Ordinary Time season

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Monday, 13 November 2023 : 32nd Week of Ordinary Time (Psalm)

Liturgical Colour : Green

Psalm 138 : 1-3, 4-6, 7-8, 9-10

O YHVH, You know me : You have scrutinised me. You know when I sit and when I rise; beforehand, You discern my thoughts. You observe my activities and times of rest; You are familiar with all my ways.

Before a word is formed in my mouth, You know what it is all about, o YHVH. From front to back You hedge me round, shielding me with Your protecting hand. Your knowledge leaves me astounded, it is too high for me to reach.

Where else could I go from Your Spirit? Where could I flee from Your presence? You are there, if I ascend the heavens; You are there, if I descend to the depths.

If I ride on the wings of the dawn, and settle on the far side of the sea, even there, Your hand shall guide me, and Your right hand shall hold me safely.

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Monday, 13 November 2023 : 32nd Week of Ordinary Time (First Reading)

Liturgical Colour : Green

Wisdom 1 : 1-7

Love justice, you who rule over the world! Think rightly of God, seek Him with simplicity of heart, for He reveals Himself to those who do not challenge Him and is found by those who do not distrust Him. Crooked thinking distances you from God; and His Omnipotence, put to the test, confounds the foolish.

Wisdom does not enter the wicked nor remain in a body that is enslaved to sin. The Holy Spirit Who instructs us shuns deceit; it keeps aloof from foolishness and is ill at ease when injustice is done. Wisdom is a spirit, a friend to man, and will not leave the blasphemous unpunished, because God knows his innermost feelings, truly sees his thoughts and hears what he says.

For God’s Spirit has filled the whole world; and He Who holds together all things, knows each word that is spoken.

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Sunday, 12 November 2023 : Thirty-Second Sunday of Ordinary Time (Homily and Scripture Reflections)

Liturgical Colour : Green

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, this Sunday all of us are reminded of God’s Wisdom that has been given and shared with all of us, God’s beloved people, which He has imparted upon all of us, who live in this world. Through His beloved Son, Our Lord and Savior Jeus Christ, the Wisdom of God has come upon all of us, dwelling in us, through the words of His revelation, the Word of God Himself in the flesh, and then also through the sending and the imparting of the Holy Spirit, coming down upon us from the Father Himself, through the Son, and thus, the Wisdom of God and the Holy Spirit came upon us all. And why we all focus our attention on the matter of Wisdom and knowledge of God? That is because as we approach towards the end of this current liturgical year, we are all reminded that while the cycle of time continues unabated, the time will come indeed when everything comes to an end in a reckoning, when we shall come to account for our lives and actions before God.

In our first reading today, we heard from the Book of Wisdom, the explanation and revelation of Divine Wisdom, of what is the nature of the Wisdom of God and how the Wisdom of God comes upon this world, seeking those who are worthy and willing to embrace it. There are those who seek for the Wisdom of God, but at the same time, there are also many of those who have desired and sought for other forms of alternative ‘wisdom’ instead. They sought for the wisdom of the world, the ways and the customs of this world familiar to us. However, this ‘wisdom’ of the world, all of the corrupt ways of worldliness, all these do not lead to true satisfaction and fulfilment, and yet, we are all still easily tempted and persuaded by their allures and distractions, which ended up causing us to falter and fall away from the path of righteousness and truth. The Wisdom of God has been given to us, and yet, in our folly, we allow ourselves to be swayed by the temptations to sin instead.

Then, in our second reading today, we heard from the Epistle of St. Paul the Apostle to the Thessalonians, in which the Apostle exhorted the faithful people of God and the Church in Thessalonica regarding the matter of what woul happen at the end of time, when God will come and make everything right and perfect once again. St. Paul was comforting the faithful there of the assurance of the life that is to come, the eternal life which the Lord Jesus Himself has promised to all of us through His coming and revelation. This is one of the core tenets and teachings of the Christian faith, which the Lord and His disciples, the Christian missionaries have proclaimed, as the Good News to all. This is the promise of the life and existence after death, and that death is not the end of everything, or of our existence, because our time and existence in this world is one that is just temporary, and eventually, all of us should remember that we are destined and bound for Heaven, to be once again with God.

