great feast

by

Wednesday, 29 June 2016 : Solemnity of St. Peter and St. Paul, Apostles, Great Feast of the Church of Rome and the Universal Church (Gospel Reading)

Liturgical Colour : Red

Matthew 16 : 13-19

At that time, after Jesus spoke to His disciples about the Pharisees and the Sadducees, He came to Caesarea Philippi. He asked His disciples, “Who do people say the Son of Man is?” They said, “For some of them You are John the Baptist, for others Elijah, or Jeremiah, or one of the prophets.”

Jesus asked them, “But you, who do you say I am?” Peter answered, “You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God.” Jesus replied, “It is well for you, Simon Bar-Jona, for it is not flesh or blood that has revealed this to you, but My Father in heaven.”

“And now I say to you : You are Peter, and on this rock I will build My Church; and never will the powers of death overcome it. I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven : whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatever you unbind on earth shall be unbound in heaven.”

by

Wednesday, 29 June 2016 : Solemnity of St. Peter and St. Paul, Apostles, Great Feast of the Church of Rome and the Universal Church (Second Reading)

Liturgical Colour : Red

2 Timothy 4 : 6-8, 17-18

As for me, I am already poured out as a libation, and the moment of my departure has come. I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Now there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness with which the Lord, the Just Judge, will reward me on that day; and not only me, but all those who have longed for His glorious coming.

But the Lord was at my side, giving me strength to proclaim the Word fully, and let all the pagans hear it. So I was rescued from the lion’s mouth. The Lord will save me from all evil, bringing me to His heavenly kingdom. Glory to Him forever and ever. Amen!

by

Wednesday, 29 June 2016 : Solemnity of St. Peter and St. Paul, Apostles, Great Feast of the Church of Rome and the Universal Church (Psalm)

Liturgical Colour : Red

Psalm 33 : 2-3, 4-5, 6-7, 8-9

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.

The Lord’s Angel encamps and patrols to keep safe those who fear Him. Oh, see and taste the goodness of the Lord! Blessed is the one who finds shelter in Him!

by

Wednesday, 29 June 2016 : Solemnity of St. Peter and St. Paul, Apostles, Great Feast of the Church of Rome and the Universal Church (First Reading)

Liturgical Colour : Red

Acts 12 : 1-11

About that time king Herod decided to persecute some members of the Church. He had James, the brother of John, killed with the sword, and when he saw how it pleased the Jews, he proceeded to arrest Peter also.

This happened during the festival of the Unleavened Bread. Herod had him seized and thrown into prison with four squads, each of four soldiers, to guard him. He wanted to bring him to trial before the people after the Passover feast, but while Peter was kept in prison, the whole Church prayed earnestly for him.

On the very night before Herod was to bring him to trial, Peter was sleeping between two soldiers, bound by a double chain, while guards keep watch at the gate of the prison. Suddenly an Angel of the Lord stood there and a light shone in the prison cell. The Angel tapped Peter on the side and woke him saying, “Get up quickly!”

At once the chains fell from Peter’s wrists. The Angel said, “Put on your belt and your sandals.” Peter did so, and the Angel added, “Now, put on your cloak and follow me.” Peter followed him out; yet he did not realise that what was happening with the Angel was real; he thought he was seeing a vision.

They passed the first guard and then the second and they came to the iron door leading out to the city, which opened of itself for them. They went out and made their way down a narrow alley, where suddenly the Angel left him. Then Peter recovered his senses and said, “Now I know that the Lord has sent His Angel and has rescued me from Herod’s clutches and from all that the Jews had in store for me.”

by

Tuesday, 28 June 2016 : Vigil Mass of the Solemnity of St. Peter and St. Paul, Apostles, Great Feast of the Church of Rome and the Universal Church (Gospel Reading)

Liturgical Colour : Red

John 21 : 15-19

At that time, after Jesus and His disciples had finished breakfast, He said to Simon Peter, “Simon, son of John, do you love Me more than these?” He answered, “Yes, Lord, You know that I love You.” And Jesus said, “Feed My lambs.”

A second time Jesus said to him, “Simon, son of John, do you love Me?” And Peter answered, “Yes, Lord, You know that I love You.” Jesus said to him, “Look after My sheep.” And a third time He said to him, “Simon, son of John, do you love Me?”

