Monday

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Monday, 11 September 2023 : 23rd Week of Ordinary Time (First Reading)

Liturgical Colour : Green

Colossians 1 : 24 – Colossians 2 : 3

At present, I rejoice when I suffer for you; I complete, in my own flesh, what is lacking in the sufferings of Christ, for the sake of His body, which is the Church. For I am serving the Church since God entrusted to me the ministry to make the word of God fully known.

I mean that mysterious plan that, for centuries and generations, remained secret, and which God has now revealed to His holy ones. God willed to make known to them the riches, and even the glory, that His mysterious plan reserved for the pagan nations : Christ is in you, the hope for glory.

This Christ, we preach. We warn, and teach everyone true wisdom, aiming to make everyone perfect, in Christ. For this cause I labour and struggle, with the energy of Christ working powerfully in me. I want you to know how I strive for you, for those of Laodicea, and for so many who have not met me personally.

I pray, that all may be encouraged. May you be established in love, that you may obtain all the riches of a full understanding, and know the mystery of God, Christ Himself. For, in Him, are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.

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Monday, 4 September 2023 : 22nd Week of Ordinary Time (Homily and Scripture Reflections)

Liturgical Colour : Green

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, today as we listened to the words of the Scriptures, we are all reminded of the Lord’s promises to us, His kindness and mercy, and all that He has assured us of, in how each and every one of us as members and parts of His Church, counted among His flock and holy people, are to receive the rich bounty and blessings of His love and kindness, His desire to liberate us all from the threat and dangers of sin, evil and death. All of us have been reassured and have received the promises of God’s grace and love, through everything that He has done for us, and through all that He has reminded us constantly through His messengers, prophets and ultimately through His Son, Our Lord and Saviour, and all that He has revealed to us, and through the Holy Spirit Who has always been with us and guided the Church throughout all this time.

In our first reading today, taken from the Epistle of St. Paul to the Church and the faithful in Thessalonica, we heard of St. Paul telling the good faithful people of God there to put their trust in the Lord, and to continue to do good and to act worthily of Him as they had always done, so that by their faith, commitment and actions, they will always serve God’s will and purpose, and that they will be great role models and inspirations to one another, in how they live their lives and in all of their words, actions and interactions, reassuring them that in the end, they shall be triumphant with God, and that in the last moments, the Lord will come again as He has promised and reassured us, all those who have lived their lives worthily of the Lord and died in His grace, will be glorified together with Him, and will be triumphant, as they will be raised together, body and soul, to enjoy forever the eternal joy and true glory with God.

In our Gospel passage today, we then heard of the story of the moment when the Lord Jesus Christ came back to His hometown of Nazareth, where He spoke and taught in the local synagogue, explaining to them the words of the prophecies of Isaiah the prophet, which was actually concerning Himself, to reveal to them the fulfilment of those prophecies and the coming of the salvation in God. In Jesus Christ, the Saviour Whom God had sent unto us, His faithful and beloved people, we have seen the love of God manifested in the flesh, becoming tangible, real and approachable to us. Each and every one of us have received this assurance from the Lord Himself, and through His coming into our midst, we have been strengthened and encouraged, ever being reminded that the Lord has always watched kindly over us and He does not leave us all alone.

However, the people of Nazareth, who saw the Lord growing up in their midst and who knew that His father was the village carpenter, St. Joseph, hardened their hearts and closed their minds to Him, refusing to accept the truth and reality that this same Jesus was the One Who the prophets and the messengers of God had been proclaiming about. They did not have enough faith and trust in God, preferring instead to depend on their own flawed judgments and biases, their prejudices and thoughts rather than to trust in the Lord and in His Wisdom. They thought that it must have been impossible for the Saviour that God sent to His people to have come from their own small and insignificant village, which was the same thinking and thoughts that many among the Pharisees and the teachers of the Law heard that the Lord Jesus came from Nazareth, from the region of Galilee.

Essentially, they placed their own human biases, prejudices, judgments and ideals ahead of their faith and trust in God. They doubted that the Lord could do what He has decided to do, in making the small village of Nazareth, and also the small town of Bethlehem, where the Lord was born in, to be the place where the Saviour of the world and the King of Kings would be born in. We are reminded through these Scripture readings that everything is possible for God and there is nothing that He cannot do, because He is all-powerful, almighty and is in control of all things. Thus, we are reminded today not to give in to all those wicked thoughts, biases, prejudices and all the parameters by which we often judge others with, and we should also not have so little faith and trust in God. Instead, we should entrust ourselves all the more to the Lord and be reminded of all the love and compassionate kindness that He has always shown us.

