Fourth Week of Lent

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Sunday, 6 March 2016 : Fourth Sunday of Lent, Laetare Sunday (Gospel Reading)

Liturgical Colour : Purple/Violet or Rose (Laetare Sunday)

Luke 15 : 1-3, 11-32

Meanwhile, at that time, tax collectors and sinners were seeking the company of Jesus, all of them eager to hear what He had to say. But the Pharisees and the scribes frowned at this, muttering, “This man welcomes sinners and eats with them.” So Jesus told them this parable :

“There was a man with two sons. The younger said to his father, ‘Give me a share of the estate.’ So the father divided his property between them. Some days later, the younger son gathered all his belongings and started off for a distant land, where he squandered his wealth in loose living.”

“Having spent everything, he was hard pressed when a severe famine broke out in that land. So he hired himself out to a well-to-do citizen of that place, and was sent to work on a pig farm. So famished was he, that he longed to fill his stomach even with the food given to the pigs, but no one offered him anything.”

“Finally coming to his senses, he said, ‘How many of my father’s hired workers have food to spare, and here I am starving to death! I will get up and go back to my father, and say to him, Father, I have sinned against God, and before you. I no longer deserve to be called your son. Treat me then as one of your hired servants.’ With that thought in mind, he set off for his father’s house.”

“He was still a long way off, when his father caught sight of him. His father was so deeply moved with compassion that he ran out to meet him, threw his arms around his neck and kissed him. The son said, ‘Father, I have sinned against Heaven and before you. I no longer deserve to be called your son.'”

“But the father turned to his servants : ‘Quick!’ He said. ‘Bring out the finest robe and put it on him! Put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet! Take the fattened calf and kill it! We shall celebrate and have a feast, for this son of mine was dead, and has come back to life; he was lost, and is found!’ And the celebration began.”

“Meanwhile, the elder son had been working in the fields. As he returned and approached the house, he heard the sound of music and dancing. He called one of the servants and asked what it was all about. The servant answered, ‘Your brother has come home safe and sound, and your father is so happy about it that he has ordered this celebration, and killed the fattened calf.'”

“The elder son became angry, and refused to go in. His father came out and pleaded with him. The son, very indignant, said, ‘Look, I have slaved for you all these years. Never have I disobeyed your orders. Yet you have never given me even a young goat to celebrate with my friends. Then when this son of yours returns, after squandering your property with loose women, you kill the fattened calf for him.'”

“The father said, ‘My son, you are always with me, and everything I have is yours. But this brother of yours was dead, and has come back to life; he was lost, and is found. And for that we had to rejoice and be glad.'”

Alternative reading (Readings from Year A)

John 9 : 1-41

At that time, as Jesus walked along, He saw a man who had been blind from birth. His disciples asked Him, “Master, was he born blind because of a sin of his, or of his parents?”

Jesus answered, “Neither was it for his own sin nor for his parents’ sin. He was born blind so that God’s power might be shown in him. While it is day we must do the work of the One Who sent Me; for the night will come when no one can work. As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world.”

As Jesus said this, He made paste with spittle and clay, and rubbed it on the eyes of the blind man. Then He said, “Go and wash in the Pool of Siloam.” (This word means sent.) So the blind man went and washed and came back able to see. His neighbours, and all the people who used to see him begging, wondered. They said, “Is this not the beggar who used to sit here?” Some said, “He is the one.” Others said, “No, but he looks like him.” But the man himself said, “I am he.”

Then they asked him, “How is it that your eyes were opened?” And he answered, “The Man called Jesus made a mud paste, put it on my eyes and said to me, ‘Go to Siloam and wash.’ So I went, and washed, and I could see.” They asked, “Where is He?” And the man answered, “I do not know.”

The people brought the man who had been blind to the Pharisees. Now it was a Sabbath day when Jesus made mud paste and opened his eyes. The Pharisees asked him again, “How did you recover your sight?” And he said, “He put paste on my eyes, and I washed, and now I see.”

Some of the Pharisees said, “That Man is not from God, for He works on the Sabbath”; but others wondered, “How can a sinner perform such miraculous signs?” They were divided, and they questioned the blind man again, “What do you think of this Man Who opened your eyes?” And he answered, “He is a Prophet!”

