into Antioch, spoke also to the Greeks, giving them the Good News of the Lord Jesus. The hand of the Lord was with them so that a great number believed and turned to the Lord.

News of this reached the ears of the Church in Jerusalem, so they sent Barnabas to Antioch. When he arrived and saw the manifest signs of God’s favour, he rejoiced and urged them all to remain firmly faithful to the Lord; for he himself was a good man filled with Holy Spirit and faith. Thus large crowds came to know the Lord.

Then Barnabas went off to Tarsus to look for Saul and when he found him, he brought him to Antioch. For a whole year they had meetings with the Church and instructed many people. It was in Antioch that the disciples were first called Christians.

by

Monday, 26 April 2021 : 4th Week of Easter (Homily and Scripture Reflections)

Liturgical Colour : White

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, on this day we are all reminded of our Christian obligation and responsibility to be the witnesses of the Good Shepherd, Our Lord, in the midst of our communities, and to be exemplary in our living and faith that we may indeed be good role models and examples in each of our words, actions and deeds, that we truly lead more and more people towards the Lord, to His salvation and grace.

Today we heard the continuation of yesterday’s discourse on Jesus Christ as the Good Shepherd, from the Good Shepherd Sunday. The Lord has revealed Himself as the Good Shepherd and presented Himself as the One Who would shepherd the flock of His people, Israel and more. He would not only seek the lost sheep among the Israelites but also from all the rest of mankind, all equally beloved by Him, and all equally treasured, especially the ones who have been lost and separated from Him.

That is why, the Lord gave His all in reaching out to us, as He wants us to be reconciled to God through Him. By incarnating in the flesh, and by dwelling among us, the Saviour both Man and Divine, Christ has become the tangible and approachable expression of God’s love. As I mentioned in yesterday’s homily, we are all the sheep of the Lord’s flock and we belong to Him, yet, it is thanks to Christ that we have found our Shepherd, the One Who leads us to the right paths.

As I mentioned, as sheep we belong to the Lord, but without Christ as our Shepherd, we can lose our way and be trapped in dangerous traps of sin and darkness of this world. That is why it is important that we listen to the Lord as He calls on us, as our Shepherd, calling on us the lost sheep to return to Him. And He sent His servants, the Apostles and their successors, who are our bishops and the priests, to be shepherds in His own mould, that through them many more people and many more souls may be saved.

Brothers and sisters in Christ, in our first reading today we heard St. Peter speaking to the assembled faithful and the elders among the Christian community, the Apostles and the other disciples of the Lord. St. Peter spoke to them regarding the opposition showed by some among the Jewish converts in the community, who criticised St. Peter and what he had done, as he visited the house of a Gentile or non-Jew, which was abhorred and disliked by those among the Jews who were more conservative in their ways. Those Jewish converts were likely those belonging to this faction, members of the Pharisees and the teachers of the Law who brought their own old ideology and way of thinking.

However, St. Peter revealed to all those gathered how the Lord wanted them to change their mindset, that they should be willing to listen to the Lord and His true intention and desire to love all of us mankind, all equally beloved by God and not just those of the chosen race of Israel only. Through St. Peter, God made this intention clear as He showed the Apostle in a vision of all sorts of food considered ‘unclean’ by the Jewish laws, which he rejected only for the Lord to tell him that what God has considered as ‘clean’ one must not consider as ‘unclean’.

This is what God meant when He told St. Peter and then the other disciples, of His ever encompassing love and kindness, His compassion and mercy, that He wants to give to all the children of mankind. He is sending His disciples to all the peoples of all the nations, to be His witnesses and to be the bearers of His light and truth to all of them. And He reiterated this in the Gospel passage today, as He spoke that He as the Good Shepherd is sent to lead all of the flock of God’s faithful, and that there are still yet other sheep that is not of this fold, referring to the Gentiles whom He was also calling to seek Him, the Good Shepherd of all, that they may find salvation through Him.

That is why, as Christians all of us are called to be the faithful and loving bearers of God’s love, His light and truth in the midst of our communities in today’s world. We must not allow ourselves to be exclusive and elitist in our outlook of faith, in thinking that we alone are worthy of God’s grace and love, as the Jewish converts who once opposed St. Peter had done. Instead, we should be willing to reach out and to open our hearts and minds to welcome all peoples, of all origins and nationalities, all equally beloved by God, our fellow brothers and sisters in the same Lord, Jesus Christ.

And as Christians we are also called to be exemplary in the way we live our lives with faith. We should be good examples and inspiration for everyone in even the small things we do, so that we too may be ‘shepherds’ and guides for each other. Each and every one of us through our common baptism share in this mission that the Lord has entrusted to us, to make disciples of all the peoples of all the nations, and to baptise all in the Name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. Through us, our faithful and exemplary life, and whatever contribution we can make, we are crucial and integral part of the Church’s efforts to reach out to the people of God.

Brothers and sisters in Christ, let us therefore seek the Lord with a renewed faith and courage, entrusting ourselves to Him as His Apostles had done, to be like our Good Shepherd and to be faithful shepherds and guides to one another as part of our Christian calling and commitment. Let us all help each other in our journey of faith and support one another, particularly supporting and praying for our priests and all the leaders of the Church that they may always be faithful in their ministry as shepherds appointed in the mould of the one and true Good Shepherd, Jesus Christ.

May the Lord bless us all and may He give us all the strength to carry on living faithfully each and every days of our lives, that through us God may do ever more wonderful works and deeds in our world. May He remain with us and be with us always. Amen.

by

Monday, 26 April 2021 : 4th Week of Easter (Gospel Reading)

Liturgical Colour : White

John 10 : 1-10

Jesus said to His disciples, “I am the Good Shepherd. The Good Shepherd gives His life for the sheep. Not so the hired hand, or any other person who is not the shepherd, and to whom the sheep do not belong. They abandon the sheep as soon as they see the wolf coming; then the wolf snatches and scatters the sheep. This is because the hired hand works for pay and cares nothing for the sheep.”

“I am the Good Shepherd. I know My own and My own know Me, as the Father knows Me and I know the Father. Because of this, I give My life for My sheep. I have other sheep which are not of this fold. These I have to lead as well, and they shall listen to My voice. Then there will be one flock, since there is one Shepherd.”

“The Father loves Me, because I lay down My life in order to take it up again. No one takes it from Me, but I lay it down freely. It is Mine to lay down and to take up again : this mission I received from My Father.”

by

Monday, 26 April 2021 : 4th Week of Easter (Psalm)

Liturgical Colour : White

Psalm 41 : 2-3 and Psalm 42 : 3, 4

As a deer longs for flowing streams, so my soul longs for You, o God.

My soul thirsts for God, for the living God. When shall I go and see the face of God?

Send forth Your light and Your truth; let them be my guide, let them take me to Your holy mountain, to the place where You reside.

Then will I go to the Altar of God, to God, my gladness and delight. I will praise You with the lyre an harp, o God, my God.