Holy Scripture

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Thursday, 12 September 2013 : 23rd Week of Ordinary Time, Memorial of the Most Holy Name of Mary (Psalm)

Liturgical Colour : Green or White

Psalm 150 : 1-2, 3-4, 5-6

Alleluia! Sing to the Lord a new song, sing His praise in the assembly of His saints. Let Israel rejoice in His Maker, let the people of Zion glory in their King!

Let them dance in praise of His Name and make music for Him with harp and timbrel. For the Lord delights in His people; He crowns the lowly with victory.

The saints will exult in triumph ; even at night on their couches. Let the praise of God be on their lips, and in their hands two-edged swords.

Alternative Psalm (From the Mass of the Most Holy Name of Mary)

 

Luke 1 : 46-47, 48-49, 50-51, 52-53, 54-55

My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord, my spirit exults in God my Saviour!

He has looked upon His servant in her lowliness, and people forever will call me blessed. The Mighty One has done great things for me, Holy is His Name!

From age to age His mercy extends to those who live in His presence. He has acted with power and done wonders, and scattered the proud with their plans.

He has put down the mighty from their thrones, and lifted up those who are downtrodden. He has filled the hungry with good things, but has sent the rich away empty.

He held out His hand to Israel, His servant, for He remembered His mercy, even as He promised to our fathers, to Abraham and his descendants forever

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Thursday, 12 September 2013 : 23rd Week of Ordinary Time, Memorial of the Most Holy Name of Mary (First Reading)

Liturgical Colour : Green or White

Colossians 3 : 12-17

Clothe yourself, then, as is fitting for God’s chosen people, holy and beloved of Him. Put on compassion, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience to bear with one another and forgive whenever there is any occasion to do so. As the Lord has forgiven you, forgive one another.

Above all, clothe yourselves with love which binds everything together in perfect harmony. May the peace of Christ overflow in your hearts; for this end you were called to be one body. And be thankful.

Let the word of God dwell in you in all its richness. Teach and admonish one another with words of wisdom. With thankful hearts sing to God psalms, hymns, and spontaneous praise. And whatever you do or say, do it in the Name of Jesus, the Lord, giving thanks to God the Father through Him.

Alternative Reading (From the Mass of the Most Holy Name of Mary)

 

Galatians 4 : 4-7

But when the fullness of time came, God sent His Son. He came born of woman and subject to the Law, in order to redeem the subjects of the Law, that we might receive adoption as children of God. And because you are children, God has sent into your hearts the Spirit of His Son which cries out : ‘Abba!’ that is ‘Father!’

You yourself are no longer a slave but a son or daughter, and yours is the inheritance by God’s grace.

Alternative Reading (From the Mass of the Most Holy Name of Mary)

 

Ephesians 1 : 3-6, 11-12

Blessed be God, the Father of Christ Jesus our Lord, who in Christ has blessed us from heaven with every spiritual blessing. God chose us in Christ before the creation of the world to be holy and without sin in His presence.

From eternity He destined us in love to be His adopted sons and daughters through Christ Jesus, thus fulfilling His free and generous will. This goal suited Him : that His loving-kindness which He granted us in His Beloved might finally receive all glory and praise.

By a decree of Him who disposes all things according to His own plan and decision, we, the Jews, have been chosen and called, and we were awaiting the Messiah, for the praise of His glory.

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Wednesday, 11 September 2013 : 23rd Week of Ordinary Time (Scripture Reflection)

Liturgical Colour : Green

Brothers and sisters in Christ, most beloved of God. Let us listen to the Lord calling to each one of us today, that we be transformed from our old, sinful self, into the new being of love and compassion. We have to break free of the prison of worldly pleasures and temptations of evil that had chained us for so long unto sin. It is time that all of us, with the power of Christ, break free from that chain into freedom, true freedom in God.

