preaching the faith

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Wednesday, 16 May 2018 : 7th Week of Easter (Homily and Scripture Reflections)

Liturgical Colour : White

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, on this day we listened to the words of the Scripture telling us again of the moment when St. Paul said his farewell to the elders of the Church in Ephesus, during his journey towards Jerusalem, which would see him embarking on his last mission in his life. He would later on travel to the city of Rome to be judged by the Emperor, and as part of the persecution of Christians in that city, he was martyred by beheading in the year 64 AD.

But despite this fate awaiting him, St. Paul remained positive in his outlook on life, and rather than getting himself scared or worried, he reassured not just himself but also those who were with him, with words of consolation and hope, telling them that God would always be with them and protecting them, as long as they place their trust in Him. However, they must also beware of the challengers and difficulties they would face because they were faithful.

St. Paul reminded the elders to be watchful over their flock, entrusted to them the work and the guardianship over the people of God. They were warned of the challenges and dangers facing the faithful, which included that of false shepherds and guides who would seek to subvert the truth and turn the faithful against God and His truth. Indeed, in times to come, there were many false teachers and heretics attempting to snatch the faithful away from God and His Church.

Brothers and sisters in Christ, the Lord Jesus also gave His disciples the same warning, that the world would hate them all just as they had hated Him first. That was what the Lord Jesus mentioned in His prayer to His Father, our Gospel passage today. But the Lord reassured us that He would always be with us, and He will never abandon all those who have placed their trust in Him.

Now, what each and every one of us as Christians need to understand is that, all of us are called to a life of holiness, dedicated and committed to God. But carrying out such a life and living such a faith is not going to be an easy task for us. There will be plenty of challenges along the way, and often we will also be tempted to give in to the temptations of this world. There will be pressure and persuasions, even from those who are close and dear to us, to give in to the demands of this world.

This is where we all need to remember St. Paul and all that he had done throughout his ministry among the people of mostly non-Jewish origin, calling them all to repentance and to be converted to the one and only true faith in God. He encountered many opposition and troubles along the way, and even those who were close and dear to him abandoned him at times. But St. Paul remained strong in his faith and dedication to the Lord.

Now, what many of us lack, is faith, faith that is genuine and strong in us. We are often unable to resist temptation and pressure, and as a result, we tend to conform to the desires and ways of this world, rather than to stand up for our faith and rather than obeying God’s will. We often find ourselves giving in to these temptations and pressures because we easily fall prey to fear, worrying and being afraid of this and that. As such, we end up falling away from the path that God had set before us.

Brothers and sisters in Christ, now, our challenge is for us to learn to put our trust in God, and to live our lives more worthily of our God. How do we do this? It is through our commitment to charity in all of our actions and deeds. We ought to follow the example of the saints and the holy servants of God who have preceded us, that we may live our lives with ever more faith, with ever more trust in God, day after day.

Let us all draw ever closer to God, with each and every action we take. May the Lord continue to bless us and guide us. May He bless us all and our every endeavours, that through what we have done, we will bring ever more souls closer towards God. Amen.

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Tuesday, 15 May 2018 : 7th Week of Easter (Homily and Scripture Reflections)

Liturgical Colour : White

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, on this day, we heard about the story of two people who were saying their farewells to those who were with them, at the end of their respective ministries. The first one, from the Acts of the Apostles, related to us about the moment when St. Peter said his farewell to the elders and the faithful in the city of Ephesus in present day Turkey.

In that occasion, St. Paul through the wisdom and foresight given to him by the Holy Spirit, had known that the time was coming for him to meet his end, as he was about to face persecution from the Jewish authorities, and would have his last Apostolic journey, to the centre of the Empire, the city of Rome, where he would perform his last mission and would encounter martyrdom there.

However, despite knowing what would happen to him, and how he would suffer and be persecuted, St. Paul did not fear or become worrisome. Instead, he entrusted himself in the Lord, and spoke encouragingly to the elders of the faithful in Ephesus, by which he reminded them of the need to be faithful to the Lord, and to put their hope and trust in God Who will not abandon His faithful ones in their time of need.

St. Paul imitated the example of the Lord Jesus Himself, Who in the Gospel passage we heard today, prayed to God His Father, asking Him to be with His disciples, that is with all those whom He had called and gathered from the world. He prayed over them, that they would receive the fullness of truth which would bring them to eternal life. He entrusted all of them to God, and therefore, they belong to God, through Jesus.

Jesus showed all of His disciples, that the Lord will always be with them, and He will never abandon them, no matter how challenging the troubles and opposition that would be facing them. And the ultimate proof of that assurance, is Christ Himself, Whom the Father sent into this world, because of His love for each and every one of us. He is always ever faithful, and His words reliable.