Peter was saddened because Jesus asked him a third time, “Do you love Me?” And he said, “Lord, You know everything; You know that I love You.” Jesus then said, “Feed My sheep! Truly, I say to you, when you were young, you put on your belt and walked where you liked. But when you grow old, you will stretch out your hands, and another will put a belt around you, and lead you where you do not wish to go.”

Jesus said this to make known the kind of death by which Peter was to glorify God. And He added, “Follow Me.”

by

Tuesday, 28 June 2016 : Vigil Mass of the Solemnity of St. Peter and St. Paul, Apostles, Great Feast of the Church of Rome and the Universal Church (Second Reading)

Liturgical Colour : Red

Galatians 1 : 11-20

Let me remind you, brothers and sisters, that the Gospel we preached to you is not a human message, nor did I receive it from anyone, I was not taught of it but it came to me as a revelation from Christ Jesus. You have heard of my previous activity in the Jewish community; I furiously persecuted the Church of God and tried to destroy it. For I was more devoted to the Jewish religion than many fellow Jews of my age, and I defended the traditions of my ancestors more fanatically.

But one day God called me out of His great love, He Who had chosen me from my mother’s womb; and He was pleased to reveal in me His Son, that I might make Him known among the pagan nations. Then I did not seek human advice nor did I go up to Jerusalem to those who were Apostles before me. I immediately went to Arabia, and from there I returned again to Damascus.

Later, after three years, I went up to Jerusalem to meet Cephas, and I stayed with him for fifteen days. But I did not see any other Apostle except James, the Lord’s brother. On writing this to you, I affirm before God that I am not lying.

by

Tuesday, 28 June 2016 : Vigil Mass of the Solemnity of St. Peter and St. Paul, Apostles, Great Feast of the Church of Rome and the Universal Church (Psalm)

Liturgical Colour : Red

Psalm 18 : 2-3, 4-5

The heavens declare the glory of God; the firmament proclaims the work of His hands. Day talks it over with day; night hands on the knowledge to night.

No speech, no words, no voice is heard – but the call goes on throughout the universe, the message is felt to the ends of the earth.

by

Tuesday, 28 June 2016 : Vigil Mass of the Solemnity of St. Peter and St. Paul, Apostles, Great Feast of the Church of Rome and the Universal Church (First Reading)

Liturgical Colour : Red

Acts 3 : 1-10

Once when Peter and John were going up to the Temple at three in the afternoon, the hour for prayer, a man crippled from birth was being carried in. Every day they would bring him and put him at the Temple gate called “Beautiful”; there he begged from those who entered the Temple.

When he saw Peter and John on their way into the Temple, he asked for alms. Then Peter with John at his side looked straight at him and said, “Look at us.” So he looked at them, expecting to receive something from them. But Peter said, “I have neither silver nor gold, but what I have I give you : In the Name of Jesus of Nazareth, the Messiah, walk!”

Then he took the beggar by his right hand and helped him up. At once his feet and ankles became firm, and jumping up he stood on his feet and began to walk. And he went with them into the Temple walking and leaping and praising God. All the people saw him walking and praising God; they recognised him as the one who used to sit begging at the Beautiful Gate of the Temple, and they were all astonished and amazed at what had happened to him.

by

Sunday, 12 June 2016 : 11th Sunday of Ordinary Time (Homily and Scripture Reflections)

Liturgical Colour : Green

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, on this day all of the Scripture readings which we have received and listened to all spoke of a very important thing in our faith which all of us tend to forget and overlook, or even worse, that we misunderstand its true intention and purpose. And therefore, it is imperative that we come together and understand what the meaning of the Scripture passages is for us all, and reflect on them so that we may be awakened to the Lord’s will and grace.

Brothers and sisters in Christ, today we heard about the punishment which God metes out for the sinners and for all those who have disobeyed Him and betrayed His love and trust. It is what we call justice, or to be more precise, divine justice, as we have sinned against the Lord and committed what is evil in His sight, and therefore, it is just that we face the consequences of our sins and wickedness, and the just reward for sin, is death and damnation in hellfire.

