Holy Scriptures

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Friday, 17 June 2016 : 11th Week of Ordinary Time (First Reading)

Liturgical Colour : Green

2 Kings 11 : 1-4, 9-18, 20

When Athaliah, the mother of Ahaziah, saw that her son had died, she was determined to wipe out all the descendants of the king. But Jehosheba, the daughter of king Joram and sister of Ahaziah, took Joash, her nephew, and brought him away from among the king’s sons who were about to be killed, and put him with his wet nurse in the bedroom.

Thus she hid him from Athaliah, so that the boy was saved. And Joash remained hidden in the House of YHVH for six years while Athaliah reigned over the land. In the seventh year, Jehoiada the chief priest, summoned the officers of the royal guard and of the Carites to the House of YHVH. After concluding a pact with them under oath, he showed them the king’s son.

The commanders of the guards did what Jehoiada the priest had told them to do and they showed up with all their men, those who were to go off duty on the sabbath as well as those who were to come on duty on that day. Jehoiada entrusted to the officers the spears and shields of king David which were in the House of YHVH.

And the guards stood from the southern corner of the house to the north, surrounding the altar and the House of YHVH. Then Jehoiada, the priest, brought out the king’s son, crowned him and put the bracelets on him, then proclaimed and consecrated him king. All clapped their hands, shouting and crying out, “Long live the king!”

When Athaliah heard the noise of the people, she approached the crowd surrounding the House of YHVH. The king was standing by the pillar, according to the custom, and the officers and the trumpeters were with him. The people were filled with joy and they were blowing trumpets. On seeing this, Athaliah tore her clothes and cried out, “Treason, treason!”

Jehoiada the priest commanded the officers, “Surround her and bring her out to the courtyard, and kill anyone who tries to defend her.” He gave this order, because he thought, “She should not die in the House of YHVH.” They brought her out, and when they reached the palace of the king by the horses’ entrance, there they killed her.

Jehoiada made a covenant between YHVH and the king and the people so they would be the people of YHVH. All the citizens went to the temple of Baal and destroyed it. They broke the altars and the images into pieces, and killed Mattan, the priest of Baal, before his altar. Then Jehoiada, the priest, posted guards over the House of YHVH.

All the citizens were happy and the city was at peace. Now regarding Athaliah, she had died by the sword in the king’s palace.

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Thursday, 16 June 2016 : 11th Week of Ordinary Time (Homily and Scripture Reflections)

Liturgical Colour : Green

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, on this day, we heard the words of the Scriptures speaking to us regarding the examples of faith which the prophet Elijah and our Lord Jesus had shown us. In the first reading, we saw how the prophet Sirach spoke about Elijah, to whom God had granted His power and authority, that by his hands and works, he performed many miracles and good deeds among the people of God.

And he preached repentance and forgiveness for the sins which Israel and its people had done, urging them to turn their back on their sinful ways and be converted wholly to the way of the Lord. He worked tirelessly among the people of God, and persevered on even though he faced rejection, opposition and even outright hostility from those to whom God had sent him.

And God rewarded Elijah with the gift which He had granted to only a few, those whom He deemed to be worthy enough so as to avoid the taste of death, as what happened first with Enoch, the descendant of Adam, who was so righteous and just that God took him up to heaven, and also probably Moses, who could not enter the Promised Land because of his sin, but his faith and devotion in leading the people of God through the Exodus, and having seen God face to face, like Elijah had done, it is probable that God also took Moses up with Him to the glory of heaven.

And in Jesus our Lord, we then heard about the way which we as the faithful people of God should pray, and how not to pray, as what the pagans had done. And that was where Jesus taught His disciples the Lord’s Prayer, the perfect prayer which came from the very words of our Lord and Saviour. And from the Apostles, they passed down the teachings to us, so that we all also learnt and knew the truth which God wanted to show us.

