Monday

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Monday, 23 February 2026 : 1st Week of Lent, Memorial of St. Polycarp, Bishop and Martyr (Homily and Scripture Reflections)

Liturgical Colour : Purple/Violet

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, today as we all listened to the words of the Sacred Scriptures during this time and season of Lent, we are all reminded of the Law and the commandments which the Lord Himself has shown, taught and revealed to us, and which He has also expected all of us as His beloved and holy people to follow and obey faithfully, with good understanding, appreciation and knowledge of what it is that the Law of God has shown and taught us all to do. Each and every one of us should always do our best to live faithfully and worthily in the Lord’s Presence, doing our very best so that by our every actions, words and deeds, we will always be found worthy and good in the sight of the Lord.

In our first reading today, taken from the Book of Leviticus, we heard of the words of the Lord telling His assembled people that they should all heed carefully His words and teachings, and all the Law and commandments that He had placed before them so that they may truly follow them wholeheartedly and consistently in their lives, in each and every moments that they lived, so that they would not just follow the Law without truly understanding its meaning and purpose. Indeed, it is possible for one to merely follow the letter of the Law, in doing the actions and steps prescribed by the Law and yet not doing them for the right intention and purpose. That was why the Lord reminded His people that they all ought to be sincere in following Him.

And He went to great lengths and detail to the people to call them to live in the manner that is truly just and worthy, full of both love for Him as well as for their fellow brothers and sisters around them. To be truly faithful as God’s people one cannot indeed just be inward looking, or to claim to believe and be faithful to God, and yet, at the same time, acting in ways that brought about suffering and misery to others around them. This is therefore a reminder to all of us as well, that we have to be righteous in our way of life as well, in caring for one another and loving them generously just as we love the Lord and ourselves, and we should also uphold justice and truth at all times, be forgiving, merciful, compassionate and kind just as Our Lord Himself had done the same to us.

Then, from our Gospel passage today, taken from the Gospel according to St. Matthew the Apostle and Evangelist in which the account of the Lord’s description of the Last and Final Judgment to His disciples was recounted to us. In that account of the Last Judgment, we heard how the righteous would be separated from the wicked, and we heard how each of them asked the Lord Himself, the great Judge, what it truly means to be righteous or to be wicked according to the Lord. And as we have heard, it all boiled down to whether we all live our lives in the manner that brings about good things, blessings and happiness to everyone around us, caring for the poor, the needy and the sick in our midst, and also in caring for those whom we love and who are dear to us, even more.

On the other hand, if we have been neglecting our responsibilities, acting in the manner that ignores the sufferings of those who are around us, and ignoring those whom the Lord has put into our paths, all the opportunities we have been given, and instead selfishly seeking our own benefit, advantages and glory, then we will be held accountable for all these acts of selfishness and wickedness, and we will suffer the consequences of our lack of faith and action. This is why, brothers and sisters in Christ, as we continue to progress through this time and season of Lent, this time of spiritual renewal, we are reminded to reflect carefully on our actions and direction in life, so that we may truly serve the Lord faithfully in the manner that He Himself has shown and taught us.

Today, we should be inspired by the great examples and faith shown by St. Polycarp, a great Church father and our holy predecessor, who was a bishop of the Church, the Bishop of Smyrna in Asia Minor. St. Polycarp was known to be one of the disciples of St. John the Apostle, the last surviving Apostle of the Lord back then, and he was entrusted with the care of many of the faithful in the often persecuted but still thriving Church. He was regarded as one of the three greatest Apostolic Fathers, the successors of the Apostles, together with Pope St. Clement of Rome and St. Ignatius of Antioch, each of whom were great role models and sources of inspiration in their own right. St. Polycarp corresponded frequently with the other Church fathers and was a great example to his flock, caring much for their spiritual needs.

