Homily of the Mass

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Thursday, 12 December 2024 : 2nd Week of Advent, Memorial of Our Lady of Guadalupe (Homily and Scripture Reflections)

Liturgical Colour : Purple/Violet or White (Our Lady of Guadalupe)

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, this day the Church celebrates the great occasion of the Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe, Mary, the Holy Mother of God in her Apparition to St. John Diego Cuauhtlatoatzin about five centuries ago in what is the present day Mexico at the great shrine that now stands at the site of Guadalupe. This great shrine of Our Lady of Guadalupe is now one of the most popular pilgrimage sites in the world and many millions flock to the shrine of Our Lady of Guadalupe every year, particularly during the time of her Feast that we celebrate this day. The Blessed Mother of God has made her appearances during times of strife and hardships for the Church, in various moments throughout history, including the time when she appeared at the site of Guadalupe in Mexico, which happened shortly after the arrival of the Spanish and other European explorers to the New World, the American continent.

At that time, it was at the beginning of the evangelisation of the lands of the New World, with missionaries and priests beginning to proclaim the Good News of God to many of the people of the Americas who have not yet heard and known the Lord. It came after years of devastation and destruction caused by the greed of the early European explorers, also commonly known as ‘Conquistadors’ that had brought about the ruin of the great kingdoms of the Aztecs and the Incas. The greed of those early conquerors had brought about great sufferings for the local natives, as well as plenty of destruction and exploitation of the region. During those turbulent years, even back in Christendom there were also a lot of divisions and conflicts, happening at that time in the midst of the Protestant reformation.

Amidst the backdrop of all these challenges and difficulties, our loving Mother, Our Lady of Guadalupe made her appearance to a local native named Juan Diego Cuauhtlatoatzin, who would later on be honoured as St. John Diego Cuauhtlatoatzin. According to the tradition and hagiographic story, at that moment, St. John Diego Cuauhtlatoatzin was a Christian convert, among the first of the natives to be baptised by the missionaries upon their arrival in those lands. He regularly travelled between his house and the Franciscan mission station where he had his religious instruction, and this travel passed by the Hill of Tepeyac, the site of the Apparition. On the dawn of the ninth day of December, which date is now celebrated as the Feast of St. John Diego, this man of God encountered the Apparition of Mary, who instructed him to tell of her appearance to the local bishop and to build a shrine at that location in order to provide help and comfort for all those who seek God’s mercy through her.

The bishop was initially skeptical and doubtful of the authenticity of the Apparition, and it was only after Our Lady of Guadalupe again repeated her message to St. John Diego that the latter went again to the bishop who then made a request that Our Lady of Guadalupe provide him with evidence of the authenticity of her Apparition with a miraculous sign. At that same time, St. John Diego’s uncle became very sick and he hurried to his uncle’s place through a different route, not passing through the site of Our Lady’s Apparition, as he was embarrassed that he was unable to fulfil the promise he made to her about the request that she has entrusted to him. But on his way, St. John Diego was intercepted by Our Lady who appeared to him and chastising him for not having faith in her intercession and help, and she reassured him that his uncle has recovered fully and was all well.

She told St. John Diego with the words that would become famous today, ‘¿No estoy yo aquí que soy tu madre?’ which means, ‘Am I not here, I who am your mother?’. St. John Diego then followed the instruction of Our Lady to collect some flowers at the nearby hill into his cloak or tilma, and then bringing them immediately to the bishop. Then as St. John Diego presented the flowers to the bishop, what truly amazed the bishop was not the seemingly unseasonal and uncommon Castilian flowers growing on that hill which St. John Diego had collected, but rather the image and likeness of Our Lady of Guadalupe herself being imprinted on the tilma or cloak worn by St. John Diego. The bishop, who was initially skeptical about the Apparition, immediately believed and venerated the image of Our Lady of Guadalupe.

Ever since that moment, the belief and the devotion in the Apparition of Our Lady of Guadalupe grew rapidly, and a shrine was built in that site of the Apparition, at the Hill of Tepeyac, known as Guadalupe, which led to the naming of the Apparition as Our Lady of Guadalupe, the loving Mother of God herself making her appearance to her beloved children, the people of God, at the time of great strife and challenge faced by them, in the New World due to the destruction wrought by wars and conflicts, and in the Christendom as a whole due to the effects of the Protestant reformation and other strife in the Church of God and among the Christian population of the whole Christendom. Mary, Our Lady of Guadalupe made her Apparition so as to strengthen our faith and resolve to follow the Lord faithfully, and not to give in to sin and corruption. Many people came back to the Lord and found their way to Him through His mother Mary, Our Lady of Guadalupe.

We have heard these through our Scripture readings today, from the account by St. John the Apostle and Evangelist in his Book of Revelations, in which the vision of the great War in Heaven and the end times were told to us. St. John saw in one of those visions a great vision of a Woman bearing a Child, which is in fact a personification of the Church of God, and at the same time is a reminder of Mary as the Mother of God and the Mother of the Church. Through her great obedience and faith in God, Mary, Our Lady of Guadalupe had responded positively, with love and commitment to the mission which God has entrusted to her, as we heard in our Gospel passage today from the Gospel of St. Luke. When the Archangel Gabriel revealed the Good News to Mary, while she was hesitant and unsure about what she had heard, but she ultimately trusted in the Lord and believed in Him.

Mary’s great faith in the Lord, her commitment and obedience, and all the virtues and righteousness that she has shown in life, all these are great examples and inspiration for all of us to follow. She is the perfect example and role model, the one who is our beacon to be followed. Her Apparition to St. John Diego Cuauhtlatoatzin and many others who witnessed her appearance served to remind us of God’s great love that has been manifested and made visible, tangible and approachable to us through Mary. And if we follow her examples, inspiration and faith, we will surely find ourselves on the firm path towards God and His salvation. Mary made herself available to us, guiding us patiently towards her Son. Her apparitions in Guadalupe, Lourdes, Fatima and others were all meant to this purpose.

Brothers and sisters in Christ, let us all therefore remind ourselves especially during this time and season of Advent, to refocus our lives and attention once again towards the Lord, our Master and Creator. Let us all no longer be distracted by all sorts of temptations and pleasures in life, all the attachments we have on worldly glory that can lead us astray in our path. May the Lord be with us always, and may He strengthen our faith and resolve, and through His loving Mother Mary, Our Lady of Guadalupe, bring us ever closer to His Holy Presence, and help us to turn away from and reject all the sins and wickedness of this world. Amen.

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Wednesday, 11 December 2024 : 2nd Week of Advent, Memorial of Pope St. Damasus I, Pope (Homily and Scripture Reflections)

Liturgical Colour : Purple/Violet or White (Popes)

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, today as we listened to the words of the Lord contained in the Scriptures, we are all reminded that God is the source of our Hope, comfort and joy, and it is in Him alone that we shall find true satisfaction and liberation from our many troubles and challenges, difficulties and hurdles in life. Unfortunately many of us often do not realise this and we do not perceive His love and compassion for us enough, and many of us sought comfort and satisfaction in worldly things instead of putting our trust and faith in God. This is why we are reminded through these readings from the Scriptures so that we do not end up going down the wrong path in life and seek the false pleasures and satisfactions that came not from God but from the evil ones.