After all this, the Jews refused to believe that the man had been blind and had recovered his sight; so they called his parents and asked them, “Is this your son? You say that he was born blind, how is it that he now sees?” The parents answered, “He really is our son and he was born blind; but how is it that he now sees, we do not know, neither do we know Who opened his eyes. Ask him, he is old enough. Let him speak for himself.”

The parents said this because they feared the Jews, who had already agreed that whoever confessed Jesus to be the Christ was to be expelled from the synagogue. Because of that his parents said, “He is old enough, ask him.”

So a second time the Pharisees called the man who had been blind, and they said to him, “Tell us the truth; we know that this Man is a sinner.” He replied, “I do not know whether He is a sinner or not; I only know that I was blind and now I see.” They said to him, “What did He do to you? How did He open your eyes?”

He replied, “I have told you already and you would not listen. Why do you want to hear it again? Do you also want to become His disciples?” Then they started to insult him. “Become His disciple yourself! We are disciples of Moses. We know that God spoke to Moses; but as for this Man, we do not know where He comes from.”

The man replied, “It is amazing that you do not know where the Man comes from, and yet He opened my eyes! We know that God does not listen to sinners, but if anyone honours God and does His will, God listens to him. Never, since the world began, has it been heard that anyone opened the eyes of a person who was born blind. If this Man were not from God, He could do nothing.”

They answered him, “You were born a sinner and now you teach us!” And they expelled him. Jesus heard that they had expelled him. He found him and said, “Do you believe in the Son of Man?” He answered, “Who is He, that I may believe in Him?”

Jesus said, “You have seen Him and He is speaking to you.” He said, “Lord, I believe” and he worshipped Him. Jesus said, “I came into this world to carry out a judgment : Those who do not shall see, and those who see shall become blind.” Some Pharisees stood by and asked Him, “So we are blind?”

And Jesus answered, “If you were blind, you would not be guilty. But you say ‘We see’; this is the proof of your sin.”

Alternative reading (shorter version of Readings from Year A)

John 9 : 1, 6-9, 13-17, 34-38

At that time, as Jesus walked along, He saw a man who had been blind from birth.

As Jesus said this, He made paste with spittle and clay, and rubbed it on the eyes of the blind man. Then He said, “Go and wash in the Pool of Siloam.” (This word means sent.) So the blind man went and washed and came back able to see. His neighbours, and all the people who used to see him begging, wondered. They said, “Is this not the beggar who used to sit here?” Some said, “He is the one.” Others said, “No, but he looks like him.” But the man himself said, “I am he.”

The people brought the man who had been blind to the Pharisees. Now it was a Sabbath day when Jesus made mud paste and opened his eyes. The Pharisees asked him again, “How did you recover your sight?” And he said, “He put paste on my eyes, and I washed, and now I see.”

Some of the Pharisees said, “That Man is not from God, for He works on the Sabbath”; but others wondered, “How can a sinner perform such miraculous signs?” They were divided, and they questioned the blind man again, “What do you think of this Man Who opened your eyes?” And he answered, “He is a Prophet!”

They answered him, “You were born a sinner and now you teach us!” And they expelled him. Jesus heard that they had expelled him. He found him and said, “Do you believe in the Son of Man?” He answered, “Who is He, that I may believe in Him?”

Jesus said, “You have seen Him and He is speaking to you.” He said, “Lord, I believe” and he worshipped Him.

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Sunday, 6 March 2016 : Fourth Sunday of Lent, Laetare Sunday (Second Reading)

Liturgical Colour : Purple/Violet or Rose (Laetare Sunday)

2 Corinthians 5 : 17-21

For that same reason, the one who is in Christ is a new creature. For him the old things have passed away; a new world has come. All this is the work of God Who in Christ reconciled us to Himself, and Who entrusted to us the ministry of reconciliation. Because in Christ God reconciled the world with Himself, no longer taking into account their trespasses and entrusting to us the message of reconciliation.

