great solemnity

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

Liturgical Colour : Red

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, on this day we celebrate the great feast day of our Church, the commemoration and celebration of the Solemnity of the two main patron saints of the Church, that is St. Peter the Apostle and St. Paul the Apostle. Both of them had their respective contributions to the Church and to God’s people, especially to the people and the faithful in the Church in the great city of Rome.

Both of them once led very different lifestyles, and they had their own works and careers before them. St. Peter, originally known as Simon, son of John, was a humble and simple fisherman hailing from the region of the Lake of Galilee. He went out to catch fishes everyday from his boat and did so for a living. But Jesus called him and gave him a new charge, to be the steward of His Church and as His representative on earth.

Meanwhile, St. Paul was once also known Saul, the great enemy of the Church and the faithful people of God as he went around many places to persecute and to bring harm to the faithful. He caused great harm, suffering and sorrow for the people of God, and by his hands, he brought harm and persecution to many, even including the women and children, with the aim to destroy the Church of God. But Jesus our Lord also called him and gave him a new command, that is to bring forth His words and His truth to the pagan nations.

In this manner, we see how God called and made worthy those who were seemingly unlikely to become His champions and servants. He called a simple fisherman and one who wanted to destroy His Church and destroy the memory of His Name to be those to whom He entrusted His care of the people whom He loved. He transformed them to be His greatest servants through whom many people were brought to the salvation in Him.

If we think that God chose the great and the mighty to be His servants, then we should go no further than looking at what God had done in calling those people whom He chose to be His disciples, to be the Apostles, the foundations of the Church which He Himself had established in this world. And He built this Church upon the foundation of the rock of faith, that is upon St. Peter, to whom He had said that he is Peter, and upon that rock, as Peter in Aramaic is Cephas or Rock, God would build and establish His Church.

And through the Gospels, we could see that Peter was not a perfect person. He was doubtful and although he showed bravery and courage in faith, but no sooner that trouble came, that he trembled and fell. When the Lord Jesus came walking on the water amidst the great storm in the lake, St. Peter was the first one to dare to step on the water towards the Lord, but in his fear, he almost sank into the water.

And in another occasion, St. Peter professed that he would even lay down his life for the Lord, only for the Lord to say to him that before the cock crowed the next morning, he would have betrayed and abandoned the Lord not just once but three times, a story which all of us must be very familiar with. St. Peter in his moment of fear, anguish and uncertainty, chose to abandon the Lord and denied that he ever knew Him when the enemies of the Lord closed in on Him and His disciples.

This has certainly had happened to us and many others as well. How many of us in our moments of fear and uncertainty ended up turning our backs to the Lord and turned away from His ways? How many of us compromised with our faith and the ways of the Lord for the sake of saving our own selves? This is what happened to St. Peter, who in fear abandoned Jesus his Lord and Master to save himself.

However, what differentiated him from someone like Judas Iscariot the betrayer was that, while Judas did not truly repent for his sins, and chose the easy way out by committing suicide, St. Peter chose the hard path of repentance and suffering, choosing to seek His forgiveness and love, and to commit himself anew to the works and the commands which He had entrusted to him.

It is this quality that our Lord saw in Peter, and that was why He chose to honour him with such a great position and with such a responsibility. He chose those whose faith were trembling and were tested, so that when they emerged triumphant and stronger from the trials they faced, they might become examples for all others to follow. After all, brethren, none of us are perfect, as we always have imperfections in us. It is by striving together with God that we are made stronger.

And it is the same with St. Paul, who was once a great enemy of the Church and the faithful. Once his name was uttered with great fear by the faithful and they all were terrified of the day when he would ransack and destroy their communities and handing them over to the Jewish authorities to be punished. But the same person became the source of much goodness and the source of salvation as he made a turnaround in his life and embraced God as his Lord and Saviour with all of his heart.

Brothers and sisters in Christ, St. Peter and St. Paul showed all of us that God chose sinners and sinful men to be His servants, to follow Him and to do His will, that through His hands and His guidance, they may be transformed to be great servants and great tools through which God made evident His will in this world. By the works of the two holy Apostles, the Church has become what we know it today, and countless, billions and more souls have been saved.

