Marian feasts

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Saturday, 24 May 2025 : 5th Week of Easter, Memorial of Mary Help of Christians, and Our Lady of Sheshan, and World Day of Prayer for the Church in China (First Reading)

Liturgical Colour : White

Acts 16 : 1-10

Paul travelled on to Derbe and then to Lystra. A disciple named Timothy lived there, whose mother was a believer of Jewish origin but whose father was a Greek. As the believers at Lystra and Iconium spoke well of him, Paul wanted Timothy to accompany him. So he took him and, because of the Jews of that place who all knew that his father was a Greek, he circumcised him.

As they travelled from town to town, they delivered the decisions of the Apostles and elders in Jerusalem, for the people to obey. Meanwhile, the churches grew stronger in faith and increased in number every day.

They travelled through Phrygia and Galatia, because they had been prevented by the Holy Spirit from preaching the message in the province of Asia. When they came to Mysia, they tried to go to Bithynia, but the Spirit of Jesus did not allow them to do this. So, passing by Mysia, they went down to Troas.

There one night Paul had a vision. A Macedonian stood before him and begged him, “Come over to Macedonia and help us!” When he awoke, he told us of this vision and we understood that the Lord was calling us to give the Good News to the Macedonian people.

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Tuesday, 13 May 2025 : 4th Week of Easter, Memorial of Our Lady of Fatima (Homily and Scripture Reflections)

Liturgical Colour : White

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, today the Church celebrates the Feast of Our Lady of Fatima, commemorating the famous Apparition of the Blessed Virgin Mary in Fatima in Portugal, which happened just over a hundred years ago. Today as we recall everything that happened at that time in the small town of Fatima before the three shepherd children who witnessed the Apparition of Mary, the Mother of God, we remind ourselves of the great love that Mary as the Mother of Our Lord and also as our loving mother in loving and caring for us all her adopted children. All of us have been blessed to be loved in such a way by the Mother of Our Lord herself, who has shown herself to us from time to time, with the intention to call on us to come back towards her Son and be saved, and not be lost to sin and darkness.

At that time, at the site of Cova da Iria near the small town of Fatima in Portugal, over a century ago to young children-shepherds, namely St. Francisco Marto and St. Jacinta Marto who were siblings, and their cousin, the Venerable Lucia dos Santos. They had actually begun experiencing the Apparition of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Our Lady of Fatima from the previous year, 1916. Historically, it was known that Mary, the Mother of God had made appearances during times and moments when wars and conflicts happened in the world, where a lot of hardships, sufferings and trials were faced by the people, and a lot of wickedness and evils were present all around everyone. At that time, the First World War or World War I, then known as the Great War was raging throughout the world, but was particularly terrifying and devastating in Europe.

While Portugal itself was not directly affected by the war, but it was at the year 1916 that Portugal entered into the Great War on the side of the Entente or the Allies against the Central Powers led by Germany. By that time, the Great War had been raging for over two years and millions had perished due to the continuing warfare and conflicts, while many millions more people were suffering because of the effects of the disruptions to their daily livelihood, the hunger and famine due to the entire national resources of many states being pooled and focused for the war efforts. It was at this tumultuous time that the Mother of God, as Our Lady of Fatima, chose to make her appearance to us all. She was calling on the people of God to distance themselves from all the acts of violence that brought about great destruction and also the anger of God.

Initially, people were skeptical of what the three children-shepherds were experiencing and telling to them, about the apparition of a Woman at the site of Cova da Iria, which they associated with Mary, the Mother of God. The Lady in the Apparition told the three children of many things, including the prayer to end the Great War, and the call to return to peace, and for mankind to abandon all the wicked and evil deeds which they had committed through the War and many other things which had indeed angered the Lord greatly. Mary appeared to the three of them calling on them to pass on the messages and the words that she had brought with her to everyone, so that more and more people would come to turn their hearts and minds back towards the Lord, and away from the evils and wickedness which many of them had committed and led them to sin against God.

On this date of the thirteenth of May in the Year of Our Lord 1917, Mary appeared to the three children again, as she showed herself to them as a great Woman, appearing brighter than the Sun, and with light clearer and stronger than a crystal goblet filled with the clearest water, in the words of the witnesses themselves. The appearance of this Woman, who wore a white and gold-trimmed mantle, with the holy rosary upon her hands would become the inspiration of the images and statues now commonly known and venerated widely all around Christendom as Our Lady of Fatima. The Apparition told the three witnesses to tell everyone to commit themselves to the Lord, the Holy Trinity more and more, and to pray the Rosary everyday to bring an end to the war and return to peace. All those things which the Blessed Virgin had mentioned, eventually came to be, just over a year later.

