Holy sermon

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Sunday, 13 September 2026 : Twenty-Fourth Sunday of Ordinary Time (Homily and Scripture Reflections)

Liturgical Colour : Green

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, this Sunday all of us are reminded that as Christians, each and every one of us are called to be full of love, care and compassion for each other, to be forgiving and merciful just as our Lord Himself has been loving, caring and merciful towards us. Each one of us should be filled with God’s ever generous mercy and love, in our every actions, words and deeds, so that in all the things we say and do, we will always radiate God’s love and compassion, and be ever ready to forgive one another our faults and mistakes, which is what our Christian faith and calling are all about. Just as the Lord Himself has shown us all the love and compassionate mercy, thus we too, as His disciples and followers, should always be filled with the same love and kindness to one another.

In our first reading today, taken from the Book of the prophet Sirach, we heard of the words of the prophet Sirach in which we are all reminded that as God’s faithful people and believers, each and every one of us should always be filled with love and forgiveness, patience and humility. All these virtues and values are very important for all of us, as these are what the Lord Himself has shown us, all these while, in His ever patient love for all of us, His most generous and tender mercy, all the compassion He has shown us despite our frequent and constant rebellions, disobedience and wickedness in our lives. If God Himself has not despised or hated us for all of these, and still continued to love us all regardless, then why can’t we do the same as well, brothers and sisters?

The prophet Sirach also mentioned how we have to learn to forgive one another first and to show mercy on others around us, before we can even expect to be forgiven our own sins and mistakes by God. That corresponds very well with what we all know in the Lord’s Prayer, in the phrase, ‘Forgive us our sins, just as we have forgiven those who have sinned against us’. And as we have seen from that example of the Lord’s Prayer, which we all should know very well, forgiveness and compassion, love for one another is at the very centre and heart of our Christian existence and lives. We cannot  claim to be true and genuine Christians unless our lives, our every words, actions and interactions with one another show the kind of love, compassion and mercy that God Himself has shown us ever so generously all these while.

In our Gospel passage today, we heard of the famous parable of the unforgiving and ungrateful servant, in which we are reminded yet again that unless we show the same kind of love and mercy that God has shown us, then no love and mercy will truly be shown and given to us. We must always be ready to forgive one another, to be charitable and compassionate, and to be patient with each other, as after all, just as others had wronged us, or made us angry and unhappy, there are likely moments and times when we ourselves have made others to be angry with us, or when our own words and actions had caused hurt or hardships to others. That is why, we should forgive each other our faults and mistakes to each other, and not to hold grudge or hatred against anyone else, reminding ourselves that God had forgiven us far greater sins that we have committed against Him.

In that parable, the king, who represents our Lord and God, had forgiven a servant who owed him a huge sum of ten thousand pieces of gold, a truly phenomenal amount, when that servant begged the king to give him more time to settle the account, and not to punish him and his family for the debt. The king was so generous that he did not just do that, but proceeded to cancel the whole entire debt, representing just how wonderful is God’s love and mercy to us, that despite our innumerable sins, He still graciously and willingly forgave us when we came to Him, seeking His forgiveness and mercy. Yet, that same servant then went on to threaten and force another servant who owed him merely just a hundred pieces of silver, which while it may seem to be a significant sum of money, but it paled in comparison to ten thousand pieces of gold that he had been forgiven from by the king.

We heard how that servant refused to budge or forgive his fellow servant the much smaller debt that he was owed, and how his uncharitable and wicked actions came to be known by the king, who then ordered the ungrateful servant not only to pay his debts in full again, but to face the full severity of his punishments, for his lack of charity towards his fellow servants and brethren, and for lacking in gratitude and appreciation for the mercy and love that he had been shown. This is therefore a very important reminder to each and every one of us that we must always show kindness, compassion and mercy to each other, and to be ready to forgive and to let go of our hatred and anger, with our fellow brothers and sisters. This is of course easier said than done, but unless we keep our focus and thoughts on the right things in life, that is on God and His Law and precepts, then with time and effort, we should be able to do what we have been expected to do.

Often times, the main obstacle to our ability to forgive others and to love one another as we should, is our own pride and desire. Our pride and ego often became stumbling block in our path because we end up being so focused on our wants and desires, our ambitions and pursuits that turn us inwards and behaving exactly like that ungrateful and wicked servant, whose self-interest and selfish wants and pursuits ended him in great trouble, because he could not look past his own desires and the ego he had. In his attempts to gain things for himself, therefore, he faltered and fell into disobedience against his master’s will, who definitely wanted all of his servants to follow what he had done, in forgiving and being generous to one another.

This is also what St. Paul briefly mentioned in our second reading passage today from his Epistle to the Church and the faithful in Rome, in which he mentioned how everyone lived and ought to live for the sake of the Lord, and that when they die, they ought to die in the Lord, reminding all of them how Christ, their Lord and Saviour had suffered and died for them, through His Cross, by which He saved all of us from the darkness of evil, sin and death, and brought us all to the assurance and hope of eternal life and the light of His grace and salvation. It reminds us all that our lives should not be centred on ourselves and our own ambitions, but rather, be centred on God. As Christians, we should always have the love first and foremost for God, and then, to love our brethren, our fellow men and women, in the same manner.

Now, brothers and sisters in Christ, as we have been reminded of these passages from the Scriptures, let us all therefore strive from now on, to be ever more loving and forgiving to our brothers and sisters around us, to be merciful and compassionate, following the examples set by the Lord Himself. He has kept on loving us and caring for us despite our constant disobedience and rebelliousness, and He has always patiently reached out to us with ever generous love. He has forgiven us despite our repeated wayward actions and betrayals. Like the king in the parable who had forgiven that servant who owed him a lot, the Lord has forgiven us our innumerable sins and wickedness.

Therefore, are we able to follow His path and examples, and love ever more generously, be more forgiving in our every actions, ways and interactions? Can we purge from our hearts and minds the poison of hatred, anger, envy, jealousy and all the things which may end up causing us to hate one another and cause hurt to each other. Let us all instead cultivate the culture of forgiveness, compassion and selfless love, in all of our actions and dealings. May the Lord be with us always in our journey, and may He continue to bless us all in our every efforts and endeavours, for His greater glory, now and always. Amen.

