Ordinary Time season

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Monday, 20 November 2023 : 33rd Week of Ordinary Time (Gospel Reading)

Liturgical Colour : Green

Luke 18 : 35-43

At that time, when Jesus drew near to Jericho, a blind man was sitting by the road, begging. As he heard the crowd passing by, he inquired what was happening, and they told him that Jesus of Nazareth was going by. Then he cried out, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!”

The people in front of him scolded him, “Be quiet!” they said, but he cried out all the more, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!” Jesus stopped, and ordered the blind man to be brought to Him; and when he came near, Jesus asked him, “What do you want Me to do for you?” And the man said, “Lord, that I may see!”

Jesus said, “Receive your sight, your faith has saved you.” At once the blind man was able to see, and he followed Jesus, giving praise to God. And all the people who were there also praised God.

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Monday, 20 November 2023 : 33rd Week of Ordinary Time (Psalm)

Liturgical Colour : Green

Psalm 118 : 53, 61, 134, 150, 155, 158

I feel indignant at the wicked who have forsaken Your law.

The wicked have me trapped in their snares, but I have not forgotten Your laws.

Rescue me from human oppression, and help me keep Your precepts.

My persecutors close in with evil intent; they are far from Your law.

Salvation is far from the wicked, for they do not seek Your statutes.

I look upon the faithless with loathing, because they do not obey Your ruling.

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Monday, 20 November 2023 : 33rd Week of Ordinary Time (First Reading)

Liturgical Colour : Green

1 Maccabees 1 : 10-15, 41-43, 54-57, 62-64

From their descendants there came a godless offshoot, Antiochus Epiphanes, son of king Antiochus, who had been held as hostage in Rome. He became king in the one hundred and thirty-seventh year of the Greek era, in the year 175 B.C..

It was then that some rebels emerged from Israel, who succeeded in winning over many people. They said, “Let us renew contact with the people around us for we had endured many misfortunes since we separated from them.”

This proposal was well-received and some eagerly went to the king. The king authorised them to adopt the customs of the pagan nations. With his permission, they built a gymnasium in Jerusalem in the pagan style. And as they wanted to be like the pagans in everything, they made artificial foreskins for themselves and abandoned the Holy Covenant, sinning as they pleased.

Antiochus issued a decree to his whole kingdom. All the people of his empire had to renounce their particular customs and become one people. All the pagan nations obeyed and respected the king’s decree, and, even in Israel, many accepted the imposed cult. They offered sacrifices to idols and no longer respected the Sabbath.

On the fifteenth day of the month of Chislev, in the year one hundred and forty-five, in the year 167 B.C., Antiochus erected the “abominable idol of the invaders” on the altar of the Temple. Pagan altars were built throughout the whole land of Judea; incense was offered at the doors of their houses and in the squares.

There wicked men tore up the books of the Law they found and burnt them. They killed anyone they caught in possession of the book of the Covenant and who fulfilled the precepts of the Law, as the royal decree had ordered. But in spite of all this, many Israelites still remained firm and determined not to eat unclean food. They preferred to die rather than to make themselves unclean with those foods prohibited by the Law that violated the Holy Covenant. And Israel suffered a very great trial.

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Sunday, 19 November 2023 : Thirty-Third Sunday of Ordinary Time, World Day of the Poor (Homily and Scripture Reflections)

Liturgical Colour : Green

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, this Sunday all of us are reminded on this second last Sunday before the end of the current liturgical year, of the need for all of us as Christians to be truly faithful to God and to do what the Lord has taught, shown and commanded us all to do in our lives. All of us as Christians are encouraged and reminded of everything that we should carry out in our current livelihood, in reaching out to our fellow men, brothers and sisters, in caring and loving them, so that by our lives, actions and everything we say and do, we may truly proclaim the Lord in all of His love, truth and wonders to all the whole world. This is what we are all expected to do, brothers and sisters, in living our lives at the moment, in whatever opportunities that we have been given, to be ever more faithful and worthy of God in all things.

