Friday

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Friday, 2 February 2024 : Feast of the Presentation of the Lord, World Day for Consecrated Life (Homily and Scripture Reflections)

Liturgical Colour : White

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, on this day we celebrate the occasion of the Feast of the Presentation of the Lord, commemorating the moment when the Lord Jesus was presented at the Temple of Jerusalem, at the House of God according to the Law and customs of the people of God, forty days after He was born, which was also the moment when His mother Mary was welcomed back into the community, in a celebration of purification from sin and corruption, which all mothers who have just given birth had to undergo. Today is that fortieth day since the celebration of Christmas, and traditionally this is the definitive end of the Christmas season, where all Christmas celebrations and commemorations end, and we transition into the period of contemplation and preparation as we are about to enter into the Season of Lent soon, which itself is a preparation for the Holy Week and Easter season.

In our first reading today, we heard from the Book of the prophet Malachi, in which the Lord proclaimed His salvation which He would send into this world, and which would be preceded by the coming of the messenger whom He would send to precede the coming of His Saviour and the salvation He provided to all of us. The prophet Malachi himself was the last in the long line of prophets whom God had sent to the people of Israel, speaking and prophesying about what would come to happen. The prophet Malachi spoke of the coming salvation from God and reassured the people who had been waiting a long time for the coming of God’s Saviour. This would all be fulfilled and completed through the coming of St. John the Baptist, the one who preceded the Lord’s coming, preparing the path for Him to come into our midst, calling on all the people of God to repent and turn away from their sins.

That was exactly what the prophet Malachi had spoken about, as he spoke of the coming time of purification, and how everyone would be made worthy again, which was the baptism of repentance which St. John the Baptist had proclaimed, drawing thousands upon thousands to come back towards the Lord with hearts full of regret for their sins and wickedness, and hence opening the doors of their hearts and minds to the Lord, Who would come henceforth to lead everyone together back towards our loving Father and Creator, through everything that He would be doing as our Eternal High Priest and as the Lamb of God, offered and slain on the Altar of the Cross at Calvary, to be the perfect and worthy offering and sacrifice for our reconciliation with God.

In the second reading passage from the Epistle to the Hebrews, we then heard of the work which the Lord Jesus has come to perform in this world in our midst, as He entered into this world to become the One through Whom the New Covenant of God would be made anew and sealed, by none other than the most worthy and perfect offering of Himself, as the Lamb of God, our Paschal Lamb of Sacrifice. And as just mentioned earlier, He is also our one and true Eternal High Priest, as in that capacity, He offered on our behalf, the one worthy and perfect offering that is His own Precious Body and Blood, on the Altar of His Cross, broken and poured out for us, that by this offering, a New and Eternal Covenant may be made for us. Through this, all of us have received the assurance of God’s eternal love and grace, and we have been reconnected and reconciled with God.

In our Gospel passage today, we therefore heard of the account of the moment when the Lord Jesus as a newborn Child, was presented at the Temple of Jerusalem, at the House of God. This event, which is the main focus of our celebration and commemoration today, is a reminder of this role that Our Lord has in being our High Priest and as the One Whom the Lord had promised to us, and Whom therefore had been sent to us, appearing before us, as the perfect manifestation of His love and compassionate kindness, as He reached out to us, never giving up on us and desiring for us to be reconciled and reunited with Him. The Lord Jesus was consecrated and offered to God, His Heavenly Father from early in His life, that He may truly, in accordance with the Law, be a worthy High Priest to offer for us the sacrifice in atonement for our many sins.

Thus, we recall today with great joy the moment when the Lord was presented before all of us, as the One true High Priest and as the One Who would bring about our salvation and liberation to us. This day we are all reminded of the great joy which the old man of God Simeon and the prophetess Anna had when they saw the Saviour and the salvation of God being brought to them in the flesh, appearing before their very own eyes. They had been promised the opportunity to witness the salvation of God before they passed on from this world, and they had indeed seen the Light of God’s salvation, His hope and His love for all of us. That is why, this celebration today is also often known as the Candlemas, where candles are blessed and lighted, representing the Light of Christ, being brought into our midst, renewing our hopes and faith in God. This is also a reminder for us all that as the bearers of Christ’s Light, we should also show His Light to the world, to the people all around us.

