loving God

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Wednesday, 12 October 2016 : 28th Week of Ordinary Time (Homily and Scripture Reflections)

Liturgical Colour : Green
Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, on this day we are reminded yet again how to live truly like a disciple and follower of the Lord our God. We are reminded and shown how the ways of those who have lived like the Pharisees and the teachers of the Law were wrong, as they put a lot of emphasis on worldliness and appearances, and yet they forgot to remember about the Lord, the One Who should be their focus in life.

And worse still, they paraded themselves and were proud of what they have done, immersing themselves in the joys and in the pleasures of the world. They took pride at the praise and the fame they garnered through their acts of piety and by showing off their religiousness by praying loudly in open places and by seizing the first and most importance places in events, as if they were entitled to these.

They followed the path of the world, and attempted to satisfy the human needs and the desires of the flesh. As a result, they were misguided, and worse still, they also misguided others who were placed under their jurisdiction, responsibility and care. As the shepherds of the Lord’s flock, they should have led by example of their actions, but instead, they committed sinful and heinous deeds before God and His people alike.

Brothers and sisters in Christ, from what we heard in the Gospel today and from the Epistle of St. Paul to the Galatians, our first reading, we can see that between following the Lord and submitting ourselves to the whims and the desires of this world, there is a vast gap that requires us therefore to make a stand and choose which side we are to follow. We cannot remain indifferent and ignorant to what the Lord is showing us on the incompatibility of His ways and that of the world.

We should look at our own actions and words in this life, and wonder for ourselves, just how much is it that we have been devoting ourselves and our lives for the Lord, and how much we have cultivated the gifts that God has given to each and every one of us, which He had sown in our hearts, namely the gifts of the Holy Spirit, the gift of faith, hope and love.

This is what St. Paul mentioned in his Epistle to the Galatians, that the fruits of the Holy Spirit are what precisely he had preached to them, namely charity, joy, peace, patience, understanding, and basically, these gifts are not what the Pharisees and the teachers of the Law had brought into this world and among the Lord’s people when they acted as they did in how they observed the Law of God.

They sowed division and sin, fornication and temptation among the people by guiding them along the wrong path, and instead of opening the path to God’s salvation to many people who needed it, they closed the path before these people thinking that they alone deserved to be saved. And rightly God rebuked them for what they have done, as they have failed in their most important responsibility as God’s shepherds, that is to lead the people of God down the right path.

It is therefore a stark and real reminder to each and every one of us, that we should take heed of how they lived their faith life, and then not to follow them in what they have done. As Christians, each and every one of us should give our lives and ourselves in order to serve the Lord in all the things we do and say. We must be humble and be loving in all our deeds, as we are all mere creatures of the Lord, whom God had chosen to pour His love upon and to be saved.

We should deepen our spiritual love for the Lord and also the love which we ought to show our brethren. It is important that we learn how to resist our human desires and wants, which are often obstacles on our path as we attempt to draw closer to the Lord. If we can just resist those temptations and make the concerted effort to do what the Lord had asked us to do, and become true disciples filled with love and compassion, then surely God will bless us and keep us in His ever abundant grace.

Let the rebuke which God levelled on the Pharisees and the teachers of the Law be a reminder for all of us Christians and also be a challenge for us to live our lives ever more devoutly. Let us all help one another even as we draw closer to the Lord and His salvation. May God bless us all and be with us always. Amen.

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Tuesday, 11 October 2016 : 28th Week of Ordinary Time, Memorial of Pope St. John XXIII, Pope (Homily and Scripture Reflections)

Liturgical Colour : Green or White (Popes)
Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, on this day we heard about the hypocrisy of the Pharisees and the teachers of the Law in how they propagated and practiced their faith, and He also rebuked them for their behaviour and in how they oppressed and misguided the people of God with their way of observing the commandments of the Lord.

He criticised them using the example of a cup and a dish, which He compared to the Pharisees as those who have cleansed the outside of the cup and the dish so that they looked good and clean to those who saw them, but leave the insides dirty and unwashed. It does not make sense at all, since if we have a cup or a plate, we are using the inside and not the outside. They may appear good from the outside, but if the inside is dirty, then what use will they have?

