holy martyrs

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Saturday, 19 September 2026 : 24th Week of Ordinary Time, Memorial of St. Januarius, Bishop and Martyr (Homily and Scripture Reflections)

Liturgical Colour : Green or Red (Martyrs) or White (Saturday Mass of Our Lady)

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, today as we listened to the words of the Lord in the Scriptures, we are reminded yet again on our faith in the Lord and our beliefs in Him, in how we should have faith in us, which He has sown in us, and we should bear rich fruits of faith, through our exemplary lives and actions. Each and every one of us should do our best to love and serve the Lord at every moments throughout life, so that we may truly live our lives as good and dedicated Christians, worthy of being the ones who have been made and created in the image of God Himself, and Whom God had called and willingly made to be His own beloved children and people. And we are all called to nurture in us this faith, such that our faith will continue to mature and blossom, becoming ever stronger and more vibrant with time and experiences.

In our first reading today taken from the Epistle of St. Paul to the Church and the faithful in the city of Corinth we heard the Apostle St. Paul spoke to the people there regarding the matter of the resurrection from the dead and the resurrection of the body as there were still members of the faithful who did not understand or appreciate what the resurrection truly meant and how it would affect all of them. There were then still members of the Christian faithful, probably those who once belonged to the caste of the Sadducees, who did not believe in the resurrection from the dead who had doubts about the resurrection and did not understand how it works. They therefore were still doubtful of the teachings of the Resurrection and some other tenets of the Christian faith.

St. Paul highlighted how through Christ, the Saviour of the world, Who came into this world, bearing the truth and salvation from God, has shown us a new life through Him, a new existence that goes beyond our earthly life. He mentioned how the first Adam, our ancestor was given life when he was created by God, and how the New Adam, that is Christ Himself, has brought upon us true and everlasting life, that we shall transcend beyond our mortal bodies and existence, and through Him we shall be reunited and reconciled with God. That new life, which God brought upon us through His Son, shows us that our mortality and death do not mark the end of our existence, and instead there is eternity beyond that of death.

In our Christian faith and beliefs, all of us believe that there is life beyond death, and while all of us have to experience suffering and death as consequences for our sins, but the same sins and death do not have the final say over us. To those who are righteous and worthy, God has shown us through Jesus Christ, His Son, our Saviour, that we shall be reunited with Him and shall once again enjoy the fullness of His grace and blessings as He has always intended for us. The Lord has always been so reassuring towards us, and He did not just love us despite our many rebellions and disobedience against Him, but He even sent us His Son to bring His salvation and deliverance upon us.

In our Gospel passage today, we heard the well-known parable of the sower by the Lord, in which the Lord Himself told His disciples of what happened to the seeds sown in four different places, by the roadside, on rocky and dry ground, amongst the thistles and brambles, and finally on rich and fertile soil. The Lord went through the meaning of each part of the parable and told them what each of them represented, and how the seeds were truly a reference to the Word of God, the Wisdom and truth which God has bestowed on all of His people. How and where the seeds landed represented how we mankind responded to the Lord, to His truth and love, to His Good News and grace in our midst.

We have to realise that as long as we continue to resist the Lord in the manner of how some among the faithful in Corinth continued to have doubts and reservations on their beliefs, and in their inability to comprehend the resurrection, then it is just like how we mankind tend to shut the Lord out of our lives as we prefer to live them in the manner that we want to live them, following the ways of the world and the paths that may not conform to the path that God has shown and taught us. More often than not we prefer to trust in our own judgments and ideals, and not listening to God speaking to us in the depth of our hearts and minds. And our preoccupation with our own desires prevent us from being able to listen to Him.

Today, the Church celebrates the feast of St. Januarius, a great and holy servant of God, whose life and commitment to God should serve as a great example and inspiration for all of us to follow in our lives. St. Januarius was the Bishop of Benevento in what is part of southern Italy today. He is famously today the patron saint of the great southern Italian city of Naples, where his blood relic miraculously undergoes liquefaction at important events especially on his feast day such as today. He was known for his dedication and commitment to his people, as the shepherd of the Lord’s flock, who were then suffering under the great persecution by the Roman state during the reign of the Roman Emperor Diocletian. It was told by Church traditions and contemporary accounts that he helped to hide and protect Christians from being persecuted and arrested, and eventually he himself was arrested, persecuted and martyred for his faith, ever faithful to the Lord, to the very end.

