Liturgical Colour : Green or White (Bishops or Holy Virgins)
Psalm 117 : 1-2, 16ab and 17, 28
Alleluia! Give thanks to the Lord, for He is good, His loving kindness endures forever. Let Israel say, “His loving kindness endures forever.”
The right hand of the Lord is lifted high, the right hand of the Lord strikes mightily! I shall not die, but live to proclaim what the Lord has done.
You are my God, and I give You thanks. You are my God, and I give You praise.
Liturgical Colour : Green or White (Bishops or Holy Virgins)
1 Corinthians 15 : 1-11
Let me remind you, brothers and sisters, of the Good News that I preached to you and which you received and on which you stand firm. By that Gospel you are saved, provided that you hold to it as I preached it. Otherwise, you will have believed in vain.
In the first place, I have passed on to you what I myself received that Christ died for our sins, as Scripture says; that He was buried; that He was raised on the third day, according to the Scriptures; that He appeared to Cephas and then to the Twelve. Afterwards He appeared to more than five hundred brothers and sisters together; most of them are still alive, although some have already gone to rest.
Then He appeared to James and after that to all the Apostles. And last of all, He appeared to the most despicable of them, this is to me. For I am the last of the Apostles, and I do not even deserve to be called an Apostle, because I persecuted the Church of God. Nevertheless, by the grace of God, I am what I am, and His grace toward me has not been without fruit. Far from it, I have toiled more than all of them, although, not I, rather the grace of God, in me.
Now, whether it was I or they, this, we preach, and this, you have believed.
Liturgical Colour : Red
Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, on this day as we listened to the words of the Scripture we are all reminded that as Christians, it is our primary objective in life to love, and not just any kind of love, but love in a selfless way, to love God with all of our might and strength, and to give of ourselves with love to one another, and not to be selfish and haughty, but rather place ourselves in the way of God’s love. This is why we are all reminded that as Christians it is very important for all of us to apply what we believe in our Christian faith and teachings in our daily living, in the manner of how we love those whom God has placed in our lives for us to love, our most beloved and precious ones, as well as those who need our love, care and attention. This includes even all those strangers who passed by our lives and who can benefit from the love that we genuinely show them.
In our first reading today, we heard St. Paul in his Epistle to the Church and the faithful in Corinth reminding all of them of the importance of love to all of them, and how love is at the core of the Christian tenet, virtues and teaching. He highlighted how without love, then no matter whatever gifts and talents, graces and abilities we have received, then everything is meaningless. And the Apostle also highlighted that true love is pure, and is truly wonderful, and that love is never selfish and is about caring and truly being attentive and concerned about the needs of others. St. Paul essentially exhorted all the faithful to follow the examples of the Lord and His Apostles in love, in being generous in giving and in the sharing of that love, rather than following the selfish ways of the world.
It is by our love that we will be recognised as Christians, as God’s own beloved ones and people, as His followers and those who have lived according to His Law and His ways. That is what is alluded in our Gospel passage today when we heard the Lord speaking about how the people failed to recognise Him and St. John the Baptist. He elaborated how the people looked down and were judgmental against St. John the Baptist because of his appearance, and the same people also judged against the Lord because He interacted and reached out to sinners. All of these were caused by their lack of love, their inability to appreciate God’s love and all that He has done for the sake of us all mankind. They were too engrossed and preoccupied in themselves that they have ended up being blinded to the truth and the love of God. That is precisely why, despite their intelligence and great power, but without love, all these were of no use, as these referred to many among the Pharisees and the teachers of the Law who criticised St. John the Baptist and the Lord, being considered the most well-educated and influential among the Jews.
