holy women

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Tuesday, 17 November 2015 : 33rd Week of Ordinary Time, Memorial of St. Elizabeth of Hungary, Religious (Homily and Scripture Reflections)

Liturgical Colour : White

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, on this day we witnessed the story of Eleazar the elder, faithful and devoted servant and follower of the Lord, who loved during the time of the persecution of the faithful Jews by the Greek king Antiochus IV Epiphanes, who ruled over the Seleucid Empire. The king enforced a common religion and customs for all of his subjects, and many of the Jews who were faithful only to God, refused to follow the orders of the king.

And Eleazar in today’s first reading showed us an example of the dilemma facing all those who want to remain faithful to the Lord, and yet the worldly authorities had a different opinion, that is wanting the people to abandon His ways and to betray Him for the ways of this world. That is the dilemma and the conflict, knowing that to accept the world, we would reject the Lord, and vice versa.

And grievous sufferings and pain awaited all those of Eleazar’s time who were not willing to abandon their faith. Eleazar’s fate was just one of the many examples. In the other passage from the Book of the Maccabees, we witnessed how a mother with her seven sons were martyred for their faith, because they refused to follow the king’s orders, and even despite persuasions and temptations by the king and his officers, they adamantly remained true to their faith in God.

They suffered for remaining true to their faith, as they have chosen the lot of the Lord rather than the lot of men. Had they chosen the path of the king, they would have been saved from the sufferings and the pains of death they had encountered, and they would receive much riches and wealth, the blessings of the world bestowed and promised to them by the king. However, to be saved temporarily in the world is not worth the loss of eternal salvation.

We have to remember in this case, what Jesus told His disciples about those who try to preserve their lives and thus lose their lives in the world that is to come, and also those who have lost their lives for the sake of the Lord, and therefore regain those lives manyfold, by the blessings of God’s eternal life. That was what Eleazar and the other faithful people of his time had done, enduring the sufferings of this world and its rejection that they might receive God’s grace and eternal glory.

Today we celebrate the feast of St. Elizabeth of Hungary, who was a Hungarian princess renowned for her great piety and many charitable acts throughout her life, and even though she encountered great anguish of losing her husband and being widowed at a young age, she continued her life in a life dedicated to the Lord and used whatever wealth and possessions she had to help the poor.

It was not a way that was the norm in the world at that time, just as such behaviour is also not a commonly acceptable way in our world today. Our world always teaches us to be selfish and to think first of ourselves and all the goods we have before we think of others around us. This is just as what the king Antiochus tried to persuade the faithful with, in abandoning their faith.

The king promised riches, wealth and position in his government, his friendship and all the honour associated with it, if they would dishonour the covenant which God had made with them and followed the pagan ways and worshipped the pagan idols of the Greeks. But these goods, wealth and materials are all truly temporary and will not last. Neither will the happiness and the joys, the pleasures of this world will last forever.

That is why, for us the path is clear, but is not an easy one. We are easily tempted and lured away from the true path that leads to the Lord. And if we are not careful, we will be dragged into the inescapable path of destruction that lands us in eternal hell, the suffering from which there is no escape. Now we have to ask ourselves, whether we want for ourselves a temporary salvation from the sufferings of the world, or an eternal salvation with God.

Let us all devote ourselves more to the Lord and commit ourselves to Him in our actions, words and deeds. Let us not worry about acceptance by the world and any persecution or suffering that will come our way when we act in ways in accordance to the Lord’s bidding and against that of the world. Do not fear those that can only inflict destruction on the flesh, but fear more He Who can bring about eternal suffering and destruction of body and soul, when He rejects those wicked ones and cast them into hell.

May God bless us in all of our endeavours, and may He continue to guide us in this life, providing us with encouragement and blessings for all that we do, that we may be righteous, just and true to our faith in Him. May God bring us to the eternal life and the blessings He had promised us. Amen.