And during a time of great and intense persecution of the Church by the Roman state, which carried out many rounds and episodes of persecutions and attacks against the Church and the faithful, St. Polycarp helped to lead his flock to remain faithful to God, and to endure the hardships and challenges that they had to face in the defence of their faith in God. In the end, St. Polycarp himself was arrested and persecuted, when he was already in the advanced age of eighty-six years old. Even then, in that old age, he remained strong in his desire to love and serve the Lord, and in persevering through the hardships and sufferings that he had to suffer, together with the rest of his flock, which was truly an example of them carrying their cross with the Lord. St. Polycarp died a martyr, inspiring countless others to follow the Lord more faithfully and with greater love, and I hope he has inspired us similarly too.

Brothers and sisters in Christ, let us all therefore renew our faith and commitment in God as we continue to progress through this holy and blessed season of Lent. Let us make good use of this time and opportunity that God has given us so that each and every one of us may distance ourselves from the many temptations of sin, the allures of worldly fame, glory, pleasures, and the pressure from our pride, ego, greed, jealousy, ambition, and more. Let us all control all those desires and negative things within us, and help one another to be strong in enduring the challenges and trials of this world, carrying our crosses together faithfully with God. May the Lord continue to guide us and strengthen us, and give us all the courage to continue to live our lives as good and dedicated Christians, blessing our every works and efforts, our every endeavours at all times. Amen.

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Monday, 23 February 2026 : 1st Week of Lent, Memorial of St. Polycarp, Bishop and Martyr (Gospel Reading)

Liturgical Colour : Purple/Violet

Matthew 25 : 31-46

At that time, Jesus said to His disciples, “When the Son of Man comes in His glory with all His Angels, He will sit on the throne of His glory. All the nations will be brought before Him; and, as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats, so will He do with them, placing the sheep on His right hand and the goats on His left.”

“The King will say to those on His right, ‘Come, blessed of My Father! Take possession of the kingdom prepared for you from the beginning of the world. For I was hungry, and you fed Me. I was thirsty, and you gave Me something to drink. I was a stranger, and you welcomed Me into your home. I was naked, and you clothed Me. I was sick, and you visited Me. I was in prison, and you came to see Me.’”

“Then the righteous will ask Him, ‘Lord, when did we see You hungry, and give You food; thirsty, and give You something to drink; or a stranger, and welcome You; or naked, and clothe You? When did we see You sick, or in prison, and go to see You?’ The King will answer, ‘Truly I say to you : just as you did it for one of the least of these brothers or sisters of Mine, you did it to Me.’”

“Then He will say to those on His left, ‘Go, cursed people, out of My sight, into the eternal fire, which has been prepared for the devil and his angels! For I was hungry, and you did not give Me anything to eat; I was thirsty, and you gave Me nothing to drink; I was a stranger, and you did not welcome Me into your house; I was naked, and you did not clothe Me; I was sick, and in prison, and you did not visit Me.’”

“They, too, will ask, ‘Lord, when did we see You hungry, thirsty, naked or a stranger, sick or in prison, and did not help You?’ The King will answer them, ‘Truly I say to you : just as you did not do it for one of the least of these, you did not do it for Me.’ And these will go into eternal punishments; but the just, to eternal life.”

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Monday, 23 February 2026 : 1st Week of Lent, Memorial of St. Polycarp, Bishop and Martyr (Psalm)

Liturgical Colour : Purple/Violet

Psalm 18 : 8, 9, 10, 15

The Law of YHVH is perfect : it gives life to the soul. The word of YHVH is trustworthy : it gives wisdom to the simple.

The precepts of YHVH are right : they give joy to the heart. The commandments of YHVH are clear : they enlighten the eyes.

The fear of YHVH is pure, it endures forever; the judgments of YHVH are true, all of them just and right.

May the words of my mouth and the meditations of my heart find favour in Your sight, o YHVH – my Redeemer, my Rock!

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Monday, 23 February 2026 : 1st Week of Lent, Memorial of St. Polycarp, Bishop and Martyr (First Reading)

Liturgical Colour : Purple/Violet

Leviticus 19 : 1-2, 11-18

YHVH spoke to Moses and said, “Speak to the entire assembly of the people of Israel and say to them : Be holy for I, YHVH, your God, am holy. Do not steal or lie or deceive one another. Do not swear falsely by My Name so as to profane the Name of your God; I am YHVH.”