In our first reading today, taken from the Book of Proverbs, we heard from the author of this Book, the description of a righteous, virtuous and good woman, who is truly good and just in all of her works, actions and deeds. This description of a virtuous and righteous woman, who is respected and honoured by everyone is actually not just limited to that of a woman, but is a way for the Lord to tell all of us that the same attitude and behaviours are also expected of every one of us, regardless of gender, age or by whatever other parameters we tended to categorise ourselves into. Each and every one of us as Christians are expected to do what is right, virtuous, good and just in the eyes of the Lord, in doing His will and obeying every one of His Law and commandments, which He has revealed, taught and passed down to us.

This is especially important in our world today, where these virtues for either men and women had become diluted and even lost, amidst the many competing ideologies and distractions, from the secular and godless world, where many of us are accustomed to so many kinds of wickedness, evils, temptations and other attitudes that put emphasis on our own selfish wants and desires, and in all the exposure to the various paths and behaviours that directly contradict the Lord and His teachings and truth. We all live in a world where we are accustomed to these kind of thinking, behaviours and attitudes from early on in our lives. That is why we must always remind ourselves that we should not allow these corruptions and wrong ideas to distract and mislead us from the right path that God has shown and taught us.

In our second reading today, we heard from the Epistle of St. Paul to the Thessalonians in which the Apostle spoke about how the Lord’s second coming or parousia will happen at the time when we least expect it, and hence, we have to be always prepared and ready to welcome the Lord when He comes again, with a worthy attitude and life. We must not be complacent or ignorant of what is expected of us as Christians, in how we all should live our lives. That is because every one of us will be held accountable for whatever we have said, done and acted in our lives, and also for whatever it is that we have not done and acted, when we have been given the opportunities and the abilities to do so, in caring for our fellow brothers and sisters all around us, and in living our lives worthily as Christians.

In our Gospel passage today, the same theme appears again as we heard of the parable which the Lord told to His disciples and followers, on the parable of the silver talents. In that parable, we heard of the actions of the three servants to whom their master bestowed each of them with five, two and one silver talents respectively. In that parable, we heard how the ones who were entrusted with five and two silver talents made good use of their silver talents when the master was away, invested them properly and did good with them such that when the master returned, their silver talents had doubled in amount. Meanwhile, the one who had been entrusted with one silver talent hid his silver talent until his master returned, and returned the silver talent to his master as it was.

We heard how the two servants who have done well in investing their silver talents were greatly rewarded by the master, while the servant who was lazy and did nothing to the silver talent was punished. This parable is a classic reminder for all of us that we cannot be idle in living our Christian lives, in doing what we can to follow God and His will, in obeying His Law and commandments to the best of our abilities. Those silver talents, regardless of the amounts, represent the talents, blessings, abilities, opportunities and other things that we have received from God, and which we are therefore expected to make good use of, in each and every one of our actions and deeds, in all of our interactions and dealings with one another. We should always do our part to glorify God by our lives, and to show His love and kindness to everyone, through our own lives and actions.

Therefore, brothers and sisters in Christ, as we have heard from our Scripture passages today, we are all reminded that as Christians, we have to be always prepared for all things, and we must always strive to be exemplary and virtuous in all of our words, actions and deeds, so that we truly become responsible, good and faithful stewards of God’s Creation, and over whatever it is that God has entrusted to us, be it opportunities and talents, abilities and other things in life. We must always strive to do God’s will in all things and at all times because in the end, we shall be asked to account for our lives and how we have lived them. If we have neglected our responsibilities and all that we have been entrusted to do, then we may end up like the lazy servant, who failed to utilise his entrusted silver talent for good use, and we may have to answer for that with condemnation for eternity.

Today, the Church also commemorates the occasion of the World Day of the Poor, instituted by our current reigning Pope, Pope Francis, in reminding us that all of us have responsibilities and obligations to care for one another, especially for the less fortunate among us. We have been given different blessings, opportunities and talents, and for those who have been given more, as the Lord highlighted in that same parable, more would have been expected. Those of us who have been blessed with more good things in life, let us all spare some of these with love, with those who have little or none, those who struggle to make ends meet, and those who have been ostracised, rejected and shunned by the community. The poor are parts of the Church as well, and they are our brothers and sisters, all the same.

Brothers and sisters in Christ, let us all therefore strive to live our lives ever more faithfully as Christians, in doing what God has commanded us all to do. Let us all turn towards God with our whole heart and mind, in devoting ourselves as God’s beloved people, His faithful followers and disciples, now and always. Let our lives be truly filled with God’s grace and love, and let us all follow Him from now on with ever greater commitment, dedication and love, in being generous with our love and attention especially for the less fortunate ones around us. May God bless us all and may He empower each and every one of us to live our lives in His path, now and always. Amen.