There were many other things and miraculous signs and wonders which Mary as Our Lady of Fatima had shown to the three children and to many other witnesses in her series of Apparitions, as her messages and words brought upon everyone a message and reminder for them to return once again to God’s love and grace, abandoning the evils and wickedness of the world, to sin no more and to embrace wholeheartedly God’s loving and compassionate mercy, which He has always readily given to us, but yet, our stubbornness and wickedness had often prevented us from being able to receive the fullness of God’s grace, forgiveness and love. And while the messages and the words of Our Lady of Fatima, and the whole Apparition would be approved by the Church authorities, and became one of the most popular and enduring Marian devotions up to this day, but at that time, many were skeptical of the veracity and authenticity of what the three children and witnesses had seen.

That was why those three witnesses had to face scrutiny, objections and obstacles from the secular and religious authorities at that time, who questioned them and doubted them, and some did not believe that the Apparition was real or legitimate. But, through the repeated Apparitions, the many signs and miracles which Our Lady of Fatima had shown, eventually, many were convinced of the truth and authenticity of Our Lady’s appearance, that Mary had indeed appeared to the three shepherd children and through them to many others, who were therefore touched and called to propagate her words and reminders, which were all ultimately meant to direct mankind to return once again to righteousness and virtues in God. Our Lady of Fatima, as our loving adoptive Mother, has always been concerned about us, many of whom are always in the danger of losing in the battle for our souls to those who seek our destruction and downfall.

Brothers and sisters in Christ, as we reflect upon what happened that time in Fatima, the events surrounding Our Lady’s appearance before the three children and also the signs that she performed before so many people, let us all remind ourselves what she had told them all, in the messages of Fatima and everything that she had revealed to us. Ultimately, all of her efforts and works were intended to lead us all towards her Son, Our Lord and Saviour, and all of us should therefore make the conscious effort to turn away from our sins and wickedness, embracing instead God’s love and compassionate mercy, doing our very best to commit ourselves to follow God and His will for us, to be good role models and examples to everyone around us, as is our calling as Christians.

May Our Lady of Fatima continue to intercede for all of us sinners who are struggling in our journey through life in this world, and through her guidance may many of us come to realise the depths of our sins and seek her Son, Our Lord and Saviour, with greater vigour and effort, so that we may truly be worthy of His salvation and grace, at the time of the reckoning of our lives. Our Lady of Fatima, Mary, Holy Mother of God, pray for us all sinners now, and at the hour of our death. Amen.

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Tuesday, 13 May 2025 : 4th Week of Easter, Memorial of Our Lady of Fatima (Gospel Reading)

Liturgical Colour : White

John 10 : 22-30

At that time, the time came for the Feast of the Dedication. It was winter, and Jesus walked back and forth in the portico of Solomon. The Jews then gathered around Him and said to Him, “How long will You keep us in doubt? If You are the Messiah, tell us plainly.”

Jesus answered, “I have already told you, but you do not believe. The works I do in My Father’s Name proclaim Who I am, but you do not believe because, as I said, you are not My sheep. My sheep hear My voice and I know them; they follow Me and I give them eternal life.”

“They shall never perish, and no one will ever steal them from Me. What the Father has given Me is above everything else, and no one can snatch it from out of the Father’s hand. I and the Father are One.”

Alternative reading (Mass of Our Lady of Fatima)

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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Tuesday, 13 May 2025 : 4th Week of Easter, Memorial of Our Lady of Fatima (Psalm)

Liturgical Colour : White

Psalm 86 : 1-3, 4-5, 6-7

He Himself has built it in His holy mountain; the Lord prefers the gates of Zion to all of Jacob’s towns. Great things have been foretold of you, o city of God.

Between friends we speak of Egypt and Babylon; and also Philistia, Tyre, Ethiopia : “Here so-and-so was born.” But of Zion it shall be said, “More and more are being born in her.” For the Most High Himself has founded her.

And the Lord notes in the people’s register : “All these were also born in Zion.” And all will dance and sing joyfully for You.