Brothers and sisters in Christ, today in a special way we also pray for all those who have dedicated themselves in religious and consecrated life, committing themselves completely and wholeheartedly to God. On this day of World Day for Consecrated Life, we remember all those who have followed in the footsteps of the Lord, in consecrating themselves to a holy life committed to God, and in doing what God has commanded each one of them to do, in their various missions, in their various religious orders and institutions, organisations and groups. They had made a lot of sacrifice and efforts in glorifying God by their lives, in many different ways, and many of them have also helped and assisted us all in their own ways, all these while. Let us all pray that they may be strengthened, empowered and encouraged by God in all the things that they do. Let us also pray for more vocations to the consecrated life, of various kinds, that those who have been called may respond positively to their calling.

May the Lord continue to guide and bless us in our whole lives, in everything that we say and do, so that by our exemplary lives and actions, we will always continue to grow ever stronger in faith, and continue to love Him at all times, remembering always how He has loved us so much, that He gave us all the perfect gift in His Son, Our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, through Whom all of us have received the asssurance of eternal life and true happiness and joy with God. May God bless our every good efforts and endeavours, now and always. Amen.

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Friday, 2 February 2024 : Feast of the Presentation of the Lord, World Day for Consecrated Life (Gospel Reading)

Liturgical Colour : White

Luke 2 : 22-40

When the day came for the purification according to the law of Moses, they brought the Baby up to Jerusalem, to present Him to the Lord, as it is written in the law of the Lord : Every firstborn male shall be consecrated to God. And they offered a sacrifice, as ordered in the law of the Lord : a pair of turtledoves or two young pigeons.

There lived in Jerusalem at this time a very upright and devout man named Simeon; the Holy Spirit was in him. He looked forward to the time when the Lord would comfort Israel, and he had been assured, by the Holy Spirit, that he would not die before seeing the Messiah of the Lord. So he was led into the Temple by the Holy Spirit at the time the parents brought the Child Jesus, to do for Him according to the custom of the Law.

Simeon took the Child in his arms, and blessed God, saying, “Now, o Lord, You can dismiss Your servant in peace, for You have fulfilled Your word and my eyes have seen Your salvation, which You display for all the people to see. Here is the Light You will reveal to the nations, and the glory of Your people Israel.”

His father and mother wondered at what was said about the Child. Simeon blessed them, and said to Mary, His mother, “Know this : your Son is a Sign, a Sign established for the falling and rising of many in Israel, a Sign of contradiction; and a sword will pierce your own soul, so that, out of many hearts, thoughts may be revealed.”

There was also a prophetess named Anna, daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Asher. After leaving her father’s home, she had been seven years with her husband, and since then she had been continually about the Temple, serving God as a widow night and day in fasting and prayer. She was now eighty-four. Coming up at that time, she gave praise to God, and spoke of the Child to all who looked forward to the deliverance of Jerusalem.

When the parents had fulfilled all that was required by the law of the Lord, they returned to their town, Nazareth in Galilee. There the Child grew in stature and strength, and was filled with wisdom: the grace of God was upon Him.

Alternative reading (shorter version)

Luke 2 : 22-32

When the day came for the purification according to the law of Moses, they brought the Baby up to Jerusalem, to present Him to the Lord, as it is written in the law of the Lord : Every firstborn male shall be consecrated to God. And they offered a sacrifice, as ordered in the law of the Lord : a pair of turtledoves or two young pigeons.