“Do not oppress your neighbour or rob him. The wages of a hired man are not to remain with you all night until morning. You shall not curse a deaf man nor put a stumbling block in the way of the blind; but you shall fear your God; I am YHVH.”

“Do not pervert justice; do not show partiality to the poor nor bow to the great; you are to judge your neighbour fairly so as not to share in his guilt. Do not go about as a slanderer of your people and do not seek the death of your neighbour; I am YHVH.”

“Do not hate your brother in your heart; rebuke your neighbour frankly so as not to share in his guilt. Do not seek revenge or nurture a grudge against one of your people, but love your neighbour as yourself; I am YHVH.”

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Monday, 16 February 2026 : 6th Week of Ordinary Time (Homily and Scripture Reflections)

Liturgical Colour : Green

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, today as we all listened to the words of the Sacred Scriptures and as we all ponder together its meaning and importance to us, we are reminded that as Christians, as God’s holy and chosen people, those whom He has called and loved from among the nations, we are all bearers of His truth, love and Good News, and we have received from Him the assurance of His love and providence, and we should never be afraid to follow Him wholeheartedly because God is indeed always ever faithful to His Covenant and promises to us, His beloved ones. He will never abandon us no matter what, and we should therefore appreciate just how much He has loved us all that He gave us the ultimate gift in His Son, Our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ.

In our first reading today, taken from the Epistle of St. James the Apostle, we heard of the words of the Apostle speaking to the people of God regarding the need for all of them to put their faith and trust in the Lord because it is in the Lord alone that we can find true wisdom, support, strength and encouragement which surpassed anything that this world or any worldly means and designs can provide for us. God will provide us with whatever we need, and we have to trust in Him and have faith in Him, faith that is strong and unshakeable, believing that with God everything is possible and that with His guidance and help, we shall be able to overcome whatever challenges and trials that may come our way.

That is why as Christians, as those who have chosen to follow the Lord, all the more that we should always trust in the Lord’s Providence at all times, in His Wisdom and guidance, knowing that He alone can provide us with steady and most reliable guidance, help and reassurance in our paths in life. Even through hardships and difficulties, all of us can indeed depend on the Lord to help and guide us in our paths so that we may continue to walk confidently forward knowing that God will always give us steady path and guidance, helping us to overcome the struggles and challenges in the end. And while we may have to suffer, but we know that we do not suffer and endure the hardships alone, as the Lord is always by our side, protecting us and helping us.

And we must also not forget that the Lord Himself has suffered too, and His sufferings and pains surpassed anything that we likely ever experienced or will experience in our lives, considering how He bore upon Him not just the weight of His wooden cross, but far heavier than that, as He bore upon that cross, the weight of all of our faults, sins and mistakes, and offering Himself on the Altar of that Cross at Calvary, He has offered on all of our behalf, the perfect offering and sacrifice which is befitting to redeem us all from all those sins. As the Lamb of God, He has broken for us His own Most Precious Body and poured His Most Precious Blood, so that through the sharing of His Precious Body and Blood, He might reveal to us all the perfection of God’s love and grace.

Then, from our Gospel passage today, from the Gospel according to St. Mark the Evangelist, we heard of the Lord’s frustration and disbelief at the people that He encountered, especially the Pharisees among them who kept on doubting Him and kept on asking Him in many occasions to prove Himself, asking Him to provide signs, wonders and miracles that they demanded of Him to verify His identity, authority and authenticity. But the reality was that the Lord had in fact already shown them many signs, wonders and miracles throughout His works, to those same Pharisees and people who had been witnessing His signs and miracles, and yet, they kept hardening their hearts and minds, and refused to believe in Him and in those signs.

That was why the Lord was very critical at them and rebuked them for their lack of faith and belief in Him, despite everything which He had done to show them about Himself and all that He has revealed to them in Wisdom and power. As long as they continued to harden their hearts and minds, and refused to listen to the Lord, then therefore none of those signs and wonders would have done anything to convince them. And contextually, those Pharisees were those who were very proud of their intellectual superiority and high status in the community of the people of God, and they often looked down on those whom they disagreed with, including that of the Lord and His followers, which was why they were always opposed to His works.

