Friday

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Friday, 4 July 2025 : 13th Week of Ordinary Time, Memorial of St. Elizabeth of Portugal (First Reading)

Liturgical Colour : Green or White (Saints)

Genesis 23 : 1-4, 19 and Genesis 24 : 1-8, 62-67

Sarah lived a hundred and twenty-seven years. She died at Kiriatharba – that is Hebron – in the land of Canaan, and Abraham went in to weep and mourn for Sarah. Abraham left his dead one and spoke to the Hittites, “I am only a stranger among you; give me a burial place among you, so that I may bury my dead.”

After this Abraham buried his wife Sarah in the cave of Machpelah. Abraham was now old and well on in years, and YHVH had blessed him in every way. Abraham said to his senior servant, who was his steward, “Put your hand under my thigh and you will swear to me by YHVH, God of heaven and earth, that you will not choose a wife for my son from the daughters of the Canaanites among whom we live; rather it is to my country and my kinsfolk that you will go to choose a wife for my son, Isaac.”

The servant said to him, “Perhaps the woman will not want to follow me to this country. In that case should I take your son to the country you came from?” Abraham said to him, “In no way will you take my son back. For YHVH, God of heaven and God of earth, who took me from my father’s house and from the land of my birth, spoke to me and swore to me that He would give this country to my race.”

“He will send His Angel before you, that you may find a wife for my son. But if the woman is unwilling to follow you, you will be free of this oath. In any case you are not to take my son down there.”

Now Isaac had come from the well of Lahai-roi, for he was living in the Negeb. As Isaac went out in the early evening to meditate in the field, he looked up and saw camels coming. Rebekah also looked up and when she saw Isaac she alighted from her camel and said to the servant, “Who is this man in the field coming to meet us?”

He replied, “It is my master!” She then covered her face with her veil. The servant related to Isaac all that he had done, and Isaac brought Rebekah into the tent of Sarah, his mother. He made her his wife, and he loved her; and Isaac was comforted after his mother’s death.

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Friday, 27 June 2025 : Solemnity of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus (Homily and Scripture Reflections)

Liturgical Colour : White

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, today on the Friday after the Sunday after the Solemnity of the Most Holy Body and Blood of the Lord, we celebrate this great Solemnity of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus, celebrating the great love of God which had been manifested in the flesh in the person of the Son of God, the Divine Word Incarnate, Jesus Christ, the Lord and Saviour of all the whole world. On this day we remember the most loving and Sacred Heart of our Lord, the same Heart which has loved us all from the very beginning of our Creation and which had also bled and pained by our rebellions and disobedience, by our sins and wickedness, all of which had wounded Him in His Most Sacred Heart greatly.

And yet, at the same time, we are reminded of the infinite and boundless love of God manifesting and presenting itself so generously from His Most Sacred Heart, which has become visible, tangible and approachable to us through Christ, Our Lord. The Lord has always been so patient, kind and generous in loving us, never giving up on us, even the greatest of sinners amongst us. He has always extended His loving hands and patient care on everyone, and He has always shown us all His love without limit, without boundaries, ever being kind and compassionate whenever we erred against Him and disobeyed Him. While He is indeed angry and displeased against our sins and wickedness, but His love for us, His compassion and mercy are greater than the former.

In our first reading this day, taken from the Book of the prophet Ezekiel, we heard of the great love and ever patient and enduring compassion which He has always had for His people, the people of Israel, the people whom He had called and chosen from the world to be His own. And through these words He had spoken through Ezekiel, He wanted to show His beloved ones, to the ones whom He was speaking to, that His love for them was truly boundless and great, surpassing even His anger and annoyance at them for having constantly disobeyed Him, His Law and commandments, all of which had led them to be exiled in distant off lands, away from their homeland and suffering the consequences of their disobedience.

The Lord told His people in the land of exile in Babylon and elsewhere through the prophet Ezekiel that He would gather them all back once again to His loving Presence, as the Shepherd of all the flock of His people, all of whom had been scattered because of their own stubbornness in sin and disobedience, and yet, the Lord, the Good and most loving Shepherd of His people, wanted all of them to be found once again, to enjoy once again the fullness of His grace and love, His blessings and His generosity, all the things that He had intended for them. God reassured His people that He Himself would find them all, gather them and call them all back to His loving Presence, tending to their wounds and restoring them once again in grace and blessings.

