Holy sermon

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Sunday, 4 October 2026 : Twenty-Seventh Sunday of Ordinary Time (Homily and Scripture Reflections)

Liturgical Colour : Green

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, this Sunday as we listened to the words of the Scriptures, we are all reminded of our duties and responsibilities, our calling and our missions as God’s beloved people, as those whom He has chosen and called, to be His disciples, followers and trusted stewards, in caring for everything that He has entrusted to us. Each and every one of us, in our various areas of responsibility and walk of life, we have been entrusted with various gifts, talents, abilities, opportunities and all other things that help us to reach out to others all around us, be exemplary and missionary in how we live our lives so that we may indeed spread and proclaim the Good News of God, His truth and love through our everyday actions and examples.

In our first reading today, taken from the Book of the prophet Isaiah, we heard of the words of the Lord, Who was speaking to His people through Isaiah, lamenting and showing His frustrations at them, because of their many sins, wickedness, disobedience and failure to obey His Law and commandments, and for their persistent and continued rebellion against Him and His love and kindness. Back then, by the time of the ministry of the prophet Isaiah, the people of Israel, in both the northern kingdom of Israel and the southern kingdom of Judah had spent a long time disobeying God and refusing to listen to His words, persecuting the prophets and messengers that He had sent to them to remind and help them to return to the right path.

This led to the destruction and downfall of the northern kingdom of Israel, and the exile of many of its people to distant lands by the Assyrians who destroyed their cities and brought an end to their existence and life in the land of northern Israel. The southern kingdom of Judah also faced a lot of hardships and trials, as they were beaten and oppressed by their own neighbours and the same Assyrians who had crushed their northern brethren. The Lord had done everything to keep His people being faithful and committed to Him, revealing His plans and prophecies sent to them through His prophets and messengers, but those who were stubborn and persistent in doing things in their own way rejected those who have been sent to help them, and persecuted the Lord’s servants and messengers.

The Lord spoke about this to His people through veiled words, using the comparison of His people with a vineyard that He, as the Master of the vineyard had tender and cared for. Despite everything which the Lord had done for the sake of His people, they still disobeyed Him and refused to listen to Him, as they chose to disregard His words and ways. This was likened to how the vineyard had yielded poor crops and results despite everything that the Lord had done to tend to His vineyard, that is His chosen and beloved people. And thus, the prophet Isaiah brought up a warning and premonition of what was to come, a warning of the destruction of the nation of Judah, its cities, Jerusalem and others, just as what have befallen the Israelites in the northern kingdom.

This is similar in spirit to what we have heard in our Gospel passage today, in which the Lord Jesus used the parable of the evil tenants in order to teach and reveal the truth to His disciples and followers, reminding them all of what each and every one of them had to do, and to be careful lest they ended up like those evil and wicked tenants who had disobeyed their master. In that parable, the Lord told the story of how several evil and wicked tenants abused their stewardship of their plots of land which had been entrusted to them and leased to them by the landowner. They refused to pay their dues to the landowner, despite repeated reminders from those that the landowner sent to those wicked tenants. Instead, they chose to persecute the messengers and servants that had been sent to them to remind them.

This was an allusion to how in the past, as mentioned earlier, the people of Israel were persecuting the prophets, God’s messengers and servants that had been sent to them to help and guide them down the right path. They had hardened their hearts and minds, refusing to listen to God or obey His Law and ways, and having chosen to indulge in their corrupt and wicked behaviours and attitudes, allowing themselves to be swayed by worldly riches, temptations and seduction. That was just how those evil tenants acted in the Lord’s parable, as they greedily wanted to get the lands they leased for their own selfish benefits, without paying their dues and fulfilling their obligations. They allowed themselves to be seduced and tempted by worldly glory and desires, that they ended up losing their way in the path of sin.

And we also heard how in that parable the master and landowner sent his son to parley and negotiate with those evil tenants, only for them to greedily and wickedly slaughter that landowner’s son, so that they could seize the lands for themselves. This was in fact the Lord showing a premonition, allusion and revelation of what He Himself would suffer and endure at the hands of those who refused to believe in Him and rejected Him. The Lord Jesus Himself as the Son of God was represented by the landowner’s son, sent into this world into our midst, with God representing the landowner, and all of us as the tenants tending the Lord’s vineyard and land, that is this world. And He was also persecuted and rejected, and put to death because of the wickedness and sins of mankind, our own sins.

That is why, brothers and sisters in Christ, having heard what the Scripture passages had told us this Sunday, all of us must realise that as God’s beloved people, the ones whom He had created out of pure love, to dwell in this world, all of us have been entrusted in various different ways to be the stewards of this world, of God’s wonderful creation. We must not misuse, neglect and abuse all that had been entrusted to us, in the natural world and the environment just as Pope Francis in his very recent Apostolic Exhortation ‘Laudate Deum’ had reminded all of us, in how we have driven our natural environment to destruction. And then, we must also be responsible as well in our treatment of one another and way of living our lives, in how we interact with our fellow brothers and sisters all around us, with our family members, parents and children, relatives and friends, and even with strangers and acquaintances whom we meet and encounter in each and every moments of our lives.

All of us should do what St. Paul told the Church of God and the faithful in the city of Philippi just as we heard in our second reading today, as he told them all to be truly obedient and faithful to God, in all of their way of life and actions, with the words like ‘Fill your minds with whatever is truthful, holy, just, pure, lovely and noble. Be mindful of whatever deserves praise and admiration.’ as reminders that we, like those evil and wicked tenants, and like the people of Israel in the ages past, could be easily swayed by the temptations of the world, the many things that the devil and those desiring our downfall have tried to seduce us with. Each and every one of us should always strive to keep ourselves obedient to the Lord and filled with His virtues and love at all times, as best as we can.

Now, as we continue to live our lives in each and every moments henceforth, can we all strive to follow the Lord ever more wholeheartedly in all things? Can we dedicate ourselves, our time and efforts, in all that we say and do, so that we may truly indeed be good and worthy stewards of the Lord’s creation, in our responsible behaviour and actions towards our natural environment, in how we act and interact towards each other, so that we may truly be exemplary and inspirational in our actions, words and deeds, as the shining beacons of God’s Light and truth, bringing hope and enlightenment upon this darkened world, corrupted and misled by sin and evil. Let us all, as Christians, be truly committed to God, and do what God has taught and shown us all to do.

May the Lord be with us always, and may He empower and strengthen each and every one of us, so that in all the things that we say and do, we will always be full of faith and dedication to God, and be always full of virtues and grace. Let us all be truly responsible in living our lives so that we may always be good examples and inspirations for one another. May God bless us all in our every good efforts and endeavours, in all of our actions, words and deeds, now and always. Amen.