Today, in the Gospel, we heard one of the most memorable and yet also striking from the words and teachings of Jesus, that is the sermon on the Mount, or the Beatitudes, meaning Blesseds or blessings from the Latin word, Beatus, which we also use on our blessed holy men and women in heaven. Jesus emphasized on the virtues of doing what is good as He mentioned them, and the blessings that will be poured to them who do these things.

A word of warning here is that, because just as Jesus blessed the good and the upright, and also at the same time, curse the wicked and their wickedness, we must not misinterpret what the Lord truly wants from all of us. It may seem as if Jesus condemns all those who now enjoy a happy life, a fulfilling life, and a life of wealth, and supports those who are poor in material, those who hunger for food. Yet, the Lord did not mean that we should be like the Communists, who advocate class war between the rich, the privileged class, and the poor.

What the Lord intend for all of us to do, is to be truly transformed into beings of love, mercy, and compassion, no matter what backgrounds we had or what material possessions we had with us prior to our transformation. We must be transformed from beings of apathy and idleness, and beings of wickedness and greed, into truly children of our loving God. That is what Jesus wants from us through the teachings we listened to today.

This is because, if we talk about the division between the rich and the poor, we will end up be caught in a vicious cycle of hatred and eternal division between the two worlds. Yes, I mean it when I said two worlds, because the two worlds are so distinct, that a huge gap literally is present between them. What the Lord truly wants is that bridges be built over this gap, to let the rich embrace the poor, and vice versa.

Even among the poor, there can be discrimination and selfishness, people trampling over the other because of their superior power and authority, people who think only for themselves, and if necessary, at the expense of others also in need. The same too applies to the rich, and indeed, all of God’s children without exception in many different parts of this world. Being rich does not mean that someone is evil, but it is that with that greater blessing that God had bestowed on them, they are able to do more for the sake of their brethren in need.

What the Lord condemns is the people who cared not for the wellbeing of their fellow brethren, even if these people are poor themselves. The Lord condemns those who are wicked and practice wickedness in their lives, and casts them out of His presence, if they do not repent and change. To those who had plenty and had opened the doors of their wealth and their love, that the graces given to them may reach others, the Lord will give blessing, if not even greater blessings, because they had used whatever they have, and give it to those who need them.

Remember the words of the Lord, that to those who had been given much, even more will be given. That is why, to those among us who had been more privileged, it is an impetus for us to take up the challenge God had presented all of us today, to share a part of our joy and happiness with others, especially those who lack them and those who long for them.

What the Lord lamented was because most of the rich, the powerful, and the influential ones at His time on earth, did not care even at all for the least of the society. They made merry, celebrate parties and revelled in abundance. They ate, drank, danced, and slept in joy and happiness, and never has the rest of the beloved people of God, appeared in their mind. It is exactly this lack of love and action that infuriated God.

Therefore, brothers and sisters in Christ, as today we are called to throw far, far away our old selves, our former sins, and our iniquities, and instead wear the armour of love and compassion, likened to the urging of St. Paul to the Colossians in the first reading. Let us be brave and have resolve to be loving and embracing to our brethren in need, to our brethren who needs our love, care, and attention, that we may be blessed by the Lord and be received into His kingdom of love and glory, instead of being cursed and condemned for our failure to do action.

Let us not point mistakes at others, and demand that others who disregarded the needs of the needy to change their lives and their decisions to work for the less fortunate. Instead, begin from ourselves, and take a proactive approach to follow what God told us through Christ today. Be a man of peace, of hope, of compassion, and of undying and eternal love. God bless us all. Amen.

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Wednesday, 11 September 2013 : 23rd Week of Ordinary Time (Gospel Reading)

Liturgical Colour : Green

Luke 6 : 20-26

Then, looking at His disciples, Jesus said, “Fortunate are you who are poor, for the kingdom of God is yours.”

“Fortunate are you who are hungry now, for you will be filled.”

“Fortunate are you who weep now, for you will laugh.”

