holiness

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Thursday, 19 June 2014 : 11th Week of Ordinary Time, Memorial of Sts. Philip Minh, Priest and Companions, Martyrs (Psalm)

Liturgical Colour : Red

Psalm 96 : 1-2, 3-4, 5-6, 7

The Lord reigns; let the earth rejoice; let the distant islands be glad. Clouds and darkness surround Him; justice and right are His throne.

Fire goes before Him, burning His foes on every side. His lightning lights up the world; the earth watches and trembles.

The mountains melt like wax before the Lord, the Lord of all the earth. The heavens proclaim His justice, all peoples see His glory.

Shame on worshippers of idols, on those proud of their worthless images. Let all spirits bow before Him.

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Thursday, 19 June 2014 : 11th Week of Ordinary Time, Memorial of Sts. Philip Minh, Priest and Companions, Martyrs (First Reading)

Liturgical Colour : Red

Sirach 48 : 1-15

Then came the prophet Elijah like a fire, his words a burning torch. He brought a famine on the people and in his zealous love had them reduced in number.

Speaking in the Name of the Lord, he closed the heavens, and on three occasions called down fire.

How marvellous you were, Elijah, in your wondrous deeds! Who could ever boast of being your equal? By the word of the Most High you brought a dead man back to life; you brought kings to destruction and thrust famous men from their beds.

You heard a rebuke at Sinai and sentences of punishment at Horeb; you anointed kings to be avengers and prophets to succeed you.

You were taken up by a whirlwind of flames in a chariot drawn by fiery horses. It was written that you should be the one to calm God’s anger in the future before it broke out in fury, to turn the hearts of fathers to their sons and to restore the tribes of Jacob.

Happy are those who will see you and those who die in love, for we too shall live. Such was Elijah, taken up in a whirlwind, and Elisha was filled with his spirit.

During his life, no leader could shake him, no one dominated him. Nothing was too difficult for him and even in death his body prophesied. In life he worked wonders, in death his deeds were amazing.

Despite all this, the people were not converted and did not turn away from sin; not until they were deported far from their country and scattered over the earth.

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Wednesday, 18 June 2014 : 11th Week of Ordinary Time (Scripture Reflections)

Liturgical Colour : Green

Brothers and sisters in Christ, today we are given a very fundamental and thought-provoking question. Is our faith for the Lord and for the glory of His Name? Or is it for ourselves and for our own glory? It is easy for us to lose our focus in faith, which will result in us falling on our way towards Him. We must stay focused and stay strong in our faith, and listen to the word of God which Jesus had made clear to all.

God desires none other than our love and devotion, and He does not need flashy display of our dedication, or long prayers made in the view of the entire world to see, if this is done for the sake of our pride and our desire to be known and heard. What God needs from us is the correct orientation of our hearts, that is for us to show Him our entire hearts and minds, filled with no other thought than devotion to Him.

This is of course easier said than done, as it is in our human nature to be distracted, that is to indulge in our own pride and selfishness instead of thinking about God, or dedicating ourselves in love to Him. We have to break free from this trap, brethren, that we do not fall into self-glorification and self-praise, especially as we live through this life and as we attain certain achievements and good things in life.

We have to always remember that we have to always give glory to God with all the things we do, and we have to always remember that all the great things we are capable of doing, are all possible because of the Lord and His help, which He had given to us in abundance throughout our lives. We have to be like His servants Elijah and Elisha the prophets, who worked hard throughout their lives, not for their own glory, but for the glory of God for whom they lived for.

Elijah and Elisha served the Lord without hesitation, and their faith were genuine. Indeed, like all humans do, they were all tempted especially when harm and difficulties came their way, but they did not falter. They worked not for their own glory or for human praise, but instead for the glory of God and for the good of His people. They even faced danger and being hunted by the pagans and the wicked as they were doing their ministry to the faithful.

Brothers and sisters in Christ, this is the kind of devotion that we need, not the empty and meaningless prayers and actions that we do not implement in our own lives consciously and in real terms. This is the kind of love that God wants from each and every one of us. He knows all that we do, and He knows all of our intentions, in all actions and words that we commit and say.

That is why the Gospel today is a warning, a reminder and an admonition against us, by our loving God, so that we may not fall into the same trap into which many of our forefathers had fallen into, that in doing good things sometimes many of us grew to forget the real purpose of such actions, and were overwhelmed by the praise and glory that we attained, that we ended up committing sin before God.