In our first reading today taken from the Book of the prophet Isaiah, we heard of the words of the Lord through Isaiah in which He lamented how the people had not realised that they had been taken care of, given attention and help by the Lord all the way at that time, and yet, those people still complained and refused to believe in Him whenever He gave them His help, love and providence. They often hardened their hearts and minds, and closed them off to the Lord, Who had often come to them offering His help and guidance. And yet, the Lord still patiently cared for them and loved them even as He constantly chastised them for their sins and wickedness, like a loving Father who cared for his children while disciplining them.

The Lord has repeatedly shown His love and kindness to His people, that even though they had always been rebellious and stubborn in their attitudes and ways, but He has never given up on them. Instead, He kept on sending them His messengers and guides, the prophets and many others to help them to find their way back towards Him. He reassured all of them that despite all the sufferings and difficulties that they might be facing, but His might, power and love transcend and surpass all those challenges and trials. As long as they remain firm in their faith in Him and put their faith in Him then He will provide for them, bless them and strengthen them, and they shall share in His glorious promise and inheritance, all the good and wonderful things that He had intended for them.

In our Gospel passage today, taken from the Gospel according to St. Matthew the Apostle and Evangelist, we heard of the words of reassurance from the Lord Jesus to His disciples and all of us, that all of us can come to Him and we will have rest in Him. He offers us all a yoke that is lighter and more manageable than the yoke of the world. Truly, this is just as what I had just mentioned earlier, how God is truly like a loving Father Who truly cares for all of us His beloved children. Each and every one of us are precious to Him, and that was why He sent to us all His beloved Son, Our Lord and Saviour so that through Him we may see and witness His love manifested to us in the flesh, in Christ, Who is tangible and approachable by us all.

And the Lord’s words are important reminders for all of us that as Christians we must also be prepared to expect challenges and hardships, difficulties and obstacles in our path. That is why the Lord referred to the presence of His yoke, which is lighter than that of the yoke of the world. If we become Christians and expecting that we will have good and smooth, easy and comfortable lives, then we may be easily disappointed once we realise that there are likely plenty of challenges, oppositions and labours that we may have to endure throughout our lives and journeys as God’s faithful people. In fact, the more committed we are to the Lord’s path, the chances are that we may encounter even more challenges and difficulties in our journey because this world that has been corrupted by sin and evil, it will be in opposition to the Lord and His righteous path.

However, we must remember that we do not go through this path and journey alone. The Lord is always by our side, guiding and helping us whenever we need His help and guidance, and He will never abandon or leave us alone in our time of greatest need. We may indeed have to suffer and endure hardships, but in the end, we will be triumphant with God and He shall justify us all and bring us all into the true happiness and everlasting glory that we have been promised. In fact, His yoke is indeed lighter and better for us not because it may seem to be easier or less challenging, but rather because it does not lead us into the path towards downfall and eternal damnation. As a comparison, the alternative paths offered by the world may seem to be easier and better, lighter and less challenging, but they give us false hope and delude us into this path of darkness.

Today the Church also celebrates the Feast of Pope St. Damasus I, one of the Popes of the early Church. Pope St. Damasus I was the leader of the Universal Church as the Pope and Bishop of Rome, Vicar of Christ and Supreme Pontiff in the middle of the fourth century. Pope St. Damasus I was born into a family of a priest in Rome and that eventually inspired and led him to be a priest in turn, rising up to the position of the Archdeacon of Rome under Pope Liberius and when the latter was exiled by the Roman Emperor, it was the future Pope St. Damasus I that helped to take care of the governance and the issues of the Roman Church. Later on, he was elected as Pope to succeed Pope Liberius after the Pope’s death, during a time of strive in the Church. 

At that time, he had to contend with rival claimant and candidate to the Papacy, a popular deacon named Ursinus who became an Antipope for a short time and whose supporters and Ursinus himself continued to oppose Pope St. Damasus I’s election as Pope. Nonetheless, despite the challenges and the difficulties that Pope St. Damasus I had to face, he managed to gain a lot of important achievements in successfully navigating the Church through the difficult period at that time filled with divisions within the Church and conflicts, opposing quite a number of serious heresies that affected many in the Church such as Arianism, Apollinarianism, Macedonianism and many others. He also led the Church courageously through such difficult moments and helped many people to remain strong and firm in their faith.

The great examples shown by Pope St. Damasus I should inspire each and every one of us in our own faith in God, and remembering how even this great servant of God had suffered and endured many challenges in the midst of his ministry throughout his years in service to the Lord, as priest, archdeacon and then as Pope and leader of the Universal Church. He remained firmly faithful to the Lord and did not allow all those difficulties and challenges to stop or dissuade him from continuing to do what God had entrusted to him, and he continued to serve the Lord ever more faithfully in his ministry. This is something that we all as Christians should be doing as well. And therefore, let us all reflect upon these and discern carefully our path forward in our respective lives.

May the Lord our most loving and compassionate God continue to help and bless us, and strengthen us all with the courage and inspiration to continue to do what He has entrusted to us to do. May He continue to love us all and patiently lead us all into His embrace, that we may be always firmly faithful in Him despite the many challenges and trials that we may have to endure in our journey towards Him. Let our actions and efforts continue to be good examples and inspiration for one another to follow, now and always. Amen.

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Tuesday, 10 December 2024 : 2nd Week of Advent, Memorial of the Blessed Virgin Mary of Loreto (Homily and Scripture Reflections)

Liturgical Colour : Purple/Violet or White (Mass of the Blessed Virgin Mary of Loreto)

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, today the Church celebrates the occasion of the Feast of Our Lady of Loreto, a popular Marian pilgrimage site in the city of Loreto in Italy where the Holy House of Nazareth, the very House where Jesus our Lord, Mary His mother and St. Joseph, His foster father had been living in when they were all staying in Nazareth during the younger years of the Lord before He began His ministry. On this day, we rejoice and honour Mary, the Mother of the Holy Family and the patroness of the great Shrine of Loreto and the Holy House of Nazareth, our great patroness and intercessor, the Mother of God and our loving mother as well. We thank her for her constant love and compassionate care for each and every one of us.

The story of the Holy House of Nazareth was truly a story of great miracle and wonders of God, as studies had scientifically proven that the materials used in the House enshrined within the great Basilica now known as the Basilica of the Holy House or Basilica della Santa Casa, was indeed originating from around the time of the Lord’s ministry about two millennia ago, using the materials that were common in the region of Nazareth and Galilee at the time. How the House then ended up in its current location was explained through Church tradition and history, eyewitnesses and visionaries who saw the Holy House of Nazareth being transported by the Angels of God from the original site in Nazareth when the land was in turmoil and conflicts during the end of the era of the Crusades.

