Friday

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Friday, 14 August 2015 : Vigil Mass of the Solemnity of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary (First Reading)

Liturgical Colour : White

1 Chronicles 15 : 3-4, 15-16 and 1 Chronicles 16 : 1-2

Then David gathered all Israel together in Jerusalem to bring the Ark of God up to the place he had prepared for it. David called together the sons of Aaron and the sons of Levi. And the Levites carried the Ark of God with the poles on their shoulders, as Moses had ordered according to the command of YHVH.

David then told the leaders of the Levites to assign duties for some Levites to sing and play a joyful tune with their various musical instruments : harps and lyres and cymbals. They brought the Ark of God in and put it inside the tent that David had prepared for it; and they offered burnt offerings and peace offerings to God.

And when David had finished offering the sacrifices, he blessed the people in the Name of YHVH.

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Friday, 14 August 2015 : 19th Week of Ordinary Time, Memorial of St. Maximilian Kolbe, Priest and Martyr (Homily and Scripture Reflections)

Liturgical Colour : Red
Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, on this day we heard about how Joshua, the leader of Israel and successor to Moses, the faithful servant of God, gathered the whole people of Israel and reminded them of the wonders and good things that God had done for them, from the time of their ancestors right down to their time, reminding them of how much God had done for them.

God had given so much to His people, even though from time to time, again and again they have disobeyed and refused to listen to Him and obey to Him. He has blessed them from time to time, and renewed His covenant and promise to His people yet again and again, but many rejected His offer of love and mercy, and many people continued to live in their ways of sin.

God is forever faithful and He is always ready to give His mercy and love to all those who seek them. But at the same time, it does not mean that He will let us to go our own path, that is He will not tolerate our sinfulness and our wayward behaviour, as if closing one eye against those sins. He is loving towards all of His people, but at the same time, He despises all forms of wickedness and sins.

In the Gospel today, Jesus spoke to the people about the importance, the sanctity and the nature of marriage, which is between one man and one woman, as decreed by the Lord since the beginning of creation, when He first created us mankind. Man and woman had been created to complement each other and to accompany each other, so that, as God had said, that man will join with woman and become one body, and that union is blessed and sanctified by God.

What God had made one, no man should ever separate or try to divorce. And that was what Jesus had said. He rebuked the people for their sinfulness and their refusal to open their hearts to admit the Lord into their hearts. He related this to how Moses had to allow the people to veer off from the true way to which God had led them, just so that the people might have their desires fulfilled.

The people of God always tried to bend the rules and challenge the order as established by the Lord, because they were easily tempted by worldly desires and by the sins they have committed. God has been very patient to endure from the people all the troubles and rejection which His people had given Him. They did not honour the holiness and sanctity of the sacrament of holy matrimony.

This is just as they did not regard the holiness and sanctity of life, which many of us should realise that in these days, more and more people treat life as if something that can be used and manipulated, no longer as something that is important and crucial. They trampled on life and the sanctity of marriage, dishonoured the Lord and the Law which He had given us for our sake.

God had given so much for us, and yet in our many actions, we showed how we despised and hated Him, and how we have not listened to Him calling us to be good and holy, just as He is holy. We have been immersed in this ‘culture of death’, where life to us, and the institution of the family is to us no longer important, and we rather place ahead, our desires and our selfishness.

Today, we celebrate the life of a great saint and martyr of the Faith, whose examples and life should inspire us to do differently from how we have done and how we have lived our lives so far. He is St. Maximilian Kolbe, the saint of the Holocaust, a Polish priest and missionary, whose many works and evangelising missions were known far and wide.

Bur best known to us was the action which he took during the terrible tragedy of the Holocaust, where the Germans under control of the NAZI party, led by Adolf Hitler, where many countless millions suffered in terrible conditions in various concentration camps and prisons, where their dignity as a human being is often completely ignored.

St. Maximilian Kolbe was among many of those who have been arrested by the NAZIs in their desire to destroy the dignity of many human lives. But he continued to minister to the people of God suffering and without dignity, raising hope and courage in their hearts. He celebrated the Holy Mass with them and encouraged them with his examples and words.

