Lenten Homily

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Thursday, 20 March 2025 : 2nd Week of Lent (Homily and Scripture Reflections)

Liturgical Colour : Purple/Violet

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, today as we listened to the words of the Sacred Scriptures, we are all reminded that trusting in the Lord, following His Law and commandments, all these are far more important and crucial than following the ways of the world. In particular, during this penitential time and season of Lent, we must remember to be careful of the temptations of sin which may lead us astray in the path of our journey towards God. We must always be vigilant of the efforts of those who seek our destruction and downfall, so that we do not end up falling into those temptations and lose our path towards the Lord. We must not let the comforts, pleasures and all the good things in this world around us to lead us into destruction, and we should be good role models of our faith, devoting our time and effort to lead others to God by our charity, love and kindness towards everyone around us.

In our first reading today, taken from the Book of the prophet Jeremiah, we heard of the words of the Lord to His people in the kingdom of Judah in which He chided, rebuked and warned against all those people who have abandoned His ways, refused to believe in Him and to put their trust in Him. This was brought against many among the people of Judah who had abandoned the path of the Lord, persecuted the prophets and messengers that God had sent to remind and help them, including that of Jeremiah himself. Those people chose to trust in the ways and means of the world rather than to trust in God and in His Providence, and hence, God warned them that they would all perish and be destroyed if they kept on putting their trust in the world.

For the context, at that time, during the time of the ministry of the prophet Jeremiah, the people of the kingdom of Judah had ignored the Lord and His prophets in many occasions, and as mentioned, persecuted those who had been sent to guide and help them like Jeremiah himself. False prophets and servants of God were aplenty, as those who sought to subvert the people to their own agenda and ideas clashed with Jeremiah on the course of action for the king and the people to follow. Jeremiah warned the people of God of their sins and how their disobedience would lead to their destruction, the destruction of Jerusalem and the Temple of God, which all would be destroyed and razed by the Babylonians just as the other prophets had also prophesied before. For all of these, Jeremiah was hated and despised, and labelled as a traitor and fearmonger.

On the other hand, the false prophets and messengers convinced the king and the nobles of the kingdom of Judah, as well as the people to side with the powers of the world at the time, either to submit to the King of Babylon, or as what the more common political agenda of the time dictated, to side with the Pharaoh and King of Egypt instead, using the power and protection of the Egyptian army and nation to balance the power of the Babylonians. Essentially, it was this action which the Lord warned His people about, that they trusted in the powers, means and providence of the world rather than to trust in Him. All of their plots and works would eventually be laid bare, and they would be meaningless and useless, and would in fact bring the people and the kingdom to their doom, as the prophet Jeremiah had prophesied and tried to warn them all.

The Lord at the same time also reassured His people that those who have held on to their faith in Him and remained righteous and just in their ways would be blessed and saved. God’s wrath and anger are reserved indeed only on those who constantly and repeatedly refused to listen to Him or obey Him. But ultimately, He loves all of His beloved people, His children, all those whom He had chosen to be His own. He wanted all of them to walk in the path of righteousness, to be holy, good and just, to be worthy of Him just as He has always intended. However, it was our disobedience and refusal to obey Him and His Law, our errors and mistakes, all of which had led to us ending up on this path towards damnation and destruction, in which case, God still wants to rescue us all from this path.

Then, in our Gospel passage today, we heard of the story of the parable of Lazarus and the rich man told by the Lord Jesus to His disciples in the Gospel according to St. Luke the Evangelist. In that well-known parable, we heard of the story of how Lazarus, a very poor man and beggar, was sitting daily at the side of the door of a rich man’s house or mansion, and while he was there begging for food, the rich man, who hosted parties and celebrations on daily basis, did not even give him anything from this table, from all the excesses of his celebrations, and Lazarus could only hope that some of the scraps of the bread and food from the rich man’s table could be his sustenance, but no one would give even those to him. And we heard how eventually both Lazarus and the rich man passed away.

In that parable, we heard how the actions of the rich man, his ignorance of the plight and sufferings of Lazarus led to him being cast into Hell for his lack of empathy and love for his fellow men, while Lazarus received his right rewards and was raised to the bosom of Abraham in Heaven, to enjoy forever the happiness and joy that he had been lacking in life. Through this example and story, the Lord wanted to let us all, His disciples and followers, know that as Christians, all of us must not be ignorant of the plight and sufferings of the poor and those others who are in need of help around us. We are reminded that should we follow the path of the rich man, then we may end up in the same fate as him, where an eternity of regret and suffering awaits us.

This is also an important reminder for us that just as we continue to progress through this time and season of Lent, we do not just keep ourselves away from the corruption of sins that may lead us into the damnation of Hell, but we must also remind ourselves not to commit the sin of omission. What is the sin of omission exactly, brothers and sisters in Christ? It refers to the sin that is caused by our own conscious neglect of our duties and responsibilities as Christians, where we could have done something for the benefit of those others present around us, but we have chosen not to do so, just as the rich man had consciously ignored the poor beggar Lazarus, while he could have stepped in to help and take care of Lazarus with the excessive wealth that he had. He had chosen not to do so, and hence, committed the sin of omission that led him down into Hell.

Brothers and sisters in Christ, let us all therefore strive to be more generous in loving and sharing our blessings with one another during this time and period of Lent. One of the important practices commonly practiced this Lent is that of almsgiving, which we should do willingly and generously, so that we may be able to help those who may not be as fortunate as us in life. But let us remember not to give because we want to be rewarded or to be praised for doing so. Instead, let us all give generously from our heart and out of the sincere desire to care for the less fortunate brethren around us. May God be with us always and may He continue to give us His guidance in life, so that we do not depend so much on worldly things but on Him and His Providence instead, and be generous in sharing our blessings with one another. Amen.

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Wednesday, 19 March 2025 : Solemnity of St. Joseph, Spouse of the Blessed Virgin Mary (Homily and Scripture Reflections)

Liturgical Colour : White

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, today the Church marks the occasion of the Solemnity of St. Joseph, the Spouse of the Blessed Virgin Mary, as the husband of the Mother of God, our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ. St. Joseph therefore is the foster-father and legal guardian of the Lord, Who was born into his family. St. Joseph is the Protector and titular head of the Holy Family centred on Jesus, the Son of God and Saviour of all. On this day we honour this great figure of the story of our salvation, the one who has devoted himself thoroughly to the mission that has been entrusted to him, in protecting and guiding the Son of God which has been put in his guardianship. St. Joseph was this great example and role model for his foster and legal Son, and his righteousness and actions are themselves examples for us to follow.

In our first reading today, we heard from the second Book of the prophet Samuel in which the Lord told David, the then King of Israel, through His prophet Nathan regarding His response about the plan that King David had in wanting to build a great Temple and House of God in Jerusalem. The Lord told David that it would not be him that build the Temple and House for the Lord, but his son, the next king, King Solomon, who eventually built this great edifice and House of God. But more importantly in the same words of the Lord through the prophet Nathan, God assured David that He would bless him and his house forever, and his house would reign forever on the Throne of Israel. While this was seen immediately as the Lord’s promise of blessings for David’s son, Solomon, who would be the king after him, but it was in fact also the premonition of what God would do through David’s House.