What Jesus used as a comparison today is a comparison of our own beings, like what He had told the people about the Pharisees, the elders and the teachers of the Law. These people were the elites in their society, and they often walked around proudly, proud of their status and their influence in the governance over the people. They wore their vestments as the symbol of their superiority, and they often looked down on others.

They prayed loudly and with gestures in order to be seen by the people, and they had no qualms to criticise those who did not follow their ways and teachings, as mistaken and misguided as they were. And they were adamantly unrepentant of their behaviours, forcing the people to accept their way of observing the Law of God, focusing solely on the outward appearances, on the menial matters even such as washing of the hands and feet, the way to do them properly to the smallest details, the imposition of no work during the Sabbath days and others.

But in their hearts, in truth, they did not have God in them. They were so full of themselves that God did not take any priority for them. They always tried to bring themselves to the fore of the society, despising all those whom they considered as threats to their power and influence. And that is why, if you are wondering why these Pharisees and the teachers of the Law, who were supposed to be intelligent and the most educated especially about the laws and ways of the Lord, were to refuse Jesus when He came to this world.

Human ambitions and greed can indeed be very dangerous, and very powerful at the same time. Just as what we heard today in the Epistle that St. Paul wrote to the faithful in Galatia, where he rebuked those who pretended to be righteous and just in their ways, and yet in reality, they have fallen further and further away from the Lord and His salvation. They have only obeyed the Lord in their exterior application, but inside they remain rotten and unchanged.

That is why we should follow the example of the holy saint, Pope St. John XXIII, one of the Popes of the last century, whose life has been exemplary in his faith and dedication to the Lord. Through him we can see the example of how the faithful ought to live their faith, and be thoroughly devoted of their ways to the Lord both in their exterior and interior, and not just their exterior as what the Pharisees and the teachers of the Law had done.

Pope St. John XXIII was born as Angelo Giuseppe Roncalli, the son of a poor farmer in a poor family in the northern region of Italy. At that time, life was simple and hard for him and for his relatives. His father wanted him and his siblings to continue his work as farmers, but with the help of a relative, Angelo Roncalli was able to attain education in a seminary in the nearby town, where gradually he felt the calling of the Lord.

Even though his father initially refused to allow him to become a priest, but eventually with some help, he was able to make it and thus he became a priest of the Lord, serving the poor and caring for the people, both spiritually and in material terms. In one occasion, when there was a riot in the diocese where he was serving as a priest, due to the unfair labour laws, Angelo Roncalli helped his local ordinary, the bishop who was supportive of his flock and calling for greater equality and fairer treatment of the workers.

He was then appointed as the Papal representative to Bulgaria, where he became one of its first Apostolic Delegate, caring for the people of the faith who lived there, and became the representative of the Vicar of Christ to them. Many did not welcome him as he was representing the authority of the Roman Church, while many Bulgarians belonged to the separatist Eastern Orthodox churches. However, through his persistence and many charitable works, including helping out when a major earthquake struck the country won him many people’s support.

Even in his later works as the Apostolic Delegate to Greece and Turkey, the future Pope St. John XXIII helped many people, including the Jews who suffered under the NAZI Germany rule, where on one occasion it was told that he helped many Jews to escape by persuading the German soldiers and commanders that the train did not carry Jews but instead pilgrims to Turkey.

Eventually he was elected to be the leader of the Universal Church, and there were even more good things he had done in leading the faithful people of God, helping to reduce the Cold War tension between the superpowers which at that time was at the breaking point due to what happened in the Cuban Missile Crisis in 1962. He wrote and published the Papal Encyclical ‘Pacem in Terris’ dedicated t world peace. He also convened the Second Vatican Council to address some unfinished issues in the Church.

In the end, looking at the examples that Pope St. John XXIII and the many other holy saints and people of God had done, we ourselves should be inspired to follow in their footsteps and do the same. We should not be like the Pharisees whose faith are for appearances only, but instead, we should practice what we believe through our own actions. May the Lord help us to be more devoted to Him, and may He bless us in all that we do, that we may receive glory with Him at the end of our days with the glorious saints. God bless us all. Amen.

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Tuesday, 11 October 2016 : 28th Week of Ordinary Time, Memorial of Pope St. John XXIII, Pope (Psalm)

Liturgical Colour : Green or White (Popes)
Psalm 118 : 41, 43, 44, 45, 47, 48

Give me Your unfailing love, o Lord, Your salvation as You have promised.

