Monday

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Monday, 1 September 2025 : 22nd Week of Ordinary Time, World Day of Prayer for the Care of Creation (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, 1 September 2025 : 22nd Week of Ordinary Time, World Day of Prayer for the Care of Creation (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, 25 August 2025 : 21st Week of Ordinary Time, Memorial of St. Louis, and St. Joseph Calasanz, Priest (Homily and Scripture Reflections)

Liturgical Colour : Green or White (Saints or Priests)

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, today as we all listened to the words of the Sacred Scriptures, we are reminded that we should be truly and genuinely faithful to God in all things and not merely just paying lip service or having just superficial and shallow faith that is not founded upon firm and strong love and commitment towards God. If we do not live our lives in the manner such that we are truly and sincerely faithful to God, how can we then claim to be true disciples and followers of the Lord, that is as good and faithful Christians? If we are truly committed to be the followers and disciples of the Lord, then we ought to be truly genuine in loving Him and in following all that He has taught and shown us to do, and to glorify Him by our every actions in life, in our every words and interactions with each other.

In our first reading today, taken from the Epistle of St. Paul to the Church and the faithful people of God in the city and region of Thessalonica, we heard of the words of St. Paul greeting the faithful there together on behalf of Silvanus and Timothy, who were companions of St. Paul in his journeys. St. Paul commended those who have kept their faith in the Lord and devoted themselves faithfully and courageously, living their lives in the manner that the Apostles and the other Christian missionaries had shown and taught them. St. Paul praised the faithful in Thessalonica for their exemplary faith and commitment to God, how they turned away from the pagan idols and from their sins, welcoming the missionaries warmly and willingly.

Through what we have heard of this, we are reminded that all of us, God’s faithful and holy people are also called to do the same in our own lives, in each and every moments of our existence, to do what the Lord has commanded us to do so that we may truly be good examples and role models to inspire one another in faith. Each and every one of us are the bearers of the Good News and salvation of God to our brethren around us, to all those who may not have known God or recognised Him being present in their lives. That is why we are reminded to be ever faithful and committed in all things, to live in the manner that is truly worthy of God so that we may indeed glorify Him in each and every things that we do, even to the smallest among those.

Then, from our Gospel passage today, taken from the Gospel according to St. Matthew the Apostle and Evangelist, we heard of the woes and criticisms which the Lord Jesus made against many among the members of the Pharisees. He spoke up against their duplicities and inconsistencies in the manner that they practiced and lived their faith, all of which had scandalised the Lord’s Holy Name and the true Law and commandments of God. This was especially severe because the Pharisees were the ones who were often entrusted with the guardianship of the Law and the commandments of God together with the teachers of the Law, many of whom belonged to both groups at once. The Pharisees themselves were also known for their very rigid and unbending interpretation of the Law as well.

However, as we heard of what the Lord had said, those teachers of the Law and the Pharisees were inconsistent and they in fact bent the Law and the commandments of God to suit their own desires and wishes, and they became entangled and pulled by desires for worldly glory, power and wealth, and in their own way of life and in their actions, those teachers of the Law and the Pharisees had not been truly genuine in loving and trusting in God. They loved themselves and their ambitions, their desires and pursuits more than they loved God and their fellow brethren, when the latter was what they should have done, especially so as the elders and guides of the community of the people of God. This is why, we are also reminded then not to live our lives and faith in this manner either.

Today, the Church also celebrates the Feast of St. Louis, also better known as St. Louis IX, King of France, and also St. Joseph Calasanz. The former was one of the most renowned Kings of France during the Middle Ages, and one of the few kings honoured with sainthood, while the latter was the Spanish priest known for his dedication to the less fortunate especially to the education of the poor young boys in the society. First of all, let us start with the deeds of the renowned St. Louis IX, one of the most renowned of the Kings of France, who reigned a very long reign of forty-four years, and in that long period of his reign, he was remembered for his great commitment to his people and kingdom, his wise and just rule, as well as his dedication to the Lord, in his courageous efforts to unite his kingdom in the one faith and in his participation in the Crusades in the later years of his reign.