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Saturday, 12 September 2026 : 23rd Week of Ordinary Time, Memorial of the Most Holy Name of Mary (Homily and Scripture Reflections)

Liturgical Colour : Green or White (Most Holy Name of Mary or Saturday Mass of Our Lady)

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, today the Church celebrates the Feast of the Most Holy Name of Mary, in which we honour Mary and her most holy name, which like that of her Son, Our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, is feared by the devil, our great enemy, who has always despised her for having taken so many away from his clutches, because of all of her efforts in reaching out to us, all these time, in trying to bring us back once again towards the Lord, our Saviour, her Son. Mary has always cared for all of us, whom her Son had entrusted to us to be her own, and hence, we have her as our own beloved mother. Through her many efforts and outreach towards us, Mary had brought so many among us and our predecessors out of the darkness of sin and evil, and back into the path towards the salvation and eternal life in her Son.

In our first reading today, we heard several possible readings for today, the Epistles written by St. Paul the Apostle, either from the Scriptures or the day or the readings for this Feast of the Most Holy Name of Mary, and in them we heard reminders for all of us that ultimately, it was by the coming of the salvation of God through Jesus Christ, the Son of God, Our Lord, that we have been saved and guaranteed the assurance of heavenly glory, if we continue to be faithful to Him, and if we kept on obeying His Law and commandments, and walk faithfully in His path, then we shall truly be blessed and empowered by Him, to be His disciples and to be the shining beacons and examples of His love and truth in this world.

It is a reminder for all of us today that God is and should be our focus and emphasis in life, and it was through His Son that God has rescued us from our fated destruction and damnation, because His coming into this world opened up for us all the path of liberation and freedom, the light that pierced through the darkness that surrounded all of us. And what about Mary and the role that she plays in all of this? Mary is the one through whom we have the surest and most direct path towards the salvation in her Son, Our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ, and that is why, we have the famous phrase, ‘Ad Jesum per Mariam’ or ‘To Jesus through Mary’, which highlights to us the very important role that Mary has in helping all of us, her beloved adopted children, in our path towards redemption.

We must all understand clearly that Mary did not save us all by herself, or that her Most Holy Name is holy and sacred by her own right and volition. Instead, Mary is indeed Holy, her Name truly Holy and wonderful, and feared by the devil and all of his wicked forces, because of her faith in God, her righteous and most exemplary actions and life, and her connection and love that she has for her Son, Our Lord and Saviour, as the Mother of God, and also for all of us, her beloved children, through which not only that the devil is constantly reminded of the final defeat that he will face in the end, but also how often he had been thwarted in his efforts to condemn souls into hell, and to corrupt the children of mankind because of the great efforts of Mary, the Mother of God, and our mother.

And since Mary is the Mother of God, and the mother of a King is truly honoured in the kingdom in the past, Mary is truly a mighty Queen by association with her Son, Our Lord and King, and we ought to honour her and to treat her and her Name with utmost deference and respect. That is why, just like the Most Holy Name of her Son, Our Lord Jesus Christ, we must also honour the Most Holy Name of Mary, as a name that is truly powerful and effective against the attacks and depredations by the forces of evil, invoking our loving Mother’s protection and intercession on our behalf, that God will be moved to protect us from the attacks and the oppressions by the forces of evil being present all around each and every one of us.

But even more so than her connection to her Son, as the Mother of God and of our Lord and Saviour, we honour Mary because of her virtues and righteousness. It was her total obedience to God that allowed her to play such an important part in the history of our salvation. Her ‘yes’ to the Archangel Gabriel and her commitment to the missions entrusted to her showed unto us the perfect role model and inspiration for all of us to follow in how we ourselves should be living our lives, that is with faith and commitment to God. Mary’s faith and commitment should be the strong inspiration that encourage us all to be following God wholeheartedly in the same way as well, and this is yet another reason why the devil fears her so much, because there is nothing in her that he can find any blame with. Sin has no power over her, and hence neither did the devil ever have any dominion over her.

And through her works, even now from her heavenly throne, beside that of her Son, Mary continues to help bring many more of us to the salvation and eternal life assured to us by her Son, Jesus Christ, our Saviour. Mary has never ceased to intercede for all of us sinners, having always shown her love and care for us, just as her numerous apparitions and miraculous presence have shown us, how she truly wants all of us to come ever closer to the throne of her Son’s mercy, to be forgiven our many sins and wickedness, so that we may once again be worthy of God, and be no longer distant or separated away from Him, entering into renewed relationship with Him, one that is founded upon the strong and enduring love that we ought to have in Him, and that our faith in Him will always be strong.

Today, let us all ask our blessed and loving Mother Mary, whose Most Holy Name we honour and glorify, to pray for us always, to intercede for us sinners, that we may be forgiven our many sins, and be reconciled with her Son, Our most loving Saviour, our God and Creator. May Mary, Holy Queen and Mother, continue to guide and help us all in our journey of faith and life, that we may always come ever closer to the glory and joy of Heaven, and distance ourselves from the wickedness and evils of sin. May God be with us too, and may He empower us all to follow Him ever more faithfully, at all times. Amen.

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Friday, 11 September 2026 : 23rd Week of Ordinary Time (Homily and Scripture Reflections)

Liturgical Colour : Green

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, today as we listened to the words of the Scriptures we are presented with the reminder that as Christians we should not live our lives with arrogance, pride and ambition in our minds and hearts, and we should instead constantly place the Lord and His truth as the centre and focus of our lives, our works and our every efforts. We should allow the Lord to guide us in our works and journey, while at the same time we should also be fully attuned with Him and recognising our own frailty and vulnerability, our sinful and wicked state which had separated us from the fullness of God’s love and grace. It is when we allow ourselves to be swayed by our pride, hubris, ego and ambition that we will end up falling away ever further from the path of the Lord.

In our first reading today, we continue to hear from the Epistle of St. Paul to the Church and the faithful in Corinth, in which the Apostle spoke regarding the importance of serving God faithfully and putting Him above all of our own personal agendas and desires, that we may always prioritise Him above all else. All of us should do what we can to make good use of our talents, abilities and gifts in order to glorify God, and we ought to do so because we are inspired to live lives that are worthy of God and are full of commitment and love for Him, so that in everything we say and do, we will always prioritise Him, and be good role models and examples for others to witness so that they may also come to believe in God through us and our examples.

In our Gospel passage today, we heard from the Lord Jesus speaking to the people and to His disciples regarding the faith of those who were hypocrites, using the parable of the splinter and the plank, in which the Lord criticised those hypocrites who liked to condemn others and present themselves as better and more righteous than everyone else. The Lord condemned them for their attitude and haughtiness, their pride and arrogance, all of which had led and contributed to the scandal among the people, as those same people who claimed themselves to be righteous and good, and oppressed others for their beliefs and ways, were themselves flawed and wicked in other ways.