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Tuesday, 17 November 2015 : 33rd Week of Ordinary Time, Memorial of St. Elizabeth of Hungary, Religious (Gospel Reading)

Liturgical Colour : White

Luke 19 : 1-10

At that time, when Jesus entered Jericho and passed through the city, a man named Zaccheus lived there. He was a tax collector and a wealthy man. He wanted to see what Jesus was like, but he was a short man and could not see Him because of the crowd.

So he ran ahead and climbed up a sycamore tree. From there he would be able to see Jesus, Who was going to pass that way. When Jesus came to the place, He looked up and said to him, “Zaccheus, come down quickly, for I must stay at your house today.” So Zaccheus climbed down and received Him joyfully.

All the people who saw it began to grumble, and said, “He has gone as a Guest to the house of a sinner.” But Zaccheus spoke to Jesus, “Half of what I own, Lord, I will give to the poor, and if I have cheated anyone, I will pay him back four times as much.”

Looking at him Jesus said, “Salvation has come to this house today, for he is also a true son of Abraham. The Son of Man has come to seek and to save the lost.”

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Tuesday, 17 November 2015 : 33rd Week of Ordinary Time, Memorial of St. Elizabeth of Hungary, Religious (Psalm)

Liturgical Colour : White

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

O Lord, how great in number are my foes! How numerous are they who rise against me! How many are they who say of my soul : “There is no help for him in God!”

But You are my shield, o Lord, my glory, You lift up my head. Aloud I cry to the Lord, and from His holy hill He answers me.

If I lie down to sleep, again I awake, for the Lord supports me; no fear of the thousands standing against me.

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Tuesday, 17 November 2015 : 33rd Week of Ordinary Time, Memorial of St. Elizabeth of Hungary, Religious (First Reading)

Liturgical Colour : White

2 Maccabees 6 : 18-31

Eleazar, one of the prominent teachers of the Law, already old and of noble appearance, was forced to open his mouth to eat the flesh of a pig. But he preferred to die honourably than to live in disgrace, and voluntarily came to the place where they beat him to death. He spit out bravely the piece of meat, as should be done by those who do not want to do things prohibited by the Law, even to save their life.

Those in charge of this impious banquet took him aside, since they had known him for a long time, and tried to convince him to pretend to be eating the meat, but in reality, to eat something allowed by the Law and prepared by himself. In this way, he could escape death, and be treated with humanity for the sake of their long-time friendship.

But he preferred to make a noble decision worthy of his age, of his noble years, of his shining white hair, and of the irreproachable life he had led from childhood. Above all, showing respect for the holy laws established by God, he answered that he would rather be sent to the place of the dead.

And he added, “It would be unworthy to pretend at our age, and to lead many young people to suppose that I, at ninety years, have gone over to the pagan customs. If I lead them astray for the sake of this short life I would bring disgrace to my old age. Even if I could now be saved from mortals, I cannot – whether living or dead – escape from the hands of the Almighty.”

“I prefer to bravely sacrifice my life now, as befits my old age. So I shall leave an excellent example to the young, dying voluntarily and valiantly for the sacred and holy laws.” Having said this, he gave himself over to death. Those who escorted him considered his words foolishness, so their previous gentleness turned into harshness.

When he was almost at the point of death, he said groaning, “The Holy Lord, Who sees all, knows that though I could have saved myself from death, I now endure terrible sufferings in my body. But in my soul, I suffer gladly because of the respect I have for Him.”

In his death, he left a noble example and a memorial of virtue and strength, not only to the young but to the whole nation.

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Monday, 16 November 2015 : 33rd Week of Ordinary Time, Memorial of St. Margaret of Scotland, and St. Gertrude, Virgin (Homily and Scripture Reflections)

Liturgical Colour : Green or White (Saints and Virgins)

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, on this day we heard the beginning of the new chapter in our Scripture readings from the Book of the Maccabees, telling us the narrative of what happened during the time of the Maccabean rebellion or the Jewish rebellion against the Seleucid Empire, or the Greek Empire that descended from the Empire of Alexander the Great of Greece who had brought much of the known world under his dominion.

