Ordinary season

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Friday, 31 January 2025 : 3rd Week of Ordinary Time, Memorial of St. John Bosco, Priest (Gospel Reading)

Liturgical Colour : White

Mark 4 : 26-34

At that time, Jesus also said, “In the kingdom of God it is like this : a man scatters seed upon the soil. Whether he is asleep or awake, be it day or night, the seed sprouts and grows, he knows not how. The soil produces of itself : first the blade, then the ear, then the full grain in the ear. And when it is ripe for harvesting, they take the sickle for the cutting : the time for the harvest has come.”

Jesus also said, “What is the kingdom of God like? To what shall we compare it? It is like a mustard seed which, when sown, is the smallest of all the seeds scattered upon the soil. But once sown, it grows up and becomes the largest of the plants in the garden, and even grows branches so big, that the birds of the air can take shelter in its shade.”

Jesus used many such stories, in order to proclaim the word to them in a way that they would be able to understand. He would not teach them without parables; but privately to His disciples He explained everything.

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Friday, 31 January 2025 : 3rd Week of Ordinary Time, Memorial of St. John Bosco, Priest (Psalm)

Liturgical Colour : White

Psalm 36 : 3-4, 5-6, 23-24, 39-40

Trust in the Lord and do good, dwell in the land and live on it. Make the Lord your delight, and He will grant your heart’s desire.

Commit your way to the Lord; put your trust in Him and let Him act. Then will Your revenge come, beautiful as the dawn, and the justification of your cause, bright as the noonday sun.

The Lord is the One Who makes people stand, He gives firmness to those He likes. They may stumble, but they will not fall, for the Lord holds them by the hand.

The Lord is the Salvation of the righteous; in time of distress, He is their refuge. The Lord helps them, and rescues them from the oppressor; He saves them for they sought shelter in Him.

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Friday, 31 January 2025 : 3rd Week of Ordinary Time, Memorial of St. John Bosco, Priest (First Reading)

Liturgical Colour : White

Hebrews 10 : 32-39

Remember the first days when you were enlightened. You had to undergo a hard struggle in the face of suffering. Publicly you were exposed to humiliations and trials, and had to share the sufferings of others who were similarly treated.

You showed solidarity with those in prison; you were dispossessed of your goods and accepted it gladly for you knew you were acquiring a much better and more durable possession. Do not now throw away your confidence that will be handsomely rewarded.

Be patient in doing the will of God, and the promise will be yours : A little, a little longer – says Scripture – and He Who is coming will come; He will not delay. My righteous one will live if he believes: but if he distrusts, I will no longer look kindly on him. We are not among those who withdraw and perish, but among those who believe and win personal salvation.

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Thursday, 30 January 2025 : 3rd Week of Ordinary Time (Homily and Scripture Reflections)

Liturgical Colour : Green

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, today all of us are reminded through the readings of the Sacred Scriptures in which we are all called to be active in fulfilling the many responsibilities and missions, the duties and works that we have been given, the opportunities and the many other things that God has given to us. All of us as Christians must always strive to carry out all those duties and works with great faith and commitment, and we should not be ignorant of this calling and mission which God has entrusted to us. To be a truly dedicated and faithful Christian, each and every one of us must always be active in the efforts to serve and glorify the Lord by our lives, to do what He has commanded to us, taught and shown us to do in our lives.

In our first reading today, taken from the Epistle to the Hebrews, we heard of the continuation of the exhortation by the author of this Epistle, held by many Biblical experts and scholars to be St. Luke the Evangelist, in which he continued to remind the Jewish community of the works and efforts which the Lord Himself has done for our sake through the sending of His most beloved Son, our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ, to be our High Priest and the One to deliver us all from the jaws of death by breaking us from the chains and domination by sin, evil and wickedness all around us. Through Christ, our Lord, Who has willingly taken upon Himself the many burdens of our sins and evils, and by offering His own Most Precious Body and Blood, God has redeemed us all and opened for us the sure path towards eternal life.

But as we have been made partakers of this Covenant, the New and Eternal Covenant that God Himself has made with us, His beloved and holy people, therefore, all of us are reminded again and again that a Covenant between us and God is not meant to be one way, as a Covenant is a most solemn agreement between two parties in which both parties agree to abide by the terms of the Covenant, the agreement that we have bound over us, and in this case, which has been sealed and made firm by the Blood of the Lamb of God, as He laid dying on the Cross at Calvary. It is therefore a reminder for all of us not to ignore our part in this Covenant between God and us, and we have to commit ourselves to the Lord wholeheartedly and completely just as the Lord Himself had done the same as well.

