Monday

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Monday, 18 August 2025 : 20th Week of Ordinary Time (Psalm)

Liturgical Colour : Green

Psalm 105 : 34-35, 36-37, 39-40, 43ab and 44

They dared not destroy the pagans, as YHVH commanded; they mingled with these nations and learnt to do as they did.

In serving the idols of the pagans, they were trapped into sacrificing children to demons.

They defiled themselves by what they did, playing the harlot in their worship. The anger of YHVH grew intense and He abhorred His inheritance.

He delivered them many a time, but they went on defying Him and sinking deeper into their sin. But He heard their cry of affliction and looked on them with compassion.

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Monday, 18 August 2025 : 20th Week of Ordinary Time (First Reading)

Liturgical Colour : Green

Judges 2 : 11-19

The Israelites treated YHVH badly for they served the Baals instead. They abandoned YHVH, the God of their ancestors who had brought them out of Egypt, and served other gods, the gods of the neighbouring peoples. They bowed before those gods and offended YHVH.

When YHVH saw that they had abandoned Him to serve Baal and Ashtaroth, He became angry with His people and gave them into the hands of plunderers who left them in misery. He Himself sold them to their enemies who completely surrounded the Israelites, so that these Israelites could no longer withstand them. Whenever they felt strong for an offensive, YHVH would turn against them and send evil upon them, as He had warned them and sworn to do. And this caused much distress and anguish for the Israelites.

YHVH raised up “judges” (or liberators) who saved the Israelites from their exploiters. But neither did they obey those “judges” for they still prostituted themselves to other gods and worshipped them. They soon left the way of their fathers who obeyed the commandments of YHVH; they did not follow the way of their fathers.

When YHVH made a judge appear among His people, YHVH was with him and saved them from their enemies. That lasted as long as the judge lived, for YHVH was moved to pity by the lament of His people who were oppressed and persecuted. But when the judge died, they again became worse than their ancestors – worshipping and serving other gods. They would not renounce their pagan practices and stubborn ways.

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Monday, 11 August 2025 : 19th Week of Ordinary Time, Memorial of St. Clare, Virgin (Homily and Scripture Reflections)

Liturgical Colour : White

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, today as we all listened to the words of the Sacred Scriptures, we are reminded as always of why we all need to keep our faith in the Lord, dedicating ourselves to His cause at all times, obeying Him and giving Him our very best. That is because God has always been ever faithful in all things, and He has never abandoned or betrayed us, especially in our time of greatest need. He is always ever faithful and true to the Covenant that He has established with each and every one of us. That is why we should never doubt Him, and instead we should continue to trust in Him, believing in what He has promised and reassured us all with. We should always help and inspire one another to remain faithful even in the darkest moments and times.

In our first reading today, we continue to hear from the Book of Deuteronomy the account of the time when Moses exhorted the people of Israel at the end of their journey from the land of Egypt to the Promised Land after they had spent about forty years in the desert, forced to wander off in the wilderness because of their lack of faith in God, as a consequence of their disobedience and sins. Moses himself was at the end of his earthly life, and it was likely that God made this known to him, and hence, this was some sorts of farewell speech that Moses made to the people that he had led throughout all those forty years period, the people that he had toiled, laboured and spent all of his time ministering, leading and guiding, enduring all of their stubborn attitudes, rebelliousness, complaints and ingratitude among other things.

Moses told the people and reminded them everything about God’s great and wonderful works, all of His kindness and compassion, all the love and patience that He has constantly given to them despite the stubbornness and rebelliousness that the Israelites had also constantly shown Him. God did not abandon them and He still continued to love them all nonetheless. God showed His patient love and commitment to the Covenant which He has shown them, and hence Moses told them all to remain obedient and committed to Him in the same manner, reminding them all of how fortunate and wonderful they had been to be loved in such a way by their God, their Lord and Master. They should obey God’s Law and commandments, show love to their neighbours and strangers as well, in the manner that their Lord and God has loved them, and this is what God wanted all of them to do, and hence, all of us as well, because we are also God’s people.