At that time, the Pharisees and the teachers of the Law in particular were among the religious and intellectual elites in the community of the people of God, where they were entrusted with the preservation of the Law of God as revealed to the people through Moses and passed down through the generations. Many of those Pharisees and teachers of the Law often acted haughtily and arrogantly because they thought that they knew it better due to their knowledge of the Law and that they were the ones entrusted with the Law’s guardianship and custody, which likely led them to think that others around them needed their guidance and that their knowledge and understanding of the Law is always right.

The problem is that those people did not realise that they themselves were flawed or wrong, and they thought that they were better than others, and that others deserved to be corrected and it was rightful for them to correct others for their supposed errors without realising and understanding that they themselves were in need of correction as well. They prided themselves in their ways and their misguided observances of the Law of God, and all these had clouded their judgment and blinded them, preventing them from being able to see the truth. They were misguided by their pride and ego, their ambitions and desires, and by the worldly praise and glory.

Brothers and sisters in Christ, all of these serve to remind us that we should not let pride, ambition, worldly glory, fame, our many desires and greed, all these from distracting us off the path towards God and His righteousness. Each one of us should do our best to prioritise God and His ways above all else, and learn to recognise our own shortcomings and what we need in order to come closer to the Lord. All of us are reminded to distance from evil and wicked ways, and to turn away from those things that can mislead us down the wrong path towards disobedience against God, the wrong path of selfishness and manipulation of others for our own self-benefits and more. Instead, we should do our best to follow the Lord in each and every moments of our lives by following our holy predecessors’ examples.

This is what we are all called to do as Christians, as those whom God had called and chosen to be His own people, as those to whom He has revealed the fullness of His grace, truth and love. Meanwhile, the negative examples and things shown by those Pharisees and leaders of the people are reminders for all of us that we should not live our lives and act in the manner of those people who prioritised themselves, their ambitions and their own selfishness first above the plight of others around them. We must not think that we are better and superior than others, but instead be humbler before God and men alike, knowing our own shortcomings, faults and weaknesses.

Let us all work together therefore, as God’s beloved people, as the members of His Church, that in each and every things we do, we will always strive to bring harmony and peace to all, and be good examples, role models and inspirations for each other in our commitment and dedication to live lives that are truly worthy of God, in showing genuine faith and trust in the Lord, in all the things we do and in all circumstances. Let us all continue going forward with the conviction to be true disciples of the Lord, in truly loving Him and in loving those whom He has entrusted to our care, now and always. Amen.

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Thursday, 10 September 2026 : 23rd Week of Ordinary Time (Homily and Scripture Reflections)

Liturgical Colour : Green

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, on this day we are all reminded by the Lord through the readings of the Scripture that each and every one of us as Christians need to show love in our everyday life and in all of our actions and interactions. Unless we love, and love generously and sincerely, we truly cannot call ourselves as Christians, for a Christian loves in the manner that God Himself has shown us, to love one another and even those who despise and hate us. We are reminded that the calling to be Christians is one of love and service, especially to those around us whom God had placed in our lives for us to love and take care of, and also to those who are marginalised, forgotten and oppressed, those who had none to love them.

In our first reading today, we heard St. Paul who wrote in his Epistle to the Church and the faithful in Corinth on the matter of eating of food and meal that has been offered to the idols. For the context, when St. Paul mentioned this, it was because there had been debate and disagreements on whether one was allowed to partake in the food that had been offered to the pagan gods and idols. In the society dominated by Greco-Roman, Egyptian, Anatolian, Phoenician and other pagan beliefs and systems, many of which had pantheons of gods and goddesses, and offerings of foods and drinks were often made to them. At that time, this debate had caused serious divisions among the faithful, and it happened for a good reason as I am about to elaborate on.

Partaking in the food and meals offered to the pagan idols and gods were one of the signs by which one was recognised as a believer, and therefore, as St. Paul mentioned, while he said that technically such meal and offering had no effect in the real and physical way, considering that all those idols and gods were false and unreal, but should any among the faithful partake from those food, what St. Paul meant is that this action might scandalise the faith and lead to the loss of faith in others, because those who witnessed the action without understanding the context and background may end up thinking that it is acceptable therefore for Christians to worship the pagan idols, or that those Christian brethren of theirs had given up their faith in God.

At that time, some among the Christians chose to safeguard themselves and their livelihood by performing pagan rituals and by partaking in the food offered to the pagan idols. Regardless whether they still clung to those old practices, considering how most of them were converts, or whether these had been done purely for the safeguarding of one’s life, the Apostle reminded all of them that they could not and should not do that. The simple reason is that, the actions of those who did so would cause misunderstandings and divisions among the faithful, and would make those who had to suffer for the sake of their faith to lose faith and wonder why there were those who did such a thing just so that they could live a ‘normal’ life. What St. Paul said was that as Christians, we must strive to be always true to our faith and we must show good examples of that faith to each other.

How does this then relate to the matter of Christian love, brothers and sisters in Christ? It is the fact that each and every one of us must show care and concern for one another, by being careful in our actions, in our deeds and interactions that we do not unnecessarily cause confusion, division and disagreements among the members of the Church and the Christian faithful. In the manner of how we live, we must always show the way of the Lord in all things, so that we may truly love our brethren and not instead lead them to their downfall. And even more so, in our Gospel today, the Lord then challenged us to do even more than that. If we have already loved and showed care and concern, and helped all those who are dear, close and good to us, to find our way to God, then, we need to do the same to all those who have been difficult with us, those who have persecuted and made our lives terrible, those who consider us their enemies and those who hate us.

Are we able to do this, brothers and sisters in Christ? Indeed, it is easier being said than done, but this is the Christian ideal of love, something that all of us need to look towards and focus our attention on. It is what Christ Himself has shown us, and which He had led us by example, the examples and inspirations of love, to love one another and to love Him, just as much and even more than we love ourselves. Let us all look at Christ Our Lord, His enduring love for each and every one of us. When so many of us refused to believe in Him, persecuted Him and His disciples, He remained firm in His love and in the dedication to serve us, to help us, to care for us and to guide us to the right path. This is the proof of just how great His love is, which He even showed to those who despised Him. Right from the Cross at Calvary, He looked on all those who have condemned Him to death and crucified Him, and prayed to God His Father, not to hold their sins against them, and to forgive them those sins.