And his greatest act was, in imitation of the love of God for us, he volunteered to substitute himself with a man condemned to death because he failed in his attempt to escape from the concentration camp. He was willing to die in the man’s place, and especially after he knew that the condemned man had family waiting on the other side of the fence.

He willingly accepted death and became a martyr for the Faith, following the examples of our Lord Jesus Christ Himself, who had willingly given up His own life, laying it down on the cross, that through His ultimate sacrifice, all of us may be saved. Thus the examples of St. Maximilian Kolbe and ultimately the examples of Christ Himself should have inspired us all to love the Lord our God ever more, and shun all forms of wickedness and evil.

May the Lord our Almighty God help us to keep holy our lives, and awaken in all of us the desire to love all life, and the desire to keep the holiness found in all life and in marriage, the sacrament of Holy Matrimony. May He bless us and keep us faithful to Him always, so that we may be like His faithful servant, St. Maximilian Kolbe, whose memory and life we honour today. Amen.

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Friday, 14 August 2015 : 19th Week of Ordinary Time, Memorial of St. Maximilian Kolbe, Priest and Martyr (Gospel Reading)

Liturgical Colour : Red

Matthew 19 : 3-12

At that time, some Pharisees approached Jesus. They wanted to test Him and asked, “Is a man allowed to divorce his wife for any reason he wants?”

Jesus replied, “Have you not read that in the beginning the Creator made them male and female, and He said : Man has now to leave father and mother, and be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one body? So they are no longer two, but one body. Let no one separate what God has joined.”

They asked Him, “Then why did Moses command us to write a bill of dismissal in order to divorce?” Jesus replied, “Moses knew the hardness of your hearts, so he allowed you to divorce your wives; but it was not so in the beginning. Therefore I say to you : whoever divorces his wife, unless it be for prostitution, and marries another, commits adultery.”

The disciples said, “If that is the condition of a married man, it is better not to marry.” Jesus said to them, “Not everybody can accept what you have just said, but only those who have received this gift. There are eunuchs born so from their mother’s womb. Some have been made that way by others. But there are some who have given up the possibility of marriage for the sake of the kingdom of heaven. Let the one who can accept it, accept it.”

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Friday, 14 August 2015 : 19th Week of Ordinary Time, Memorial of St. Maximilian Kolbe, Priest and Martyr (Psalm)

Liturgical Colour : Red

Psalm 135 : 1, 2, 3, 16, 17, 18, 21, 22, 24

Alleluia! Give thanks to the Lord, for He is good, His kindness endures forever.

Give thanks to the God of gods, His kindness endures forever.

Give thanks to the Lord of lords, His kindness endures forever.

And He led His people through the desert, His kindness endures forever.

He struck down great kings, His kindness endures forever.

He gave their land as an inheritance, His kindness endures forever.

A heritage to Israel His servant, His kindness endures forever.

And He freed us from our oppressors, His kindness endures forever.

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Friday, 14 August 2015 : 19th Week of Ordinary Time, Memorial of St. Maximilian Kolbe, Priest and Martyr (First Reading)

Liturgical Colour : Red

Joshua 24 : 1-13

Joshua summoned all the tribes of Israel in Shechem, and assembled the elders, leaders, judges and secretaries. And together they presented themselves before God.

Addressing the people, Joshua said to them : “YHVH, the God of Israel, commands me to say to you : Your ancestors lived beyond the Euphrates River – Terah the father of Abraham and Nahor – serving other gods. But I brought Abraham your father from beyond the Euphrates and led him through the whole land of Canaan. Then I gave him a son Isaac, that he might have numerous descendants.”

“And to Isaac, I gave two sons : Esau and Jacob. Esau received the mountains of Seir as his inheritance, while Jacob and his sons went down to Egypt. Then I sent Moses and Aaron to punish Egypt in the way that you know, that you might leave. Then I brought your ancestors out of Egypt and you came to the sea. The Egyptians pursued you with chariots and horses as far as the Red Sea.”