Then, from our Gospel passage today, we heard of the Lord Jesus speaking to His disciples first of the premonition of what He would have to suffer, the persecutions and hardships that He would have to endure in His Passion, kind of reminiscing of what Moses himself had told the Israelites prior to his own passing from this world. Then, the Lord told the disciples who asked Him about the Pharisees who asked them about whether they and their Lord paid the temple tax or not, and the Lord told them all that actually, as the children of God, those whom He would Himself save from the bondage of sin, they are free and no longer bound to anything, including the burden of tax and all sorts of worldliness, but at the same time, He then told them that they should still obey the law of the land, and He miraculously made a coin to be found in a fish that He told St. Peter to catch, in order to pay the temple tax lawfully.

Through this short passage and exchanges today between the Lord and His disciples, we are all reminded to be faithful and obedient in all things, first and foremost to God’s Law and commandments, to whatever the Lord has taught and told us to do through His Church, through the Scriptures and everything that we have received from Him in faith. At the same time, we should also obey the law of the land, the law of our countries and states, as obedient citizens and members of our communities and societies, and that is how we should continue to live our lives, devoting our time, effort and strength to do what God has wanted us to do in our lives, to be faithful to God and to be good and law-abiding citizens and human beings, those who always show care and love to our fellow brothers and sisters around us.

Today, the Church also celebrates the Feast of St. Clare, holy virgin dedicated to God, who was remembered for her great faith and dedication to God. St. Clare was born in Assisi, the same place where the other famous saint, St. Francis of Assisi was born in. And indeed, she was also attracted to the order that St. Francis of Assisi had established, the Franciscan Order. She was born into a wealthy noble family, a family of devout faith in God, and St. Clare and her sisters joined the religious life, dedicating their lives to God. St. Clare devoted herself to the Lord and following the example of St. Francis of Assisi, becoming one of the first members of the female wing of the order, the Poor Clares or the Order of Saint Clare, known after their founder, St. Clare herself.

St. Clare devoted herself to God and resisted the efforts of her family to try to bring her back to her family and to marry her off to a wealthy nobleman, a common practice at that time. But St. Clare continued to remain faithful to God, and remained adamant of the commitment which she had made. This was true even when her sisters joined the religious life themselves, which caused more uproar from within her family. But even when they tried to use force to try to bring them back, they eventually failed to do. St. Clare continued to minister to the people of the community around her with her fellow religious sisters. And in one occasion, she courageously stood up against invaders that came to ransack the town she was in together with her religious congregation. She famously held up  the monstrance with the Lord in it high as the armies of the invaders came in to the chapel, and a bright light emanated from the monstrance, scaring all the invaders that immediately fled the town.

Brothers and sisters in Christ, let us all therefore be inspired by the good and faithful examples of St. Clare of Assisi, her faith, zeal and commitment to God. Let us all not be easily swayed by worldly temptations and all sorts of evils and darkness present all around us. May the Lord continue to strengthen and encourage us all in our every endeavours and good efforts, so that we may always be faithful and committed in everything we say and do, in each and every moments of our lives. May God bless our every good efforts and works, now and always. Amen.

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Monday, 11 August 2025 : 19th Week of Ordinary Time, Memorial of St. Clare, Virgin (Gospel Reading)

Liturgical Colour : White

Matthew 17 : 22-27

At that time, when Jesus was in Galilee with the Twelve, He said to them, “The Son of Man will be delivered into the hands of men, and they will kill Him. But He will rise on the third day.” The Twelve were deeply grieved.

When they returned to Capernaum, the temple tax collectors came to Peter and asked him, “Does your Master pay the temple tax?” He answered, “Yes.” Peter then entered the house; and immediately, Jesus asked him, “What do you think, Simon? Who pay taxes or tribute to the kings of the earth : their sons or strangers and aliens?”

Peter replied, “Strangers and aliens.” And Jesus told him, “The sons, then, are tax-free. But, so as not to offend these people, go to the sea, throw in a hook, and open the mouth of the first fish you catch. You will find a coin in it. Take the coin and give it to them for you and for Me.”

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Monday, 11 August 2025 : 19th Week of Ordinary Time, Memorial of St. Clare, Virgin (Psalm)

Liturgical Colour : White

Psalm 147 : 12-13, 14-15, 19-20

Exalt YHVH, o Jerusalem; praise your God, o Zion! For He strengthens the bars of your gates and blesses your children within you.