Brothers and sisters in Christ, let us all therefore heed these words that we have heard through the Scriptures, reminding ourselves that we are all called to be ever more committed disciples and followers of the Lord. Each and every one of us should always should learn to out our faith and trust in God, in doing our best at every time and moment to do God’s will, in following His Law and commandments, in living our lives virtuously and worthily of Him, so that we are truly worthy of being called Christians, that is God’s beloved and holy people, through our every words, actions and deeds. We should not merely have an empty and meaningless faith, that is only good on the outside, and yet, in our hearts and minds, God is not in them, and God is not at the centre of our lives and existence as He should have been.

Let us all realise that being Christians require from us the dedication and effort, and not passivity and lack of action and commitment. All of us have been called to follow the Lord and to do His will, carrying out His commandments in all things. And in the midst of doing that, we may face trials and hardships, opposition and challenges, rejection and difficulties, much as what the Lord Himself, His disciples, followers and messengers had faced in the past. We have to keep our faith and trust in the Lord so that just like that of the Apostles, the innumerable saints and martyrs, holy men and women of God, who held on to their faith in God even at the time of their greatest crises, they never wavered and they remained strong in their commitment to serve the Lord, and hence, those among them who suffered, did them willingly, knowing that the Lord shall reward them in the end, for eternity.

May the Lord, our loving God and Master, continue to help and guide us all in our respective journeys in life so that we may indeed live our lives well and faithfully, despite the challenges and trials that we may face, so that we do not easily succumb to temptation and we do not easily give up in life, or give up our faith and trust in God. We should remind each other that there is always hope and assurance in God, and it is in Him alone that we shall find true comfort and satisfaction, when nothing that the world has, can provide us with lasting help and satisfaction. May the Lord empower each and every one of us, so that we will always be strong and encouraged, to live faithful and worthy lives at all times, being good examples and role models to one another. Amen.

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Monday, 4 September 2023 : 22nd Week of Ordinary Time (Gospel Reading)

Liturgical Colour : Green

Luke 4 : 16-30

At that time, when Jesus came to Nazareth, where He had been brought up, He entered the synagogue on the Sabbath, as He usually did. He stood up to read, and they handed Him the book of the prophet Isaiah.

Jesus then unrolled the scroll and found the place where it is written : “The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me. He has anointed Me, to bring good news to the poor; to proclaim liberty to captives; and new sight to the blind; to free the oppressed; and to announce the Lord’s year of mercy.”

Jesus then rolled up the scroll, gave it to the attendant and sat down; and the eyes of all in the synagogue were fixed on Him. Then He said to them, “Today, these prophetic words come true, even as you listen.” All agreed with Him, and were lost in wonder, while He spoke of the grace of God. Nevertheless they asked, “Who is this but Joseph’s Son?”

So He said, “Doubtless you will quote Me the saying : Doctor, heal yourself! Do here, in Your town, what they say You did in Capernaum.” Jesus added, “No prophet is honoured in his own country.” Truly, I say to you, there were many widows in Israel in the days of Elijah, when the heavens withheld rain for three years and six months and a great famine came over the whole land.”

“Yet, Elijah was not sent to any of them, but to a widow of Zarephath, in the country of Sidon. There were also many lepers in Israel in the time of Elisha, the prophet; and no one was healed except Naaman, the Syrian.”

On hearing these words, the whole assembly became indignant. They rose up and brought Him out of the town, to the edge of the hill on which Nazareth is built, intending to throw Him down the cliff. But He passed through their midst and went His way.

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Monday, 4 September 2023 : 22nd Week of Ordinary Time (Psalm)

Liturgical Colour : Green

Psalm 95 : 1 and 3, 4-5, 11-12a, 12b-13

Sing to YHVH a new song, sing to YHVH, all the earth! Recall His glory among the nations, tell all the peoples His wonderful deeds.

How great is YHVH and worthy of praise! Above all gods, He is to be feared. For all other gods are worthless idols, but YHVH is the One Who made the heavens.