St. Peter and St. Paul were known for their great devotion and work for the sake of the whole Church. St. Peter was the foundation upon which the whole Church had been built. He was the rock upon which God Himself had built the Church upon. He was the centre of the Church, and to him, as God Himself mentioned, the authority over all things on earth has been given to him, as the Vicar of the Lord, the Head of the Church.

Meanwhile, St. Paul was crucial in his evangelising and missionary works, through which he established numerous communities of the faithful, the seeds of the Church in many cities through the Roman world at the time, courageously going forth to the pagans and the Gentiles or the non-Jews, while others were reluctant or even refused directly to go to them to preach the Good News of God.

Both of them encountered many difficulties during their missions, and they were persecuted, imprisoned, had to endure torture and rejection, just as the evidences in the Acts of the Apostles and the other sources told us. They were the shepherds of God’s people, and the wolves of this world who were looking for the prey among God’s flock were striking at them, and they suffered, but God was with them.

Both of them went to Rome, where they ended their works of evangelisation. And both St. Peter and St. Paul built the strong foundation of the Church there, and as the first Bishop of Rome, St. Peter also institutionalised the hierarchy and structure of the Church, through his successors, the Popes, who led the Universal Church through the authority which has been passed down to them through St. Peter from God Himself.

And they shed their blood in martyrdom at that city, the heart of the Roman Empire, the centre of the world at that time. They died in suffering, standing up firmly for their faith. And through their great courage and commitment, they showed to the whole world and to all the faithful, that in God there is hope for eternal life and salvation.

These brave and courageous servants of God has become the strong pillars of the Church and the Faith. They helped the whole Universal Church to grow strong despite of persecutions, and their examples inspired their successors to be strong and to devote themselves all the more to the Lord and to the evangelisation of the peoples. And today, all of us are called to reflect upon their examples and follow in their footsteps.

The works of the Apostles are not done. They are still ongoing, and the command which God had given His Apostles to go forth to the nations and to preach to them the Good News, and to baptise them in the Name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit is still true to this day. There are still many people who have yet to hear of the word of God, and they are still waiting for those who will bring them the word of God’s salvation. And it is truly up to us to do so.

Brothers and sisters in Christ, shall we then devote ourselves to the Lord, and follow in the footsteps of the Apostles St. Peter and St. Paul? Let us ask them to intercede for us and for the whole Universal Church, that the works of the Lord done through His Church will continue unabated, and through these works, may more people come closer to the salvation of God and receive eternal life.

May God bless us all, and may He strengthen our faith as He has strengthen the faith of St. Peter and St. Paul, the pillars of our Church and our Faith. May His Church remains strong amidst the challenges and the persecutions of the world, just as God Himself had said that not even the gates of hell would be able to stand against the Church. May God remain with us always and bless us now and forevermore. Amen.

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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.”

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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!

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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!

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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.”

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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.”

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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.

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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.

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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.

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Sunday, 22 November 2015 : Thirty-Fourth (34th) Sunday of Ordinary Time, Solemnity of our Lord Jesus Christ, King of the Universe, Christ the King, Memorial of St. Cecilia, Virgin and Martyr (Homily and Scripture Reflections)

Liturgical Colour : White

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, this Sunday marks the last Sunday of the current liturgical year, where the cycle of the Church’s liturgical celebrations reached a culmination in the celebration of Christ our Lord and King, as the One Who is the true ruler and authority over all things throughout the universe. Today we mark the occasion of the Solemnity of our Lord Jesus Christ, King of the Universe, Lord and Master of all things that are in existence.

Through the Scripture passages today, we heard about the Lord Jesus Who is a King, and the One True King from Whom all authority, power and wisdom came from. Yet, His kingship is not akin to one that is of the world, that is, His kingdom is not like the kingdoms that exist in this world. On the other hand, His kingship and His kingdom transcends the worldly boundaries of power, authority and majesty.

