holy women

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Wednesday, 23 July 2025 : 16th Week of Ordinary Time, Memorial of St. Bridget of Sweden, Religious (Psalm)

Liturgical Colour : Green or White (Religious)

Psalm 77 : 18-19, 23-24, 25-26, 27-28

The people of God tested Him, demanding the food they craved. They blasphemed against God, saying : “Can God spread a table in the desert?”

Yet, He commanded the skies above, and opened the doors of heaven; He rained down manna upon them, and fed them with the heavenly grain.

They ate and had more than their fill of the bread of Angels. Then, from heaven He stirred the east wind, and, by His power, let loose the south wind.

To rain down meat on them like dust. Birds as thick as the sand on the seashore fell inside their camp, lying all around their tents.

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Wednesday, 23 July 2025 : 16th Week of Ordinary Time, Memorial of St. Bridget of Sweden, Religious (First Reading)

Liturgical Colour : Green or White (Religious)

Exodus 16 : 1-5, 9-15

The Israelites left Elim and the entire community reached the desert of Sin, between Elim and Sinai, on the fifteenth day of the second month after leaving Egypt. In the desert the whole community of Israel grumbled against Moses and Aaron and said to them, “If only we had died by the hand of YHVH in Egypt when we sat down to caldrons of meat and ate all the bread we wanted, whereas you have brought us to this desert to let the whole assembly die of starvation!”

YHVH then said to Moses, “Now I am going to rain down bread from heaven for you. Each day the people are to gather what is needed for that day. In this way I will test them to see if they will follow My Teaching or not. On the sixth day when they prepare what they have brought in, they will find that there is twice as much as they gather each day.”

Then Moses directed Aaron to say to the whole community of Israel, “Draw near to YHVH for He has heard your complaints.” It happened that as Aaron was speaking to the full assembly of Israel, they turned towards the desert and saw the Glory of YHVH in the midst of the cloud.

Then YHVH spoke to Moses, “I have heard the complaints of Israel. Speak to them and say : Between the two evenings you will eat meat, and in the morning you will have bread to your heart’s content; then you shall know that I am YHVH, your God!”

In the evening quails came up and covered the camp. And in the morning, dew had fallen around the camp. When the dew lifted, there was on the surface of the desert a thin crust like hoarfrost. The people of Israel upon seeing it said to one another, “What is it?” for they did not know what it was. Moses told them, “It is the bread that YHVH has given you to eat.”

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Tuesday, 22 July 2025 : Feast of St. Mary Magdalene, Apostle of the Apostles (Homily and Scripture Reflections)

Liturgical Colour : White

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, today the Church celebrates the Feast of St. Mary Magdalene, a truly important woman and figure in the early Church and who was also highly visible throughout the narrative of the Gospels, the story of the activities of the Lord Jesus during His ministry in this world. This was because St. Mary Magdalene, although not numbered among the Twelve Apostles, was truly an integral part of the Lord’s group, and was one of the women who had always journeyed with the Lord and followed Him throughout His ministry and works. She was also honoured greatly as an equal to the Apostles, and indeed, was considered as one of the Apostles. In fact, she was known as the Apostle to the Apostles, Apostolorum Apostola, for her role in bringing the news of the Lord’s Resurrection to the Apostles.

In our first reading today, we heard of the reading from the Book of Song of Songs in which we heard the words of the author of this book speaking about the love that the author has been seeking, the love of the Lord, the One Who is truly the true love of our lives. That passage from the Book of Song of Songs highlighted the seeking and longing within one’s heart, seeking the great love of God that alone can truly satisfy our longing for love that is indeed true and fulfilling, and the effort that one ought to have and put in, in our journey to seek the love of God, to find this most wonderful and generous love that He has imparted upon us, and which we all experienced in every aspects and parts of our lives.

Then in the other alternative first reading from the Epistle of St. Paul the Apostle to the Church and the faithful people of God in the region of Corinth, we heard of the Apostle speaking also on the love of Christ, the perfect manifestation, proof and example of God’s love being made manifest for all of us. He spoke of how the love of Christ has transformed all the Christian believers, the people of God with the transformational love, the most selfless and wonderful love which He has selflessly and most lovingly provided upon us. That is why all of us as Christians, as those who profess to believe in Christ, must all be filled with the same love which Christ our Lord has shown us most generously and most lovingly from His Cross, for the sake of our salvation.

Lastly, from the Gospel passage today from the Gospel according to St. John the Apostle and Evangelist, we heard the moment when the Lord Jesus rose from the dead and how He revealed Himself first of all to none other than St. Mary Magdalene, the one to whom the Lord entrusted the news of His Resurrection. That was why as mentioned, St. Mary Magdalene was the Apostle to the Apostles, with the word ‘Apostle’ meaning someone who brings forth a testimony and Good News, and it was through her that the Twelve Apostles and the other disciples came to know of the Risen Lord before He appeared to them as well. She was distraught when she went to the Lord’s tomb and saw that the tomb had been opened and the Lord’s Body went missing.