Brothers and sisters in Christ, let us all therefore follow the great examples of the saints and martyrs, and that of our Lord Himself, so that each and every one of us, in every opportunities and at every occasions, may always guide and strengthen us all in our resolve and desire to serve and follow Him ever more faithfully in all things. May all of us also be great inspiration and examples for one another, that we may truly show God’s righteousness and truth to all the whole world, as the witnesses of His Resurrection and the worthy bearers of His Good News. May God bless our every efforts and endeavours, and help us to live our lives worthily at all times. Amen.

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Saturday, 19 September 2026 : 24th Week of Ordinary Time, Memorial of St. Januarius, Bishop and Martyr (Gospel Reading)

Liturgical Colour : Green or Red (Martyrs) or White (Saturday Mass of Our Lady)

Luke 8 : 4-15

At that time, as a great crowd gathered, and people came to Jesus from every town, He began teaching them with a story : “The sower went out to sow the seed. And as he sowed, some of the seed fell along the way, was trodden on, and the birds of the sky ate it up.”

“Some seed fell on rocky ground; and no sooner had it come up than it withered, because it had no water. Some seed fell among thorns; the thorns grew up with the seed and choked it. But some seed fell on good soil and grew, producing fruit, a hundred times as much!” And Jesus cried out, “Listen then, if you have ears to hear!”

The disciples asked Him, “What does this story mean?” And Jesus answered, “To you it has been given to know the mystery of the kingdom of God. But to others it is given in the form of stories, or parables, so that, seeing, they may not perceive; and hearing, they may not understand.”

“Now, this is the point of the parable : The seed is the word of God. Those along the wayside are people who hear it; but immediately, the devil comes and takes the word from their minds, for he does not want them to believe and be saved. Those on the rocky ground are people who receive the word with joy; but they have no root; they believe for a while, and give way in time of trial.”

“Among the thorns are people who hear the word, but, as they go their way, they are choked by worries, riches, and the pleasures of life; they bring no fruit to maturity. The good soil, instead, are people who receive the word, and keep it, in a gentle and generous mind, and, persevering patiently, they bear fruit.”

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Saturday, 19 September 2026 : 24th Week of Ordinary Time, Memorial of St. Januarius, Bishop and Martyr (Psalm)

Liturgical Colour : Green or Red (Martyrs) or White (Saturday Mass of Our Lady)

Psalm 55 : 10, 11-12, 13-14

My enemies turn back when I call on You for help; now I know, that God is for me.

In God, Whose word I praise; in God I trust, without fear. What can mortals do against me?

I am bound to You by vows, o God; I shall offer my thanksgiving. For You have rescued my soul from death and my feet from stumbling; that I might walk in God’s presence, in the light of the living.

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Saturday, 19 September 2026 : 24th Week of Ordinary Time, Memorial of St. Januarius, Bishop and Martyr (First Reading)

Liturgical Colour : Green or Red (Martyrs) or White (Saturday Mass of Our Lady)

1 Corinthians 15 : 35-37, 42-49

Some of you will ask : How will the dead be raised? With what kind of body will they come? You fools! What you sow cannot sprout unless it dies. And what you sow is not the body of the future plant, but a bare grain of wheat or any other seed.

It is the same with the resurrection of the dead. The body is sown in decomposition; it will be raised never more to die. It is sown in humiliation, and it will be raised for glory. It is buried in weakness, but the resurrection shall be with power. When buried, it is a natural body, but it will be raised as a spiritual body. For there shall be a spiritual body, as there is, at present, a living body. Scripture says that Adam, the first man, became a living being; but the last Adam has become a life-giving Spirit.