“Fortunate are you when people hate you, when they reject you and insult you and number you among criminals, because of the Son of Man. Rejoice in that day and leap for joy, for a great reward is kept for you in heaven. Remember, that is how the ancestors of this people treated the prophets.”

“But alas for you who have wealth, for you have been comforted now.”

“Alas for you who are full, for you will go hungry.”

“Alas for you who laugh now, for you will mourn and weep.”

“Alas for you when people speak well of you, for that is how the ancestors of these people treated the false prophets.”

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Wednesday, 11 September 2013 : 23rd Week of Ordinary Time (Psalm)

Liturgical Colour : Green

Psalm 144 : 2-3, 10-11, 12-13ab

I will praise You day after day and exalt Your Name forever. Great is the Lord, most worthy of praise; and His deeds are beyond measure.

All Your works will give You thanks; all Your saints, o Lord, will praise You. They will tell of the glory of Your Kingdom and speak of Your power.

That all may know of Your mighty deeds, Your reign, and its glorious splendour.  Your reign is from age to age; Your domination endures from generation to generation.

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Wednesday, 11 September 2013 : 23rd Week of Ordinary Time (First Reading)

Liturgical Colour : Green

Colossians 3 : 1-11

So then, if you are risen with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God. Set your mind on the things that are above, not on earthly things. For you have died and your life is now hidden with Christ in God. When Christ, who is your life, reveals Himself, you also will be revealed with Him in Glory.

Therefore, put to death what is earthly in your life, that is immorality, impurity, inordinate passions, wicked desires and greed which is a way of worshipping idols. These are the things that arouse the wrath of God.

For a time you followed this way and lived in such disorders. Well then, reject all that : anger, evil intentions, malice; and let no abusive words be heard from your lips.

Do not lie to one another. You have been stripped of the old self and its way of thinking to put on the new, which is being renewed and is to reach perfect knowledge and the likeness of its creator. There is no room for distinction between Greek or Jew, circumcised or uncircumcised, barbarian, foreigner, slave, or free, but Christ is all and in all.

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Tuesday, 10 September 2013 : 23rd Week of Ordinary Time (Scripture Reflection)

Liturgical Colour : Green

Brothers and sisters in Christ, today we realise that the Lord our God loves us and He is willing to call us from the depth of our sins and the depth of our iniquities, to be with Him and to rejoice with Him in salvation. He did this through Christ His Son, who had descended into the world to be among us and to be the source of our salvation.

He cares for us and wants us to leave behind our world of sin that leads to death and damnation. That was why He offered all of us His enduring love, love that He carried through all the way to the cross on Calvary. He willed us to live, and that was why He did not hesitate even to give His own life for us that we may live.

He called the Apostles, the chosen twelve among His disciples, to be the primary helpers of His good works during His ministry in this world and even after He had departed it. They helped Him to administer the people and become the listening ear to His many teachings, through which He revealed much about Himself and God’s plan of salvation for mankind.

He offered them and all, a new hope in Himself, that all those who believe in Him and place their trust in Him will not suffer death and punishment for their sins and iniquities. Instead, it was indeed Christ who had undergone much suffering, pain, and eventually death in our place. The Body and Blood He offered us, through His pierced Body and the Blood outpouring from His wounds on the cross, become the gate into this new life.

Yes, brethren, and those who walk through this gate, will receive eternal life in God. The Body of Christ we receive in the Communion bread and the Blood in the wine bring Christ into ourselves, and thereafter, He dwells within us, becoming a light within our hearts. However, not everyone can just receive the Lord without due consideration.

We must first be welcomed into the Church of God, that is the entire community of the faithful ones in God, and become one body with all the faithful, as part of the one living Church, that is through the waters of baptism. Baptism marks that clear break between us and our past, the sinful lives and idol worshipping lives we had once led, and be purified in the Lord, to be made worthy to receive the salvation offered freely by the Lord.