It was those who did not hold on to their pride and ego, their preconceived notion of superiority that came to believe the Lord wholeheartedly and genuinely, for they perceived God’s love in the way that those who had allowed their pride and desires to get the better of them could not. They saw the Lord and all that He had done for the sake of His people, and came to believe in Him not just through words but also through His loving actions. That is why, it is similar for us as well. If we truly want to make others to believe in God, then we must first apply what we profess to believe in our own daily actions and lives, or else, we are no more than hypocrites and all those who do not truly love the Lord, but instead, we love ourselves and our ego more than our love for Him and those whom He has entrusted to us to love.
Meanwhile, the Lord often rebuked the Pharisees and also warned those who listened to Him, not to follow the examples of the Pharisees and the teachers of the Law who did not follow the Law in the manner that they should have. He told them to listen to these teachers of the faith, but not to follow their examples, as their actions and deeds, their behaviours were done in order to satisfy their own personal desires and greed, and hence, they were misguided and in turn, could misguide others in their journey towards God. Brothers and sisters in Christ, once again, today’s set of Scripture readings remind us that the Lord has called us to be His faithful witnesses in all things and in all occasions, and the best way for us to do that, is to be His witnesses of love, that is by showing love in each and every one of our daily lives’ actions, being genuine in our love and tender care for each other, in the concern we show towards others who are suffering and less fortunate than us.
Today, the Church celebrates the feast of two great and holy men, whose faith and lives can and should indeed give us the inspiration and courage to carry out our lives and actions in accordance with God and His path. Pope St. Cornelius was the leader of the Universal Church during the time of great persecutions against the Christians throughout the Roman Empire, and also during a time when the Church was torn apart by great disagreement and schisms, particularly by those who disagreed with the practice of readmitting those who had lapsed in their Christian faith, or practiced pagan ways in order to protect themselves and avoid the harsh persecutions common at that time. Those who refused to allow those lapsed Christians who repented to rejoin the Church were known as the Novatianists after their most prominent leader, whom they elected as a rival Pope or Antipope.
That leader, Novatian, rejected the election of Pope St. Cornelius as the leader of the Church succeeding the martyred Pope St. Fabian because to the former, the latter was too lenient in allowing the lapsed Christians to rejoin the Church as according to the Novatianists, once a Christian has lapsed in the faith, then they can no longer be forgiven or be readmitted in their lives, in a rather self-righteous and almost Pharisaical kind of attitude, without understanding and appreciating how the Lord Himself would have reached out to those lapsed Christians and those who had been lost, like the ones who during the time of the Lord’s ministry were deemed as unworthy and sinful, like the tax collectors, prostitutes and those who suffered from ailments and demonic possessions. In the same manner therefore, Pope St. Cornelius and his compatriot, St. Cyprian of Carthage, another renowned leader of the Church, sought to champion this true ideal of the Church.
Essentially, as what we all still believe to this day, all of us believe that the Church is not just a museum for the ones who are holy, but is also a hospital for sinners. The Church is the Lord’s manifest outreach to the whole world, to all of the children of mankind, that each and every one of them may come to know the Lord, and be part of the one Body of Christ, called and chosen from the world to walk once again righteously in the path that God has shown them. The Church should not close its doors to those who truly and genuinely repented, and have been willing to carry out the penance for their sins, if the sinners desired to return to the Lord and to seek His mercy. After all, that is what the Lord Himself entrusted to His Church through St. Peter, as He entrusted to him the keys of the kingdom of Heaven, the power to bind or loosen those on earth that they may also be either bound or loosened in Heaven.
Pope St. Cornelius and St. Cyprian both courageously led the Church and resisted against all the efforts of those who sought to exclude the lapsed Christians from returning to the Lord, and their great efforts and works eventually prevailed, as the support for the Novatian heretics floundered and the Church kept its open arms and doors, ever ready to welcome those sinners who come seeking God’s forgiveness and grace. This is therefore also a reminder to all of us that we should not allow ourselves to be swayed by the sense of pride and self-righteousness, which may end up causing us to behave in the same Pharisaical and prideful way as those Novatianists, but instead, we should always be caring and concerned about our fellow brothers and sisters, many of whom are in need of our help and assistance in their struggles to live lives worthy of the Lord.