As Christians, it is important that we are the ones to proclaim the Lord to the whole world, His salvation and everything that He has taught and revealed to us. And therefore, we ought to adhere well to the path that He has shown to us, and help one another, just as the author of the Epistle to the Hebrews had said, to remain courageous and faithful in how we all live our lives in accordance with God and His path. We are all called to follow the Lord with ever greater commitment and devotion, and to help and inspire one another so that by our good examples and inspirations, many more among us may be touched, strengthened and awakened in our faith and in our desire to live a truly holy life in the Lord’s Presence, to be true and faithful Christians at all times.

Then, in our Gospel passage today, taken from the Gospel according to St. Mark the Evangelist, we heard of the words of the Lord speaking with a parable to His disciples and to all the others who were then following Him, using the parable of the lamp or the light of the world. He told and reminded all of them that no one hid a lighted lamp under a table or bed, as a lamp that is lit but hidden serves no purpose and is utterly useless. This is a reminder for all the disciples and the people of God, and hence, all of us who have listened to these words that we should not be idle in the living of our faith, and as Christians, it is imperative that we fulfil our obligations and do whatever we can so that our lives will always be rich and full of virtue at all circumstances, to be truly full of love for God in everything that we say and do.

And the Lord also mentioned that the measure that a person has been given, is the measure that he or she is expected to give as well, which is yet another reminder that we have to be active in living our lives, devoting our time, effort and contributions to serve the Lord and to be the shining beacons of His light and truth in the midst of our communities and societies today. The Lord has given each and every one of us unique and diverse set of gifts, talents, abilities, and many opportunities for us to make good use of what He has given us so that we may truly enrich each others’ lives and fill one another with love, care and compassion. This is what He has expected us all to do, and in case we have not realised it yet, then we should begin doing so from now on.

Brothers and sisters in Christ, let us all therefore reorientate our lives and seek to follow the Lord ever more firmly and with ever greater love and devotion, dedicating the time and the resources to live a most Christian life, not just in mere words or appearances alone, but also in true devotion, commitment, action and the true application of whatever it is that we have believed in the Lord. We should always strive to be good Christians at all opportunities and in every circumstances, listening to the Lord and allowing Him to lead and guide us down the right path. We must not be idle or ignorant anymore of our mission, vocation and calling in life, and if we have not realised what these are yet, then we should spend the time to listen to the Lord calling us, and speaking to us in the depth of our hearts and minds, and remove all that had distracted and kept Him away from us, all the temptations and distractions around us in this world.

May the Lord, our ever loving God and Father, our Creator and Master continue to help and strengthen each and every one of us so that we may continue to persevere through the many different challenges and hardships that we may have to face in our journey of faith and life. May He continue to give us the strength and courage to walk down this path that He has led us into, and guide us along the journey so that we may continue to be the worthy disciples and followers of His, in everything that we say and do, in each and every moments of our lives, to lead more and more people towards the Lord. Amen.

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Thursday, 30 January 2025 : 3rd Week of Ordinary Time (Gospel Reading)

Liturgical Colour : Green

Mark 4 : 21-25

At that time, Jesus also said to His disciples, “When the light comes, is it put under a basket or a bed? Surely it is put on a lamp stand. Whatever is hidden will be disclosed, and whatever is kept secret will be brought to light. Listen then, if you have ears!”

And He also said to them, “Pay attention to what you hear. In the measure you give, so shall you receive, and still more will be given to you. For to the one who produces something, more will be given; and from him who does not produce anything, even what he has will be taken away from him.”

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Thursday, 30 January 2025 : 3rd Week of Ordinary Time (Psalm)

Liturgical Colour : Green

Psalm 23 : 1-2, 3-4ab, 5-6

The earth and its fullness belong to the Lord, the world and all that dwell in it. He has founded it upon the ocean and set it firmly upon the waters.

Who will ascend the mountain of the Lord? Who will stand in His holy place? Those with clean hands and pure heart, who desire not what is vain.

They will receive blessings from the Lord, a reward from God, their Saviour. Such are the people who seek Him, who seek the face of Jacob’s God.

