holy saints of God

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Wednesday, 7 August 2024 : 18th Week of Ordinary Time, Memorial of Pope St. Sixtus II, Pope and Martyr, and Companions, Martyrs, and St. Cajetan, Priest (Homily and Scripture Reflections)

Liturgical Colour : Green or Red (Martyrs) or White (Priests)

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, on this day as we all listened to the words of the Scriptures, we are all reminded of the love of God which He generously ever poured down upon us, showing us His mercy, love and compassion, just as we have often been reminded of. At the same time, we are also reminded to seek the Lord and His mercy, His forgiveness and love, just as how the Syro-Phoenician woman had done in our Gospel passage today, that our sincere and strong desire to seek the Lord, to find His love, mercy and compassion shall liberate us from the bondage of our wickedness and sins, and deliver us into a renewed life blessed and strengthen by God and His grace. God has always loved and been kind to us, and He has also always been full of mercy and forgiveness for us, but we have to be cooperative with Him, allowing Him to come to us, to transform our lives for the better.

In our first reading today, we heard from the Book of the prophet Jeremiah, in which God would restore His people, the Israelites once again, to be His blessed and beloved people, restored and empowered, saved and liberated from their troubles just as He had done for them many times previously. These words of the Lord which He spoke to His people, the remnants of the Israelites living in the kingdom of Judah, would indeed come true in the upcoming decades. And these came after the Lord has spoken of all the misfortunes, destructions and hardships that they all would have to encounter in their path, as they had disobeyed Him and disregarded His Law, His commandments and precepts, and thus, they would have to endure the consequences of their actions. This showed us all that God truly loves each and every one of His people, but He does not condone their actions.

As a loving Creator and Father to His people, as their Lord, Master and King, God has always cared for them all as He has constantly shown throughout history and as recorded in the Old Testament, but at the same time, as a just and holy God, as mentioned, He does not condone their sinfulness, wicked actions and deeds that are contrary to the way and the teachings which He had passed on to them. He does not want any one of them to be swayed into the wicked path in life, into the path of darkness from which there could be no escape or hope. That was why God chastised His people, punishing them and correcting them but with the ultimate intent of leading them all towards Himself and restoring them to the state of grace together with Him. God does not desire our destruction, as it was us who have willingly chosen to reject His salvation and grace.

God remembers the Covenant which He had made and established with His people, and through Jeremiah, He wanted to remind them with all of that, that while He abhorred their sins and wickedness, but He still wanted them all to return to Him and to repent from their many sins and evils before it was too late for them. That is why, it is also a very important reminder for all of us that we should not take God’s love, compassion and mercy for granted. God has always been very patient with us, but at the same time, we must realise that if we continue to resist Him and refuse His love and kindness, it may come to pass that it ends up too late for us to accept God’s favour, love and mercy, and when it is too late for us, it is by all those sins and wickedness that we shall be judged by, and we shall be condemned by all those wicked and evil attitudes which we have carried out in our lives.

Then, in our Gospel passage today, taken from the Gospel according to St. Matthew, as mentioned earlier we heard of the interactions between the Lord Jesus and a Syro-Phoenician woman who had come to seek His help with regards to her very sick daughter. The Syro-Phoenician region was outside the lands where the Israelites lived in, and at that time, that region was also not where the descendants of the Israelites lived in, and therefore the Syro-Phoenician woman in the reckoning of the Jews would be considered as an outsider and a pagan. And for many among the Jews, the Syro-Phoenician like the other Gentiles were considered unworthy and unclean, and it was often taboo for a Jew like the Lord Jesus Himself to mingle and interact with the non-Jews like the Syro-Phoenician woman. Not only that, but the Jews at that time also had a rather exclusive and elitist view of themselves as God’s chosen people, and looking down on others who did not believe in God as they did.