Let us all therefore today resolve to live our lives ever more worthily of the Lord, by doing what He has willed and commanded us to do, obeying Him as best as we are able to, in every moments and opportunities. Let us all remind one another of God’s ever gracious and generous love for us, His mercy and compassion which have always been generously given to us, at all times. Let us also help one another to walk with ever greater dedication in the path of our Christian faith, and be great role models, examples and inspirations to one another, now and always, in truly loving one another most generously and genuinely at all times. May God bless each one of us in our every good efforts and endeavours. Amen.
Liturgical Colour : Red
Luke 7 : 31-35
At that time, Jesus said to His disciples, “What comparison can I use for the people? What are they like? They are like children sitting in the marketplace, about whom their companions complain, ‘We piped you a tune and you would not dance; we sang funeral songs and you would not cry.'”
“Remember John : he did not eat bread or drink wine, and you said, ‘He has an evil spirit.’ Next, came the Son of Man, eating and drinking; and you say, ‘Look, a glutton for food and wine, a friend of tax collectors and sinners.’ But the children of Wisdom always recognise her work.”
Liturgical Colour : Red
Psalm 32 : 2-3, 4-5, 12 and 22
Give thanks to YHVH on the harp and lyre, making melody and chanting praises. Amid loud shouts of joy, sing to Him a new song and play the ten-stringed harp.
For upright is YHVH’s word and worthy of trust is His work. YHVH loves justice and righteousness; the earth is full of His kindness.
Blessed is the nation whose God is YHVH – the people He has chosen for His inheritance. O YHVH, let Your love rest upon us, even as our hope rests in You.
Liturgical Colour : Red
1 Corinthians 12 : 31 – 1 Corinthians 13 : 13
Be that as it may, set your hearts on the most precious gifts, and I will show you a much better way.
If I could speak all the human and Angelic tongues, but had no love, I would only be sounding brass or a clanging cymbal. If I had the gift of prophecy, knowing secret things, with all kinds of knowledge, and had faith great enough to remove mountains, but had no love, I would be nothing. If I gave everything I had to the poor, and even give up my body to be burnt, if I am without love, it would be of no value to me.
Love is patient, kind, without envy. It is not boastful or arrogant. It is not ill-mannered, nor does it seek its own interest. Love overcomes anger and forgets offences. It does not take delight in wrong, but rejoices in truth. Love excuses everything, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.
Love will never end. Prophecies may cease, tongues be silent and knowledge disappear. For knowledge grasps something of the truth and prophecy as well. And when what is perfect comes, everything imperfect will pass away. When I was a child, I thought and reasoned like a child, but when I grew up, I gave up childish ways.
Likewise, at present, we see dimly, as in a mirror, but, then, it shall be face to face. Now, we know, in part, but then I will know as I am known. Now, we have faith, hope and love, these three, but the greatest of these is love.
Liturgical Colour : White
Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, today as we listened to the words of the Scriptures, all of us are presented with the need for each and every one of us as Christians to be dedicated to God in all things, and all of us should always trust in the wisdom of God and in His truth, His path and guidance rather than to follow the path of the world or any sorts of worldly means or solutions. All of us are called to be ever prepared and vigilant lest we allow ourselves to be deluded and misled by worldly temptations and false guides. We have to heed the words of today’s Scriptures that we may choose the right path forward in life and not to end up falling into the wrong paths.
In our first reading today, we listened from the Epistle of St. Paul to the Church and the faithful people of God in Corinth, speaking to us regarding the matter of human wisdom versus God’s wisdom and truth. St. Paul elaborated how the wisdom of God far surpassed the wisdom of mankind, and how the truth and wisdom of God might be seen by man as a form of foolishness, and man by their own conventional way of thinking and wisdom may find the teachings of the Lord, His way and truth as foolishness. And yet, it is by seeking that truth alone and by putting our faith in God alone that we may find the path to eternal life and true joy.