Let the heavens be glad, the earth rejoice; let the sea and all that fills it resound; let the fields exult and everything in them.

Let the forest, all the trees, sing for joy. Let them sing before YHVH Who comes to judge the earth. He will rule the world with justice, and the peoples, with fairness.

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Monday, 4 September 2023 : 22nd Week of Ordinary Time (First Reading)

Liturgical Colour : Green

1 Thessalonians 4 : 13-18

Brothers and sisters, we want you not to be mistaken about those who are already asleep, lest you grieve as do those who have no hope. We believe that Jesus died and rose; it will be the same for those who have died in Jesus. God will bring them together, with Jesus, and for His sake.

By the same word of the Lord, we assert this : those of us who are to be alive at the Lord’s coming, will not go ahead of those who are already asleep. When the command by the Archangel’s voice is given, the Lord, Himself, will come down from heaven, while the divine trumpet call is sounding.

Then, those who have died in the Lord, will rise first; as for us who are still alive, we will be brought along with them, in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the celestial world. And we will be with the Lord forever. So then, comfort one another with these words.

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Monday, 28 August 2023 : 21st Week of Ordinary Time, Memorial of St. Augustine, Bishop and Doctor of the Church (Homily and Scripture Reflections)

Liturgical Colour : White

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, today as we listened to the words of the Scriptures, we are all reminded of the need for all of us to be truly and genuinely faithful to the Lord, in all things so that we may indeed be exemplary and be good role models in faith to one another so that in whatever we say and do, we will always be the great inspiration and the examples for everyone else to follow, and so that God’s truth and Good News may be revealed and shown to more and more people through us and our works. Each and every one of us must be truly dedicated and obedient to the Lord, and understand His Law and commandments, or else, we may end up being no better than hypocrites and unbelievers.

In our first reading today, we have heard from the Epistle of St. Paul to the Church and the faithful in the city of Thessalonica, in which the Apostle greeted the faithful there and praised all of them for the examples of the faith, the good actions and dedication which they had all done for the sake of the Lord, in how they had lived their lives and did their best despite the challenges and various hardships that they might have to encounter and endure along the way. St. Paul reminded all of them of the gifts of God and the Holy Spirit that they have all received from the hands of the Apostles and the other missionaries of the Lord, and then encouraged them all to continue living their lives with faith, and to keep on doing their best to proclaim the Good News and truth of God by their lives.

As St. Paul pointed out to us all in that same passage, the faith, lives and exemplary actions of the Thessalonian faithful were very well-known and widespread, that all of those who have heard and witnessed their lives were truly inspired and touched by their examples and actions. St. Paul praised them for their dedication in turning away from the path of wickedness and evil, and from the worship of false idols and pagan gods, into the worship of the one and only True God. Through their upright lives and in the positive attitude which they had shown in welcoming the Apostles and the other missionaries, and in embracing the path and the truth that they had been shown and guided towards, the faithful people of God in Thessalonica had become the shining beacons of God’s path to others.

This can then be contrasted with the attitude shown by the Pharisees and the teachers of the Law which the Lord Jesus highlighted and criticised in our Gospel passage today. In that occasion, the Lord told His disciples and the people of the hypocrisy and the lack of faith which those who had been entrusted with the guardianship over the Law and the well-being of the people of God had shown. The Pharisees and the teachers of the Law have often paraded around their piety and dedication to God, and how they have strictly observed the Law and the commandments of God, in their very rigid and overly strict interpretation of God’s Law. They prayed publicly, and wore their religious garments, for the show to the people.

While it was indeed right for one to do what the Law has commanded him or her to do, but the problem as highlighted here by the Lord, was the fact that they themselves did not truly follow or obey the commandments of the Lord as they should, interpreting those Law and commandments, bending the rules and regulations all for their own benefits and prestige, as well as for their own purposes and advantages. This was also coupled with their elitist and exclusivist attitudes, in which they often condemned and ostracised those who they disagreed with, all those whom they deemed to be less worthy than they were. They should have helped the people of God to come closer to their Lord and Master, but they instead made it difficult for those who need God’s salvation the most.