Why is that so? Let us remember that in order to save us, God did not spare anything less than giving His own self, His own Begotten Son, Jesus Christ, to be our Saviour. And He loved us so much, and is so faithful to the Covenant that He had established with us, that He was obedient unto death, the most painful and sorrowful death on the cross. That is just how much God loved each and every one of us.

How can we, as Christians, then not be in love with God? How can we not trust in Him? But the reality says otherwise, brothers and sisters in Christ. Many of us are so worried about this life and all the things we covet and desire, for wealth, for prestige, for honour, for worldly glory and human praise, for pleasures of the flesh and body, and for many other things of worldly nature, that we do not trust in God, Who truly knows what we really need.

Instead, we ended up putting our trust in many things that distract us from our true focus, that is God. We idolise many things that become distraction for us, as some of us idolise money, and put it as more important than everything else in our life, including even God. Some of us will do everything in order to gain fame and prestige, regardless of the futility of such pursuits.

Brothers and sisters in Christ, today all of us as Christians are called to remember the memory of St. Paul, his faith and dedication to the good works which he performed for the Lord and for His Church. And we recall the great trust and faith which he had in the Lord, without which he could not have done all the things he had done, all the missionary works he had undertaken and more.

And we remember the great trust and love which Our Lord Jesus Himself had shown us, in His close relationship with His Father. All of us are called to imitate these good examples, and indeed, we should begin from ourselves, at this very moment, if we have not done so. Brothers and sisters in Christ, let us all devote ourselves anew to the Lord, and let us all seek to be ever more committed and faithful to God, each and every days of our life. May God be with us all, now and always. Amen.

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Monday, 14 May 2018 : Feast of St. Matthias, Apostle (Homily and Scripture Reflections)

Liturgical Colour : Red

Brothers and sisters in Christ, on this day we celebrate the feast of one of the Twelve holy Apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ. He is St. Matthias the Apostle, the one who was chosen out of the original disciples of the Lord Jesus who followed Him from the beginning, in order to replace Judas Iscariot, the traitor. St. Matthias was chosen after the Apostles prayed to the Lord asking for His guidance in the decision-making.

Judas Iscariot was called to be an Apostle, but he failed in the process of doing so, as he was unable to resist the temptation of worldly riches and wealth, that he ended up selling off his Lord for just a mere thirty pieces of silver, the price of a slave at that time. And not just that, but as mentioned in the Gospels, Judas Iscariot also frequently helped himself to the money which he held, supposedly for the expenses of the Apostles, meaning that he was corrupt in action and mind.

And therefore, as he was unworthy, and refused to be forgiven, by his despair and suicide after having betrayed the Lord, his place among the Twelve Apostles was vacated, and replaced with someone else more deserving and worthy, and God chose St. Matthias to be this replacement. And hence, St. Matthias from then on became a member of the Twelve Apostles, the principal disciples of Christ.

However, we may think that such a position and appointment brought about great honour and glory for the Apostles. Indeed, that was what the Apostles themselves thought, when they were first called by the Lord. They bickered among themselves, wondering who among them was the greatest, and indeed, asking the Lord who would be the one greatest in the kingdom of heaven.

And in one occasion, the mother of two of the Twelve, St. James and St. John, came to the Lord Jesus and asked Him to grant her children special favour and position before the Lord. However, the Lord rebuked her and the two Apostles, as well as the other Apostles who were angered by the actions of the two and their mother, because of their pursuit for power, influence and worldly glory.

This then highlights the truth and reality of being Christ’s followers, and foremost of all, His Twelve Apostles, whom He had chosen from among His many disciples to be His closest confidants. They might have come from various backgrounds, from backgrounds some at the time, and even in our present day may consider to be unworthy, as many of them were uneducated and unintelligent, but God chose those whom He deemed to be deserving and worthy.

He empowered them and gave them the strength and courage, through the Holy Spirit He sent to them. He made them to be His great servants, through which many souls have been saved from certain damnation. Many had been called by the Lord through His Apostles, led by the Twelve, including St. Matthias. However, they also encountered great challenges and tribulations. They suffered for the sake of God and His Church, and yet they remained true to their mission.

And the mission which God had given to them has been laid out in today’s Gospel passage, where the Lord spoke to them about the commandment of love. They are told to reflect and imitate the same love that He has with His Father, and this is what He truly wants all of His followers to do, the two important commandments of love, that is loving God and then loving one another, and doing it with all of our ability and strength.

And all of us therefore, as Christians, are called to show the same love in our actions and in how we live our lives. We must first of all, love the Lord our God, and devote ourselves wholeheartedly to Him, regardless of whether things are good or bad for, whether in happy times or difficult and sad times. This may be easier said than done, as many of us can say that we love God, and yet, in our actions, we are always tempted to serve our own desires and wants first, and we relegate God to a secondary importance in our lives.