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Thursday, 30 January 2025 : 3rd Week of Ordinary Time (First Reading)

Liturgical Colour : Green

Hebrews 10 : 19-25

So, my friends, we are assured of entering the Sanctuary, by the Blood of Jesus Who opened, for us, this new and living way, passing through the curtain, that is, His Body. Because we have a High Priest in charge of the House of God, let us approach, with a sincere heart, with full faith, interiorly cleansed from a bad conscience, and our bodies washed, with pure water.

Let us hold fast to our hope, without wavering, because He, Who promised, is faithful. Let us consider, how we may spur one another to love and good works. Do not abandon the assemblies, as some of you do, but encourage one another, and all the more, since the Day is drawing near.

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Wednesday, 29 January 2025 : 3rd Week of Ordinary Time (Homily and Scripture Reflections)

Liturgical Colour : Green

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, as we have listened through the readings from the Sacred Scriptures today, we are reminded again of what the Lord our God has done to us through His beloved Son, Jesus Christ, our Lord and Saviour, Who has freely and willingly offered Himself out of obedience to His heavenly Father, so that He might become the perfect and worthy sacrifice and offering for the salvation of all mankind. This truth is something that all of us as Christians have believed and uphold to be the core tenet of our faith. Each and every one of us must remember and keep in mind this faith and belief that we have, and it is important that we have to nurture this faith in us, by continuing to deepen our relationship with the Lord, or else, we may find ourselves easily swayed and tempted by the various pressures, temptations and other obstacles present all around us.

In our first reading today, we heard again from the Epistle to the Hebrews, the continuation of the discourse by the author of the Epistle to the Jewish community of the time, about the role that Christ, the Saviour of the world has done in saving the people, and in revealing the manifested love of God in the flesh, acting as our One True and Eternal High Priest, offering Himself as the perfect and worthy offering to redeem all of us from our many sins and wickedness, establishing and affirming the New and Eternal Covenant between us and God, restoring to us the unity and grace that have been denied to us ever since we have fallen into sin, allowing the corruptions of sin to lead us astray from the Lord and His loving Presence. And the Lord has done it all at once through His ultimate loving sacrifice on the Cross.

As I have mentioned in previous days’ reflections and homily, this elaboration and exhortation by the author of the Epistle to the Hebrews must be understood in the context of the need for the sacrifices to be made regularly by the people through the priests at the Temple of God for them to atone for the sins they committed. And they, including the priests themselves had to repeatedly offer the sacrifices and offerings because of their sins, as none of those sacrifices could bring about lasting reprieve and liberation from the domination and power of sin, darkness and evil. It was only the sacrifice and offering which the Lord Jesus, the Saviour of all offered on our behalf, the offering of the Most Precious Body and the Most Precious Blood of the Lamb and Son of God Incarnate that could redeem all of us from our sins.

And it was mentioned how the Lord has triumphed against sin and death, destroying forever their hold on us, and He has established with all of us the New and Eternal Covenant that God has intended to form with us. This New Covenant has been established, made firm and sealed through the sacrifice of the Blood of the Lamb of God, slain on the Altar of the Cross at Calvary. Through Christ, Our Lord and Saviour, we have received this great grace from God, the promise of everlasting life that we have shared and partaken through the Holy Eucharist, which is the same sacrifice and offering that Our Lord Himself has made at Calvary for us. That is why as Christians, all of us are reminded of this very important truth as we continue to progress through life so that we will always appreciate what the Lord has generously given us all.

Then, in our Gospel passage today taken from the Gospel according to St. Mark the Evangelist we heard of the teachings of the Lord Jesus using a well-known parable, the parable of the sower, which He shared and explained to the people gathered to listen to Him, and He also then explained the parable in greater detail to His disciples and followers. This parable of the sower highlights how the Lord, as the Sower, has sowed the seeds of faith, truth, hope and love in all of us, and he has generously given all of these to us, with the intention that all of us may cultivate these gifts and faith in us so that they may truly benefit everyone around us. If we do not make good use of these gifts, talents, abilities and opportunities that the Lord has provuided, then we will not bear fruit in our faith, and we will not be found worthy at the time of judgment and reckoning.