There lived in Jerusalem at this time a very upright and devout man named Simeon; the Holy Spirit was in him. He looked forward to the time when the Lord would comfort Israel, and he had been assured, by the Holy Spirit, that he would not die before seeing the Messiah of the Lord. So he was led into the Temple by the Holy Spirit at the time the parents brought the Child Jesus, to do for Him according to the custom of the Law.

Simeon took the Child in his arms, and blessed God, saying, “Now, o Lord, You can dismiss Your servant in peace, for You have fulfilled Your word and my eyes have seen Your salvation, which You display for all the people to see. Here is the Light You will reveal to the nations, and the glory of Your people Israel.”

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Friday, 2 February 2024 : Feast of the Presentation of the Lord, World Day for Consecrated Life (Psalm)

Liturgical Colour : White

Psalm 23 : 7, 8, 9, 10

Lift up, o gateways, your lintels, open up, you ancient doors, that the King of glory may enter!

Who is the King of glory? YHVH, the Strong, the Mighty, YHVH, valiant in battle.

Lift up your lintels, o gateways, open up, you ancient doors, that the King of glory may enter!

Who is the King of glory? YHVH of Hosts, He is the King of glory!

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Friday, 2 February 2024 : Feast of the Presentation of the Lord, World Day for Consecrated Life (First Reading)

Liturgical Colour : White

Malachi 3 : 1-4

Now I am sending My messenger ahead of Me to clear the way; then suddenly the Lord for Whom you long will enter the sanctuary. The Envoy of the covenant which you so greatly desire already comes, says YHVH of hosts. Who can bear the day of His coming and remain standing when He appears? For He will be like fire in the foundry and like the lye used for bleaching.

He will be as a refiner or a fuller. He will purify the sons of Levi and refine them like gold and silver. So YHVH will have priests who will present the offering as it should be. Then YHVH will accept with pleasure the offering of Judah and Jerusalem, as in former days.

Alternative reading (Second Reading if this Feast is celebrated as a Solemnity)

Hebrews 2 : 14-18

And because all those children share one same nature of flesh and blood, Jesus, likewise, had to share this nature. This is why His death destroyed the one holding the power of death, that is the devil, and freed those who remained in bondage all their lifetime, because of the fear of death.

Jesus came, to take by the hand, not the Angels but the human race. So, He had to be like His brothers and sisters, in every respect, in order to be the High Priest, faithful to God and merciful to them, a Priest, able to ask pardon, and atone for their sins. Having been tested through suffering, He is able to help those who are tested.

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Friday, 26 January 2024 : 3rd Week of Ordinary Time, Memorial of St. Timothy and St. Titus, Bishops (Homily and Scripture Reflections)

Liturgical Colour : White

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, today the Church celebrates the Feast of the two great saints and Church fathers, St. Timothy and St. Titus, both of whom were the disciples and followers of St. Paul the Apostle, the Apostle to the Gentiles. Both of them were inspired and mentored by St. Paul who taught them more about the Christian faith and guided them in their path, that they, in their own ways, contributed greatly to the development and the growth of the early Church. St. Timothy and St. Titus were among the earliest bishops of the Church, as those who have been chosen and appointed to be the successors of the Apostles, who had the Apostles laying their hands upon them, giving them the strength and guidance of the Holy Spirit.

St. Timothy was one of the companions of St. Paul during his missionary journeys, and as mentioned, the latter was the mentor of St. Timothy, guiding him in the way of the Christian faith. He was a native of Lystra or Derbe in what is today part of Turkey, then known as Anatolia, one of the places that St. Paul visited during his missionary journeys, and where he performed miracles and healings that brought quite a number of the locals, likely including that of St. Timothy, to embrace the Christian faith. Eventually, St. Timothy became the disciple of St. Paul, and helped him during the later missionary journeys that he carried out, proclaiming the Good News of God to more and more people all throughout the region, where many accepted the Lord as their God and Saviour.