Why is the wisdom and ways of the Lord be considered as folly by mankind? That is because the Lord’s actions, in Him reaching out to us all, flawed as we were, and showing His love, compassion and mercy might be seen as weakness by some who valued legalistic viewpoints such as that those who have erred ought to suffer punishments for their errors without forgiveness or chance of repentance. Then, when He chose to come into our world, being born of the Blessed Virgin Mary, His mother, assuming our humble existence, then that became a source of even greater confusion and consternation by those who kept the wisdom of man.
For the Jews, as we heard St. Paul saying, it was a great scandal, because Christ did not just mention that He is the Son of God Most High, the Saviour of the world, but more importantly, through His crucifixion and death on that Cross, He had suffered the most humiliating and painful death, at the hands of His enemies. By any conventional Jewish understanding and wisdom, such an event would have been utterly unbelievable and disheartening, as they had considered and thought the Messiah as the Mighty One that God would send their way to lead them in a great victory against their enemies and restore the kingdom of Israel.
On the other hand, for the Greeks, the notion of God being incarnate as Man would not have been very strange, as in their own pantheon and mythology, the gods often came down to the world disguising themselves and posing as man. However, what would have also befuddled and confused them is the same fact that this God came willingly to offer His own life, to suffer and die for the sake of mere mankind. That is something that the Greek gods and pantheon would not have done at all. Yet, that was exactly what the Lord had done, by His suffering and death on the Cross, for the sake of our redemption and salvation. That is something truly unusual and unprecedented, but that highlights just how much the Lord truly loves each one of us.
In our Gospel passage today, we then heard of the story or parable of the five wise and five foolish maidens, which we may be quite familiar with. Those five wise maidens had backup oil with them together with their oil lamps while they were waiting for the coming of the bridegroom for a late night wedding celebration while the five foolish maidens were bringing with them just enough oil for their lamps, without any backup. Through what we heard regarding this story of the five wise and five foolish maidens, we can clearly see the Lord’s intentions in reminding all of us, His faithful disciples, that we cannot be idle and we have to be ever vigilant in living our lives with faith.
And we have to entrust ourselves in God’s wisdom and providence, and do our best to live our lives in the most worthy, Christian manner. That is because if we follow the ways of the world, and put our trust in our own human wisdom and strength, then we are likely to fall into the wrong path, of self-delusion and self-aggrandisement, which will prevent us from realising that we may be wrong in what we do. Unfortunately, it is quite often that we mankind prefer to follow our own ways and satisfy our own desires and wants, and as a result, we end up doing things that are contrary to the way of the Lord, and we end up choosing the wrong actions that causing us to be more and more distant from God.
Brothers and sisters in Christ, today the Church celebrates the feast of St. Augustine of Hippo, a great saint and servant of God who is one of the original Doctor of the Church, a great Church father and role model for all of us, God’s faithful people. St. Augustine of Hippo was indeed very well-known and looked up to as a great man of God, however, he was not always a faithful person from the very beginning. At the start, St. Augustine was born into a Roman pagan noble family, to a patrician named Patricius and his mother, St. Monica, a Christian believer. St. Augustine was raised up as a pagan and brought up well in the ways of the world, and had a great interest in intellectual pursuits, being highly intelligent and curious by nature.
However, St. Augustine lived his early youth life in hedonistic pursuits and lifestyle, being swayed by the various temptations of worldly glory and the pleasures of the flesh, even leading to him fathering a child with a woman out of wedlock. All those things brought about a great misery and heart pain for his loving mother, St. Monica, who devoted herself to her son very much, and who prayed daily for the conversion of both her husband and her son. Eventually, St. Monica’s efforts, prayers and actions led to the conversion, first of her husband before his passing, and finally, that of St. Augustine himself, who was called by God, abandoning his earlier wicked lifestyle and worldly pursuits, embracing God wholeheartedly ever since afterwards.