Brothers and sisters in Christ, St. Matthias and the other Apostles showed great dedication and love for God. They had such great such faith and love for God, that when the situation called for it, they did not hesitate to lay down their lives for Him, when they were persuaded, then coerced, forced and tortured in order to give up their faith and save themselves. They rather chose death instead of life, but betraying their Lord.

And they showed this same love to one another, to each and every members of the Church of God. They showed God’s love through their own loving actions, being genuinely caring and compassionate, towards those who are in need, exhibiting the true meaning behind Christian love and fellowship. Through them many people came to believe in the Lord, as they saw what these faithful servants of God had done in their midst.

Now, brothers and sisters in Christ, are we able to do the same with our own lives? Are we able to love the Lord our God, and our fellow brethren in the same way? This is what each and every one of us are challenged as Christians, that we should emulate the examples shown to us by the Apostles. Let us all therefore devote ourselves, wholeheartedly and commit ourselves anew to the Lord. May the Lord be with us all, and through the intercession of St. Matthias and the Apostles, may we draw ever closer to God, each and every day of our lives. Amen.

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Sunday, 13 May 2018 : Seventh Sunday of Easter, World Social Communications Sunday and Memorial of Our Lady of Fatima (Homily and Scripture Reflections)

Liturgical Colour : White

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, on this day, we celebrate the seventh Sunday in the season of Easter. Therefore, in just one week’s time we will come to the celebration of the Solemnity of the Pentecost, and mark the end of this holy season of Easter. I hope that for all of us Christians, each and every one of us have made good use of this particularly blessed season to deepen our faith in God.

On this Seventh Sunday of Easter, the Church also commemorate the occasion of the World Communications Sunday. On this occasion, we remember the important command that the Lord gave to all of us, His disciples and followers, that we are to go forth to the peoples of all the nations, testifying our faith and belief in the Lord, Who has come upon this world to save us, by His death on the cross and by His resurrection.

And in order to be able to do that, of course, each one of us as Christians must know how to communicate. Then, many of us surely wonder, ‘Ah, but I know how to talk well!’ or ‘Ah, it is not a problem for me at all, for I am a good speaker and I can persuade people very well!’. Yet, do we actually know what communication is truly about, brothers and sisters in Christ? Is it all about talking and how well we can speak and talk to others?

No, that is not all, brothers and sisters. Good communicators are also good listeners, just as they are good speakers. And they are also usually good thinkers and contemplators. One cannot communicate properly, if one just speak right off from his or her mouth, without first thinking about it or contemplating what he or she is about to say. Otherwise, very easily the person could have gotten into trouble for what he or she had said, as those words had not been carefully thought of.

And if someone is quick to talk, and yet also refuse to listen, then he or she is also not a good communicator. That is because we will then find ourselves in a situation where we will end up misunderstand the intentions of each other. We will also not be able to communicate well, as if each side of the people in communication insist that they be heard first, and refuse to listen to the other person’s opinion, very quickly it will end up in a struggle and even conflict.

Unfortunately, that is who we often are, and that is how we also often act, and that was how wars have been started, conflicts and destruction of human lives, just because we failed to communicate well. People misunderstood each other’s intentions from time to time, and unless we make the effort to learn from our past mistakes, the same problems and mistakes are likely to arise again and again.

Then, brothers and sisters in Christ, do we realise that there are many ways we can communicate, more than just by words? Verbal speeches and words are just one way through which we are able to communicate with another person. There are many other ways through which we can convey what we want another person to know, that is through gestures and actions. Unfortunately, the same can also be said of our actions that are in fact contrary to what we are saying.

What do I mean by saying that, brethren? It means that as Christians, just as I have mentioned earlier that we are all called by God to be His witnesses to all the nations, to all the peoples, we cannot just depend on our words alone. It is often that actions carry much greater weight than words, and it is such that words that are not backed by concrete actions are often considered empty and meaningless.

And unfortunately, in our actions and in how we carry out our lives, we often did not do as what our faith said that we should do in our lives. Just as St. John in his Epistle, our second reading today said to the faithful, we are all called to love God and love one another, with all of our hearts, and with all of our efforts. And yet, how many of us actually truly love God with all of our hearts? How many of us actually prioritises God over all the other things we have in life?

The reality is that for many of us Christians, we tend to put God aside in our lives, as we are often too busy and too caught up in our worldly dealings and matters, to the point that we forget about God, and we only remember Him, if we even remember Him, in times when we are in need of His help. And when things start to go better once again for us, we forget to thank Him and we continue in our usual busy lifestyle and push Him aside once again.

And how about our love for our fellow men? Many of us Christians profess to be members of God’s Church, and yet, in our actions and interactions with one another, many of us do things that are anything but showing love for each other. How many of us, in our respective parishes and communities, often fall into the tendency and the bad habit of gossiping against each other, against fellow laity, and even against the priests? And even amongst the priests, sometimes we also see division and unpleasantness between each other.