And yet we all should know how loving and merciful our God is, to those who are willing to be forgiven, and who has shown the desire and right attitude to be forgiven. In the first reading today we heard about the exchanges between the prophet Samuel and king David of Israel, the one whom many people, especially among the Israelites, regarded as the ideal king, the just ruler and as the role model and example of how one should be faithful to God.

And yet, we know of two very prominent moments when king David was unfaithful to God and disobeyed Him. The first one was the one which was mentioned in the Book of the prophet Samuel as we heard it today, about how David plotted against the captain of his guard, Uriah, and planned for his death, because he was enamoured and indeed had committed adultery with Uriah’s wife.

The second of which, king David in his great pride and the time of his great glory, conducted a survey of his entire realm even against the advice of his advisors. And by this act, he showed disobedience against God, when he placed himself above all else and succumb to the temptations of human pride and glory. It showed his lack of satisfaction with what God has already blessed him with, by counting them and thus presumably wanting for even more.

Then, we should ask ourselves, what is the significance is for us? It is because if we look at what king David had done, certainly we should realise that no one is perfect and beyond reproach. Even the faithful king David himself also faltered and fell into sin. This is a reminder for us all not to be ignorant of sin, and not to be overconfident of ourselves just because we think that we are not capable of sinning or committing what is not right in the sight of God.

But at the same time, we should also take note how king David responded to those situations. What did he do? He immediately humbled himself before God and repented from his sins. He regretted having committed all the sins which he had done, the sin of adultery and the sin of the desires of the flesh, as well as the sin of pride and human greed.

This is where many of us are often misguided and misled by wrong thoughts and ideas, where we think that God loves and forgives us all, no matter what wrongs and sins that we have done. Some of us may think that God is a loving and kind God who tolerates everything that we did, but we often do not understand and realise that God is as much as He is loving as He is also just and good.

This means that sinners who have sinned and then continued to live in their sinfulness without the desire and the attempt to recant and reject their sinful ways, will not be forgiven by God. A sinner remains a sinner as long as he or she wishes it to be so, and if they continued to commit things and do things that are against God’s will and His ways, then they only have themselves to blame for their damnation and rejection by God.

This is where we come to the point where we have to reconcile between God’s justice and anger, with His everlasting mercy and love for us. God loves us all, the people whom He had created, as the most beloved of all His creations, but He did not love our sins and wickedness. Indeed, He Who is perfect and good despises all of the sins and the darkness which we have brought upon ourselves.

Thus, when we suffer and when we groan because of the hardships and challenges we face in life, and when some of us fall into damnation and eternal suffering in hell, all these were not intended by God for us. God Who created us out of love did not desire our suffering or for us to perish in that suffering. Death and hell were not intended for us either, and in fact, God intended for us all to live forever in joy with Him, ever since the day He created us.

But it was us who have betrayed Him in the first place, preferring to give in to our human desires, falling into the temptations and the lures of pleasure, both of the flesh and the mind, as well as into the words of the devil, who tempted us with sweet words and falsehoods to trick us and to lure us away from attaining salvation in our God.

But God is willing to give us all a chance, the opportunity which He presented to all of us to change our ways and to choose out of our own free will to be forgiven for all of our trespasses. This is what God had told those He had forgiven, including the woman who was in the Gospel today, tearfully and humbly anointing the feet of Jesus, a sinner and yet a very courageous sinner who was aware of how grave her sins were and desiring forgiveness for her sins.

Sin no more and do good from now on, and this is the key message which Jesus told those sinners, and which is expected from all of us as well. We may all be sinners, but what is required from us is repentance and renewed devotion to our Lord. Without repentance, a sinner remains as a sinner, and the sins which we have remains with us, and on the day of judgment, these will come back to judge us.

We must be careful, brothers and sisters in Christ, that we do not fall into the trap of giving false mercy. That means, showing true mercy to each other means showing with love, the love of God, that all mankind have hope for salvation, but it requires commitment and hard work to be done by those who seeks God’s mercy. We cannot and we do not tolerate the sins that we make, or else, we are dooming our brethren to certain destruction.