This is because the kingdom that David and his son Solomon ruled in great glory did not in fact last long after their passing, and the kingdom of Israelites split into two barely moments after King Solomon passed away. And the descendants of David and Solomon were eventually bereft of kingship as the kingdom of Judah, on which throne the heirs of David ruled for another few hundred years, was destroyed and conquered by the Babylonians. But the descendants of King David remained and existed, and after many more generations, eventually it came to St. Joseph himself, who was the senior and rightful heir of David by descent. While keeping a low profile and was relatively unknown by the people of God at that time, by the legal rights and rules of the Law, it is right and just that St. Joseph was indeed the one to continue David’s legacy, and from him to our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ.

And therefore this passage from the Book of the prophet Samuel is highlighted today for us because it provides us with the link between what God had promised to David, His servant, and its fulfilment in Jesus Christ, the Son and Heir of David through His foster and legal father, St. Joseph. Jesus our Lord is the perfect fulfilment of God’s promises and assurances for His people, and this was shown to us through the Gospel passage today taken from the Gospel according to St. Matthew the Apostle and Evangelist, which detailed to us the genealogy of Our Lord from that of the House of David. Thus, it was not without basis that the Lord Jesus came bearing forth the Good News of God’s salvation, as it was His right heritage as the Heir of David, the One Whom God has promised to both David himself and to the people of Israel, as the One to fulfil all of the prophecies that He had sent through His many prophets and messengers.

And St. Joseph was a great role model indeed as a father and guide for the young Messiah, dedicating himself thoroughly to the role which had been entrusted to him. He obeyed the Lord when He told him through his Angels and the dream he had received, taking Mary as his wife, guiding and protecting her as they made their way to Bethlehem for the census of the Roman Emperor Augustus, and then after the Child has been born, he led the Holy Family to safety when the life of the Holy Child was in danger due to the actions of King Herod. He patiently guided and protected both Mary, his wife and the child Jesus, taking shelter in Egypt during the dangerous times, and then leading them back to Nazareth where he stayed, and brought up the Child faithfully and taught Him well all that he knew of the world, the Law and the ways of the Lord.

Through these actions and great faith, righteousness and virtues that St. Joseph have shown us, we are reminded of the words of the Apostle St. Paul in our second reading today, taken from the Epistle that he had written and intended for the Church and the faithful people of God in Rome. In that Epistle, St. Paul spoke of how Abraham had received righteousness and blessings, and also the assurance for his descendants through the Covenant that God had made with him, not because of his obedience to the Law of God, but more due to the faith and true love and commitment that he had in the Lord. And since the Lord knew this faith and great love that Abraham had for him, this is why He blessed him and his descendants. This was the same as well for St. Joseph, our great Patron whom we celebrate today. His righteousness, virtue and faith in the Lord is a major reason why we commemorate and honour him such, even more than the fact that he is the foster-father of Our Lord and Saviour.

Brothers and sisters in Christ, let us all therefore look upon the great faith, virtue and obedience shown by St. Joseph, his great perseverance and commitment to the missions entrusted to him by the Lord as great inspiration and model for all of us to follow in our own lives. Each and every one of us should not allow ourselves to be easily swayed by worldly temptations or fears, or any kind of worldly distractions from keeping us away from God. We have often fallen into those temptations and as a result, we became distracted, separated and distanced away from our Lord and His grace. And this is why the examples and inspiration shown by St. Joseph, his righteousness and love for those whom he had been entrusted with, his Spouse Mary, the Mother of God, and his foster-Son, our Lord Himself, in the Holy Family should be good examples to all of us, in our own families and among ourselves.

Let us all continue to walk in the path which the Lord has shown and taught us, and following the good role model and examples of St. Joseph, Holy Patron, the foster-father of Our Lord and Saviour, the Spouse of Mary, the Blessed ever Virgin Mother of God, let us all be ever more faithful and committed to be good and worthy Christians, as those whom God had called and chosen from this world to be His own beloved and holy people. Let us all be good example and role models ourselves to our fellow brothers and sisters around us. We are all called to be devoted to the Lord, to be righteous and just in all of our ways and actions, our every moments in life, and be the worthy bearers of God’s truth, now and always. May our Lenten observance continue to bear good and rich fruits, and may we draw ever closer to God. Amen.

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Tuesday, 18 March 2025 : 2nd Week of Lent, Memorial of St. Cyril of Jerusalem, Bishop and Doctor of the Church (Homily and Scripture Reflections)

Liturgical Colour : Purple/Violet

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, today all of us are reminded through the readings of the Sacred Scriptures during this time and season of Lent that all of our actions and practices during this time of repentance and reorientation towards God should always be based and founded upon the desire for us to return towards our loving God and Father, ever being mindful of our fallen and wicked nature, having been tempted and corrupted by those sins and wickedness present all around us. During this time of Lent, all of us are made more aware of all the obstacles that prevented us from coming back towards God and His love, to our loving Father and Creator, Who has always desired for us to return to Him and to be reunited with Him, no longer separated from Him due to our sins.

In our first reading today, taken from the Book of the prophet Isaiah, we heard of the words of the Lord warning His people, the Israelites of the dangers of sin, reminding them of what had happened in the past to the two cities of Sodom and Gomorrah, which in history had been destroyed because of their grievous and terrible sins, and most importantly, because they refused to listen to God’s words and reminders, ignoring the opportunities given to them to repent and turn away from their sins. For the context, the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah were where Lot, the nephew and relative of Abraham settled in after they parted ways from each other. God first revealed to Abraham His plan of destroying the two cities for their wickedness and sins, but Abraham pleaded with the Lord a few times, asking Him to spare the cities if some righteous ones could be found in them, likely also for the sake of Lot, his relative.

Unfortunately, despite the pleading from Abraham, not even few righteous in those cities could be found save that of Lot himself and his immediate family. And when God sent His Angels to those cities, the wicked people of Sodom and Gomorrah, who according to tradition involved themselves in perverse sins and corruption of the flesh, demanded that the guests of Lot, who were the Angels in disguise, were to be surrendered to them. This was the last straw that sealed their fate, as the Angels led Lot and his family out of the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah, which ended up being destroyed by fire and brimstone from Heaven. God told the people through the prophet Isaiah about this reference to Sodom and Gomorrah to remind and warn them of the dangers of the sins that they had committed, in disobeying His Law and commandments, which could eventually lead them into the same path towards destruction.

The lesson from this story of Sodom and Gomorrah, and what the Lord Himself has told His people, the Israelites through the prophet Isaiah is that, while God is truly loving and merciful towards us, His beloved ones, but we must not take this love and mercy for granted, as in the end, at the time of reckoning and judgment, we will be condemned by whatever sins and wickedness that we have committed, if we do not repent from them. God did remind His people of His mercy and love as well, giving them reassurance and hope that if they were to change their ways and embrace His love and mercy, then they would be fully forgiven from their faults, mistakes and sins. But if they were to persist in their sins, then they would eventually face destruction and damnation.