Brothers and sisters in Christ, let us all therefore heed these words of the Scriptures, reminding us all that we have to trust in the Lord and His love for us, His ever generous and constant kindness, grace and love, which He has shown us all most patiently, most wonderfully, and the greatest of which is by Him sending unto us His own Beloved Son, His most Precious and perfect gift for us. Through Jesus Christ, Our Lord and Saviour, all of us have received the assurance of God’s most wonderful and ever enduring love, and we should indeed appreciate the fact of just how beloved and treasured all of us have been by our loving God and Father. Let us all trust in His love and providence, and continue to walk faithfully with Him.

May the Lord continue to strengthen us all in our paths and journeys, in all the things that we do, so that by our continued commitment and dedication, we will continue to be good examples and role models for one another, in our faith and dedication to God, in our commitment to walk ever more gracefully and wonderfully in the path of the Lord. May God bless our every good efforts and endeavours, now and always. Amen.

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Monday, 16 February 2026 : 6th Week of Ordinary Time (Gospel Reading)

Liturgical Colour : Green

Mark 8 : 11-13

At that time, the Pharisees came and started to argue with Jesus. Hoping to embarrass Him, they asked for some heavenly sign. Then His Spirit was moved. He gave a deep sigh and said, “Why do the people of this present time ask for a sign? Truly, I say to you, no sign shall be given to this people.”

Then He left them, got into the boat again and went to the other side of the lake.

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Monday, 16 February 2026 : 6th Week of Ordinary Time (Psalm)

Liturgical Colour : Green

Psalm 118 : 67, 68, 71, 72, 75, 76

Before I was afflicted I went astray, but now I obey Your word.

You are good, and Your works are good; teach me Your decrees.

It is good for me to have been afflicted, for I have deeply learnt Your statutes.

Your Law is more precious to me than heaps of silver and gold.

I know, o YHVH, that Your laws are just; and there is justice in my affliction.

Comfort me then with Your unfailing love, as You promised Your servant.

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Monday, 16 February 2026 : 6th Week of Ordinary Time (First Reading)

Liturgical Colour : Green

James 1 : 1-11

James, a servant of God, and of Lord Jesus Christ, sends greetings to the twelve tribes scattered among the nations. Consider yourselves fortunate, my brothers and sisters, when you meet with every kind of trial, for you know, that the testing of your faith makes you steadfast. Let your steadfastness become perfect, with deeds, that you, yourselves, may be perfect and blameless, without any defect.

If any of you is lacking in wisdom, ask God, Who gives to all easily and unconditionally. But ask with faith, not doubting, for the one who doubts is like a wave driven and tossed on the sea by the wind. Such a person should not expect anything from the Lord, since the doubter has two minds and his conduct will always be insecure.

Let the believer who is poor, boast, in being uplifted, and let the rich one boast, in being humbled, because he will pass away like the flower of the field. The sun rises and its heat dries the grass; the flower withers and its beauty vanishes. So, too, will the rich person fade away, even in the midst of his pursuits.

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Monday, 9 February 2026 : 5th Week of Ordinary Time (Homily and Scripture Reflections)

Liturgical Colour : Green

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, today as we all listened to the words of the Sacred Scriptures, we are reminded that we have our loving and most compassionate God Who is always with us all, His beloved and chosen people. God is always ever in our midst, in our communities, in our presence and in everything that we do. In each and every moments of our lives, God is always ever present, and He has never abandoned us, no matter what, even when we ourselves have been disobedient and unfaithful in our own lives and in our lack of faith and dedication towards Him. God has always freely given Himself to us all, in a most generous and wonderful way, just as He has shown throughout all of history.

In our first reading today, taken from the Book of the Kings of Israel and Judah, we heard of the moment when the grand Temple that King David had prepared and his son, King Solomon had built for the Lord, finally came to completion and everything was finally ready for the grand inauguration and opening of the Temple of God, as well as for the transfer of the Ark of the Covenant, the Ark of God itself, where God’s Presence descended upon, as the tangible and real presence of God amongst His people. This was the moment long awaited by the people of God, and was the very important moment when God Himself came to dwell among His people, at the heart of the capital of the Kingdom of Israel.