Let all our actions from now on be truly genuine and pure, pure in intention and heart, and that they may be genuinely concrete in helping our less fortunate brethren, by the outpouring of our love and care, so that we may truly walk in the way of the Lord, and be considered righteous and true before God our loving Father, with genuine and pure intention and not falsehoods or self-glorification. May God be with us all, and bless our actions this day, that they may bring life and love to others. Amen.

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Wednesday, 18 June 2014 : 11th Week of Ordinary Time (Gospel Reading)

Liturgical Colour : Green

Matthew 6 : 1-6, 16-18

Be careful not to make a show of your righteousness before people. If you do so, you do not gain anything from your Father in heaven. When you give something to the poor, do not have it trumpeted before you, as do those who want to be seen in the synagogues and in the streets, in order to be praised by the people. I assure you, they have already been paid in full.

If you give something to the poor, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, so that your gift remains really secret. Your Father, who sees what is kept secret, will reward you.

When you pray, do not be like those who want to be seen. They love to stand and pray in the synagogues or on street corners to be seen by everyone. I assure you, they have already been paid in full. When you pray, go into your room, close the door, and pray to your Father who is with you in secret; and your Father who sees what is kept secret will reward you.

When you fast, do not put on a miserable face as do the hypocrites. They put on a gloomy face, so that people can see they are fasting. I tell you this : they have already been paid in full already. When you fast, wash your face and make yourself look cheerful, because you are not fasting for appearances or for people, but for your Father who sees beyond appearances. And your Father, who sees what is kept secret, will reward you.

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Wednesday, 18 June 2014 : 11th Week of Ordinary Time (Psalm)

Liturgical Colour : Green

Psalm 30 : 20, 21, 24

How great is the goodness which You have stored for those who fear You, which You show, for all to see, to those who take refuge in You!

In the shelter of Your presence You hide them from human wiles; You keep them in Your dwelling, safe from the intrigues of wagging tongues.

Love the Lord, all you His saints! The Lord preserves His faithful, but He fully requites the arrogant.

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Wednesday, 18 June 2014 : 11th Week of Ordinary Time (First Reading)

Liturgical Colour : Green

2 Kings 2 : 1, 6-14

YHVH took Elijah up to heaven in a whirlwind. It happened this way : Elijah and Elisha had left Gilgal, and Elijah said to Elisha, “Stay here, I beg you, for YHVH is only sending me to the Jordan.” But Elisha answered, “I swear by YHVH and by your life that I will never leave you.” And as they went on their way, fifty fellow prophets of Jericho followed them at a certain distance.

When Elijah and Elisha stood by the Jordan, Elijah took his mantle, rolled it, and struck the water with it. The water parted to both sides and they crossed over on dry ground. After they had crossed, Elijah said to Elisha, “What shall I do for you before I am taken away from you? Ask me.”

Elisha said, “Grant that I may have the best of your spirit.” Elijah answered, “Your request is most difficult. Yet if you see me while I am being taken from you, then you shall have it. But if not, you shall not have it.”

As they were walking on the way, a chariot of fire with horses of fire stood between them, and Elijah was taken up to heaven in a whirlwind. Elisha saw him and cried out, “Father, my father, chariots of Israel and its horsemen!”

When Elisha lost sight of him, he took hold of his own clothes and tore them. He then picked up the mantle which had fallen from Elijah and returned to the banks of the Jordan. There he struck the water with the mantle, but it did not part. So he asked, “Where is YHVH, the God of Elijah?” And as he struck the water again, it parted. Elisha crossed over.

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Tuesday, 17 June 2014 : 11th Week of Ordinary Time (Scripture Reflections)

Liturgical Colour : Green

Brothers and sisters in Christ, today we are called to cast away wickedness and sin from our lives. We have to get rid of pride, sloth, greed and all the other evil emotions from our hearts and minds. We must not follow the wickedness of King Ahab and his wife, Jezebel, whose sins had brought the rest of the people of God into sin as well.

Today’s catechesis and readings are continuation from that of yesterday, when we discuss about the law of vengeance or do ut des, and the sin of Ahab in arranging for the death of Naboth in order to gain possession of the vineyard for himself. The wickedness of Ahab and his family is truly an important case for us to learn from, that we should not walk the same path as they have walked.

Jesus taught His disciples today the true meaning and purpose of the Law of God, which is indeed love. Love is at the heart of the Law, and God did indeed intend for the Law to help His people to love each other. But mankind had often forgotten this fundamental truth and they grew distant from God’s love. We also failed to realise the need for love, especially genuine love.