In our Gospel passage today, we heard from the Gospel according to St. Matthew the Apostle and Evangelist in which the Lord Jesus told His disciples regarding the behaviour and attitude of the Pharisees and the teachers of the Law, many of whom liked to showcase their piety and actions among the people around them, praying visibly in public places and wearing long and wide bands of prayer tassels and cloaks that the Jewish elders and intellectuals often wore, so that they would be praised by the people who saw them and their pious behaviour and actions. The Lord was warning His disciples and therefore also all of us against following this kind of behaviour so that we will not end up being tempted by pride, ambition and desire, all of which may lead to us into this same path of arrogance and egoistic behaviour that will likely lead us away from God.

Instead, the Lord said that to be His faithful and true followers, we must be humble and we must always keep our focus on the Lord, our one and only true Master. We must not let ourselves to be deluded into thinking that we are the master of our lives and our fates, or that we can gain the riches and glory of the world that will last forever. None of these worldly things, attachments and pursuits will last forever, and they will not avail us on the time and moment of reckoning and judgment of our lives. And if we spend so much time in trying to gain all these at the expense of our relationship with God, then in the end there may be nothing left for us except regret because we have spent so much time and effort to gain all these in vain, because none of those things will last for us. All of them are ultimately fleeting and impermanent.

Today, the Church also celebrates the Feast of St. Cyril of Jerusalem, a holy man and servant of God who had devoted himself thoroughly to the service of God. St. Cyril of Jerusalem was born in Jerusalem in the early fourth century, and was ordained as a deacon, priest and eventually became the Bishop of Jerusalem, which was why he was known as St. Cyril of Jerusalem. St. Cyril as the Bishop of Jerusalem became one of the most steadfast defenders of the true and orthodox Christian faith against those who sought to change and twist the teachings of the Church to suit their own agenda and ambitions. He met a lot of opposition from those who embraced the heretical Arian teachings and ways, and such as from one Arian bishop Acacius, he had to face stubborn resistance which led to him being banished by those in power who were favourable to the Arian cause.

St. Cyril endured patiently all these challenges and hardships, giving his all in the struggles for the souls of the faithful people of God. He embraced the fullness of the orthodox teachings after having been influenced by Arian teachings and ideas himself in his youth. During those turbulent years when he was exiled from his See of Jerusalem, and after, when he returned in favour and power, he wrote extensively about the faith, which is the basis for his later elevation as one of the Doctors of the Church, a rare privilege among the saints of God. His great series of catechises on various matters and aspects of the Christian faith still inspired many people long after his passing, much as his great faith and piety are truly examples for all of us to follow in our own lives.

Brothers and sisters in Christ, today all of us have discussed from the words of the Sacred Scriptures that we have received regarding the need for us to repent and turn away from our sins, and on the need for us all to be humble in all things, to seek the Lord, His love and mercy at all times in our lives. We have also listened to the life and ministry of St. Cyril of Jerusalem, the faithful servant of God whose life should serve as a good inspiration for all of us so that we may know how to move forward in life, striving to distance ourselves away from the corruptions and temptations of sin. Let us all therefore be good role models and examples for one another, and do our part as good, holy and devoted Christians, as God’s holy people, to be the ones to glorify the Lord by our lives and examples. May our Lenten journey continue to bear rich fruits of faith, and help us to draw ever closer to the Lord, our God and His salvation. Amen.

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Monday, 17 March 2025 : 2nd Week of Lent, Memorial of St. Patrick, Bishop (Homily and Scripture Reflections)

Liturgical Colour : Purple/Violet

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, today as we all listened to the words of the Sacred Scriptures, we are reminded of the great mercy which the Lord, our most loving God and Father has shown to each and every one of us, the compassion and love which He has given to us all as His beloved people. We are reminded especially during this time and season of Lent, we have been given the opportunity to turn away from our sins and wickedness, and we have been given the generous opportunity to return to our loving God and Father, embracing His compassion and kindness, in His desire to reconciled and reunited with all of us. God has been generous in His mercy, and today we are all reminded to be thankful and appreciative of what we have received from Him.

In our first reading today, taken from the Book of the prophet Daniel, we heard of the words of the prophet Daniel beseeching the Lord and asking Him to show mercy and compassion on His people, the Israelites and their descendants. They and their ancestors had rebelled and sinned against God, and therefore they had been cast out of the land that had been promised to them, the Land of Canaan, which their ancestors had dwelled in, but which by the time of Daniel, foreigners like the Assyrians and the Babylonians had conquered their kingdoms, destroyed their cities and exiled many among them to the distant lands, as Daniel himself had experienced and suffered. And in those distant lands, they had to bear the humiliation of their fate, the loss of their homeland, and the ignominy of their exile.

Daniel gathered the prayers and thoughts of the people of God, many of whom had repented from their sins in their time and period of exile from their homeland. He asked the Lord on their behalf, presenting their sorrow and repentance, their regret for all of their mistakes and sins in the past, seeking God to forgive them their sins so that they might once again be loved and blessed by Him, and be allowed to return to their homeland, after their punishment and sufferings had come to an eventual end. He showcased Israel’s regret for their many disobedience and sins, and this is showing us how our attitude should be like in how we live our lives especially during this penitential time and season of Lent. We should also seek God’s generous mercy and forgiveness, and commit ourselves to His path, from now on.

Then, from our Gospel passage today, taken from the Gospel according to St. Luke the Evangelist, we heard of the words of the Lord Jesus to His disciples, telling them clearly to be merciful in their actions just as God their loving Father has shown them lots of mercy and compassion. Just like in the prayer which the Lord Jesus Himself had taught them said, that, ‘Forgive us our trespasses just as we forgive those who have trespassed against us’. And this is an important reminder for us all that just as we seek to be forgiven from our many sins and mistakes, we too should be ready to forgive others around us, be it our own family members, relatives, colleagues and even strangers who have caused hurt to us, or those who have wronged and done mistake to us.

To forgive others is something that is not easily done, but we must still strive to do it nonetheless. And the best example we can follow is none other than the Lord Himself, our most loving and generous Father, Who has loved us all and desired to forgive us our sins should we come to Him with sincere repentance and desire to be forgiven from those sins. Not only that, but He has also given us all His own only Begotten Son to save us from our fated destruction, and through this same Son, Who was punished for our sins, He forgave us all the trespasses, mistakes and sins we have committed, just as His Son forgave those who have persecuted and condemned Him to death from His Cross, praying for them to the Father not to count their sins against them. This is an example of forgiveness and mercy that all of us as Christians ought to follow. 

Today, the Church also celebrates the Feast of St. Patrick, a holy bishop and great servant of God, who is well-known as the missionary who brought the Christian faith to Ireland and established the foundation of the Church there in that island. He is well-celebrated especially amongst the members of the Irish diaspora, which is now spread all around the world. St. Patrick himself was born in the then late Roman Britain, and he was born to a Romano-British family, whose father was apparently a decurion, a rather important official in the Roman government. In his youth, it was reported that he was captured by Irish pirates who brought him to Ireland and enslaved him for a whole period of six years. Eventually he was able to escape from his captors and returned home, but his experiences in Ireland was truly a premonition of what he would do there in the future.

