Homily of the Mass

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Saturday, 22 November 2025 : 33rd Week of Ordinary Time, Memorial of St. Cecilia, Virgin and Martyr (Homily and Scripture Reflections)

Liturgical Colour : Red

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, today as we all listened to the words of the Lord contained within the Sacred Scriptures, we are reminded that all of us should continue to live our lives in the manner that is worthy of the Lord, doing our best in putting God at the centre and as the focus of all of our lives. We should not put so much emphasis and focus on worldly ambitions and desires which can lead us astray and further from the Lord. Instead, we should always keep in mind that whatever greatness, glory and possessions that we build in this world can easily be destroyed and lost in an instant, and we may end up with nothing and eternal regret if we have spent so much efforts in trying to win the approval of the world but lost ourselves from the Lord and His grace.

In our first reading today, taken from the Book of the Maccabees, we heard the continuation of what happened during the Maccabean Rebellion against the Greek Seleucid kingdom led by King Antiochus IV Epiphanes. As we have discussed in the previous few days, the actions of this Greek king was motivated by his desire to unite the very diverse nature of his kingdom’s subjects and dominion, ruling over a vast kingdom with people from different cultures, practices and beliefs. According to historical evidences and records, this did indeed happen, and this king was infamous for his megalomania and tyranny which led him to carry out such terrible actions against his own subjects. And eventually rebellions like what happened in Judea and Galilee happened, as was elsewhere.

We heard then therefore how retribution came for this wicked king who had made the lives of so many of God’s people difficult, causing many among them to face persecutions and hardships for continuing to hold firmly and strongly to their faith in God. And the Lord did not forget about His people, and neither did He abandon them, as He proved that His retributions for those who have wronged His people would be swift and severe, as king Antiochus himself experienced. Everything that he had designed in his grand plans and efforts came to waste, as detailed in that passage from the Book of Maccabees. His efforts to eradicate the beliefs and faith of the Jewish people had been largely overturned, as the Jews defeated his armies and reestablish the worship of God on the same Temple that king Antiochus had ordered to be defiled.

And the king’s efforts to gain more glory and power from his campaigns to the eastern lands of Persia and Media also came to naught as he lost the battles, and even he himself had become afflicted, sickened and was dying. It was only after all of these things had happened that the king finally realised the folly of his efforts and actions. He repented for those deeds and died in sorrow at the end of his ultimately failed campaign and efforts at self-aggrandisement and self-glorification. And this also then becomes a reminder for all of us not to seek for similar worldly glory and renown at the expense of our relationships with God and with one another, and in neglecting our important obligations and responsibilities to those whom the Lord had entrusted to us.

From our Gospel passage today, taken from the Gospel according to St. Luke the Evangelist, we heard of the moment when the Lord Jesus was confronted by the Sadducees who questioned Him and tried to test Him with the riddle on what would happen to a woman who had been married to seven brothers that all passed away one by one, and what their status would be in the life that is to come, in the afterlife that the Sadducees did not believe in. First of all, we should know and realise that the Sadducees were one of the major and most influential groups in the Jewish community of that time together with the Pharisees. While the Pharisees were the religious and intellectual elites of the community, the Sadducees were the societal elites and those who held worldly power, such as the chief priests, the supporters of Herod and the king’s people, the nobles among others.

The Sadducees were also known for their rejection of spiritual things and beliefs, and were very worldly in their actions, approaches and beliefs. They did not believe in the resurrection from the dead, the afterlife, Angels and other spiritual beings and matters. As such, while the Pharisees took issue and offence at the Lord and His disciples for their way of practicing the Law of God, the Sadducees took offence at the Lord for His preaching and teachings about the resurrection and the new life that is to come, beyond the confines of this world. The question which the Sadducees asked of the Lord came from a purely worldly perspective, as if we understand what they asked of the Lord, they clearly did not believe that existence beyond this world that we know of and are familiar with can be a reality.

But the Lord told them the truth that there is indeed Resurrection from the dead and those who go on to the life that is to come, and are found worthy no longer live in the manner of this world, of getting married and seeking worldly fulfilment, achievements and accomplishments. Instead, their lives and existence will be focused and centred on God, as they will no longer suffer the lack and the imperfections of this world, and in fullness of joy they shall all glorify the Lord together as one people, in perfect harmony, happiness and joy. Of course this does not mean that relationships are no longer important for us, or that our faith and existence become individualistic, lest we misunderstand the Lord’s intentions, but rather, as per the theme of what we discuss today, we should always seek beyond what is material and worldly in our lives.

Today, the Church celebrates the feast of a great woman and servant of God, whose faith and devotion to God, and the dedication to Him, to the point of suffering and enduring grievous tribulations for His sake, should be a great inspiration for all of us Christians to follow. St. Cecilia was well-known as the patron saint of musicians, but she is also a great martyr of the Faith, as she had to bear great sufferings for the sake of the Lord, in her obedience to Him and in her steadfastness in refusing to abandon her faith in Him. She was born into Roman nobility and despite her vow of virginity before God, as a Christian, was forced by her family to marry a pagan nobleman named Valerian. St. Cecilia according to tradition, warned Valerian that an Angel of the Lord watched over her and if he tried to violate her sacred virginity, he would be struck down.

Hence, that was also how St. Cecilia managed to convince her husband to become a Christian himself, as when he asked to see the Angel mentioned by St. Cecilia, he did see the Angel of God after he was baptised by the Pope at that time, Pope St. Urban I. At that time, the Christians in Rome and elsewhere throughout the Roman Empire were persecuted for their faith, and this eventually led to the martyrdom of St. Cecilia and her husband, together with other Christians that had been arrested and made to suffer and die, when they refused to betray the Lord and abandon their faith in Him, just like those of the seven brothers mentioned in our first reading passage today. St. Cecilia was one of those great martyrs of the Church, whose courage and dedication to God, and whose commitment to virtue and holiness, and the purity of her sacred virginity, inspired countless Christians throughout history, right up to this day.

Brothers and sisters in Christ, let us all therefore be inspired by the good examples of St. Cecilia in her courageous faith and commitment to God, doing our very best so that our lives may always bring glory to God, and that we may always ever be focused on Him and not on our personal ambitions and worldly desires. Let us all continue to be exemplary and be courageous in living our lives wholeheartedly in the Lord’s Presence, and by our every words, actions and deeds, let us all show forth the love of God, His hope and Good News to all those whom we encounter each days in our lives, now and always. Amen.