Brothers and sisters in Christ, Jesus taught us that when we pray we should not pray with many words, as what the pagans do, and that our prayer should come from our heart, a true expression of ourselves rather than an empty and meaningless prayer. Unfortunately, I am sure that if we look at our own way of praying, and how each of us pray, we can see that there are many occasions when we did not pray in a proper way.

It is very common that when we pray, we make it into a litany of requests, wishes and even demands. And for many of us, the reality is that, we have that tendency to equate prayer to asking or begging the Lord to do us a favour, and that prayer is like a hotline for us all to contact the Lord when we are in need of help. That is where we were wrong, brothers and sisters in Christ, as prayer is not just for us to speak to God and have the airtime for our own only, but also as a venue for God to speak to us in the depths of our hearts.

And this is where we as Christians should learn to improve ourselves, and change our ways where it had not been right before. The problem with our way of prayer and with our works is that, it is too often that these are done with regards to ourselves, for ourselves, and to satisfy our ego. Our ego stood in the way of our true faith in the Lord, for the ego or our beings led us to do things in the way that we had done them.

But that is not what it is supposed to be, brethren, as we have been called to a greater purpose, rather than to serve just ourselves and our needs, which is selfishness, and embrace the way of selflessness, where we ought to learn to care and love one another, and show mercy, forgiveness and love in the way we interact with each other.

In the first reading, the prophet Elijah showed us how we should act as a follower of our God. Rather than being overly indulged into ourselves, we should go forth and work in order to bring our brethren, especially those whom we know, and those in our societies and communities, closer to the Lord our God, and persevered to preach to them the Good News of God as Elijah had done, through our own actions.

But no action can be complete without prayer and correct spiritual dimension. Prayer and work complements each other, and prayer and work are essential components of our Christian faith. When we pray, we should let go of our desires, wants and ego, and we should instead open our hearts, keeping the silence in our minds and hearts that the Lord our God may speak in them, and show to us the path to move forward.

Let us all from now on become renewed Christians, devoting ourselves, our effort and our time to do the good works of God, spreading His Good News and salvation to ever more people and bring to Him ever more souls. And let us all also keep ourselves close to God through prayer, talking with Him and communicating regularly with Him, so that we may listen to Him and know what is His will for us. May God be with us all always, now and forever. Amen.

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Thursday, 16 June 2016 : 11th Week of Ordinary Time (Gospel Reading)

Liturgical Colour : Green

Matthew 6 : 7-15

At that time, Jesus spoke to the people and to His disciples, “When you pray, do not use a lot of words, as the pagans do, for they believe that the more they say, the more chance they have of being heard. Do not be like them. Your Father knows what you need, even before you ask Him.”

“This, then, is how you should pray : Our Father in heaven, holy be Your Name, Your kingdom come, Your will be done on earth as in heaven. Give us today our daily bread. Forgive us our debts, just as we have forgiven those who are in debt to us. Do not bring us to the test, but deliver us from the evil one.”

“If you forgive others their wrongdoings, your Father in heaven will also forgive yours. If you do not forgive others, then your Father will not forgive you either.”

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Thursday, 16 June 2016 : 11th Week of Ordinary Time (Psalm)

Liturgical Colour : Green

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

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

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

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

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

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Thursday, 16 June 2016 : 11th Week of Ordinary Time (First Reading)

Liturgical Colour : Green

Sirach 48 : 1-15 (Greek Septuagint version Sirach 48 : 1-14)

Then came the prophet Elijah like a fire, his words a burning torch. He brought a famine on the people and in his zealous love had them reduced in number. Speaking in the Name of the Lord he closed the heavens, and on three occasions called down fire.

How marvellous you were, Elijah, in your wondrous deeds! Who could ever boast of being your equal? By the word of the Most High you brought a dead man back to life; you brought kings to destruction and thrust famous men from their beds. You heard a rebuke at Sinai and sentences of punishment at Horeb; you anointed kings to be avengers and prophets to succeed you.

You were taken up by a whirlwind of flames in a chariot drawn by fiery horses. It was written that you should be the one to calm God’s anger in the future before it broke out in fury, to turn the hearts of fathers to their sons and to restore the tribe of Jacob. Happy are those who will see you and those who die in love, for we too shall live.