Now, let me ask you all a question, brothers and sisters in Christ. If we want to communicate to those whom we intend to preach the message of the Good News of God, how can we then, in our own respective lives and actions, do things that are contrary to what we preach and what we believe? How can people believe in us, if we ourselves do not do as we say, and if we do not show that we truly believe in our faith, through action?

If we have done all these, then we are no better than the Pharisees and the teachers of the Law. They were hypocrites, just as we are. The Lord Jesus Himself said to the people, ‘Listen to the Pharisees and the teachers of the Law, but do not imitate them in what they were doing’. Through this, the Lord rebuked those who claim to believe, and yet, their actions show completely different fact altogether.

And why did all these things happen to us, brothers and sisters in Christ? It is because we are not a good communicator, and we need to learn to be good communicators. We are often people who are easy to talk and give words out of our mouths, but we find it hard to act in the same manner, because we do not truly mean what we say, and we often do not think and discern before we say something.

This is where, we need to reflect on what we have just heard in our Gospel passage today, which is the prayer which Our Lord Jesus made, and addressed to His Father in heaven, for the sake of all of His disciples. He prayed for them to His Father, that He would keep them safe and protect them, and guide them, and make them to remain united as one people, as one body together, which St. John in his Epistle also elaborated further, that the love of God has dwelled in us, through His Holy Spirit.

But many of us often do not realise this, as we are often too distracted by the many things and concerns we have in this world. We do not spend enough time in prayer, and prayer is a very important part of our Christian life. The Lord Jesus often spent time in quiet places to pray to His Father, and we saw it in many occasions throughout the Gospels. He maintained a close and loving relationship with His Father, listening to Him and obeying His will.

And by that action, He has also shown us all as Christians, how we ought to devote ourselves to God through prayer. It is also important that we know how to pray in the right manner. Many of us think that our prayers have to follow a certain formula or that by saying longer and more concise prayers, our prayers will then be answered, or we can gain more from what we have prayed for.

However, it is too often that many of us are again not good communicators in this case, as we end up spending all the time talking and making our demands and desires known to the Lord, without allowing ourselves to hear the will of God, and we shut ourselves off from the word of God, speaking softly in the depths of our hearts and within our minds. We end up speaking all the time and not allowing God to speak to us. In this manner, we have failed in our communication to God.

Brothers and sisters in Christ, we have to realise that each and every one of our prayers are actually meant to be communication between us and God. And as in any proper communication, it should be two-way in nature, allowing both parties involved to speak and to listen at the appropriate time. The problem is, as mentioned, we do not listen enough, and we demand that God listen to our demands, when we do not even open our hearts and minds to listen to His will.

May the Lord therefore, allow our hearts and minds, our senses to be open to God. If we have often been distracted and swayed from the path that God has shown us, then perhaps it is time now for us to turn wholeheartedly and completely towards God, with all of our hearts and with all of our minds. Let us all develop a good and working spiritual relationship with God, that we may come to know His will for us, and He may draw us ever closer to Him, with each and every passing day.

May we grow to be good communicators, that is, with the wisdom which the Holy Spirit has given us, we may be good listeners just as we are good speakers, and through the same wisdom, may we all discern and think carefully through all the things that we want to convey and say to others, that we may say them with grace, truth and charity. May God bless us all, now and always. Amen.

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Sunday, 13 May 2018 : Solemnity of the Ascension of the Lord (Homily and Scripture Reflections)

Liturgical Colour : White

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, on this day we celebrate the great occasion of the Solemnity of the Ascension of the Lord, on which day we remember the day when the Lord Jesus ascended in glory into heaven, marking the end of His earthly ministry and work among His people, but not the end of His good works for us. He indeed ascended in Body and Spirit towards heaven, but He is still always ever present among us, for after all, He is God, ever-omnipresent.

And He has not left us all alone in this world, but rather, He promised and indeed gave us the Holy Spirit, to be our Guide and Helper in our journey of faith and in our struggle for a faithful life in God. This He sent to His Apostles and disciples at the occasion of the Pentecost, just days after He ascended into heaven. The Holy Spirit reinvigorated them and gave them great strength and courage, and while before that, they were fearful of the repercussions from the enemies of their faith, after receiving the Holy Spirit, their actions and faith were transformed.

He promised us all as well, that He will come again in His glory, as His Second Coming, when He would deal a final defeat on Satan and all of His enemies. In fact, He clearly stated to His disciples, that He ascended to the side of His Father, that He may prepare a place for all of those who have been faithful to Him. Then, in the meanwhile, He gave all of us a mission, that is the most important mission which He has entrusted to each one of us, also known as the Great Commission.