So we present ourselves as ambassadors in the Name of Christ, as if God Himself makes an appeal to you through us. Let God reconcile you; this we ask you in the Name of Christ. He had no sin, but God made Him bear our sin, so that in Him we might share the holiness of God.

Alternative reading (Readings from Year A)

Ephesians 5 : 8-14

You were once darkness, but you are now light in the Lord. Behave as children of light; the fruits of light are kindness, justice and truth in every form. You yourselves search out what pleases the Lord, and take no part in works of darkness that are of no benefit; expose them instead.

Indeed, it is a shame even to speak of what those people do in secret, but as soon as it is exposed to the light, everything becomes clear; and what is unmasked, becomes clear through light. Therefore it is said : “Awake, you who sleep, arise from the dead that the light of Christ may shine on you.”

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Sunday, 6 March 2016 : Fourth Sunday of Lent, Laetare Sunday (Psalm)

Liturgical Colour : Purple/Violet or Rose (Laetare Sunday)

Psalm 33 : 2-3, 4-5, 6-7

I will bless the Lord all my days; His praise will be ever on my lips. My soul makes its boast in the Lord; let the lowly hear and rejoice.

Oh, let us magnify the Lord, together let us glorify His Name! I sought the Lord, and He answered me; from all my fears He delivered me.

They who look to Him are radiant with joy, their faces never clouded with shame. When the poor cry out, the Lord hears and saves them from distress.

Alternative reading (Readings from Year A)

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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Sunday, 6 March 2016 : Fourth Sunday of Lent, Laetare Sunday (First Reading)

Liturgical Colour : Purple/Violet or Rose (Laetare Sunday)

Joshua 5 : 9a, 10-12

Then YHVH said to Joshua, “Today I have removed from you the shame of Egypt.”

The Israelites encamped in Gilgal where they celebrated the Passover on the evening of the fourteenth day of the month in the plains of Jericho. On the following day, they ate the produce of the land : unleavened bread and roasted grain on that very day.

And from that day on when they ate of the produce of the land, the manna ceased. There was no more manna for the Israelites, and that year they ate of the fruit of the land of Canaan.

Alternative reading (Readings from Year A)

1 Samuel 16 : 1b, 6-7, 10-13a

YHVH said to Samuel, “How long will you be grieving over Saul whom I have rejected as king of Israel? Fill your horn with oil and be on your way to Jesse the Bethlehemite for I have chosen My king from among his sons.”

As they came, Samuel looked at Eliab the older and thought, “This must be YHVH’s annointed.” But YHVH told Samuel, “Do not judge by his looks or his stature for I have rejected him. YHVH does not judge as man judges; humans see with the eyes; YHVH sees the heart.”

Jesse presented seven of his sons to Samuel who said, “YHVH has chosen none of them. But are all your sons here?” Jesse replied, “There is still the youngest, tending the flock just now.” Samuel said to him, “Send for him and bring him to me; we shall not sit down to eat until he arrives.”

So Jesse sent for his youngest son and brought him to Samuel. He was a handsome lad with ruddy complexion and beautiful eyes. And YHVH spoke, “Go, anoint him for he is the one.” Samuel then took the horn of oil and anointed him in his brothers’ presence.

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Saturday, 21 March 2015 : 4th 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 Holy Scripture, and we heard about how the Pharisees and the teachers and elders of the people refused to listen to the Lord’s call when He came, and they even refused to acknowledge Him as their Lord and Saviour, even when all the things He had said and done have all spoken volumes about who He really is.

As we have discussed to a great length in yesterday’s discourse, the sins and pride of mankind had prevented them from seeing the truth in the Lord, as those things made them to close in unto themselves, and it caused them to refuse to repent and change their ways even when it was so obvious that they were at wrong. It is our human nature for us to think that we are right first, and we like to assume that others are the ones mistaken while we are right.

They were confused about who Christ was, because they did not recognise Him. To some of them, some of His actions might have made sense, but to others, or other actions might have baffled them. That is because they did not practice the Faith which they had preached. They had their faith in words only, but mostly it was superficial.

