Marian feasts

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Monday, 8 December 2025 : Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary (Homily and Scripture Reflections)

Liturgical Colour : White

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, today we celebrate the great Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Mother of God. On this day, we celebrate one of the four great Marian Dogmas, that is the Immaculate Conception, as defined by the Church in the state of Mary, being the Mother of God and the bearer of the Lord and Saviour as Immaculate or free from the taint of the original sin. And it was also part of the tradition and teachings of the Church that Mary has remained free from sin throughout her life and is full of grace. This is what the Church has always believed from the very beginning days of the Church, from the days of the Apostles.

Let us now go through in detail the meaning and significance of today’s celebration of the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary. First of all, it does not refer to the birth of Mary, which we celebrate instead nine months from now in the Feast of the Nativity on the eighth day of September. The Immaculate Conception refers to the moment when Mary was conceived in the womb of St. Anne, her mother. It was the moment when she came into existence as willed by God, and it is indeed important that Mary was conceived in such a way by the will of God. She has been kept from sin by the power and will of God, and was made so to prepare her for her role.

How is that so? That is because as we heard from our first reading today taken from the Book of Genesis, mankind fell into sin from the beginning of time when Adam and Eve, our first ancestors, listened to the lies and falsehoods of Satan instead of obeying God and His commandments. God told Adam and Eve not to eat of the fruits of the forbidden tree of knowledge of good and evil in the Gardens of Eden, but Satan managed to persuade mankind to disobey the Lord, by saying that if they ate the fruits, then they would become like God, in knowing things good and evil. It is through this temptation and their downfall that our human nature and existence became corrupted by sin and evil.

Through that disobedience, sin entered into Man’s existence, because sin is borne by disobedience. Sin has corrupted our human nature and existence by the fact that this disobedience broke us apart from the perfect harmony with God our loving Father and Creator, and what was all good and perfect by God’s design at creation, had been by this disharmony and rupture of our union with Him, stained by the taints of sin and evil. This was mankind’s original sin, and ever since then, the corruptions of sin had affected man, from generations to generations, enslaving them under its hold and power, just as Satan intended, as he desired our destruction and downfall.

However, as we also heard in our first reading today, the Lord punished Satan and also foretold the coming of His salvation that would come through the children of Man, through a Woman who would crush Satan beneath her heels. Through this revelation, even right from the beginning of time, God already had in mind, all knowing as He is, what He would do for our sake, as we are truly His most beloved ones among all the creation. Later on, He would repeat this again and again through the prophets, particularly the prophet Isaiah, who spoke to the then king of Judah regarding the coming of the Messiah through a Virgin and a Woman, which would then be long awaited by the people of God.

This Woman is indeed none other than Mary, whom God by His special grace hallowed and made holy, immaculate and pure, and free from the taint of original sin. We may wonder how God did this, or if this was possible, but we must not forget, that God is Almighty, all-powerful. What we may think or assume to be impossible, is perfectly possible for God. Mary was special because although she is still a created being, a human person just like us, but by that singular grace of God, she had been preserved from the taints and corruptions of sin. This is because to be the Mother of Our Lord and Saviour, it is necessary for her to be prepared and set aside as such.

That was why the Archangel Gabriel during his time visiting Mary, in the Annunciation and as we heard it in our Gospel today, hailed and proclaimed Mary as being ‘full of grace’. Mary was indeed in a state of perfect grace, bestowed on her by God, and she was completely faithful and obedient to the will of God. She was hallowed and prepared such because of her role, which the Archangel Gabriel revealed, that she was to be the Mother of God, and the Son born of her known as the Son of God Most High, Jesus, the Saviour of the whole world. Through her and her obedience to the will of God, the salvation of this world has therefore come true and came to its full completion just as the Lord has planned it from the beginning of time.

If we are to understand the importance of the Immaculate Conception of Mary, then let us all look upon the Ark of the Covenant. Mary is often referred to as the New Ark of the (New) Covenant. Why is that so? That is because her Son, Jesus Christ Our Lord, is the One Who made the New Covenant between us and God, sealed by the sacrifice He Himself offered on the Cross and by the Precious Body and Blood that were broken and flowing down from the Altar of the Cross. Mary bore Jesus in her womb for nine months before He was born into this world, which we celebrate at Christmas. And He was borne within that perfect and hallowed womb, that His Divine nature is not in contact with the imperfections and taints of sin that existed in all other mankind.