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Friday, 21 November 2025 : 33rd Week of Ordinary Time, Memorial of the Presentation of the Blessed Virgin Mary (Homily and Scripture Reflections)

Liturgical Colour : White

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, today as we all listened to the words of the Sacred Scriptures on this day when the Church celebrates the Feast of the Presentation of the Blessed Virgin Mary, we are reminded on this celebration of the great role of Mary, the Mother of God, our great role model in how we ought to live up to our Christian faith. On this day we remember how Mary herself had been presented to the Lord, dedicated and committed to Him, in a life truly consecrated and blessed by God’s grace for her to carry out faithfully everything that she has been entrusted to do, in the very crucial role that she would be undertaking as the Mother of the Saviour and Son of God sent into this world for our salvation.

In our first reading today, taken from the Book of the prophet Zechariah, we heard of the words of the Lord’s assurance for His people, the descendants of the Israelites in Judah and Jerusalem, who at that time had faced lots of humiliation and struggles because of their sinfulness, disobedience and wickedness in their way of life. As a result, the people of God had been defeated, conquered and scattered away from the lands that the Lord Himself has entrusted to them. But the prophet Zechariah gave them all as with the other prophets, the reassurances that the Lord, Who is their God and Master, and Who has loved them very generously and sincerely, will always provide for them and will not abandon them in their time and hour of need.

That was why we are reminded of the great and loving promises of God, and no matter how difficult things may turn out to be in our lives, there can and will always hope for us as long as we trust in the Lord and His providence for us. We should never give up on our faith in the Lord but continue to move forward trusting in Him and walking ever more courageously in the Presence of God and men alike. Each and every one of us should always be like Mary, the Mother of God, who has always trusted in God even when she encountered many things that she did not fully understand, such as what happened at the Annunciation when the Archangel Gabriel appeared to her with the Good News that she would become the Mother of the Son of God, and also when the curious and strange words of Simeon and Anna came to her when she went to present her Son at the Temple, among many other occasions and occurrences. Mary remained firmly faithful throughout all these.

In our Gospel reading today, taken from the Gospel according to St. Matthew the Evangelist, we heard of the moment when the Lord Jesus was teaching and His family, His mother and His relatives were waiting on Him as He was teaching the people, and as we heard how the Lord told those people who said to Him that His mother and family members were there, we are reminded that the Lord did not practice favouritism or nepotism, unlike what was usually common practices back then and even now. Most people would have given preferential treatment, preference and bias to those who are closest to them, to family members and those who are related to them by blood. But to the Lord, everyone is equal and all are equally precious, dear and beloved to them.

This is why as long as we are faithful to the Lord, obeying His Law and commandments, we will be worthy of the Lord Who sees the heart and Who does not discriminate in His love, compassion and kindness towards each and every one of us. God has always wanted us to find our path towards Him and the manner that we can do this is by listening to Him speaking in our hearts and minds, knowing what it is that He truly calls each and every one of us to do. In our respective lives, God has given us all various talents, abilities and opportunities for us to make good use of them for the benefit and advantage of all those whom we encounter in our daily lives. This is our Christian calling and obedience, and what we should always do in each and every moments, in all of our dealings and interactions with one another.

Then, we are reminded of the significance of what we are celebrating today in this Feast of the Presentation of the Blessed Virgin Mary, where we recall the moment when Mary, the Mother of God was presented at the Temple of God in Jerusalem by her family. According to Apostolic tradition and Church teachings, Mary was the only child of her parents, St. Joachim and St. Anne, who came from priestly family and background. Mary as the eldest child was therefore presented and offered to God as was customary, and it was also told according to traditions that Mary was offered at the Temple as a consecrated daughter of God, and was therefore dedicated to God as she has always been intended for, prepared from the beginning to be the one to bear the Saviour and Son of God within her.

Brothers and sisters in Christ, therefore as we rejoice together in the memory of the joyful Presentation of the Blessed Virgin Mary, let us remember that each and every one of us have also been given various unique responsibilities and calling in life, in our own diverse ministries and areas in life. Through our baptism we have become parts and members of God’s Church, and we have been given the mission and responsibilities to carry out God’s will in our lives, to be His true and committed disciples, in each and every moments that we have lived, in our every interactions and journey in life. The question is are we aware of the various missions and responsibilities that we have been entrusted with? Are we willing to carry out what God has given to us to do, brothers and sisters in Christ?

Let us all therefore continue to strive to do what God has wanted us to do in our lives, striving to be ever more committed in all things and to trust in Him leading us down the right paths in life. May the Lord continue to strengthen and encourage us all in our every moments in life so that we may always be exemplary, good and faithful in all things, and our lives may be good inspiration and examples for everyone around us, now and always. Amen.

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Thursday, 20 November 2025 : 33rd Week of Ordinary Time (Homily and Scripture Reflections)

Liturgical Colour : Green

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, today as we listened to the words of the Sacred Scriptures, we are reminded that all of us as Christians, as God’s people, we must be ready to face difficulties, challenges and persecutions in life, as our ways of life and in how we believe in the Lord, we may not be in accordance with the beliefs and ways of the world around us. And that is why throughout the history of the Church, Christians of all walks of life have endured great sufferings and persecutions, challenges and trials amidst the varying levels of persecutions against the Church and the faithful. At the same time, we are reminded to stay strong in our faith and not easily give up the struggles and efforts because ultimately, the Lord is always with us and He will always be by our side providing for us for all that we need.

In our first reading today, we heard of the passage from the Book of the Maccabees in which the moment when the Maccabean Rebellion began in a town known as Modein in Judea where a priest known as Mattathias and his sons, later known as the Maccabees, lived in. And as we heard, the representative of the Greek Seleucid king Antiochus IV Epiphanes went there as the same thing had happened everywhere else in that king’s dominion, enforcing the king’s harsh demands that they all should abandon their own faith and beliefs, and offer instead sacrifices and worship the pagan gods and deities of the Greeks. It was there and then at Modein that those who wanted to remain faithful to the Lord and those who were willing to bend to the wishes of the king came to struggle for the first time.