The Great Commission is the command that Christ gave to all of His disciples, to be His witnesses among all the nations, to go forth to various places and to many different groups of peoples, preaching the Good News and the truth which He Himself had revealed to the Apostles. And from the Apostles, who had witnessed for their faith in God, this same faith has been passed down to their successors and the faithful who came after them, and from them, all the way through the ages and years, right down to all of us living today.

That is how each and every one of us became Christians, which means that we become members of God’s Church. St. Paul in his Epistle to the Church and the faithful in the city of Ephesus mentioned that God has given us all various gifts, and to each different people were given different unique gifts as how God wished us to use them in our own unique ways, to serve His greater glory as part of His one Church.

What does this mean? It means that each and every one of us as members of God’s Church must make use of our talents and God-given abilities in order to serve God’s will, and to fulfil our part and our obligation as part of the Great Commission which I have just mentioned. And we will do it in our own distinct and unique way, as there is no one-size-fits-all approach in being a Christian and living a faithful and devout Christian life.

That means, each and every one of us are called to be devoted in our own way, making use of the gifts which God has given us, and serve Him in that way. To those among us whom God has called to be His servants, to surrender ourselves to His will and to give ourselves completely into His service, as priests and those living holy and devoted life consecrated to Him, God has given us all the gift of faith, and He calls upon us to answer to that call and respond to Him calling deep in our hearts.

Similarly, to those among us who are called to a life dedicated to our families, as fathers, mothers and as caretakers of our children, in holy matrimony and as part of our Christian families, we are called to live a good and faithful Christian life, through which we show our deep love for God, for our families and our fellow men, and by the appreciation of the love God has shown us, we too may show the same love in our own actions and dealings with each other.

Unfortunately, as surely we all know quite well, many of us have not been able to commit ourselves in our respective tasks and callings, and in fact, many of us have wandered off from God’s path, failing to obey what God had commanded us to do, and instead of listening to His will, we prefer to follow our own desires, our own considerations and thoughts of what we think is better for us.

That is why so many of us are lukewarm in our faith, and we do not realise just how we can contribute as true Christians and members of the Church. We carry on with our lives, thinking that as long as we are Christians in name and have been baptised, then everything will be fine with us without the need for us to do any more for the Lord and His Church. But this is exactly why today, we have so many Christians who are truly most un-Christian like in their actions and in their lives!

There are many among us as mentioned, whom God had called to the priesthood and other vocations dedicated to the service of God and His people, but many were too busy with their lives to respond, or that they were tempted easily by many things in this world, and therefore, failed to realise what it is that they need to do with their lives, in order to be better Christians and more faithful to God’s will for them.

And many among the laity have also not supported wholeheartedly the good works of the Church, thinking that the priests and those who serve God are all those who suppose to be working for God’s sake, and not them. No, that is also a very wrong mentality, as in fact, being members of the laity, and as people who have chosen to carry on their lives with marriage and family as their vocations, should also be actively supporting the Church together, as one family and as part of one Church.

As St. Paul mentioned, that we are all part of this one Body of Christ, that is the Church. And because of this, it is important that we are united as one in our actions, in our deeds and good works, so that we help each other and support one another, in carrying out what God has commanded us to do, that is to proclaim His Good News and His truth among the nations, and no part of the Church, be it laity or the priests, can do it alone on their own.

It is worse still when we as Christians do what we should consider abominable, that is, backstabbing, gossiping and all sorts of nasty and vile actions towards each other. This is when we act in the most uncharitable way towards one another, being angry or jealous at others, and that is indeed, most un-Christian in nature. Do we realise this, and do we understand just how much in our own lives, we have not been truly faithful to God?

That is why, brothers and sisters in Christ, as we come together to celebrate the moment of Christ’s glorious Ascension into heaven, let us all remember that while God ascended into heaven, He is not gone from our midst. On the contrary, He is always there with us, and He has given us many blessings, graces and gifts. And as Christians, meaning as those who have accepted Him as our Lord and Saviour, and having believed in His truth, we have the obligation and duty to do our part, to be witnesses for our faith in Him.

Therefore, if we have not done our part, or indeed, if we feel that we have not done enough to contribute our abilities, our skills, in our own way, be it as a father, as a mother, as a child, as a teacher, lawyer, doctor, engineer, in our own profession and work, or as a religious brother or sister, as a priest or as bishops, as those entrusted with the spiritual well-being of the faithful, each and every one of us have the responsibility to do our part, as the members of God’s one Church in this world.

Let us all therefore now pray, that God will grant us the strength, through His Holy Spirit, that each and every one of us will be able to discern well our role in the Church and in this world, and may He grant each one of us, the courage and the desire to love Him more, love our brethren and one another more, and be ever more devout and committed Christians each and every day of our lives. May God bless us all, now and always. Amen.