This is why, brothers and sisters in Christ, all of us are reminded by these Scripture passages that we should not allow worldly glory, ambitions, fame and other attachments, which had caused the lukewarmness of the faith among the Pharisees and the teachers of the Law, and their constant refusal to believe in God. They were misled and blinded by their attachments to worldly glory, temptations, and all the things which kept them from the path of God’s truth. If only that they learn to humble themselves and to open their hearts and minds to welcome the Lord into them, they would be like the faithful in Thessalonica, who had lived their lives faithfully and in accordance with God’s ways, and became the source of faith and hope for many others.

Brothers and sisters in Christ, today the Church celebrates the feast of St. Augustine of Hippo, a great saint and servant of God who is one of the original Doctor of the Church, a great Church father and role model for all of us, God’s faithful people. St. Augustine of Hippo was indeed very well-known and looked up to as a great man of God, however, he was not always a faithful person from the very beginning. At the start, St. Augustine was born into a Roman pagan noble family, to a patrician named Patricius and his mother, St. Monica, a Christian believer. St. Augustine was raised up as a pagan and brought up well in the ways of the world, and had a great interest in intellectual pursuits, being highly intelligent and curious by nature.

However, St. Augustine lived his early youth life in hedonistic pursuits and lifestyle, being swayed by the various temptations of worldly glory and the pleasures of the flesh, even leading to him fathering a child with a woman out of wedlock. All those things brought about a great misery and heart pain for his loving mother, St. Monica, who devoted herself to her son very much, and who prayed daily for the conversion of both her husband and her son. Eventually, St. Monica’s efforts, prayers and actions led to the conversion, first of her husband before his passing, and finally, that of St. Augustine himself, who was called by God, abandoning his earlier wicked lifestyle and worldly pursuits, embracing God wholeheartedly ever since afterwards.

St. Augustine thereafter led a truly faithful and exemplary way of life, as one of the most influential Church rfathers of all time, whose faith and devotion became truly shining beacons of God’s light and truth. He wrote extensively on many aspects of the faith, and his many works influenced many other saints, theologians and others in the Church long after his passing into the glory of Heaven. His works, including that of De Trinitate, a treatise on the Trinitarian nature of God, and others like the famous City of God remained as great literary and theological works, which made him honoured as one of the original Doctors of the Church, having brought so many people to the path of God and his salvation, be it directly or indirectly.

Brothers and sisters in Christ, having heard of all these things, from the Scriptures and from the examples shown by St. Augustine of Hippo, our great and holy predecessor, our brilliant role model, can we all be inspired to live our lives with true faith and dedication to the Lord as well? Can we be truly devout and faithful in our way of life as well, so that by our every words, actions and deeds, our every moments in life, we may help to lead others to God and to inspire them all in their path, that more and more people may come to know the Lord, his love and truth. Let us all therefore do our part so that we may indeed be worthy of the Lord, and be worthy of the eternal glory and true joy that He has promised to all those who are faithful to Him. May God bless all of us in our every good efforts and endeavours. Amen.

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Monday, 28 August 2023 : 21st Week of Ordinary Time, Memorial of St. Augustine, Bishop and Doctor of the Church (Gospel Reading)

Liturgical Colour : White

Matthew 23 : 13-22

At that time, Jesus said to the people and to His disciples, “But woe to you, teachers of the Law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You shut the door to the kingdom of heaven in people’s faces. You, yourselves, do not enter it, nor do you allow others to do so.”

“Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You devour widows’ property; and as a show, you pray long prayers! Therefore, you shall receive greater condemnation. Woe to you, teachers of the Law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You travel by sea and land to make a single convert; yet, once he is converted, you make him twice as fit for hell as yourselves!”

“Woe to you, blind guides! You say : To swear by the temple is not binding; but, to swear by the gold of the temple is binding. Foolish men! Blind men! Which is of more worth : the gold in the temple, or the temple which makes the gold a sacred treasure? You say : To swear by the altar is not binding, but to swear by the offering on the altar is binding. How blind you are! Which is of more value : the offering on the altar, or the altar which makes the offering sacred?”

“Whoever swears by the altar, is swearing by the altar and by everything on it. Whoever swears by the temple, is swearing by the temple, and by God, Who dwells in the temple. Whoever swears by heaven, is swearing by the throne of God, and by Him, Who is seated on it.”