And all of those words were indeed a prophecy of what the Lord would do through His Son, Our Lord Jesus Christ, Who manifested this love in a most tangible way just as St. Paul the Apostle elaborated it to all of us through his Epistle to the Church and the faithful people of God in Rome just as we have heard it from our second reading passage today. St. Paul reminded the faithful in Rome and hence all of us that God has indeed given us such great love through His giving to us of His Holy Spirit which we have all received at baptism and affirmed further for those of us who have received the Sacrament of Confirmation. The Holy Spirit has dwelled in us and giving us the rich love and grace from God, which we have all enjoyed and experienced, and which we are therefore expected to share with everyone around us.

Then, from the manifestation of His love in the flesh in the Son of Man, in Jesus Christ, the intentions and love flowing from the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus, manifesting God’s perfect love has been presented and shown to us, in the clearest manner, and we have seen this love being given to us so generously, so wonderfully through no clearer way than what the Lord Jesus Himself had done so selflessly and so lovingly from His Cross at Calvary, when He willingly took upon Himself the weight of His Cross so that by bearing upon the burdens of our many sins and wickedness, our faults and the punishments meant for them, His love may truly be manifested in full for us, a most selfless and unconditional love which He has given to us, in caring for us and wanting us all to be truly beloved and full of grace as He has always intended.

Finally, as we heard from our Gospel passage today, taken from the Gospel according to St. Luke the Evangelist, the Lord Jesus Himself told the Pharisees and the teachers of the Law listening to Him using the parable of the lost sheep, telling all of them that if they were to put themselves into the shoes of the shepherds, which among them would not leave behind the ninety-nine sheep that were already safe and gathered in the barn to look out for the one lost sheep that had been separated from the flock. The Lord also highlighted the great effort that the shepherd would have done for the sake of finding that lost one, so that the lost one could be reunited with him and the other sheep, and how a great celebration and rejoicing would come when the lost sheep had been discovered.

And that was exactly what the Lord Himself, Our most loving and generous Good Shepherd had done for us all, all of us who are the sheep of His flock. He did everything to seek us out, sending us all His Son, Jesus Himself, to be the One to hold us all by hand, and to bring us all back to Him, reuniting us with Him with His love and mercy. God has never given up on any of us, no matter what circumstances we may be in, and how difficult we may have behaved. Our loving Good Shepherd has always been patient with us, and from His Most Sacred Heart we can see this ever enduring love and compassion being constantly poured out for us, given to us so that we may be full of His love ourselves, and that we may also learn to love one another just as He has always loved us.

Therefore, brothers and sisters in Christ, let us all continue to love the Lord most wholeheartedly just as He has loved us all from the very beginning, doing our very best so that by our love everyone may truly know that we belong to the Lord, our most loving Shepherd and Master, the One Who has loved us so dearly and Who has shown us His most generous mercy and kindness. Let us all do our very best to love Him and to love one another in the manner that He Himself has shown us so that by our love, we may truly bring joy and warmth to everyone’s hearts, restoring hope and light in the hearts of those who have been afflicted by sufferings in life and by the darkness of despair. May the Lord, our most loving God and Father, continue to help and strengthen us in our efforts, and help us in our every good efforts and endeavours.

O Most Sacred Heart of Jesus, we trust in You, and we trust in the love that You have constantly given to us. Help us all to love in the manner that You have loved us, and help us to remain faithful to You and Your ever generous love, now and always. Amen.

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Friday, 27 June 2025 : Solemnity of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus (Gospel Reading)

Liturgical Colour : White

Luke 15 : 3-7

At that time, Jesus told the Pharisees and the teachers of the Law this parable : “Who among you, having a hundred sheep and losing one of them, will not leave the ninety-nine in the wilderness, and seek the lost one till he finds it? And finding it, will he not joyfully carry it home on his shoulders? Then he will call his friends and neighbours together, and say, ‘Celebrate with me, for I have found my lost sheep!’”