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Saturday, 3 October 2026 : 26th Week of Ordinary Time (Homily and Scripture Reflections)

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

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, today each and every one of us are reminded of God’s love and His faithfulness to the Covenant which He has made with all of us. From the Book of Job, we heard how the Lord restored Job and blessed him even more than he had been previously blessed after all of his sufferings. And from the Gospel passage we heard the Lord affirming His disciples and followers, strengthening and reassuring them all of His guidance and providence. Through what we have heard in these readings of the Sacred Scriptures, we are reminded of the need for us to continue trusting in the Lord in all things and circumstances, despite the trials and hardships that we may encounter in our paths.

In our first reading today, from the Book of Job we heard how after all the sufferings that Job had to endure, losing everything he possessed and even most of his family members, humiliated and denounced even by his family and close friends, who told him that he must have sinned against God to merit such sufferings. Job remained firm in his faith in God, but through all that he suffered, he did wonder why he had endured all those bitterness, and gave in to despair for a while. It is after all understandable if we truly appreciate the circumstances he encountered and all the physical and mental battering he encountered, even being ridiculed and kind of gaslighted by his own closest friends and peers.

The Lord reminded Job that He has always been by his side even through his darkest moments, and He has always cared for him, and He told Job that it is not right for him to despair and to question His motives, and he needs to put his trust and faith completely in God. As we heard, the Lord opened Job’s perspectives and revealed the magnitude of His plans and works, and how He would bless him for his faith. Job recognised his errors and repented from his mistakes, and embraced God’s love fully, never having abandoned Him and remaining faithful even through his most difficult days. And God, who brought Job out of his misery, helped and blessed him even much more generously than before. And therefore, God shows us all that those who hold onto Him, despite the trials they may have to endure, will receive eternal glory, true joy and satisfaction in the end.

In our Gospel passage today, the Lord proclaimed to His followers and disciples just how blessed and fortunate they were, for having been counted among His followers and how He has been victorious against the forces of Satan, the devil and the great enemy of all the people of God. Satan has been cast down from Heaven and punished with all the other rebel angels. And this is the prelude to the final defeat of Satan and all of his plots and plans against God’s people that will come with the Cross. For all of their apparent might, fearsome appearances and forces, all those who opposed the Lord will not prevail against God, Whose might is beyond all comparisons, and Whose glory is everlasting. And we are fortunate that our Lord is always ever loving towards each and every one of us.

Satan and all of his wicked forces have always been trying to crush us and to make our lives difficult. And by the means of many temptations and false promises, they have been working hard in dragging us down with them, as they hoped to turn us against God and to subvert us by persuading us to reject the path of God and embrace instead the seemingly ‘easier’ and ‘better’ path that the devil offered to us. And Satan always makes to think that it is futile to try to oppose him, and he wants us to fear him and to suffer so much that we give in to our temptations and all of his persuasions and coercions. That is why so many of us tended to give in to despair and temptations, not trusting in God enough that He can protect us and provide for us.

However, this is where we are all reminded yet again, that no matter what, and no matter how mighty Satan and his forces arrayed against us may seem to be, but they are all nothing compared with the power and the glory of God. And despite all of Satan’s efforts, his power is limited and his might has been crushed, as his rebellion has been defeated, he was cast out and condemned, and his final defeat had been predetermined by God, Who is all powerful and all knowing, revealing before all that we do not need to fear Satan because while he will be cast down into hell for eternity, we, who are God’s people and followers, will be raised to eternal glory and true joy with God. We must look upon Him and put our trust in His Providence and strength.

Brothers and sisters in Christ, are we aware of just how beloved we are by God? We are God’s most beloved ones, and God provides us in everything that we need. As long as we hold strongly to our faith in Him, we shall never be disappointed. Whatever sufferings we may be experiencing now, all these are nothing compared to the joy that is to come for us, in the end and at the conclusion of our faithful journey. But many of us often do not realise this and we are often too busy in trying to get away from fear, all of our insecurities, and we lack the faith in our Lord. Let us all remember all the times when He has always been there for us, through those whom He has placed in our lives and paths.

Let us therefore follow the example of Job, and strive to persevere in faith regardless of the challenges and trials that he had faced, and which we are likely to face as well in our own lives. Are we able to persevere in faith the way that our holy and dedicated predecessors had done? We have all been called to follow the path of the Lord, and we are called to entrust ourselves to His cause. And because we have also witnessed and received this faith from the Lord, we are now called to be God’s witnesses among all of our communities in this world today. It is through our own perseverance, faith and good examples in life that we can lead and inspire so many other people to believe in God as well.

Through our actions, our words and our deeds, each and every one of us should become faithful and great inspirations for our fellow brothers and sisters in faith. May the Lord help us and guide us in our journey of faith, and help us in resisting the temptations of all the desires and the coercions by which the devil has always been busy using in trying to drag us into the path of sin, and lead us into our downfall. May the Lord strengthen us all and give us the courage and perseverance to be always faithful in each and every moments of our lives. May God be with us all, now and forevermore. Amen.

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Friday, 2 October 2026 : 26th Week of Ordinary Time, Memorial of The Holy Guardian Angels (Homily and Scripture Reflections)

Liturgical Colour : White

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, today the Church celebrates the Feast of The Holy Guardian Angels, commemorating all the Angels that God has placed in our midst, guarding each and every one of us. The Holy Guardian Angels protected all of us from the constant attacks and assaults by the forces of evil, from Satan and all of his fellow fallen angels, demons and evil spirits, who are all hell-bent on bringing about our destruction and downfall. They watched over us and kept us on the right path of God, whispering to us God’s words and reminders, whenever temptations come to our way, and whenever the devil and his forces came to tempt and mislead us down the wrong paths in life. They truly guarded us and kept us safe each day and every moments of our lives.

In our first reading today, we heard from the Book of Exodus in which the Lord reassured all of His people of His continued guidance and protection as they journeyed towards the land that He has promised to them and to their ancestors. Back then, the people of Israel had been taken out of the land of Egypt by the Lord Himself, Who sent Moses, His servant to carry out His will and to help lead His people out of their slavery in Egypt. He showed all of them His power and providence, having smittened Egypt and its Pharaoh, its armies and chariots under His might, crushing them with the Ten Great Plagues and other signs, and with a pillar of fire and a pillar of cloud leading the people on their journey towards the Promised Land, always ever with them and always guiding them forward in their path.

This supernatural presence of the pillar of fire at night and the pillar of cloud at day represents God having been ever present among His people, and how He has set and sent His Angel to be with them, to guard them and to go ahead of them on their journey, clearing their path and way before them. This is what the Lord assured them all as we heard in our first reading passage today from the Book of Exodus. The Lord reassured the people that His Guardian Angels are always ever ready to stand by them, to guard and protect them, showing the protection, love and grace of God, ever generously shown and manifested to His beloved ones, and the Lord would go on to send His Angels to help guard and protect the Israelites throughout their long journey and detour in the desert for the whole forty years and afterwards, during the time when they conquered the Promised Land for themselves.