Eventually, St. Patrick continued his studies and was ordained as a deacon and then priest, and then sent as a missionary back to Ireland, acting on a vision that he has seen and received since the day of his captivity there. He was ordained as a bishop and became the one to lead the path for other missionaries to evangelise the land of Ireland. St. Patrick laboured patiently for many years among the many pagan peoples throughout Ireland, and while he had some successes in converting some of the local kings, lords and people, but there were lots of opposition that he had to endure throughout his ministry in Ireland. But slowly, through his patient teaching and genuine Christian love, virtues and righteousness, more and more people came to believe in God through him and that was the beginning of Christian Ireland.

Brothers and sisters in Christ, as we have discussed through our reflection on the Sacred Scripture passages and from the life and works of St. Patrick, we are reminded to be aware of our sinfulness and seek God for His forgiveness and mercy, for Him to heal us from our sins and corruptions, so that we may once again be worthy to come to His Holy Presence and embrace Him fully in His love. And we are also reminded that we have the calling and obligation to be missionary as what St. Patrick and our other holy predecessors had done in their respective lives and works. That is why all of us are called to remember today our faith in the Lord and the generous mercy that God has given and reassured us with. We should not take God’s love for granted any longer, but appreciate every opportunities that we have been given.

Let us all therefore continue to journey through this time and season of Lent with contrite heart, desiring to seek God’s forgiveness and mercy, and at the same time, showing mercy and love, compassion and kindness to those around us as well. May all of us be truly forgiven by God and be reconciled with Him through this great opportunity of this Lenten time and season. May God be with us always, and may He continue to bless us in our every efforts and endeavours, now and always. Amen.

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Sunday, 16 March 2025 : Second Sunday of Lent (Homily and Scripture Reflections)

Liturgical Colour : Purple/Violet

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, this Sunday as we all gather together in this Second Sunday in the season of Lent, all of us are reminded to continue embarking on the journey of faith through our lives towards the Lord our God, our Saviour and Hope. We are reminded of the Covenant which God has made with each and every one of us, beginning with Abraham, our father in faith, to whom God had willingly established the Covenant that He had constantly renewed and then expanded to cover all of us, the children and descendants of Adam, that we all may partake in His glorious inheritance and to receive the grace and blessings that He has assured to all those who are faithful to His Covenant, His Law and commandments.

In our first reading this Sunday, we heard from the Book of Genesis in which the very moment when God established His Covenant with Abram, a man whom He had called from the land of Ur of the Chaldeans in Mesopotamia. Abram had obeyed the Lord and responded to His call with commitment, following the Lord’s call to the land that He had led him into, the land of Canaan, the Promised Land that God promised to be given to the descendants of Abram. Abram brought his wife, Sarai and his personal assets and servants, travelling long distance from his homeland, leaving behind the life that he knew, and embarked on the journey to the land of Canaan. Through this great obedience and other virtues that Abram had shown, the Lord chose him to be the one with whom He would make His Covenant, renewing the Covenant that He had made with us mankind from the beginning.

God therefore promised to Abram through this solemn Covenant, that He would be his God and the God of his descendants, which would be as numerous as the stars in the sky and the sand grains on the shores, essentially uncountable. And this is remarkable considering that at the time that God made this Covenant with Abram, he was still a relatively old man with no child or anyone that can bear his legacy, and he himself said that his servant would be the one to inherit his riches and property. But God reassured Abram that He would give unto him a son, son born of him and his wife, Sarai. And as a sign of his commitment to this new Covenant and the new life that Abram and his wife, Sarai, had been called into, they both changed their name, which symbolically highlighted this moment of conversion and change, becoming known as Abraham and Sarah respectively. Eventually Abraham would indeed become the father of many nations, both by blood and by faith, as all of us Christians do call Abraham our father in faith.

In our second reading today, we heard from the Epistle of St. Paul the Apostle to the Church and the faithful people of God in the region of Philippi in modern day Greece. In that Epistle, the Apostle spoke of the nature of our Christian citizenship in Heaven, a reminder for all of us that as Christians, as God’s holy and beloved people, all of us, regardless which country, origin or background that we have, ultimately, all of us belong to the Lord and we all share this common inheritance from God, the promise of the eternal life and true happiness in Heaven, to be forever in the presence of our loving God and Creator. And linking to what we have heard in our first reading today regarding the Covenant of God and Abraham, all of us have Abraham as our father in faith, and therefore, we also share in this great and Eternal Covenant that God has established and renewed with us all.

We are all reminded by St. Paul the Apostle that no matter what struggles and hardships each and every one of us may encounter in our respective lives, each one of us should continue to be faithful in the Lord and put our faith and trust in Him. We must not let ourselves to be easily swayed by the many temptations, pressures, coercions and all the things that we may encounter in our path which may lead us astray, tempting us to abandon our journey towards God and His salvation. At that time, during the moment when St. Paul wrote this Epistle, Christians have begun to spread around the Roman Empire and other surrounding regions, as missionaries worked hard to proclaim the Good News of God to more and more people. However, they also faced a lot of opposition and persecution from their enemies and from those who were suspicious of the Christian teachings and faith.

At the same time, the Christian faithful were also surrounded by the many pagan practices and other things which were often in conflict with the Christian belief and ways. Therefore, St. Paul was encouraging the faithful in Philippi to be strong and to remain committed in their faith so that they would not easily give in to the temptation to abandon their faith amidst all those pagan influences and pressures to conform and follow the worldly ways. This is something that is difficult and a dilemma facing many of the early Christians, as some of them were divided between their families and their faith, and some of them were persecuted by their own families and relatives, on top of the persecution from the authorities for their faith and belief in God. They were all reminded that their faith and trust in the Lord ultimately would not be in vain, for them having adopted the ways of the Lord, and changing their path from the path of the wickedness of the world for the path of God’s righteousness.

And this is what we have ourselves experienced in our baptism and journey of Christian initiation as well. All of us through our baptism, and more especially so for those of us who chose to embark on this journey in our adulthood, had to make the commitment to a new life in God. Through our baptism and the other sacraments of Initiation, we have essentially been brought into the Covenant with God much as how Abraham had the Covenant established with him by God. And just as Abraham has dedicated himself and his life, promising that his descendants would also obey the Covenant that God had made with them, therefore all of us are also required to follow and obey the commandments of God, doing our very best so that we can fulfil our part of the Covenant as well, to live our lives in the manner that the Lord has shown and taught us to do.

All of us are reminded that by becoming Christians, we embark on this journey of renewal and purification, one that we are being reminded of during this time of Lent, by our renewal of the commitment to live our lives in accordance to the way that the Lord Himself has shown and taught us. And what we have heard in our Gospel passage today should serve as a reminder and premonition of what our end goal is, which is to be truly transformed in our whole being to be once again full of God’s grace, light and love, to be free from the taint and corruption of sin, just as the Lord Jesus showed us and His disciples by His glorious Transfiguration at Mount Tabor. At that occasion, the Lord revealed His glory and true nature to three of His closest disciples, St. Peter, St. James and St. John.

Through what we have heard in that account of the Transfiguration of the Lord, we are shown that Jesus Christ, Our Lord and Saviour, was not merely just a Man, the Son of Man, but also the Son of God, Who had clad His Divine nature in the form of our human nature and flesh. As we firmly believe in our Christian faith, we believe in Our Lord Who has made Himself manifest in His divinity and humanity both in the Person of Jesus Christ, one Person having two distinct yet inseparable and indivisible natures, Divine and Human. And by sharing this Human nature with all of us, Christ Our Transfigured Lord reminds us of our original immaculate and perfect nature, as how we were when He first created us all, untainted and uncorrupted by the corruption of sin and evil.