Take not the word of truth from my mouth, for I would also lose my hope in Your word.

May I always keep Your word forever and ever.

I shall walk in freedom, having sought out Your laws.

For I delight in Your word, which I fear.

I will lift up my hands to You, and meditate on Your commandments.

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Monday, 10 October 2016 : 28th Week of Ordinary Time (Homily and Scripture Reflections)

Liturgical Colour : Green
Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, on this day we heard about Jesus our Lord Who rebuked the people, especially the Pharisees and the teachers of the Law for their lack of faith, for their refusal to believe in the truth that He has brought down upon them, on their stubbornness and adamant refusal to be true disciples and followers of His.

They still refused to believe in Him even after all that He had done for them, all the miraculous deeds and goods He had done in their sight, the healing of the sick, casting out of demons, miracles of the feeding of the many thousands, and many others. These people had seen it all, especially even the Pharisees and the teachers of the Law who had hounded Jesus and His disciples at every possible opportunities, and yet they still refused to believe.

And yet, God would show them all the ultimate sign of all, when they asked for yet another miracle. He would show them the sign of Jonah, and what does this mean, brethren? The sign of Jonah was a reference to the actions of the prophet Jonah, who had been called by God to preach to the Assyrians in Nineveh about their downfall and yet he fled from the Lord and his duties after refusing to take part in that work.

And when he was on a boat on the way to the faraway lands, a great storm came and engulfed the boat, waves and wind striking against it threatening to sink it, but then the prophet Jonah admitted to the ship captain that he had sinned before God by not listening to His call, and therefore the storm was likely a result of his own actions, and then he asked for the captain to throw him into the sea, of which the captain initially refused to do.

But as the waves and the winds continued to grow stronger, they had no choice, and when the prophet Jonah was thrown into the sea, the very moment they did that, the storm completely stopped and the sea became still. And the prophet Jonah himself was taken into the safety of a big fish’s belly, likely that of a whale for three days and three nights long, before he was released on a seashore.

Jonah would then go on to Nineveh, where he proclaimed the destruction of the city when the Assyrians, from their king to the lowest slaves repented from their sins, and God rescinded His punishment for them, and spared the city and its inhabitants. This is the sign of Jonah, the same sign which our Lord Jesus had brought into the world as well, the sign of His salvation.

Just as Jonah dwelled in the belly of the giant whale for three days and three nights, so would the Lord Jesus descend to the depths of hell for three days after He was crucified and died, so that through that action, He might scour all of hell and free all the righteous people who have long awaited the coming of their Lord and Saviour, much like Jonah who was sent to Nineveh to proclaim the judgment of God, and through repentance, the people of Nineveh and their city was saved.

What is it that each of us can learn from today’s Scripture passages, brethren? It is that our Lord has been so caring and loving towards us that He had done tremendous favours for our sake, His beloved people, His beloved children. Yet it is often that we do not realise just how much God has loved us, much like those people who doubted the Lord despite all that they have seen Him doing in their midst.

Therefore, brethren, let us all not harden our hearts as what those people had done, for if we harden our hearts and refuse the Lord, then our fate may be that of destruction as declared to Nineveh, that is damnation and eternal suffering. Instead, let us all rededicate ourselves to God and follow the examples of the people of Nineveh, regretting our sins and wicked deeds, and sincerely seeking for God’s mercy and forgiveness.

Brothers and sisters in Christ, let us draw closer to our Lord, our loving God and Father. Let us all follow in His footsteps and do all that He had asked us to do, that we may be found righteous and just at the time when He comes again to judge all creation. May the Lord help us and be with us always. Amen.

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Sunday, 9 October 2016 : 28th Sunday of Ordinary Time, Memorial of St. Denis, Bishop and Companions, Martyrs, and St. John Leonardi, Priest (Homily and Scripture Reflections)

Liturgical Colour : Green
Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, on this day of the Lord we heard about the wondrous healing of the servant and general of the kingdom of Aram or Syria, Naaman, who lived during the time of the division among the people of God, comprising of the northern kingdom of Israel and the southern kingdom of Judah. At that time, the prophet Elisha also did his many works among the people, calling the people to repentance and to abandon their sinfulness, but often without much success.