Thus, when the Lord seemingly mocked the woman and was being rude in replying harshly to her by stating that He was only sent to the people of Israel and that the food should not be given to the dogs, it was a representation of the folly of the prejudices shown by the Israelites and their descendants against those others whom they had deemed to be inferior and less worthy than them as God’s disciples and followers. But the Lord showed His disciples and others, including all of us that even among the non-Israelites, there could be great and wonderful faith too. The Syro-Phoenician woman ignored the insults and kept on asking the Lord with great faith, even humbling herself, saying that even the dogs gained the scraps of food from the table. This is a representation of just how one with great faith shall be blessed by God, and God’s love is in truth, for everyone, and not just for any particular group of people. All of us, regardless of race, background or origin, have all been called and chosen by God to be His beloved people.

Today, the Church also celebrates the feast of two great saints and holy men of God, whose lives and dedications to God can serve as great role models and inspirations for each and every one of us in how we should live our own lives as Christians. Pope St. Sixtus II and St. Cajetan both had lived truly virtuous and worthy lives that have shown us all what it truly means to be true and genuine, faithful and committed Christians, as God’s holy and committed disciples and followers. They have lived their lives with great faith in their own unique ways, that even when they faced difficulties and challenges, they continued to persevere on in trusting in the Lord and in being faithful to Him. They did not let the hardships, oppositions and all the other obstacles they encountered to dissuade them from their efforts and good works for the sake of the Lord and for His people.

Pope St. Sixtus II was one of the important and influential leaders of the early Church, who has dedicated himself as the Pope and thus as leader of the whole Universal Church, to lead the faithful and the Church through turbulent and difficult times. He led the Church through a time of challenges and divisions, as there was a particularly divisive Novatian heresy that happened just prior to his pontificate, which caused divisions in the Roman Church, and also in relationships with the Church in Africa and in the Eastern parts of the Roman Empire. Pope St. Sixtus II dedicated himself to heal the rifts and divisions in the Church, while at the same time, he also led the Church through the difficult times of persecutions and oppressions by the Roman state. It was during one of these oppressions, during the reign of Emperor Valerian that Pope St. Sixtus II was martyred. He remained firm in his faith and commitment to God, to the very end.

Meanwhile, St. Cajetan was an Italian priest who lived and ministered to the Church and the people of God during the Renaissance period, at the time when there were lots of challenges facing the Christian faithful, both from the corruption within the clergy and laity alike, and when the moral and spiritual standards of the people of God were waning. St. Cajetan committed himself thoroughly to minister to the people of God, devoting himself to reach out to those who have been lost from the Lord, calling upon them to return to Him. He established a congregation named the Theatines, gathering those who wished to follow the Lord’s call and serve the people of God, particularly those who were poor and less privileged. Through his efforts and works, St. Cajetan impacted the lives of many and brought many ever closer to God and helped them to come to God’s salvation and grace.

Therefore, brothers and sisters in Christ, let us all remind ourselves that we all should have strong and genuine faith in the Lord, devoting our time and effort to follow Him wholeheartedly. Let us all continue to follow in the good examples and in the footsteps of our holy predecessors, like that of Pope St. Sixtus II and St. Cajetan. Let us all continue to walk in the path which the Lord has shown us, and continue to show our love for God and for our fellow brethren, in all and every one of our actions, words and deeds in life, now and always. May God be with us all, and may He empower us in faith, now and always. Amen.

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Wednesday, 7 August 2024 : 18th Week of Ordinary Time, Memorial of Pope St. Sixtus II, Pope and Martyr, and Companions, Martyrs, and St. Cajetan, Priest (Gospel Reading)

Liturgical Colour : Green or Red (Martyrs) or White (Priests)

Matthew 15 : 21-28

At that time, leaving that area, Jesus withdrew to the region of Tyre and Sidon. A Canaanite woman from the area, came and cried out, “Lord, Son of David, have pity on me! My daughter is tormented by a demon.”