And through that assurance which St. Paul mentioned to the faithful in Thessalonica, we are all reminded that our labours and efforts in this world will not go to waste. For all those who are faithful to God and have been keeping true to His Covenant and providence, God will not abandon them and will always be with them. And while they might suffer and endure trials and tribulations in this world, and face death, but death will have no hold and power over us, because the Lord Himself has come into our midst, bearing upon Himself the punishment for our sins and purchased by the power of His own Most Precious Blood, the price for our redemption and liberation from the dominion and tyranny of sin. Hence, that is why when we die, while our physical bodies go to sleep, our souls will not perish but will go either to the Lord’s Presence, or to the preparation in Purgatory, except for all those who have rejected God, the ones who have been condemned by their sins.

In our Gospel passage today, we then heard of the parable which the Lord Jesus told to His disciples and followers, the parable of the five wise women and the five foolish women. In that parable, the five wise women or bridemaids were fully prepared for the event that they attended, as they were supposed to welcome the bridegroom to the wedding banquet, which happened at night time and they were the ones to bear the lanterns to brighten the place and the festive occasion. They brought extra oil with them so that if the bridegroom were to be delayed, they still had enough oil for their lamps. Meanwhile, the five foolish women, as we heard, did not bring any extra oil with them, and they ran out of oil soon after the bridegroom was delayed. Thus, as the parable mentioned, the five foolish women failed to obtain the oil in time, and they only arrived back after the festivities have started, and thus, were excluded from the banquet.

The meaning of this parable is indeed very clear, and tied with whatever we have discussed earlier regarding the Wisdom of God and the matter of the afterlife, we are all reminded that we have to be ever vigilant and ready, and to entrust ourselves unto the Wisdom of God, in following His path and having faith in His providence. We should always keep in mind that everything which we say and do, and even whatever it is that we have not done and failed to do, when it has been within our power and calling as Christians to do so, all these will be asked of us, and they shall weigh either for us or against us on the day of the Last Judgement. Now, the question is, if we are going to trust in the Wisdom of God, entrusting ourselves in what the Lord has taught and shown us, or whether we are going to trust in worldly wisdom and paths instead.

Each one of us living in this world today have been given the great opportunity to make best use of our lives, and to do what the Lord has told and taught us to do. The choice is really ours to make, as God has given us all the freedom to choose what our next step in life will be. The path of the world may seem to be easier and more logical or more comfortable for us, since after all this is what we normally are accustomed to having in our lives, but in the end, we must have that discerning mind and the wisdom to see that the path of the Lord is the only one that will lead us all to true and everlasting happiness, joy and fulfilment. All the other paths and ways are merely distractions and temptations, which may lead us the path to our downfall if we are not careful and wise in our decisions, like those of the five foolish women. We should make good use of the time and opportunities presented to us, that we may strive to be ever always prepared in our lives, to be accountable for them to God.

May the Lord continue to help and guide us all in our journey of faith throughout our lives, and may He continue to impart His Wisdom upon each and every one of us that through His Wisdom, all of us may be better able to discern carefully our choice of path in life, and be more careful and vigilant in our choice of actions, words and deeds so that we do not end up falling into the wrong path, into the temptations to sin by disobedience against God. Let us all turn towards the Lord and focus once again upon His Wisdom, truth and love. May the Lord, in His infinite Wisdom and ever enduring love for each one of us, continue to bless us and strengthen us at all times, that we may grow ever stronger in faith and be ever more devoted and closer to Him. Amen.

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Sunday, 12 November 2023 : Thirty-Second Sunday of Ordinary Time (Gospel Reading)

Liturgical Colour : Green

Matthew 25 : 1-13

At that time, Jesus said to His disciples, “This story throws light on what will happen in the kingdom of heaven : Ten bridesmaids went out with their lamps to meet the bridegroom. Five of them were foolish, and five were sensible. The careless bridesmaids took their lamps as they were, and did not take extra oil. But those who were sensible, took flasks of oil with their lamps. As the bridegroom delayed, they all grew drowsy and fell asleep.”

“But at midnight, a cry rang out, ‘The bridegroom is here, come on and meet him!’ All the maidens woke up at once, and trimmed their lamps. Then the foolish ones said to the sensible ones, ‘Give us some oil, for our lamps are going out.’ The sensible ones answered, ‘There may not be enough for us and for you. You had better go to those who sell, and buy some for yourselves.'”