Alternative Psalm (Mass of Our Lady of Fatima)

Psalm 44 : 11-12, 14-15, 16-17

Listen, o daughter, pay attention; forget your father’s house and your nation, and your beauty will charm the King, for He is your Lord.

All glorious as she enters is the princess in her gold-woven robes. She is led in royal attire to the King, following behind is her train of virgins.

Amid cheers and general rejoicing, they enter the palace of the King. Forget your fathers and think of your sons, you will make them princes throughout the land.

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Tuesday, 13 May 2025 : 4th Week of Easter, Memorial of Our Lady of Fatima (First Reading)

Liturgical Colour : White

Acts 11 : 19-26

Those who had been scattered because of the persecution over Stephen travelled as far as Phoenicia, Cyprus and Antioch, telling the message, but only to the Jews. But there were some natives of Cyprus and Cyrene among them who, on coming into Antioch, spoke also to the Greeks, giving them the Good News of the Lord Jesus. The hand of the Lord was with them so that a great number believed and turned to the Lord.

News of this reached the ears of the Church in Jerusalem, so they sent Barnabas to Antioch. When he arrived and saw the manifest signs of God’s favour, he rejoiced and urged them all to remain firmly faithful to the Lord; for he himself was a good man filled with Holy Spirit and faith. Thus large crowds came to know the Lord.

Then Barnabas went off to Tarsus to look for Saul and when he found him, he brought him to Antioch. For a whole year they had meetings with the Church and instructed many people. It was in Antioch that the disciples were first called Christians.

Alternative reading (Mass of Our Lady of Fatima)

Isaiah 61 : 9-11

Their descendants shall be known among the nations and their offspring among the peoples. All who see them will acknowledge that they are a race YHVH has blessed.

I rejoice greatly in YHVH, my soul exults for joy in my God, for He has clothed me in the garments of His salvation, He has covered me with the robe of His righteousness, like a bridegroom wearing a garland, like a bride adorned with jewels.

For as the earth brings forth its growth, and as a garden makes seeds spring up, so will the Lord YHVH make justice and praise spring up in the sight of all nations.

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Tuesday, 11 February 2025 : 5th Week of Ordinary Time, Memorial of Our Lady of Lourdes, World Day of the Sick (Homily and Scripture Reflections)

Liturgical Colour : Green or White (Our Lady of Lourdes)

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, as we heard from the Scripture passages today, all of us are reminded that God is our Lord and Master, and we have to keep in mind that we should not allow all sorts of worldly matters, desires and distractions to lead us away from the true path towards God and His grace. We must always put our faith and trust in God, and resist the many temptations present around us that may try to lead us astray down the wrong path, and we must also resist the pull of our pride, ego, ambition and desire in this life, and instead, strive to be humble and to be willing to listen to the Lord calling upon us and allow Him to patiently lead us down the path of righteousness and grace. We must always remember that God desires our salvation, and He has done everything He could to rescue us all and to bring us ever closer to Him.

In our first reading today, we heard from the Book of Genesis in which the account of the Creation of the world and the whole Universe continued to be told to us as initiated in yesterday’s first reading. Today, we heard the second half of this story of Creation, culminating in how God created us all mankind as the pinnacle of His Creation, creating us in His own image and likeness. It was a reminder for all of us how everything that exists around us, and including our own existence in this world, are all due to the works of the Lord, and without Him, we are nothing and we would not even have existed at all. And God created all of us in His likeness and image as ultimately, He sees us all as His own children, His adopted sons and daughters, and He intended for all of us to be the ones to enjoy everything that He has created, and to forever be in His grace and loving Presence.

However, as we all know it well, we have not been faithful and obedient to God. Instead, we chose to rebel against Him and follow the advice of the devil instead, listening to his lies and allowing his falsehoods to lead us into the wrong path, taking up the forbidden fruits of the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil, and hence, in our desire to become like God, we ended up falling into this world of suffering and death. But God, in His most wonderful and patient love for each one of us did not give up on us. Instead, He continued to reach out to us and provided us with the help necessary for us to find our way back to Him, and He opened His arms, welcoming us back with His mercy and kindness, desiring to be reconciled and reunited with us.

