Liturgical Colour : Green
Psalm 32 : 12-13, 18-19, 20 and 22
Blessed is the nation whose God is YHVH – the people He has chosen for His inheritance. YHVH looks down from heaven and sees the whole race of mortals.
But YHVH’s eyes are upon those who fear Him, upon those who trust in His loving-kindness; to deliver them from death and preserve them from famine.
In hope, we wait for YHVH, for He is our help and our shield. O YHVH, let Your love rest upon us, even as our hope rests in You.
Liturgical Colour : Green
Genesis 12 : 1-9
YHVH said to Abram, “Leave your country, your family and your father’s house, for the land I will show you. I will make you a great nation. I will bless you and make your name great, and you will be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you, and whoever curses you, I will curse, and in you all people of the earth will be blessed.”
So Abram went as YHVH had told him, and Lot went with him. Abram was seventy-five years old when he left Haran. Abram took Sarai, his wife, his nephew Lot, all the possessions they had accumulated and the people they had acquired in Haran. They set out for the land of Canaan.
They arrived at Canaan. Abram travelled through the country as far as Shechem, to the oak of Moreh. At that time the Canaanites were in the land. YHVH appeared to Abram and said, “To your descendants I will give this land.” There he built an altar to YHVH Who had appeared to him.
From there he went on to the mountains east of Bethel and pitched his tent, with Bethel to the west and Ai to the east. There also he built an altar to YHVH and called on the Name of YHVH. Then Abram set out in the direction of Negeb.
Liturgical Colour : Green
Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, today as we all listened to the words of the Sacred Scriptures, we are all reminded of the great love which we have received from God and how we are then expected to show the same love towards our fellow brothers and sisters around us. Each and every one of us as Christians should always be filled with great love, firstly for the Lord and then of course for everyone around us, for our loved ones and for those whom we encounter daily in life. As Christians, all of us should also should be patient in enduring hardships and difficulties in life, and especially when facing persecution, hatred and evil around us, we ourselves should not be doing the same to one another, but instead be good examples of love and hope to everyone we encounter in life.
In our first reading today, taken from the Epistle of St. Paul to the Church and the faithful people of God in Corinth, we heard of the Apostle reminding the people of God there to be truly genuine and sincere in all of their actions, dealings, in all of their ways and interactions with one another and with all those who have not yet believed in the Lord. It is indeed important because St. Paul said that they should not give anyone any reason to hinder the works of the mission which God has called them all to do by their own actions and deeds, their words and interactions which might be contrary to what they preach and believe in. Indeed, true and genuine Christian faith involve us all walking the talk, that means we really have to put into practice what we have believed in and not merely just paying lip service to our faith in the Lord.
St. Paul exhorted the faithful brethren in Corinth that they all should be good examples of faith to everyone around them, both their fellow brethren and everyone who witnessed their actions and great courage in living their Christian faith with true sincerity and commitment. Otherwise, if they were hypocrites who acted in manner that were contrary to the way they believed, then it could prevent many from coming to believe in the Lord because they would consider us Christians to be dishonest and even immoral, and such things can lead to scandal and harm not only to the Church but even to the Holy Name of the Lord and our Christian faith itself, and such acts are great sins against God.
As St. Paul noted and highlighted to the faithful in Corinth that people around them could notice and see the way that they lived their lives with true Christian charity, generosity and care, with kindness, patience and mercy in all of their actions, in how they have solidarity with those who are suffering and who are poor, and also standing firmly and courageously for their faith in the Lord, not giving in easily to the temptations and pressures of the world that may try to coerce and force them to do otherwise. Indeed, as St. Paul himself also said in another occasion that ‘People will know that we are Christians by our love’ which echo well to what the Lord Jesus told His disciples and followers to be full of love for Him and for everyone around them, to love without limits and boundaries.
This is therefore an important reminder for all of us Christians living in our world today that we should not allow ourselves to abandon our faith or be insincere in following our Christian faith because of our actions which do not show true Christian charity, compassion and care for one another, lacking in kindness, mercy and patience for our fellow brothers and sisters. Unfortunately, the sad reality is such that it is within the Church itself where people, fellow brothers and sisters in the same Lord, fellow Catholics who are often locked together in bitter struggles, rivalries and competitions with each other, in all the unhealthy and sinister church politics that permeate virtually every aspect of our church life and actions everywhere around us.
In our Gospel passage today, the Lord Jesus Himself therefore reminded us all through His disciples and His Church that this is not the path that we should be walking in, but rather we should truly embody our faith in Him with genuine, compassionate and boundless love just as I elaborated earlier on. The Lord told His disciples that according to the old Jewish customs and laws, the ones which the Lord had passed down through Moses to His people, any sins and mistakes ought to be paid over in retribution, hence ‘eye for an eye’ and ‘tooth for a tooth’. But the Lord was putting an end to all of that and revealed that the Lord’s true intention and desire is for His beloved people to know His love and to be truly loving in all things, especially in how they ought to love their fellow brothers and sisters.