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Sunday, 19 November 2023 : Thirty-Third Sunday of Ordinary Time, World Day of the Poor (Gospel Reading)

Liturgical Colour : Green

Matthew 25 : 14-30

At that time, Jesus said to His disciples, “Imagine someone who, before going abroad, summoned his servants to entrust his property to them. He gave five talents of silver to one servant, two talents to another servant, and one talent to a third, to each, according to his ability; and he went away.”

“He who received five talents went at once to do business with the talents, and gained another five. The one who received two talents did the same, and gained another two. But the one who received one talent dug a hole in the ground, and hid his master’s money.”

“After a long time, the master of those servants returned and asked for a reckoning. The one who had received five talents came with another five talents, saying, ‘Lord, you entrusted me with five talents, but see, I have gained five more.’ The master answered, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant, since you have been faithful in a few things, I will entrust you in charge of many things. Come and share the joy of your master.'”

“Then the one who had received two talents came and said, ‘Lord, you entrusted me with two talents; with them I have gained two more.’ The master said, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant, since you have been faithful in little things, I will entrust you in charge of many things. Come and share the joy of your master.'”

“Finally, the one who had received one talent came and said, ‘Master, I know that you are a hard man. You reap what you have not sown, and gather what you have not scattered. I was afraid, so I hid your money in the ground. Here, take what is yours!’ But his master replied, ‘Wicked and worthless servant, you know that I reap where I have not sown, and gather where I have not scattered. You should have deposited my money in the bank, and given it back to me with interest on my return.'”

“Therefore, take the talent from him, and give it to the one who has ten. For to all those who have, more will be given, and they will have an abundance; but from those who are unproductive, even what they have will be taken from them. As for that useless servant, thrown him out into outer darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.”

Alternative reading (shorter version)

Matthew 25 : 14-15, 19-21

At that time, Jesus said to His disciples, “Imagine someone who, before going abroad, summoned his servants to entrust his property to them. He gave five talents of silver to one servant, two talents to another servant, and one talent to a third, to each, according to his ability; and he went away.”

“After a long time, the master of those servants returned and asked for a reckoning. The one who had received five talents came with another five talents, saying, ‘Lord, you entrusted me with five talents, but see, I have gained five more.’ The master answered, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant, since you have been faithful in a few things, I will entrust you in charge of many things. Come and share the joy of your master.'”

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Sunday, 19 November 2023 : Thirty-Third Sunday of Ordinary Time, World Day of the Poor (Second Reading)

Liturgical Colour : Green

1 Thessalonians 5 : 1-6

You do not need anyone to write to you about the delay, and the appointed time for these events. You know, that the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night. When people feel secure, and at peace, the disaster will suddenly come upon them, as the birth pangs of a woman in labour, and they will not escape.

But you, beloved, are not in darkness; so that day will not surprise you like a thief. All of you are citizens of the light and the day; we do not belong to night and darkness. Let us not, therefore, sleep as others do, but remain alert and sober.

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Sunday, 19 November 2023 : Thirty-Third Sunday of Ordinary Time, World Day of the Poor (Psalm)

Liturgical Colour : Green

Psalm 127 : 1-2, 3, 4-5

Blessed are you who fear YHVH and walk in His ways. You will eat the fruit of your toil; you will be blessed and favoured.

Your wife, like a vine, will bear fruits in your home; your children, like olive shoots, will stand around your table.

Such are the blessings bestowed upon the man who fears YHVH. May YHVH praise you from Zion. May you see Jerusalem prosperous all the days of your life.

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Sunday, 19 November 2023 : Thirty-Third Sunday of Ordinary Time, World Day of the Poor (First Reading)

Liturgical Colour : Green

Proverbs 31 : 10-13, 19-20, 30-31

The woman of character, where is she to be found? She is more precious than any jewel. Her husband has complete confidence in her; she will be of great benefit to him. She brings him only good and not evil, all the days of her life. She has obtained wool and flax, and works them with skilful hands.