But neither should we act in the way that caused sinners to stay away from God and His salvation because they worry about the anger and the punishment from God, if we made it too harsh and too difficult for them to return to the Lord and to re-embrace His ways. Thus, a middle ground has to be reached, and it is our duty and responsibility as Christians to keep one another from sin.

May God help us and guide us in our lives, so that we may be ever faithful to Him, and be filled with grace and love, and with the courage and strength to care for one another, to stop sinning and do good from now on. Let us be pure and be worthy of our Lord, reminding each other to be ever faithful to the Lord our God. Amen.

by

Sunday, 12 June 2016 : 11th Sunday of Ordinary Time (Gospel Reading)

Liturgical Colour : Green

Luke 7 : 36 – Luke 8 : 3

At that time, one of the Pharisees asked Jesus to share his meal, so He went to the Pharisee’s home, and as usual reclined at the table to eat. And it happened that a woman of this town, who was known as a sinner, heard that He was in the Pharisee’s house. She brought an alabaster jar of perfume, and stood behind Him, at His feet, weeping. She wet His feet with tears, she dried them with her hair, she kissed His feet and poured the perfume on them.

The Pharisee who had invited Jesus was watching, and thought, “If this Man were a Prophet, He would know what sort of person is touching Him; is this woman not a sinner?” Then Jesus spoke to the Pharisee and said, “Simon, I have something to ask you.” He answered, “Speak, Master.”

And Jesus said, “Two people were in debt to the same creditor. One owed him five hundred silver coins, and the other fifty. As they were unable to pay him back, he graciously cancelled the debts of both. Now, which of them will love him more?” Simon answered, “The one, I suppose, who was forgiven more.” And Jesus said, “You are right.”

And turning toward the woman, He said to Simon, “Do you see this woman? You gave Me no water for My feet when I entered your house, but she has washed My feet with her tears and dried them with her hair. You did not welcome Me with a kiss, but she has not stopped kissing My feet since she came in. You provided no oil for My head, but she has poured perfume on My feet. This is why, I tell you, her sins, her many sins, are forgiven, because of her great love. But the one who is forgiven little, has little love.”

Then Jesus said to the woman, “Your sins are forgiven.” The others reclining with Him at the table began to wonder, “Now this Man claims to forgive sins!” But Jesus again spoke to the woman, “Your faith has saved you; go in peace!”

Jesus walked through towns and countryside, preaching and giving the Good News of the kingdom of God. The Twelve followed Him, and also some women, who had been healed of evil spirits and diseases : Mary called Magdalene, who had been freed of seven demons; Joanna, wife of Chuza, Herod’s steward; Suzanna, and others who provided for them out of their own funds.
Alternative reading (shorter version)

Luke 7 : 36-50

At that time, one of the Pharisees asked Jesus to share his meal, so He went to the Pharisee’s home, and as usual reclined at the table to eat. And it happened that a woman of this town, who was known as a sinner, heard that He was in the Pharisee’s house. She brought an alabaster jar of perfume, and stood behind Him, at His feet, weeping. She wet His feet with tears, she dried them with her hair, she kissed His feet and poured the perfume on them.

The Pharisee who had invited Jesus was watching, and thought, “If this Man were a Prophet, He would know what sort of person is touching Him; is this woman not a sinner?” Then Jesus spoke to the Pharisee and said, “Simon, I have something to ask you.” He answered, “Speak, Master.”

And Jesus said, “Two people were in debt to the same creditor. One owed him five hundred silver coins, and the other fifty. As they were unable to pay him back, he graciously cancelled the debts of both. Now, which of them will love him more?” Simon answered, “The one, I suppose, who was forgiven more.” And Jesus said, “You are right.”

And turning toward the woman, He said to Simon, “Do you see this woman? You gave Me no water for My feet when I entered your house, but she has washed My feet with her tears and dried them with her hair. You did not welcome Me with a kiss, but she has not stopped kissing My feet since she came in. You provided no oil for My head, but she has poured perfume on My feet. This is why, I tell you, her sins, her many sins, are forgiven, because of her great love. But the one who is forgiven little, has little love.”

Then Jesus said to the woman, “Your sins are forgiven.” The others reclining with Him at the table began to wonder, “Now this Man claims to forgive sins!” But Jesus again spoke to the woman, “Your faith has saved you; go in peace!”