It was then that at that time, Naaman, who had tried to find a cure for his leprosy without much success, looked towards the land of Israel, for the news and words about the prophet Elisha and his miracles had reached even the ears of the king and people of Aram, and thus Naaman set forth for the land of Israel in order to find the prophet and get him to cure him from his afflictions.

And when Naaman had found the prophet Elisha, he was told by the prophet to bathe in the river Jordan seven times, but the general in his pride initially refused to obey the instructions of the prophet, thinking that it was such a menial thing to do, even though he had travelled a long way so that the prophet might heal him by the means of miracles and wonders.

But in the end, after he had been persuaded by his retainers, he relented and obeyed the prophet’s commands, and even as he bathed in the river as he was told to do, he was healed from his leprosy, and his skin became as good and smooth as that of a baby. And realising that he had been healed, the general Naaman hurried to find the prophet and thanked him profusely for having exercised such a miraculous sign to him.

And Naaman wanted to reward the prophet for what he had done, but the prophet refused it, and instead, Naaman who insisted that the gifts he brought were not wasted, then offered it to the One Who made it all possible, that is to YHVH, the One and only True God, the God of Elisha, the God of Israel, and the God of Naaman. It was God Who had healed Naaman from his sickness, and he had been made whole and perfectly healthy again.

Brothers and sisters in Christ, as I have pointed out earlier on, the prophet Elisha and his predecessor Elijah did not have much success in their works among the people of God, and they were often rejected, ridiculed, harassed, and even threatened with death by all those who refused to reject and cast aside their sinful ways, such as the worship of Baal and the other pagan gods, as well as their debauched lifestyle.

Meanwhile, Naaman the Syrian sought for healing in the Lord and he found it, and while the people of God refused to accept the rich offerings of God’s grace and mercy, which He had made clear and offered through His many prophets, this foreigner would come and thank the Lord for all that He had done for him. This despite the Israelites’ attitude over the ages and times that they were the chosen people of God and others were treated as pagans and damned before God.

The reality is very clear, that while the people of Israel at that time had no leprosy on them, and that their bodies are clean and without blemish, but the same could not be said of their inner beings. They had sinned and committed wickedness before God and men alike, and therefore sin had corrupted their hearts, minds and souls. Yes, they were sick with leprosy, that is sin, the leprosy of the soul.

Naaman might have been inflicted with the leprosy of the flesh, but eventually his faith and obedience to God, his gratitude and thankfulness to the Lord had saved him and God had made him whole, not just from the leprosy of his flesh, but also from the leprosy of his soul. Certainly, even though it was not specifically mentioned in the Scriptures, God would have forgiven Naaman’s sins as well, and if he continued to live in grace after that, he would be counted among those who have been saved from the world.

The same point is also reiterated in the Gospel today, where we heard how God healed ten lepers who came to Him, begging that He showed mercy to them and desired for Him to heal them from their afflictions. He did not heal them straight away, just as Elisha once did with Naaman, but instead sent them away to see the priests that they would be healed.

And on their way, the ten lepers were healed from their leprosy, and when they all realised it, they were all rejoicing and were very happy about it, but only one of the ten healed lepers realised entirely what had happened, and went back to Jesus to thank Him and indeed, worshipped Him as his Lord and Saviour. The other nine lepers were too happy that their leprosy had been healed that they forgot entirely about the One Who had made it all possible.

Brothers and sisters in Christ, the lesson which all of us can learn from these Scripture readings, from the examples of Naaman and also from the ten lepers healed by Jesus is that firstly, we should not be discriminatory in how we look on others, and especially not in terms of how and who should be saved in this world. God does not look upon our backgrounds, races, or other identities, and neither is He biased against anybody. To Him, all of us mankind, be it great and powerful or weak, rich or poor, famous or unknown, each and every one of us are equal in His sight.

The people of Israel often looked down on their pagan neighbours, thinking that these had no place in God’s kingdom and that they were hopeless cases unworthy of salvation. However, from all that we have heard in the Scriptures certainly and completely refuted this claim. God had made it clear that all has a chance to attain His salvation, and all that is important is that those who desire to find Him must repent and change their ways.

And then, secondly, sin as I mentioned is like leprosy, but unlike the leprosy of the flesh and body, it is the leprosy of the soul, that is our inner being. Sin corrupts all things, and it corrupts our hearts and minds as well. And eventually, it will also corrupt our physical bodies as well, for if the heart and soul is corrupt, these will show in the physical appearances and actions as well.