“I tell you, in the same way, there will be more rejoicing in heaven over one repentant sinner, than over ninety-nine decent people, who do not need to repent.”

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Friday, 27 June 2025 : Solemnity of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus (Second Reading)

Liturgical Colour : White

Romans 5 : 5b-11

Because the Holy Spirit has been given to us, pouring into our hearts the love of God. Consider, moreover, the time that Christ died for us : when we were still helpless and unable to do anything. Few would accept to die for an upright person; although, for a very good person, perhaps someone would dare to die.

But see how God manifested His love for us : while we were still sinners, Christ died for us; and we have become just, through His Blood. With much more reason now He will save us from any condemnation. Once enemies, we have been reconciled with God through the death of His Son; with much more reason, now we may be saved, through His life. Not only that, but we even boast in God because of Christ Jesus, Our Lord, through Whom we have been reconciled.

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Friday, 27 June 2025 : Solemnity of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus (Psalm)

Liturgical Colour : White

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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Friday, 27 June 2025 : Solemnity of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus (First Reading)

Liturgical Colour : White

Ezekiel 34 : 11-16

Indeed YHVH says this : I, Myself, will care for My sheep and watch over them. As the shepherd looks after his flock when he finds them scattered, so will I watch over My sheep; and gather them from all the places where they were scattered in a time of cloud and fog. I will bring them out from the nations and gather them from their countries. I will lead them to their own land; and pasture them on the mountains of Israel, in all the valleys and inhabited regions of the land.

I will take them to good pastures on the high mountains of Israel. They will rest where the grazing is good, and feed in lush pastures on the heights of Israel. I, Myself, will tend My sheep and let them rest, word of YHVH. I will search for the lost and lead back the strays. I will bind up the injured and strengthen the weak; but the fat and strong will be eliminated. I will shepherd My flock with justice.

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Friday, 20 June 2025 : 11th Week of Ordinary Time (Homily and Scripture Reflections)

Liturgical Colour : Green

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, today as we all listened to the words of the Sacred Scriptures, we are reminded of the need for all of us to seek the true treasure that can be found in the Lord alone, and strive our best to live our lives with God’s guidance and help, as with the Lord we can truly do wonderful things far beyond what we can do in Him alone. The Lord our God has given us the strength and wisdom through His guidance, help and encouragement, allowing us to endure all the challenges and hardships in this life and world, so that we can find our path to Him, and as long as we remain truly faithful in Him, trusting wholeheartedly in Him and His providence, we will truly be able to find our true happiness and treasure in God.

In our first reading today, we heard of how St. Paul aired his frustrations to the faithful people of God in Corinth, the ones whom he had been ministering to, as some of those whom St. Paul encountered during his ministry likely compared him with the other Apostles, especially those of the Twelve, or with other famous and charismatic preachers, such as one Apollos who was very charismatic among others. And as inspired and strengthened he was by the Holy Spirit and by God’s guidance, he could certainly still face temptations and difficulties in the exercise of his ministry, and he was still facing emotions and other things that we mankind also face daily in our lives, as he was just as human and as ordinary servants of God as we all are.

But St. Paul turned all these weaknesses into praise of the Lord and everything that he had done in glorifying God through all these weakness and vulnerabilities, and making a testimony of his great and enduring faith in God, Who has strengthened and empowered him to carry out his ministry and good works with the constant protection and providence from God, Who has always been with him, guiding him at every steps of his journey, even when he was facing a lot of hardships and difficulties in his ministry and journey. St. Paul detailed to the faithful in Corinth all the obstacles, hardships and plenty of harm that he had faced in the midst of carrying out his works, how he faced physical assaults, hard labours, prison and many other trials, and yet, he was able to overcome all these because of the Lord.

When St. Paul mentioned all these to the people of God in Corinth, he was not boasting about his own greatness and power, as he was in fact telling all of them that if not for God and His providence, in having done so many great wonders each day through him, he would not have been able to do all those great things despite the many persecutions he faced. In his testimony of faith, St. Paul wanted to encourage the faithful in Corinth to continue to trust in the Lord, and to encourage them all to continue the good works of mission and testifying of the Lord’s goodness, because it is through God alone that they all can truly persevere and be truly successful in their works and good efforts, and not by their work and efforts, or by their power and greatness alone.