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Monday, 28 August 2023 : 21st Week of Ordinary Time, Memorial of St. Augustine, Bishop and Doctor of the Church (Psalm)

Liturgical Colour : White

Psalm 149 : 1-2, 3-4, 5-6a and 9b

Alleluia! Sing to YHVH a new song, sing His praise in the assembly of His saints. Let Israel rejoice in his Maker; let the people of Zion glory in their King!

Let them dance in praise of His Name; and make music for Him with harp and timbrel. For YHVH delights in His people; He crowns the lowly with victory.

The saints will exult in triumph; even at night, on their couches, let the praise of God be on their lips. This is the glory of all His saints. Alleluia!

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Monday, 28 August 2023 : 21st Week of Ordinary Time, Memorial of St. Augustine, Bishop and Doctor of the Church (First Reading)

Liturgical Colour : White

1 Thessalonians 1 : 1-5, 8b-10

From Paul, Sylvanus and Timothy, to the church of Thessalonica, which is in God, the Father, and in Christ Jesus, the Lord. May the peace and grace of God be with you.

We give thanks to God, at all times for you, and remember you in our prayers. We constantly recall, before God, our Father, the work of your faith, the labours of your love, and your endurance, in waiting for Christ Jesus our Lord.

We remember, brothers and sisters, the circumstances of your being called. The Gospel we brought you was such, not only in words. Miracles, the Holy Spirit, and plenty of everything, were given to you. You, also, know how we dealt with you, for your sake.

The faith you have in God has become news in so many places, that we need say no more about it. Others tell, of how you welcomed us, and turned from idols, to the Lord. For you serve the living and true God, and you wait for His Son, from heaven, Whom He raised from the dead, Jesus, Who frees us from impending trial.

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Monday, 21 August 2023 : 20th Week of Ordinary Time, Memorial of Pope St. Pius X, Pope (Homily and Scripture Reflections)

Liturgical Colour : White

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, today as we listened to the words of the Scriptures, we are all reminded of the commandments, the Law and the path which the Lord our God have presented to us, taught and shown to us. All of us as God’s beloved people, His followers and disciples, each one of us are expected to follow Him and His path, and to dedicate ourselves in what He has shown us, and what He has always patiently led us all through, that our lives may truly be aligned and attuned to Him in all things, in all of our actions, words and deeds. We have to be truly committed and dedicated to God, and we should not be just showing merely outwardly signs and external piety, but we must also have deep understanding, knowledge and appreciation of the Lord’s truth and our faith in order to do so. We have to make sure that our whole entire lives are truly attuned to the Lord and His path.

In our first reading today, we heard of the story from the Book of Judges summarising to us what happened in the years between the moment when the Israelites had arrived and established themselves in the Promised Land of Canaan and the time of the establishment of the kingdom of Israel. During those years, the Lord sent many of His servants, calling those whom He called to be the leaders and guides for all of His people, namely the ‘Judges of Israel’. These Judges, whose lives and works, struggles and efforts were highlighted and detailed throughout the Book of Judges, were sent by God to help correct and guide His people, who frequently rebelled against Him and disobeyed His Law and commandments, as they grew ever more lax in their obedience to God and in falling into the worship of the pagan and false idols of the false gods of Canaan.

Those people had not been truly faithful to the Lord, and they did not truly understand and appreciate everything that God had granted to them and whatever that God had provided for them with love. That was why every time the Lord’s Judges helped them all out of their struggles and problems, and helped to correct their paths and ways, they tended to fall again and again into sinful ways, turning back into their rebellious ways and disobedience, by keeping their worship of the false gods and idols and by refusing to stay faithful to the Lord, and to worship Him alone. This is the result of a superficial kind of faith, in which one may just show an outward expression of the faith, but whose hearts and minds might not have been truly attuned and harmonised with God and His will, and whose ways were not inclined to follow God’s path.

That was also highlighted again in our Gospel passage today, as the Lord Jesus talked to a young rich man, who asked Him what else that he had to do after he had done everything that the Law and the commandments of God had asked him to do. When the Lord told the man that he should sell everything that he had and give them all to the poor, his sorrow and dejection at such a suggestion indicated that ultimately, his greatest love and attachment was still his wealth and material possession, and not that of the Lord. The Lord wanted to use this as an example for all of us that it is possible for us to do so much and to obey so many of God’s commandments and Law and all that the Church had instructed to do, and yet, we do not truly and genuinely have faith in God as we should have. This is why, we are reminded today that we should have a faith that is truly living and genuine in us, that we know the Lord well and truly love Him with all of our heart and might.