Brothers and sisters in Christ, if Our Lord Himself has shown such mercy, compassion and the ability to forgive, to love tenderly and genuinely, and how His disciples and followers, the innumerable saints and holy men and women of God had done, then can we do the same as well in our own lives? This is what we are all called to do, to be true and committed disciples of the Lord, in deed and in action, filled with genuine and wholesome love for all mankind. Let us all be shining examples of faith and be filled with God’s love, so that everyone who sees us, witnesses our actions, and interacts with us will truly know that we belong to God, and know of His truth and salvation, and not be stumbling blocks that caused scandal to our faith by our own lack of faith and disobedience as warned by St. Paul. 

Let us all be ever more faithful, and let us all be ever more loving and forgiving, reaching out to others, and learn to forgive those who have hurt us and made our lives difficult. May God be with us and grant us the strength to carry on in this journey of faith, even despite the challenges and obstacles we may be encountering in our paths and journeys each day. Let us all help to inspire one another, in all the things we do, in our interactions with one another and in our authentic, courageous and faithful Christian living, now and always. Amen.

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Wednesday, 9 September 2026 : 23rd Week of Ordinary Time, Memorial of St. Peter Claver, Priest (Homily and Scripture Reflections)

Liturgical Colour : Green or White (Priests)

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, today as we listened to the words of the Scriptures, we are all reminded of the need for us to be ever vigilant and to commit ourselves to the path that the Lord has set before us all. As Christians, each and every one of us have been called to seek the Lord in all things, and to walk in His path, resisting the many temptations for worldly pleasures and sins. We are all expected to be exemplary in our lives so that through us we may be inspiration for one another in faith, and that we may inspire many more people to come and follow the Lord as well through our own good examples and inspirations. Each one of us ought to be those good examples for everyone around us, living our lives as good and faithful followers of God at all times and circumstances.

In our first reading today, we heard from the Epistle of St. Paul to the Church and the faithful in Corinth on the matter of how the faithful ought to live their lives, in obeying the Law of God and living worthily in the presence of God. St. Paul exhorted the faithful to live to the best of their ability in remaining upright and distancing themselves from sinful things and actions. Back then, St. Paul mentioned how the coming of the Lord was seemingly imminent, and that is because no one then knew when the Lord would come again just as He has promised, and some had the thought that the Lord would come again very soon, even within their lifetime, or within mere years from the time that the Apostles were ministering to the people and proclaiming God’s Good News.

Such was the prevailing view back then, and man’s judgment could err as well. For it is only the Lord Himself Who knows the exact moment of His return into this world and no one else. The Lord alone knows all of these and to no one ever so far, has He revealed this, because it is meant to serve as a good reminder to all of us that this can happen just at any moment. It can be next year, next month, next week, next day, or even the next hour, minute or second! That is why all of us have to be ever prepared and ready to welcome the Lord when He comes again, and to account for our actions in life, and make sure that we will be found worthy and just. This is why we have to do our best at all times, to keep ourselves in good graces of God as best as possible.

In our Gospel passage today, we heard from the part taken from the Beatitudes or the Sermon on the Mount in which the Lord spoke to the people who were gathered there and His disciples on what the people of God should be like in their lives and what they should be doing, listing out all the good qualities and traits that the faithful people of God should have, while also highlighting the vices and the predicaments that those who have done otherwise will suffer. The Lord spoke of this as a rebuke for the Pharisees and the teachers of the Law whose actions thus far had been great hindrance in the path of the Lord’s actions and works, and who had not done as they had been expected to do as the guardians of the Law and guides for God’s people.

The people of God have been reminded to follow the path and the precepts of the Lord in all things and at all times throughout their lives. They are reminded to put the Lord as their focus and priority that they will not end up losing their path in life. And all these had been clearly presented to them as something which they ought to follow and do, and not to follow the misguided examples of the Pharisees, the elders and the teachers of the Law who misused the Law of God for their own selfish purposes and desires. It is a reminder for all those who wish to follow the Lord that they have to adopt a way of life that is compatible with God’s path, and not to be tempted and distracted by the ways of the world as the Pharisees and the elders of the community had done.

Brothers and sisters in Christ, as we heard these words of the Scriptures, we are all reminded that each one of us as Christians, as those who profess to be faithful to God are also called and expected to be righteous and just in our way of life. All of us should live our lives worthily and do our best to be good role models and sources of inspiration for everyone, so that it does not matter when the Lord will come again, or when our earthly existence will end, but we will always be ever ready to welcome the Lord when He comes or to account to Him our lives, our every actions and deeds because we have always been faithful and obedient to Him. And not only that, but through our own faithful examples, we may inspire so many people to come and follow the Lord as well.

We should be more vigilant and prepared and not be easily brought into a lull or swayed by temptations all aplenty around us in this world. Unless we make the conscious effort to remain true to our faith, we may end up easily distracted and tempted into the wrong paths in life, and may end up falling into the path of sin and evil. We should support one another and the whole effort of the Church of God in reaching out to the world, in the effort of evangelisation and mission, and also in being true and faithful witnesses of the truth of the Lord. All of us should devote our time and attention, our effort and works in doing the will of God at all times, even in the smallest and simplest of things in life.

Today, we celebrate the feast of one of these glorious saints, namely that of St. Peter Claver. St. Peter Claver was a great priest and missionary, a faithful servant of God who dedicated himself to a great ministry among the slaves in the then New World, in what is now part of the area of Colombia in South America. St. Peter Claver was born in Spain and grew up to be a great intellectual who was noted for his intellectual capacity and ability, after which he became a member of the Society of Jesus, and was eventually ordained as a priest. St. Peter Claver went on to become a missionary in the New World as mentioned, ministering among the slaves in the city of Cartagena, the principal slave trade centre in the then part of the Spanish Empire. Many of those slaves were treated poorly and faced intense discrimination at that time.

It was there that St. Peter Claver devoted himself to the well-being and the protection of the rights of those slaves, striving to care for their needs, especially spiritually, ministering to them tirelessly and dedicating his time to provide for them, and also getting help for them to gain basic access to food, medicine and other essential things they needed. He catechised many of them and as a result, many of those slaves chose to become Christians, having experienced the love of God manifested and made evident to all of them through St. Peter Claver and everything that he had done for their sake. According to historical records, as many as three hundred thousand slaves were baptised by the efforts of St. Peter Claver alone. He continued to devote his efforts to the very end of his life, and upon his passing immediately many extolled his holiness and called for him to be made a saint.