At first, the Angels miraculously transported and bore the Holy House from Nazareth to the site of Tersatto in Croatia, and then afterwards, as according to tradition, the pilgrims coming to the House were often waylaid by bandits, the Holy House was once again transported by the Angels to Italy, where after another few occasions of movements and translations, eventually the Holy House settled at the current site in Loreto, Italy, where it had remained for more than seven centuries since. This translation of the Holy House has also been supported by visionaries such as Blessed Anne Catherine Emmerich, who received a vision about the event, centuries after the actual event has taken place, and even she originally could not fully comprehend what she had seen, as she described how the Holy House of Nazareth was borne by seven Angels across the sea.

Regardless of the full truth of how the Holy House was moved from Nazareth to its current location, its historicity and authenticity, we must realise just how popular this devotion is, as many pilgrims and devotees came regularly to the site of the Basilica of the Holy House, seeking the intercession of Mary, Our Lady of Loreto. And through this inspiring story of the Holy House once inhabited by the Holy Family of Jesus, Mary and Joseph, we are all reminded of the exemplary faith that Mary has shown us all in her complete and total obedience to the will of God, and in her desire to glorify the Lord as well as the love which she has shown to her Son, in caring for Him and bringing Him up with faith and love.

In our first reading today, taken from the Book of the prophet Isaiah, we heard of the prophecy of the prophet Isaiah from God which was delivered to King Ahaz, the King of Judah about the coming of the Messiah or Saviour of the world, and how this would happen through a woman who has never borne a child, which all would indeed be fulfilled through Mary and her bearing of her Son, Our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, more than seven centuries after the prophet Isaiah had spoken of this prophecy before King Ahaz. And we ought to notice the manner with which King Ahaz responded to the words of the prophet Isaiah asking him to ask for a sign from God, as King Ahaz said that he would not ask as he did not want to put God to the test.

Those words were met with immediate criticism from Isaiah who said that the King was essentially being a hypocrite as he and the people had long disobeyed the Lord and put the Lord to the test on many occasions, refusing to listen to the words of the Lord and obey His commandments. In fact, by refusing to obey the Lord Who asked King Ahaz to ask for a sign from Him, it was itself a sign of disobedience and even lack of faith in God. This can be contrasted with the attitude which Mary has shown in our Gospel passage today, when the Archangel Gabriel brought forth for her the Good News of the coming of God’s Saviour, Who would come forth through her womb, and born from her. While Mary was uncertain about what she had heard, as at that time she was still quite young in age, but she trusted in the Lord and obeyed Him.

Her words, ‘I am the handmaid of the Lord, let it be done to me as you have said,’ are the marks of obedience, faith and true humility, as she accepted the great mission and responsibility which she had been entrusted with by God. And for this great faith and obedience, her virtues and great love, this is why we truly venerate and honour Mary above all the other saints, and we truly love her as our own beloved Mother, as our great role model, a guide and someone who has always encouraged us in the journey that each and every one of us undertake in the path towards her Son, our Lord and Saviour. And that is why we also rejoice today, as we rejoice in the great inspiration and hope which Mary, Our Lady of Loreto, has brought upon us all.

Brothers and sisters in Christ, as we continue to progress through this season of Advent, let us all therefore strive to focus our attention once again on the Lord, putting Him at the centre of our lives and existence. Let us all resist the temptations of sin and evil, and be inspired as always by the great examples and inspiration from the holy saints, especially that of Mary, Our Lady of Loreto, the Holy Mother of God, who is also our loving mother. As we strive to live our lives more faithfully in God, let us continue to journey towards Him patiently and courageously, doing whatever we can to proclaim His glory by our own exemplary and worthy lives, now and always. Amen.

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Monday, 9 December 2024 : Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary (Homily and Scripture Reflections)

Liturgical Colour : White

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, today the Church celebrates the occasion of the Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Mother of God, marking the moment when Mary was conceived immaculate, full of grace and free from the taint of original sin, at the moment of her conception in the womb of her mother, St. Anne. This celebration is also something that is very important for our faith as Christians because they are very closely related to the crux of the story of our salvation. This is because Mary herself is the Mother of God through her motherhood of Jesus Christ, the Son of God Most High, the Divine Word of God incarnate in the flesh, becoming the Son of Man and Saviour of the world.

In order to understand the significance and reason why we Christians believe in the Immaculate Conception of Mary, which is one of the Four Marian Dogmas, or the core teachings and beliefs of the Church on Mary, we must first look upon the historical example of God manifesting Himself in this world, as He made His appearances to us throughout history as recorded in the Scriptures, and also the nature of sin, which is why the ‘Immaculate’ or sinless nature of Mary is highlighted so prominently especially today. First of all, God created each and every one of us mankind perfect and blameless, and He intended for us all to be just as immaculate and pure as Mary has been designed. However, our inability to resist the temptations of the evil one led us to our downfall.

Sin came forth from our refusal to obey the Lord and His commandments, as we gave in to the temptations and our desire for worldly matters, ambitions, desire for knowledge and power which Satan offered to our ancestors, to Adam and Eve as we heard in our first reading today from the Book of Genesis, and as a result, the corruption of sin came and enter into our hearts, minds and bodies, corrupting us and our souls, tainting them such that we become sundered from God, our Lord, Master and Creator. And that was why mankind were cast out of the Garden of Eden as no corruption and evil can stand in God’s Presence and survive, as God is all good and perfect, and no evil can be in His Presence. That is why except for very few select ones like Abraham, Moses, Elijah and some others, no one could see God and remain alive.

When the Lord gave His Law and commandments to His people through Moses, He commanded Moses to make an Ark to carry the two tablets of the Law of God, the manna, the bread from Heaven that God had given to His people to eat, as well as the staff of Aaron by which God had performed His miracles before the people and also shepherded His people, the Israelites. All of these were placed in the Ark of the Covenant, which was made from gold and other precious materials, and according to the Scriptures, God hallowed and blessed it, and His Presence would regularly come down and rest upon the Cherubim that were carved and made on top of the Ark of the Covenant. And this Ark was so holy and blessed, that no one could touch it, and in one occasion, a priest who accidentally touched the Ark was immediately struck dead.

Again, this highlighted how sin and evil has no place in the Presence of God, and sin would have obliterated us in His Presence. And how is this related to Mary and her Immaculate Conception? That is because Mary is the vessel through whom God would bring forth His salvation into this world, as He sent unto us all His Son, the Son of God Most High that had willingly embraced our humanity and our human nature, that God Himself, the Lord and Master of all the whole Universe and existence became manifested in the flesh in the womb of Mary, who therefore became God’s Mother. If the Ark of the Covenant itself has been made so holy and inviolable, then all the more the one to bear God Himself in the flesh should also be made holy, and this is where it is indeed important that Mary should be made ‘Immaculate’, free from all taints of original sin.

That is because mankind have been tainted by the taint of original sin due to our rebellion against God, and just as mentioned, sin has made us defiled, corrupted and unworthy of God. How can then God be born through a woman who had been defiled and corrupted by sin and evil? How can He spend nine months in the womb of Mary if Mary herself is suffering the same corruption of sin and evil? If we truly believe that Jesus Christ is truly the Son of God, the Divine Word of God incarnate, truly God and truly Man, then we must also believe that God, by His power and will, He Who does things that may seem impossible for us, can keep Mary from being corrupted by the taint of sin. That is what the Church teaches us, that by the singular grace of God, Mary, the Mother of God, was conceived without sin, and remained pure and full of grace all her life.