What is genuine love? It is when we can love in the way that Jesus had described in the Gospel today. Yes, to be able to love those who hated us, those who considered us their enemies, and those who despised us, without feeling hatred at them, and being able to forgive them, and indeed forgive one another, which are the essences of a true, pure and noble love.

It is indeed easy to love just those who love us and cared for us, and it is also indeed easy, in fact even easier, for us to hate those who hated us and disliked us. The challenge is for us to love and forgive those who considered us as their enemies and hated us, and how we continue to show that love amidst the repeated hostility and enmity.

If we are able to do this, then we have been truly great in the eyes of God. Yes, that is because if we do this, we overcome the temptations of evil and not only just that, as we will also open the door towards the light of Christ that the light may enter into the hearts of men, especially those who hated and disliked us, and it is hoped that they may see the truth and repent, and change their ways for the better.

Yes, brethren, we can even become role models for those who were in darkness through our own actions. This is why it is so important for us to implement and do what the Lord told us, and not merely paying lip service to our faith. We have to have a living and strong faith, based in love. It is from this love, that our faith will eventually blossom and prosper.

Brothers and sisters in Christ, we are called to love one another, and love tenderly. We are also called to throw away our old lives, to cleanse ourselves from the leaven of hatred and jealousy, so that we may truly be loving and faithful servants of our Lord, as those who are truly faithful and obedient to the will of God who is love. Let us do our best, to hate no more, and to forgive others who had brought much pain unto us.

Let us be faithful, be loving and help one another to seek God, our Lord and Father through love. God bless us all. Amen.

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Tuesday, 17 June 2014 : 11th Week of Ordinary Time (Gospel Reading)

Liturgical Colour : Green

Matthew 5 : 43-48

You have heard that it was said : “Love your neighbour and do not do good to your enemy.” But this I tell you : love your enemies, and pray for those who persecute you, so that you may be children of your Father in heaven. For He makes His sun rise on both the wicked and the good, and He gives rain to both the just and the unjust.

If you love those who love you, what is special about that? Do not even tax collectors do as much? And if you are friendly only to your friends, what is so exceptional about that? Do not even the pagans do as much? As for you, be righteous and perfect in the way your heavenly Father is righteous and perfect.

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Tuesday, 17 June 2014 : 11th Week of Ordinary Time (Psalm)

Liturgical Colour : Green

Psalm 50 : 3-4, 5-6a, 11 and 16

Have mercy on me, o God, in Your love. In Your great compassion blot out my sin. Wash me thoroughly of my guilt; cleanse me of evil.

For I acknowledge my wrongdoings and have my sins ever in mind. Against You alone have I sinned.

Turn Your face away from my sins and blot out all my offenses. Deliver me, o God, from the guilt of blood, and of Your justice I shall sing aloud.

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Tuesday, 17 June 2014 : 11th Week of Ordinary Time (First Reading)

Liturgical Colour : Green

1 Kings 21 : 17-29

Then YHVH spoke to Elijah of Tashbe, “Go down to meet Ahab, king of Israel, in Samaria. He is taking possession of the vineyard of Naboth. Say to him, ‘Have you killed and have taken possession at the same time?’ Then give him this word of Mine : ‘Dogs shall lick your blood in the very place where the dogs licked the blood of Naboth.'”

Ahab then said to Elijah, “Who, better than my enemy, could find me here and now!” Elijah answered, “I have come to you because you have done what YHVH abhors. This is YHVH’s word : I will bring disgrace on you. I will sweep you away and cut off every male of your family, from the lowliest to the greatest.”

“Your family will disappear like the families of Jeroboam and Baasa, because you have offended Me and have dragged Israel into sin. There is another word of YHVH to Jezebel : ‘The dogs shall devour Jezebel within the territory of Jezreel.’ If anyone of Ahab’s line dies in the city, he shall be devoured by dogs; if in the green country, the birds of the air shall feed on him.”

There was no one like Ahab, urged by his wife Jezebel, in doing what YHVH abhorred. He did horrible things and ran after unclean idols just as the Amorites had done, from whom YHVH had taken the land to give it to Israel.

On hearing these words, Ahab tore his clothes and put on sackcloth. He fasted as he lay in sackcloth and moved around despondently. Then YHVH said to Elijah the Tishbite, “Have you seen how Ahab has humbled himself? Because of this I will not bring about the disaster during his reign; during his son’s reign disgrace will fall on his family.”