Brothers and sisters in Christ, today, after having heard the words of the Scriptures and after we have heard of the life of St. Peter Claver, let us all therefore be inspired by the good examples and the dedication which St. Peter Claver, as a committed servant of God and holy man of God, had done in his life. Let us all be holy, just as the Lord our God is Holy, and let us all commit ourselves in our own way, and in our own capacity, to serve the Lord ever more faithfully and courageously in all things. May God bless us all and empower each one of us, in our daily lives, to be His ever more dedicated disciples, now and always. Amen.

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Tuesday, 8 September 2026 : Feast of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary (Homily and Scripture Reflections)

Liturgical Colour : White

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, today the Church celebrates together the occasion of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary, celebrating the moment when Mary, the Mother of God, was born. This Feast is celebrated exactly nine months after Mary’s Immaculate Conception on the eighth day of December, just like how the celebration of Christmas, the Nativity of Our Lord, is celebrated nine months after the Solemnity of the Annunciation of the Lord, when the Lord was conceived in the holy womb of Mary, by the power of the Holy Spirit. We celebrate Mary’s birth and rejoice in her because through her, her exemplary life and obedience to God, her commitment to her mission and the desire she had in serving the Lord and in loving her Son, we have received the assurance of God’s salvation through her Son, Our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.

Mary has been specially prepared by God’s grace and power, to be spared and made immaculate, free from the taint and corruption of original sin, as highlighted in the Dogma of the Immaculate Conception. Hence, when she was conceived, unlike others among mankind, Mary was pure and immaculate, and after nine months, was born of her mother, St. Anne. Both St. Anne and St. Joachim, Mary’s parents, according to Apostolic and Church traditions, were faithful to God and upright, and they were living near the Temple of God, and that was when, according to the Law of Moses, Mary was presented as their firstborn, at the Temple, dedicated and consecrated to God, which gave an indication of the great and very important role that she was to do in the history of the salvation of mankind as the one to be the New Ark of the New Covenant of God.

Mary grew up faithfully and was brought up well by her parents, and remained full of God’s grace, throughout her whole life. She obeyed the Law and the commandments of God, and lived a truly holy and exemplary life, and the Lord sent His salvation to this world through her, just as we have heard in our first reading today of the assurance which God has spoken to His people through the prophet Micah. God reassured the people that His salvation would come through a Woman, that was to be Mary, who would give birth and bring unto this world its salvation, with the coming of the Messiah, the Saviour of the world, through her. Mary became the New Ark of the New Covenant of God, the Ark crafted in perfection and grace by God Himself so that she would be truly worthy to bear the Divine Word of God, Incarnate in the flesh within her.

It was also through Mary, as well as Joseph, her husband, that the Lord Jesus, Son of God and Saviour of the world, was born into the House of David and to the race of Israel, as according to tradition, Mary herself, just like Joseph, belonged to the tribe of Judah and was also descended from King David of Israel. In today’s Gospel passage, we heard of the lineage and genealogy of the Lord being presented to us, highlighting His descent from Abraham all the way to David and from David to Himself, through the lineage of kings and the rightful heirs of the Kingdom of Israel through His foster and legal father, St. Joseph, making Him the Heir of David, the One promised by God to His people and to David himself, that the rule of his house and the Kingdom his house will remain forever, because it is God Himself Who has come to us in the flesh, to take up the Throne and rule over all of His people.

Thus, today as we celebrate this Feast of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary, we are all reminded of the important role that Mary has in the story of salvation. Not only that through her, the Lord has manifested Himself in the flesh, and dwelling amongst us, but it was also her faith and total commitment to God that allowed all of that to happen. When the Archangel Gabriel came to her at the moment of the Annunciation, to proclaim to her and through that, to all of us, the Good News of God and the long awaited coming of the Messiah, it was Mary’s total obedience to God, her full trust in Him and His power, His plans and all which allowed the Lord’s plans and works to become manifest in this world. It was Mary’s resounding ‘Yes’ to God which brought unto us the salvation of God, in the person of Our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ.

Now, besides Mary having accepted her role in the plan of God’s salvation, it was also her righteousness, virtues and fullness of grace, as mentioned, which made her to be truly worthy of honour and praise, and why we really rejoice together at the occasion today in memory of her Nativity or birth into this world. With her examples and inspirational life, all of us as Christians, as God’s beloved and holy people should also be inspired and encouraged to follow the Lord and obey His commandments as best as possible, so that we may indeed be truly worthy of God and His grace. We honour Mary because she is the Mother of God, our Lord and Saviour, and also because through her, we can indeed find the clearest, best and surest path to God’s salvation and grace. Through Mary, we can find the best and easiest, most direct path to her Son.

Brothers and sisters in Christ, as we rejoice today in honour of Mary’s Nativity, let us all once again renew our commitment to God through His mother, the Blessed ever Virgin Mary, whose faith and devotion to her Son, her love for Him and also for all of us, have touched and inspired us to be God’s faithful disciples and followers as well. Let us all be reminded that God has entrusted Mary to us, to be our own Mother, and at the same time, also entrusted us all to her, to be her own children, so that she may guide us all to the right path towards her Son, to the salvation and eternal life promised to all those who are faithful to Him. Let us all not be ignorant anymore of our calling in life, to follow the Lord ever more faithfully in our way of life, and to dedicate ourselves to Him much as Mary herself has loved the Lord and dedicated herself wholly to Him.

May the Lord, our most loving God, Creator and Master, continue to help and guide us in our journey throughout life, and may He empower each and every one of us so that all of us may indeed be ever more faithful in everything we say and do. May all of us commit ourselves to God and His cause, with ever greater desire to love Him wholeheartedly as Mary, the Mother of God and our Mother had done. Holy Mary, Mother of God, whose birth we commemorate and rejoice in today, pray for all of us, your beloved children, that we may continue to live our lives worthy of your Son, Our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ. Amen.

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Monday, 7 September 2026 : 23rd Week of Ordinary Time (Homily and Scripture Reflections)

Liturgical Colour : Green

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, today as we listened to the words of the Scriptures, we are all reminded to get rid from ourselves all the taints of evil and sin, all the corruptions that came together with the actions and immorality of this world. All of us should not allow those things to distract us from the Lord and our focus on Him. We must resist the temptations of pride and ego and be more humble in our way of life and actions so that we may listen to the Lord and follow Him rather to insist on our own way. We should not harden our hearts and minds but instead be more willing to listen to the Lord and to allow Him to lead us and guide us to the path of truth and grace. It is our stubbornness and hardened hearts which had more often than not, led us away from God.