St. Timothy continued the works of St. Paul when he left for Rome in his final missionary journey, which would led to St. Paul’s martyrdom there. He was appointed as bishop in Asia Minor, likely in Ephesus, one of the great early centres of Christianity. There, he continued to work hard for the glory of God and for the salvation of souls, courageously spreading the Word of God and His Good News to more and more people. According to the Apostolic and Church traditions, he was also persecuted and endured prison more than once, eventually suffering martyrdom for his faith and commitment to God, after many decades of continuous and courageous hard work for the Lord. Yet, his examples continued to inspire many people long after his time.

Meanwhile, St. Titus also had a similar story to St. Timothy, as he was also likely converted by St. Paul, and then later on followed him on his missionary journeys, assisting him as a scribe and interpreter. He was sent by St. Paul from Ephesus to Corinth to settle the issues which arose there, and which was highlighted in St. Paul’s Epistle to the Corinthians. He managed to resolve the issue and the situation successfully, and later on continued to join St. Paul in his various further missionary and evangelising works. Eventually St. Titus was also chosen and appointed as bishop to succeed and continue the works of the Apostles, and was entrusted with the care of his native island of Crete. There he continued to minister to the people of God much as St. Timothy had done, and perhaps had also suffered martyrdom as well, although the information was scant regarding this.

This is the essence of what we have heard from the Gospel passage today, in which the account of how the Lord Jesus sent out the seventy-two disciples on various missions was told to us. At that time, the Lord appointed and sent out the seventy-two disciples, most of whom were not known by name, but all those people were instrumental in extending even further the reach of the Lord’s works, beyond what His Twelve Apostles had done and could do. Some of those among the seventy-two disciples were themselves appointed later on as the successors and companions of the Apostles, and through them, their witnessing of the Lord’s ministry and good works, and through the knowledge of truth that they had received from the Lord Himself and through the Holy Spirit, they passed on that truth to the Church of God, and therefore, eventually to all of us.

The Lord sent them all out to prepare His path and to do His works among the people of God, and telling them to be strong and courageous, and to remain faithful and committed to their mission, because they would likely face persecutions, hardships and trials for what they have done and worked for. Yet, the Lord also reassured all of them that He would be with them, guiding and helping them along the way. He told them to go to the houses of those who received them well and accepted their message, while those who have stubbornly refused to believe in the truth of God, they should ignore and leave behind. Through this reminder, the Lord wanted to tell His disciples and followers to place their trust in Him, and follow Him.

As we have heard from the lives and examples of St. Timothy and St. Titus, their courage and faith in God, and also from the passages of the Sacred Scriptures that we have heard today, let us all therefore discern carefully what the Lord may intend for us to do in our respective lives. Each and every one of us should always be attuned to the Lord and be willing to listen to Him, so that we all may know what it is that we are all called to do in our lives, in our respective vocations and areas of responsibilities. This is why we should not remain idle in life, but do our best, in showing by our own good examples, what we all can do in our everyday moments. Let us all be the good and worthy role models for others to follow.

May the Lord be with us always, and may He empower everyone of us, so that we can follow in the footsteps of His faithful servants, St. Timothy and St. Titus, in doing what we can for the glory of His Name and in proclaiming His truth and love to more and more people, all around us. May God bless our every good works and endeavours, now and forevermore. Amen.

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Friday, 26 January 2024 : 3rd Week of Ordinary Time, Memorial of St. Timothy and St. Titus, Bishops (Gospel Reading)

Liturgical Colour : White

Luke 10 : 1-9

At that time, the Lord appointed seventy-two other disciples, and sent them, two by two, ahead of Him, to every town and place, where He Himself was to go. And He said to them, “The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few. So you must ask the Lord of the harvest to send workers to His harvest.”

“Courage! I am sending you like lambs among wolves. Set off without purse or bag or sandals; and do not stop at the homes of those you know. Whatever house you enter, first bless them, saying, ‘Peace to this house!’ If a friend of peace lives there, the peace shall rest upon that person. But if not, the blessing will return to you. Stay in that house, eating and drinking at their table, for the worker deserves to be paid. Do not move from house to house.”