St. Augustine thereafter led a truly faithful and exemplary way of life, as one of the most influential Church rfathers of all time, whose faith and devotion became truly shining beacons of God’s light and truth. He wrote extensively on many aspects of the faith, and his many works influenced many other saints, theologians and others in the Church long after his passing into the glory of Heaven. His works, including that of De Trinitate, a treatise on the Trinitarian nature of God, and others like the famous City of God remained as great literary and theological works, which made him honoured as one of the original Doctors of the Church, having brought so many people to the path of God and his salvation, be it directly or indirectly.
Brothers and sisters in Christ, having heard of all these things, from the Scriptures and from the examples shown by St. Augustine of Hippo, our great and holy predecessor, our brilliant role model, can we all be inspired to live our lives with true faith and dedication to the Lord as well? Can we be truly devout and faithful in our way of life as well, so that by our every words, actions and deeds, our every moments in life, we may help to lead others to God and to inspire them all in their path, that more and more people may come to know the Lord, his love and truth. Let us all therefore do our part so that we may indeed be worthy of the Lord, and be worthy of the eternal glory and true joy that He has promised to all those who are faithful to Him. May God bless all of us in our every good efforts and endeavours. Amen.
Liturgical Colour : White
Matthew 25 : 1-13
At that time, Jesus said to His disciples, “This story throws light on what will happen in the kingdom of heaven : Ten bridesmaids went out with their lamps to meet the bridegroom. Five of them were foolish, and five were sensible. The careless bridesmaids took their lamps as they were, and did not take extra oil. But those who were sensible, took flasks of oil with their lamps. As the bridegroom delayed, they all grew drowsy and fell asleep.”
“But at midnight, a cry rang out, ‘The bridegroom is here, come on and meet him!’ All the maidens woke up at once, and trimmed their lamps. Then the foolish ones said to the sensible ones, ‘Give us some oil, for our lamps are going out.’ The sensible ones answered, ‘There may not be enough for us and for you. You had better go to those who sell, and buy some for yourselves.'”
“When the bridegroom came, the foolish maidens were out buying oil, but those who were ready went with him into the wedding feast, and the doors were shut. Later the other bridesmaids arrived and called out, ‘Lord, Lord, open to us!’ But he answered, ‘Truly I do not know you.'”
“So stay awake, for you do not know the day nor the hour.”
Liturgical Colour : White
Psalm 32 : 1-2, 4-5, 10-11
Rejoice in the Lord, you who are just, praise is fitting for the upright. Give thanks to Him on the harp and lyre, making melody and chanting praises.
For upright is the Lord’s word and worthy of trust is His work. The Lord loves justice and righteousness; the earth is full of His kindness.
The Lord frustrates the plans of the nations and brings to nothing the peoples’ designs. But His plan stands forever, and His heart’s design through all generations.
Liturgical Colour : White
1 Corinthians 1 : 17-25
For Christ did not send me to baptise, but to proclaim His Gospel. And not with beautiful words! That would be like getting rid of the cross of Christ. The language of the cross remains nonsense for those who are lost. Yet for us who are saved, it is the power of God, as Scripture says : I will destroy the wisdom of the wise and make fail the foresight of the foresighted. Masters of human wisdom, educated people, philosophers, you have no reply! And the wisdom of this world? God let it fail.
At first, God spoke the language of wisdom, and the world did not know God through wisdom. Then God thought of saving the believers, through the foolishness that we preach. The Jews ask for miracles and the Greeks for a higher knowledge, while we proclaim a crucified Messiah. For the Jews, what a great scandal! And for the Greeks, what nonsense! But He is Christ, the power of God, and the wisdom of God, for those called by God among both Jews and Greeks.
In reality, the “foolishness” of God is wiser than humans, and the “weakness” of God is stronger than humans.