And that was why He sent unto us all His own Begotten Son, Jesus Christ, the Son of God, the Divine Word of God Incarnate. It was through His Word that God has created this world and Universe, and the same Word of God, the Divine Logos has become incarnate in the flesh, becoming one of the Creation through the assumption of the flesh and our human existence, but without shedding His infinite and timeless existence from the beginning, co-Eternal and consubstantial with God the Father and the Holy Spirit. Through this act of supreme love, God has made Himself tangible and approachable to all of us, to show us all His sincere desire in loving us all and in wanting to guide us and help us to return to the path of virtue and grace, so that more and more may come to be saved and be spared the fate of eternal damnation.

In our Gospel passage today, we heard the confrontation between the Lord Jesus, the same Son of God, with those Pharisees and the teachers of the Law who had been criticising Him and His disciples regarding their ways of observing the Law of God. According to those Pharisees and the teachers of the Law, who safeguarded and kept the Law and commandments of God passed down from the time of Moses, the Law and the precepts of the Law must be kept and observed very strictly, and not only that, but they had even added on many details and rituals that ended up deviating from the true purpose and intention of the Law and those precepts themselves. For example, the one that the Lord mentioned regarding the washing of the vessels and the hands before eating, which those Pharisees and teachers of the Law zealously guarded, requiring everyone to wash their hands following certain strict steps and practices, like washing all the way to the elbow, or otherwise they would be considered unclean.

The Lord was criticising and rebuking them over this obsession on the details and rules of the Law, which ended up distracting those Pharisees and the teachers of the Law from the true purpose and intention of those rules in the first place. They were meant to help the people of God lead a good, hygienic way of life, in the midst of the community of the people in the context of the Exodus, when many of them were living in close quarters, and diseases would easily spread without such good practices. However, those rules were never meant to become burden and obstacles for the people of God, or becoming tools of discrimination and differentiation, which those Pharisees and teachers of the Law often practiced. This is due to the pride and the importance that they attached to the ‘correct’ way of practicing the Law, and considering themselves better and more superior than others who did not follow the Law the same way they did.

Brothers and sisters in Christ, this is in fact an important reminder for us all not to be easily swayed by the temptations of worldly desires, which many of those Pharisees had succumbed to, and many of them refused to listen to the Lord and to reason because they allowed themselves to be deluded by their own pride and ego which caused them to close their minds and hearts to Him. They depended instead on their intellect, their knowledge and their sense of superiority, in thinking that they were better than others simply because they were more holy, more dedicated and more pious than those they deemed to be less than worthy because they did not observe the Law of God as stringently and piously as they had done. It was all these prideful attitudes which in fact led them astray and prevented them from coming closer to God, and we should avoid adopting the same attitude in our own lives.

Today, the Church also celebrates the occasion of the Feast of Our Lady of Lourdes, the famous apparition of the Blessed Mother of God, Mary, Our Lady of Lourdes at the site in southern France to St. Bernadette Soubirous, shortly after the declaration of the Dogma of the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary by the then Pope Pius IX. Mary, the Mother of God appeared to the simple peasant girl, St. Bernadette in the grotto of Massabielle in Lourdes over a few occasions, in which she told to her many things about herself and the message that she wanted her to proclaim to the world, proving her authenticity and identity whenever she was asked of it. St. Bernadette initially faced a lot of hurdles and skepticism from her own parents and from the local bishop and clergy, but she insisted to continue meeting the apparation of Our Lady regardless.

After several rounds of investigations into the apparition and the growing popularity of the apparition and the devotion to Our Lady of Lourdes, after about two years, the Church finally gave its assent to the authenticity and support the apparition of Our Lady of Lourdes as legitimate and authentic, and from that point onwards, pilgrimages to the shrine of Lourdes became very popular among the faithful throughout the world. A great shrine, the Basilica of Our Lady of Lourdes now stands at the site where Our Lady once appeared to St. Bernadette almost two centuries ago, with the Grotto at Massabielle, at the heart of the shrine frequented by millions of pilgrims seeking for healing and help for their sickness, and the shrine of Our Lady of Lourdes is well-known for its many miraculous healings, where many sick pilgrims had been healed from their ailments after visits to the shrine.