In the old Ark of the Covenant, God commanded Moses to order the people to make the Ark from the finest and most precious materials, from the finest gold and wood, as well as other worthy shapes and materials. God hallowed it and the two tablets of the Ten Commandments, the manna and the staff of Aaron were placed inside that Ark. And the Ark was considered so holy that no one was allowed to touch the Ark. In one occasion, during the transfer of the Ark back to Jerusalem, one of the priests touched the Ark when it slipped. He was struck dead almost immediately.

Then, in the case of Mary, as the New Ark, she bore not just a mere tablets of the Commandments that God had written, but God Himself in the flesh, the Law personified, and not just the bread of manna, but the Bread of Life, the Lord, the Giver of Life. Mary also bore the Good Shepherd and Saviour of all, and as such, if the old Ark was so revered and so hallowed, then how can one who was to bear God Himself in her not be hallowed and made immaculate as well. Unlike the old Ark, made by the hands of men, the new Ark, Mary, was made by God to be worthy of His Presence. The Sinless One and the Perfect God could not have been contained in a womb tainted by sin. 

That is what the meaning of the Immaculate Conception of Mary and its importance to us is all about. Unfortunately there are still many among us, even among us Christians who still did not know what the Immaculate Conception is, and many of us are still ignorant of the importance of the Immaculate Conception. That is why today, as we celebrate this Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary, we have to realise first of all, that God’s love for us has made our salvation possible, as He resolved to save us through His coming into this world, through the womb of His Immaculate Mother.

And then, the Immaculate Conception of Mary shows us how we have been originally intended to be, as creatures that are perfect and free from corruption, perfect and all good as God had intended us to be. We were never meant to suffer in this world and from the consequences of our sins. But, our inability to resist the temptations of sin, its allures and power caused us to end up in this predicament. But God has shown us the way out, through His Son, Our Lord and Saviour. And His mother, Mary, the Immaculate Conception is our inspiration and guide to Him.

Let us all resolve to commit ourselves anew to God, in the footsteps of our Blessed Mother, Mary, the one conceived without sin, the Mother of God, of Our Lord and Saviour. Let us do our best to remain faithful to God and to keep our trust and faith in Him. Let us all do our best to resist and reject the temptations to sin, living our lives to the best of our abilities in our obedience to God, inspired by the faith, dedication and obedience that Mary has shown in her actions and commitment through life in the mission entrusted to her, even to the foot of the Cross.

May the Lord be with us always, and may He empower us all with the courage to serve Him, and to strive to be always worthy of Him. May God bless us and all of our good efforts for the greater glory of His Name. Holy Mary, Mother of God, the Immaculate Conception, conceived without the taint of sin, pray for us sinners, now and always, and lead us to your Son. Amen.

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Monday, 8 December 2025 : Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary (Gospel Reading)

Liturgical Colour : White

Luke 1 : 26-38

In the sixth month, the Angel Gabriel was sent from God to a town of Galilee called Nazareth. He was sent to a young virgin, who was betrothed to a man named Joseph, of the family of David; and the virgin’s name was Mary.

The Angel came to her and said, “Rejoice, full of grace, the Lord is with you.” Mary was troubled at these words, wondering what this greeting could mean. But the Angel said, “Do not fear, Mary, for God has looked kindly on you. You shall conceive and bear a Son, and you shall call Him Jesus. He will be great, and shall rightly be called Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give Him the kingdom of David, His ancestor; He will rule over the people of Jacob forever, and His reign shall have no end.”

Then Mary said to the Angel, “How can this be, since I am a virgin?” And the Angel said to her, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; therefore, the Holy Child to be born of you shall be called Son of God. Even your relative Elizabeth is expecting a son in her old age, although she was unable to have a child; and she is now in her sixth month. With God nothing is impossible.”

Then Mary said, “I am the handmaid of the Lord, let it be done to me as you have said.” And the Angel left her.