She puts her hand to the distaff and her fingers hold the spindle. She reaches out her hand to the helpless and gives to the poor. Charm is deceptive and beauty useless; the woman who is wise is the one to praise. May she enjoy the fruits of her labour and may all praise her for her works.

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Saturday, 18 November 2023 : 32nd Week of Ordinary Time, Memorial of the Dedication of the Basilicas of St. Peter and St. Paul (Homily and Scripture Reflections)

Liturgical Colour : Green or White (Dedication of the Basilicas of St. Peter and St. Paul or Saturday Mass of Our Lady)

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, today the Church celebrates the great Feast of the Dedication of not just one but two of the great Papal Major Basilicas in Rome, namely that of the Basilica of St. Peter and the Basilica of St. Paul Outside the Walls. Both of these Basilicas are two of the four Papal Major Basilicas, ranking just below the most important and Mother of all the Churches, the Archbasilica of St. John Lateran, or the Lateran Basilica, which Dedication we had just celebrated earlier last week. While the Lateran Basilica was dedicated firstly to the Lord Himself, the Most Holy Saviour, both of these great Basilicas were dedicated after the two great patrons of the Church especially in Rome, namely that of St. Peter the Apostle, the first Pope and Vicar of Christ as the Bishop of Rome, and St. Paul the Apostle, the Apostle to the Gentiles.

The Basilica of St. Peter in the Vatican is the second most important church in all of Christendom, and because it is located at the Vatican City, over which the Pope is the Head of State and Sovereign, it is the place where most of the Pope’s liturgical celebrations and other major Church celebrations are celebrated, and is arguably the most well known of all the churches of all Christendom. Meanwhile, the Basilica of St. Paul Outside the Walls, or San Paulo Fuori le Mura is named as such because it is located just outside the ancient walls of Rome, and was the place where St. Paul the Apostle himself stayed during his time in Rome before he was martyred, in his final missionary journey. Both of these churches were ancient, and while the current Basilica of St. Peter was rebuilt about five centuries ago, but the original building and site dated back from the early days of the Church, together with the other Papal Major Basilica, the Basilica of St. Mary Major, Santa Maria Maggiore.

Both St. Peter and St. Paul are the Patron saints of Rome because they were first of all both martyred in Rome during their respective ministries and works. St. Peter as the leader and chief of all the Apostles had been active in going around many places, proclaiming the Good News of God, and also establishing the foundations of the Church in those places. St. Peter himself was the first Bishop of Antioch, establishing the first Church community and leadership in the place where the faithful themselves were known as Christians for the first time, and then, later on, St. Peter would go on to Rome in his later years, establishing the Church community there, together with St. Paul and other missionaries who had gone there to proclaim the word of God and His truth. Rome back then was the heart and capital of the Roman Empire, and hence, was pretty much the centre of the world then.

Meanwhile, St. Paul was a great missionary who dedicated himself to proclaim God’s words and salvation to many people all throughout the Mediterranean region, and for his commitment and service in proclaiming the Lord to the many non-Jewish people, also known as the Gentiles, he was thus known as the Apostle to the Gentiles. Most of the Epistles or letters that are contained within the New Testament were also written by him, and through all these efforts and works, he has brought the knowledge of God and His salvation to countless people, who have thus embraced the Lord and became Christians, committing themselves to the Lord as their Master and Saviour. Through his persistence and efforts, his endurance of many sufferings and trials, St. Paul had done so many good works for the salvation of many souls, and he is truly an inspiration to all of us.

Then, how did each one of them met their end in their martyrdom? According to Apostolic traditions and Church history, St. Peter the Apostle was persecuted in the terrible persecution of Christians during the end of the reign of the Roman Emperor Nero. St. Paul the Apostle was similarly persecuted under Emperor Nero as well, but was likely martyred earlier than St. Peter, in the Year of Our Lord 64, in that year when the Great Fire of Rome happened. Now historical evidences showed that the fire was likely initiated by the Emperor himself, or attributed to other natural sources, but back then, the fire was blamed on the local Christian community, which became a scapegoat for the Emperor and the Romans, for them to carry out the first of the many intense persecutions against Christians. St. Paul was beheaded by an axe during that persecution, while St. Peter was arrested later on, and then was crucified at the site where the Basilica of St. Peter stands now. He chose to be crucified upside down, in a humble gesture of acknowledging that he was unworthy to die in the same manner as his Lord and Saviour.