In our Gospel passage today, we then heard of the words of the Lord speaking to His disciples and all the people assembled, while He was speaking and interacting with the young children who came to Him, seeking Him and loving Him. He told each and every one of them that He welcomed and desired children to be in His Presence and to come towards Him, telling them all that their faith and love for Him should indeed be like those children, or else, they cannot come close to the Lord. Why is that so? That is because the faith of those young children are indeed genuine and pure, being innocent and untainted they still are, by the vile things and wickedness of the world. When such a young child believes in something, he or she will truly believe it with all of his or her heart.

That is why, all of us should also heed the Lord’s words and reminders, for us to follow the Lord wholeheartedly and with great and genuine faith. Each and every one of us should do our best so that we may indeed live in the path that the Lord has set before us, striving to be true and committed Christians, in all things and at all opportunities. All of us should do our best to inspire all around us with our actions and way of life, that our lives, actions and works should be truly devout and committed to God, and that we may show the love and truth of God through each and every small little things that we do, and in whatever we say and how we interact with each other. We should always strive to do God’s will in all opportunities and to obey Him wholeheartedly in all our hearts.

In relation to our Holy Guardian Angels, let us all heed their reminders and words in our hearts and minds, as they ceaselessly protected us against all the harm coming from the devil and all of his wicked forces, desiring our downfall and destruction. Let us all be reminded and be turned from our evil, wicked and disobedient ways, heeding our Guardian Angels instead of the lies and the falsehoods spread by the ones who tried to tempt us away from the path of God and His salvation and grace. Let us all strive to keep ourselves blameless and free from those evil and wicked things, and resist the many temptations that may undermine our faith and distract or prevent us from truly being able to be faithful to the Lord in all of our ways.

Let us all be thankful to our Holy Guardian Angels, and let us all remember how they constantly and ceaselessly stood guard by our side, at all times, be it when we are awake or when we are asleep, or be it when we are happy or when we are sad and sorrowful. Let us remember the care and love which each and every one of our Guardian Angels have shown us, and be touched by their dedication and love, so that we ourselves may also strive to be truly faithful and loving towards the Lord, our God, Who has sent us these Holy Angels to be with us, to protect us and care for us, in their own way, from the invisible harm by those who sought our destruction and downfall. Let us all deepen our love for the Lord and be ever more faithful to Him.

Let us now pray the prayer to our Holy Guardian Angels, asking them to intercede for us always in our daily struggles in life. Angel of God, my guardian dear, to whom God’s love commits me here, ever this day be at my side, to light and guard, to rule and guide. Amen.

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Thursday, 1 October 2026 : 26th Week of Ordinary Time, Feast of St. Therese of the Child Jesus, Virgin and Doctor of the Church, Patroness of all Missionaries and the Missions (Homily and Scripture Reflections)

Liturgical Colour : White

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, today the Church celebrates the Feast of St. Therese of the Child Jesus, also known as St. Therese of Lisieux, whose devotion to God and great holiness inspired many others to follow the Lord and to renew their faith in Him. Her famous ‘Little Way’ is inspiration for many up to this day on how each and every one of us can be faithful to God and be good contributors to the good works and missions of the Church through every little things and actions we carry out in our daily living. Today we are all called to reflect upon the good examples and the life of St. Therese of the Child Jesus as we also ponder upon the message of the Sacred Scriptures that we have received from the Lord.

In our first reading today, taken from the Book of the prophet Isaiah, we heard of the great joy which the Lord promised to His people, to the ones to whom Isaiah had been sent to. The context of this message and revelation is that, the people of the southern kingdom of Judah that the prophet Isaiah had been sent to, they had faced a lot of tribulations and hardships amidst their lives and existence of that time among their neighbours and enemies. They and their brethren in the northern kingdom of Israel had not been truly faithful to God, had disobeyed Him and disregarded the reminders sent to them through the prophets and messengers of God, and as such, they had to face the consequences of their sins and wickedness. Their northern neighbours had been crushed and conquered by the Assyrians and were brought into exile in distant lands.

Therefore, the Lord sent His reassurance to His people, the remnants of those who still remained in the kingdom of Judah, that He still loved them nonetheless and wanted them all to be reconciled and reunited with Him. God has always been full of love and mercy for His people, but He waited for all of them to repent from their sins and wickedness, and for them to embrace once again wholeheartedly, His Law and commandments, and the path which He had shown them all. He told them all through Isaiah that if they are faithful to Him and are committed to Him, then all of them shall receive the fullness of His grace, love and blessings. If they continued to put their trust in Him, eventually He would lead them all out of their troubles and sufferings, bringing them back to His loving Presence and bless them.

In our Gospel passage today, we then heard from the Gospel according to St. Matthew in which the disciples of the Lord came to Him asking Him on who would be considered as the greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven. This was in the context of how those disciples and followers of the Lord had been bickering among themselves, arguing about all these while forgetting the true importance and purpose of their discipleship and obedience to God. They sought for worldly satisfaction and pleasures, fulfilment and achievements, but in the end, all of those things are illusory, temporary and will never last, and no matter what, they would never be truly satisfied by all those temptations and pursuits in life. Each and every one of us must always remember that true satisfaction, happiness can come from the Lord alone.

Now, why is it significant that the faith of young children have been mentioned by the Lord here? That is because the faith of little children had been used as example for everyone as a child’s faith is truly pure and unblemished and uncorrupted by the allures of worldly desires, temptations and all the other things, pursuits and ambitions that often led us astray in our lives, distracting us with all sorts of temptations and other things that prevented us from truly being able to approach the Lord and coming closer to Him and His salvation. If we can believe in the Lord in the manner that children believe in Him, then all of us can truly be closer to God, committed and dedicated to Him despite the challenges, trials and temptations facing us in our path. And we will not be distracted by those many distractions around us.

Now, let us discuss about the life of St. Therese of Lisieux and see how her life and dedication to God reflects what we have just heard in our Scripture passages today. St. Therese of Lisieux was born to a loving family of St. Louis Martin and St. Marie-Azelie Guerin, whose devout and happy life inspired many of their own children to seek the Lord and devote themselves, as many among St. Therese’s siblings also joined religious and consecrated life as she did. St. Therese of Lisieux was frail in health since young, but this did not stop her to grow ever stronger in her love and devotion to God, as her family spent significant amount of time in prayer, participating in the Holy Mass daily and other important devotions and works of faith, among other things. This eventually led to St. Therese to feel the calling from God to embrace religious and consecrated life.