In our first reading today, we heard from the Epistle of St. Paul to the Church and the faithful in Corinth speaking to us regarding the matter of the attitudes of the faithful people of God, which ought to be free from the evil ways and sins, and how Christians everywhere are called to be holy just as the Lord is holy. We are all called to get rid from ourselves the ‘leaven’ of sin, and purify ourselves in the way of the Lord, dedicating our lives anew in the manner that we have been taught to do through God’s Church. We live in a world that is full of temptations and persuasions, coercions and pressures to acquiesce to the worldly matters and ways just as it was during the time of the Lord and His Apostles. That is why we are reminded that we should always anchor ourselves strongly in the Lord at all times.

At that time, St. Paul was exhorting the Church and the faithful in the city of Corinth after having heard of the troubles that they were facing, the divisions that they encountered and experienced, the immorality and wickedness that they had indulged in which were scandalous in nature and unbecoming of them as Christians, as those who believe in the Lord and as those who called themselves as His disciples and followers. St. Paul reminded them all to turn away from that path of sin and immorality, and instead embrace the path of God’s truth and love, and His righteousness and grace. He reminded the faithful that they should not allow themselves to be swayed by those worldly temptations, of glory, power and ambition, which could lead them all astray and cause severe divisions and harm within the Church.

There had been lots of bickering, divisions and disagreements even within the early Christian communities, pitting even the missionaries and their supporters and followers against each other. Even St. Paul himself had faced part of these divisions and intrigue within the early Christian communities, with some siding with another charismatic and famous preacher named Apollos against him and those who sided with him. St. Paul reminded the faithful therefore, not just in Corinth but elsewhere against all these divisions sowed by the evil one, trying to undo the good works which the Lord had performed through His servants and the people of God in the Church by sowing divisions and discord among them.

In our Gospel passage today, we heard of the words of the Lord speaking to the people who were listening to Him teaching in the synagogue and also to those Pharisees who were opposed to Him and who were hounding Him, attempting to discredit and to persecute Him for His constant works and efforts during the Sabbath to perform healing miracles and other deeds. The Lord criticised the Pharisees and the teachers of the Law who refused to believe in Him, who hardened their hearts against His teachings and words simply because they were dead set on their beliefs and prejudices, and not only that, but they even plotted against Him and did whatever they could to undermine His efforts and works.

That was what made the Lord pointed out the folly of their argument and preferences, their way of observing the Law, and reminded them all that the Law of the Sabbath that God had revealed to His people through Moses was not meant to restrain mankind and not to be understood merely in the letter, but it has to be appreciated and understood wholly in its spirit, which is meant to lead mankind back towards the Lord, that they may all find their way to Him, and be reconciled with Him. Instead, those Pharisees and teachers of the Law indulged in their own preoccupations and prejudices regarding the Law, and made use of them to advance their own interests and wants, their ambitions and desires.

They made it difficult for the people to come towards the Lord and made it seem that following the Lord was something that was hard and impossible. They had forgotten that their role as the shepherds and guides of the people of God was to bring God closer to His people and the people closer to Him, which was exactly what the Lord had done, in reaching out for the suffering and the marginalised, and in putting others’ needs ahead of oneself, rather than what the Pharisees and the teachers of the Law themselves often did, in promoting themselves and their positions, their achievements and glory ahead of their responsibilities in leading the people of God towards Him.

That is why we are reminded through these readings of the Scriptures today, that we should remain firmly anchored in God in our faith and way of life, in everything that we say and do, so that in all things we will always be firmly grounded in Him and not be easily swayed by the different temptations and pressures present all around us. We are all called to be the ones to lead the way forward and to inspire one another in how we live our lives most worthily, in the manner that we have been shown and taught by the Lord Himself, so that in everything we say and do, we may truly be the worthy beacons of God’s light, and the faithful and authentic bearers of His Good News, revealing His love to all those around us, showing to all what it truly means to be Christians, to be centred on God and not on our own selfish ambitions and pride.

May the Lord, our most loving and compassionate God, our wonderful Guide and Help, continue to provide for us all in each and every moments of our lives, and may He empower all of us to live ever more courageously in His Presence at all times, giving our very best to proclaim His Name in all the circumstances and opportunities in our lives that He has given us, all united in our efforts to glorify God instead of being divided and being prejudiced against one another. May God bless us all in our every efforts and endeavours, now and always. Amen.

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Sunday, 6 September 2026 : Twenty-Third Sunday of Ordinary Time (Homily and Scripture Reflections)

Liturgical Colour : Green

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, this Sunday all of us are called and reminded to turn away from the path of sin and evil, and return once again to the Lord’s loving embrace, to His Presence, and in order to do that, we will have to reject the wicked ways of the world, all the temptations to sin and to disobey the Lord. The Lord has reminded us constantly to keep ourselves away from those that brought us damnation and ruin, and we are reminded not to fall into those traps that Satan and his fellow forces of evil have constantly laid in our path in life. We must remain firm in our faith and commitment to God, and not easily be swayed by the falsehoods and sweet lies of those who seek our destruction, and also help one another to remain faithful in God.

In our first reading today, taken from the Book of the prophet Ezekiel, we heard of the words of the Lord to His people, the Israelites, who have often disobeyed Him and disregarded His Law and commandments. The Lord told them all through Ezekiel of the time of great distress in which they would have to endure and suffer hardships and troubles, because they have not lived their lives faithfully and had committed all sorts of wickedness in the world, which was truly unbecoming of their status of God’s chosen and beloved people, as a race that God had first called and chosen to be His own, by their rebellious attitudes and all the stubborn and hardened heart which they had kept against God and His messengers, all those whom He had sent to them to remind them and help them in their journey and lives.

That was why those people had wrought their own doom and destruction, as they have not walked in the path of their forefathers who had obeyed the Lord. They had abandoned the One Who has always cared for them and loved them, regardless of their iniquities and sins. Yet, the Lord continued to seek after them, reached out to them, patiently tried to lead them all back to Himself, gathering them from the places where they had been scattered to by their own folly and wickedness. He desired that every one of His beloved children and people, that is all of us, to be reconciled with Himself, now that His love for all of us, the children of mankind, has been revealed to us. All of us have been given the guidance and help from the Lord, through His Church, His messengers and servants, and the Law and commandments He has shown us so that we may find our way to His salvation and grace.

In our second reading today, we heard from the Epistle of St. Paul to the Romans, in which the Apostle reminded the faithful people of God in Rome that each and every one of them should always heed the Law and commandments of God, which has been revealed and explained in their fullness by the Lord Himself, and which St. Paul stressed again to the faithful, that the Law and all the whole commandments, are all about Love, the love that we all must have for the Lord, and which we should also have for our fellow brethren, to our families, relatives and friends, and even to those whom we do not know, to the acquaintances and strangers we met in our daily lives and moments in this world.