But Jesus did not answer her, not even a word. So His disciples approached Him and said, “Send her away! See how she is shouting after us.” Then Jesus said to her, “I was sent only to the lost sheep of the nation of Israel.”

But the woman was already kneeling before Jesus, and said, “Sir, help me!” Jesus answered, “It is not right to take the bread from the children and throw it to puppies.”

The woman replied, “That is true, Sir, but even puppies eat the crumbs which fall from their master’s table.” Then Jesus said, “Woman, how great is your faith! Let it be as you wish.” And her daughter was healed at that moment.

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Wednesday, 7 August 2024 : 18th Week of Ordinary Time, Memorial of Pope St. Sixtus II, Pope and Martyr, and Companions, Martyrs, and St. Cajetan, Priest (Psalm)

Liturgical Colour : Green or Red (Martyrs) or White (Priests)

Jeremiah 31 : 10, 11-12ab, 13

Hear the word of YHVH, o nations, proclaim it on distant coastlands : He Who scattered Israel will gather them and guard them as a shepherd guard his flock.

For YHVH has ransomed Jacob and redeemed him from the hand of his conqueror. They shall come shouting for joy, while ascending Zion; they will come streaming to YHVH’s blessings.

Maidens will make merry and dance, young men and old as well. I will turn their mourning into gladness, I will give them comfort and joy for sorrow.

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Wednesday, 7 August 2024 : 18th Week of Ordinary Time, Memorial of Pope St. Sixtus II, Pope and Martyr, and Companions, Martyrs, and St. Cajetan, Priest (First Reading)

Liturgical Colour : Green or Red (Martyrs) or White (Priests)

Jeremiah 31 : 1-7

YHVH declares that when that time comes He will be the God of all the families of Israel, and they will be His people. Thus says YHVH : The people who survived the sword have found grace in the desert. As Israel was seeking for his rest YHVH appeared from afar saying, I have loved you with a love everlasting, so I have kept for you My mercy. I will restore you again, and you shall be rebuilt, o virgin Israel!”

“You will take up your tambourines and go out dancing joyfully. You will plant vineyards again on the hills of Samaria, and the farmers who plant them will enjoy their fruit. There shall be a day when watchmen will call out on the hills of Ephraim, “Come, let us go to Zion, to YHVH our God!”

For YHVH says this, “Shout with joy for Jacob; rejoice for the greatest of nations. Proclaim your praise and say : ‘YHVH has saved His people, the remnant of Israel!’”

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Friday, 2 August 2024 : 17th Week of Ordinary Time, Memorial of St. Eusebius of Vercelli, Bishop, and St. Peter Julian Eymard, Priest (Homily and Scripture Reflections)

Liturgical Colour : Green or White (Bishops or Priests)

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, as we listened through the readings of the Sacred Scriptures that we have received today, we are all reminded that we must not be like those hypocrites and our fallen predecessors who have not truly dedicated and committed themselves to the Lord as they should have done. We must be truly faithful and humble in what we do in our lives so that we do not end up falling into temptations of pride, ego and human ambitions, and all other things that may prevent and distract us from finding the true path towards the Lord and His salvation. We must learn to listen to the Lord speaking to us in each and every moments of our lives, heeding His words which He has spoken to us in the depth of our hearts and minds.

In our first reading today, we heard from the Book of the prophet Jeremiah in which the account of the works of Jeremiah amongst the people of the kingdom of Judah is highlighted to us. The prophet Jeremiah was sent by God to His people living in Judah, the southern half of the once united kingdom of Israel. Back then, at that time, the northern half of the kingdom, also known as Israel, had been destroyed and conquered by their enemies, the Assyrians, which destroyed not just their towns and homes, but also uprooted and forcibly moving many of them far away from their ancestral lands, bringing them into exile in distant and far-off lands of Mesopotamia and Assyria. It is this same exact fate which would soon befall the kingdom and people of Judah as well.