St. Louis IX succeeded to the throne of the kingdom of France at the young age of twelve, at the time when the kingdom was beset by divisions and problems, such as the Cathar heresy raging in what is southern parts of France today, and also the threats from the foreign powers and rulers such as the English and other nobles both within and outside his realm. But under the guidance of his regents and through his own great efforts, eventually St. Louis IX was able to overcome all those challenges, establishing a strong, powerful and prosperous kingdom while uniting the people under his rule and ending the divisions caused by heresies and religious disagreements. St. Louis IX was a truly great king devoted to his people and also to the Lord and His Church, embarking on many great works to support the Christian faith and also embarked on the Crusades as mentioned, which unfortunately ended poorly and the saintly king was struck down by disease during that occasion, faithful to the end of his life.

Meanwhile, St. Joseph Calasanz was born in the Kingdom of Aragon in what is today part of Spain, where he was the youngest in a large family of eight children. He was well educated and wanted to be a priest, although his parents did not approve of his wish. After the death of his mother and brother, which made St. Joseph Calasanz as the heir of the family, his father wanted him to marry to carry on the family legacy, but after an illness that brought him close to death, St. Joseph Calasanz was finally allowed to pursue his desire to be a priest. In his many years of ministry, St. Joseph Calasanz spent a lot of time managing administrative matters in different dioceses and also established education institutes for poor boys. He continued to work hard for the Lord’s people all throughout his life to the very end.

Brothers and sisters in Christ, as we have reflected upon the words of the Sacred Scriptures and as we have heard from the lives of St. Louis IX, King of France and St. Joseph Calasanz, let us all therefore do our best to follow their examples in devoting themselves to the Lord. Let us all continue to live our lives ever more faithfully from now on, doing our best to glorify God through our every words, actions and deeds, at all times, to be good role models and examples for one another as St. Louis IX of France and St. Joseph Calasanz had been for us. May God be with us always and may He bless each and every one of us, in everything that we say and do, now and forevermore. Amen.

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Monday, 25 August 2025 : 21st Week of Ordinary Time, Memorial of St. Louis, and St. Joseph Calasanz, Priest (Gospel Reading)

Liturgical Colour : Green or White (Saints or Priests)

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, 25 August 2025 : 21st Week of Ordinary Time, Memorial of St. Louis, and St. Joseph Calasanz, Priest (Psalm)

Liturgical Colour : Green or White (Saints or Priests)

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, 25 August 2025 : 21st Week of Ordinary Time, Memorial of St. Louis, and St. Joseph Calasanz, Priest (First Reading)

Liturgical Colour : Green or White (Saints or Priests)

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, 18 August 2025 : 20th Week of Ordinary Time (Homily and Scripture Reflections)

Liturgical Colour : Green

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, we are all reminded through our Scripture readings today that we should truly be faithful to the Lord wholeheartedly and sincerely, and we should not allow ourselves to be swayed by the temptations present all around us, all the desires and all the pursuits of worldliness that are always tempting and pulling us away from the path towards God. We must always be mindful that to love the Lord our God means that we should always put Him at the centre and forefront of everything that we say and do in life. As long as we continue to trust in the Lord and allow Him to guide us in our path and journey, then we will be strengthened and empowered by Him to walk faithfully in His Presence. But if we allow the many temptations and desires around us to lead us astray, then we will likely end up being distracted and pulled away from God’s path.

In our first reading today, taken from the Book of Judges, detailing of the activities of the Judges of Israel, the ones that God appointed as the leaders of the people of Israel during the time between their arrival in the land of Canaan and the days of the Kings of Israel and Judah. And as we heard in that passage, the Israelites had grown lax in their faith in the Lord, and they failed to remain faithful to God despite them and their ancestors having promised and committed themselves to be faithful to God and having made a Covenant with Him. They abandoned Him and instead worshipped the pagan idols and gods of their neighbours, Baal, Astarte and many other gods. And because of this betrayal and lack of faith, God withdrew His protection and providence towards them, which He had shown to them as they conquered and took the lands where they stayed in earlier on, allowing them to be subjugated by their enemies and neighbours.