And despite the words of the Angels that were there to tell St. Mary Magdalene and the other women of the Lord’s Resurrection, we heard how at first she was distraught that someone might have stolen His Body. But the Lord appeared to her in all of His Risen glory and reassured her of His Resurrection. She was distraught because she truly cared for the Lord, and having been one of His most ardent and faithful followers, she genuinely felt the loss when she saw and witnessed everything that happened during the Lord’s Passion on the Cross, as He suffered and died, and St. Mary Magdalene herself being specifically mentioned being there at the Lord’s side during His crucifixion when many of the disciples had fled and hid themselves. And when His Body apparently disappeared as well, that must have been terrible to her. But the Lord reassured her and strengthened her in her faith.

While not much was known of the exploits and works of St. Mary Magdalene after this point during the early Church, it was quite certain that she was together with the other disciples when the Holy Spirit came upon them all, and she was likely part of the missions and evangelising works, the spreading of the Good News of God, bringing more and more of God’s people closer to Him, and calling on more to come to know Him. And through her efforts in encouraging the Apostles after the Lord’s Resurrection and the many other roles that she might have played in the early Church, many were touched by the love and devotion that St. Mary Magdalene had for the Lord, in her focus on Him and in her efforts to seek Him, as an exemplary disciple and follower of Christ.

Brothers and sisters in Christ, let us all therefore be inspired by the good examples, faith and love for God which St. Mary Magdalene, the Apostle to the Apostles, has shown to us. Let us all be inspired by the great love and dedication that she has shown, in following the Lord faithfully throughout His ministry, as she went to wherever the Lord and His disciples went, serving Him and being committed to Him and the mission He has entrusted to her and others. Let us all therefore also answer God’s call with fervent and loving hearts, full of love for Him and ever focused on Him at all times. Let us all be good, worthy and faithful Christians at all times, doing our very best so that through our actions, efforts and works, we may inspire many others to come to the Lord and His salvation as well.

St. Mary Magdalene, Holy Apostle to the Apostles, you who have restored hope to the Apostles and the disciples of the Lord through your faithful bearing of the Good News of the Resurrection, pray for all of us so that we too may be good and faithful witnesses of the Lord and His Resurrection in our world today, within our communities and to everyone whom we encounter and journey with each day, in every moments of our lives. May God be with us always, and may He continue to bless us all most wonderfully in all things, in our every efforts to glorify Him by our lives, now and always. Amen.

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Tuesday, 22 July 2025 : Feast of St. Mary Magdalene, Apostle of the Apostles (Gospel Reading)

Liturgical Colour : White

John 20 : 1-2, 11-18

Now, on the first day after the Sabbath, Mary of Magdala came to the tomb early in the morning while it was still dark, and she saw that the stone blocking the tomb had been moved away. She ran to Peter, and the other disciple whom Jesus loved, and she said to them, “They have taken the Lord out of the tomb and we do not know where they have laid Him.”

Mary stood weeping outside the tomb; and as she wept, she bent down to look inside. She saw two Angels in white, sitting where the Body of Jesus had been, one at the head, and the other at the feet. They said, “Woman, why are you weeping?”

She answered, “Because they have taken my Lord and I do not know where they have put Him.” As she said this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing there, but she did not recognise Him. Jesus said to her, “Woman, why are you weeping? Who are you looking for?”

She thought it was the gardener and answered Him, “Lord, if You have taken Him away, tell me where You have put Him, and I will go and remove Him.” Jesus said to her, “Mary!” She turned, and said to Him, “Rabboni!” – which means Master. Jesus said to her, “Do not touch Me, because I have not yet ascended to the Father. But go to My brothers and say to them : I am ascending to My Father, Who is your Father, to My God, Who is your God.”

So Mary of Magdala went and announced to the disciples, “I have seen the Lord, and this is what He said to me.”

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Tuesday, 22 July 2025 : Feast of St. Mary Magdalene, Apostle of the Apostles (Psalm)

Liturgical Colour : White

Psalm 62 : 2abc, 2d-4, 5-6, 8-9

O God, You are my God, it is You I seek; for You, my body longs and my soul thirsts.

As a dry and weary land without water. Thus have I gazed upon You in the Sanctuary, to see Your power and Your glory. Your love is better than life, my lips will glorify You.

I will praise You as long as I live, lift up my hands and call on Your Name. As with the richest food, my soul will feast; my mouth will praise You with joyful lips.

For You have been my help; I sing in the shadow of Your wings. My soul clings to You; Your right hand upholds me.