We heard about the grand celebrations and the festivities which accompanied all the preparations to welcome the Ark of the Covenant into the Temple that King Solomon had built for the Lord. The whole people from the King down to the lowest among the members of the community all rejoiced greatly because the Lord has been willing to dwell among them, and how He has always blessed and protected them all throughout time and history, never neglecting and abandoning them even when the Israelites themselves had been unfaithful and lacking in trust and obedience to Him. We are reminded through these that this is the same kind of joy we should also have in us and experience because we know that God has always provided for us in all things.

That is why we should always keep in mind that God should always be at the heart and centre of our lives, our every actions, and we should alwys remember that God never abandons us no matter what, and each one of us are precious to Him. This is why we should not be afraid to reach out to Him and to seek His help and guidance especially whenever we are facing lots of hardships and difficulties in life. It is by trusting in the Lord that we can truly find our path in life and gain true joy and security in all things, which the world cannot provide to us. We must always believe that God is always ever present in our midst, helping and providing for us, guiding and strengthening us even through the darkest and most difficult moments we may be facing.

Then, from our Gospel passage today, taken from the Gospel of St. Mark the Evangelist, we heard of the account of the actions of the Lord Jesus and His disciples as they carried out their works among the people of God. They went around from place to place serving the people, as the Lord went to reach out to those who had looked out for Him for healing and hope, caring for them and strengthening them all, so that they all could regain their strength and courage, to trust once again in God Who has always loved them so patiently and generously. And unlike the old Ark of the Covenant mentioned and highlighted in our first reading passage today, what the people had before them was no less than the Lord Himself in the flesh, manifesting perfectly His Love through His Son, incarnate as the Son of Man.

While the Old Ark of the Covenant was crafted from the finest materials and containing the two slabs of stone on which the Law of God was written, and also the miraculous heavenly bread, manna, and the staff of Aaron, the staff of authority over the people of God, in Jesus Christ, the Saviour, the perfect Manifestation and Revelation of God’s everlasting Love for us, we have seen in person and in the most tangible way, the Law of God made flesh, the Bread of Life and Lamb of God Who has sacrificed Himself for us and offered Himself for us, His own Most Precious Body and Blood offered for our sake on the Cross, and our Good Shepherd, the One Who guides us all with authority, love and compassion towards the Father.

That is why we should really be grateful that God is so loving towards us that He has willingly come into our midst, showing us all that He truly loves us all and cares for us even after our lack of faith and commitment towards Him. God does not abandon us in our time and hour of need, and He will always be there for us no matter what happens. We should appreciate that we are the beloved children of God, and hence we should also be full of love, compassion and kindness to everyone just as our loving God and Father had done towards us. We should always be exemplary and loving at all times, and be the worthy bearers of our Lord’s truth, Good News, love and compassion in our world today, manifesting further what He has shown us through His Son.

Brothers and sisters in Christ, today as we all reflect upon the message of the Sacred Scriptures that we have received earlier, let us all therefore continue to strive to love the Lord our God first and foremost, with all of our hearts, with all of our strength and with everything we have, remembering how He has loved us first in the same way and intensity, and then we should also, as Christians, love one another in the way that we have loved the Lord and ourselves, especially those whom we love the most. May the Lord our most loving God and Father continue to bless us all and strengthen us in our every good efforts and endeavours, now and always. Amen.

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Monday, 9 February 2026 : 5th Week of Ordinary Time (Gospel Reading)

Liturgical Colour : Green

Mark 6 : 53-56

At that time, having crossed the lake, Jesus and His disciples came ashore at Gennesaret, where they tied up the boat. As soon as they landed, people recognised Jesus, and ran to spread the news throughout the countryside.

Wherever He was, they brought to Him the sick lying on their mats; and wherever He went, to villages, towns or farms, they laid the sick in the marketplace, and begged Him to let them touch just the fringe of His cloak. And all who touched Him were cured.