Their faith did not go deeper into their hearts, and this is reflected by the way which they had acted in life. They persecuted those whom they deemed not as worthy as they were. They thought highly of themselves and sought human praise for all of their actions. As such, they could not understand when the Lord Jesus showed them what the faith is truly about.

St. Paul in his letter to the Church and the faithful in Philippi spoke about Christ who did not regard His divinity, greatness and majesty as something to be marvelled at. He emptied Himself and cast aside His majesty, assuming the humble form of a Man, that is to be equal with God’s most beloved creation, all except in terms of sin. He humbled Himself and as a result, He was raised to the highest glory, and all worshipped Him and gave Him praise because of what He had done in perfect obedience to the will of the Father.

And so we come to the central message of today’s Scriptures, and indeed the message which all of us should take heed of every single days of our life. We have to realise that what God wants from us is not a superficial declaration of faith or an empty faith without action. If our faith is empty and dead, because we do not act as what we believed, like the Pharisees had done, then our faith is as good as useless.

What God wants from us is love, and not just any kind of love, but total devotion and commitment, which all of us should give. He needs no special offering or sacrifices, for if these are made without our commitment to the Lord, then they are as good as nothing. Even if we have nothing to offer the Lord, we can offer ourselves, our hearts and the entirety of the love which we have in us. This is what the Lord wants from us, and when He sees that love in us, He shall be glad, and His grace will be upon us.

This Lent, let it be a time for us all to seek true conversion for ourselves. Yes, first we have to change our own ways first and be changed for the better, before we can change others. Indeed, the next will be the conversion of the whole world, that everyone should be saved from the sinfulness which had separated them from God. It is time for us to announce the time of God’s mercy and love. Let us all be turned to the Lord and sincerely seek our redemption and salvation in God.

May Almighty God be with us always and empower us, so that in all the things we do, we may bring about true conversion to all of us, that we may have our hearts opened, and we may see and recognise the Lord doing His good works all around us and within us. May God bless us all in all of our endeavours. Amen.

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Saturday, 21 March 2015 : 4th Week of Lent (Gospel Reading)

Liturgical Colour : Purple/Violet

John 7 : 40-53

At that time, many who had been listening to these words began to say, “This is the Prophet.” Others said, “This is the Christ.” But some wondered, “Would the Christ come from Galilee? Does the Scripture not say that the Christ is a descendant of David and from Bethlehem, the city of David?” The crowd was divided over Him. Some wanted to arrest Him, but no one laid hands on Him.

The officers of the Temple went back to the chief priests, who asked them, “Why did you not bring Him?” The officers answered, “No one ever spoke like this Man.” The Pharisees then said, “So you, too, have been led astray! Have any of the rulers or any of the Pharisees believed in Him? Only these cursed people, who have no knowledge of the Law!”

Yet one of them, Nicodemus, who had gone to Jesus earlier, spoke out, “Does our Law condemn people without first hearing them and knowing the facts?” They replied, “Do you, too, come from Galilee? Look it up and see for yourself that no prophet is to come from Galilee.” And they all went home.

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Saturday, 21 March 2015 : 4th Week of Lent (Psalm)

Liturgical Colour : Purple/Violet

Psalm 7 : 2-3, 9bc-10, 11-12

O Lord, my God, in You I take shelter; deliver me and save me from all my pursuers, lest lions tear me to pieces with no one to rescue me.

O Lord, my righteousness; You see that I am blameless. Bring to an end the power of the wicked, but affirm the just, o righteous God, searcher of mind and heart.

You cover me as a shield, o God, for You protect the upright. A righteous judge is God, His anger ever awaiting those who refuse to repent.

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Saturday, 21 March 2015 : 4th Week of Lent (First Reading)

Liturgical Colour : Purple/Violet

Jeremiah 11 : 18-20

YHVH made it known to me and so I know! And You let me see their scheming : “Take care, even your kinsfolk and your own family are false with you and behind your back they freely criticise you. Do not trust them when they approach you in a friendly way.”

But I was like a gentle lamb led to the slaughter. I did not know it was against me that they were plotting, “Let us feed him with trials and remove him from the land of the living and let his name never be mentioned again.”