He grants peace on your borders and feeds you with the finest grain. He sends His command to the earth and swiftly runs His word.

It is He, Who tells Jacob His words; His laws and decrees, to Israel. This, He has not done for other nations, so His laws remain unknown to them. Alleluia!

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Monday, 11 August 2025 : 19th Week of Ordinary Time, Memorial of St. Clare, Virgin (First Reading)

Liturgical Colour : White

Deuteronomy 10 : 12-22

So now, Israel, what is it that YHVH, your God, asks of you but to fear Him and follow all His ways? Love Him and serve Him with all your heart and with all your soul. Observe the commandments of YHVH and His laws which I command you today, for your good.

See : the heavens, those that are seen and those that are unseen, the earth and all that is in it, everything belongs to YHVH, your God. Nevertheless, it was on your fathers that YHVH set His heart. He loved them, and after them, He chose their descendants – you – preferring you to all the peoples, as you can see this day.

Purify your hearts, then, and do not be defiant towards YHVH because YHVH is the God of gods and the Lord of lords. He is the great God, the strong and terrible God. When He judges, He treats everyone equally; He does not let Himself be bought by gifts. He renders justice to the orphan and the widow, and loves the stranger, giving him bread and clothing.

Love the stranger then, because you yourselves were strangers in the land of Egypt. Fear YHVH, your God, serve Him, follow Him and call on His Name when you have to make an oath. He is your pride and He is your God, Who has done those amazing things for you. When you went down to Egypt, your ancestors were no more than seventy persons, but now, YHVH, your God, has made you as many as the stars of heaven.

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Monday, 4 August 2025 : 18th Week of Ordinary Time, Memorial of St. John Vianney, Priest and Patron of All Priests (Homily and Scripture Reflections)

Liturgical Colour : White

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, today as we all listened to the words of the Lord contained in the Sacred Scriptures, we are reminded that we should always be mindful of the challenges and difficulties, trials and hardships that our spiritual leaders and shepherds, our bishops and priests are always facing daily in their lives and respective ministries. They often do not have it easy in handling the various tasks, missions and all the works that they had to do in the various responsibilities that they had been given, and not few were affected spiritually and mentally because of the burdens and the challenges that they had to face in their paths. Therefore today as we reflect upon the words of the Sacred Scriptures, let us especially keep in mind the works and trials that our faithful priests and shepherds had to carry out in their ministry each day.

In our first reading today, we heard from the Book of Numbers of the moment when the Israelites complained and grumbled against God and against Moses for their unhappiness at their state of life during their sojourn and journey in the desert, complaining and weeping, asking for meat, fish and other things to eat and consume, comparing to the time when they were still being slaves in the land of Egypt. They were complaining about the manna that they were receiving almost daily from God, which fed them sufficiently through their journey in the desert. And in fact, the Israelites did receive meat in the form of flocks of birds that the Lord sent to them during each evening as well, but it was likely that the Israelites were demanding to eat more meat of land animals, which certainly was not easy to get in the mostly dry and lifeless desert.

And all of these grievances and complaints were directed through Moses as well, who experienced great anguish and heart pain at seeing how much the people grumbled and complained against God despite having been taken care of so well by Him, throughout all their time and journey in the desert. God has given them food and drink to share and eat, to drink enough of whatever they needed that indeed, it was a miracle that all the whole nation of Israel, which according to the Scriptural records numbering in the hundreds of thousands of people, were able to survive through the dry and lifeless desert without any problems regarding sustenance. Unfortunately, many among the people were ungrateful despite having been so beloved by God and taken care well by Him.

We can indeed feel the pressures and hardships experienced by Moses who were tasked to lead the Israelites and was the intermediary between God and His people. Essentially, Moses was like the High Priest of the people, a role which was entrusted to Aaron, but Moses himself also had a share in this responsibility in leading the people, in guiding them down the right path against all the errors and temptations around them, the temptations of worldly pleasures and desires, including this episode of grumbling and complaining as depicted in today’s first reading to us. He was feeling the weight of all of the responsibilities and the challenges that he had to face, facing a lot of angry and dissatisfied people, those people to whom he had been sent to deliver out of their slavery, and yet, instead of thanks and gratitude, what he received was anger, displeasure, complaints and difficult attitudes.