St. Therese began to experience visions and mystical experiences, which gradually drew her ever deeper to her calling, and she was drawn towards the Carmelite sisters, which order her eldest sister had also joined. Then, when she wanted to join the Carmelites after having encountered physical and spiritual challenges, she continued to persevere on despite those difficulties and trials. She was initially not allowed to do so because of her very young age, being only around fourteen years old at the time, but eventually her efforts, perseverance and constant persistence gained the admiration of others, even that of the Pope and her local diocesan bishop, who eventually approved her joining the Carmelite sisters despite her young age.

As a young postulant and member of the Carmelite monastery, St. Therese of Lisieux obeyed her superiors faithfully and lived her life with great devotion and commitment to God, doing whatever she could so that she could live her life ever more worthily of the Lord, spending each time and every moments of her life to glorify God, through every small and little actions she did, which would become known later on as mentioned, as her ‘Little Way’, and as she described herself as the ‘Little Flower of Carmel’. All of us are reminded of this great dedication, faith and commitment which the young St. Therese of Lisieux had for the Lord, who committed herself wholeheartedly to the end of her life, and although she passed away at the young age of barely twenty-four, yet, her faith inspired countless people even to this day.

Therefore, brothers and sisters in Christ, having heard of the life and examples of St. Therese of Lisieux and from what we have discussed regarding the Scripture passages today, we are all reminded that as Christians we need to realise our role and responsibilities in doing our part and efforts in whatever we can contribute to the good works of the Church, even in the smallest things. Like what St. Therese of Lisieux told us in her ‘Little Way’ it is a reminder for all of us that even in the seemingly very small and insignificant things we do, we may be surprised to find out just what kind of impact we may have on those around us, and what we can do for others which may benefit them and touch their lives, inspiring them to come towards the Lord.

Brothers and sisters in Christ, let us all hence continue to do our best to approach the Lord faithfully and with great love and commitment, doing our part to come towards Him like those of little children, truly and wholeheartedly being faithful and dedicated to Him, seeking Him purely out of love and desire to be reconciled and reunited with Him, and not because of any selfish and worldly ambitions and desires. May the Lord continue to help and strengthen us in our every moments, in everything that we say and do in our lives, now and forevermore. Amen.

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Wednesday, 30 September 2026 : 26th Week of Ordinary Time, Memorial of St. Jerome, Priest and Doctor of the Church (Homily and Scripture Reflections)

Liturgical Colour : White

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, today as we listened to the words of the Scriptures we are reminded to follow the Lord wholeheartedly and not be easily swayed by sins and disobediences. Each one of us should not be ignorant of our calling and mission to be good and dedicated disciples and followers of our God. To all of us, we have been entrusted with the mission and calling to serve the Lord in whichever opportunities and chances that He has presented us with, and all of us as Christians have been called to do the will of God at all times, to be His faithful followers and disciples, becoming the beacons of His light and truth, proclaiming Him to the whole world and to all around us.

Brothers and sisters in Christ, in our first reading today we heard from the Book of Job the words of Job, a suffering man of God who was struck by many unfortunate losses and calamities because Satan was testing him before God to see if Job would abandon his faith in God and betray the Lord. But Job remained firmly faithful to God and refused to be swayed or coerced by Satan’s efforts, and even when his own wife and friends blamed him and told him to abandon the Lord, he also refused to do so. Nonetheless, he did suffer and despaired, thinking of just how insignificant he and his human nature was before God. And I am sure quite a few among us had also experienced something similar like this before at some points in our lives.

What Job spoke of in our first reading today essentially pointed out the limitations of our humanity and our mortal existence. He spoke of the greatness and the glory of God, and how everything happened in this world by God’s will, and nothing can happen in all unless it has been willed by God and unless God had deemed it right to happen. God had dominion over all things and over all of our lives, and we must realise just how small and insignificant we are in truth as compared to the greatness and the vast majesty of God, Who rules over all the whole entire Universe and over all existence. He is infinite, beyond all limits and measures, and the vastness of His glory, wisdom and existence cannot be truly measured by any human parameters.

In essence, Job reminded us all that God Who is our Lord and Master has control over all things, and truly, if we are able to put our trust in Him, there is nothing that we have to worry about. God will provide as long as we do our best to live our lives in accordance with His will, and He will help and guide us in our journey through life. We have to follow Him and entrust ourselves to His cause, and allow Him to guide us down the way. We all have to commit ourselves wholeheartedly and not be distracted by the many other attachments and temptations of the world. Otherwise, as we heard in our Gospel passage today, we may not be truly worthy for the kingdom of God, what God had prepared for all of us, His most beloved ones.

In our Gospel passage today, we heard the Lord Jesus speaking to His disciples regarding their calling and mission, and responsibilities as one of His disciples and followers. He laid it clearly to them how being His followers will often mean that they had to leave behind the comforts of the world, the attachments to their many worldly matters, just as He Himself, the Son of Man, did not even have any place or home to lay His head on. What the Lord told those whom He called to be His disciples, is that in following Him, they have to put their whole attention and focus on Him, and not to let the distractions of the world to be obstacles in the path of their journey towards God and His salvation.

Often times, we allow our preoccupations and attachments to the world to put God aside, ignoring Him and His call for us to follow Him. We often put our many worldly matters, preoccupations, considerations and other things as excuses why we cannot follow the Lord with all of our commitment and heart. When we always make excuses like this, then it is little wonder if we can be easily swayed or tempted, persuaded or coerced to abandon the path that the Lord has shown us in exchange of the path which we may find to be more agreeable or more convenient to us. It is always about us, about our selfish desires and wants, and not about what we should do as a follower of God. As Christians, we should always prioritise living our lives faithfully and courageously in the manner that is truly pleasing to God.

Today, the Church celebrates the Feast of St. Jerome, a great priest and servant of God, who is one of the four original Doctors of the Church, who is a great disciple of the Lord, and whose life and holiness should inspire us all in how we can live our lives in a more committed way to the Lord. St. Jerome was well-known for his ascetic lifestyle and dedication to God, and he was also remembered for his many theological works and writings, as well as his efforts in compiling the Latin translation of the Greek Septuagint Bible, which would become the Latin Vulgate, the version of the Bible used by many others up to this very day. He was also active in his other contributions to the Church, including as an important and close advisor to the Pope, so much so that he was considered as one of the precursors of the Cardinals that assist the Pope in the governance of the Church today. He was a truly dedicated and holy servant of God, in all the things he has done.

Brothers and sisters in Christ, the faithful examples of St. Jerome, his works and commitment should inspire all of us to live our lives worthily of the Lord as well, with focus ever directed towards God and not upon our own personal ambitions and desires. We should also help one another in putting our faith and trust ever more in God, and in doing what we have been all called to do as Christians, as God’s people. Each and every one of us should always be filled with the desire to love the Lord our God and to have constant faith in Him, at all times. We should not easily be swayed or distracted by the many temptations and challenges present all around us. May God be with us always, and may He strengthen all of us in our devotion to Him. St. Jerome, holy man of God, and devout servant of God, pray for us all sinners. Amen.