But this did not mean that God did not love His people, as on the contrary, He still always cared for them and provided for them in their time and hour of need by sending upon them His chosen servants, the Judges to help and lead them in the manner of how Moses and Joshua had led their ancestors in the years of their Exodus and journey to the Promised Land. The Judges were sent to guide the Israelites back towards the Lord and to liberate them from their oppressors, from those people in their neighbouring regions that attacked them like the Ammonites, the Moabites, Amalekites, Philistines among other Canaanites. They also reminded the people of God of the responsibilities which they had in obeying the Law and commandments of God.

All these showed just how much God had loved His people and cared for them, that even after repeated rebellions, disobedience and all the stubborn attitudes that they had shown, He still loved them all nonetheless and still wanting to help and guard them, even as those people were being punished and disciplined for their lack of faith in Him. He still sent them His help and protection, and rescued them from their troubles when they called on Him, having mercy on them when they repented from their sins and mistakes. And thus, through this, we ourselves are reminded that as Christians, as God’s holy and beloved people, we are also called and expected to be faithful to God and to trust Him at all times. And we should not easily be dragged down by the various temptations and pressures all around us, which seek to force us to turn away from God.

Then, from our Gospel passage today, from the Gospel according to St. Matthew the Apostle and Evangelist, we heard of the conversation between the Lord Jesus and a wealthy young man who asked of Him how he could attain eternal life. And the Lord responded asking him whether he had obeyed the Law and commandments of God as he should have done, and that wealthy young man responded affirmatively, saying that he had done everything which the Law had commanded him to do, in his obligations to serve the Lord and in the obligations to love his fellow neighbours. And then, when the Lord asked of the wealthy young man to sell everything that he had and give them to the poor, then the man went away with sorrow as he had a great amount of wealth with him.

Brothers and sisters in Christ, as we reflect upon what the Lord told the wealthy young man, we are reminded that Christ did not actually oppose us having wealth or worldly possessions with us, and He does not intend through His interactions with the wealthy young man to tell us to sell all of our possessions and wealth. If that is what we desired and wanted then sure, we can do so, but what the Lord intended to let His disciples know is that to follow Him wholeheartedly and to be truly faithful, then we should not allow ourselves to be swayed by the various attachments that we may have to all sorts of worldly desires, ambitions, pleasures and all other things such as possessions which may prevent us from committing ourselves to the Lord.

In addition, we must also understand the context in which the Lord’s advice was made, as He was making an example of how one ought to detach oneself from worldly things and matters so that one may truly be worthy of God and eternal life. It is the willingness to detach from all these distractions and worldly desires and ambitions that is truly important and which we all should take note of, and be open to the suggestion and idea. And the wealthy young man might have also inquired to be a disciple and follower of the Lord like that of the Twelve Apostles and the other committed disciples, who spent their full time serving the Lord and the missions entrusted to them. Such a mission certainly would require one like the wealthy young man to divest and detach himself from all worldly distractions.

Brothers and sisters in Christ, therefore, after having discussed these words of the Sacred Scriptures and discerned on their meaning and intention, we are reminded that if we truly want to be faithful and dedicated, committed and worthy Christians, then we have to make the commitment and the willingness to follow the Lord with zeal and genuine love for Him. If we do not do what we should in following the Lord, His teachings and ways, then how can we truly call ourselves as Christians? We should be good role models and examples for one another in faith, in everything that we say and do, at all circumstances and opportunities. May the Lord be with us always, and may He strengthen us always in our every efforts and resolve to glorify Him by our lives. Amen.

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

Liturgical Colour : Green

Matthew 19 : 16-22

At that time, it was then, that a young man approached Him and asked, “Master, what good work must I do to receive eternal life?” Jesus answered, “Why do you ask Me about what is good? One, only, is good. If you want to enter eternal life, keep the commandments.”

The young man said, “Which commandments?” Jesus replied, “Do not kill; do not commit adultery; do not steal; do not bear false witness; honour your father and mother. And love your neighbour as yourself.” The young man said to Him, “I have kept all these commandments. What do I still lack?”

Jesus answered, “If you wish to be perfect, go, sell all that you possess, and give the money to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come back and follow Me.” On hearing this, the young man went away sad, for he was a man of great wealth.

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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.