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Monday, 8 December 2025 : Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary (Second Reading)

Liturgical Colour : White

Ephesians 1 : 3-6, 11-12

Blessed be God, the Father of Christ Jesus our Lord, Who, in Christ, has blessed us from heaven, with every spiritual blessing. God chose us, in Christ, before the creation of the world, to be holy, and without sin in His presence.

From eternity He destined us, in love, to be His adopted sons and daughters, through Christ Jesus, thus fulfilling His free and generous will. This goal suited Him : that His loving-kindness, which He granted us in His beloved might finally receive all glory and praise.

By a decree of Him, Who disposes all things, according to His own plan and decision, we, the Jews, have been chosen and called, and we were awaiting the Messiah, for the praise of His glory.

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Monday, 8 December 2025 : Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary (Psalm)

Liturgical Colour : White

Psalm 97 : 1, 2-3ab, 3cd-4

Sing to YHVH a new song, for He has done wonders; His right hand, His holy arm, has won victory for Him.

YHVH has shown His salvation, revealing His justice to the nations. He has not forgotten His love, nor His faithfulness to Israel.

The farthest ends of the earth all have seen God’s saving power. All you, lands, make a joyful noise to YHVH, break into song and sing praise.

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Monday, 8 December 2025 : Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary (First Reading)

Liturgical Colour : White

Genesis 3 : 9-15, 20

YHVH God called the man saying to him, “Where are you?” He said, “I heard Your voice in the garden and I was afraid because I was naked, so I hid.” God said, “Who told you that you were naked? Have you eaten of the tree I ordered you not to eat?”

The man answered, “The woman You put with me gave me fruit from the tree and I ate it.” God said to the woman, “What have you done?” The woman said, “The serpent deceived me and I ate.”

YHVH God said to the serpent, “Since you have done that, be cursed among all the cattle and wild beasts! You will crawl on your belly and eat dust all the days of your life. I will make you enemies, you and the woman, your offspring and her offspring. He will crush your head and you will strike his heel.”

The man called his wife by the name of Eve, because she was the mother of all the living.

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

Liturgical Colour : White

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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Friday, 21 November 2025 : 33rd Week of Ordinary Time, Memorial of the Presentation of the Blessed Virgin Mary (Gospel Reading)

Liturgical Colour : White

Matthew 12 : 46-50

At that time, while Jesus was talking to the people, His mother and His brothers wanted to speak to Him, and they waited outside. So someone said to Him, “Your mother and Your brothers are standing outside; they want to speak with You.”

Jesus answered, “Who is My mother? Who are My brothers?” Then He pointed to His disciples and said, “Look! Here are My mother and My brothers. Whoever does the will of My Father in heaven is My brother and sister and mother.”

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Friday, 21 November 2025 : 33rd Week of Ordinary Time, Memorial of the Presentation of the Blessed Virgin Mary (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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Friday, 21 November 2025 : 33rd Week of Ordinary Time, Memorial of the Presentation of the Blessed Virgin Mary (First Reading)

Liturgical Colour : White

Zechariah 2 : 14-17

Sing and rejoice, o daughter of Zion, for I am about to come, I shall dwell among you,” says YHVH. “On that day, many nations will join YHVH and be My people, but My dwelling is among you.”

The people of Judah will be for YHVH as His portion in His holy land. He will choose Jerusalem again. Keep still in YHVH’s presence, for He comes, having risen from His holy dwelling.

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Tuesday, 7 October 2025 : 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, today the Church celebrates the Feast of Our Lady of the Rosary, commemorating the Mother of God herself, Mary, in her aspect as the one who has shown and given us all her children the rosary as a means for us to find our way to the Lord through her and the rosary. The history of the rosary dated to the early Middle Ages and is often attributed to St. Dominic to whom Our Lady made her appearance, to save many souls through it. At that time, St. Dominic was involved in the Albigensian Crusade against the Cathar heresy raging in southern France, and the rosary is one of the means through which St. Dominic used to reach out to those who have lapsed from the true faith and leading them back to the Church.