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Tuesday, 29 September 2026 : Feast of the Holy Archangels Michael, Gabriel and Raphael (Homily and Scripture Reflections)

Liturgical Colour : White

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, today the Church celebrates the great occasion of the Feast of the Holy Archangels, St. Michael the Archangel, St. Gabriel the Archangel and St. Raphael the Archangel, three of the seven Archangels that serve the Lord by His Throne, as the leaders and most prominent ones among the Angelic Host, and the three whose names are known to us from the Scriptures. Originally this day in the past was a celebration dedicated only to St. Michael the Archangel, the Prince of the Heavenly Host, leader of all the Angels of God in the struggle and war against the forces of the wicked fallen angels, the rebels led by Lucifer, now known as Satan, the great enemy and the deceiver, who had fallen from grace, and has swept a third of the Heavenly Host with his rebellion.

St. Michael the Archangel is indeed probably the most well-known among the Archangels, and we know him for being the one who leads God’s mighty Heavenly Host, the force of Angels in their constant and daily struggles against the forces of the evil and wicked spirits, the demons, fallen angels and all those who have been arrayed against us, in the spiritual warfare ever raging all around us. St. Michael according to tradition was not the strongest and mightiest among the Angels of God, as back then the most brilliant and mightiest among the Angels created by God was one named Lucifer, or the lightbringer, who became enamoured and arrogant because of his own brilliance, and in whose vanity and pride, ended up rebelling against God.

As recorded in the Scriptures and according to Church traditions, it was told that Lucifer aspired to be greater than God and to put himself above all the Angels of God and creation, so swayed he was by his pride and vanity, his greatest sin, and hence, in one tradition, took his seat upon God’s Throne when God was away for a moment. St. Michael was the one who rebuked Lucifer and told him that he was not worthy to aspire to such a height. And with his own name, Michael as battlecry, ‘Who is like God?’, St. Michael the Archangel led the forces of Angels that remained faithful to God, against Lucifer and those who sided with him, just as we heard in one of our Scripture readings today, as the War in Heaven. Lucifer was defeated and cast down from Heaven, where henceforth he is known as Satan, the devil, the great enemy.

St. Michael is especially honoured for his role in leading the forces of the faithful Angels in the struggles that happened then, and ever since, and also for his great faith and commitment to God. It was told that St. Michael always trembled whenever he is in the presence of God, as he, a mighty Archangel he may be, but he is still nothing compared to the Almighty God, Whom he served with complete commitment. However, before the forces of the evil, St. Michael the Archangel stands strong at the head of God’s mighty Angelic Host, ever ready to smite those who would harm the people of God, those who have been placed under the care of St. Michael and the other Angels, our Guardian Angels and more.

Meanwhile, St. Gabriel the Archangel was known to be the one who brought the Good News and revelation to Mary, the Mother of God, at the moment of the Annunciation, in which her role as the one to bear the Saviour of the world was revealed to her. According to tradition of the Church, St. Gabriel the Archangel was also the one who brought the news of the conception of St. John the Baptist to his father, Zechariah the priest at the Temple. Gabriel means the ‘Strength of God’, and through his role in delivering the words of God’s help and deliverance for His people, he reminded them all of the Lord’s guidance and providence, and how each and every one of us should remain firm in our trust and faith in God, and depend on His strength amidst the challenges and trials that may be facing us.

Then, St. Raphael the Archangel was known in the Book of Tobit as he took the disguise of a young man named Azariah, so that he could bring God’s help and intervention in the case of Tobit himself, the protagonist of the Book of Tobit, and Sara, the daughter of Ragouel, who would become Tobit’s daughter-in-law. Both of them had been beset by troubles, and prayed to God for help and deliverance, for strength and guidance, and it was there and then that God, having heard their prayers and willed to help them, sent His Archangel, St. Raphael, to go upon each of them, to help them and to show them His love and compassionate mercy. Raphael’s name, which means ‘Healing of God’ was indeed apt, as he helped to bring God’s healing to both Tobit and Sara, who were therefore freed from their problems.

Brothers and sisters in Christ, today as we recall the deeds and the works of these mighty Archangels of God, Holy Archangels, St. Michael, St. Gabriel and St. Raphael, let us all ask them for their continued intercession and protection, especially in the midst of the constant spiritual warfare that have always raged around us. Let us ask them to guide and help us in our journey of faith and life, so that in everything that we say and do, we will always do what we can in order to glorify the Lord by our lives and works, and to do His will at all times. The Lord has always shown us His love and constant companionship, and in His great Archangels, we are shown that we are always protected and provided for by these great and mighty Princes of the Heavenly Host, guiding and leading us all in battle against the evil ones.

Let us all be thankful of all that the Angels of God had done for us, and those three Holy Archangels whom we honour today. May God be with us all, and may His Archangels, St. Michael, St. Gabriel and St. Raphael continue to help and guide us along our journey towards righteousness and grace in God. Amen.

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Monday, 28 September 2026 : 26th Week of Ordinary Time, Memorial of St. Wenceslaus, Martyr, and St. Lawrence Ruiz and Companions, Martyrs (Homily and Scripture Reflections)

Liturgical Colour : Green or Red (Martyrs)

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, today as we listened to the words of the Scriptures, we are all presented with the reminders for us to remain faithful to God and obedient to Him. Each one of us are expected to commit ourselves to His cause and to follow Him wholeheartedly, giving our whole lives and attention, focusing our hearts and minds on Him, and dedicating our time and efforts to His cause. All of us should be genuine in our faith and way of life so that we may be truly exemplary and worthy of the Lord, despite the many challenges and trials that we may have to face amidst that path of following the Lord. Hopefully through what we have discussed and discerned with today’s readings from the Scriptures can strengthen and encourage us to walk ever more faithfully in God’s Presence.

In our first reading today, all of us heard from the Book of Job the beginning of a series of discourse from this servant of God named Job, who was well-known for being one struck down by Satan and afflicted with all sorts of maladies and unfortunate occurrences and events, and yet remained faithful to the Lord despite all of that. We heard how God and Satan had a conversation in which the latter made a bet that should he strike down at Job and his belongings, and eventually even at his own body and physical being, then Job would abandon the Lord and defy Him. But God knew Job well and He knew that Job would always be faithful to Him despite all the trials and hardships that he was facing from Satan’s attacks.

Historically, there was little evidence that Job ever actually existed, and consensus amongst Biblical scholars and archaeologists are that Job was actually a figurative person probably based on some real stories and experiences, who was highlighted and told in order to show us the importance of perseverance in faith, and how God would not abandon His faithful ones even amidst the greatest of challenges and trials. God will always remember all of His people, and all the more so for those who have shown their faith to Him. It may be that we have to suffer for a time and for some moments, but in the end, we shall be triumphant together with God.