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Saturday, 12 May 2018 : 6th Week of Easter, Memorial of St. Nereus and St. Achilleus, Martyrs, and St. Pancras, Martyr (Homily and Scripture Reflections)

Liturgical Colour : White or Red (Martyrs)

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, on this day, all of us heard from the Word of God in the Scriptures, speaking to us about the works of St. Paul in the Acts of the Apostles, preaching in various regions of Achaia, what is now modern Greece, calling upon many people to turn towards the Lord and to be baptised in His Name. Many people came to believe in the Lord Jesus, and they believed because they heard what St. Paul had preached to them.

Another follower of Christ named Apollos also preached among the people, and many came to believe because of his teachings, although he was not completely correct as he had not yet received the full teachings of the Apostles. Thus, St. Paul helped to correct him and guided him, and Apollos continued to preach henceforth in many places, just as St. Paul would go on to many more places, teaching the people about the Lord and the truth which He had given them.

This was the fulfilment of the revelation and the promise which Christ had made to His disciples in our Gospel passage today, that the time would come when the truth would be revealed in its completeness. He often spoke in parables to the people, that is using stories and parallels, by which He delivered to them, piece by piece, the truth that He wanted to reveal to the whole world. Then, He would explain the meaning of the parables to His disciples separately.

But He promised His disciples, He would speak in plain truth, and He did, although many of them did not understand what He meant at first, because of their lack of faith and understanding. Yet, God revealed to them the whole truth, through the Holy Spirit He sent them, at the Pentecost and henceforth, by the laying of the hands, of the Apostles on the elders and leaders of the Church, and to all the faithful.

The Holy Spirit tells them all, the truth which came from God, and stirred in their hearts, a strong and fervent faith, that brought them to zealously spread their faith and the truth of God among the many peoples they encountered, going from towns to towns, villages to villages, and places to places, testifying about the truth of Christ and declaring His salvation to all the nations.

Of course, we must also remember that while many believed because of what they have heard from the faithful disciples of the Lord, and through the journeys of St. Paul and his companions, there were also plenty of opposition to their works, to the point that many of the disciples were martyred while doing their work of evangelisation and teaching. Many became martyrs of the Church, shedding their blood for the sake of the Lord.

Brothers and sisters in Christ, today we remember the memory of three of those devoted servants and martyrs, namely St. Nereus, St. Achilleus and St. Pancras, all of whom have given their lives in the faithful service to God. St. Nereus and St. Achilleus were told to be chamberlains of a family relation of the Roman Emperor Domitian, who carried out a particularly harsh repression and persecution of Christians throughout the Empire.

St. Nereus and St. Achilleus remained faithful to the Lord despite these difficulties they encountered, and as they were working in close relation to the Emperor who were bitterly against the followers of Christ, it was likely that they refused to abandon their faith and they rather chose persecution, and eventually martyrdom, rather than to betray their Lord and Master.

Meanwhile, St. Pancras was a young teenager who had shown great faith and courage amidst the persecution of Christians under the reign of the Roman Emperor Diocletian, who persecuted Christians throughout the Empire, and forcing them to choose between abandoning their faith and live, or to remain true to their faith and suffered grievously to death.

Despite still being young as a teenager, St. Pancras refused to listen to the commands of the Emperor ordering the faithful to abandon their faith and offer sacrifices to the Emperor and the pagan gods. The Emperor himself was surprised and indeed, impressed at the courage and determination shown by the young St. Pancras, and he offered him much wealth and riches, power and glory should he be willing to abandon his faith.

St. Pancras was not tempted however, and he remained true to his faith, refusing the Emperor’s offer. That was how he met his end in martyrdom, beheaded at such a young age, remaining true and faithful to his faith in God. All these saints chose the same path, that is God’s path. They would rather gain an eternity of joy with God, rather than to gain the temporary pleasures and joys of the world, knowing that God is always faithful to His promises.

Brothers and sisters in Christ, now, for each and every one of us as Christians, are we able to devote ourselves wholeheartedly in the same manner as these faithful and courageous saints had done with their lives? All of us are called to follow in their footsteps, and to devote ourselves wholeheartedly to God’s service, to glorify His Name through all of our actions and deeds.

May the holy saints, St. Nereus and St. Achilleus, together with St. Pancras, intercede for us all, that each and every one of us may be continuously empowered by the Holy Spirit of God, and have the same courage to testify our faith before others, by our actions, filled with faith, at all times. May God bless us all and bring us all together to eternal life and joy, with the glorious martyrs. Amen.

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Friday, 11 May 2018 : 6th Week of Easter (Homily and Scripture Reflections)

Liturgical Colour : White

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, today we listened to the soothing and reassuring words of the Lord Jesus, Who promised His disciples, that while they might be sorrowful, because their Lord would be taken away from them, first by His death on the cross, and then later on by His Ascension into heaven, He would never leave them alone, and He would not abandon them.