The Spirit does not appear first, but the natural life, and afterward comes the Spirit. The first man comes from the earth and is earthly, while the second One comes from heaven. As it was with the earthly one, so is it with the earthly people. As it is with Christ, so with the heavenly. This is why, after bearing the image of the earthly one, we shall also bear the image of the Heavenly One.

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Wednesday, 16 September 2026 : 24th Week of Ordinary Time, Memorial of Pope St. Cornelius, Pope and Martyr, and St. Cyprian, Bishop and Martyr (Homily and Scripture Reflections)

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.

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Wednesday, 16 September 2026 : 24th Week of Ordinary Time, Memorial of Pope St. Cornelius, Pope and Martyr, and St. Cyprian, Bishop and Martyr (Gospel Reading)

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.”

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Wednesday, 16 September 2026 : 24th Week of Ordinary Time, Memorial of Pope St. Cornelius, Pope and Martyr, and St. Cyprian, Bishop and Martyr (Psalm)

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.

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Wednesday, 16 September 2026 : 24th Week of Ordinary Time, Memorial of Pope St. Cornelius, Pope and Martyr, and St. Cyprian, Bishop and Martyr (First Reading)

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.

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Saturday, 29 August 2026 : 21st Week of Ordinary Time, Memorial of the Passion of St. John the Baptist (Homily and Scripture Reflections)

Liturgical Colour : Red

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, today the Church celebrates the occasion of the Feast of the Passion of St. John the Baptist, in which we remember the courageous faith and dedication that St. John the Baptist, the Herald of the Lord and Messiah had given to his Lord and Master, in all the things he had done, and in his whole life until even facing persecution, hardships in prison and eventually martyrdom for his righteous life and commitment to God, and his refusal to bend to the forces of the world, the forces of wickedness and evil. Through his courageous proclamation of the Lord’s coming and by calling on everyone to seek the Lord once again, turning away from their wickedness and sins, St. John the Baptist had brought more and more people closer to the Lord’s Presence and had done much in preparing the path for the Lord’s coming, which was indeed his mission in life.

At that time, St. John the Baptist, whom God had called and chosen since before he was even conceived and born, and whose miraculous birth and life had surprised many, went on with his mission, calling on the people of God to return to the Lord and to embrace His mercy, baptising countless thousands and more as a symbolic commitment that they would make for the Lord, in cleansing themselves from the corruption and taint of their past wicked and sinful lives. St. John the Baptist brought the words of God’s consolation and the assurance that the Messiah, that is the Saviour long promised by God would come very soon. He did not hold his tongue or words against those who were wicked, unjust and proud, like that of the Pharisees and the elders who were corrupt and wicked in their ways, calling them brood of vipers when they questioned him and doubted his authority in teaching and doing his mission.

Then, which led directly to today’s Gospel passage events, St. John the Baptist also spoke up courageously against the wickedness and evils of King Herod Antipas, the King and ruler of Galilee, who had taken the wife of his own brother Philip, who was likely still alive at that time according to historical records and evidence, as his own wife. Herodias, who was Philip’s wife, was therefore Herod’s own sister-in-law, and as we heard of one daughter of Herodias being mentioned in that Gospel passage today, it means that daughter was likely the child of Philip and Herodias, which according to the laws and customs of God’s Law and commandments, meant that the marriage had been consummated and could not be legally dissolved or annulled in any way. This also means that Herod committed the sin of adultery with Herodias, a fact that St. John the Baptist fearlessly criticised both of them for.

This was why Herodias held a grudge against St. John the Baptist, and wanted his death, which was only stopped by Herod’s admiration for the holy man of God. While Herod arrested St. John the Baptist and placed him in prison, he did not harm him any further otherwise as mentioned in today’s Gospel. But then we heard of Herodias’ machinations and wicked plans through which she brought about the death and martyrdom of St. John the Baptist. It was Herod’s own weakness of the flesh, which led him to commit the sin of adultery and then the sin of lust, by lusting for his own sister-in-law’s daughter that led him to his downfall, in becoming complicit in the murder and killing of the holy servant of God, because of his inability in resisting worldly temptations and the allures of worldly pleasures and vices.