And as we heard, Mattathias refused the generous offers of the king for him and his household, despite offering them all very great riches and wealth, prestige and power as the friends of the king, a truly powerful position at that time. But he would not be deterred or dissuaded by the offers, persuasions or coercions from the king’s representative. His courage and zeal which he showed afterwards are reminders for us all that we should also show the same kind of faith and commitment to God in the face of challenges and adversities just as Mattathias and many others of our predecessors had shown us all throughout the Scriptures. Each and every one of us as Christians should always be good role models, examples and inspirations ourselves in all the things that we say and do, in leading lives truly worthy of God.

Then, from our Gospel passage today, taken from the Gospel according to St. Luke the Evangelist, we heard of the lamentations of the Lord Jesus Himself as He lamented over Jerusalem, representing all the lack of appreciation and gratefulness for all that God had done for His beloved people, as those same people persecuted the ones that He has sent to them to remind them and to gather them all once again to His loving Presence. He has sent His many prophets and messengers to remind His people of their wrongdoings and misdeeds, but instead of appreciating what the Lord had done for them, they hardened their hearts and minds, persecuting and even murdering those who had been sent to remind and help them all. That was why they had to endure sufferings and hardships later on, them and their descendants.

This reminds us all, as God’s beloved and chosen people, we must always strive to be good and worthy examples of what the Lord had taught us to do, in even the smallest and seemingly least significant of things in our lives. That is how we can be good examples and role models for everyone around us, to our family members and friends, to everyone whom we encounter in life, even to strangers that we may have met in our journey. We should always remind ourselves to be steady in following the path which the Lord has set for us, showing our light in everything that we say and do, at all times. We must never think that we cannot do great things for the Lord, as even things we may think to be small or insignificant may in fact unexpectedly impact greatly on others all around us.

The problem is that many among us as Christians have not lived our lives in the manner that the Lord has taught and shown us, with many of us professing to believe in one way and yet acting in a completely different manner, refusing to be accountable for our own actions and words. Some of us even caused hurt on others around us in our pursuit of selfish desires and ambitions, and unfortunately, some of these actions, desires and ambitions they are themselves part of our role and ministry in the Church. And many around us can perhaps testify to this unfortunate and sad reality which have caused so many people to be scandalised and turned off by our lack of accountability and genuine faith in our actions, and how we tend to contradict our own words and beliefs. This is not what we should be doing in our lives, brothers and sisters in Christ.

Brothers and sisters in Christ, today let us all therefore reflect carefully on what we have heard in the message of the Sacred Scriptures and all that we have just discussed about those readings. All of us should always remember that as those whom God has called and chosen to be His own, our responsibilities and callings are even greater because it is to all of us that He has revealed Himself, His truth and everything that He has taught and shown us through His Church. And it is important that we should strive to embody our faith in our daily actions, words and deeds or else if we do not do so, then we will end up even causing scandal or problem to our Church and faith in God. We have indeed the capacity to show God’s love manifested in us and our actions, or to be like those who are no more than hypocrites in their faith, and the choice is ours to make to choose our path in life.

May the Lord our most loving God and Father continue to provide us with everything that we need, in remaining strong, courageous and resolute in living our lives full of faith and love for the Lord. May He continue to empower each and every one of us so that by our constant and persistent dedication, our ever stronger commitment to glorify Him by our lives, we will be good role models, examples and inspirations for everyone around us. May God bless us all and our every endeavours, our good efforts and works at all times, and may He strengthen us in our every moments in life. Amen.

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Wednesday, 19 November 2025 : 33rd Week of Ordinary Time (Homily and Scripture Reflections)

Liturgical Colour : Green

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, today we are reminded through the words of the Sacred Scriptures of the need for us to persevere and be strong in our faith, to be active in the living of our faith and belief in the Lord by doing our best in each and every moments of our lives, to glorify the Lord by everything that we say and do, to be genuine and truly faithful Christians in all things. We should not allow ourselves be swayed by the many pressures and temptations being present all around us, but instead allow the Lord our God to continue to lead us down the path of righteousness in the unique paths and vocations which He has given to each and every one of us, which can truly be so unique that it is something that He has indeed entrusted to us.

In our first reading today, taken from the Book of the Maccabees, we heard of the terrible persecution of the Jewish people in Judea and Galilee by the ruler of the Seleucid Empire, King Antiochus IV Epiphanes, who at that time wanted to impose uniformity to the practices, customs and beliefs of all of his subjects, which were made up very diverse groups of people, with very diverse practices, customs and beliefs including that of the Jewish people and their beliefs in YHVH, their Lord and God. The Greek king ordered that all of his subjects including the Jews must adopt the ways of the Greeks, including their practices and beliefs. Great resistance sprung up from many of those who refused to abandon their faith in God, including those whom we heard about today.

The seven brothers and their mother were persecuted because they refused to obey the king’s commands, particularly the one involving eating the meat of the animal deemed unclean by the Law which was prevailing at that time, the Law of Moses. Thus, we heard of the way how the king tortured the seven brothers one by one because they refused to obey the king, and one by one they perished while courageously defending their faith in God and staunchly refusing to obey the king’s commands, ending with their mother herself, who was the last one to die faithfully after having encouraged all of her sons and saw all of them perishing before her own eyes.

This story of the heartbreaking and painful persecution is a reminder for all of us the stark and sometimes harsh reality for us all as Christians, that to be truly faithful to God, sometimes if not often times, we may have to encounter challenges, trials and even persecutions, like what those seven brothers and their mother had encountered. It is not necessary that we will have to encounter martyrdom as each one of us will likely face different challenges in life, but at some point, it is likely that we may have to make difficult choices pertaining to remaining faithful to God or to conform to the ways of the world just as those seven brothers and their mother had encountered. The question is, will we choose the path of God then?

Then, in our Gospel reading today, we heard from the Gospel according to St. Luke the Evangelist, we heard of the moment when the Lord Jesus told His disciples using the parable of the silver talents or silver pounds to highlight the importance of why we need to be truly active and involved in making good use of our talents, abilities and opportunities which God has provided to us all, each one of us with our own diverse sets of gifts, talents and opportunities. God has provided us with these so that we may make use of them for the greater glory of God just as highlighted in that parable. The parable showed that those who refuse to make good use of what has been entrusted to them, like the lazy servant, would be punished, while those who have used them well, will be praised and rewarded.