That is further affirmed in our Gospel passage today from the Gospel according to St. Luke in which the account of the Archangel Gabriel announcing the coming of the Saviour to Mary was told to us. The Archangel Gabriel greeted Mary with the words that we are surely familiar with, ‘Hail Mary, full of grace.’, and for someone to be in the state of fullness of grace means that she truly enjoys the complete favour of God and no sin is found in her at all. This affirms the Church teachings that had been preserved from the days of the Apostles that Mary, the Mother of God has indeed been conceived without sin, and remained pure and blameless throughout all of her life, and this made her to be fully worthy to bear the Lord and Saviour Himself in her, and to be the Mother of God.

Brothers and sisters in Christ, as we have discussed earlier and remembered from the Scripture readings today, let us all therefore celebrate and rejoice greatly in commemorating the Immaculate Conception of Mary, the Holy Mother of God, who is also our loving Mother. We rejoice in her great faith and commitment to the mission which she has embraced and accepted with great love and commitment. And in Mary, conceived without sin we have seen a great role model and inspiration for all of us to follow in our own lives and faith, to do what God has entrusted to us to do, and to be truly faithful and striving to be free from sin and wickedness of this world in our respective lives. In Mary, in her fullness of grace, we see the inspiration and model for us to follow, in aspiring for this state of grace and obedience to God.

Ultimately, all of us are called to be reconciled with God and to be reunited with Him, and in order for that to happen, we should repent from our many sins and reject the temptations of sin and evil. We must no longer be stubborn and resist God’s calling for us all to follow Him. We must embrace God’s ever generous love and mercy, His kindness and compassion which He has always presented to us, loving and forgiving us our sins whenever we come back to Him with sorrowful and contrite hearts. May God, our ever loving Father and Creator, Our Lord and Saviour continue to love us and show His mercy on us, and may His Blessed Mother, Mary, conceived without sin, continue to intercede for us always. Amen.

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Sunday, 8 December 2024 : Second Sunday of Advent (Homily and Scripture Reflections)

Liturgical Colour : Purple/Violet

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, this Sunday we celebrate the occasion of the Second Sunday of Advent as we continue to progress through this time and season of Advent in preparation for the coming of Christmas. During this time of Advent, all of us focus our attention upon the expectation of the coming of God’s salvation, both commemorating His earlier coming and appearance in this world which had happened two millennia ago, as well as the promised Second Coming of Christ, which we have been assured and foretold, and therefore we prepare ourselves spiritually and in other means so that we may be truly ready to welcome the Lord as He comes again into our midst, dwelling among us and within us all, our Hope and our Salvation.

This Sunday, we focus on the Theme of Peace, the second of the four themes we commemorate this Advent on Hope, Peace, Joy and Love. If last Sunday we remind ourselves that Advent is the sign of God’s Hope being manifested to us all through His Son, which is what Christmas is all about, then this Sunday we focus our attention on the Peace that our Saviour, our Prince of Peace, Jesus Christ, has brought into our midst. The coming of the Lord as the Prince of Peace, at His Second Coming at the end of time will herald the era and time of eternal peace, where no more conflict, struggles, wars and hardships will exist anymore around us, unlike what we are facing and dealing with in this world of ours in the present day just as how it had been in the past.

In our first reading this Sunday, we heard the words of the Lord as He had spoken to His people, the Israelites through His prophet Baruch. The prophet Baruch came among the Israelites to minister to them during the time at the ending and final years of the Kingdom of Judah, to a people that had been suffering a lot of struggles and hardships amidst their inability and failures to obey the words and commandments of the Lord. He was the scribe of the prophet Jeremiah who had laboured and struggled for many long years against all those who resisted the Lord’s warning and orders. He helped Jeremiah whenever the latter had to hide from the scrutiny and attack by his enemies, helping him to proclaim the words of the Lord to His people.

According to tradition, both the prophet Baruch and Jeremiah endured the final years of the kingdom of Judah and they were there when Jerusalem was besieged and destroyed by the forces of the Babylonians under King Nebuchadnezzar. Both of them were also brought by some rebels among the people into exile in the land of Egypt, and there together with Jeremiah, the prophet Baruch continued to speak of the words of the Lord’s assurance to His people, reminding them all that their time of sufferings and hardships will eventually come to an end. God would gather them all back from those places that they had all been scattered and exiled to, and He would restore them once again to a state of happiness and joy, with peace and harmony in their midst, no more war and conflicts and all the things that they had endured and suffered.

Then, in our second reading this Sunday from the Epistle of St. Paul to the Church and the faithful people of God in Philippi, we heard of the Apostle’s words reminding the faithful there of the great love and grace that they all have received from God and which He has done for all of them through His most Beloved Son, Jesus Christ, Our Lord and Saviour, through Whom the salvation for all the whole world has been assured to us. His coming into our midst has brought forth the revelation of what God has intended for each and every one of us, guiding and leading us all into the path towards our reconciliation and reunion with God, as He taught us all how to live our lives more worthily of the Lord, in purifying ourselves from all the evils and wickedness that had afflicted us previously in our lives.

In our Gospel passage today, we heard of something similar from the account in the Gospel according to St. Luke the Evangelist in which the story of the baptism and works by St. John the Baptist was told to us all. St. John the Baptist was the one whom God had sent into our midst right before the coming of the Saviour in order to prepare His way and to call on us all mankind to welcome Him properly and worthily. And hence, he called on all of the people to repent and turn away from their many sins, and to commit themselves anew to the Lord, a commitment which was symbolised by their willingness to be baptised at the River Jordan by St. John the Baptist. The baptism of St. John is the first step for them to come and seek God’s mercy and forgiveness, to be reconciled once again with their Lord and Master.

Brothers and sisters in Christ, in our lives many of us are now facing a lot of struggles, hardships and challenges from various sources and for many different reasons. However, ultimately all these stem from our separation from God, our pursuit of worldly matters and attachments and our lack of genuine and strong faith in God. After all, how can we have true peace and happiness if we are separated from Him Who is the source of all peace and happiness? That is why this Advent we should focus on the Lord, our Prince of Peace, Whose coming into this world has restored our hope for the true peace and happiness that can exist once again in our lives, as we detach ourselves from the false pleasures and joys of the world and seek instead the lasting happiness in God.

May the Lord, our most loving God and Creator, the Master of Peace and Harmony bring us all into His loving and peaceful embrace. May He empower each and every one of us so that we can continue to live in true peace and harmony, and make this as the emphasis and focus of our upcoming celebrations of Christmas. Let our Christmas joy and celebration be truly meaningful and let us all celebrate Christmas with the right emphasis and intention so that they do not become empty joy and superficial jubilation just as how many of the secular Christmas celebrations all around us may show us. May all of us continue to grow ever stronger in our faith in the Lord and may all of us be always reminded of the love and kindness which God, our Lord and Master has always had for us. Amen.