Thus, the Lord told Jeremiah to go up to the Temple, the Holy House of God which had been built and established by King Solomon of Israel to be the great and worthy House where God Himself would dwell among His people. However, people of Judah had also disobeyed the Lord and refused to follow and obey His Law and commandments truthfully and wholeheartedly. They allowed themselves to be tempted and swayed by the temptations of the evil ones, and they did not offer their sacrifices and offerings with hearts and minds that were truly focused and centred on God. Instead, they also worshipped other pagan idols and false gods, corrupting the Temple and the worship of God with their attitude and actions. For all those things God therefore chastised them and wanted them to realise that they had to be responsible for their choice of actions in life.

Then in the Gospel passage today taken from the Gospel according to St. Matthew where we heard of the time when the Lord Jesus went back to Nazareth, to His own hometown where He grew up in. The people of that town refused to believe in the Lord and even openly doubted Him, quoting how He was merely the Son of the village carpenter, namely St. Joseph, the foster father of the Lord. This means that they belittled the Lord and thought that it was impossible for someone of such a humble and lowly stature and status in the society to have been given the power and wisdom as they had heard about the Lord. At that time, as is also often throughout history, jobs like that of a carpenter, while truly essential and important for the community, it was also one that is often looked down upon and be prejudiced against.

Essentially, the people of Nazareth thought that they knew it better, and in their pride, they closed their hearts and minds against the Lord, refusing to listen to Him and to believe in Him despite everything that they themselves might have witnessed, seen and heard, from all the signs and wonders that the Lord Jesus had performed in their midst and in the regions surrounding Nazareth. This was in fact the same attitude shown by the people of Judah at the time of the prophet Jeremiah, in refusing to believe in this prophet of God, preferring to dwell in their own denial and thoughts that what the prophet Jeremiah had told and forewarned them could not have come to reality. It was too late for many of them by the time they realised that Jeremiah was speaking the truth.

This is also a reminder for all of us as God’s followers and disciples that in the course of our lives as Christians and in the midst of our faithful living of our respective missions and works, our everyday living as the faithful and holy people of God we may encounter challenges and difficulties in our journey of faith and life, especially from those who refuse to believe in the Lord and His truth, and also those who have allowed their pride and ego to cloud their thoughts and minds, their judgments and ways. It is also a reminder for us therefore not to be distracted by these same temptations either. We should always keep in mind that we are all called to holy and worthy lives that are truly reflecting our beliefs in the Lord, at all times, and we should be good role models and examples for our fellow brethren as well.

Today, the Church also celebrates the feast of two great saints, whose life and faith in God should serve as good examples and inspiration for every one of us in how we should live our own lives as Christians, namely that of St. Eusebius of Vercelli, a holy bishop that was one of the great early Church fathers during the time when Christianity was emancipated from its persecutions under the Roman Empire, as well as St. Peter Julian Eymard, a courageous and holy priest who founded two religious institutes and popularised the devotion to the Blessed Sacrament, to the Real Presence of the Lord in the Eucharist. Each one of them are great inspirations and role models for us all in their own respective ways, showing us what we should do as Christians in each and every moments of our own lives.

St. Eusebius of Vercelli was the Bishop of Vercelli during the time when Christianity had no longer been persecuted by the Roman state, and became increasingly widespread throughout the Empire. He was born in Sardinia, and eventually was elected as the Bishop of Vercelli by the local populace as was the common custom at the time because of his great piety and exemplary life, which according to the tradition of his life led him to be elected instead of the local members of the clergy. He founded a priestly community that lived together and supporting each other, living with great example of piety and faith in God. He was also well remembered for his great stand for his faith in the Lord, in opposing the heretics and all those who sided with them like the Arians and other heresies of the time.