Brothers and sisters in Christ, let us hence consider carefully our actions in each and every moments of our lives so that we may always be loving to each other, be generous, kind and compassionate, especially to those who have need of our care and love. And let us never seek our own personal glory, ambition, satisfaction and personal fulfilment over the sufferings and hardships that others may have to experience because of our choice of actions and ways which may result indeed in even those among us as Christians to lose faith in the Lord by the scandal such actions have caused, whether we intended them or not. We have to keep in mind that as Christians, love and most generous love, kindness and compassion should be at the forefront of everything that we do in life.
May the Lord, our ever loving God and Father, continue to inspire in us all and strengthen us all in love, that by the imparting of the gift of love in our hearts, we may truly be inspired to love most generously and not be selfish in seeking our own comfort and salvation, but causing hurt and even harm to others around us. As true and genuine Christians, we must always be filled with pure, selfless and boundless love, following the example of the Lord Himself Who has loved us all so wonderfully. May the Lord bless our every endeavours and good efforts, now and always. Amen.
Liturgical Colour : Green
Matthew 5 : 38-42
At that time, Jesus said to His disciples, “You have heard, that it was said : An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth. But I tell you this : do not oppose evil with evil; if someone slaps you on your right cheek, turn and offer the other. If someone sues you in court for your shirt, give him your coat as well.”
“If someone forces you to go one mile, go two miles with him. Give when asked, and do not turn your back on anyone who wants to borrow from you.”
Liturgical Colour : Green
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.
Liturgical Colour : Green
2 Corinthians 6 : 1-10
Being God’s helpers, we beg you : let it not be in vain, that you received this grace of God. Scripture says : At the favourable time I listened to you, on the day of salvation I helped you. This is the favourable time, this is the day of salvation.
We are concerned, not to give anyone an occasion to stumble or criticise our mission. Instead, we prove, we are true ministers of God, in every way, by our endurance in so many trials, in hardships, afflictions, floggings, imprisonment, riots, fatigue, sleepless nights and days of hunger.
People can notice, in our upright life, knowledge, patience and kindness, action of the Holy Spirit, sincere love, words of truth, and power of God. So we fight with the weapons of justice, to attack, as well as to defend. Sometimes, we are honoured, at other times, insulted; we receive criticism as well as praise. We are regarded as liars, although we speak the truth; as unknown, though we are well known; as dead, and yet we live.
Punishments come upon us, but we have not, as yet, been put to death. We appear to be afflicted, yet always joyful; we seem to be poor, but we enrich many; we have nothing, but we possess everything!
Liturgical Colour : White
Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, today on the day after Pentecost Sunday, the beginning of the second half of the Ordinary Time of this current liturgical year, we celebrate the Feast of Our Lady, Mary, the Mother of the Church, or also known in her Latin title as ‘Mater Ecclesiae’. On this day we recall Mary’s important role as the Mother of the Church and our Mother, as the Mother of all the faithful, because the faithful themselves form that visible Body of the Church, the Body of Christ. And through Mary, the Church has been made manifest, in her instrumental role in the earliest days of the Church, when the Christian faith was still in its infancy. It was Mary’s faith and steadfastness which allowed the Church to remain united and strong against all those who sought to destroy it.
For Mary was always there throughout the times after the Resurrection just as she has always been there throughout the time of her Son’s Passion, patiently following Him even though seeing Him in great suffering and persecution must have pained her Immaculate Heart greatly. And yet, she remained faithful and committed, patient in her perseverance and endurance, and followed Him all the way to the Cross. The Church also teaches that the moment of the Lord’s Passion, His suffering and death on the Cross marks the very occasion and moment when the Church itself was born into the world, when the Lord instituted His Church, the One, Holy, Catholic and Apostolic Church, which according to the Catechism of the Catholic Church, was born from the side of the Lord, from the wounds of His Body, from the Precious Blood outpoured from His broken Precious Body.
Therefore, Mary, the Mother of God and of Our Saviour, having been there at the moment of her Son’s suffering and death, which we have heard in our Gospel passage today from the Gospel of St. John the Apostle and Evangelist, is truly indeed the Mother of the Church, witnessing through every events, and most significantly because the Lord Himself has entrusted her to all of us, and at the same time also entrusting all of us to her as well, in a reciprocal manner. This was done as the Lord entrusted His beloved Mother Mary to His beloved disciple St. John from His Cross just before He was about to accomplish perfectly His sacrifice and die for all of our sins. He gave His mother to all of us so that we can be loved by her in the same way that Mary had loved her Son, and we too may love her as well, as our Mother.