By His Transfiguration, the Lord reassured us all of His salvation, fulfilling everything that He has promised to our ancestors and predecessors, all the Law and the prophecies which He had passed on to them through the prophets, represented by the appearance of Moses and Elijah there at Mount Tabor with the Transfigured Lord. Both of them were very important figures in the history of the people of God. Their appearance there at Mount Tabor reaffirmed the fact that Jesus is truly the One Whom the people of Israel had been awaiting for, and the fulfilment and perfect manifestation of the Law of God that Moses represented, which He revealed in its fullness and elaborated in its purpose, as well as the completion of the prophecies of the Prophets that was represented by Elijah. And we are all reminded of the true nature of our existence, our true selves, unhindered by the corruption of sin.

Therefore, as we continue to progress through this time and season of Lent, are we willing and able to commit ourselves to the Lord anew and follow Him wholeheartedly, as we have been called to do, to be like Abraham and our forefathers who have trusted in God and be part of the Covenant that He had made with us all. And like Jesus our Lord and Saviour Himself, Who as Son, obeyed His Father’s will perfectly, and as we heard, despite the glory of His appearance and Transfiguration on Mount Tabor, chose to descend down the mountain to go forth to His Passion in Jerusalem. Through His obedience and willing sacrifice, He showed us all the perfect love of God by which all of us have received the fulfilment of the promise of God’s salvation, and opened for us the path towards full reconciliation with our loving Father.

Brothers and sisters in Christ, this Sunday let us all therefore strive to continue our Lenten journey with great faith and commitment, doing our very best so that we may come closer to God and be ever stronger in our relationship with Him, and be fully committed to His path, so that we can truly be faithful to the New and Eternal Covenant that He has made and sealed with us by the loving sacrifice of His Son, Our Lord and Saviour on the Cross. May the Lord be with us always, and bless our Lenten journey, now and forevermore. Amen.

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Saturday, 15 March 2025 : 1st Week of Lent (Homily and Scripture Reflections)

Liturgical Colour : Purple/Violet

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, today all of us as we listened to the words from the Sacred Scriptures, we are all reminded of the need for us to follow and obey faithfully the commandments of God, the Law that He has shown, revealed and presented to us. God has taught us all how we should be His followers and disciples, and we should make good use of everything that He has provided to us, all the guidance that He has given us, so that we may know how to live our lives worthily as Christians, as God’s holy and beloved people. All of us are God’s own beloved children, and as such, it is imperative that we live our lives in the manner that is pleasing and worthy of God, as if not, otherwise, we will sully and besmirch the Holy Name of Our Lord and God.

In our first reading today, we heard from the Book of Deuteronomy in which the Lord reminded His people, the Israelites during the time of their Exodus and journey from Egypt to the Promised Land, of their obligations to fulfil the commandments and laws that have been presented and taught to them. God had created His Covenant with all of the people of Israel, and hence, as part of this Covenant, all of the Israelites were required to obey the Law and commandments that God has set before them, just as He would always be faithful to His people, providing and caring for them in everything that they needed. That is why, as His beloved and holy people, they were reminded to love God with all their might, and to do whatever they can such that they may be good examples and role models for the people all around them.

It is this same expectation therefore that the Lord expects from each and every one of us, as God’s holy and beloved people, as we Christians are the people whom God had called and chosen to be His own. Therefore, as we are also part of this same Covenant which God has established, renewed and made firm, once and for all through His Son, Our Lord and Saviour, therefore, we are all expected and called to be faithful to the mission entrusted to each one of us as God’s holy and beloved people, to be truly devoted to the path that He has called and shown us to walk in, so that by our every moments in life, our every actions, words and deeds, we will be truly worthy of being called God’s chosen and holy people. God has always ever been faithful to His Covenant to us, but it is us all mankind who have often disappointed Him and chose to follow all other distractions in life, and not following God’s path.

Then, in our Gospel passage today, taken from the Gospel according to St. Matthew the Apostle and Evangelist, we heard of the main essence of the Law of God as highlighted and explained by the Lord Jesus Himself to His disciples and all the people gathered to listen to Him. He told them all about the Law and the commandments, and how the people ought to follow them with sincerity of heart and the genuine desire to love God first and foremost, and then to love their fellow brothers and sisters with the same kind of love, and at least as much as they love themselves. The Lord told them all to love everyone without exception and prejudice, and not to reserve their love only for those who have loved them back, as true love truly should be unconditional, and not be transactional in nature.

The Lord Himself pointed out how even the pagans and unbelievers also loved one another, and loved those who have loved them back. Therefore, as Christians, all of us must be truly revolutionary in how we love others around us, and that means, loving and showing care and concern for those who have not loved us back, and even to those who have hated and persecuted us. This is of course something that is far easier said than done, as it is in our human nature to feel hurt and angry, to feel betrayed and frustrated because of what had been dealt to us, be it injustice, harsh words, unfair treatments, prejudices or other nasty things that we have ourselves often done to our fellow brothers and sisters around us. But, we are all challenged to overcome those negative feelings, all the anger, hurt and desire for vengeance, and be truly magnanimous, compassionate and loving.

And we do not need to look far for example, as the Lord Jesus Himself, our Lord and Saviour, has shown us the perfect example by His own life and works in our midst. While the Pharisees, the teachers of the Law, the elders of the people and the members of the Sanhedrin had made His ministry and works difficult all throughout, as those people questioned and doubted Him, refusing to believe in Him, spreading doubts about His authority and authenticity, challenging Him in many occasions, persecuting Him and His disciples, and yet, He still showed great patience in loving and caring for them nonetheless, chastising them all, rebuking them for their wicked actions and lack of true and genuine faith, their external and outward show of piety that were exclusivist in nature, among other things. But all these were done with the intention to make them realise the errors of their ways.

Then, ultimately, the Lord Himself showed the perfect action of love, compassion and magnanimity, when He forgave all those who have rejected and persecuted Him, praying for those who have betrayed and pushed for Him to be punished and crucified to death. He said, ‘Father, forgive them all for they do not know what they were doing.’, asking for them not to be punished or held accountable for their actions, because ultimately He Himself also offered His life on the Cross for everyone, for every sinners, including even those who have questioned, resisted and persecuted Him, all those elders who had betrayed and abandoned Him, for those who have crucified Him and tortured Him. The Lord Himself showed us all the perfect example of Christian love, on how we all should love our brethren around us in the most compassionate and generous manner.

Therefore, brothers and sisters in Christ, during this time and season of Lent, can we make the conscious effort to love everyone around us with more tender love and generous care, compassion and attention? Let us all continue to love others around us, even when our love may not be reciprocated, so that by our love, everyone may truly know God and His love, and that our love may touch the lives and hearts of many others, bringing them all together with us ever closer to the path towards God’s salvation. Let us all also continue to walk ever more faithfully down this path, and strive to deepen our relationship with God, our loving and most merciful Father, that one day, we will truly be worthy to share in His glorious and eternal inheritance. Amen.