St. Eusebius was even persecuted and made to suffer for this great faith he had in the Lord, refusing to condemn his fellow bishop, the holy and committed St. Athanasius of Alexandria who also stood by the orthodox and true Christian faith against the heretics. St. Eusebius was even dragged through the streets amidst one of these persecutions, but all these things could not dampen his courage and enthusiasm in serving the Lord and proclaiming His truth among the people of God. He also worked hard in trying to bring about reconciliation and reunion between those who been separated and torn apart by all the divisions caused by the heresies of that time. He continued to minister to his flock faithfully and devotedly to the end of his life.

Meanwhile, St. Peter Julian Eymard as mentioned was a priest that helped to spread the popular devotions to the Blessed Sacrament, the Real Presence of Our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ in the Most Holy Eucharist. Most Holy Eucharist. He was born in the French Alps region and had been known for his intense devotion to the Blessed Virgin Mary, Mother of God since very early on in his life. And after he entered the seminary and eventually becoming a priest, he grew ever stronger in his dedication to the Blessed Sacrament, and eventually leading to him establishing two congregations closely related to the Blessed Sacrament in their charism and works, namely the Congregation of the Blessed Sacrament and the Servants of the Blessed Sacrament for men and women respectively, spreading the devotion and love for the Lord in the Eucharist to many more people, helping many of them on the way to the salvation in God.

Brothers and sisters in Christ, as we have heard from our Scripture passages today and from the courageous and faithful lives of God’s holy servants, our predecessors, St. Eusebius of Vercelli and St. Peter Julian Eymard, let us all therefore do our part to continue living our lives with great faith and commitment to God. We should be inspired by the great examples of those who have gone before us, especially during times when we may be facing lots of challenges and difficulties in our journey as Christians, as God’s holy and faithful people. Let us all never be discouraged and disheartened by the persecutions and trials we may have to endure in our lives as the faithful disciples of the Lord. May God continue to bless and strengthen us all in our every moments in life, now and always. Amen.

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Friday, 2 August 2024 : 17th Week of Ordinary Time, Memorial of St. Eusebius of Vercelli, Bishop, and St. Peter Julian Eymard, Priest (Gospel Reading)

Liturgical Colour : Green or White (Bishops or Priests)

Matthew 13 : 54-58

At that time, Jesus went to His hometown and taught the people in their synagogue. They were amazed and said, “Where did He get this wisdom and these special powers? Is He not the carpenter’s Son? Is Mary not His mother and are James, Joseph, Simon and Judas not His brothers? Are not all His sisters living here? How did He get all this?” And so they took offence at Him.

Jesus said to them, “The only place where prophets are not welcome is their hometown and in their own family.” And He did not perform many miracles there because of their lack of faith.

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Friday, 2 August 2024 : 17th Week of Ordinary Time, Memorial of St. Eusebius of Vercelli, Bishop, and St. Peter Julian Eymard, Priest (Psalm)

Liturgical Colour : Green or White (Bishops or Priests)

Psalm 68 : 5, 8-10, 14

More than the hairs of my head are those who hate me for no reason; mighty are those who attack me, many are my enemies without cause. What I did not steal I am forced to restore.

Since I am held in contempt for Your sake, and shame has covered my face. I have become a stranger to my kindred, an alien to my mother’s sons. Zeal for Your House consumes me, as fire, and those who insult You, insult me as well.

But I pray to You, o YHVH. At a time most favourable to You, in Your great love, o God, answer me, with Your unfailing help.

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Friday, 2 August 2024 : 17th Week of Ordinary Time, Memorial of St. Eusebius of Vercelli, Bishop, and St. Peter Julian Eymard, Priest (First Reading)

Liturgical Colour : Green or White (Bishops or Priests)

Jeremiah 26 : 1-9

At the beginning of the reign of Judah’s king Jehoiakim son of Josiah, the word of YHVH came to Jeremiah : YHVH says this, “Stand in the courtyard of YHVH’s House and say to all who come from the towns of Judah to worship in YHVH’s House – all that I command you to say; do not omit anything! Perhaps they will listen to you. Perhaps each one will turn from his wicked ways. Then I will change My mind and forget the destruction that I have planned to inflict on them because of their wicked deeds.”