Regardless whether Job was actually historical, existent or not, we should heed the message of what we have heard from the Book of Job and based on what more we knew about Job and his story. God always loves all of His people, and He has always shown His love and care in ways that we may often even not be aware of. The Lord wants us to know that we always have Him by our side and despite the challenges that we have to face, we can always depend on Him and trust in Him. Unfortunately, often time it is we who abandon Him and ignore Him, and put our trust in everything else but the Lord.

That is why in our Gospel passage today, we heard the words of the Lord Jesus speaking to His disciples, which serve as a reminder that all of us ought to seek the Lord with genuine faith, like that of little children coming towards the Lord. Those little children came to the Lord with true and genuine faith, unadulterated and unaffected by worldly ambitions, desires and other things that often distracted us from our path towards God. We must not allow ourselves to be swayed by those who seek our downfall and destruction, and we have to heed the Lord’s words, His calling and all that He had done for our sake. We have to continue to trust in Him and put our faith in Him and be like those children in being genuine in our devotion and commitment.

The Lord called on all of us to be humble and to free ourselves from all sorts of worldly temptations and delusions, all the false treasures and corruptions often present all around us, and remaining faithful to God. Job was able to remain faithful to God despite the many calamities he had encountered, in the numerous material and personal losses that he had to endure, all because he trusted in the Lord much more than he trusted in the powers, wealth and might of the world. He trusted that God Who had given him everything, had the right to take everything back from him, and that God would take care of him and all that he needed. That is, brothers and sisters, the faith that all of us should have as well.

We must remember that our lives, our every words, actions and deeds as Christians truly matter a lot because it is by them all that we can truly walk confidently towards God and His salvation. And we must not forget that each and every one of us are ourselves called to be good role models and inspirations for one another in how we live our lives in this world, just as Job himself had done. We should continue to remember that God is always by our side, ever protecting us and providing for us, and even whenever we suffer, we do not suffer it all alone, as God is holding us up, suffering it all with us, just as He has suffered the ultimate suffering and punishment on the Cross for us. Not only that, but God also placed in our midst those who care for us, those who support us and love us.

Today, the Church also celebrates the Feast of St. Wenceslas, a great man of God who was the Duke of Bohemia in the early Middle Ages. He was a great and upright man, who was dedicated to his role as the ruler over his country and people. At that time, the land of Bohemia, in what is now Czech Republic, was still only recently converted to the Christian faith, with significant numbers of the people still held on to their old pagan faith and beliefs. St. Wenceslaus and his many efforts were instrumental in improving not just the livelihood and well-being of the people under his rule, but also in the establishment of the strong foundation of the Church and the Faith among the people, and he also tirelessly did his best to advance the cause of the Lord and His Church. Unfortunately, he fell into the court politics and oppositions against him and his rule eventually led to him being assassinated by the collusion of his own brother, becoming a martyr of the Faith.

Then, today also marks the Feast of the Holy Martyrs of Japan, St. Lawrence Ruiz and his companions in martyrdom. St. Lawrence Ruiz himself, also known better as St. Lorenzo Ruiz, was not a Japanese, but rather hailing from the Philippines, where he was falsely accused of a crime, which led him to seek refuge overseas, and which led him to end up in Japan after boarding a ship bearing some Catholic priests from Macau clandestinely trying to enter the country. At that time, Japan under the reign of the Tokugawa Shogunate had closed its doors to any foreigners, except for very few merchants, and especially banned the Christian faith and its missionaries. Christians and the foreign missionaries, as well as local clergy were persecuted harshly and many died for their faith as martyrs.

St. Lawrence Ruiz was among those Christians who were persecuted and arrested because of their faith, and they all chose to remain steadfast and true to their faith in God, rather than to safeguard their lives and betray their Lord and Master. They refused to give in to the pressures from the authorities, despite the threat of certain death and most agonising forms of sufferings that they all had to endure in defending their faith to the very end. Thus that was how St. Lawrence Ruiz and his fellow companions in martyrdom perished, but their bravery, faith and commitment to God became source of inspiration and strength for so many others who had witnessed and heard of their most exemplary faith in God.

May the Lord our God, who inspired us with the lives of his courageous saints, St. Wenceslaus, as well as St. Lawrence Ruiz and his companions, continue to strengthen each one of us so that we may continue to prevail in our commitment and devotion towards Him despite all the obstacles, trials and hardships that we may have to face in our journey in following Him, so that our perseverance and dedication, our efforts and commitment will continue to shine forth as the testimony of our faith, to proclaim God’s truth and Good News, His providence, love and faithfulness to everyone around us, to all those whom we encounter in our lives. May God bless our every endeavours and efforts for His greater glory, now and always. Amen.

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Sunday, 27 September 2026 : Twenty-Sixth Sunday of Ordinary Time (Homily and Scripture Reflections)

Liturgical Colour : Green

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, this Sunday we heard from the Scriptures very clear sets of readings in which we are reminded of a very important thing that all of us as Christians have to do in our lives, and that is for us to be obedient, to the will of the Lord, our God and Master, in all things and in everything we say and do in our lives. Each and every one of us as Christians should always be truly dedicated and committed to the path which God has shown and revealed to us, in carrying out His Law and commandments at every moments of our lives and to the best of our abilities in doing what is righteous, just and full of Christian virtues as much as possible. We have to be truly dedicated to God in all things, and not just in name or formality only.

In our first reading today, taken from the Book of the prophet Ezekiel, we heard of the words of the Lord delivered to His people, calling upon all of them to repent from their sins and wicked ways, highlighting how everyone will be judged by each and every one of their deeds and actions, their words and all that they have not done, and also by what they have not done in their lives, their every interactions with one another. The righteous ones will be judged for the sins that they have made, and if they are found wanting and lacking, then they will suffer for what shortcomings and mistakes they had made. Meanwhile, on the other hand, even the wicked  will be justified and made worthy for the good and faithful deeds that they have done. This is a reminder for us not to think that we are more deserving of God’s grace or more worthy than others, and then neglect our need to do God’s will.

In our second reading today, taken from the famous part of the Epistle of St. Paul to the Philippians, we heard the Apostle highlighting the obedience of Jesus Christ, Son of God and Son of Man, Our Lord and Saviour, in fulfilling what His Heavenly Father had commanded Him to do, entrusting in His hands, the salvation and deliverance of all of the people of God, the whole mankind, through His suffering and death on the Cross. He has done everything that God the Father has told Him to do, perfectly obeying everything even unto death. Unlike the first Adam, the first man and our first ancestor, and his wife, Eve, the first woman, who both disobeyed the Lord and His commands, by choosing to listen to the lies and falsehoods of the devil instead of trusting in God, Christ as the New Adam has obeyed the Lord perfectly, showing us that it is indeed possible for us to be truly faithful, obedient and committed to God.