Therefore, it is the same expectations that all of us as Christians are expected to have as well in our own actions in life. Each and every one of us are reminded that we should always use well what the Lord has given us and blessed us with, whether big or small, significant or insignificant, in whatever manner they may be. As the parable further highlighted, that those who have been entrusted with more, will have more expected of them, while those who have been entrusted with less, will be expected with less. This means that all of us should just do our best to make use of everything that God has entrusted to us and not to fuss or worry instead whether we have done enough to serve the Lord through our actions in life.

Brothers and sisters in Christ, as Christians, that is as those whom the Lord had called and chosen, and as we have decided to answer His call to come to Him, each and every one of us are reminded that we should always be good role models in our every actions, words and deeds throughout our lives, in all the things that we say and do so that we may always benefit all those whom we encounter in life, showing to one another the true nature of God, His truth, love and compassion among many other things. And that is why we should always strive to live up to our Christian faith and all the Lord’s ways and teachings in every moments and in every parts of our lives and actions, as we should always do.

May the Lord continue to strengthen and empower us all to walk ever more faithfully in our daily living, in how we carry out our lives and way of acting and interacting with one another, those whom the Lord had placed in our lives for us to make good use of what He has provided and entrusted to us. We should also not be afraid of persecutions and hardships, as that is indeed part and parcel of what it means to be true disciples and followers of the Lord. May He continue to bless our good works and efforts, our actions and endeavours, and strengthen us all in faith at all times. Let us all be ever more courageous in following our Lord’s path and examples, now and always. Amen.

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Tuesday, 18 November 2025 : 33rd Week of Ordinary Time, Memorial of the Dedication of the Basilica of St. Peter in Vatican and the Basilica of St. Paul Outside the Walls (Homily and Scripture Reflections)

Liturgical Colour : Green or Red (Dedication of the Basilicas of St. Peter and St. Paul)

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, today as we listened to the words of the Scriptures, we are all reminded of the special occasion this day when we celebrate the anniversary of the Dedication of not just one but two of the greatest churches in Christendom, namely the Papal Basilica of St. Peter in Vatican, the great and renowned House of God where the Pope frequently celebrates the Holy Mass and other important major events of the faith, as the place where St. Peter himself, the first Pope and Vicar of Christ, was martyred. The other great Basilica is the Papal Basilica of St. Paul Outside the Walls, named such because it is located just outside the walls of the ancient city of Rome, and where St. Paul according to tradition, spent his time in Rome, while waiting for his trial by the Emperor as listed in the Acts of the Apostles.

On this day therefore, it is appropriate for us to remind ourselves of the two Apostles after whom those two great Basilicas, the House of God have been named after. St. Peter and St. Paul are both the patron saints of Rome and hence of the Universal Church, and their role in the establishment of the Church in Rome, the then heart of the Roman Empire and later on as the heart of all Christendom were truly significant, as they were the ones to lay the firm foundations of the Church there, through their toils and hard work, and by the shedding of their own blood and the martyrdom that they endured for the sake of the Lord and for His people. We honour these two great men of God, our important role models, as we remember and commemorate the anniversary of the Dedication of the two Basilicas named and dedicated in their honour. Those Basilicas as mentioned, are next in honour only after the Papal Cathedral, Archbasilica of St. John Lateran, which Dedication we commemorated just a week ago.

St. Peter the Apostle was the first Pope and Vicar of Christ, appointed as such by the Lord Himself, as He entrusted His Church to him as written in the Sacred Scriptures itself, entrusting to him the whole Universal Church and the keys of the kingdom of Heaven. He was appointed and made to be the leader of the whole Church, truly the Prince of the Apostles and the Lord’s Vicar in this world, as the leader of all the leaders of the Church, as the shepherd and guide for all the faithful people of God. And yet, for this great mission and responsibility, as we all ought to know, St. Peter was not one which the world would have deemed fit for the role. He was after all a mere illiterate, brash and poor fisherman from the lake of Galilee area, literally a nobody at that time. No one would have thought that this man would have become the Lord’s very own Vicar in this world.

Yet, that was what the Lord did, brothers and sisters in Christ, that He chose an ordinary man, a nobody in the eyes of the world to be His chief disciple, and what others might not have known then, was how dedicated and committed the Apostles, especially that of St. Peter, were to the Lord. What the Lord saw in their hearts were the capacity to love Him and to serve their fellow brethren with genuine dedication, and just as He called them and they responded, in the end, through the guidance of the Holy Spirit, they all prevailed in faith, and gave their efforts and lives for the glory of God. St. Peter himself went on to Rome and became the first Bishop of Rome, establishing the foundation of the Church there, and during the persecution of Christians under the Emperor Nero, he was arrested and martyred, crucified upside-down on Vatican hill, where the great Basilica of St. Peter now stands. He chose to die in that manner because in his own words, he said that he was not worthy to die in the same way as his Lord and Master.

Meanwhile, St. Paul the Apostle was the Apostle to the Gentiles, sent and commissioned to reach out to the various communities of the faithful all throughout Christendom, and was renowned and remembered for his many efforts and labours especially among the Gentiles or the non-Jewish people, protecting their rights and helping them to find their ways to the Lord more easily, by opposing those who sought to impose the customs and strict, unbending, Pharisaical rules of the Jewish people onto the whole Church. He was himself was once Saul, a young and zealous Pharisee who was very fervent and energetic in his pursuit of the early Christians, in the hope of crushing and destroying the Church in its earliest moments, in his misguided efforts to follow the Law as per what he once knew.

After he had encountered the Lord personally on his way to Damascus, in that well-known conversion experience, and after he was baptised and received the wisdom and strength of the Holy Spirit, Saul, became Paul, a new man of God. From a vicious enemy of Christians and the Lord, St. Paul became a great and most ardent defender and champion of the Christian faith, dedicating his life and works to serve the Lord, wholeheartedly. He spent a lot of time and effort in reaching out to various people he encountered throughout his missionary journeys, and went through and endured a lot of sufferings and persecutions, arrest and imprisonment, and was eventually martyred in Rome by the same Emperor Nero when Christians were made scapegoats and were persecuted for the Great Fire of Rome, and St. Paul was beheaded for his faith.