“When they welcome you to any town, eat what they offer you. Heal the sick who are there, and say to them : ‘The kingdom of God has drawn near to you.’”

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Friday, 26 January 2024 : 3rd Week of Ordinary Time, Memorial of St. Timothy and St. Titus, Bishops (Psalm)

Liturgical Colour : White

Psalm 95 : 1-2a, 2b-3, 7-8a, 10

Sing to YHVH a new song, sing to YHVH, all the earth! Sing to YHVH, praise His Name.

Proclaim His salvation, day after day. Recall His glory among the nations, tell all the peoples His wonderful deeds.

Give to YHVH, you families of nations, give to YHVH glory and strength. Give to YHVH the glory due His Name.

Say among the nations, “YHVH reigns!” He will judge the peoples with justice.

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Friday, 26 January 2024 : 3rd Week of Ordinary Time, Memorial of St. Timothy and St. Titus, Bishops (First Reading)

Liturgical Colour : White

2 Timothy 1 : 1-8

From Paul, Apostle of Christ Jesus, by the will of God, for the sake of His promise of eternal life, in Christ Jesus, to my dear son Timothy. May grace, mercy and peace be with you, from God, the Father, and Christ Jesus our Lord.

I give thanks to God, Whom I serve with a clear conscience, the way my ancestors did, as I remember you constantly, day and night, in my prayers. I recall your tears, and I long to see you, that I may be filled with joy. I am reminded of your sincere faith, so like the faith of your grandmother Lois and of your mother Eunice, which I am sure you have inherited.

For this reason, I invite you to fan into a flame, the gift of God you received, through the laying on of my hands. For God did not confer on us a spirit of fearfulness, but of strength, love and good judgment. Do not be ashamed of testifying to our Lord, nor of seeing me in chains. On the contrary, do your share in labouring for the Gospel, with the strength of God.

Alternative reading

Titus 1 : 1-5

From Paul, servant of God, Apostle of Christ Jesus, at the service of God’s chosen people, so that they may believe, and reach the knowledge of truth and godliness. The eternal life we are waiting for was promised from the very beginning, by God, Who never lies, and as the appointed time had come, He made it known, through the message entrusted to me by a command of God, our Saviour.

Greetings to you, Titus, my true son in the faith we share. May grace and peace be with you from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord. I left you in Crete because I wanted you to put right, what was defective, and appoint elders in every town, following my instructions.

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Friday, 19 January 2024 : 2nd Week of Ordinary Time, Week of Prayer for Christian Unity (Homily and Scripture Reflections)

Liturgical Colour : Green

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, today as we listened to the words of the Scriptures, we are reminded of God’s calling for us to follow Him and His path, to do what is good and righteous, and in accordance with His Law and commandments. Each and every one of us as Christians should do what the Lord has shown and taught us, and also the examples set by His holy men and women, our holy predecessors, the saints and martyrs throughout time and history, and also like what King David of Israel had done in our Scripture passage today, in sparing the life of King Saul, his predecessor, who wanted to kill David out of jealousy and anger. All of us as Christians should always strive to do God’s will and to listen to Him speaking in our hearts and minds.

In our first reading today, we heard from the Book of the prophet Samuel in which the story of King Saul and his successor King David continues, after we have heard how God chose David to be the one to replace and succeed Saul as King and ruler over all of His people because of Saul’s disobedience and sin. Saul became deeply jealous and angry at David, and wanted to kill him so that he could eliminate this major threat to his rule and legitimacy. Yet, in doing so, Saul actually opened himself to even more temptations of the evil one and all the worldly attachments and temptations he had experienced, which led him to chase after David, and the latter had to flee from place to place with some of his supporters and friends.