This devotion to Our Lady of Lourdes is yet another reminder for us of the greatness of God’s love for us, that He even also sent His mother to us, to help us all and to guide us all to Him. After all, it is the Lord Himself Who has entrusted His mother to us to be our own loving Mother from His Cross as He was hanging there at the moment of His Passion. Through His mother, the Lord wants us all to realise our shortcomings and flaws, our faults and weaknesses, and by coming towards Him through His mother, the Lord hopes that all of us may be healed by our faith and trust in Him, and also be inspired by the good examples and the faith which Mary herself has shown in her life. Mary, Our Lady of Lourdes is a great role model and example for us all to follow, and we should do our best to follow her examples in our own life and actions.

Brothers and sisters in Christ, therefore today let us all remind ourselves of God’s great and most generous love for us, all the things that He has done for our sake. Let us not take His love for granted and let us continue to thank Him for all that He has lovingly provided for us, and for the help He has shown us through His Blessed Mother, Our Lady of Lourdes, who is also our Mother. May the Lord also have mercy on the sick and those who are suffering from various diseases and ailments, and let us all continue to pray for them all, so that God may continue to journey with them all and show them all His mercy and compassion. Holy Mary, Mother of God, Our Lady of Lourdes, pray for all of us sinners, your sons and daughters, so that we may come to realise the depth of our sinfulness and evils, and that we may come to repent and turn away from those wickedness, and find our way to your beloved Son, Our Lord and Saviour. Amen.

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Tuesday, 11 February 2025 : 5th Week of Ordinary Time, Memorial of Our Lady of Lourdes, World Day of the Sick (Gospel Reading)

Liturgical Colour : Green or White (Our Lady of Lourdes)

Mark 7 : 1-13

One day the Pharisees gathered around Jesus, and with them were some teachers of the Law who had just come from Jerusalem. They noticed that some of His disciples were eating their meal with unclean hands, that is, without washing them.

Now the Pharisees, and in fact all the Jews never eat without washing their hands, for they follow the tradition received from their ancestors. Nor do they eat anything, when they come from the market, without first washing themselves. And there are many other traditions they observe; for example, the ritual washing of cups, pots and plates.

So the Pharisees and the teachers of the Law asked Him, “Why do Your disciples not follow the tradition of the elders, but eat with unclean hands?” Jesus answered, “You shallow people! How well Isaiah prophesied of you when he wrote : This people honours Me with their lips, but their heart is far from Me. The worship they offer Me is worthless, for what they teach are only human rules. You even put aside the commandment of God to hold fast to human tradition.”

And Jesus commented, “You have a fine way of disregarding the commandments of God in order to enforce your own traditions! For example, Moses said : Do your duty to your father and your mother, and : Whoever curses his father or his mother is to be put to death. But according to you, someone could say to his father or mother, ‘I already declared Corban (which means “offered to God”) what you could have expected from me.'”

“In this case you no longer require him to do anything for his father or mother, and so you nullify the word of God through the tradition you have handed on. And you do many other things like that.”

Alternative reading (Mass of Our Lady of Lourdes)

John 2 : 1-11

At that time, three days after Jesus called Nathanael, there was a wedding at Cana in Galilee, and the mother of Jesus was there. Jesus was also invited to the wedding with His disciples. When all the wine provided for the celebration had been served, and they had run out of wine, the mother of Jesus said to Him, “They have no wine.”

Jesus replied, “Woman, what concern is that to you and Me? My hour has not yet come.” However His mother said to the servants, “Do whatever He tells you.” Nearby were six stone water jars, set there for ritual washing as practiced by the Jews; each jar could hold twenty or thirty gallons.

Jesus said to the servants, “Fill the jars with water.” And they filled them to the brim. Then Jesus said, “Now draw some out and take it to the steward.” So they did. The steward tasted the water that had become wine, without knowing from where it had come; for only the servants who had drawn the water knew. So, he called the bridegroom to tell him, “Everyone serves the best wine first, and when people have drunk enough, he serves that which is ordinary. Instead you have kept the best wine until the end.”

This miraculous sign was the first, and Jesus performed it at Cana in Galilee. In this way He let His glory appear, and His disciples believed in Him.

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Tuesday, 11 February 2025 : 5th Week of Ordinary Time, Memorial of Our Lady of Lourdes, World Day of the Sick (Psalm)

Liturgical Colour : Green or White (Our Lady of Lourdes)

Psalm 8 : 4-5, 6-7, 8-9

When I observe the heavens, the work of Your hands, the moon and the stars You set in their place – what is man that You be mindful of him, the Son of Man that You should care for Him?