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Saturday, 7 December 2024 : 1st Week of Advent, Memorial of St. Ambrose, Bishop and Doctor of the Church (Homily and Scripture Reflections)

Liturgical Colour : White

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, as we heard from our Scripture passages today, we are all reminded that each and every one of us are called to follow the Lord and to walk faithfully in His path, which is our mission in life, to obey and to do what God has willed for us. As Christians we must always endeavour to glorify God by our everyday living and by each and every one of our words, actions and deeds, and by whatever good works and contributions we have done for the good of everyone in the Church and elsewhere. We have been entrusted with the important mission to proclaim the Lord and His salvation to the world, and to make Him known to more and more people, so that many more may come to be saved through Him.

In our first reading today, taken from the Book of the prophet Isaiah we heard of the words of assurance from the Lord for His people in the kingdom of Judah, in which God reassured them that they would no longer suffer all the difficulties and challenges, trials and persecutions that they had endured at that time. For at that time, the people of God in the kingdom of Judah were in dire straits, facing lots of threats from their enemies and hostile neighbours, and their separated brethren in the northern kingdom of Israel had earlier on been conquered and defeated by the Assyrians, who destroyed their cities and scattered them into the distant lands away from their homeland, and made them to endure bitter and humiliating exile, bondage and submission.

The people of Judah themselves had faced similar difficulties, as they had to face the invasion by a mighty force of the Assyrians that laid siege to their cities and to Jerusalem itself, and yet, for all their hubris, pride and arrogance, God laid them low and humbled them all as He struck many of them and crushed the arrogance of their king, who had to go back to his homeland with great embarrassment and disgrace. These words of God as spoken by the prophet Isaiah in our first reading today are therefore message of hope and assurance, and the people of God themselves likely had experienced God’s help and guidance firsthand, and encountered His great love and mercy, which He had Himself shown before them. This is a reminder therefore for all of us that we may also believe in God and His loving providence.

As we all continue to progress through this time and season of Advent towards Christmas we are constantly therefore being reminded of God’s love and presence in our midst at all times, how He will always be there for us, guiding and strengthening us in our journey throughout the way. We are reminded that in God is our hope and salvation, and if we continue to trust in Him and follow Him wholeheartedly, then eventually we will share in the true and eternal happiness, glory and all that He has promised and reassured us again and again throughout time. In this time and season of Advent, we are all reminded that we are preparing ourselves to celebrate the Lord’s coming into this world, and remember everything that He has done for us through His Son, Jesus Christ, Our Lord and Saviour.

Then, from the Gospel passage today from the Gospel according to St. Matthew the Apostle and Evangelist, we heard of the Lord speaking to His disciples regarding the matter of the mission which He has entrusted to all of them as His disciples and followers. He went from place to place, ministering to the people and teaching them, healing their sick and those with all sorts of ailments, and He cured them all, which led to even more people coming towards Him, seeking His help and healing. It was mentioned how the Lord was moved by the desire in all those people to be healed by Him, and how they were like a flock of sheep without a shepherd. Hence, He made Himself to be their Shepherd, Guide and Leader.

He also commissioned the Apostles and the other disciples to go forth and to proclaim the coming of the salvation in God, giving them the power and authority to heal the sick, to cast out demons and to do all the things that He Himself had done to the people of God. He sent them out to spread His Good News and to do His works, the mission which still continues even to this very day. The Church and all of us, fellow Christians, have all been entrusted with this mission to proclaim the Lord and His salvation to the whole world, to evangelise and to lead more and more people towards the Lord and His salvation. And in this season and time of Advent, once again we are reminded of this salvation which God has sent to us in our midst through His Son, Our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ.

Today, the Church celebrates the Feast of St. Ambrose of Milan, one of the great early Church fathers and one of the four original Doctors of the Church. He was born as Aurelius Ambrosius into a Christian Roman family in the early fourth century, and according to some Church tradition, his father was a high ranking official, the Praetorian Prefect of Gaul in what is France today, and yet some other traditions associated his father as an imperial official. Having been born to such a family and upbringing, he was well educated and brought up to follow his father’s example, rising eventually to the position of governor of the region of Aemilia-Liguria in northern parts of Italy today. From his pious and wise mother, St. Ambrose grew in the faith and his wisdom.

Eventually, during his time as governor, at that time, there was bitter and difficult rift and division among the faithful, as many among them had been influenced by the then popular and raging Arian heresy. When the previous Bishop of Milan, an Arian, passed away, there was great dispute regarding his successor, which led to St. Ambrose coming to the church where the election was held to prevent violence and uprising from the opposing parties. According to tradition, he was then acclaimed by the people to be the new Bishop of Milan. Although initially he was reluctant to do so, and refused at first the position of bishop, eventually through the intervention and encouragement from the Emperor, St. Ambrose eventually relented and was consecrated as the new Bishop of Milan.

As the Bishop of Milan, St. Ambrose lived a simple and holy lifestyle, and he was very popular with his flock, many of whom had been touched by his tireless efforts to care for them, and in his efforts to eradicate the corruptions and falsehoods of the Arian teachings and heresy that had by then become very popular especially among the higher classes and the clergy. He managed to maintain the unity in his diocese and beyond while at the same time working tirelessly to promote the true, orthodox and clear teachings of the Christian faith as handed down and preserved by the Church from the days of the Apostles. And in one occasion, he was even courageous to stand up against the Emperor himself, when the Emperor Theodosius the Great was implicated in the brutal massacre at Thessalonica, which prompted the excommunication of the Emperor, and the Emperor was only welcomed back to the Church as a penitent through the patient efforts of St. Ambrose of Milan.

Brothers and sisters in Christ, let us all therefore follow in the footsteps of the saints and the Apostles, like those of St. Ambrose of Milan and the countless other servants and disciples of the Lord who had done their best in their lives to show the love and kindness, mercy and compassion of God to all the people whom they encountered and ministered to. Each and every one of us are partakers of God’s mission, the ones entrusted with the responsibility to lead more and more people towards God, through our exemplary lives and actions, through our commitment and dedication to Him, at all times. May the Lord continue to strengthen our faith in us and empower us all so that we may always grow ever stronger in faith and devotion to God, and in our hope in His salvation. Amen.

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Friday, 6 December 2024 : 1st Week of Advent, Memorial of St. Nicholas, Bishop (Homily and Scripture Reflections)

Liturgical Colour : Purple/Violet or White (Bishops)

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, as we continue to listen to the words of the Scriptures presented to us during this time and season of Advent, we are all constantly being reminded of the need for us to continue having faith and trust in God, believing that He can provide us with everything that we need, and that He can lead us all to true happiness and bring us consolation from all the sufferings and struggles that we may be facing in this world. We have to remember the love that God has for each one of us and His patient care for us always endures even though we have often disobeyed Him and rebelled against Him. While He does chastise us for our sins and disobedience, but He always leaves the way open for us to return to Him through our sincere and genuine repentance and through His generous mercy and forgiveness.

In our first reading today taken from the Book of the prophet Isaiah we heard of the words of the Lord to His people in the southern kingdom of Judah, reassuring and encouraging them that He would save all of them and bringing them all to His loving embrace, freeing them from their enemies, healing the blind, the lame, deaf and all those who were troubled among them, a promise that He would indeed fulfil by the sending of His salvation into this world through His Son. And this assurance came at a very good time for the people of God who at that time had been suffering a lot from the attacks by their enemies and everyone around them. God reassured them all that He would never abandon them, and if they continue to be faithful to Him they would be certain of God’s providence and love, and will have share in His eternal glory and joy.