Then, from our Gospel passage today, taken from the Gospel according to St. Matthew the Apostle and Evangelist, we heard of the Lord Jesus telling His disciples and followers that they all should not store up for themselves the treasures of the world that do not last forever, all those things which we mankind often crave for and desire, and yet do not provide us with true and lasting happiness, satisfaction and fulfilment. This reminder from the Lord is a timely one to call us to turn away from all sorts of worldly pursuits and ambitions, all the attachments and preoccupations with all kinds of material possessions and desires that can distract us from truly being able to follow the Lord our God most wholeheartedly and worthily.

That is why we are all being reminded that we should not be distracted by all those things, and we should be the ones leading by our own good examples and efforts in living a life that is truly blessed and in attunement to God’s will. And this requires us all to be willing to listen to the Lord guiding and leading us all in our lives, in our every paths and journeys, in each and every moments when He speaks to us, calling on all of us to walk in the path that He has put us into. Each and every one of us are called and reminded that we all should always be faithful to the path that He has led us through, to be committed and true to what He has entrusted to us, living our lives courageously in the manner that He has shown us.

And this should be done by our love for God in all the things that we do in our daily living, and at the same time, we should also show love to all those whom the Lord has entrusted to us, to show our genuine and wholehearted attention to, in being as loving as the Lord has been towards us all. By following the example and inspiration of God’s love, hopefully each one of us may truly be generous in loving one another and be true disciples and followers of Christ in all things. This is what we are all called to do as Christians, in putting our love for God and for one another above our own selfish desires, ambitions and pursuits, in realising that our true treasures and happiness are not in what we gain from this world, but in being faithful to God and truly loving to each other.

May the Lord continue to strengthen each and every one of us, in our resolve and determination to live our lives, in each and every moments to be truly faithful in all things, in our every interactions and good works with one another. May He continue to empower each and every one of us with the strength and courage to live our every moments with grace and faith, and allow us all to be good role models and inspirations to our brethren all around us. May He bless all of our actions and good works, now and always, evermore. Amen.

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Friday, 20 June 2025 : 11th Week of Ordinary Time (Gospel Reading)

Liturgical Colour : Green

Matthew 6 : 19-23

At that time, Jesus said to His disciples and to the people, “Do not store up treasures for yourself here, on earth, where moth and rust destroy it; and where thieves can steal it. Store up treasures for yourself with God, where no moth or rust can destroy it, nor thief come and steal it.

For where your treasures are, there, also, will your heart be. The lamp of the body is the eye; if your eyes are sound, your whole body will be full of light. If your eyes are diseased, your whole body will be full of darkness. If, then, the light in you is darkness, how great is that darkness!

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Friday, 20 June 2025 : 11th Week of Ordinary Time (Psalm)

Liturgical Colour : Green

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.

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Friday, 20 June 2025 : 11th Week of Ordinary Time (First Reading)

Liturgical Colour : Green

2 Corinthians 11 : 18, 21b-30

As some people boast of human advantages, I will do the same. But if others are so bold, I shall also dare, although I may speak like a fool. Are they Hebrews? So am I. Are they Israelites? So am I. Are they descendants of Abraham? So am I. Are they ministers of Christ? (I begin to talk like a madman) I am better than they.

Better than they, with my numerous labours. Better than they, with the time spent in prison. The beatings I received are beyond comparison. How many times have I found myself in danger of death! Five times, the Jews sentenced me to thirty-nine lashes. Three times, I was beaten with a rod. Once I was stoned. Three times, I was shipwrecked; and once, I spent a night and a day, adrift on the high seas.

I have been continually in hazards of travelling; because of rivers, because of bandits, because of my fellow Jews, or because of the pagans; in danger, in the city, in the open country, at sea; in danger from false brothers. I have worked, and often laboured without sleep, I have been hungry and thirsty and starving, cold, and without shelter. Besides these, and other things, there was my daily concern for all the churches. Who is weak, that I do not feel weak as well? Whoever stumbles, am I not on hot bricks?

If it is necessary to boast, let me proclaim the occasions on which I was found weak.