Such was Elijah, taken up in a whirlwind, and Elisha was filled with his spirit. During his life no leader could shake him, no one dominated him. Nothing was too difficult for him and even in death his body prophesied. In life he worked wonders, in death his deeds were amazing.

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

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Wednesday, 15 June 2016 : 11th Week of Ordinary Time (Homily and Scripture Reflections)

Liturgical Colour : Green

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, on this day we are reminded of what we as Christians have to do as part of our faith, and God reminds us that whatever we are doing, we should not do it for ourselves, but rather, we have to do it for the sake of the Lord our God. This is what we often tend to forget and which we also tend to overlook.

We just have to look at the examples of the Pharisees and the teachers of the Law at the time of Jesus, whose teachings do not correspond to the actions which they have taken. They preached one thing, but then in their actions they were not genuine in their faith. Jesus elaborated extensively on that matter, criticising them as hypocrites and those who sought to bring about their own personal glory.

Brothers and sisters in Christ, let us just see some of the examples. The Pharisees were overly concerned about their appearances and about how the people perceived them and their actions. They feared that the people would abandon them and their teachings for Jesus, Who taught with authority and with truth, and who did not just preach but also practiced what He preached.

And Jesus our Lord was right in criticising them, because their actions were not done for the sake of the Lord and His people, but instead, they were meant for themselves, to advance their own positions and to satisfy their own need and greed. They prayed in public places with a loud voice and with great appearances so that the people would see them and what they were doing, and then praise them and gave them the prestige and honour which they desired for so much.

And when they fasted, they fasted publicly, showing sad and gloomy faces, to show others that they were fasting, just as Jesus mentioned. And He pointed out that in doing so, they risked themselves, or indeed they had purposefully done so, that they again might be noticed by the people. And they gained the satisfaction when people praised them for what they have done, and they grew proud in their hearts.

Brothers and sisters in Christ, what the Pharisees had done then, are also applicable to us all as well. How often was it throughout our history that we have acted in ways so as to satisfy our own personal desires and wants? And how often is it that men had been so selfish so as they forgot about others around them, or even trample at them in order to fulfil our own needs?

And the most important of all, is that the Pharisees and the teachers of the Law did not give glory to God and neither did they love Him or have true faith for Him when they did all the things they have done. They did it for themselves, and not for God or for His people. And that was exactly why the Lord rebuked them and condemned them harshly for it.

Brothers and sisters in Christ, from all that we have heard and discussed today, let us all come to the realisation that each and every one of us as Christians must have genuine and living faith in our God, and this means that we must truly have that devotion for our God, and when we do everything, let us do it for the Lord our God.

May God strengthen our faith and empower us always to be filled with faith, hope and love, so that in all the things we do, we will always be ever faithful to Him, our Lord and God, and be worthy of His life everlasting. Amen.

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Wednesday, 15 June 2016 : 11th Week of Ordinary Time (Gospel Reading)

Liturgical Colour : Green

Matthew 6 : 1-6, 16-18

At that time, Jesus spoke to the people and to His disciples, “Be careful not to make a show of your righteousness before people. If you do so, you do not gain anything from your Father in heaven.”

“When you give something to the poor, do not have it trumpeted before you, as do those who want to be seen in the synagogues and in the streets, in order to be praised by the people. I assure you, they have been already paid in full.”

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

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

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

“And your Father, Who sees what is kept secret, will reward you.”

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Wednesday, 15 June 2016 : 11th Week of Ordinary Time (Psalm)

Liturgical Colour : Green

Psalm 30 : 20-21, 24

How great is the goodness which You have stored for those who fear You, which You show, for all to see, to those who take refuge in You! In the shelter of Your presence You hide them from human wiles; You keep them in Your dwelling, safe from the intrigues of wagging tongues.