The danger for many of us is that, because sin can cause us to grow and become ignorant of it, as we are desensitised to our own sins, then we tend to ignore our wrongdoings and even perhaps embrace them as something we like and want to do. This is what led many to their downfall and ultimate fate, that is condemnation and eternal suffering in hell.

Brothers and sisters in Christ, as we listen to the readings today and reflect on them, let us all think about how we as Christians can resist the temptations of sin and the temptations of worldly pleasures. These things, these temptations will always be there, and indeed, they will always threaten us all. But are we doing anything about it? Or do we just let these come and corrupt us all body and soul?

Let us all ponder on this even as we continue and go back to our own daily lives. Let us all seek to be ever more righteous, just and be more devoted to God and His ways, following the path of sin no more. Let us all stop the corruption that sin has caused in us, and seek to purge these corruptions from us, by leaning ever closer and devote ourselves ever more to the Lord. It is in God alone that we will find our succour and salvation.

May God help us in this endeavour, and may He forgive us all our sins, and heal us from all of our afflictions, just as He had healed Naaman and the lepers, that we may be freed from sickness, both of the body and of the soul. Amen.

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Saturday, 8 October 2016 : 27th Week of Ordinary Time (Homily and Scripture Reflections)

Liturgical Colour : Green or White (Saturday Mass of our Lady)
Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, today through the Scripture Readings, we are reminded by our Lord Himself through the Gospels and the Scriptures that we have that obligation and responsibility as Christians to be true disciples of our Lord, not just on paper, not just with words but also through real and true commitment, that we may fulfil what the Lord wants from us, that is our love, commitment and devotion, and that we are righteous and just in our deeds.

Brothers and sisters in Christ, today we are reminded yet again that all of us have received great grace and blessings from the Lord by having been accepted and made to be God’s sons and daughters through baptism. And by that, we have been liberated from the scourges of our sins and from the bonds of our past enslavement to those sins and to the darkness of this world.

And yet, now that we are sons and daughters of the Lord, it is imperative for us to take heed what a child of God ought to be doing, as we have been called not just to be given grace and blessing, but also with a responsibility to bear for the sake of one another. And Jesus Himself had given us the example of what we are to do, following His own examples in His faith to God His Father.

Jesus obeyed the Lord His Father, and obeyed even unto accepting great sufferings and ultimately even death on the cross. We can just imagine that if Jesus had not obeyed that duty, and instead willingly withdrew from surrendering His own life on the cross, then all of us mankind would have perished and be destroyed by our sins, for Christ had died for us all that we may be saved.

A child should obey his parents, as long as they have given the right instructions and are righteous and just in their deeds. And of course God Who is our Father is always perfect, right and just in all of His deeds. And God Who had taught us many things therefore should be the One Whom we ought to follow in all of our deeds and actions. Otherwise, then how would we be able to call ourselves God’s children?

If God’s children and followers do not act in accordance with His ways, then would it not then be a scandal against Him and our Faith? Worse still, if we commit sins and wicked acts, while being known as a Christian, would it not in fact deter others from following the Lord? And would it not be contradictory to what we preach as well?

That is why, brothers and sisters in Christ, it is so important for us all to be active in our faith, living our faith to God through real and concrete actions, and this means for us to be charitable and to be committed to the cause of those who are often ostracised and discriminated against, unloved and uncared for, those who have been hated and abandoned. These are the ones to whom we should open ourselves to, that through us they may find the way to God’s embrace.

Let us all be good children of God our Father, obeying His will and precepts, and walk faithfully along His way, so that when the time comes, and out Father calls on us to return to Him, He may find us worthy of His blessings, graces and love, and we shall all receive the fullness of His gift of eternal life and true joy. God bless us all. Amen.

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Saturday, 8 October 2016 : 27th Week of Ordinary Time (Gospel Reading)

Liturgical Colour : Green or White (Saturday Mass of our Lady)
Luke 11 : 27-28

At that time, as Jesus was speaking, a woman spoke from the crowd and said to Him, “Blessed is the one who gave You birth and nursed You!”

Jesus replied, “Truly blessed are those who hear the word of God, and keep it as well.”