“Tell them : This is what YHVH says : ‘You have not obeyed Me and you have failed to walk according to My law which I have set before you. You have not heeded My servants, the prophets, whom I have persistently sent to you. If you stubbornly close your ears to them, I will treat this House of Mine as I treated the Sanctuary of Shiloh and let all the nations see that Jerusalem is a cursed city.’”

The priests, the prophets and all the people heard what Jeremiah said in YHVH’s House. When Jeremiah finished saying all that YHVH had commanded, he was besieged by the priests and prophets saying, “You are bound to die! How dare you speak in YHVH’s Name telling us that this House will be treated like Shiloh and this city is to become a deserted ruin.” And all the people gathered around Jeremiah in the House of YHVH.

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Monday, 29 July 2024 : 17th Week of Ordinary Time, Memorial of St. Martha, St. Mary and St. Lazarus (Homily and Scripture Reflections)

Liturgical Colour : White

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, today the Church celebrates the Feast of the friends and close companions of the Lord, the siblings, St. Martha, St. Mary and St. Lazarus, who were mentioned quite a number of times throughout the Gospels as the ones who have closely accompanied the Lord in His journeys and ministry. They were the people trusted and close to the Lord, and we honour their memory today to remind ourselves of how each and every one of us ought to live as God’s beloved disciples and followers, all those whom He had called and chosen from this world. All of us should be inspired by the great examples set by these holy people, and reflect upon what we have just heard from the passages of the Sacred Scriptures so that our lives may come ever closer to be truly worthy of God.

In our first reading today, we heard of the passage from the first Epistle of St. John in which the Apostle elaborated about the most generous and wonderful love which God has shown to all of us through the giving of His Son, manifested in this world, as the perfect revelation of God’s great love in the flesh. Through Jesus Christ, the Son of God manifested in the flesh, God has shown us all His most perfect and generous love that He has always given to us in each and every moments, and through His Son, He made us all to be able to experience the tangible reality of His love and kindness, His compassion and mercy. And God has loved us all despite us having disobeyed and rejected Him, betrayed and sinned against Him, from the very beginning up to now.

Therefore we must not take God’s love for us for granted, and we must realise just how blessed and fortunate all of us are because we have been loved in such a manner by God. God’s love has been offered to us and has endured all these while, and He has never given up on us despite us having repeatedly failed Him and rebelled against Him. Nonetheless, disobedience and sin against God are things that are truly serious and we must not take for granted the love, compassion and kindness which He has shown to each and every one of us. And at the same time, St. John also exhorted and reminded all of us that we should practice and embody the same love in our every actions in life, so that we are truly a people filled with the richness of God’s love and grace in every occasions.

Then, in our Gospel passage today, we heard either the account from the Gospel of St. John regarding the Resurrection of Lazarus, the same St. Lazarus whom we are commemorating today, or the account from the Gospel of St. Luke in which we heard about the moment when the Lord Jesus came to the house of St. Martha, St. Mary and St. Lazarus, and we are presented with how St. Martha and St. Mary welcomed and embraced the Lord coming into their midst. Through either one of these Gospel passages, we gain more insight into what the Lord wants us all to know and remember about Him and following Him in our own respective lives, on how we all should dedicate and commit ourselves as faithful Christians in this world today.

In the first Gospel passage today, we heard about how the Lord came to the place where St. Lazarus, a dear friend of His had been buried. Earlier on, St. Lazarus had been very sick and the Lord and His disciples made the journey to Judah to the place where he and his sisters lived in, as the sisters asked the Lord for help, hoping that He could heal their brother and restore him back to good health. The Lord delayed for a while before coming down, which resulted in St. Lazarus having died before the Lord reached his place. It was at the place he was buried that the Lord went to reassure his sisters, telling them that they must not lose faith in Him and the Resurrection, because He is truly the Lord and Master of life and death, and all of us shall share in His new life if we hold strongly and faithfully to our faith in Him.