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Friday, 14 March 2025 : 1st Week of Lent (Homily and Scripture Reflections)

Liturgical Colour : Purple/Violet

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, today as we all listened to the words of the Sacred Scriptures during this time of Lent, all of us are reminded to live our lives worthily of the Lord, distancing ourselves from any taints and corruptions of sin. We must strive to resist the many temptations of sin and evil around us, all of which were meant to distract and pull us away from the path towards God and His salvation. That is why this reminder has been presented for us today so that we may leave behind our past sinful way of life, embracing instead the generous love and the bountiful mercy of God that He has constantly presented to us all. All of us as Christians are expected to live a good, just and righteous way of life in the manner that the Lord has shown and taught us through His Church, becoming good and faithful role models to all.

In our first reading today, we heard from the Book of the prophet Ezekiel in which the Lord told His people, the Israelites in exile in Babylon of the hope that He offered to all those who seek forgiveness and reconciliation with Him. He told them all through Ezekiel that even those who had sinned against Him, would be forgiven and receive His grace, love and kindness if they were to seek His mercy, and commit themselves to change their ways of wickedness and sins. As the Lord Himself mentioned clearly that He did not desire the destruction of any one of them, no matter how great a sinner each one of them had been. This is a reminder for all of us just how beloved all of us are by the Lord, and how fortunate all of us are to be the ones whom God shows His generous love to, because it is by His love that we have received this sure hope of salvation.

At the same time, God also reminded His people that even those who were righteous and then committed sin and disobedience against Him would have to account for their sins and wickedness if they fell into temptation and chose to disobey Him. Essentially what the Lord wants to remind each one of us is that, we are responsible for everything that we have done, be it good and just, in accordance with the ways of the Lord, or be it wicked and evil. In the end, we will be judged by all those deeds, good or evil, worthy or wicked before God, the One and only Judge Who will determine our fate in the end. If we have sincerely atoned for our sins and sought the forgiveness from God, then none of those sins will be counted against us, as God by His most wonderful love will erase them all.

On the other hand, as mentioned, if we allowed ourselves to be tempted by sin, disobeying God and doing what is wicked in the eyes of the Lord, then we will be held accountable for those sins, for our failures to obey the Law and will of God, and for all the things which had made us to be unworthy of God, as sin corrupted us and made us to be defiled, unworthy to be in God’s Holy Presence. God indeed certainly loved all of His people, each and every one of us without exception. However, at the same time, sin is a barrier blocking our path towards Him, and unless we get them settled, by entrusting ourselves to God’s forgiveness and mercy, then we may find ourselves on the wrong side of the Day of Reckoning, at the time of the Final and Last Judgment.

In our Gospel passage today, we then heard from the Gospel according to St. Matthew the Apostle and Evangelist in which the Lord Jesus spoke to His disciples about the way that they should live their lives in following Him and in being truly committed to the path that He has taught and shown them. He told them all that they should be truly genuine in how they obey the Law of God so that they would not merely just be paying lip service in obeying God, but be truly committed in loving Him and in doing His will. And this is easier said than done, as there are indeed many temptations and obstacles that may prevent us from truly being able to obey the Lord wholeheartedly and from following Him, as our own sins and those of our ancestors and predecessors have shown us.

The Lord told all those disciples that they should truly understand and appreciate what the Law of God wanted to teach and show them, in truly being good and loving, righteous and just in the manner that their loving Father, Creator and Master, the Lord Himself, has shown them. All of us should all be genuine in loving one another just in the same way that God has loved us all, even when we have sinned against Him and disobeyed Him. His willingness to forgive us all our sins is an example for each one of us to follow in our own lives, in how we should also forgive one another, and learn to love everyone as the Lord Himself had done. If we have not made peace with our brothers and sisters, how can we truly have peace in our lives? And how can we truly have peace with God and be reunited with Him if we still hold grudge against our brethren?

That is why during this time and period of Lent, all of us are presented with this wonderful opportunity for us to reflect carefully on our path in life, and for us to reconsider our directions and paths, or our actions and way of living our lives, on whether we have truly been obeying the Lord and whether we have been practicing our faith actively and faithfully, or whether we have allowed ourselves to be swayed, distracted and tempted by the many wicked desires and ambitions present around us. Are we capable of turning away from our wicked and sinful past way of life, and embracing God’s love and mercy instead? He has shown the perfect example of love, forgiveness and mercy, forgiving even those who have persecuted Him, and thus, we too should follow in His footsteps and show love and mercy to others as well.

Brothers and sisters in Christ, let us all therefore strive to be good Christians in all things, in each and every single one of our deeds. Let us all make good use of the time and opportunity that God has provided us this Lent so that we may have the genuine transformation of heart, mind, body and soul, coming ever closer to the Lord and deepening our relationship with Him. Let us all no longer persist in our disobedience and rebellious way of life, and instead be truly obedient to Him, loving Him wholeheartedly each day, and doing our best to proclaim Him, His truth and love to all those whom we encounter each day in our lives. As Christians, we should be good role models and inspirations to our fellow brethren around us, and even to strangers whom we meet in our daily lives.

May the Lord, our most loving God and Father, continue to help and guide us in our journey, and strengthen each one of us so that by our perseverance and courage in faith, we will continue to draw ever closer to His loving and holy Presence, and be the light and hope for everyone around us. May our Lenten journey and experiences continue to be good and fruitful, now and always. Amen.

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Thursday, 13 March 2025 : 1st Week of Lent, Twelfth Anniversary of the Pontificate of Pope Francis (Homily and Scripture Reflections)

Liturgical Colour : Purple/Violet

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, today as we all listened to the words of the Lord contained in the Sacred Scriptures, we are all reminded as ever again on the generous and great love which God has shown us, His beloved people and children, in His care and concern for us, and how He has always extended His kindness to us despite all of us having constantly and frequently disobeyed Him and His commandments. God has always been patient in reaching out to us and calling on us to return to Him with contrite heart and with the genuine desire to be forgiven from our many sins and faults. We must not take for granted all the love that God has shown us, and we must always be ready to seek Him wholeheartedly and commit to Him our whole lives, as expected of us as Christians.

In our first reading today, we heard from the Book of Esther, in which the account of the moment when Queen Esther of Persia prayed to the Lord, asking for His help and guidance, has been highlighted to us. For the context, at that time, the people of Israel living in Persia and in other territories of the Persian Empire were facing a lot of difficulties and challenges as they encountered opposition from their enemies, such as in particular one Haman, the Agagite, who was an Amalekite, a sworn enemy of the Israelites. Haman managed to manipulate the Persian King and the laws to favour him and to attempt the elimination of the entire race of the Israelites by framing them for rebellion and disobedience. Therefore, Esther, the Queen of Persia, who was an Israelite herself, prepared herself to face the King and his court, in the attempt to seek mercy and liberation for her people.

What Esther sought to do was very risky and dangerous for her, as she was not allowed or supposed to come to the presence of the King without being invited or asked to do so. Her predecessor, the former Queen Vashti of Persia was deposed and exiled precisely because she disobeyed the King’s command and rule, albeit in the exact opposite, as she refused to come to the King’s presence when he asked her to do so. Esther was her people’s last hope, as without her intercession and effort, the Israelites would surely have been destroyed and eliminated by their enemies, as per the designs of Haman mentioned earlier. And Esther turned her hope to the Lord, as she herself has no one else to turn to, and entrusted herself completely in His hands, believing that God alone can make things work and that He would provide for His people in their hour and time of need.