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Friday, 7 October 2016 : 27th Week of Ordinary Time, Memorial of our Lady of the Rosary (Homily and Scripture Reflections)

Liturgical Colour : White
Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, on this day we celebrate together the feast of our Lady of the Rosary, also once known as the feast of our Lady of Victory, a celebration of the great triumph and victory of the soldiers and the defenders of Christ and His Church in the great Battle of Lepanto in the year 1571, or about four hundred and forty-five years ago against the mighty forces of the enemies of the faithful, the pagan and the wicked Ottoman Turks.

On this day, at that time, the mighty Ottoman Empire had captured much of the eastern portion of Christendom, including the holy city of Constantinople, enslaving and ruling over many of the faithful, whose lives were made quite difficult, where they were not truly able to manifest their faith and devotion to God, and coercion as well as persuasion to abandon their faith were rampant.

And the same Ottoman Turks were then menacing and threatening the rest of Christendom with their mighty army and fleet, and there was then a very real possibility that they might just be able to overcome the rest of Christendom and destroy the Church and the faithful people of God just as they had done over vast areas of lands that they have conquered.

But of course the faithful people of God did not just stand by and let the devil and his armies to roll over them. Led by the brave and the courageous leaders of the forces of Christendom, many answered to the call made by a holy and devout saint, Pope St. Pius V, who called on all the faithful to defend the Church and their Faith and made a stand against the forces of the enemy, in which the decisive battle was fought at the sea in Lepanto.

Before the battle began, the forces of the faithful asked for the intercession of the holy saints and especially that of the Blessed Mother of our Lord, Mary, who was since then would be known as our Lady of Victory and later on as our Lady of the Rosary for the role which she played in that battle. Through her intercession of behalf of her Son, our Lord and God, it was told that the winds and the clouds themselves rallied against the enemy forces, and a vision apparently appeared to the Turks, that so terrified them that many abandoned their ships and the battlefield.

Eventually, the forces of the faithful triumphed in the battle, and Christendom and the people of God were saved from what was once a certain defeat and destruction in the hands of those who served the devil and the dark forces of this world. And in order to commemorate that great victory, thus this day was therefore forever marked to be celebrated as the Feast of our Lady of Victory, and later on also known as the Feast of our Lady of the Rosary.

We all are aware of the rosary and how to pray the rosary. But do we actually pray the rosary with genuine faith and devotion? Do we really dedicate ourselves heart, mind and soul when we handle the rosary and offer the prayers to God through His mother Mary? Or do we just mutter out prayers and words without really understanding them? Perhaps we should reflect on this and think about how we really should pray the rosary.

The rosary is a tool which the Blessed Virgin Mary herself had presented to the world, to those who are looking for a path towards the Lord. Mary is mankind’s greatest ally, for who else but the mother of our Lord, God and Saviour is able to assist us in so many ways, bringing us closer to the love and grace of God, and helping us to find our way to her Son? Through the rosary, she is trying to help us out, and to lift us out from the darkness that threatens our heart, mind and soul.

Rather, the rosary should be prayed with full sincerity, devoting ourselves and our time to offer this bouquet of prayers to Mary, that she may bring those prayers to our Lord Jesus Christ. Through the rosary we are shielded and protected from the depredations and attacks by the forces of the devil, that is the spiritual battles that are constantly striking against our souls.

The Lord sent us His guardian Angels who are always in constant battles with the devils and the demons desiring to see our downfall. And if we are not spiritually strong inside us, and if our faith is not resolute and strong, we may fall into temptation and therefore collapse into sin. Just as those Turks did so long ago, where they came bearing harm and destruction upon the faithful people of God, but this one is even more dangerous.

Why is that so? It is because, sin is a great harm upon our souls, and if we lose this spiritual battle, and if our souls are lost to the Lord, we will be condemned forever in suffering in the depths of hell and darkness. But that is exactly why our loving and merciful God wants us to be saved from such a sorry fate, and that was why He sent us Mary, His mother, who then revealed to us the gift of the rosary, the spiritual prayer bouquet, through which we will be able to steel ourselves with resolve for the Lord.

Brothers and sisters in Christ, therefore, from now on, let us all commit ourselves to the Lord and His ways, and pray the rosary with fervent devotion, so that in our great faith for God, His mother Mary may notice us and intercede for our sake, that her Son Jesus may intervene and help us to be freed from the darkness and the sufferings of this world. May God bless us all. Amen.