YHVH, God of hosts, You who judge with justice and know everyone’s heart and intentions, let me see Your vengeance on them, for to You I have entrusted my cause.

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Friday, 20 March 2015 : 4th Week of Lent (Homily and Scripture Reflections)

Liturgical Colour : Purple/Violet

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, today’s readings all speak of the same theme, that is of rejection by the world on Jesus and all of His teachings, just as they have rejected the prophets and messengers sent to remind the world and the people of the sins they have committed and the faults which they have done. The world dislikes what Jesus had done, because it does not belong to God, but it is the dominion of the evil one, Satan, who ruled the world and all of its worldliness.

It is a clear reminder to all of us that as long as we profess our faith in the Lord, the world, that is Satan and all of his fellow fallen angels, will always oppose and harass us as to the best of their abilities. The first reading from the Book of the prophet Jeremiah shows us that just as the wicked people refused to listen to Jeremiah, his words and warning to them, therefore they have done the same to Jesus, refusing to listen to Him and being adamant in their sinfulness. The same too will happen to us who remain faithful in He who had come into the world.

All of those rejection and wickedness, the stubbornness of heart are all because of one thing, that is our pride and arrogance, and our refusal to let go of that pride and ego. We are by our nature prideful and filled with desires. Just like the people of Israel when they continued to complain and rebel against the Lord and His will during their journey through the desert to the Promised Land.

How many times we always think about ourselves first? And whenever we do something wrong, how many times do we find excuse to save ourselves first? How many times we use the word, ‘I’ whenever we talk with others? All these are signs of our own insecurities, and our inability to deal with our pride and desires, all of which threaten to bring us all to damnation.

All of us are called in this holy season of Lent, in order to think through our actions and whatever we have done in this life. We are called to conversion and to change our way of life, so that if we were once sinners and like the attitudes of the people in the past, the Pharisees and the teachers of the Law who rejected Jesus and plotted against Him, then from now on, we should open our hearts and allow the Lord to enter into it and speak to us from deep within us.

It may not be easy for us to begin to change, as we all have our temptations and insecurities, and the pull of inertia, in refusing to change is truly great. But if we never begin, then it is most likely that we will never do it at all. We have to learn to resist the temptations of sin and all the other allures of Satan and the world. It is the purpose of why we fast and do all the penance works during this season.

In this season of Lent, let us all learn to shut out more of our desires, our pride and all the evil temptations and corruptions that Satan had placed inside each one of us. We have to learn to listen more to the Lord, who speaks in our heart, deep in the silence of our soul. If we are too busy and too preoccupied with ourselves, then most likely we will not be able to listen to God speaking in our hearts, and we will be prone to fall into sin.

Let us all find a time to retreat from all the busy schedules we have in the world, and be in deep conversation with our Lord and God. We have to intensify our prayer life, that is contemplation and focusing ourselves on the Lord and what He wants from us. It is important that we do so now and do not delay any longer. We never know when the Lord will come and judge us for whatever we have done or for whatever we have failed to do.

May this time in Lent be a beneficial one for us all, that we may all be called to genuine conversion to the cause of the Lord. May Almighty God shows His grace upon us and bless us with His abundant blessings. God bless us all. Amen.

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Friday, 20 March 2015 : 4th Week of Lent (Gospel Reading)

Liturgical Colour : Purple/Violet

John 7 : 1-2, 10, 25-30

At that time, after Jesus told the people that He is the bread of life, Jesus went around Galilee; He would not go about in Judea, because the Jews wanted to kill Him. Now the Jewish feast of the Tents was at hand.

But after His brothers had gone to the festival, He also went up, not publicly but in secret. Some of the people of Jerusalem said, “Is this not the Man they want to kill? And here He is speaking freely, and they do not say a word to Him? Can it be that the rulers know that this is really the Christ? Yet we know where this Man comes from; but when the Christ appears, no one will know where He comes from.”

So Jesus announced in a loud voice in the Temple court where He was teaching, “You say that you know Me and know where I come from! I have not come of Myself; I was sent by the One who is true, and you do not know Him. I know Him for I come from Him and He sent Me.”

They would have arrested Him, but no one laid hands on Him because His time had not yet come.