That was exactly what our priests and spiritual leaders are facing, often on daily basis as well. And just as Moses had struggled with the pressures and difficulties he had to face, our priests are also suffering from the same challenges as well. If we do not support and pray for them, and instead making their lives, work and ministry difficult, just as Moses had faced those dilemma and emotional breakdown moments, our priests may also suffer from the same condition. Not few priests had left their calling and ministry, and some others even went through more extreme actions and events because of the very difficult of the hardships and trials that they had to face throughout their ministry in serving God’s people in the Church.

In our Gospel passage today, taken from the Gospel according to St. Matthew the Apostle and Evangelist, we heard from the two possible readings used of the great miracles which the Lord had performed before His disciples and the people who came to seek Him and listen to Him. The first one being the miracle of the multiplication of the loaves, in which the Lord saw the people gathered to listen to Him being hungry and without sustenance. And linking to what we heard earlier in our first reading today, the Lord did hear His people and He cared for all of them, and in what He did through His Son, Our Lord Jesus Christ, He manifested His love and compassion to us all, by showing His power and might, providing food for all the people, just as He had done with the manna and other provisions to the Israelites in the past.

Then, there is also the miracle of the calming of the storm and the waves when the Lord appeared to His disciples in the middle of the lake and a great storm was raging there. When the disciples were frightened by those stormy wind and waves, the Lord came towards them walking on the water. This was where St. Peter famously asked if He was truly their Lord and Master, and He called on St. Peter to have faith in Him and to come towards Him. That was how St. Peter walked miraculously on the water towards the Lord until he faltered, doubted and gave in to fear, and almost drowned, but the Lord lifted him up and rescued him. The Lord then reassured them all and showed them His power and might, taming the waves and the storm with the command of His will and voice.

Through these miracles and the works that the Lord had done, we can see how the Lord had ministered to His beloved people as the perfect example of what those who have been called to the priestly ministry are supposed to do. God sent His Son to our midst so that He might indeed become our High Priest, the one and true Eternal High Priest, to lead us all and to unite all of our prayers to Him, our Heavenly Father, and to offer for us, on our behalf the perfect and most worthy offering that is His own Most Precious Body and Most Precious Blood to be offered for us for the atonement of our sins. And it is as His representatives that our priests had been consecrated and dedicated to the Lord for, to be the priests of the Order of Melchizedek, to be the alter Christus, representing Christ, our true Eternal High Priest.

Today, as mentioned the Church celebrates the Feast of St. John Vianney, the famous Cure of Ars, a parish priest who was renowned for his great zeal and piety, his great love for God and for the fellow people of God, in his tireless efforts to minister to the people of God, despite his own challenges and infirmities. St. John Vianney was born into a devout Catholic family that faced quite a lot of challenges during the time of the French Revolution and the anticlerical policies of the state. But the family remained firm in their dedication to the Lord and this commitment remained strong, which had great impact on the then young St. John Vianney. Eventually, he joined a school and began to seek his desire to be a priest, while he struggled academically and failing his Latin subject. Yet, he continued to push on and did his best.

Eventually after he was ordained as a priest, St. John Vianney was appointed as the parish priest or Cure of the small town of Ars, where he initially struggled to establish himself due to the extensive challenges brought about by the French Revolution earlier on, where many of the faithful had become indifferent and lukewarm in their faith. He preached patiently and consistently, with lots of effort to reach out to his parishioners, spending a lot of time in the confessional, which often lasted more than half a day to listen to the confessions of the increasingly many people who came to him, not only from his parish and his town of Ars, but even from distant places, as he grew in popularity even internationally for his works. He continued to dedicate himself and committed his time and efforts to his deathbed at the age of seventy-three. 

Brothers and sisters in Christ, let us all therefore pray for our priests, all those who have dedicated themselves to the service of the Lord so that by being inspired from the life and examples of their patron, St. John Vianney, they may remain steadfast and strong in continuing to answer the call of their mission and ministry. Let us also support them as best as we are able to, doing what we can to play our part in supporting our priests in glorifying God through our efforts and good works. May God bless us always and be with His Church, now and forevermore. Amen.