But God was with David, and He protected him for all the years and time he spent in exile and on the run from King Saul. God’s favour was on him, and in this particular occasion highlighted in our first reading passage today, David and his companions encountered King Saul and his troops, who were all sleeping soundly, likely by God’s intervention. Such an opportunity was likely very rare, and it presented the perfect opportunity for David to end all of his struggles and difficulties, and in one strike, he could have killed Saul and therefore claim the kingdom completely for himself. His companions were urging him to do exactly that, but David resisted the temptations, and told his companions that they must not touch Saul, for he was also God’s anointed one.

Here we can see the great qualities and virtues that David had which made him to be truly worthy of the kingship as compared to Saul. While Saul was proud and arrogant, ambitious and disobedient, David was humble and committed to God, obeyed His Law and commandments, and he did not touch another person or harm him when he was vulnerable as we heard in our reading from the Book of Samuel today. Unlike Saul, who attempted on several occasions to harm and kill David in several separate occasions, out of jealousy and allowing himself to be tempted by Satan, David was humble and committed to God, and remembered His Law and commandments, while Saul had disobeyed them many times, especially with his desire to kill David, which is against God’s commandment, ‘You shall not kill.’

David himself was not a perfect and blameless man, as he had his flaws and shortcomings just like all of us, but he tried his best to remain faithful and committed to God, and resisted the temptations of worldly glory and desire as best as he could. He repented from his sins and mistakes, and tried his best to do what God has told him to do. In this way, therefore, he showed us all what it means for us to be disciples and followers of Christ, as we all should be obedient to the will, Law and commandments of God in all the things we say and do, in our whole entire lives. As Christians, we should always strive to live our lives most worthily as those whom the Lord had called and chosen to be His own beloved people, to proclaim His truth to the nations.

In our Gospel passage today, the Lord called His disciples and appointed twelve among them to be the principal and most important ones among them, as part of His innermost and most trusted circle, also known as the Twelve or the Twelve Apostles. We heard the name of each and every one of them by name, and what they were told to do, in doing God’s works and obeying God’s will. It does not mean that they are perfect men either, as just like David, they also made mistakes, and one among them even lost his way completely, betrayed the Lord and then took his own life in despair and regret, namely that of Judas Iscariot, the traitor. However, all of them except for Judas Iscariot did their best to do God’s will and to carry out His Law and commandments, and to proclaim His Good News and truth.

Brothers and sisters in Christ, today the Church reminds us through these passages from the Sacred Scriptures of the need for all of us to turn away from the path of sin, and resist the many temptations present all around us. We are all reminded to stay away from the path of wickedness and evil, from all sorts of greed and desires for worldly things, from our ambitions and ego, that we will not end up losing our way in this journey of life we have. Let us all do our best to help and remind one another so that we will continue to be faithful to the Lord despite all the trials and challenges, difficulties and hardships that we may have to endure in our path. We must be strengthened and inspired by following the good examples of the Lord’s servants, His saints, and all whom we have discussed earlier today.

May the Lord continue to bless us and guide us in our journey of faith so that we may continue to do our best in living our lives to the best of our abilities. May He empower each and every one of us, so that by our every actions, words and deeds, we will always be ever faithful and committed to the Lord, and our faith may truly be shown to all, and that through us and our works and efforts, more and more people may come to believe in God as well, like how King David, the Apostles and many other holy saints of God had inspired us all. Amen.

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Friday, 19 January 2024 : 2nd Week of Ordinary Time, Week of Prayer for Christian Unity (Gospel Reading)

Liturgical Colour : Green

Mark 3 : 13-19

At that time, Jesus went up into the hill country, and called those He wanted, and they came to Him. He appointed Twelve to be with Him, and He called them ‘Apostles.’ He wanted to send them out to preach; and He gave them authority to drive out demons.

These are the Twelve : Simon, to whom He gave the name Peter; James, son of Zebedee, and John his brother, to whom He gave the name Boanerges, which means ‘men of thunder’; Andrew, Philip, Bartholomew, Matthew, Thomas, James son of Alpheus, Thaddeus, Simon the Canaanean, and Judas Iscariot, the one who betrayed Him.