“Then you cried to YHVH, and He put immense darkness between you and the Egyptians. He made the sea go back on them and they were drowned. You have witnessed all the things He did in Egypt, and then you lived in the desert for a long time. Then I brought you to the land of the Amorites who were on the east of the Jordan. You fought them but it was I who gave them into your hand; you destroyed them and you seized their lands.”

“Balak, the son of Zippor, the king of Moab, declared war on Israel and commanded Balaam son of Beor to curse you. But I would not listen to him, so Balaam blessed you and I saved you from the hands of Balak. Then you crossed the Jordan and came to Jericho. And the landlords of Jericho fought against you : the Amorites, Perizzites, Canaanites, Hittites, Girgashites, Hivites and Jebusites declared war on you, but I gave them to you.”

“The two Amorite kings fled from you because of the swarm of hornets that attacked them and not because of your sword and bow. I gave you lands which you have not tilled, cities which you did not build but in which you now live. I gave you vineyards and olive groves which you did not plant but from which you now eat.”

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Friday, 7 August 2015 : 18th Week of Ordinary Time, Memorial of Pope St. Sixtus II, Pope and Companions, Martyrs, and St. Cajetan, Priest (Homily and Scripture Reflections)

Liturgical Colour : Green or Red (Martyrs) or White (Priests)

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, on this day we heard clearly in the first reading which was taken from the Book of Deuteronomy, on how God loves all of us mankind greatly, and how He has blessed the people of Israel again and again, bringing them out of Egypt and out of their painful slavery, and bringing them across the Red Sea and providing them with what they need for many, many years, so that even as they went through a great desert, they did not go hungry and thirsty.

And we have to understand the context and situation of the time in order to really understand what had happened at the time. The people of Israel, despite such a great treatment and blessing by the Lord, who gave them all that they needed, they continued to bicker and to complain against the Lord, and demanded all the more, even though they have been blessed beyond many others.

Thus, on this occasion, we witnessed how Moses, after journeying for many years in the desert with the people of Israel, he reminded all the people of the love and care which God had shown them, which no other peoples had experienced and which no other deities or false idols had done for anyone besides what God had done for His beloved ones, even considering their rebelliousness and refusal to believe.

He chastised them for their stubborn hearts and minds, which had refused all the love which God had poured unto them with great care and tenderness. He taught them that they ought to be thankful and be grateful to the Lord for all that He had given to them. And they ought to live according to the Law which God had given to all of them, a set of rules and regulations to be followed, that they all may remain forever in the grace of God.

This is very linked and related to what we heard in the Gospel reading today, where Jesus spoke of how we have to die to ourselves and to take up our crosses and follow Him, if we are to live righteously and justly in the grace of God. He spoke of this, because for many of us, just as it was for the people of Israel, it was very difficult for us to let go of many worldly things, which entanglements often prevented us from finding our way to God.

How many of us often find it difficult to resist the temptations of the flesh? How many of us have been greedy for the many goods of the world, for the allure of money and possessions, for the pull of sexual gratification and the desires of our heart? Indeed it is not easy for us to resist all of them, but if we give in to them, and do nothing about it, then we truly ought to fear for the sake of our souls.

We are reminded yet again on this day, that we should go forth and seek the treasure that lasts forever, that is the true treasures of heavenly grace, found only and given only by our Lord for those who are faithful to Him. This surpasses all other things of this world, the false and impermanent treasures that is plenty in this world, but which can be destroyed by fire, by rot, by the interventions of men, and are not eternal.

Thus, we ought to resist all the temptations and challenges that come our way, and live faithfully to the ways which God had taught us, and which we have learnt through the Church, where we are together as one people, facing all the oppositions and challenges from all those who rejected Him and followed Satan instead, and this is our cross to bear, that is the cross of our own temptations and sins.

Let the examples of the saints whose feast we celebrate on this day be an inspiration to all of us. Pope St. Sixtus II was the Bishop of Rome and Leader of the entire Universal Church in the early Church, and he was a very devoted servant of God who cared for all those entrusted under his care, as the shepherd appointed by God to be the one to lead all of his people to Himself.