That was why the Lord raised up St. Lazarus from the dead, as how everything had been meant to be by the will of God. Through what He had done, God showed us all just how He has the power over all things, that He is in charge and He rules over every part of Creation, and we must always have this firm faith and trust in Him, not allowing ourselves to be easily swayed by those who seek to mislead and drag us down the path of destruction and downfall. We should continue to entrust ourselves in the Light of the Lord’s Resurrection and glory, reminding us all to be the bearers of God’s light, truth and hope in our world today, darkened by evil and sin.

And then, in the other Gospel passage we heard of the time when the Lord Jesus came to the house of St. Martha, St. Mary and St. Lazarus where we heard how the sisters welcomed Him and brought Him into their house with two different approaches. St. Martha was very busy with all of her work in the kitchen and elsewhere, preparing everything to welcome the Lord into her house with great celebration, while St. Mary her sister was by the side of the Lord, listening closely to Him teaching to her, paying close attention to His words. And we heard how St. Martha was not happy that her sister did not help her at all, but the Lord lightly rebuked her saying that although her intentions might be good, but St. Martha in her preoccupation in trying to prepare everything for the Lord distracted her and prevented her from seeing the true blessing present before her, that is the Lord being present in her midst.

Therefore, brothers and sisters in Christ, all of us are reminded this day through the Lord and His interactions with His dear and close friends, St. Martha, St. Mary and St. Lazarus that each and every one of us as Christians have been called to realise just how beloved we have been by God, how fortunate all of us truly are that God had been willing to reach out to us and to heal us from our sins. And we must remember that we must not take this love for granted, and appreciate His Presence in our lives, just as St. Mary put her focus and attention on Him. We should reflect upon our lives and our path, so that we may truly be faithful and worthy disciples of the Lord, in our great and ever present love for Him, our commitment to His path and our love and compassion for one another.

May the Lord, our most loving God and Father, our loving Creator and Master, continue to be with us all and may He empower each and every one of us so that we may truly love Him wholeheartedly and ever more courageously, focusing our attention and whole lives on Him, and no longer on the many temptations and wickedness of this world. May God bless our every good efforts, works and endeavours, so that inspired by the examples and lives of His saints, especially the glorious St. Martha, St. Mary and St. Lazarus, holy men and women of God, we may continue to walk ever more righteously in God’s path, now and forevermore. Amen.

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Monday, 29 July 2024 : 17th Week of Ordinary Time, Memorial of St. Martha, St. Mary and St. Lazarus (Gospel Reading)

Liturgical Colour : White

John 11 : 19-27

At that time, many Jews had come to Martha and Mary, after the death of their brother, to comfort them. When Martha heard that Jesus was coming, she went to meet Him, while Mary remained sitting in the house. Martha said to Jesus, “If You had been here, my brother would not have died. But I know that whatever You ask from God, God will give You.” Jesus said, “Your brother will rise again.”

Martha replied, “I know that He will rise in the resurrection, at the last day.” But Jesus said to her, “I am the Resurrection. Whoever believes in Me, though he die, shall live. Whoever lives and believes in Me will never die. Do you believe this?”

Martha then answered, “Yes, Lord, I have come to believe that You are the Christ, the Son of God, He Who is coming into the world.”

Alternative reading

Luke 10 : 38-42

At that time, as Jesus and His disciples were on their way, He entered a village, and a woman called Martha welcomed Him to her house. She had a sister named Mary, who sat down at the Lord’s feet to listen to His words. Martha, meanwhile, was busy with all the serving, and finally she said, “Lord, do You not care that my sister has left me to do all the work? Tell her to help me!”

But the Lord answered, “Martha, Martha, you worry and are troubled about many things, whereas only one thing is needed. Mary has chosen the better part, and it will not be taken away from her.”