Today, as we remember this memory of the Dedication of the Papal Basilica of St. Peter in Vatican and the Papal Basilica of St. Paul Outside the Walls, we are reminded that each one of us are also parts and members of the living Church of God, as the living stones making up this one Body of all the Christian faithful. As the two Basilicas were consecrated and dedicated to God, made hallow, holy and blessed, as places worthy for the worship and adoration of God, therefore each one of us have to strive to be worthy and holy for the Lord as well. And why is that so, brothers and sisters in Christ? That is because all of us, according to St. Paul, are no less than the Temple of God’s very own Holy Presence, His own dwelling place, as He has come to us in His own Real and Precious Body and Blood in the Eucharist, and His Holy Spirit has dwelled within us as well.

Therefore, if our lives and actions are unbecoming and unworthy of what we as Christians are expected to do, then we are in fact doing no less than defiling the sanctity of this Temple and House of God, our very own body, heart, mind and soul, our very own beings. And if we do that, then it is by our own actions and wickedness that we will be judged, and certainly none of us will want to be on the wrong side of God’s judgment. Do we want to enjoy forever the blissful eternal life with God, in His presence and in the fullness of His grace and love? Or do we rather suffer for an eternity in eternal damnation and darkness because of our wickedness and sins? The choice has been given to us, and God has given us the freedom to choose our path in this life we have on Earth. Let us all choose wisely, brothers and sisters in Christ.

May the Lord therefore be with us, His Church, strengthening and empowering us all as His disciples and followers, and strengthening our unity as members of the same Church, the Body of Christ, so that we may always be holy just as our Lord is holy. May God bless us all and our every good endeavours and works, and may He remain with us always, now and forevermore. Amen.

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Monday, 17 November 2025 : 33rd Week of Ordinary Time, Memorial of St. Elizabeth of Hungary, Religious (Homily and Scripture Reflections)

Liturgical Colour : White

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, today as we all listened to the words of the Sacred Scriptures, we are reminded of the need for all of us to continue to have faith, hope and trust in the Lord despite us maybe facing lots of challenges and trials in our journey. We must always have hope in God and we should not easily give up our faith in Him even when things seem to be very bleak, desperate and hopeless for us. We must remember that even in the past, our predecessors had faced lots of similar troubles and challenges, and many of them really suffered very terribly. And yet, they did not give up their faith in the Lord, and for their trust in Him, they were vindicated, rescued and restored to hope.

In our first reading today, taken from the First Book of the Maccabees, we heard of the moment when the descendants of the Israelites, the Jewish people living in Judea and Galilee, were suffering greatly during the time of the Greek successor kingdoms of the Empire of Alexander the Great. The Greek Seleucid king, Antiochus IV Epiphanes in particular was notorious for his harsh and intense persecutions against the Jewish people in his dominion, which as we heard in our first reading today, stemmed from the desire to the unite the very diverse nature of his subjects, being a kingdom ruling over many different people and cultures, including that of the Jews mostly in Judea and Galilee.

And therefore the whole premise and history of the Book of the Maccabees were centred on the struggle between the faithful Jews who refused to obey the king’s commands to abandon their Jewish customs and practices, their faith in YHVH their Lord and God, and adopt instead the Greek customs, practices and beliefs. Many of those faithful to the true path suffered and many died under persecution from the King, who enforced greatly his laws and orders to convert all the Jewish and other people of his kingdom to the Greek customs and pagan beliefs. But the Lord was with His people and He raised up the Maccabees, a courageous family of leaders who led the people of God to eventual victory and freedom against the Seleucids.

Then, from the Gospel passage today from the Gospel according to St. Luke the Evangelist, we heard of the moment when the Lord Jesus came to Jericho and encountered a blind man who sought the Lord to heal him from his blindness. And despite being discouraged by others around him who tried to keep him silent and who told him off for crying out for the Lord, the blind man kept on crying out louder and louder until the Lord came to him and healed him for his great faith and trust in Him. He was healed and saved because of the great trust and faith He had in the Lord knowing that He alone has the power to make him see once again and healing him from his blindness, a feat that many would have thought to be impossible.

This is a reminder to all of us as Christians that we must also have a similar kind of faith in the Lord, a faith that is truly strong and unassailable, a faith that is indeed beyond all challenges and trials, faith that do not become weaker or dimmer even when we are faced with such great difficulties in our paths. This is the kind of faith which we should cultivate in all of us, faith that grows ever stronger each time and faith that continue to help us focus towards the Lord even in the most difficult and darkest moments in our lives. Are we willing and able to commit ourselves to a faith like this, brothers and sisters? We should be inspired by the courage and the faith of the blind man who never gave up and keep on seeking the Lord, no matter what.

Today, the Church celebrates the Feast of St. Elizabeth of Hungary, a great and holy woman, a faithful servant of God, whose life and devotion, commitment and worthy life should be source of inspiration for all of us to follow, in how we should be truly faithful in our whole lives as Christians. St. Elizabeth of Hungary was a princess of Hungary who was married to a noble landowner and ruler of Thuringia in Germany. She had to marry at a young age and raise a family. But at the same time, she also lived a life of piety and virtue, inspired by the examples and reforms carried out by her contemporary, St. Francis of Assisi. St. Elizabeth of Hungary was renowned for her great charitable actions and care for the poor and the sick throughout her husband’s lands, which was approved by her husband, the ruler of the land. Her action also influenced him greatly, as her husband Louis often stood by the Church and the efforts the Church did.

Later on, when St. Elizabeth of Hungary was widowed quite early on, just a few years after her marriage, she made a vow of chastity akin to that of those who have joined the religious orders, and resisted any efforts by her family and others to have her remarry because of her still relatively young age. She continued to do plenty of works of charity, caring for the needy and those who were suffering, as much as she could do. Her great charity and love for others were even shown in miracles such as the famous ‘miracle of the roses’ attributed to her. In that miracle account, St. Elizabeth of Hungary was caught by her husband in one of her times sneaking out to give alms and food for the poor, with her cloak containing food from her husband’s mansion.

When she was confronted and asked of the cloak’s contents, the contents were miraculously transformed into that of roses, a clear proof of God’s guidance and approval of her actions. St. Elizabeth of Hungary continued to carry out her charitable works and actions for the rest of her life. Her examples were indeed good inspiration for each and every one of us to follow since through her efforts, she has touched the lives of so many people around her and beyond, and showing many of us even to this day on how we should truly be faithful to God in all things, even in the smallest things that we do in our lives. We should imitate and follow her good examples in our own lives as Christians as well.