He worked hard together with many other holy men of his time, many of whom were arrested together with him during the great persecution against the Church and the faithful by the Roman Emperor Valerian. They refused to recant their faith in God and continued to stand firm in their faith in God, and their examples inspired many others to stand by their faith, despite all the temptations and offers by the authorities that if they recanted their faith, they would be rewarded handsomely and enjoyed many good things.

This is exactly what Jesus meant by gaining the world and losing your soul, for if they had accepted the offers, then indeed they would not suffer grievous death that the holy martyrs had suffered, but then, they too would lose forever the grace and salvation which had been promised to them, and for a temporary respite and moment of goodness in this world, they have lost forever the promise and surety of eternal life.

St. Cajetan, the other saint whose feast we celebrate today, was a priest known for his great piety and holiness, and with his works to bring back many of the people who have gone astray from the Church to return to the Holy Mother Church, and to repent from their sins. He established together with another Saint, St. Jerome Emiliani, a religious congregation devoted to the care of the people of God.

Therefore today, inspired by the examples of these holy saints, let us all ourselves walk in the path of the Lord, removing from ourselves the taint of sin and corruption of the world, and instead focus on the Lord and in His ways, carrying our cross together with Him, giving Him thanks for all He had done for us, and together reach out to the everlasting life and inheritance He had promised all of His faithful. God bless us all. Amen.

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Friday, 7 August 2015 : 18th Week of Ordinary Time, Memorial of Pope St. Sixtus II, Pope and Companions, Martyrs, and St. Cajetan, Priest (Gospel Reading)

Liturgical Colour : Green or Red (Martyrs) or White (Priests)

Matthew 16 : 24-28

At that time, Jesus said to His disciples, “If you want to follow Me, deny yourself, take up your cross and follow Me. For whoever chooses to save his life will lose it, but the one who loses his life for My sake will find it. What will one gain by winning the whole world if he destroys his soul? There is nothing you can give to get back your soul.”

“Know that the Son of Man will come in the glory of His Father with the holy angels, and He will reward each one according to his deeds. Truly, I tell you, there are some here who will not die, before they see the Son of Man coming as King.”

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Friday, 7 August 2015 : 18th Week of Ordinary Time, Memorial of Pope St. Sixtus II, Pope and Companions, Martyrs, and St. Cajetan, Priest (Psalm)

Liturgical Colour : Green or Red (Martyrs) or White (Priests)

Psalm 76 : 12-13, 14-15, 16 and 21

I remember the deeds of the Lord; I recall His marvels of old. I meditate on all Your work, and consider Your mighty deeds.

Your way, o God, is most holy. Is there any god greater than You, our God? You alone are the God who works wonders, who has made known His power to the nations.

With power You have redeemed Your people, the descendants of Jacob and Joseph. You led Your people as a flock by the hand of Moses and Aaron.

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Friday, 7 August 2015 : 18th Week of Ordinary Time, Memorial of Pope St. Sixtus II, Pope and Companions, Martyrs, and St. Cajetan, Priest (First Reading)

Liturgical Colour : Green or Red (Martyrs) or White (Priests)

Deuteronomy 4 : 32-40

Moses said, “Ask of the times past. Inquire from the day when God created man on earth. Ask from one end of this world to the other : Has there ever been anything as extraordinary as this? Has anything like this been heard of before? Has there ever been a people who remained alive after hearing as you did the voice of the living God from the midst of the fire?”

“Never has there been a God who went out to look for a people and take them out from among the other nations by the strength of trials and signs, by wonders and by war, with a firm hand and an outstretched arm. Never has there been any deed as tremendous as those done for you by YHVH in Egypt, which you saw with your own eyes.”

“You saw this that you might know that YHVH is God and that there is no other besides Him. He let you hear His voice from heaven that you might fear Him; on earth He let you see His blazing fire and from the midst of the fire you heard His word.”

“Because of the love He had for your fathers, He chose their descendants after them, and He Himself made you leave Egypt with His great power. He expelled before you peoples more numerous and stronger than you, and He has made you occupy their land : today He has given this to you as an inheritance.”