Mary herself is both the Mother of the Church and also a part of the same Church, as the Church of God consists of all those who believe in the Lord, which Mary is also a part therefore of. But why she is truly very special and revered so in her many important roles, most important of all as the Mother of God is due to her great and ever enduring faith by which she obeyed God’s will so perfectly and allowed Him to make use of her life for His purpose and plans, that she has indeed become for us all the perfect example of faith and obedience, as the greatest of all the saints, and as the New Eve, the Woman through whom the Lord would restore all things to Himself, by her willing acceptance of the part that she was to play in the history of salvation.
In our first reading today, we heard from the Book of Genesis the account of the moment when mankind first fell into sin, Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden when Satan managed to tempt them to eat of the fruits of the forbidden Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil. At that time, Satan tempted our first ancestors with the temptations of knowledge and power, which was enticing enough with the sweet words and lies which promised to man that they would become just like God, to know all things good and evil and to be like Him. In contrast after their disobedience and sins had come into light, they ended up blaming each other and Satan for having tricked them into eating of the forbidden fruits and therefore disobeying and sinning against God.
Therefore if the first Eve, the first woman led all mankind into sin by her willing disobedience against God and embracing of sin, then Mary as the New Eve has shown us the example of true faith and commitment in God, leading us all towards God. By her total commitment and trust in the Lord, her willing acceptance of the role that she has played in the story of our salvation, Mary has shown us all the example of faith and obedience, which all of us should also be following in our own lives as well. And as our Mother and the Mother of the Church, Mary is indeed the figure that we all can turn towards especially during difficult and challenging moments in life. If we seek her help and intercession, Mary will surely be there for us, ever ready to intercede and pray for us all, her beloved children.
Brothers and sisters in Christ, let us all therefore remind ourselves that we have this most wonderful Mother in Mary, our loving Mother and the Mother of the Church. Let us all ask her to intercede for us and for the whole Universal Church. Through Mary, our Mother we can find the surest and straightest path to Our Lord and Saviour, and as one Church we should strive to emulate her example and faith to live a most wholesome and faithful Christian living as well, in our every moments in life, within our every words, actions and deeds, in our every interactions with one another so that we truly will show this faith we have within us to everyone whom we encounter in life and in all the opportunities that God has provided to us.
Holy Mary, Mother of God, our Mother and the Mother of the Church, please pray for us all sinners and intercede on behalf of God’s Church, all of us the faithful and holy people of God. Please help us in our journey towards your beloved Son, Our Lord and Saviour, Our Master and King. May you, beloved Mother, continue to help and guide us in our journey towards His loving mercy and embrace, and assist us in our respective journeys and struggles in life. May the Lord be with us all and may He bless our every good works, efforts and endeavours, now and always. Amen.
Liturgical Colour : White
John 19 : 25-34
At that time, near the cross of Jesus stood His mother, His mother’s sister Mary, who was the wife of Cleophas, and Mary of Magdala. When Jesus saw the mother, and the disciple whom He loved, He said to the mother, “Woman, this is your son.” Then He said to the disciple, “This is your mother.” And from that moment the disciple took her to his own home.
Jesus knew all was now finished and, in order to fulfil what was written in Scripture, He said, “I am thirsty.” A jar full of bitter wine stood there; so, putting a sponge soaked in the wine on a twig of hyssop, they raised it to His lips. Jesus took the wine and said, “It is accomplished.” Then He bowed His head and gave up the Spirit.
As it was Preparation Day, the Jews did not want the bodies to remain on the cross during the Sabbath, for this Sabbath was a very solemn day. They asked Pilate to have the legs of the condemned men broken, so that the bodies might be taken away. The soldiers came and broke the legs of the first man and of the other man, who had been crucified with Jesus.
When they came to Jesus, they saw that He was already dead, so they did not break His legs. One of the soldiers, however, pierced His side with a lance, and immediately there came out Blood and water.
Liturgical Colour : White
Psalm 86 : 1-2, 3 and 5, 6-7
He Himself has built it in His holy mountain; YHVH prefers the gates of Zion to all of Jacob’s towns.
Great things have been foretold of you, o city of God. But of Zion, it shall be said, “More and more are being born in her.” For the Most High Himself has founded her.
And YHVH notes in the people’s register : “All these were also born in Zion.” And all will dance and sing joyfully for you.
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.
Alternative reading
Acts 1 : 12-14
Then they returned to Jerusalem from the Mount called Olives, which is a fifteen minute walk away. On entering the city they went to the room upstairs where they were staying. Present there were Peter, John, James and Andrew; Philip and Thomas, Bartholomew and Matthew, James, son of Alpheus; Simon the Zealot and Judas son of James.
All of these, together, gave themselves to constant prayer. With them were some women, and also Mary, the mother of Jesus, and His brothers.
petercanisiusmichaeldavidkang 