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Tuesday, 22 July 2025 : Feast of St. Mary Magdalene, Apostle of the Apostles (First Reading)

Liturgical Colour : White

Song of Songs 3 : 1-4a

On my bed at night I looked for the one I love, I sought him without finding him; I called him and he did not answer. I will rise and go about the city, through the streets and the squares; I will seek the love of my heart…

I sought him without finding him; the watchmen came upon me, those who patrol the city. “Have you seen the love of my heart?” As soon as I left them, I found the love of my heart.

Alternative reading (Second Reading if this Feast is celebrated as a Solemnity)

2 Corinthians 5 : 14-17

Indeed, the love of Christ holds us, and we realise, that, if He died for all, all have died. He died for all, so, that, those who live, may live no longer for themselves, but for Him, Who died, and rose again for them. And so, from now on, we do not regard anyone from a human point of view; and even if we once knew Christ personally, we should now regard Him in another way.

For that same reason, the one who is in Christ is a new creature. For him, the old things have passed away; a new world has come.

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Friday, 4 July 2025 : 13th Week of Ordinary Time, Memorial of St. Elizabeth of Portugal (Homily and Scripture Reflections)

Liturgical Colour : Green or White (Saints)

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, as we listened to the words of the Lord contained within the Sacred Scriptures today, we are reminded that God has always kept us in His mind, caring for us and showing us all His most generous love at all times, reaching out to us and providing for us everything that we need in our lives, and we need to trust in Him and follow Him when He calls upon us to follow Him, in whatever paths that He has led us into. We should always put our trust and faith in the Lord, not worrying about what we will receive in life, but trusting instead that He will always provide for us. Like what He has done to those whom He had called, and those who willingly embraced Him and followed Him, we should allow the Lord to transform us and our lives so that we may truly be worthy of Him at all times.

In our first reading today, taken from the Book of Genesis, we heard of the time when Sarah, the wife of Abraham died in the Promised Land. She had followed Abraham in his journey to the land that God had called him to, and miraculously gave birth to Isaac, the son that was promised by God and which yet seemed to be impossible at that time, as Sarah was already way past childbearing age, and she was already waiting for ages to try to have a child with Abraham without avail. And yet, God fulfilled her dreams beyond her imaginations, and gave her the son that she had wanted for so long. Isaac, that promised son, grew great in stature and wisdom, and God was with him, and when Sarah passed away, both Abraham and Isaac grieved greatly for their loss.

But the Lord also continued to provide, giving Isaac a bride from among his own people, by Abraham sending Isaac back to his homeland, in asking for the hand of Rebekah, from among his own relatives, to be the one to accompany Isaac. And we heard how Isaac made the journey and eventually encountered Rebekah, and they came together, were married and became the continuation of the fulfilment of God’s promises to His people, His promise that Abraham would become the father of many nations. Through Isaac would be born Esau and Jacob, the forefather of the Edomites and the Israelites respectively. And it was through the younger son Jacob, whose descendants were chosen as God’s holy and beloved people, the first ones He called, that God accomplished everything that He had promised.

Then, from our Gospel passage today, taken from the Gospel according to St. Matthew the Apostle and Evangelist, we heard of the moment when the Lord Jesus called one of His Twelve principal disciples, namely that of St. Matthew himself, the author of today’s Gospel reading. Back then, St. Matthew was known as Levi, a tax collector, and tax collector at that time had a rather bad image among the people of God. They were seen as being greedy and wicked, overcharging the people for their own benefits, and some also saw and considered them as traitors to the people due to the nature of their work in collecting taxes on behalf of the Romans or the Herodians, or both, which often brought great hardships on the people who were struggling to make ends meet.

As such, they were often considered, especially by the Pharisees and the teachers of the Law as sinners, defiled and corrupted, and unworthy therefore of God’s love and grace. To interact with a tax collector is considered to be taboo because by the standards of the time, that would have caused those who interacted with them to be defiled as well, something which was shared by the others deemed to be sinners and unclean, like the prostitutes, those who were afflicted with diseases and possessed by evil spirits. And yet, the Lord Jesus reached out to the tax collectors and was kind and compassionate towards them, and He called Levi to follow Him, to be His disciple and follower, because He knew that in his heart, he had the desire and the potential to be a great servant of God.

And Levi did respond to the Lord’s call, and he answered in the most wholehearted manner, welcoming the Lord into his own household and gathering his fellow tax collectors to come and listen to the Lord. He also left behind everything, all of his work and possessions, and committed himself thoroughly to the Lord henceforth, becoming one of His closest and most faithful disciples. He changed his name to Matthew, just as Abraham was once known as Abram and Sarah was known as Sarai, symbolising that great change and conversion in life which all of them had experienced. And thanks to this, many great things happened because of what St. Matthew had dedicated himself towards the works of evangelisation, as well as in his authorship of the Gospel that we heard from today.