That is why, all of us today are reminded on this celebration in the memory of the glorious and most courageous martyrdom of this great servant of God, St. John the Baptist, that each and every one of us must first of all be inspired by the great examples of this holy servant of God, in giving our best effort and time, our attention and focus so that we may truly serve the Lord faithfully in all things, and that we may be great examples and inspiration for one another as well. Living our lives as Christians, in following God in our world today may be a challenge for us, as we may encounter rejection and even persecution, hardships and challenges, obstacles and all sorts of things that may discourage us from continuing our path in following God. But we must not easily allow the temptations of the world, the allures of worldly pleasures and desires to mislead us down the path of evil and vice, as it had done to King Herod, Herodias, many among the Pharisees and many others.

Instead, we have to continue to dedicate ourselves to the path that the Lord has shown and guided us into. Just as St. John the Baptist, who had devoted his whole life to the service of God, and who walked faithfully in the path of righteousness without any reservations, and with all of his might, hence, that is how we should also live our lives, that is with great faith and commitment to God. We should always be strong in our desire to follow the Lord wholeheartedly and in leading a life that is truly worthy and good, upright and exemplary, so that others who see us, hear us and witness our actions and works may come to believe in God as well through us, just as St. John the Baptist in all of the commitments and works he had done, showed us what it truly should be like for us to be one of God’s faithful disciples and followers.

Brothers and sisters in Christ, let us all remember therefore the courageous and faithful life of St. John the Baptist, and follow him in his courage and examples. At the same time, let us also be vigilant and careful so that we do not end up falling into the same trap of sin, evil and worldly vices that King Herod and Herodias had fallen into, the temptations of worldly pleasures, lust and desires, as well as the temptations of worldly pride, ego and ambition that many among the Pharisees and the teachers of the Law had fallen into. Let us all help one another to remain truly faithful to God so that we do not end up falling into the wrong path, and let us all remind one another so that we may help to encourage our fellow brethren whenever they are downtrodden and are facing hardships and challenges in life. Let us be the shining beacons of God’s hope, love and light in the midst of our darkened world today.

May the Lord continue to bless us all in our every good efforts, works and endeavours, and may He empower all of us in our every dealings and interactions, and in our commitments and lives, so that we may truly be His faithful disciples at all occasions, and be the beacons of light through which many others may come to find God and His salvation, just as St. John the Baptist had done to us, through his life, works and martyrdom. St. John the Baptist, Herald of the Messiah, Holy Man of God, pray for us all sinners. Amen.

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Saturday, 29 August 2026 : 21st Week of Ordinary Time, Memorial of the Passion of St. John the Baptist (Gospel Reading)

Liturgical Colour : Red

Mark 6 : 17-29

At that time, this is what had happened : Herod had ordered John to be arrested; and had had him bound and put in prison because of Herodias, the wife of his brother Philip. Herod had married her; and John had told him, “It is not right for you to live with your brother’s wife.”

So Herodias held a grudge against John and wanted to kill him; but she could not, because Herod respected John. He knew John to be an upright and holy man, and kept him safe. And he liked listening to him; although he became very disturbed whenever he heard him.

Herodias had her chance on Herod’s birthday, when he gave a dinner for all the senior government officials, military chiefs, and the leaders of Galilee. On that occasion, the daughter of Herodias came in and danced; and she delighted Herod and his guests.

The king said to the girl, “Ask me for anything you want and I will give it to you.” And he went so far as to say with many oaths, “I will give you anything you ask, even half my kingdom.” She went out and said to her mother, “What shall I ask for?” The mother replied, “The head of John the Baptist.”

The girl hurried to the king and made her request, “I want you to give me the head of John the Baptist, here and now, on a dish.” The king was very displeased, but he would not refuse in front of his guests because of his oaths. So he sent one of the bodyguards, with orders to bring John’s head.

He went and beheaded John in prison; then he brought the head on a dish and gave it to the girl. And the girl gave it to her mother. When John’s disciples heard of this, they came and took his body and buried it.