And that is what each and every one of us are reminded and called to do in this world. As Christians, all of us must be loving just as our Lord and God is Love. If we do not love as we should have, to those whom we are called to love, then how can we call ourselves as Christians? How can we be one of the faithful disciples and followers of Our Lord, if we do not truly embody our faith in our every actions and words, in our every efforts and endeavours, how can we be truly faithful and committed to God? That is why this Sunday, we are reminded, also through our Gospel passage today, to be always concerned and caring to others all around us, even to those amongst us who are wayward and those who have fallen from grace.

In our Gospel passage today, we heard the Lord speaking to His disciples and telling them to be kind to one another and to help each other avoid the path of sin and evil, in our common responsibility to guide one another in obeying God’s Law and commandments, and in following Him in each and every things that He had taught us to do. We heard of how God told us to point out each others’ errors and faults fraternally, with the intention of helping each other to grow to be better and more faithful, virtuous and good people of the faith, so that we may know the errors of our ways, and strive to do what is right and just in the sight of God and man alike. As Christians, we must always be charitable and concerned for one another, as that is part of our calling in life. We must always seek to do what God had taught and commanded us to do, to carry out His will, and make good use of what we have been blessed with, for the good of each other.

Brothers and sisters in Christ, many of us and our predecessors often fell into wicked and sinful paths because we allowed ourselves to be swayed by worldly attachments and temptations, which led us to turn away and be distracted from the path towards God and His salvation, from the right path that God has shown us. We have often allowed pride and ego, our desires and all those temptations to pull us away from the virtuous and just path, into the path towards our downfall and destruction. If we are not careful, we may end up falling deeper and deeper into this slippery path, and from which we may eventually regret when it is already too late for us. Hence, these constant reminders that we have received from the Lord through His Church and the Scriptures serve as important calls and check for each one of us so that we do not continue to walk down the path towards ruin and evil, but turn instead once again towards God with all of our hearts and might.

Are we able to do so, brothers and sisters? Are we willing to make the commitment to walk down the path that He has shown us? There may be lots of trials, challenges and hardships on the way, but as long as we trust in the Lord and believe in Him and His providence, and be ever willing to help one another with genuine love and care, all of us will be able to weather through those many challenges and hardships together as one united people beloved by God, as those whom God had called, chosen and blessed. As parts and members of God’s Church, we are all parts and members of the same Body of Christ, and all of us ought to be united in love and purpose, and hence, what we have been reminded today through the Scriptures, remind us that each one of us have important parts to play in ensuring that all of us remain firmly faithful and committed to God at all times.

Let our every words, actions and deeds inspire others around us, and help everyone to remain in love with God, and to be filled with the same love for our fellow brethren as well. Let us be exemplary in how we live our lives, that we should love God first and foremost with all our might, in doing what He has taught us to do at all times, and then, to do the same to those around us, to show care, concern and love even in the smallest things. We should strive to always be concerned for the ones who need our help and assistance, in whatever ways, and in sharing the joy and blessings that God has given each one of us. That is how we truly and fully live our lives as Christians, in being great role models, inspirations and shining beacons of our faith in this world, to bring God’s light, Good News and truth into this world darkened by sin.

May God bless us always in our every good efforts and endeavours, in our every words, actions and deeds, that more and more people may come to believe in Him through us. May He guide us all and strengthen the love and faith within us, so that His Church may always grow ever more abundantly in love and grace, in our loving interactions with one another, as one people united in faith and love, in Christ. Amen.

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Saturday, 5 September 2026 : 22nd Week of Ordinary Time, Memorial of St. Teresa of Kolkata, Religious (Homily and Scripture Reflections)

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

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, today as we listened to the words of the Scriptures, we are all constantly being reminded as we have been this whole week, to entrust ourselves to God’s wisdom and not to human wisdom and ways, to put our faith in God and His providence and not to depend on human ingenuity, power and strength. The Lord has shown us the path forward in life, and we should believe in Him and commit ourselves to His cause, allowing Him to lead and guide us down the right path, and not to allow ourselves to be distracted by worldly temptations and persuasions, all those that are able to cause us to be drawn away from the path towards God and His truth.

In our first reading today, we heard from the Epistle of St. Paul to the Church and the faithful in Corinth regarding the importance of remaining vigilant against the temptations of pride and desire, of hubris, ego and ambition that can easily mislead them away from the path towards the Lord. The Apostle spoke against those who were divided against each other, being prejudiced against their fellow brothers and sisters simply because they had differences in opinions and thoughts. At that time, the community of the faithful in Corinth were divided among several groups due to the different preferences they had between following the different missionaries and leaders like St. Paul himself, as well as Apollos, the famous Jewish Christian preacher, and others.

In our Gospel passage today, we heard from the Lord Himself speaking to the Pharisees and others regarding the matter of the Law of the Sabbath which the Pharisees found issue with Him and His disciples when the latter were picking the grains of the field to be eaten as they were very hungry. The Pharisees adopted a very strict and rigid view of the Law and they imposed this view and version of the Law on the people, looking down on those who did not obey the Lord the way that they had done it. They criticised others whom they deemed to be unworthy while praising and looking highly on themselves, considering them as the only ones worthy of God.

It was there that the Lord made the same reminder to all of us, that we must not fall into this temptation of pride and desire, the temptation of our ego and greed which can become the source of our downfall into sin. For through their preoccupation and obsession with their rigorous observation of the Law, that had led to them idolising themselves and being self-centred instead of focusing their attention on God. The Lord and His truth no longer became the focal point of their actions and lives, and as such, they became further and further away from God’s path, and dragged many others into the wrong paths in life.

That is why each and every one of us have been constantly reminded throughout this week to guard ourselves against all sorts of temptations found in our world. We should not easily succumb to the pressures and the temptations found all around us, all of which can drag us deep into the trap of sin and evil. We must constantly be vigilant and ready to resist the pleasures and e allures of wickedness, and strive to do our best to be ever faithful to God at all times and in all things. We are all reminded today that each and every one of us have been called to a new, holy existence through God and His Son. And we can do so by looking upon the examples set by the Lord Himself, His Apostles and our holy predecessors, the saints and martyrs. And today, we have the examples of St. Teresa of Kolkata, also better known as Mother Teresa, as the great example, role model and inspiration that we should emulate in our lives today. St. Teresa of Kolkata and her actions in reaching out for the poor and the least fortunate should inspire us to do the same with our own lives.