“When the bridegroom came, the foolish maidens were out buying oil, but those who were ready went with him into the wedding feast, and the doors were shut. Later the other bridesmaids arrived and called out, ‘Lord, Lord, open to us!’ But he answered, ‘Truly I do not know you.'”

“So stay awake, for you do not know the day nor the hour.”

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Sunday, 12 November 2023 : Thirty-Second Sunday of Ordinary Time (Second 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.

Alternative reading (shorter version)

1 Thessalonians 4 : 13-14

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.

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Sunday, 12 November 2023 : Thirty-Second Sunday of Ordinary Time (Psalm)

Liturgical Colour : Green

Psalm 62 : 2abc, 2d-4, 5-6, 7-8

O God, You are my God, it is You I seek; for You, my body longs and my soul thirsts.

As a dry and weary land without water. Thus have I gazed upon You in the Sanctuary, to see Your power and Your glory. Your love is better than life, my lips will glorify You.

I will praise You as long as I live, lift up my hands and call on Your Name. As with the richest food, my soul will feast; my mouth will praise You with joyful lips.

When I remember You on my bed, I think of You all through the night, for You have been my help; I sing in the shadow of Your wings.

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Sunday, 12 November 2023 : Thirty-Second Sunday of Ordinary Time (First Reading)

Liturgical Colour : Green

Wisdom 6 : 12-16

Wisdom is luminous and never tarnished; she willingly lets herself be seen by those who love her, and known by those who look for her. She hastens to meet those who long for her. Seek her in the morning and you will not be disappointed; you will find her sitting at your door.

To meditate on Wisdom is understanding fully grown; whoever is on the watch for her will be free of anxiety. She goes in search of those who are worthy of her, graciously meets them on the way and is present in their every thought.

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Saturday, 11 November 2023 : 31st Week of Ordinary Time, Memorial of St. Martin of Tours, Bishop (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 that each and every one of us as Christians must always be filled with commitment and true devotion and love for the Lord, our God. We must not be easily swayed, tempted and led astray by the falsehoods and the temptations of the evil ones, all those who have desired and wanted for our destruction and doom. There are always challenges, trials and temptations facing us on our way, and we must always remain strong, remembering and reminding ourselves that there are many of our fellow brothers and sisters around us, all of us, believers in Christ, who have also been facing challenges, trials and difficulties at all times for God’s sake.

In our first reading today, we heard from the Epistle of St. Paul to the Romans, of the Apostle highlighting and introducing everyone who had been working and ministering to the people of God with him, and this shows us how following the Lord is truly one of a collective effort, and our faith is not merely just a personal one between each one of us and God, but rather, we are all part of a community of believers, living and vibrantly growing in faith together in God. All of us as Christians are part of the same Church, the same united Body of Christ, and we are all called to holiness together in God, sharing in the same truth and Good News of God, receiving the fullness of His love and grace together as a community of believers.

Then, in our Gospel passage, we heard of the continuation of the story yesterday in which the Lord spoke using the parable of the dishonest steward to His disciples and followers. In that parable, the Lord mentioned about a steward who had been dishonest and wicked in his actions, in amassing wealth and money for himself, and hence, this steward was dismissed from his work, only for him to carry out more dishonesty and fraud in order to safeguard himself, and to ensure that he had a means of living, by tricking his master of the debts that his debtors were owing him. The master in that parable praised the dishonest steward, not for his wicked deeds and dishonesty, but rather for his astuteness and for the efforts he made in securing a future for himself.

Thus, in our Gospel passage today, we heard of the continuation of this discourse, in which the Lord explained to all of the people listening to Him the meaning of the parable and its significance. He told them all that ultimately, we must not allow ourselves to be swayed by the temptations of money, wealth and worldly possessions. All those things will likely pull us away from the path of God and His salvation. The Lord Jesus also said it plainly that one cannot be servant of both God and money, as in the end, one will grow more in love with one of them, and despise the other. This is why, the actions of the dishonest steward was highlighted in reminding everyone that the love for money and worldly possessions is bound to lead one to do what is evil and wicked in the sight of God.