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

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Wednesday, 15 June 2016 : 11th Week of Ordinary Time (First Reading)

Liturgical Colour : Green

2 Kings 2 : 1, 6-14

YHVH took Elijah up to heaven in a whirlwind. It happened this way : Elijah and Elisha had left Gilgal, and Elijah said to Elisha, “Stay here, I beg you, for YHVH is only sending me to the Jordan.” But Elisha answered, “I swear by YHVH and by your life that I will never leave you.”

And as they went on their way, fifty fellow prophets of Jericho followed them at a certain distance. When Elijah and Elisha stood by the Jordan, Elijah took his mantle, rolled it, and struck the water with it. The water parted to both sides and they crossed over on dry ground.

After they had crossed, Elijah said to Elisha, “What shall I do for you before I am taken away from you? Ask me.” Elisha said, “Grant that I may have the best of your Spirit.” Elijah answered, “Your request is most difficult. Yet if you see me while I am being taken from you, then you shall have it. But if not, you shall not have it.”

As they were walking on the way, a chariot of fire with horses of fire stood between them, and Elijah was taken up to heaven in a whirlwind. Elisha saw him and cried out, “Father, my father, chariots of Israel and its horsemen!” When Elisha lost sight of him, he took hold of his own clothes and tore them. He then picked up the mantle which had fallen from Elijah and returned to the banks of the Jordan.

There he struck the water with the mantle, but it did not part. So he asked, “Where is YHVH, the God of Elijah?” And as he struck the water again it parted. Elisha crossed over.

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Tuesday, 14 June 2016 : 11th Week of Ordinary Time (Homily and Scripture Reflections)

Liturgical Colour : Green

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, continuing from the discourse of yesterday’s Scripture reflections and passages, we move on to the theme of mercy and forgiveness from God, which He gives to all those who have shown genuine and true desire to be forgiven, and whose heart were filled with regrets for the wicked acts and things which they had committed in life.

In the first reading today, we had the example from the Book of Kings telling us about the same king Ahab, who also caused the death of Naboth of Jezreel in order to seize his vineyard to be his own. God spoke to him through the prophet Elijah, warning him of the impending punishment that he had earned for having committed such heinous and wicked a crime, and therefore the anger of God was upon him, and destruction awaited him.

But king Ahab, as sinful as he was, he was still capable of showing regret and humility, humbling himself before God and lowering himself, unworthy before God, knowing full well the sins which he had done. And God saw his regret and desire to recant his sinful ways, and gave him a reprieve, although he was still not forgiven for all the multitudes of evil deeds which he had done.

In the Psalm, we heard the famous psalm of David, which was likely composed when king David had sinned before the Lord, either when he committed adultery with the wife of another man, Bathsheba wife of Uriah and plotted for the latter’s death, or when he proudly asked to count his vast dominions and peoples, conducting a census of his whole kingdom despite the advice otherwise given by his advisors.

David showed great remorse and he was filled with great shame. However, unlike Ahab, it was likely that his remorse was far more genuine, and in his heart, ultimately, unlike Ahab, David was still truly faithful and still loved the Lord his God fully and with great devotion. And that is why, although calamities did befall him and troubles found their way to him, but God forgave him and made his reign secure.

And lastly in the Gospel today, Jesus made it all fully well known, of what God is expecting from us, with regards to love, and with regards to our relationship with one another. He expects us to love tenderly, and to love with our heart, and without prejudice or bias. And when we love, we should love all, even those people who have not loved us first.

It is our human nature that we mankind tend to do what only benefits us, and not those things that do not benefit us. We tend to seek things that we can reciprocate with, and hence, we tend to love only those who also love us. But God calls us all, as Christians, as those who believe in Him, His beloved children, to love far more than what our human nature leads us to believe.

We are all called to love with our hearts, to love all, even those who have not loved us, and even those who have hated us and persecuted us, so that the love which we have is truly genuine, rather than just a mere reciprocation or one that is borne out of obligation to repay whatever we have received. Let our love be pure and true, and let us all pray today, that God will help us and guide us that we may love Him and His people ever more. God bless us all. Amen.