On the contrary, He would always be with them, and He would guide them through times of suffering and difficulties. This was what He told St. Paul the Apostle as he was ministering and preaching to the people in Achaia in Roman Greece among the mostly pagan population. He reassured St. Paul that He would always be with him throughout his journey, through all the difficulties and challenges that would face him.

And indeed, we see how opposition quickly faced St. Paul in his journey, St. Paul faced opposition from the Jews who were against his teachings and preachings. As such, he was brought to the civil authorities and was charged with false charges and all sorts of things that if we have remembered it well, the Lord Himself had also suffered from. But St. Paul faced everything with faith, entrusting himself to God’s love and care.

Despite of all the challenges he had to go through, St. Paul remained calm and continued to stay on focus on what he had to do for God’s sake. He did not even hesitate to lay down his life for the Lord, and continued to preach the Lord’s truth and Good News. Many believed because of him, and because of all the courage and the faith he had shown through his dedication to the mission he was entrusted with.

Brothers and sisters in Christ, now, all of us as Christians must truly realise that each and every one of us have been given the very same mission that the Lord has given to St. Paul and to the other disciples of His. We have been entrusted with the mission, that is to be witnesses of the Lord, and to preach His truth and the Good News He had brought into this world, that others may also come to believe in Him, and therefore, be saved together with us.

However, in reality, many of us did not only fail to do as the Lord had commanded us to do, but in fact, we live our lives in ways contrary to our faith, and if we look at our actions and deeds, we indeed bring embarrassment to our faith and to God. We profess our faith in God and we believe in Him, and yet, how many of us put Him as the priority of our lives? How many of us have an active and meaningful prayer life?

The reality and hard truth is that many of us Christians are too busy with ourselves, with all sorts of our desires and worldly concerns to be truly faithful to God. We have allowed ourselves to be swayed by selfishness and self-centredness encouraged by the world around us, to fill us and satisfy our ego, and stretch us to do even more wicked deeds and actions, unworthy of that of Christians.

This is unfortunately, the sad reality of our faith, among many of us Christians. Many of us are Christians in name and formality only. How can we then expect that people will believe in us, if our actions and words, our deeds and interactions do not show concretely that we truly belong to God? This is where we really need to take action, and heed the examples shown by the Apostles and saints, in their dedication to their faith in God and in how they lived their lives.

Therefore, brothers and sisters in Christ, let us all be first of all, ashamed at all the sinful deeds that each and every one of us have done! If we are not ashamed at what we have done in our lives, in our wicked and unfaithful actions we have carried out thus far, then I am afraid that Satan has already had us in his clutches. Let us all be courageous and be resolute in rejecting him and all of his falsehoods and empty promises!

May the Lord be with us and may He continue to guide us all in our journey of faith, that each and every one of us Christians may be ever more Christ-like in our actions and deeds, and may we draw ever closer to His truth and love, each and every day of our lives. May God bless us all, now and forevermore. Amen.

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Thursday, 10 May 2018 : Solemnity of the Ascension of the Lord (Homily and Scripture Reflections)

Liturgical Colour : White

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, on this day we celebrate the great occasion of the Solemnity of the Ascension of the Lord, on which day we remember the day when the Lord Jesus ascended in glory into heaven, marking the end of His earthly ministry and work among His people, but not the end of His good works for us. He indeed ascended in Body and Spirit towards heaven, but He is still always ever present among us, for after all, He is God, ever-omnipresent.

And He has not left us all alone in this world, but rather, He promised and indeed gave us the Holy Spirit, to be our Guide and Helper in our journey of faith and in our struggle for a faithful life in God. This He sent to His Apostles and disciples at the occasion of the Pentecost, just days after He ascended into heaven. The Holy Spirit reinvigorated them and gave them great strength and courage, and while before that, they were fearful of the repercussions from the enemies of their faith, after receiving the Holy Spirit, their actions and faith were transformed.

He promised us all as well, that He will come again in His glory, as His Second Coming, when He would deal a final defeat on Satan and all of His enemies. In fact, He clearly stated to His disciples, that He ascended to the side of His Father, that He may prepare a place for all of those who have been faithful to Him. Then, in the meanwhile, He gave all of us a mission, that is the most important mission which He has entrusted to each one of us, also known as the Great Commission.

The Great Commission is the command that Christ gave to all of His disciples, to be His witnesses among all the nations, to go forth to various places and to many different groups of peoples, preaching the Good News and the truth which He Himself had revealed to the Apostles. And from the Apostles, who had witnessed for their faith in God, this same faith has been passed down to their successors and the faithful who came after them, and from them, all the way through the ages and years, right down to all of us living today.