Brothers and sisters in Christ, as we listened to the life and works of St. Elizabeth of Hungary, and all that we have heard earlier on from our Scripture passages today, let us all therefore continue to strive to be always faithful to the Lord at all times, showing this great faith through our every actions, works and deeds. Let us show our faith courageously and be persistent in seeking God like that of the blind man seeking the Lord and His healing, and let us all continue to trust in God wholeheartedly as always. Amen.

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Sunday, 16 November 2025 : Thirty-Third Sunday of Ordinary Time, World Day of the Poor (Homily and Scripture Reflections)

Liturgical Colour : Green

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, this Sunday we mark the occasion of the Thirty-Third and therefore the second last Sunday in our current Ordinary Time and also liturgical year. Within two weeks from now, we will enter into the season of Advent in preparation for Christmas and therefore also the beginning of the new liturgical year. Therefore, that is why the Scripture readings and the overall tone shift into one of preparing ourselves for the inevitable end of times, the time of the reckoning of our actions and lives, which we all ought to be well-prepared for, and which the Lord has amply and repeatedly reminded us of, in each and every opportunities that we have been given. 

In our first reading this Sunday, taken from the Book of the prophet Malachi, we heard of the words of the Lord as presented through Malachi, who was in fact the last in the long line of prophets that had been sent to the people of God in Israel and Judah. The prophet Malachi spoke briefly of the coming of the time of reckoning where those who were wicked and who committed evils will be destroyed and crushed, while those who are faithful and just will be strengthened and blessed by God. God knows each and every hearts and minds, and He will not stay silent against any kind of injustice. He will be with all of His people, whom He will always care for and protect, provide and strengthen amidst the challenging times.

God is a loving and just God Who does not overlook injustice and evil, and He is also a loving and caring God Who knows righteousness and justice in those who follow Him and His path. And this is why in our daily actions, in our manner of living our lives, in our every interactions and in our every moments spent journeying in every aspects in life, we are reminded that we should always continue to do what is truly right and just in accordance to what the Lord has taught and shown us all. We must not think that we can act in impunity, in causing hurt and harm to others especially in the pursuit of our own selfish needs, ambitions and desires. God knows all things, and we will have to account for everything, both good and bad, in the end.

Then, from our Gospel passage this Sunday, taken from the Gospel according to St. Luke the Evangelist, we heard about the moment when the Lord Jesus predicted the downfall and destruction of the Temple and House of God in Jerusalem before the disciples and others assembled to listen to Him. That Second Temple of Jerusalem, which was also known as Herod’s Temple due to the massive enlargement and expansion done by King Herod the Great was indeed a magnificent Temple and House of worship dedicated to God, but what the Lord Himself encountered was a lot of hypocrisy and corruption, in how many of the religious and intellectual elites, the chief priests and the Pharisees, had superficial faith in God and were not truly faithful in Him.

And worse still that they allowed corruptions and corrupt practices to creep into the Holy House of God’s Presence, by them allowing the merchants, money changers and others to turn the courtyard of the Lord’s House to places where injustices took place, where they manipulated and profited over those who had come to them to get the necessary goods for the worship of the Divine. That was why the Lord told them all that eventually none of the grand edifice would remain, a premonition of the disaster that would come true in a few decades afterwards, when the Romans destroyed the very Temple that Jesus spoke about as they quelled and crushed the Jewish rebellion that happened then.

Through what the Lord has shared in our Gospel passage this Sunday, we are therefore reminded yet again that nothing in this world is permanent, even glorious edifices and worldly fame and power. In the end, what remains is our faith, trust and hope in the Lord, and we are all indeed expected to carry out our lives in good faith and obedience to God and His will. We should keep in mind of the Lord’s constant reminders, Who has always reminded us to live our lives worthily each day, in caring for those whom He has entrusted to us to love, our most beloved ones, family members and others, and also those whom He has sent to our way, so that our faith can truly shine and that we will be ready when He comes again and we have to account for our lives.

Brothers and sisters in Christ, how do we then live our lives faithfully just as the Lord Himself has taught us to do? How do we then be righteous and just in the eyes of the Lord and men alike so that we will be worthy of His everlasting inheritance? This is where what we also commemorate today this Sunday should help us in our path and journey as Christians and disciples of the Lord. Our late Pope Francis promulgated that the Sunday before the Solemnity of Christ the King, that is this Sunday, be known as the World Day of the Poor. We are reminded this Sunday therefore of the presence of those who are poor in our midst, and it is our Christian calling and obligation for all of us to reach out to the poor and show them love, care and attention.

But we must also realise that poverty is not just material poverty, but can even be spiritual and mental poverty. For there are a lot of people in our midst, although have nothing lacking in terms of material goods and possessions, but they are facing lots of struggles and difficulties in their spiritual journey and in their mental state and relationships, with God or with one another. There are many people out there today who are facing challenges and difficulties in their lives, facing struggles of loneliness, mental health issues and problems, as I am sure we have heard being quite common these days. Many are facing lots of struggles daily not just in earning their livelihood but also in enduring challenges not just physically but also mentally.

Brothers and sisters in Christ, therefore let us all continue to help one another especially those who are around us and those whom we encounter daily in life so that we may indeed be the ones who always show love and compassion to everyone, especially to the poor around us, and not just those who are poor materially but also poor spiritually and mentally, all those whom the Lord had put in our paths and journeys to care for. Let us all make good use of whatever blessings and opportunities that God had provided to each and every one of us, so that in all the things that we say and do, we will continue to glorify Him by our actions and deeds. Amen.

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Saturday, 15 November 2025 : 32nd Week of Ordinary Time, Memorial of St. Albert the Great, Bishop and Doctor of the Church (Homily and Scripture Reflections)

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

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, today as we all listened to the words of the Sacred Scriptures, we continue to be reminded of the greatness of God Who is capable of doing every wonders and good things in our lives, if we only put our trust and faith in Him. For the Lord Who has created this world and the whole Universe in all of its goodness has always intended for us to enjoy the fullness of His love and grace, and He would not want for any of us to suffer or endure all the challenges that we are facing in life now. But it was our own waywardness and disobedience against Him which had led to our own downfall and sufferings, as we end up causing harm and hurt to one another in our quest and pursuit of selfish desires.