In our Gospel passage today, we heard from the Gospel of St. Matthew about the parable of the Lord, as He told His disciples about two sons, who were different in how they responded to their father’s call upon them to do his commands. One of the child told his father that he would do what he had been asked to do, but in the end, did not do the works, while the other child said that he did not want to do what he had been asked to do, and yet, still did the work in the end, nonetheless. we heard how the Lord then asked the disciples on who actually did obey the father in the end, and it was rather unanimous that everyone agreed how the one who actually did the works, despite having refused the father’s commands earlier on, and having verbally said that he did not want to do as he was asked to. Of course, ideally, it is even better that we listen, obey in both words and actions, but as we heard and discussed, we must indeed act on what we have been called to do, and not be idle on it.

From what we have heard in that Gospel passage, we are all reminded that what God wants from us is not just mere words and proclamations only, and not just mere promises that can be empty and meaningless. He wants from us true commitment and actions, which we all should show in our every moments in life. Otherwise, if we do not do and act in the manner that we have professed our faith or beliefs in, then we are just like those hypocrites who say and profess belief in something and yet, act in a different manner from what they had said. This is not something that each one of us should be doing in our lives. The Lord Jesus in particular has often rebuked and criticised the Pharisees and the teachers of the Law for the hypocrisy of their faith and actions, and therefore, He also reminded us all, that we must be people of action, of doing God’s will in all things.

We already have the perfect example for this, which is none other than the Lord Jesus Himself, our Lord and Saviour, Whose perfect obedience we have just discussed and reflected upon. The Lord has shown us all His love and kindness, His mercy and compassion, not just with mere words and professions only, or only through promises and more promises. Instead, He has fulfilled them with real action, embodying that love through His Son, Who bore His Cross, filled with the innumerable burden of our sins and wickedness, suffering all the punishments and consequences that should have been ours, so that by His action and genuine love, all of us may be saved and delivered from damnation and certain destruction. He has shown us all the path to eternal life through His Cross, and revealed His love to us through every wounds that He endured for our sake.

Brothers and sisters in Christ, we have seen just how great God’s love is for us, and we have been so blessed that God has done everything for our sake, by suffering and dying on the Cross for us. He showed His love for us in real action and commitment, to the Covenant of love that He has established and affirmed with all of us. Therefore, each and every one of us should also have the same kind of love in us, love that is genuine and generous, first of all for the Lord, our God, Who has loved us and cared for us all these while, and Who has suffered and died for our sake. And we should also have the same kind of love for our fellow brothers and sisters, our fellow men and women, who live all around us, and whom we encounter in our various occasions and opportunities.

That is our calling and mission as Christians, to show God’s love and compassion, His kindness and mercy through our own actions, words and deeds. As Christians, we are all called to be filled with God’s love, to be virtuous and righteous as best as possible. Through our exemplary actions, works and deeds, that is how we can convince more and more people to come to know the Lord and to experience His love. Each and every one of us must remember that we are all part of this same ministry and mission entrusted to us by God, as members and parts of His Church, to be loving and compassionate, kind and generous to each other, and to show the light of Christ, His way and truth to everyone that we encounter in each and every moments of our lives.

Therefore, let us all remind ourselves each day and at every moment, so that we may always strive to do our best to be the good role models and examples for our fellow brothers and sisters, as good and loving Christians, filled with care and concern for our fellow men and women, and always striving to do what God has taught and shown us to do, in every opportunities presented to us. Let us all remind and inspire one another that our every works, actions and deeds may always truly glorify the Lord, our God and Master. May God bless us all in our every good efforts and endeavours, and help us in our journey and lives, in all things, and be with us always. Amen.

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Saturday, 26 September 2026 : 25th Week of Ordinary Time, Memorial of St. Cosmas and St. Damian, Martyrs (Homily and Scripture Reflections)

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

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, today as we listened to the words of the Scripture we are reminded yet again of the need for each one of us as Christians to be always mindful and aware of what we all need to do in our lives, in doing the actions that are in accordance with God and His ways, obeying His will and commandments, and keeping in mind that each and every single things that we say and do, all these will be accountable to God on the Day of Judgment. And not only that, but in all the things that we are able to do and in the capacity of doing, but not doing because we neglect our responsibilities, we shall also be made accountable for them as well, for everything that we have failed to do when we are perfectly capable of doing them.

That was the gist of what we heard from the Book of Ecclesiastes or Qoheleth in our first reading today. We heard how the author reminded those who were young that they ought to keep those words in mind, reminding them that each and every one of their actions will be accountable to God. There is nothing that we do which will not be known or unveiled to God. The Lord knows everything in our hearts and minds, and He shall judge us all by everything He knows of us. We have been given the opportunities and the time to do the things that God has shown us, to be His faithful disciples and witnesses in the midst of our communities, in each and every chances and moments provided to us.

And we should not be ignorant of that calling to do something, to participate in the good works and efforts of the Church, in its various outreach and commissions, and not only that but also in our own individual capacities, even to the smallest and simplest things like living our lives worthily and faithfully in accordance to the Law and commandments of God. In a world where there are plenty of temptations for us to disobey God and to embrace the path of worldliness and sin, each one of us have been called to seek the Lord wholeheartedly and to follow Him, while knowing that this path that God has called us to walk in, may not be an easy or smooth one. There may be lots of hardships and challenges, but we must persevere and continue going on, with God by our side, guiding and strengthening us.

As we heard in our Gospel passage today, the Lord spoke to His disciples regarding Who He truly was, and what He was about to endure during the moments of His Passion, suffering and death. Back then, no one would have known or expected that the Lord would have suffered such a grievous fate. In fact, many among the followers of the Lord would have expected that He would lead them all into glory and victory against the Romans and other oppressors, and reestablish the kingdom of David, the kingdom of God’s people Israel. The coming of the Messiah was understood as a time of great glory and triumph, where the Lord would gather His people and give them the freedom and victory against their enemies.

But they had misunderstood the Lord’s intentions, and the Lord Himself told them that in truth, He, the Messiah, the Son of Man, just as the prophets themselves had predicted, particularly that of the prophet Isaiah, He would have to suffer grievously for the sake of His beloved ones. He would have to be rejected and oppressed, punished and tortured, scourged, beaten and spat upon for the sake of our salvation and liberation. And yet, knowing all that would happen to Him, and all the sufferings that He would have to endure, the Lord Jesus still obeyed His Father’s will perfectly and carried out everything to perfection, suffering and dying on His Cross at Calvary. Out of His ever enduring and amazing love, He willingly embraced His role in bringing forth our salvation.

Through that act of supreme love and sacrifice, the ultimate selfless expression of love, God has shown us first of all that He loves us in an infinitely wonderful way, and He has always cared for us all these times despite of our frequent disobedience and refusal to believe in Him. And not only that, but through His Son, the same Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, the same suffering Son of Man, God showed us the perfect obedience and the perfect role model that His Son has done for us, so that we know that it truly means for us to be Christians. The Apostles and disciples of the Lord themselves followed His examples, remembering His new commandment and mandate at the Last Supper, that they ought to do whatever that their Lord and Master had done.