And at the same time, the Lord wants everyone to take note that we all should always be ready and be prepared for what is to come for us, and therefore, we have to be astute and mindful, of everything that we do in life, so that we do not end up doing what is wicked, unworthy and sinful before God. Instead, we are all called to live our lives ever more worthily, dedicating ourselves in each and every moments, in the path that God has shown and taught us all, in doing His will, obeying His Law and commandments. All of us have been given the opportunities, the gifts and blessings, the graces in this life to do what we can, in walking down the path of righteousness, or we can choose to disobey Him and walk down the path of evil instead. The choice is truly ours to make.

Today, the Church celebrates the feast of a great saint of God, a great and dedicated servant of God whose righteous deeds and works, outstanding and exemplary life can become great examples and inspirations for us all to follow in how we live our own lives with faith in God. St. Martin of Tours was a soldier turned man of God, who was renowned for his commitment and faith in God, his virtuous life and actions, from even before he gave everything to the Lord. St. Martin of Tours was once a soldier in the Roman army during the late period of the Roman Empire, and it was told that he was called by God during his time as soldier, and one of that unique experiences is when he encountered the Lord Himself disguised as an old man in a blizzard.

At that time, according to the story, St. Martin of Tours was travelling on horseback in his centurion’s armour, and he encountered an old man in the midst of a blizzard or cold weather, who was naked and had nothing to protect him against the cold. It was there and then that St. Martin of Tours cut half of his cloak with his own sword, and then used that half of the cloak to cover the old man’s body. Later on, as he was sleeping, St. Martin of Tours encountered a vision of the Lord appearing to him, and revealing to him that the old man was after all, the Lord Himself in disguise. Through this experience and others, St. Martin of Tours eventually left his life as an army centurion behind, and thereafter, he dedicated himself to God, following the teachings and examples of another great saint, St. Hilary of Poitiers.

Eventually, he became a hermit and preacher, committing himself to preach the word of God and to evangelise to the people, in which many people were convinced and became believers in Christ. Later on, he was chosen by acclamation by the people to become the Bishop of Tours, in which capacity, St. Martin continued to do his best in caring for the needs of the flock entrusted to him. He cared for their spiritual needs and served them well, and established good administration and missionary works in his Diocese, while protecting his flock from the effects of various heresies and falsehoods running rampant at that time. Right up to the end of his life, St. Martin of Tours dedicated himself completely to God and to the people whom He had been entrusted with, truly a great example and role model for us.

May the Lord continue to strengthen us in our faith and give us the courage and the power to endure the many challenges and trials present all around us, that hopefully we will continue to live righteously and worthily in the path that God has shown and taught us, and following in the examples of the holy saints and martyrs, particularly that of St. Martin of Tours, whose feast we celebrate and whose memory we venerate and remember today. May the Lord bless us all in our every good deeds, efforts and endeavours, now and always, forevermore. Amen.

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Saturday, 11 November 2023 : 31st Week of Ordinary Time, Memorial of St. Martin of Tours, Bishop (Gospel Reading)

Liturgical Colour : White

Luke 16 : 9-15

At that time, Jesus said to the people, “And so I tell you : use filthy money to make friends for yourselves, so that, when it fails, these people may welcome you into the eternal homes.”

“Whoever can be trusted in little things can also be trusted in great ones; whoever is dishonest in slight matters will also be dishonest in greater ones. So if you have been dishonest in handling filthy money, who would entrust you with true wealth? And if you have been dishonest with things that are not really yours, who will give you that wealth which is truly your own?”

“No servant can serve two masters. Either he does not like the one and is fond of the other, or he regards one highly and the other with contempt. You cannot give yourself both to God and to Money.”

The Pharisees, who loved money, heard all this and sneered at Jesus. He said to them, “You do your best to be considered righteous by people. But God knows the heart, and what is highly esteemed by human beings is loathed by God.”

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Saturday, 11 November 2023 : 31st Week of Ordinary Time, Memorial of St. Martin of Tours, Bishop (Psalm)

Liturgical Colour : White

Psalm 144 : 2-3, 4-5, 10-11

I will praise You, day after day; and exalt Your Name forever. Great is YHVH, most worthy of praise; and His deeds are beyond measure.

Parents commend Your works to their children and tell them Your feats. They proclaim the splendour of Your majesty and recall Your wondrous works.

All Your works will give You thanks; all Your saints, o YHVH, will praise You. They will tell of the glory of Your kingdom; and speak of Your power.