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Monday, 4 August 2025 : 18th Week of Ordinary Time, Memorial of St. John Vianney, Priest and Patron of All Priests (Gospel Reading)

Liturgical Colour : White

Matthew 14 : 13-21

At that time, when Jesus heard of the death of John the Baptist, He set out by boat for a secluded place, to be alone. But the people heard of it, and they followed Him on foot from their towns. When Jesus went ashore, He saw the crowd gathered there, and He had compassion on them. And He healed their sick.

Late in the afternoon, His disciples came to Him and said, “We are in a lonely place and it is now late. You should send these people away, so that they can go to the villages and buy something for themselves to eat.” But Jesus replied, “They do not need to go away; you give them something to eat.” They answered, “We have nothing here but five loaves and two fishes.” Jesus said to them, “Bring them here to Me.”

Then He made everyone sit down on the grass. He took the five loaves and the two fishes, raised His eyes to heaven, pronounced the blessing, broke the loaves, and handed them to the disciples to distribute to the people. And they all ate, and everyone had enough; then the disciples gathered up the leftovers, filling twelve baskets. About five thousand men had eaten there, besides women and children.

Alternative reading

Matthew 14 : 22-36

At that time, immediately, Jesus obliged His disciples to get into the boat and go ahead of Him to the other side, while He sent the crowd away. And having sent the people away, He went up the mountain by Himself, to pray. At nightfall, He was there alone.

Meanwhile, the boat was very far from land, dangerously rocked by the waves, for the wind was against it. At daybreak, Jesus came to them, walking on the sea. When they saw Him walking on the sea, they were terrified, thinking that it was a ghost. And they cried out in fear. But at once, Jesus said to them, “Courage! Do not be afraid. It is Me!”

Peter answered, “Lord, if it is You, command me to come to You on the water.” Jesus said to him, “Come!” And Peter got out of the boat, and walked on the water to go to Jesus. But seeing the strong wind, he was afraid, and began to sink; and he cried out, “Lord, save me!”

Jesus immediately stretched out His hand and took hold of him, saying, “Man of little faith, why did you doubt?” As they got into the boat, the wind dropped. Then those in the boat bowed down before Jesus, saying, “Truly, You are the Son of God!”

They came ashore at Gennesaret. The local people recognised Jesus and spread the news throughout the region. So they brought to Him all the sick people, begging Him to let them touch just the hem of His cloak. All who touched it became perfectly well.

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Monday, 4 August 2025 : 18th Week of Ordinary Time, Memorial of St. John Vianney, Priest and Patron of All Priests (Psalm)

Liturgical Colour : White

Psalm 80 : 12-13, 14-15, 16-17

But My people did not listen; Israel did not obey. So I gave them over to their stubbornness and they followed their own counsels.

If only My people would listen, if only Israel would walk in My ways, I would quickly subdue their adversaries and turn My hand against their enemies.

Those who hate YHVH would cringe before Him, and their panic would last forever. I would feed you with the finest wheat and satisfy you with honey from the rock.

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Monday, 4 August 2025 : 18th Week of Ordinary Time, Memorial of St. John Vianney, Priest and Patron of All Priests (First Reading)

Liturgical Colour : White

Numbers 11 : 4b-15

The Israelites wept and said, “Who will give us meat to eat? We remember the fish we ate without cost in Egypt, the cucumbers, the melons, the leeks, the onions and garlic. Now our appetite is gone; there is nothing to look at, nothing but manna.”

Now the manna was like coriander seed and had the appearance of bedellium. The people went about gathering it up and then ground it between millstones or pounded it in a mortar. They boiled it in a pot and made cakes with it which tasted like cakes made with oil. As soon as dew fell at night in the camp, the manna came with it.

Moses heard the people crying, family by family at the entrance to their tent and YHVH became very angry. This displeased Moses. Then Moses said to YHVH, “Why have You treated Your servant so badly? Is it because You do not love me that You burdened me with this people? Did I conceive all these people and did I give them birth?”

“And now You want me to carry them in my bosom as a nurse carries an infant, to the land You promised on oath to their fathers? Where would I get meat for all these people, when they cry to me saying :’Give us meat that we may eat?'”

“I cannot, myself alone, carry all these people; the burden is too heavy for me. Kill me rather than treat me like this, I beg of You, if You look kindly on me, and let me not see Your anger.”