Why is this so? That is because the kingdoms of this world, their rulers and masters are all very bound and affected by the worldly aspects of glory, of fame, of influence and affluence, of human praise and positions of fame, and they continue to strive ever more for the greatness in accordance of human measures, and that is why the kingdoms and the powers of this world are ever concerned about the self-aggrandisement and gathering of more power and glory for themselves.

Human and worldly powers are always fragile and temporary. These powers did not last beyond certain criteria and requirements that need to be met in order to preserve the powers in accordance with the ways of this world. This is why much misery, sufferings and injustice occurred in the world, both past and present, because of the tempting nature of having in possession such power and authority, and thus our reluctance and unwillingness to let them go from us.

Just for an example, the kings, princes, dukes and other worldly powers went to war with each other because each of them wanted to increase their dominion, influence and power. And because they have given themselves in to the ways of this world, therefore, accordingly, they wanted to preserve what they had, even at the expense of morality and justice.

This is why, if we look at the many rulers and governments that are maintained with iron fist, they are always in constant fear of losing their power to those who do not belong to the ruling elites. And they would use all things and armaments in their disposal in order to protect themselves and avoid their own fall from power and glory. This was exactly what Jesus said to Pilate, about if His kingdom were to be of this world, His supporters would have gone out all the way to save Him.

Instead, Jesus clearly stated that His kingdom and His kingship are different from all that, from all the traditional notions of power and glory that we mankind and this world are familiar with. This is because His kingdom is a kingdom of truth, of justice, of righteousness, and ultimately His kingdom is a kingdom of love. He leads as a King, not by fear and tyranny, nor by anger or hatred, but through genuine leadership shown through example and perfect love.

We have to realise that all of us are truly fortunate to have been placed under the grace and sovereignty of our Lord’s eternal and universal kingship. His kingship is eternal because it is a kingdom which reign and rule will never end, and God’s rule will persist forever without end. And His great rule will extend all over the entire universe, over all of creation and over the entire existence, since He has created all things, and therefore rightfully, He also lords it all over all of them.

But He did not despise all those that He had created, nor did He oppress them and treat them as if they were slaves. This is unlike the common action and perception of the kings and princes of this world, who stand above the rest of their respective peoples and treat them as subjects and subordinates that need to serve their needs in all things.

Instead, God is a loving Master, Who had not just expected from us obedience and genuine faith, but He also gave us the love, care and commitment that is equivalent if not greater than the obedience, faith and commitment that He is expecting from us. His kingship is a kingship of love and justice, and He as the King, leads all by His examples, through servant leadership.

Do we all still remember what Jesus frequently told His disciples about Himself? That He came into this world to serve and not to be served, meaning that even though He is King, and truly the King and Master of all the universe, but all these did not make Him proud or haughty, but instead, in order to fulfil perfectly the love and compassion which He has for us, He came down into this world, not as a great conquering King, but instead as a humble and poor Man.

Yes, and He came offering Himself to be our Deliverance and as our Saviour, to save us from our distress, and by giving Himself up, He showed us an example how a leader should lead others, by example and not by power and tyranny. We know the phrase that power corrupts, and absolute power corrupts absolutely. This is a reminder that we should not be obsessed with worldly power but rather we should look up at our Lord and see His good examples.

Brothers and sisters in Christ, how is this relevant to us? It is very relevant indeed, since all of us by partaking in our Lord and as we become the members of His Body, we have also shared in His divine and eternal kingship. We have been called to be a shepherd, priest and king through our baptism, and in the divine kingship we share with our Lord, we have our responsibilities to play.

And it is that all of us should live righteously before the Lord, leading one another by example through our own actions, that in all the things we do, we become paragons of righteousness, virtue, love and justice. Let us all remember this even as we rejoice and honour our Lord Jesus Christ, King of all kings and King of all the universe, that we also have a share in His kingship, both in the privilege and honour, as well as in its responsibilities.

May our Lord Jesus Christ, our King, Lord and Master be with us always, and may He guide us on our path, that we shall become ever better guides for our own brethren, and may through our actions and deeds, more souls shall come closer to the Lord and His salvation. Be with us, Lord, our Master and King. Amen.