In our first reading today, taken from the Book of Wisdom, we heard from that passage of the might and power of God as He carried out everything that He has always planned, in leading all of His beloved people to righteousness and to the path that He has prepared for them. He did everything according to His designs and plans, which He has gradually revealed to us through His Spirit and Wisdom provided to us through the same Spirit. He has always been for those whom He has loved, that is all of us mankind, without exception, and He has always patiently provided for us without cease and constantly, ever caring for us and loving us all unconditionally and generously.

God has always shown us all His Providence even through the most difficult moments, sending His help, guidance and protection, companionship and presence through the most difficult moments of our lives. We are therefore never alone in our journey, and whenever we want to give up in this struggle and whenever we fall into temptations to sin, and want to give up the struggles against the pressures of the world, we should remember that God is always ever present around us and supporting us in our daily struggles and challenges. It is often however that we do not realise or appreciate God being there for us because we do not have enough faith in Him and we are so preoccupied with ourselves and the things are busy fussing about instead.

Then, from our Gospel passage today, taken from the Gospel according to St. Luke the Evangelist, we heard of the parable that the Lord Jesus used to teach His disciples, using that of an evil judge who feared neither God or man, and an old widow who constantly went to the old judge and demanded that the latter pursue her case and win justice for her. As expected, of course the evil and wicked judge refused to arbitrate on her behalf or even to take heed of her. But the old widow kept on persisting and insisting daily on the evil judge, kept on pestering her to take up her case until we heard that eventually he gave in to the demands of the old widow if only that he could rid himself of her incessant persistent demands.

As we heard in this Gospel passage, the Lord Jesus was making this comparison and reference to the case between the evil judge and the old widow to highlight just how much more generous and willing for the Lord our God to hear and heed our prayers and requests, if the evil judge himself granted the desires of the old widow. This is an important reminder and encouragement for all of us as Christians that no matter what, we should not lose faith or trust in the Lord because if we continue to have faith in Him and if we put our hope ever always in Him and His Providence, the Lord will be with us and will provide us all that we need, and eventually, while the wait may seem to be long and delayed, everything will be fine for us all. We must keep up this faith in the Lord, always.

Today, the Church celebrates the Feast of St. Albert the Great, or St. Albertus Magnus, a renowned man of God and great teacher of the faith, whose life, works and dedication to God should inspire us all to be dedicated and committed to Him ourselves. Each and every one of us should heed the good examples set by this wonderful man of God, so that we may also be always faithful to Him, at all times. St. Albert the Great was born in what is now Bavaria in southern part of Germany, during the High Middle Ages. He was brought up well academically and showed his talents early on. He then became a member of the Dominican Order, and studied to become a theologian, which began his great and long ministry as a teacher and theologian henceforth.

St. Albert the Great later on became one of the provincials of the Dominican Order, and carried out his duties with great obedience and dedication. And while later on he was appointed as a bishop, as the Bishop of Regensburg, he remained humble and committed to the missions entrusted to him, walking all around his diocese on foot instead of riding a horse as he was entitled to. He dedicated himself to whatever missions God had entrusted him with, and despite the honour and respect that many people and his positions entitled him with, he remained very humble and focused on the Lord, not being swayed by the temptations of worldly power and glory. Instead, he committed himself wholly to the Lord and to the people of God, all throughout his life, and this is something that we should be inspired to follow as well. 

Brothers and sisters in Christ, just as we have discussed earlier from the passages of the Sacred Scriptures and also from the life and examples shown by St. Albert the Great, let us all therefore continue to strive to live our lives worthily in the Lord, doing whatever we can so that we will always focus and centre our lives in God, and to be constantly faithful in our dedication to Him, remembering that in everything that we do, we should always bring glory to God. We must also continue to have faith in Him, trusting that if we continue to trust Him and seek for His guidance and help through persistent prayer as the old widow in the parable had done, the Lord will indeed move to help us and provide for us all that we need.

May the Lord continue to inspire and strengthen us all such that we can continue to move forward in life with fullness of faith and trust in Him, knowing that He is ever present in our lives, being by our side and constantly journeying with us without cease. He has always been supporting us, loving us and caring for us, and He will never cease providing for us and guiding us through good and bad times alike. Let us all no longer be doubtful and continue to walk forward with ever greater trust in God, now and always. Amen.

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Friday, 14 November 2025 : 32nd Week of Ordinary Time (Homily and Scripture Reflections)

Liturgical Colour : Green

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, today as we all listened to the words of the Sacred Scriptures, we are all reminded that we should not be ignorant of the Lord and His Presence, His Wisdom and truth being present all around us. We should always heed in mind of the signs of times and all the teachings that He has revealed to us so that we may truly be committed and faithful to all things that He has taught us to do as His followers and disciples. We must always do our best as Christians, as God’s holy and beloved people to bear witness to our faith and commitment to God in all things and in all circumstances, in all of our works and interactions with one another.

In our first reading today, taken from the continuation of the Book of Wisdom, we heard of the words from the author highlighting the futility of all those pagans and unbelievers who worshipped the elements and aspects of the natural environment around them instead of worshipping the Lord, their God. It was common for the many polytheistic worship at that time to feature many deities, gods and goddesses that had their background in the nature’s diverse aspects and features, like the Sun, the Moon, the sky, the stars, lightning, the sea, earthquakes, volcanoes, nature and many other parts of nature, some of which awed and brought about terror to many, which led them to worship these as their gods and deities.

But the Lord had made it clear and showed His desire to reveal His truth to all the nations, which was exactly what St. Paul and the other Apostles and missionaries of the Lord had been doing. St. Paul went around to the many places where people still had not yet known about the Lord, and he introduced the Lord to them all, not only through words and preaching, but also more importantly through real and concrete actions and how he and the other missionaries lived their lives sincerely and worthily at all times, becoming great examples and role models to everyone who witnessed their works and actions. The way how they had lived their lives sincerely as Christians persuaded many more people than what they had preached.