Esther pleaded before the Lord as we have all heard in our first reading passage today, asking Him to show mercy and kindness to His beloved people, that He would protect and guide them all just as He had once done during the time of the Exodus and then in the subsequent many occasions when He has intervened and shown His providence to His people, the Israelites, despite their disobedience and sins. It is a reminder for us all that we must always have faith and trust in the Lord, believing that He has the power to save us from our predicaments and troubles. We should not abandon Him in search of other sources of fulfilment, satisfaction and providence in our lives, but reaffirm our commitment to Him instead, desiring to love Him wholeheartedly in each and every moments of our lives.

Then, in our Gospel passage today, we heard of the words of the Lord Jesus to His disciples telling them all to put their faith and trust in God, Who is their loving Father and Creator, the One Who will not disappoint them in the struggles they encounter daily in life. If only they would put their trust and faith in the Lord, then the Lord would provide for them what they needed, and guide them to the right path. This is because as our loving Father, God will definitely not abandon us to harm or destruction, but He will give us what we need at that time and place. And in the case of Queen Esther, God was with her, as He answered her prayers and the prayers of the Israelites, overthrowing the designs and machinations of Haman, who was executed for his crimes and misdeeds, while the Israelites were saved from their fated destruction.

The Lord Jesus highlighted to His disciples, comparing God to a loving father, who will surely not give what is bad and harmful to his children. He will certainly provide for His children with love and attention, giving them our needs, even when we may not be aware of what we actually need in life. God’s love for us is such that we just need to ask Him, and He will answer us. However, many of us do not realise this, and we do not even bother to ask our Lord and Father, preferring to do things our own way, or depending instead on other means to settle our troubles, which may end up leading us into the path of disobedience and sin against God. And many of us may not understand that God may not necessarily answer us in the manner that we want, or give us what we seek or want. After all, He knows best what we need, even when we ourselves may not know what we need.

It is important therefore that we should spend the time during this Lenten season to rediscover the love which we all ought to have for our loving Father, our God Who has always shown us His patient and ever enduring love. All of us should not ignore our loving Father anymore, or neglect our obligations to Him, realising that there are still so many things that we are all supposed to do as God’s beloved and holy people, His children. We should make good use of this time and season of Lent to embark on a journey of reconciliation and repentance, seeking for the Lord, our most loving and compassionate Father to forgive us all of our trespasses, our disobedience and faults, and entrusting ourselves once again to His love and gentle care, so that we may truly be worthy to be called His children and holy people.

May the Lord continue to guide us through this journey of life, and may He help us to persevere through the many challenges present all around us so that we may truly be rooted in Him, and not be easily swayed by the many temptations present around us. May our loving Father continue to provide us all what we need, and help us to endure the various challenges that we may have to encounter in life, so that by His help and guidance, His strength and blessings, we may always walk ever more faithfully in His holy Presence, and strive to be good role models and examples for everyone around us. May God bless us all in each and every one of our good endeavours, now and always. Amen.

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Wednesday, 12 March 2025 : 1st Week of Lent (Homily and Scripture Reflections)

Liturgical Colour : Purple/Violet

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, today as we all continue to progress through the season of Lent, we are all presented with the call to repentance through the readings of our Sacred Scriptures today, which mentioned the story of the prophet Jonah in Nineveh, the great capital city of the Assyrians. We heard of the repentance of the city and its inhabitants, and how the Lord had mercy on all of them despite the judgment He had pronounced on them, and this was also mentioned again in the Gospels, as a reminder for each and every one of us on how we all should seek the Lord’s forgiveness and mercy because while our sins may indeed be plentiful and horrendous, but God’s love for us and His mercy surpass and transcend even all of those things.

During this time and season of Lent, we are reminded that God’s generous mercy and forgiveness are always available for us as long as we repent from our sinful ways and commit ourselves to change our wickedness, embracing His love and mercy, entrusting ourselves to Him, our loving Father and Creator. However, it is important that we remember, how this mercy and forgiveness require us to change our wicked and unworthy paths in life, embracing instead the righteous and just path of the Lord. We have to change our ways for the better, purifying our hearts and minds, our whole bodies and souls, our whole beings from all the corruption of the darkness of sin and evil. We are reminded not to squander this opportunity that God has given us.

In our first reading today, we heard from the Book of the prophet Jonah as mentioned, the story of how Jonah had been sent to the people of Nineveh, the great capital of the Assyrian Empire. At that time, the Assyrian Empire was a truly mighty Empire that had dominated its neighbours, and they were infamous for being the conquerors who defeated and destroyed the kingdom of the people of God in the northern kingdom of Israel, and brought many of the people into exile. As such, at the time the sayings and the stories of the prophet Jonah was compiled during the Hellenistic period according to Biblical scholars, the Assyrians had gained the notoriety of having committed great sins against God, for their rather vicious and ruthless actions against those people whom they defeated, including that of the Israelites themselves.

That is why when the Lord warned the people of Nineveh of the impending destruction that they all would face for their many sins, it would have come to no surprise for many of those who were reading about the account of the Lord’s warning to those wicked people of Nineveh. Yet, what is even more amazing is the fact that how the people of Nineveh very readily responded to the words of Jonah, and from their king and nobles to the simple men on the streets, all of the whole city showed genuine repentance and regret for their many sins, publicly showing their repentance by wearing sackcloth and in mourning for their fate of destruction, seeking God’s mercy and forgiveness for their wicked deeds. God saw their sincere repentance and humility, and spared them all for the fated destruction that had been proclaimed against them.

In our Gospel passage today, we heard of the Lord Jesus Who told the people that were listening to Him about the sign of Jonah in response to all those people who still refused to believe in Him and His truth. Those people were the Pharisees and the teachers of the Law, many of whom have witnessed the many works, miracles and wonders of the Lord, and heard His words and teachings, and yet, they still constantly and consistently refused to believe in Him, doubting Him and questioning His authenticity and authority before the people, accusing Him of wrongdoing and evil deeds that He did not do. They kept on asking Him to perform signs and wonders before them, repeatedly even when the Lord had actually done exactly done before their very own eyes. And yet, they still refused to believe.

And that was why the Lord told the people that they would come to see the sign of Jonah, referring to the three days that the prophet Jonah spent in the belly of the great fish or whale, as a premonition of His own time of Passion, His suffering, persecution and death, which would lead to Him being buried in the tomb, in the ‘belly’ of the earth, descending into Hell for a period of three days from the time of His passing until His glorious Resurrection. This sign would be the ultimate sign of truth and salvation, and the revelation and fulfilment of everything that God had promised to all of His people. God wants all of His people, all of us, to know of His most wonderful love and mercy, the compassion and kindness which He has always generously provided to us throughout all these time. And through His Son, He has revealed to us this ever enduring love and kindness.