At that time, the Greek culture was the high culture of the society, and many people aspired to learn the Greek language, culture and customs, and in various ways, many people from various nations and origins would try to implement Greek lifestyle and even religion into their own lifestyle, which is known as Hellenism. Many people even became completely Greek in their lifestyle and they incorporated completely the Hellenic culture as their own.

And the problem came when the same sentiment and practice came to the land of the faithful people of Israel, the direct descendants and heirs of Abraham, to whom God had shown His favour and with whom God had established an eternal covenant, a bond of promise between Himself and Abraham and his descendants, that they would commit to each other forever.

This means that the Lord God of all universe and of all creation would dedicate Himself and commit Himself to the people whom He had chosen and loved, and to whom He would give the entirety of His blessings and inheritance. But a covenant is a two-way process, and require both parties of the covenant to dedicate themselves to one another. This means that the people of Israel, and by extension, all of us, must devote ourselves and commit ourselves to the Lord as well.

Yet, the people of the time of Maccabees, the family of faithful people who eventually led the faithful in rebellion against the tyranny and the wickedness of the king Antiochus Epiphanes and his successors, who enforced the assimilation of the Jews into the pagan ways of the Greeks, and insisted on the adoption of the pagan gods and worship by the faithful, who worshipped only the one and only True God.

To follow the orders of the king would be tantamount to disobeying and breaking the covenant which the Lord had established with them, and the consequences would not be light. Indeed, only those who have remained true to the covenant of God would deserve the everlasting reward which God had promised, whereas to break away from the covenant would mean the nullification of such privileges, and therefore, separate from the Lord of all life, there will be nothing for them.

Many succumbed to the temptations of such pressure and many succumbed to the great pressures given by the king against the faithful. Many betrayed the Lord in exchange for safety and acceptance by the world. As such, many souls were lost and these went into damnation, unless they changed their ways and repented their sins. But there were also many of those who remained true to the Lord and to their faith despite the difficulties and the persecutions against them.

The examples of today’s saints also should remind us that it is not easy for us to remain faithful and to be devoted to our Lord, but it is possible if we put in enough effort in order to do so. St. Margaret of Scotland was the Queen of Scotland, whose life had been marked with many challenges and difficulties, and yet even though she attained great importance and preeminence, she remained devout, committed and faithful to her faith in God.

She spent much time in prayer and in performing numerous charities and loving acts to all the poor and the destitute of her kingdom. She also provided shelter and safe haven for many refugees and the oppressed peoples from the neighbouring countries. Through her works, the livelihood of many people were improved, and many were greatly inspired by her great piety.

Meanwhile, St. Gertrude was a great and devoted mystic, who received visions from the Lord and inspiration about her faith. St. Gertrude devoted her whole life to the Lord and to His people through prayer, and her many works and writings continued to inspire many people even until today, and called many to continue to be faithful to the teachings of the Faith.

In all of their examples, we can see how we ought to live as children of God and as followers of His way and truth. Let us all devote ourselves in the same way, and let us all commit ourselves anew to our faith and be no longer be ignorant or be against the ways that we should indeed follow and emulate in our own lives. May the Lord always bless us in all of our endeavours. Amen.

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Monday, 16 November 2015 : 33rd Week of Ordinary Time, Memorial of St. Margaret of Scotland, and St. Gertrude, Virgin (Gospel Reading)

Liturgical Colour : Green or White (Saints and Virgins)

Luke 18 : 35-43

At that time, when Jesus drew near to Jericho, a blind man was sitting by the road, begging. As he heard the crowd passing by, he inquired what was happening, and they told him that Jesus of Nazareth was going by.

Then he cried out, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!” The people in front of him scolded him, “Be quiet!” they said, bur he cried out all the more, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!”