Yet You made Him a little lower than the Angels; You crowned Him with glory and honour and gave Him the works of Your hands; You have put all things under His feet.

Sheep and oxen without number and even the beasts of the field, the birds of the air, the fish of the sea and all that swim the paths of the ocean.

Alternative reading (Mass of Our Lady of Lourdes)

Judith 13 : 18bcde, 19

My daughter, may the Most High God bless you more than all women on earth. And blessed be the Lord God, the Creator of heaven and earth, Who has led you to behead the leader of our enemies.

Never will people forget the confidence you have shown; they will always remember the power of God.

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Tuesday, 11 February 2025 : 5th Week of Ordinary Time, Memorial of Our Lady of Lourdes, World Day of the Sick (First Reading)

Liturgical Colour : Green or White (Our Lady of Lourdes)

Genesis 1 : 20 – Genesis 2 : 4a

God said, “Let the water teem with an abundance of living creatures, and let birds fly above the earth under the ceiling of the sky.” God created the great monsters of the sea and all living animals, those that teem in the waters, according to their kind, and every winged bird, according to its kind. God saw that it was good. God blessed them saying, “Be fruitful and increase in number, fill the waters of the sea, and let the birds increase on the earth.” There was evening and there was morning : the fifth day.

God said, “Let the earth produce living animals according to their kind : cattle, creatures that move along the ground, wild animals according to their kind. So it was. God created the wild animals according to their kind, and everything that creeps along the ground according to its kind. God saw that it was good.

God said, “Let Us make man in Our image, to Our likeness. Let them rule over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, over the cattle, over the wild animals, and over all creeping things that crawl along the ground.” So God created man in His image; in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them.

God blessed them and said to them, “Be fruitful and increase in number, fill the earth and subdue it, rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the sky, over every living creature that moves on the ground.” God said, “I have given you every seed bearing plants which is on the face of all the earth, and every tree that bears fruit with seed. It will be for your food. To every wild animal, to every bird of the sky, to everything that creeps along the ground, to everything that has the breath of life, I give every green plant for food.” So it was.

God saw all that He had made, and it was very good. There was evening and there was morning : the sixth day. That was the way the sky and earth were created and all their vast array. By the seventh day the work God had done was completed, and He rested on the seventh day from all the work He had done.

And God blessed the seventh day and made it holy, because on that day He rested from all the work He had done in His creation. These are the successive steps in the creation of the heavens and the earth.

Alternative reading (Mass of Our Lady of Lourdes)

Isaiah 66 : 10-14c

Rejoice for Jerusalem and be glad for her, all you who love her. Be glad with her, rejoice with her, all you who were in grief over her, that you may suck of the milk from her comforting breasts, that you may drink deeply from the abundance of her glory.

For this is what YHVH says : I will send her peace, overflowing like a river;  and the nations’ wealth, rushing like a torrent towards her. And you will be nursed and carried in her arms and fondled upon her lap. As a son comforted by his mother, so will I comfort you. At the sight of this, your heart will rejoice; like grass, your bones will flourish.

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Wednesday, 1 January 2025 : Solemnity of Mary, the Holy Mother of God, World Day of Peace (Homily and Scripture Reflections)

Liturgical Colour : White

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, today in our calendar is the first day of the Gregorian Year, the New Year’s Day of the Year of Our Lord 2025. On this day while we rejoice with many other people all around the world celebrating the arrival of the new year, and looking ahead with great hope and jubilation, the Church also celebrates the very important occasion of the Solemnity of Mary, the Holy Mother of God, or in the original Greek, ‘Theotokos’ which means ‘God-bearer’. This most honourable title is one which the Church had upheld and believed ever since the earliest days of the Church and which was later on then codified and formalised at the Ecumenical Council of Ephesus in the early fifth century, about four centuries after the Death and Resurrection of the Lord.

Together with the other three important Marian Dogmas, the Dogma of the Immaculate Conception of Mary, the Dogma of the Perpetual Virginity of Mary and the Dogma of the Assumption of Mary into Heaven, this Dogma of the Divine Motherhood of Mary are the four Marian Dogmas that the Church and all Christian believers had believed and upheld since the very earliest days of the Church, passed down through the generations from the time of the Apostles, through their successors and right up to our present day world. And this day, the New Year’s Day, if we may wonder why is it that we accord such an important celebration to Mary, then it is important that we realise just how central the figure of Mary is to our salvation history and her connection to her Son, Our Lord and Saviour, the One Whom we celebrate this Christmas season, is something that we must always keep in mind.