Today, the Church celebrates the Feast of St. Elizabeth of Portugal, who was the Queen of Portugal for more than four decades as the wife of the King of Portugal then, King Denis. She was born as a princess of the Kingdom of Aragon in Spain, and she had been brought up in a very pious manner from her early youth. She was married to the King of Portugal at the age of eleven, and had a great married life with the King. She continued to be pious and devoted in all of her actions and works, committing herself as Queen to the care of the poor and the sick throughout the kingdom. She was also known for her role as a peacemaker, making peace between the warring kingdoms of Castile and Aragon in what is today part of Spain. And after her husband, the King of Portugal passed away, she retired to a monastery, while continuing with her charitable efforts and even in her peacemaking works.

Brothers and sisters in Christ, let us all therefore be inspired and strengthened by the words of assurances that we have heard from our Scripture readings today and from the life of St. Elizabeth of Portugal. Let us all be reminded that we are always beloved by God, and we will always be blessed and guided by Him, given the providence and protection that we need in our paths and journeys in life. We just have to trust fully and wholeheartedly in God’s guidance, doing our very best to glorify Him by every actions and good works that we do in our daily lives. May our lives be truly fruitful in the Lord, be blessed and empowered by God’s Presence in our lives. May He bless our every good works and endeavours, now and always. Amen.

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Friday, 4 July 2025 : 13th Week of Ordinary Time, Memorial of St. Elizabeth of Portugal (Gospel Reading)

Liturgical Colour : Green or White (Saints)

Matthew 9 : 9-13

At that time, as Jesus moved on from where He healed the paralytic man, He saw a man named Matthew, at his seat in the custom-house; and He said to him, “Follow Me!” And Matthew got up and followed Him.

Now it happened, while Jesus was at table in Matthew’s house, many tax collectors and sinners joined Jesus and His disciples. When the Pharisees saw this, they said to His disciples, “Why is it, that your Master eats with sinners and tax collectors?”

When Jesus heard this, He said, “Healthy people do not need a doctor, but sick people do. Go, and find out what this means : What I want is mercy, not sacrifice. I did not come to call the righteous, but sinners.”

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Friday, 4 July 2025 : 13th Week of Ordinary Time, Memorial of St. Elizabeth of Portugal (Psalm)

Liturgical Colour : Green or White (Saints)

Psalm 105 : 1-2, 3-4a, 4b-5

Alleluia! Give thanks to YHVH, for He is good, for His love endures forever. Who can count YHVH’s mighty deeds, or declare all His praises?

Blessed are they who always do just and right. Remember me, o YHVH, when You show favour to Your people.

Rescue me when You deliver them; let me see the triumph of Your faithful; let me share the joy of Your nation; and join Your people in praising You.

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Friday, 4 July 2025 : 13th Week of Ordinary Time, Memorial of St. Elizabeth of Portugal (First Reading)

Liturgical Colour : Green or White (Saints)

Genesis 23 : 1-4, 19 and Genesis 24 : 1-8, 62-67

Sarah lived a hundred and twenty-seven years. She died at Kiriatharba – that is Hebron – in the land of Canaan, and Abraham went in to weep and mourn for Sarah. Abraham left his dead one and spoke to the Hittites, “I am only a stranger among you; give me a burial place among you, so that I may bury my dead.”

After this Abraham buried his wife Sarah in the cave of Machpelah. Abraham was now old and well on in years, and YHVH had blessed him in every way. Abraham said to his senior servant, who was his steward, “Put your hand under my thigh and you will swear to me by YHVH, God of heaven and earth, that you will not choose a wife for my son from the daughters of the Canaanites among whom we live; rather it is to my country and my kinsfolk that you will go to choose a wife for my son, Isaac.”

The servant said to him, “Perhaps the woman will not want to follow me to this country. In that case should I take your son to the country you came from?” Abraham said to him, “In no way will you take my son back. For YHVH, God of heaven and God of earth, who took me from my father’s house and from the land of my birth, spoke to me and swore to me that He would give this country to my race.”

“He will send His Angel before you, that you may find a wife for my son. But if the woman is unwilling to follow you, you will be free of this oath. In any case you are not to take my son down there.”

Now Isaac had come from the well of Lahai-roi, for he was living in the Negeb. As Isaac went out in the early evening to meditate in the field, he looked up and saw camels coming. Rebekah also looked up and when she saw Isaac she alighted from her camel and said to the servant, “Who is this man in the field coming to meet us?”

He replied, “It is my master!” She then covered her face with her veil. The servant related to Isaac all that he had done, and Isaac brought Rebekah into the tent of Sarah, his mother. He made her his wife, and he loved her; and Isaac was comforted after his mother’s death.