Then, in our Gospel passage today taken from the Gospel according to St. Matthew the Apostle and Evangelist, we heard of the story of the moment when the Lord Jesus encountered two blind men who came to Him and followed Him, begging Him to heal them from their blindness. They kept on asking Him and trusting in Him that He could save them from their predicament, asking Him to show them mercy and love. And the Lord was moved by their faith and persistence in asking and seeking His mercy, healing them from their blindness, and just as we heard and discussed earlier from our first reading today, this was one of the proofs that God has indeed fulfilled what He had promised to His people, His promise to them that He would restore them all and bring them all out of the darkness and evils around us, bringing us into the eternity of happiness and joy with Him.

That is why we are all reminded that we should also seek Him to overcome the troubles and the darkness all around us, asking God to help and heal us from all of our troubles and afflictions. We are reminded that in God alone we can find true consolation and hope, strength and encouragement amidst all the challenges and difficulties we encounter in our daily living. Like those blind men who had physical disabilities, each and every one of us are also afflicted by the affliction of sin, which is far more dangerous and harmful to us than any kind of physical disabilities. This is because while physical disabilities can be cured by doctors and medicine, and even the supposedly incurable one will not last beyond our earthly life, and in the world that is to come, none of us will suffer anymore from those afflictions.

On the other hand, sin is an affliction that is attacking our very own soul, and is something that can lead to eternal damnation and destruction. Not only that but only God alone can forgive us from our sins and heal us in that matter, and as long as we have our sins with us, corrupting us, then we may end up being judged for all those sins, which made us to be unworthy and distant, separated and sundered from God. This is why we should remind ourselves not to be easily swayed by the temptations of sin and the world, and strive to do our best to glorify God by our lives, our every good and worthy actions and efforts in every moments, in our good interactions with one another, and seek the Lord to help and strengthen us in our faith while sincerely repenting from our sins and wickedness, turning back towards God and seeking His love and forgiveness.

Today the Church also celebrates the Feast of St. Nicholas, also known as St. Nicholas of Myra, the one who was the origin of the legend of Santa Claus or Sinterklaas, the famous figure now widely associated with Christmas. Many of the traditions and beliefs associated with the now popular Santa Claus came from the life and practices of St. Nicholas of Myra, who liked to give presents to young children in his diocese, and who was also a very dedicated shepherd and guide to his flock in Myra, a region in Asia Minor which is now part of Turkey. St. Nicholas was one of the very important Church fathers at that time, and his role in fact extended beyond just his ministry to his flock in Myra but also to the larger Church community at a time when many of the faithful were threatened from within by false teachings and heresies.

For at that time, during the early fourth century there were quite a few heresies that had arisen since the earliest days of the Church, but the true and genuine faith had prevailed in all the centuries since by the courageous defence of the dedicated and faithful Church fathers who resisted and opposed the heresies with zeal and commitment to God. Similarly, St. Nicholas of Myra was also an ardent defender of the true and orthodox teachings and faith against the heretics. During the First Ecumenical Council at Nicaea, according to some tradition, St. Nicholas was so incensed by the words of heresy presented by Arius, the popular preacher who initiated the Arian heresy, claiming that Jesus Christ is not equal to the Father, that he hit Arius in the face for his blasphemy against God.

Regardless of whether this actually happened or not, what matters is that St. Nicholas truly stood up for his faith and committed himself wholeheartedly to the Lord, devoting himself for the good of the faithful entrusted to him and for the good of the Universal Church. And his examples should be good inspiration for all of us to follow as well, in how we should continue to live our lives worthily of the Lord, distancing ourselves from sin and obeying the Law and commandments of God, while showing charity and love, care and compassion towards our fellow brothers and sisters around us. Are we able to follow his good examples, brothers and sisters in Christ? Are we willing to commit ourselves to the cause of the Lord and proclaim Him in all and every moments of our lives?

This season of Advent, let us all turn back towards the Lord with faith and have the sincere desire to seek the Lord and His forgiveness and mercy, remembering all the love and kindness that He has always shown us, His beloved people and children. Let us repent from our sins and faults, and reject the temptations of sin, seeking instead the hope and light that the Lord has shown us through His Son, Our Lord and Saviour. May the Lord continue to help and strengthen us in our journey and to persevere amidst all the struggles we may encounter in life. May God continue to help us to have a good and fruitful preparation this Advent so that we may come ever closer to His Presence and to live our lives ever more worthily as best as we are able to. May He bless our every good efforts and endeavours, and strengthen us in faith as once He has strengthened the faith of St. Nicholas, His servant, our great role model. Amen.

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Thursday, 5 December 2024 : 1st Week of Advent (Homily and Scripture Reflections)

Liturgical Colour : Purple/Violet

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, today as we listened to the words of the Lord contained in the Scriptures, we are all reminded of the need for each and every one of us to have a strong faith that is truly rooted and anchored in the Lord, and not to have the kind of empty and superficial faith that will not be of use to us at all and which will not justify us on the Day of Judgment. All of us must nurture in us the strong love and devotion to God, and build in us the strong and lasting foundation by our enduring faith and commitment to God. This is what we are being reminded of today by listening to the words of the Scriptures presented to us, that there is only firm and sure hope in God alone and that if we depend on worldly means and provisions we are likely to be disappointed in the end.

In our first reading today, we heard from the Book of the prophet Isaiah in which God spoke to His people, the people of the kingdom of Judah about His promises and reassurance to them that He would protect and guard them against their enemies, and He would make their cities and towns secure again, setting up His strong wall against all those who would rise against them. The prophet Isaiah also spoke of the firm foundation in God, the firm and steady foundation Rock for all the people of God. This assurance indeed came at the right time for the people of God in Judah and they themselves at that time had likely witnessed in person what God had done for those who were faithful and beloved to Him against their enemies who tried to strike them down and destroy them.

We can understand this better by referring to the historical and Scriptural evidence of the time when the Assyrians came up to Jerusalem under their King Sennacherib, with his mighty army in the hundreds of thousands, after the Assyrians earlier on had destroyed and conquered the northern half of the kingdom of the people of God, the kingdom of Israel. At that time, during the reign of King Hezekiah of Judah, the people of God and their king must have been fearful of the might of the Assyrians who were very powerful and undefeated those days, conquering many states and territories around the kingdom of Judah itself, and eventually they also came for Judah and Jerusalem. If we read the story contained in the Book of Kings, that Assyrian king Sennacherib even boasted against the Lord and ridiculed the faith of the people of Judah.

It was there and then that, having kept their trust and faith in God, the prayers of the people of Judah and their king, Hezekiah, who was faithful and obedient to God, led to the Lord sending His mighty Angels to strike upon the vast hordes of the Assyrian army, leading to the death of a hundred and eighty-five thousand men among them, a truly colossal devastation that God had brought upon the Assyrians and their proud and haughty king. Certainly, the people of Judah had witnessed all these happening before their very own eyes, and believed in God. In the same manner therefore, I decided to bring up this history and evidence to help us all to realise for ourselves just how great God’s providence and love for us are. We must not forget how blessed we are to have God Who has always been so loving and so patient in caring for us.