As mentioned in the parable of the sower and in the explanation that the Lord presented to His disciples, the seeds fell on different places which represent the different conditions which the people of God have received those seeds of faith. And the Lord explained it clearly how the seeds that fell on the roadside, or by the rocky grounds and those that were surrounded by brambles and thistles, all of them allowed the evil one and the temptations, pressures and coercions of this world to dissuade them from truly committing themselves to the Lord and the path of His salvation and grace. And that was why many of them could not appreciate the Word of God, His Good News, truth and love, and everything which God has given them most generously through His Son and through the Holy Spirit that He has sent into our midst.

Meanwhile, those who have placed their seeds in good and fertile soil as mentioned are those who have allowed the Lord, His truth and love to grow in them, to be cultivated well and to allow them to come ever closer to the Lord. This is an important lesson which all of us are reminded of, a reminder that each and every one of us share the responsibility as part of the Covenant which the Lord has established with us, the New and Eternal Covenant that He has made and affirmed with us through His Son, Our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ. Without this conscious effort to cultivate a good, strong and enduring relationship with God, through prayer and quality time spent with God, and through living our lives worthily in God’s Presence, and amongst the communities of the world we are living in today.

And it is through this commitment of our time, effort and by providing a conducive environment for our faith to grow and develop that we can truly be fruitful and grow wonderfully in our Christian faith, and in becoming worthy disciples and followers of the Lord. How can we do this, brothers and sisters in Christ?  We can do this through constant reception of the Holy Eucharist in the Holy Mass, active participation in the efforts and works of the Church, and constant and regular participation in the Sacrament of Reconciliation, to allow ourselves to grow ever stronger in our dedication towards the Lord and to attune ourselves ever better towards the ways and the teachings, the ideals of our Christian belief and faith.

We are all called to be good role models and inspirations towards one another, and through our great examples, this is how we may truly bless so many others with the grace of God, becoming that fruitful and faithful servant of God, bearing forth so many good and wonderful deeds, always anchored ever strongly and firmly in our faith and love towards the Lord. May the Lord our most loving God, Father and Creator, our Lord and Master continue to help us all and guide us in our journey of faith through life in this world, now and always. Amen.

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Wednesday, 29 January 2025 : 3rd Week of Ordinary Time (Gospel Reading)

Liturgical Colour : Green

Mark 4 : 1-20

At that time, Jesus began to teach by the lake; but such a large crowd gathered about Him, that He got into a boat and sat in it on the lake, while the crowd stood on the shore. He taught them many things through parables. In His teaching, He said, “Listen! The sower went out to sow. As he sowed, some of the seed fell along a path; and the birds came and ate it up.”

“Some of the seed fell on rocky ground, where it had little soil; it sprang up immediately, because it had no depth; but when the sun rose and burnt it, it withered, because it had no roots. Other seed fell among thorn bushes; and the thorns grew and choked it; so it did not produce any grain.”

“But some seed fell on good soil, grew and increased and yielded grain; some seed produced thirty times as much, some sixty, and some one hundred times as much.” And Jesus added, “Listen then, if you have ears.”

When the crowd went away, some who were around Him with the Twelve asked about the parables. He answered them, “The mystery of the kingdom of God has been given to you. But for those outside, everything comes in parables, so, that, the more they see, they do not perceive; the more they hear, they do not understand; otherwise they would be converted and pardoned.”

Jesus said to them, “Do you not understand this parable? How, then, will you understand any of the parables? What the sower is sowing is the word. Those along the path, where the seed fell, are people who hear the word, but as soon as they hear it, Satan comes and takes away the word that was sown in them.”

“Other people receive the word like rocky ground. As soon as they hear the word, they accept it with joy. But they have no roots, so it lasts only a little while. No sooner does trouble or persecution come because of the word, than they fall. Others receive the seed, as seed among thorns. After they hear the word, they are caught up in the worries of this life, false hope of riches and other desires. All these come in and choke the word, so that finally it produces nothing.”

“And there are others who receive the word as good soil. They hear the word, take it to heart and produce : some thirty, some sixty, and some one hundred times as much.”

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Wednesday, 29 January 2025 : 3rd Week of Ordinary Time (Psalm)

Liturgical Colour : Green

Psalm 109 : 1, 2, 3, 4

The Lord said to my Lord, “Sit at My right hand till I make Your foes Your footstool.”

From Zion the Lord will extend Your mighty sceptre and You will rule in the midst of Your enemies.

Yours is royal dignity from the day You were born in holy majesty. Like dew from the womb of the dawn, I have begotten You.

The Lord has sworn, and He will not take back His word : “You are a Priest forever in the order of Melchizedek.”