Now, brothers and sisters in Christ, having gone through the lives and actions of both St. Peter and St. Paul, Holy Apostles, in whom the two great Basilicas were dedicated to, let us all hence now reflect on ourselves and our own way of life. How have we lived our lives as Christians in these lives and opportunities that God had given us? Have we been obedient and faithful to Him in the manner that the Apostles St. Peter and St. Paul, as well as the innumerable saints and martyrs, holy men and women of God had done? Have we followed the Lord wholeheartedly in all things and have we committed ourselves truly to His Law and commandments? Or have we instead allowed the temptations, evils and vices of this world to mislead us down the wrong path, in bringing us to disobedience and rebellion against God?

Let us all also reflect and ponder on the fact that each and every one of us are also truly the Temples of the Lord’s Holy Presence, where He dwells, just as the Basilicas are truly great Houses of God, the House of the Lord’s Holy and Real Presence. We ourselves have received the Lord Himself, in the flesh, through the Eucharist, of His Real Presence in His Most Precious Body and Blood, as well as through the Holy Spirit that the Lord has imparted upon us, and dwelled in us. Hence, just as in the dedication of churches, and the Dedication of the great Basilicas of St. Peter and St. Paul, the edifices and places have been set aside, sanctified and made worthy of God’s Holy Presence, thus, we should also do the same with our own lives, our own bodies, hearts, minds and souls. Essentially, our whole being, in which God dwells in, should be truly holy and worthy of God.

Brothers and sisters in Christ, let us all therefore reflect and remember upon the lives and works of the great Apostles St. Peter and St. Paul, and as we rejoice in the memory of the Dedication of the great Basilicas dedicated to their name and memories in Rome, let us all also commit ourselves anew to the Lord in faith. Let us all strive to be good, holy and worthy in everything that we say and do, so that we may indeed be truly worthy of God, Who dwells in us and in our midst. May the Lord continue to help and encourage us, and strengthen us with the power and the will to live our live worthily as Christians, at all times. May He bless us all and encourage our every good efforts and deeds, for His greater glory. Amen.

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Saturday, 18 November 2023 : 32nd Week of Ordinary Time, Memorial of the Dedication of the Basilicas of St. Peter and St. Paul (Gospel Reading)

Liturgical Colour : Green or White (Dedication of the Basilicas of St. Peter and St. Paul or Saturday Mass of Our Lady)

Luke 18 : 1-8

At that time, Jesus told them a parable, to show them that they should pray continually, and not lose heart. He said, “In a certain town there was a judge, who neither feared God nor people. In the same town there was a widow, who kept coming to him, saying, ‘Defend my rights against my adversary!'”

“For a time he refused, but finally he thought, ‘Even though I neither fear God nor care about people, this widow bothers me so much, I will see that she gets justice; then she will stop coming and wearing me out.'”

And Jesus said, “Listen to what the evil judge says. Will God not do justice for His chosen ones, who cry to Him day and night, even if He delays in answering them? I tell you, He will speedily do them justice. But, when the Son of Man comes, will He find faith on earth?”

Alternative reading (Mass for the Dedication of the Basilicas of St. Peter and St. Paul)

Matthew 14 : 22-33

At that time, immediately, Jesus obliged His disciples to get into the boat and go ahead of Him to the other side, while He sent the crowd away. And having sent the people away, He went up the mountain by Himself, to pray. At nightfall, He was there alone. Meanwhile, the boat was very far from land, dangerously rocked by the waves, for the wind was against it.

At daybreak, Jesus came to them, walking on the sea. When they saw Him walking on the sea, they were terrified, thinking that it was a ghost. And they cried out in fear. But at once, Jesus said to them, “Courage! Do not be afraid. It is Me!” Peter answered, “Lord, if it is You, command me to come to You on the water.”

Jesus said to him, “Come!” And Peter got out of the boat, and walked on the water to go to Jesus. But seeing the strong wind, he was afraid, and began to sink; and he cried out, “Lord, save me!” Jesus immediately stretched out His hand and took hold of him, saying, “Man of little faith, why did you doubt?”

As they got into the boat, the wind dropped. Then those in the boat bowed down before Jesus, saying, “Truly, You are the Son of God!”