In our first reading today, we heard from the Acts of the Apostles in which it was detailed about the Lord’s disciples who had gone to witness His Ascension into Heaven, where the members of the Twelve were highlighted to us, each one by their names. They all went forth praising the Lord and believing in His message of hope and assurance, and Mary has a prominent role among them, as the Mother of God herself and as the one who is the maternal figure among all the Apostles and disciples of the Lord. And they spent their time in prayer while waiting for the arrival of the Holy Spirit that the Lord Himself has promised to them, and we see here the unity between Mary and the other early Church members, which reminds us all of the spiritual unity and bond we have with her as well.

Then, from our Gospel passage today, we heard of the moment when the Archangel Gabriel came to Mary in Nazareth, in the event known as the Annunciation of the Lord, when God finally revealed the long awaited promise of salvation for His people, the coming of the Messiah or the Saviour which He Himself has reassured His people many times throughout history for. When the Archangel Gabriel brought the Good News to Mary, it was indeed a moment of great rejoicing for the Lord having finally accomplished everything that He had promised to His people. And Mary became the Mother of God, the one to bear the Son of God Most High Himself in her, which is why we are reminded of this fact as we celebrate the Feast of the Holy Rosary today.

We are reminded that Mary is indeed our greatest intercessor and the one who can pray for us in the most powerful and effective way because she herself is now in Heaven with her Son, and is seated by His side, at the honoured position beside His Throne as the Queen Mother of Heaven. Therefore, through our devout prayer of the rosary and through our trust in the intercession of Mary, our loving Mother, each and every one of us will be strengthened and empowered to go through the many difficult challenges in life, as we must remember that we are never alone, but Mary herself, and together with the innumerable saints and Angels of God, all of them are always by our side, praying with us and supporting us throughout the way. Through the rosary we can also help focus ourselves on the Lord amidst all the challenges, distractions and trials in life.

This Feast of our Lady of the Rosary itself has been instituted from the origin of the great victory of the forces of Christendom, the Church and God’s faithful people against the forces of those who sought the destruction of the Church and the Christian faith, and those who sought to dominate the world and oppress the ones who believe in the true path of the Lord, our God and Saviour. At that time, approximately four hundred and fifty years ago, the mighty and growing Ottoman Empire had been swallowing many Christian states and dominions, and has set its eyes to attack more of Christendom, threatening many Christian nations and even the city of Rome itself. Hence, the combined forces of Christendom was assembled by the Pope together with the cooperation of several Christian states in a great Holy League.

The mighty forces of the Ottoman Empire did not discourage the combined forces of Christendom from various countries and states then assembled at the site of Lepanto in what is today part of Greece. At that place, a great battle therefore took place, which forever changed the balance of power and marked a major turning point in the then constant warfare and struggle between the Ottomans and the forces of Christendom. According to eyewitness accounts of the battle, there were those who saw a great heavenly vision of Mary appearing on the skies, together with mighty host of Angels, fighting together with the forces of Christendom against the forces of the unbelievers, crushing them and destroying the mighty fleet of the Ottomans.

The great victory and triumph was celebrated by the whole Christendom, and the Pope ordered that all the church bells ought to toil and ring for the celebration of this great triumph, and he also instituted the Feast of Our Lady of Victory, on this very date, which was the date of the Battle of Lepanto, and eventually this Feast of Our Lady of Victory is celebrated as the Feast of Our Lady of the Rosary, reminding us all of the constant intercession and help that Mary, our loving Mother has always provided for us, and also the power of the rosary and our prayers in our constant and daily struggles with sin and evil, with darkness and all the forces of the evil ones. Let us all not forget to spend the time to pray to the Lord, with the company of His loving Mother, Mary, Our Lady of the Rosary, who is also our mother, and all the saints.

Brothers and sisters in Christ, therefore, having heard of the history of the rosary and how this celebration of Our Lady of the Rosary came to be, let us all hence make good use of the rosary which our Blessed Mother herself has provided to us to help us in our journey of faith and life. Let us all draw ever closer to Our Lord through His Blessed Mother, and through our devout prayers in the rosary and our other faithful commitments in life. May God be with us always and may He continue to strengthen us each day, in our every good works, efforts and endeavours. Amen.