However, the sad truth and reality is such that, just like those Pharisees and the teachers of the Law, the elders of the people, many of them still closed their hearts and minds to the Lord, refusing to believe in Him or accepting His truth. The Lord Jesus also mentioned in the same occasion as presented in the Gospel passage earlier that the Queen of the South has come to listen to the wisdom of King Solomon, highlighting how even a pagan and foreigner bothered to make the very arduous travel from faraway lands to come and listen to the wisdom of the renowned King Solomon, and then, comparing it to Himself and the Wisdom which He has shown, the Lord told the people and all those who resisted and rejected Him of the irony that in Him there is a Wisdom that far surpassed that of Solomon’s, as He is Himself the Wisdom of God personified and manifested in the flesh. And yet, His own people refused to believe in Him.

Brothers and sisters in Christ, let us all therefore spend this precious time and opportunity of Lent to reorientate our lives once again towards the Lord, deepening our faith and trust in the Lord. We must not allow our pride, ego and stubbornness from distracting and swaying us away from the path towards the Lord, as how those Pharisees and teachers of the Law had allowed themselves to be tempted and distracted by their own pride and ego which made them to harden their hearts and minds, not allowing the Lord to speak or communicate His love and truth to them. Let us all remember all the love and mercy which God has for us, and do our best to open our hearts and minds, communicating our thoughts to Him through prayer, spending more good and quality time with Him, our loving Father and Creator.

May all of us continue to draw ever closer to God and grow more aware of our sins and wickedness, all of which had prevented us from coming back towards our Lord’s loving embrace and Presence. Let us all make good use of this time and the opportunities we have been given this Lent so that we will not regret it when we have to give account of our lives before the Lord at the Last Judgment. May God be with us always and may He bless us in our every good works, efforts and endeavours, all for His greater glory. Amen.

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Tuesday, 11 March 2025 : 1st Week of Lent (Homily and Scripture Reflections)

Liturgical Colour : Purple/Violet

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, today as we all listened to the words of the Lord in the Sacred Scriptures, we are all reminded of firstly the importance for us all to obey the words of the Lord, His Law and commandments, and to follow wholeheartedly everything that He has shown and taught us all through His Son, Our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ, and also through His Church, by which He has revealed His love and everything that He has intended for us all, His faithful and beloved ones. Each and every one of us are also then reminded of the need for us to be in constant contact and communication with God, our loving Father and Creator so that we may always come to know His will for us, and be attuned to His path and ways, so that we may not end up being distracted, swayed and tempted away towards the path to damnation.

In our first reading today, we heard from the Book of the prophet Isaiah in which God spoke to His people through Isaiah revealing some information about the coming of the Messiah, the Saviour Whom He has promised to the people of Israel, and of Whom Isaiah had spoken a lot about. The Lord revealed how this Messiah or Saviour would be the One to accomplish His will, like the Word that came out from His mouth to proclaim the will of God and the salvation to all the people. This was in fact a revelation of what God would do for all of His beloved ones in this world, that He would send none other than His own only Begotten Son, the Word of God or the Logos, to be Incarnate in the flesh, by the will of the Father and by the power of the Holy Spirit, to be born of the Virgin, His mother, Mary, so that He may become like one of us, the Son of Man.

And through this action, God had made Himself to share in our human nature and existence, taking up upon Himself the Humanity that He has shared with each and every one of us, and which is united to His Divine nature in the person of Our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ, Whom we believe to be truly and fully God, and fully Man at the same time. We may not fully realise the significance and importance of such an action by God, which He had willingly done for us, until we realise that precisely because the Lord chose to take up our human nature and embody Himself and His Divinity in that Human form, therefore, He has come to share in our experiences and humanity, and becoming the One through Whom mankind would be reunited with their Divine Lord.

As we heard in our Gospel passage today, that the Lord taught His disciples how to pray to the Lord, referring to Him as ‘Our Father in Heaven’. This is the prayer that we all well know and recognise as ‘The Lord’s Prayer’ or ‘Our Father’, in Latin ‘Pater Noster’. In this ideal and perfect prayer, the Lord showed us all how we should pray, not with long litanies of requests or demands, as we may commonly have done, but instead, beginning with praising and glorifying God, thanking Him for all the love that He has shown us. That prayer also highlights our humility and willingness to listen to God our loving Father, in our words ‘Let Your will be done on earth as it is in Heaven’. Ultimately, prayer is not about us imposing our demands on the Lord, because who are we, the humble creatures of God, to demand things from our Almighty Creator?

And then, what we request is not for grandiose things, but asking for ‘our daily bread’, which highlights and summarises what we all need in our respective lives. God knows what we need, and He will provide for us in manners and ways that may be beyond our knowledge and understanding. We must truly have faith in Him and believe that He can provide us what we need, and that He may guide us in the right paths in life, if we truly trust in Him and put our whole faith in Him. We also ask for forgiveness for our many sins, recognising our shortcomings, faults and weaknesses, being again humble before God, and committing ourselves to do the same to our fellow brothers and sisters. All of these essences and parts in the Lord’s Prayer serve to remind us of our relationship with God, and why it is important for us to deepen our relationship with Him through constant prayer.

First of all, through Christ our Lord, Whom I mentioned earlier having shared in our human nature and existence, we have become sharers in the nature of the Son, Who is both the Son of God and Son of Man. And because the Lord called God in Heaven as His Father, therefore, through this Incarnation of Christ, all of us can also call God as our Loving Father as well, and hence, ‘Our Father in Heaven’. God’s love for each one of us has indeed been revealed as a truly genuine and powerful love, one that resulted in our Creation in the first place, and which endures even our separation from Him through our sins and disobedience against Him. Like that of wayward and prodigal children who disobeyed their parents, no matter what, their parent still loved them all and would want their children to be reunited with themselves. It is therefore the same with the Lord as well.

Now, brothers and sisters in Christ, let us all therefore as God’s beloved children, His adopted sons and daughters, realise the depth of our sinfulness, our wayward behaviours and actions, our inappropriate way of life and our disobedience against our loving Father, Who has always been so patient in loving us and in trying to reach out to us, to teach us all how to love Him and to follow Him back towards His loving embrace. Let us no longer be stubborn in refusing His love and kindness, and do whatever we can so that our lives may be truly worthy of Him once again, and strive to commit ourselves and our lives to Him from now on, if we have not yet done so. We should humble ourselves and admit our shortcomings and problems before the Lord, so that He may help and guide us in our journey towards Him, and that He may teach us how to be faithful and obedient to Him once again.

Brothers and sisters in Christ, as we continue to progress ever further through this time and season of Lent, let us all continue to live our lives with faith, devotion and commitment to God, doing whatever we can so that we may come ever closer to our loving Father, and come to know His will, through good quality time and effort spent in establishing a strong and vibrant relationship with God our Father. Let us continue to make the effort to embody our faith in our every actions, to be truly faithful in all things, not merely in words or formality only. All of us should remember the love and mercy that God has shown to us His people, and make good use of the opportunities which had been given to us this Lent such that we will reconcile with our loving Father, and live a life that is in harmony with Him from now on, glorifying Him by our lives, in each and every moment.

May the Lord be with us always, and may He strengthen us all with the courage and blessings needed for us to persevere through the many trials and challenges that we may have to face in the midst of our journey during this time and season of Lent. May God bless our every good efforts and endeavours, and bring us all ever closer to Him, to be once again His beloved children and people, the inheritors of the great glory of God, all that He has promised us, through our devotion, faith and commitment to Him. Amen.