This is a reminder that each one of us following in the footsteps and examples of the Apostles and the innumerable saints, holy men and women of God, we have to listen to the Lord, obey His will, His Law and commandments, and do what He has called us to do and make good use of the time and opportunities that He has presented to us. We are all given many different and unique talents, opportunities and other things that can allow us to do so many great wonders, and we should realise that each one of us have this part to play as God’s people, to be active and committed in giving ourselves and our lives for the cause of the Lord at all times. This is what we should do instead of being distracted by the many temptations all around us, the temptations of power, wealth, worldly glory and many others.

Today, the Church also celebrates the Feast of two great saints, St. Cosmas and St. Damian, whose faith and devotion to God, and whose actions and contributions to their fellow brothers and sisters, fellow faithful people of God, should inspire all of us to live our own lives faithfully and worthily of the Lord. St. Cosmas and St. Damian were known to be a pair of twin brothers who were both physicians, renowned for their care for the sick and the needy in their community, as they provided care for the physical ailments of the people, and gave the care for free to the poor and those who could not afford to be healed. Miracles were attributed to them, and many came to them seeking for help.

Their faith and dedication to God also became inspiration to many people, as they lived virtuously and with great dedication to God. And as they were arrested and persecuted by the local governor for being Christians, then being the height of the intense persecutions of Christians under the Diocletianic Persecution, they remained firm to their faith in God to the very end, as they gave up their lives in honouring God, in refusing to bend to the demands of the pagan authorities to obey the Emperor’s orders and to abandon their Lord, God and Master. They chose to live worthily and die in faith and obedience, showing every members of the Christian faithful what it truly means to be Christians.

Brothers and sisters in Christ, can we all therefore be inspired by these great examples as well, that each and every one of us should be great role models and inspirations ourselves to our fellow brothers and sisters, in all of our lives, actions and deeds. Let us all be the bearers of the light of God to our fellow brethren, especially all those who have not known God and His love, His truth and Good News. Let us all do our very best to glorify God by our lives and actions, and be with Him, doing our part to serve Him all the days of our lives, as we should have done. Amen.

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Friday, 25 September 2026 : 25th 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 of the importance for all of us to embrace our calling as Christians, in doing what we have been called to do, and in following the will of God. Each one of us have received the mission through our Church and faith to proclaim the Lord and His truth, His Good News to all the people and all the nations. The Church of God is composed of all of us the faithful people and flock of God and each one of us have important roles to play in our respective fields and areas of responsibility, at whichever time and opportunity that God has given us in each one of our lives. That is why we must always be aware of the opportunities and chances that God has given uniquely to each one of us so that we may truly be active in living our Christian lives faithfully.

It means that just as we heard in our first reading today from the Book of Ecclesiastes or Qoheleth, we should remember that there is time for everything, for our every actions and interactions, for us to experience good things and the not-so-good things in life, time to be spent with our friends and relatives, with our loving family and others around us. However, there is also time for us to be spent with God and for us to be with Him, focusing our attention and our thoughts on Him rather than constantly being distracted and occupied by our ceaseless pursuits of worldly happiness and pleasures, and the many temptations of pride and desire present all around us, and all those things that can become great stumbling blocks in the path of our service to God.

There is a time for us all as Christians to dedicate ourselves to God, as is right and just for us to be doing His will and to proclaim His truth and love through our every words, actions and deeds. Each and every one of us are part of that same Church, the Body of Christ, of which Christ our Lord Himself is the Head, and because we ourselves are united to Him, we should obey His will and commandments, as we have been taught to do. All of us have that responsibility to bear as Christians, that we become the living beacons of God’s light to others. We have to embrace this calling, inspired by the faith which the Apostles themselves had shown in their lives, missions and efforts to proclaim God’s words and Good News to all those whom they had ministered to and labour amidst.

We had a glimpse of that when we heard the Gospel passage today in which the Lord asked His disciples of Who they think He was. And they were mentioning of who the others were thinking He was, either that of the prophet Elijah, or one of the other prophets, or St. John the Baptist among others, and then when the Lord asked them on His identity, St. Peter representing all of them spoke confidently and with faith that He is the Messiah or Saviour that came from God, the Holy One and Son of God. He spoke with courage and faith, of the truth that others maybe found difficult to proclaim. Yet that was likely why the Lord chose St. Peter to be the leader of His Church and the Apostles, because of his faith and great courage.

The Apostles and the other disciples of the Lord would have to face great sufferings and challenges in the years to come, and yet, they all faced them with great faith and love for Him. They willingly suffered and faced persecution in defending what they believed in and what they themselves had witnessed. The Lord has shown His truth and wisdom to them, and they had been entrusted with the mission to spread that same truth to all the whole world. They did their best to proclaim the Lord to all those whom they encountered, and they spent a lot of time and effort to reach out to those who have yet to know the Lord, despite the challenges and persecutions against them. They continued to trust in the Lord and they knew that He was always with them, through even the greatest challenges, and that was why they kept on persevering regardless.

As we can see, there are in fact a lot of things that each one of us as Christians can do in doing our part as a follower of Christ. Each one of us have been given distinct opportunities, talents and capabilities, that we may bring God’s truth and love closer to His people. We are all called to do what we can in doing God’s will, and it is in the end up to us how we respond to His call. And we have the saints, our holy predecessors, the holy men and women of God, as well as many others, whose lives have been exemplary and inspirational, in how they themselves had committed their lives in the service of God and His people. We too should therefore be inspired to walk in the Presence of God and men alike in the manner that our holy predecessors had done.

That is why each and every one of us should always keep in mind on how we are to live our lives in each and every moments such that we do not end up causing scandal and humiliations for us and our faith in the Lord. Just as there were those who had inspired us all to live in the virtuous and worthy manner, there were also countless people, those who had brought great shame and scandal to our faith and the Church, and also to the Holy Name of God, with these people having come even from the upper echelons and the elites within the Church, some were even the highest leaders of the Church. All of their attitudes, behaviours and actions brought about great scandals and disrepute to the Church and to the whole body of the faithful.

Brothers and sisters in Christ, let us all therefore do our very best to proclaim the Lord, His truth, Good News and salvation through our own dedicated and sincere living. Let us all continue to go forth in our respective lives, in each and every moments, in doing what we can, even in the smallest things so that we will be good examples and inspirations in our lives for everyone around us, and for all those whom we encounter in each and every moments. May the Lord continue to inspire in us the courage and zeal to live our lives ever more worthily in His Presence, with great love for Him and also great love for those whom He has entrusted to us to love, and may He bless all of our efforts and endeavours. Amen.