Today being the eighth day since Christmas makes it the Octave Day of Christmas, the last day of the solemn Christmas Octave, an eight days period of great rejoicing and celebration, marking the memory of the first coming and arrival of the Saviour of the world, the Son of God, the Messiah, Jesus Christ, Who was born in the small town of Bethlehem in Judea more than two millennia ago. He was born not in a grand palace or into a family of royalty, or influential and rich people, but instead in a stable at Bethlehem, as the Son of a carpenter from Nazareth and his young wife, to people who were totally unknown to the world. And yet, His coming into this world restores light and hope to all of us who have lived in the darkness of sin and evil, and assures us all of God’s ever enduring and everlasting love, mercy, compassion and kindness.

And all of these have been made possible because of the faith that Mary has in the Lord and all of His plans, and the obedience and cooperation that she has exhibited upon listening to the words of the Lord and in doing His will made her obedience and trust that she has shown in all of her actions at that time. Mary is our great role model in faith, through her humility and commitment to God, her virtues and purity, in her fullness of grace and her love for, for all the tender and wonderful care and love that she has shown her Son throughout all of His life. By following her examples, her obedience and faith, we can truly find the best way to proceed towards the Lord and His salvation, and considering that she is not just the Mother of God, but also the Mother of all of us mankind.

Through Mary, His Mother, God showed us all His love even more wonderfully, by entrusting her to all of us to be our own loving Mother. That is why Mary in particular has made many attested and proven appearances or apparitions throughout history in various places and moments in time, calling on all of us her beloved children to come back towards her Son and to seek salvation in Him, rejecting the path and the temptations of sin and evil, so that we will not be lost forever to God. Her great love for her Son, our Lord and Saviour, has also been shown to us as well, and we really should consider ourselves really fortunate to have such a great mother who has loved us all so passionately and patiently, caring for us all as her own beloved children, guiding and interceding for us all throughout the way.

And yet, there are still those who refused to believe in this Dogma of the Divine Motherhood of God, as historically, there were those who reject this teaching of the Church that Mary is truly the Mother of God, and this debate came about especially as during the early history of the Church, there were still disagreements on the exact nature of Jesus Christ, the One born to Mary and Who has suffered and died for all of us mankind. While we now believe firmly that Jesus Christ is both Son of God and Son of Man, having both Divine and Human nature, distinct and yet indivisibly united in the One Person of Jesus Christ, but during the early centuries of the Church there were those who did not believe in this, and instead claimed that Mary cannot be the Mother of God because she was merely just the Mother of Jesus Christ the Man, and not of God.

Some of those who opposed the definition of Mary as the Mother of God offered alternatives such as Christotokos or ‘Christ-bearer’, a title that diminished her importance and also implied that the Humanity of Jesus is not truly united to His Divinity. All of these were at the centre of all the polemics and disagreements which were only settled definitively at the Ecumenical Council of Ephesus where Mary was defined as the Mother of God, ‘Theotokos’ and is accorded the honour befitting her position as the Mother of God, that while she herself is a human just like us, but by the virtue of her Motherhood of the Incarnate Son of God, the King of Kings and King of the Universe, she therefore merit the honour as the mother of the Divine Lord and King.

Brothers and sisters in Christ, today as we rejoice greatly during this celebration honouring Mary as the Mother of God, let us all also remember her great examples in faith and dedication, her love for each and every one of us, her companionship towards us where she journeyed and guided us through difficult and challenging moments in life. Let us all follow in her examples and do our best so that all of us may be good examples, role models and inspirations ourselves in our own respective lives. And as we begin this New Year and continue to rejoice still in this Christmas season, let us always remember that Christ must always be at the centre and heart of everything that we do in our lives, with Mary, His mother and our mother ever close by our side, guiding and strengthening us in our journey.

May Mary, the Holy Mother of God continue to intercede for us all sinners and help us so that we may remain firm in our commitment to follow the Lord and to be good and worthy of God’s grace and love. May she continue to show us all her maternal love and tender care as she has always shown us, guiding us all to the path towards salvation and eternal life through her Son, Our Lord and Saviour. Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners now and at the hour of our death. Amen.