St. Teresa of Kolkata was born as Anjezë Gonxhe Bojaxhiu or Agnes Gonxha Bojaxhiu in what is today Albania, to a family of Catholic Albanians, who was called early to her vocations when she was inspired by the story of missionaries and the works they did in the region of Bengal and India. Eventually, this led to the young Agnes joining the Sisters of Loreto, and aspiring to become a religious sister and missionary. She eventually went to India, and took up the name of Teresa upon entering the convent, living her life as a religious in caring for the needs of the community. During those years, St. Teresa was gradually more and more disturbed by the abject poverty which were rampant around her convent and school community. This eventually led to her embracing the new calling and mission of the Lord, beginning a new missionary outreach in caring for the poor, the sick and the dying, which led to the establishment of the Missionaries of Charity.

St. Teresa tirelessly worked hard for the sake of those to whom she had dedicated herself to, and inspired many others within her community with her dedication and efforts, while facing hardships, challenges and trials throughout her journey and mission. But she did not allow all those obstacles and hardships to distract or dissuade her from her commitment to her mission, or to her love for her fellow brothers and sisters, especially to the poorest, the last and the least among the people, and for all those who did not have anywhere else to go to, or anyone else to turn towards. St. Teresa established homes and care places to take care of those who were sick and dying, giving them the means to face suffering and death with dignity, caring for the least fortunate amongst us, and showing unto us the love of God manifested in our midst.

Brothers and sisters in Christ, the well-known examples set by St. Teresa of Kolkata should serve to remind us to keep ourselves strongly dedicated to God, as well as to turn away from all sins and wickedness. We should instead be filled with genuine love from God, and with the desire to love our fellow brothers and sisters, much as what St. Teresa of Kolkata and all those inspired by her had done. All of us should do our part so that we may always seek to be ever more faithful and worthy of God, in all of our words and actions, in our every interactions and dealings, so that through us, and our works, we may ever be blessed and be filled with God’s grace. May God bless us always, in our every good works, efforts and endeavours. Amen.

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Friday, 4 September 2026 : 22nd Week of Ordinary Time (Homily and Scripture Reflections)

Liturgical Colour : Green

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, today as we listened to the words of the Lord in the Scriptures, we are reminded first of all to be wise and thoughtful servants and followers of God, and to treat one another with respect and kindness, not to judge one another with malicious intention and desire, but instead to show true love and concern for one another. We have to heed the Lord’s words and remember to turn towards Him with renewed faith and way of life, committing ourselves to lead each other on the right path instead of trying to bring each other down and in being judgmental in our attitudes and actions. We are all called to listen to the Lord and to trust in Him and in what He has shown and taught us all to do in our lives.

In our first reading today, we heard from the Epistle of St. Paul to the Church and the faithful in Corinth, we heard of the words of the Apostle reminding the faithful people of God there to be faithful and put their faith in God and not be judgmental towards one another. This came at a time when there were significant divisions and conflicts among the faithful in Corinth, as was elsewhere due to the differences in opinions among the faithful who were divided between the various missionaries and leaders of the faithful as we have heard in the past few days of readings, between those who followed St. Paul himself, and Apollos, another famous preacher and others who sided with the other Apostles among others.

St. Paul reminded the faithful people of God not to be divided or hostile against each other because of their differences, and instead of judging one another, being hostile and angry against each other, they should work towards resolving their differences, reminding them that after all in the end, all of them are God’s people, the members and parts of His same one Church. There should not be prejudice or distinction henceforth amongst the people of God just because they preferred certain ways of teaching or ideas, unless those ideas were indeed against the truth of God, which in the case of St. Paul, Apollos or the other Apostles were not such, as each one of them were faithful to the Lord and delivered His truth in their own different ways.

In our Gospel passage today, we then heard the Lord speaking to the people who compared Him and His disciples with the disciples of St. John the Baptist and the Pharisees, in terms of how they fasted and followed the laws as according to the common laws observed among the people at that time, the Law of Moses. The people wondered why Jesus and His disciples did not fast the way that the Pharisees and the teachers of the Law, as well as the disciples of St. John had done. Worse still was that the Pharisees and the teachers of the Law themselves often criticised and even were hostile against the Lord and His ways, His teachings and truths simply because they did not conform to the ways that were endorsed or supported by the Pharisees and the teachers of the Law.

Contextually, we also have to understand that the Pharisees and the teachers of the Law were the religious and intellectual elites of their time, and they liked to look down on those who disagreed with them, and also those whom they deemed to be inferior, sinful and wicked, worthless or hopeless, treating those people like the tax collectors and prostitutes, the poor and the sick, those who were afflicted with diseases and disabilities, possessed by evil spirits and demons as those who were beyond hope and salvation, and were unworthy of God’s love and grace. They kept the gates of God’s salvation shut for those who came to seek the Lord, and made it difficult for many to approach the Lord by their overly strict and stringent laws and customs.

It is this same attitude that St. Paul and also the Lord Himself had warned us against, the prideful attitude of man who indulged in their sense of superiority and their selfish nature, in seeking personal glory and satisfaction over that of the truth and love of God. The Pharisees and the teachers of the Law had not faithfully done what the Lord had entrusted them to do, and as such, the Lord pointed out that His way is the true way, and those who follow Him, His truth and way, have to commit themselves to the new path that He Himself will show, the path of God’s righteousness and grace, and renew themselves through listening to God’s words, always ever constantly reminding all of us, all of His people to follow Him.

Brothers and sisters in Christ, now that we have heard these words of the Sacred Scriptures, and kind reminders for us to follow the path that God has set and placed before us, let us all therefore commit ourselves thoroughly at all times, dedicating ourselves, our time and effort to draw ever closer to God, doing whatever we can to be inspiration to one another in the way we live our lives, in our every actions, words and deeds, all of which should be based and focused on the Lord, to show that we are truly God’s people in everything, so that we may help to show God’s truth by the testimony of our faith and lives, in each and every moments we have in this world. We are all called to heed what the Lord Himself had taught using the parable, that in following Him, we ought to change our ways and abandon the path of worldly glory and prejudices, for the path of truth and holiness as God Himself has taught us through His Son, Our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ.

May the Lord continue to be with us always, and may He empower each and every one of us that we may strive to live worthily at every opportunities possible, leading more and more people towards the Lord, and may through our good examples, we can help many others to find out more about the Lord, about His love and path, that more of them may eventually come closer to God, and share with us the joy of our faith in God as well. May God bless us in our every good efforts and endeavours, our every good works, now and always, forevermore. Amen.