Then, from our Gospel passage today taken from the Gospel according to St. Matthew the Evangelist, we heard of the words of the Lord telling and in fact warning His disciples and the people listening to Him that not everyone who claim to know Him and who says, ‘Lord! Lord!’ will be saved or worthy for eternal life. This was immediately followed by the parable of the foundations in which the Lord compared between the ones who built the foundations for their houses on the loose sand against those who have built their houses on the solid foundation from strong and firm rocks. This parable is meant to highlight to us all what it means to put our faith and trust in God as opposed to putting our trust in the many worldly means and alternatives that we have all around us, our wealth, property, abilities and all the worldly attachments we have.

The loose foundation is a reference to the trust that we have in our worldly means and abilities, as all those things while they may provide us temporary help, assurance and means to survive and prosper, but they will not last forever. Eventually none of those things will last and even the greatest of wealth and worldly property, belongings and treasures can be destroyed in the blink of an eye, no matter how careful we have taken care of them. And ultimately, none of us can bring any of these to the life that is to come. No amount of wealth, worldly possessions, fame, glory, worldly achievements and talents, all the things we have amassed in this world can be brought with us past the gates of death. Even the mightiest and richest ones among us go to the afterlife with the same things that the poorest and the weakest among us bring with them, that is no other than their bodies and their souls.

Before God all of us are equals and we are all equally beloved by Him. And in Him alone we can find true assurance and perfectly lasting happiness and joy. For it is in Him alone we can truly depend on and will not be disappointed. And while we may have to face difficulties, struggles and challenges in this life, but as long as we keep our faith in God and continue to love Him, anchoring ourselves and our lives very deeply in His love and providence, then everything will be well for us in the end. Just as the Lord has repeatedly promised, reassured us all and shown to His beloved ones throughout time, He is always ever faithful to the Covenant which He has made with us, and all of us who are faithful to Him, without exception, shall share in the eternal and true glory and joy with Him.

Brothers and sisters in Christ, let us all therefore reflect upon these words of the Scriptures and what we have just discussed with regards to what we can do going forward in life, and especially in the short term for our Advent preparations and observances. Let us all continue to commit ourselves ever more strongly to the Lord, doing whatever we can so that by our good examples and commitments, by our faithful obedience and continued trust in God, we will always have that firm foundation in Him that will be unshakeable no matter what challenges and hardships we may be currently facing in our lives and whatever we may encounter from now on. Let us all inspire one another and encourage ourselves to be always faithful as well. May God be with us all and may He bless our every good efforts and endeavours, now and always. Amen.

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Wednesday, 4 December 2024 : 1st Week of Advent, Memorial of St. John Damascene, Priest and Doctor of the Church (Homily and Scripture Reflections)

Liturgical Colour : Purple/Violet or White (Priests)

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, today as we all continue to progress through this blessed time and season of Advent, and as we listened to the words of the Lord in the Scriptures, we are reminded of God’s providence and love for each and every one of us, how He has always been truly generous towards us, providing us all that we needed and guiding us all patiently and lovingly despite our constant stubborn attitude against Him, our refusal to follow His path faithfully and our waywardness in embracing the temptations, evils and sins of this world rather than to trust in Him. God has always shown us all His love, and He has given us all many opportunities and means for us to reach out to Him. What is left for us to do is to answer His call and to turn away from our sinful ways.

In our first reading today, we heard from the Book of the prophet Isaiah in which God spoke to His people in the southern kingdom of Judah giving them His reassurance and promises, reminding them of the love and faithfulness which He has always had for them all despite their constant rebelliousness and disobedience against Him. At that time, as I have mentioned earlier this week the people of Judah wre already in dire straits, surrounded by hostile neighbours and enemies, and having their fellow brethren from the northern kingdom of Israel having been defeated, conquered and exiled by the mighty Assyrians. And during that period, the same Assyrians were also threatening Judah and Jerusalem itself, which truly did not bring about any good prospects for the people in Judah and Jerusalem for sure.

And yet, while God often chastised His people and warned them of the impending destruction and ruin if they continued to disobey Him and if they kept on following the false gods and pagan idols instead of obeying His Law and commandments through HIs prophet including that of Isaiah, God also reminded all of the people that ultimately, He still loved them all and cared for them, and wanted them all to be reconciled and reunited with Him. And there is nothing that He spared from the details just as we have heard in our first reading passage today, how God truly reassured His people that everything will be truly good and wonderful when the Lord comes to gather all of His beloved ones, to bless them and to bring them all into His Holy Presence once again, truly a great light and hope amidst all the darkness of the world.

Then, from our Gospel passage today taken from the Gospel according to St. Matthew the Apostle and Evangelist, we heard of the account of the famous miracle of the Lord in feeding the multitude of many thousands who were assembled there to listen to His teachings and were hungry. The Lord as mentioned in that Gospel passage showed compassion and care for His people, those who have come flocking to Him to listen to His words, as they all still had physical needs for food and sustenance, and He did not want them to go hungry just as they all came to Him seeking His wisdom and truth. Hence, He asked His disciples about the way how they could feed all those multitudes of people despite having known of what He would do for the sake of all those people.

The Lord took the seven loaves of bread and some small fishes that were available there, and prayed over them, and miraculously, He multiplied all of that small quantities of food so that there was enough food for all the thousands of people to share and have until they were all full, and even still with seven wicker baskets full worth of extra food were gathered by the disciples and the people. Through this miraculous occasion, the Lord wanted to remind us all, His beloved people that His love for us is so great that it surpasses even our disobedience and sins. Nothing can truly separate us from the love and mercy of God unless it is we ourselves who have consciously and repeatedly rejected His love and mercy, compassion and kindness. It is by our sins that we have been condemned, and not God Who desires our destruction and damnation.

This is why we are all reminded today as we continue to progress through this blessed time and season of Advent that we should not lose hope in the Lord because He has indeed been truly kind and compassionate towards us, ever always doing all that He can in order to save us all and to lead us into His light and grace once again. We must remind ourselves to keep our focus and attention in life to the Lord, so that we do not end up falling again and again into the path of evil, corruption and sin. Hence, we should spend this time and opportunity provided for us this Advent well so that we may always come ever closer to the Lord and His salvation. We must remind each other of the wonderful grace and mercy of God, and allow ourselves to be guided by Him in our journey towards righteousness and God’s grace.

Today, the Church also celebrates the Feast of St. John Damascene, also known as St. John of Damascus, a great and renowned servant of God who was a monk and priest living in what is today Syria and then the Holy Land, where he spent many years of his life as a monk in a monastery near Jerusalem. He was born into a family of prominent Roman or Byzantine official, during the time when the region came under the rule of the Arab Muslim rulers. However, the family of St. John Damascene remained prominent even in the service of the new rulers and the young St. John grew well-educated and prepared for the world. Eventually he decided on joining the religious life and priesthood, becoming a monk and priest, devoting himself to the Lord henceforth.