That was why those who had not yet been received into the Church, may not receive the Lord because they are unworthy and had not yet placed their hearts and their beliefs fully in God. For those of us who had been received into the Church and receive the Lord into ourselves, we have accepted the Lord as our Lord and Saviour, just as the Apostles had done before.

However, it is not that we must be stagnant and be idle after we have been received into the Church. Otherwise we would be condemned by the Lord, just as He had done to the Pharisees, who had not done what was asked of them, and instead slandering the prophets and the Lord Himself. Constant vigilance and cultivation of that opportunity God has given us is therefore necessary and indeed, expected of us.

The Apostles themselves did not remain idle, even though after their baptism of fire, they can be certain of salvation. Yes, the Apostles received their baptism of fire by the Holy Spirit, on the day of the Pentecost, that truly marked the beginning of their ministry after the departure of Jesus from this world. The Apostles. They faced much opposition and rejection, just as they were received by many. Yet they did not fear, for God is with them, and they even gave their lives in the end, for the sake of the Gospel of Christ.

Dear brothers and sisters, today we are also called, to be the apostles of our modern day world. Let us therefore strive to follow in the footsteps of the Apostles, we who had been called and received into the Church. We must never be idle but we must be proactive and take the initiative to be the active disciples of Christ, spreading the Good News to all the people.

May the Lord guide us and protect us as we embark on this journey of evangelisation, that we may be fruitful and great, in our works for the sake of the Lord. God bless us all. Amen.

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Tuesday, 10 September 2013 : 23rd Week of Ordinary Time (Gospel Reading)

Liturgical Colour : Green

Luke 6 : 12-19

At this time Jesus went out into the hills to pray, spending the whole night in prayer with God. When day came, He called His disciples to Him, and chose twelve of them, whom He called ‘apostles’ : Simon, whom He named Peter, and his brother Andrew, James and John; Philip and Bartholomew; Matthew and Thomas; James son of Alpheus and Simon called the Zealot; Judas son of James, and Judas Iscariot, who would be the traitor.

Coming down the hill with them, Jesus stood in an open plain. Many of His disciples were there and a large crowd of people, who had come from all parts of Judea and Jerusalem, and from the coastal cities of Tyre and Sidon. They gathered to hear Him and to be healed of their diseases. And people troubled by unclean spirits were cured. The entire crowd tried to touch Him, because of the power that went out from Him and healed them all.

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Tuesday, 10 September 2013 : 23rd Week of Ordinary Time (Psalm)

Liturgical Colour : Green

Psalm 144 : 1-2, 8-9, 10-11

I will extol You, my God and King; I will bless Your Name forever. I will praise You day after day and exalt Your Name forever.

Compassionate and gracious is the Lord, slow to anger and abounding in love. The Lord is good to everyone; His mercy embraces all His creation.

All Your works will give You thanks; all Your saints, o Lord, will praise You. They will tell of the glory of Your kingdom and speak of Your power.

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Tuesday, 10 September 2013 : 23rd Week of Ordinary Time (First Reading)

Liturgical Colour : Green

Colossians 2 : 6-15

If you have accepted Christ Jesus as Lord, let Him be your doctrine. Be rooted and built up in Him; let faith be your principle, as you were taught, and your thanksgiving overflowing. See that no one deceives you with philosophy or any hollow discourse; these are merely human doctrines not inspired by Christ but by the wisdom of this world. For in Him dwells the fullness of God in bodily form. He is the head of all cosmic power and authority, and in Him you have everything.

In Christ Jesus you were given a circumcision but not by human hands, which removed completely from you the carnal body : I refer to baptism. On receiving it you were buried with Christ; and you also rose with Him for having believed in the power of God who raised Him from the dead.

You were dead. You were in sin and uncircumcised at the same time. But God gave you life with Christ. He forgave all our sins. He cancelled the record of our debts, those regulations which accused us. He did away with all that and nailed it to the cross. Victorious through the cross, He stripped the rulers and authorities of their power, humbled them before the eyes of the whole world and dragged them behind Him as prisoners.