St. Paul showed great wisdom and courage in revealing how the one and only one ought to be worshipped is indeed none other than the Lord Himself, and not all the other created things and natural phenomena as the pagans had believed and worshipped in. And how does this then relate to us? Essentially, even though many of us do not worship the pagan gods and idols in the present day world, but the truth is that we are all still idolising and even to the point of worshipping worldly things, desires and attachments, all the things that tend to keep us away from the Lord. Examples of these include money, titles, wealth, status, among other things, which themselves are not bad or evil, but our desires for them are what made these great distractions for us.

Then, from our Gospel passage today, taken from the Gospel according to St. Luke the Evangelist, we heard the Lord Jesus making the speech to the people gathered before Him about what would happen at the time when the Lord will come again at the end of time, the time of the reckoning and the Final Judgment of all things. He spoke of the historical past occasions when God’s judgment fell upon His people suddenly after they had been given many chances one after another. God has always been patient in loving His people throughout time and He has been giving them many chances, again and again because He wanted them all, all of us to be truly reconciled and reunited with Him.

But at the same time, we must also remember that He despises all forms of sins and wickedness, all forms of disobedience and corruptions caused by our sins against Him and against each other. And that is why as Christians it is important that we must always keep in mind how we behave and act in life. We must not take God’s love, mercy and generosity for granted, or else, retribution will come towards us. All those people who perished during the time of Noah, in Sodom and Gomorrah and others that the Lord referred to, shared common traits, namely pride, arrogance, haughtiness and refusal to listen to God and His kind reminders and words, and that was why they all perished.

Brothers and sisters in Christ, we are therefore reminded by the Lord through these words we have received in the Scriptures today. Are we willing to reflect on our way of life and how we have lived them so far? Have we spent so much time in pursuing for worldly interests and ambitions that we have forgotten to see the bigger picture and realise what it is that God truly wants us to do in life? It is very easy for us to lose sight on the way that the Lord has shown and taught us when we are so busy pursuing many things we often desire excessively in this world, which lead us to the wrong paths away from God and His salvation.

This is why we should continue to do our best to keep our focus in the Lord at all times, striving to glorify Him at each and every moments in our lives, through everything that we say and do. May the Lord also continue to bless us all in our every good efforts and endeavours, now and always. Amen.

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Thursday, 13 November 2025 : 32nd Week of Ordinary Time (Homily and Scripture Reflections)

Liturgical Colour : Green

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, today as we all listened to the words of the Sacred Scriptures, we are reminded that not all faith and aspect of the faith can be easily visible or perceived, as in fact the reality is such that much of our faith lies within us, in what is beyond our human ability to perceive and understand. In order to appreciate all these and to understand the power of faith in our lives, we must have this Wisdom with us, and allow the Wisdom of God to guide and lead us all in our actions, in our deliberations and in our works. Wisdom is something that God has imparted upon us and is something that is truly beautiful, allowing us to draw ever closer to God, our Creator and Master.

In our first reading today, taken from the continuation of the Book of Wisdom, we heard from the author of this Book another long exhortation on the Wisdom of God and how this Wisdom has been imparted and given freely to each and every one of us, especially as Christians, who have received the gift of Wisdom through the Holy Spirit Whom God had sent into our midst at our Baptism and Confirmation. And by this Wisdom, God has helped us all to journey in this life with His constant yet subtle guidance. By His Divine Wisdom, He has shown us the path forward in life, to find our way to Him once again and to be fully reconciled with Him.

Why this reading is important for all of us today is because with Wisdom, all of us can know the Lord ever more closely and more intimately in our interactions with Him. Through the Wisdom that God has imparted to us, if we truly use this Wisdom well, we can better perceive the true nature of God, His love and all that He has done for us in our midst. Through Wisdom we can see just how much God had carried out His works in our world today, even when we may not immediately realise or appreciate His hands being at work in guiding and strengthening us throughout our respective journeys in life. If we allow God’s Wisdom to lead and guide us in life, we will certainly flourish and grow greater in faith.

Then, from our Gospel passage today, we heard of the account from the Gospel according to St. Luke the Evangelist where the Lord Jesus was presented with a question by a Pharisee who asked of Him of when the kingdom of God would come into their midst. We must first understand that in the common understanding and perception of the Pharisee as well as probably most of the Jewish people at the time, the coming of the Messiah or the Saviour Whom God promised to send to His people was closely associated with the restoration of the Kingdom of Israel, the Kingdom of God’s people as how it was like during the glorious and golden ages of the rules of King David and King Solomon.

However, the Lord responded to the Pharisee that the kingdom of God is not something that is tangible in the manner that was understood or perceived by many of the people. The kingdom of God had in fact already arrived with the coming of the Lord Himself, Who brought upon all of us, God’s beloved people, the revelation of truth and Good News of salvation. The kingdom of God is truly all around us, within us and everywhere, for the Kingdom of God is in fact the Church, the same One, Holy, Catholic and Apostolic Church that God Himself has established in this world, and which we are all part of, the part of the same Body of Christ, the Church of God.

The Lord also said that His disciples must be wary if they were to hear anyone saying that the time is at hand, or show certain wonders and signs, calling on others to believe in them, because the coming of the Lord was not immediate at that time. The Jewish people had expected then that the Messiah, the Saviour sent by God would come with great power, authority and with wonderful signs, and that He would lead the chosen people of God to triumph against their enemies and oppressors.  But the Lord spoke the truth and the reality of what would actually happen, that the same people He had been sent to, would in fact reject and persecute Him, and this was a premonition of the things to come, culminating in the Passion and death of Jesus on the Cross.

Brothers and sisters in Christ, as we all gather together and reflect on these series of readings from the Scriptures, let us all remember first and foremost how dearly beloved and precious each one of us are in the eyes of the Lord. God does not want us to face destruction and annihilation because of our disobedience and sins, and hence that was why He provided us with the means through which we can find our way out of our predicament and into His light. He gave us none other than His own Begotten Son in order to willingly bear the burden of our sins out of love. And in addition, as we discussed earlier, God also gave us all His Wisdom to help and guide us in our journey towards Him.

May the Lord, our most loving God and Creator continue to bestow us all His Wisdom so that in each and every moments of our lives, and in all of our actions we may continue to be guided by His Wisdom in each and every single things that we do in life. May the Wisdom of God continue to help us lead a life that is truly worthy of Him and help us to be good inspiration for one another, in being truly faithful and committed, now and always. Amen.