Jesus stopped, and ordered the blind man to be brought to Him; and when he came near, Jesus asked him, “What do you want Me to do for you?” And the man said, “Lord, that I may see!” Jesus said, “Receive your sight, your faith has saved you.”

At once the blind man was able to see, and he followed Jesus, giving praise to God. And all the people who were there also praised God.

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Monday, 16 November 2015 : 33rd Week of Ordinary Time, Memorial of St. Margaret of Scotland, and St. Gertrude, Virgin (Psalm)

Liturgical Colour : Green or White (Saints and Virgins)

Psalm 118 : 53, 61, 134, 150, 155, 158

I feel indignant at the wicked who have forsaken Your Law.

The wicked have me trapped in their snares, but I have not forgotten Your Laws.

Rescue me from human oppression, and help me keep Your precepts.

My persecutors close in with evil intent; they are far from Your Law.

Salvation is far from the wicked, for they do not seek Your statutes.

I look upon the faithless with loathing, because they do not obey Your ruling.

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Monday, 16 November 2015 : 33rd Week of Ordinary Time, Memorial of St. Margaret of Scotland, and St. Gertrude, Virgin (First Reading)

Liturgical Colour : Green or White (Saints and Virgins)

1 Maccabees 1 : 10-15, 41-43, 54-57, 62-64

From the descendants of Alexander’s generals there came a godless offshoot, Antiochus Epiphanes, son of king Antiochus, who had been held as hostage in Rome. He became king in the one hundred and thirty-seventh year of the Greek era (175 B.C.).

It was then that some rebels emerged from Israel, who succeeded in winning over many people. They said, “Let us renew contact with the peoples around us for we had endured many misfortunes since we separated from them.”

This proposal was well-received and some eagerly went to the king. The king authorised them to adopt the customs of the pagan nations. With his permission, they built a gymnasium in Jerusalem in the pagan style. And as they wanted to be like the pagans in everything, they made artificial foreskins for themselves and abandoned the Holy Covenant, sinning as they pleased.

Antiochus issued a decree to his whole kingdom. All the peoples of his empire had to renounce their particular customs and become one people. All the pagan nations obeyed and respected the king’s decree, and even in Israel many accepted the imposed cult. They offered sacrifices to idols and no longer respected the Sabbath.

On the fifteenth day of the month of Chislev, in the year one hundred and forty-five, Antiochus erected the “abominable idol of the invaders” on the altar of the Temple. Pagan altars were built throughout the whole land of Judea; incense was offered at the doors of their houses and in the squares. There wicked men tore up the Books of the Law they found and burned them. They killed anyone they caught in possession of the Book of the Covenant and who fulfilled the precepts of the Law, as the royal decree had ordered.

But in spite of all this, many Israelites still remained firm and determined not to eat unclean food. They preferred to die rather than to make themselves unclean with those foods (prohibited by the Law) that violated the Holy Covenant. And Israel suffered a very great trial.

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Thursday, 15 October 2015 : 28th Week of Ordinary Time, Memorial of St. Teresa of Jesus, Virgin and Doctor of the Church (Homily and Scripture Reflections)

Liturgical Colour : White

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, on this day we celebrate a great feast of one of the most renowned and greatest saints of the Church, namely St. Teresa of Jesus, also known as St. Teresa of Avila after her birthplace, where she was born in the city of Avila in the Kingdom of Spain about five centuries ago, and she lived during one of the most turbulent times in the Church, in the midst of the raging, so-called Protestant ‘reformation’.

During that time, across the heart of Christendom, the European continent was rocked by the scandal of heresy and disobedience against the true teachings of the Lord as espoused and taught by the Church that He had established. Many people fell into the trap of their own vanity, personal desire, selfishness and the inability and blindness to the truth and reality which God wanted to reveal to all mankind through His Church.