“Therefore, try to be convinced that YHVH is the only God of heaven and earth, and that there is no other. Observe the laws and the commandments that I command you today, and everything will be well with you and your children after you. So you will live long in the land which YHVH, your God, gives you forever.”

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Friday, 31 July 2015 : 17th Week of Ordinary Time, Memorial of St. Ignatius of Loyola, Priest (Homily and Scripture Reflections)

Liturgical Colour : White

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, on this day we heard from the Book of Leviticus, how the Lord charged Moses and therefore His people, with the keeping of the observance of festivals, feasts and important holy days, such as the sabbath days. We heard how the Lord charged the people to keep the observance of the Festival of the Unleavened Bread, to remember the days when they were brought out of Egypt by the mighty power of God.

All of these feasts and festivals, rites and celebrations truly are for a single purpose, that is to remind the people of God of God’s great glory and power, and even more importantly, that is to remind them of the love which He has for them, and therefore, to remind them yet again of the love and dedication which they have to have for Him. Yet over time, people seemed to forget this, and focused more on the exterior aspect of the celebrations rather than on the substance.

In the Gospel today, we heard how Jesus was not well received in His own hometown of Nazareth, where the people doubted Him and questioned His teachings and authority, because they thought that they knew Him as a mere carpenter’s Son. This is exactly the same problem that had been faced by many other prophets and messengers that God had sent to His people as well.

They were not well received because these people had become a superficial people, who cared just for their appearances and external outlook. Inside them, within their hearts, there is truly a void not filled by the love of God, but by their love for themselves. This is why they rejected the prophets and ultimately Jesus Himself as well, for they challenged the people and their way of thinking as well as their way of life.

We should not think that this is an issue that is confined only to the past. In fact, throughout history, mankind had been affected by the very same issue that caused us to be captivated and mesmerised by the multitudes of goodness and temptations that lie in this world, the pleasures of the flesh and the many concerns of this world. We then end up forgetting about God and our obligation and need to serve Him and to give all of our attention to Him.

Then, we truly should learn from the example of a great saint whose feast we are celebrating on this day, namely that of St. Ignatius of Loyola, the founder of the Jesuits, also known as the Society of Jesus, one of the most renowned and important religious order in the history of our Church. St. Ignatius of Loyola, through his life, would show us the way to the Lord and how to find it amidst the challenges and temptations of this world.

St. Ignatius of Loyola was born in a noble family in what is now Spain a few hundred years ago, where conflicts and wars were regular parts of people’s life. He was born into the caste of society which believed that glory and power, or gold and wealth, or fame and affluence, or all of them are the way to go in life. And so did St. Ignatius of Loyola, who believed all these as integral parts of his life.

But one day, after he was injured during a battle and siege of a castle, he got a revelation in life, that the way which he had pursued all the while might not be the right way to go. He found that all the things which he had pursued for himself and his own glory were truly meaningless, and he began to seek a true and real purpose in his life, and it was there that he found the Lord and turned himself and his life to serve Him.

He abandoned all the worldliness that had been part of his early life, abandoning everything and devoted all of the rest of his life and his works to the greater glory of God, ‘Ad Maiorem Dei Gloriam’ which was his motto and which became the motto of the Jesuits as a whole. He dedicated his time and his life to the glory of God and laboured hard to help the people of God finding their way to Him.

St. Ignatius of Loyola was a champion and great defender of the Faith, who spearheaded and led the Church’s great effort to counter the great heresy of Protestantism in what was so-called ‘reformation’. He was one of the great heroes of the Church’s effort to reconvert back countless thousands of people to the true faith, together with his fellow Jesuits, which would soon prove to be very essential to the salvation of many lost souls.

Brothers and sisters in Christ, let us all follow in the footsteps of St. Ignatius of Loyola, walk in his ways, and follow him as he leads us towards the Lord our God. May we be able to shun all sorts of temptations and pleasures of the flesh and instead of focusing on appearances and our external outlook, may all of us be able to find our inner beauty, by devoting ourselves ever more to the Lord and practicing our faith, so that we may be found worthy by He who will reward us. God be with us all. Amen.