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Friday, 7 October 2016 : 27th Week of Ordinary Time, Memorial of our Lady of the Rosary (Psalm)

Liturgical Colour : White
Luke 1 : 46-47, 48-49, 50-51, 52-53, 54-55

My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord, my spirit exults in God my Saviour!

He has looked upon His servant in her lowliness, and people forever will call me blessed. The Mighty One has done great things for me, Holy is His Name!

From age to age His mercy extends to those who live in His presence. He has acted with power and done wonders, and scattered the proud with their plans.

He has put down the mighty from their thrones, and lifted up those who are downtrodden. He has filled the hungry with good things, but has sent the rich away empty.

He held out His hand to Israel, His servant, for He remembered His mercy, even as He promised to our fathers, to Abraham and his descendants forever.

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Thursday, 6 October 2016 : 27th Week of Ordinary Time, Memorial of St. Bruno, Priest (Homily and Scripture Reflections)

Liturgical Colour : Green or White (Priests)
Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, today as we listened to the Holy Scriptures we are presented with the image of God as a Father, and indeed as our Father. He is the One Who created us all out of love, and we are all His beloved children, each of whom He knew personally. He knows us all by name, and He knows all that we are, everything inside our hearts and minds.

And the point that the readings today want to bring across to each and every one of us is that, if we all who belong to the Lord have been considered as His children, then God Who is the perfect and good Father will know what we need, and He will take very good care of us, and we have nothing to worry about in this life, for He will show us the way, and we need only to follow Him.

Unfortunately, in reality, many of us are often distracted on our way, and therefore we end up falling and failing to achieve our goal that is to follow the Lord our God. We are often unable to restrain ourselves, our human and worldly desires, that Satan and all of his allies are able to come in and persuade us to do things that keep us away from the salvation in God.

The temptations and persuasions of this world are strong, and day after day, we should know just how much we have to work in order to resist these and turn towards God our Father. Many of us do not know and are not aware that God had been blessing us all these while, giving us what we need and caring for us. First of all, this very life is a gift from Him, and our friends, relatives and acquaintances are also His gifts, and through these people, God exercised His works and helped us often without us realising it.

He is our Father, and if fathers know how to take care of their children, then certainly God above all knows how to do so. For those of us who have children ourselves, we realise that a child often asks for many things, and are often curious about many things. Sometimes if they did not get what they wanted, they would then throw tantrum, become angry, kicking and crying, insisting that they wanted what they desired.

But then how do we as parents handle these children of ours then? Do we immediately give in to all of their demands? Well, many parents do so. They gave in to all of their children’s demands, and as a result, they spoilt their children. The children became accustomed to have people submitting to what they wanted, and therefore grew up to become people who are conceited and lacking in self-restraint.

Let us all look at ourselves, we are like those children. From our own actions, many of us when we do not get what we want, we become angry and try our best to get what we want regardless the cost. But God does not want us to grow up to be like this. And that is why He chastises us and punishes us whenever we err and make mistakes, so that we may learn from them and not fall into the temptations of sin and thus fall away from His grace.

Brothers and sisters in Christ, on this day let us all grow ever closer to the Lord our God and Father, and let us all understand that God wants the best from us, and thus from time to time, He has chastised us so that we may learn very important lessons in this life, that we may remain ever faithful and true to Him. And today, we also can learn from the examples of St. Bruno, the faithful servant of God, a holy and devoted priest who have given his life in service to God and to His people.

St. Bruno was a great evangeliser, a missionary who went forth to preach the Good News of God among the many peoples in the lands now known as France, Germany and beyond, where he visited communities and places, one after another preaching about God, and teaching many others about the faith, revealing to them the truth about His love for us all mankind.

St. Bruno was simple and humble, refusing to be appointed bishop when the opportunity arose, and even when many recommended him to be made one. He went forth in many places to declare the goodness of God, inspiring many people to follow his examples and teachings, helping many souls to find their way back to the Lord, as well as brokering peace between rival factions in the Church at that time.

Brothers and sisters in Christ, let us all therefore seek to follow their examples, the examples of St. Bruno and all the other holy saints of God. May God be our guide as well, and may He, our Father and Leader, help us to find our way in this world, that we may not be lost amidst the temptations, challenges and persuasions of this world. May He remain with us and fill with always with His grace. Amen.