The Church was split apart by those who have preferred to walk in the path of sin and worldliness. And on the pretext of reforming and helping the Universal Church which at that time was indeed beset with troubles and issues, they waded their own paths and radically tried to pull as many of the faithful and as many souls as possible from the path towards salvation into the myriad paths that lead to somewhere else.

St. Teresa of Jesus was one of the several holy, devoted and committed servants of God who dedicated themselves to help save all those lost souls that had gone astray from the Lord and His Church. She was one of the spearheads of the Church in what was to be known as the Counter-Reformation movement and action, where the Church went on the counteroffensive against the forces of Satan and his agents, and by ceaseless prayers, ministries and works, they managed to stem the tide of heresy and destruction, and called many souls back to God’s salvation.

St. Teresa of Jesus was renowned for her exemplary and incredible piety, the prayer life she led and the spirituality she espoused in her life was truly commendable. She grew to understand the nature of mankind’s sins and wickedness, and how these become barriers and obstacles in one’s journey to attain the salvation in God, and how there is indeed a need for us to subject ourselves to God’s mercy, repenting and changing our sinful ways.

In this, we see the wisdom of God as revealed through Jesus His Son in the Gospel today. In that Gospel passage, Jesus rebuked the Pharisees and the teachers of the Law in a series of woes and curses arrayed against them because of their actions and their failures in acting and behaving as those whom God had appointed to be shepherds and guides to His people.

They have not been righteous and true to their faith, and they have fallen on the path of God’s righteousness, and they became people engrossed and obsessed with their own vanity, with their own glory and greatness, and as a result, they became judgmental and oppressive upon all those who have differing views and ideas from them, including the prophets and messengers whom God had sent to remind them to stick true to the way of truth.

They thought of themselves as above the Law and as the only ones righteous and just, and because they thought that by living their lives and observing the Laws as they had done, they were pious, favoured and glorified before the Lord, but in reality, they have veered far away from the path of God and into sin, for they were too deep in their own pride and distracted by the sins.

This was just how it was during the time of the Protestant ‘reformation’, when those who have become haughty and proud in their way, forced it upon themselves and others to follow their way and their methods, disobeying the way of the Lord, and leading others into sin and wickedness. This is what St. Teresa of Jesus had worked all her life so hard in order to reverse, for the sake of the countless souls in the danger of damnation.

Brothers and sisters in Christ, today we are all called to renew our commitment to the Lord in our actions and deeds, and we are all called to become less and less attached to our pride, ego and greed, and instead, grow ever stronger in our humility before God and in our love for one another. Let us be ever more committed to God and His ways, be true to the way He had shown us and commit ourselves to walk in the footsteps of St. Teresa of Jesus and the other holy saints and servants of God.

May Almighty God bless us all in all of our endeavours, and may He keep us ever in His grace, and may all of us come to realise ever more the love and compassion He wants to show us and give to us. Amen.

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Thursday, 15 October 2015 : 28th Week of Ordinary Time, Memorial of St. Teresa of Jesus, Virgin and Doctor of the Church (Gospel Reading)

Liturgical Colour : White

Luke 11 : 47-54

At that time, Jesus said to the Pharisees and the teachers of the Law, “A curse is on you, for you build monuments to the prophets your ancestors killed. So you approve and agree with what your ancestors did. Is it not so? They got rid of the prophets, and you build monuments to them!”

“For that reason the Wisdom of God also said : I will send prophets and Apostles and this people will kill and persecute some of them. But the present generation will have to answer for the blood of all the prophets that has been shed since the foundation of the world, from the blood of Abel to the blood of Zechariah, who was murdered between the altar and the sanctuary. Yes, I tell you, the people of this time will have to answer for them all.”

“A curse is on you, teachers of the Law, for you have taken the key of knowledge. You yourselves have not entered, and you prevented others from entering.” As Jesus left that place, the teachers of the Law and the Pharisees began to harass Him, asking Him endless questions, setting traps to catch Him in something He might say.