At that time, the Christian world was also being divided among themselves especially with regards to the heresy of iconoclasm that was then promoted even by the Roman Emperors and the powerful nobles of the Empire, which affected many parts of Christendom. This false teaching and heresy believed that the veneration of holy icons and images were idolatrous and hence many of those who supported the iconoclastic heresy destroyed the holy icons, images and others they encountered. St. John of Damascus was one of the Church fathers that opposed strongly this false teaching and courageously wrote theses and other works supporting the veneration of icons, as well as on many other topics about the Christian faith. He remained firm in his faith and dedication to God to the end of his life, but his legacy and works continue to inspire many others even afterwards.

Brothers and sisters in Christ, let us all therefore be inspired by the great faith and dedication showed by our holy predecessor, St. John Damascene, so that we ourselves may live our lives ever more faithfully as Christians in each and every moments of our lives. And let us all continue to hold strongly to the hope that we have in the Lord, our God and Saviour, Whose love for us has endured all these while. May the Lord also continue to help and guide us all in our journey throughout our lives so that by our commitment to Him and by our own exemplary lives and faith, we may be truly worthy of the Lord and His saving grace, now and always, forevermore. Amen.

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Tuesday, 3 December 2024 : Feast of St. Francis Xavier, Priest and Patron of Missions and Missionaries (Homily and Scripture Reflections)

Liturgical Colour : White

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, today the Church marks the Feast of the great patron saint of all missions and missionaries, namely that of St. Francis Xavier, a well-known Jesuit saint and missionary who had worked and laboured for many years to spread the Good News of the Lord in the Gospels and Scriptures to the far ends of the world as was known then. Thanks to his efforts and works, the foundation and groundwork for many more evangelising missions and efforts had been laid down, and many more would follow this great and faithful saint in their own missions and efforts to evangelise the world. That is why today, we remember his memory and actions, works and commitment to God, while at the same time reflecting and pondering upon our own mission in life.

In our first reading today, we heard from the Epistle of St. Paul to the Church and the faithful throughout the city and region of Corinth, where St. Paul spoke about the matter of his missionary works and efforts, everything that he had done for the sake of God and His people, how he could not and ought not to boast about all of his works and achievements, as everything that he had done, all were done for the glory of God and for the salvation of the people that he had been sent to. The Corinthians like many other people throughout the world at the time, had received the news and words of God’s salvation through the Apostles and many other missionaries, but they all served the Lord humbly, and while performing the miraculous signs and proclaiming the words of wisdom and wonders, all these they dedicated to God and not to themselves.

This is a very important reminder to each and every one of us as servants and followers of God in our respective missions and evangelising efforts that we should not take credit for our efforts and works, and we must always put God at the very centre of our lives and existence. Otherwise, it is easy for many of us to fall into the temptations of power, glory, fame and ambition, which had indeed happened to some among our predecessors, allowing the evil one to tempt them with the false glory and worldly achievements and ambitions. We must not walk down that path, and we have to resist all the pressures, coercions and temptations to enter into the falsehoods of evil, of the many desires and attachments of this world. We have to keep our faith and trust strongly in the Lord.

Then from our Gospel passage today taken from the Gospel according to St. Mark the Evangelist, we heard the Lord speaking to His disciples and followers of the commandment which He gave and entrusted to them, in evangelising the people all around the world, proclaiming the Good News of God’s salvation and grace to everyone. The Lord reassured and reminded them that He would always be with them, and He would guide them in all things that no permanent harm shall come to them. Indeed, they might have to suffer and endure a lot of persecutions, oppressions and hardships in their paths, such as what the Lord Himself had predicted for them. But He would not leave them to struggle all alone, as He would send them the strength, courage and wisdom through His Holy Spirit and Presence, guiding and assisting them all the way.

That is why each and every one of us as Christians must not hesitate or be discouraged from following the Lord faithfully and doing what He has entrusted to us to do, in our various missions in life, in whatever area we are in, whether we are member of the ordained ministry like the bishops and priests, or whether we are members of the religious orders and those who have given themselves to a life of prayer and consecrated life to God, or whether we are parts and members of the laypeople, as married couples and family members, as single persons living our lives with holiness and efforts to proclaim the Lord’s truth and Good News through each and every one of our own exemplary living. All of us must always be courageous and trust in God’s Providence, making good use of the opportunities which He has provided to us.

St. Francis Xavier himself was called by the Lord to his great endeavour in being a missionary, devoting himself and his whole life to the mission that God had entrusted to him. He was born in the town of Xavier in the kingdom of Navarre, in what is now part of Spain, which was how he got the name St. Francis Xavier. He was born into an influential noble family and was raised at a time of great turmoil and conflict, around the same time as St. Ignatius of Loyola, who was also born around the same area, the one who founded the Society of Jesus or the Jesuits. St. Francis Xavier studied in Paris for his education and during that time, he encountered both St. Peter Faber and St. Ignatius of Loyola, which eventually led to the former becoming one of the founders of the Jesuits.

The Jesuits became instrumental in the efforts of Counter Reformation throughout Europe at the time, and they also became part of the missionary activities and journeys sponsored early on by the Kingdom of Portugal, which at that time was launching many exploratory efforts to the Far East. St. Francis Xavier was one of those appointed as a missionary, dedicating himself to the missions in India, in the Southeast Asia region, Macau and Japan. He travelled extensively during those years, visiting places after places, teaching the people whom he encountered about the Lord and His Good News, journeying by foot and by boat to visit those various communities, teaching to them about Christ and His salvation.

St. Francis Xavier never wavered in his conviction and efforts to glorify the Lord and to proclaim His truth to many more people, and to the very last moments of his life, he remained adamant in his desire to evangelise to the people who have not yet known the Lord, dying at the Shangguan Island on his time while waiting to enter into the great country of China. It would be another Jesuit, Fr. Matteo Ricci who would begin the work of evangelisation in China. St. Francis Xavier was also known for his miraculous deeds, much as what the Lord Jesus had said to His disciples in our Gospel passage today, as a popular story attributed to the saint spoke of him calming a great storm during one of his missionary trips in Southeast Asia. St. Francis Xavier prayed and threw his crucifix into th waves in the hope of calming the storm, and it subsided. Later on, by the shore, a crab appeared to St. Francis Xavier and his fellow missionaries, holding up the crucifix that was lost to the waves. St. Francis Xavier blessed the crab and henceforth, that crab is known as St. Francis’ crab, having a crucifix on its back.

Brothers and sisters in Christ, let us all therefore be inspired by the missionary zeal and the courageous efforts shown by St. Francis Xavier throughout all his years of ministry in the distant lands, showing no fear and great courage throughout all of his efforts in proclaiming the Good News of God to many more people throughout the whole world. Let us all also realise our own missions in life, and dedicate ourselves to do our best to proclaim God’s Good News to all through our own exemplary living, and then also at the same time, supporting the good efforts and works of the Church and its many missionaries. May the Lord bless us all and empower us with the courage, strength and wisdom to do His will, now and always. Amen.