Today, the Church celebrates the feast of a great saint and man of God, whose life hopefully can serve as a source of inspiration and strength for each and every one of us in how we ought to live our lives with faith and commitment to God. Pope St. Pius X, one of the more recent Popes, was a truly great and devoted servant of God, who had dedicated his life, ministry and work throughout his life for the greater glory of God and for the well-being of God’s people. He showed many of us what it means to have a strong commitment and love for God, and also a desire to bring God closer to each one of us, and as the shepherd and leader of the Church, Pope St. Pius X had done most wonderfully in fulfilling his calling and mission, in leading the Church in the journey towards greater connection and in being better attuned with God, His Law, commandments and will.

Pope St. Pius X was born as Giuseppe Melchiorre Sarto in Riese, in what is now the northern part of Italy, as one of the many children of a poor Italian family, with his father working as a village postman while his mother was a housewife. His parents had great impact on the young Giuseppe Sarto’s life, as they valued education and proper upbringing for their children, despite themselves being poor and destitute. This would have great impact on the future Pope St. Pius X, that despite his rise in the Church hierarchy and society, remained humble and dedicated to the cause that he had devoted himself into, in faithfully serving and leading the people of God and the Church. He was raised in poverty, but remained dedicated to his studies and preparations, which saw him eventually finishing his academic studies with great distinction even though he was often ridiculed and teased for his poverty.

Giuseppe Sarto was eventually ordained as a priest and was especially renowned for his great holiness, which inspired many people by his life and examples. He devoted his life to his mission and works, in caring for the people and the sick, and in managing Church institutions and efforts through the various capacities that he had been entrusted with. He always showed care and concern for the sake of his flock, especially those who were underprivileged and poor, being reminded of having been raised in poverty himself, and he strived hard to ensure that many youths were able to access educations and other privileges that were often denied to them. He was eventually chosen and ordained as bishop, to lead the Diocese of Mantua, where he continued to devote himself vigorously to the many missions and works that he was very renowned for.

He remained dedicated to his aged mother as well, showing her respect and it was well known that even after he was made a Cardinal, and then as the Patriarch of Venice, the then Cardinal Giuseppe Sarto visited his mother, in what was to be their last meeting, and gave her a blessing. He later on celebrated his mother’s funeral and went on to become a great Patriarch and shepherd, and then elected as the Pope and successor of St. Peter the Apostle as the Vicar of Christ, taking the name Pius, and hence he was then on known as Pope Pius X, now saint. As Pope, Pope St. Pius X continued to devote himself vigorously to the causes and missions that he had led through previously, and he was well-known for his love for Church music, hence leading through a great effort of reform in ensuring that the Gregorian Chant has the prime and most important position in Church music.

Pope St. Pius X was also known for his great love of the Lord and for his efforts in bringing the Lord closer to His people, by encouraging earlier reception of the Sacrament of the Holy Eucharist, after having heard and investigated the wonderful and inspirational faith story of the 4 years old Ellen Organ, whom despite her very young age, showed great understanding and grasp of the faith, that convinced Pope St. Pius X through his decree Quam Singulari, allowed young children as young as seven, as long as they have shown adequate understanding and appreciation of the faith, to receive their first Holy Communion. Through this and many other efforts, Pope St. Pius X had brought so many people closer to God, and he was also well-known for his advocacy and efforts for peace, in his efforts to prevent the outbreak of the Great War, later known as the First World War, and he died heartbroken very shortly after the beginning of that devastating war.

Brothers and sisters in Christ, we can clearly see how Pope St. Pius X is truly a great example for all of us in his faith and life, and in his dedication to God. Are we all able to love the Lord our God, sincerely and genuinely, with all of our heart, with all of our might and strength, and with our whole being? Let us all follow in the footsteps of Pope St. Pius X, in all that he had done, and in the examples of the many other saints, holy men and women of God whose lives and experiences had inspired us all as well. May God be with us always, and may He empower each one of us so that we may draw ever closer to Him, and be ever more faithful to Him, with each and every passing moments. Pope St. Pius X, pray for us all! Amen.