That is how each and every one of us became Christians, which means that we become members of God’s Church. St. Paul in his Epistle to the Church and the faithful in the city of Ephesus mentioned that God has given us all various gifts, and to each different people were given different unique gifts as how God wished us to use them in our own unique ways, to serve His greater glory as part of His one Church.

What does this mean? It means that each and every one of us as members of God’s Church must make use of our talents and God-given abilities in order to serve God’s will, and to fulfil our part and our obligation as part of the Great Commission which I have just mentioned. And we will do it in our own distinct and unique way, as there is no one-size-fits-all approach in being a Christian and living a faithful and devout Christian life.

That means, each and every one of us are called to be devoted in our own way, making use of the gifts which God has given us, and serve Him in that way. To those among us whom God has called to be His servants, to surrender ourselves to His will and to give ourselves completely into His service, as priests and those living holy and devoted life consecrated to Him, God has given us all the gift of faith, and He calls upon us to answer to that call and respond to Him calling deep in our hearts.

Similarly, to those among us who are called to a life dedicated to our families, as fathers, mothers and as caretakers of our children, in holy matrimony and as part of our Christian families, we are called to live a good and faithful Christian life, through which we show our deep love for God, for our families and our fellow men, and by the appreciation of the love God has shown us, we too may show the same love in our own actions and dealings with each other.

Unfortunately, as surely we all know quite well, many of us have not been able to commit ourselves in our respective tasks and callings, and in fact, many of us have wandered off from God’s path, failing to obey what God had commanded us to do, and instead of listening to His will, we prefer to follow our own desires, our own considerations and thoughts of what we think is better for us.

That is why so many of us are lukewarm in our faith, and we do not realise just how we can contribute as true Christians and members of the Church. We carry on with our lives, thinking that as long as we are Christians in name and have been baptised, then everything will be fine with us without the need for us to do any more for the Lord and His Church. But this is exactly why today, we have so many Christians who are truly most un-Christian like in their actions and in their lives!

There are many among us as mentioned, whom God had called to the priesthood and other vocations dedicated to the service of God and His people, but many were too busy with their lives to respond, or that they were tempted easily by many things in this world, and therefore, failed to realise what it is that they need to do with their lives, in order to be better Christians and more faithful to God’s will for them.

And many among the laity have also not supported wholeheartedly the good works of the Church, thinking that the priests and those who serve God are all those who suppose to be working for God’s sake, and not them. No, that is also a very wrong mentality, as in fact, being members of the laity, and as people who have chosen to carry on their lives with marriage and family as their vocations, should also be actively supporting the Church together, as one family and as part of one Church.

As St. Paul mentioned, that we are all part of this one Body of Christ, that is the Church. And because of this, it is important that we are united as one in our actions, in our deeds and good works, so that we help each other and support one another, in carrying out what God has commanded us to do, that is to proclaim His Good News and His truth among the nations, and no part of the Church, be it laity or the priests, can do it alone on their own.

It is worse still when we as Christians do what we should consider abominable, that is, backstabbing, gossiping and all sorts of nasty and vile actions towards each other. This is when we act in the most uncharitable way towards one another, being angry or jealous at others, and that is indeed, most un-Christian in nature. Do we realise this, and do we understand just how much in our own lives, we have not been truly faithful to God?

That is why, brothers and sisters in Christ, as we come together to celebrate the moment of Christ’s glorious Ascension into heaven, let us all remember that while God ascended into heaven, He is not gone from our midst. On the contrary, He is always there with us, and He has given us many blessings, graces and gifts. And as Christians, meaning as those who have accepted Him as our Lord and Saviour, and having believed in His truth, we have the obligation and duty to do our part, to be witnesses for our faith in Him.

Therefore, if we have not done our part, or indeed, if we feel that we have not done enough to contribute our abilities, our skills, in our own way, be it as a father, as a mother, as a child, as a teacher, lawyer, doctor, engineer, in our own profession and work, or as a religious brother or sister, as a priest or as bishops, as those entrusted with the spiritual well-being of the faithful, each and every one of us have the responsibility to do our part, as the members of God’s one Church in this world.

Let us all therefore now pray, that God will grant us the strength, through His Holy Spirit, that each and every one of us will be able to discern well our role in the Church and in this world, and may He grant each one of us, the courage and the desire to love Him more, love our brethren and one another more, and be ever more devout and committed Christians each and every day of our lives. May God bless us all, now and always. Amen.

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Wednesday, 9 May 2018 : 6th Week of Easter (Homily and Scripture Reflections)

Liturgical Colour : White

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, on this day, we listened to the Scriptures which spoke to us about the promise of the Holy Spirit, which was made by the Lord Jesus to His disciples, as He promised them that while He was unable to be physically with them for much longer after He had died and risen from the dead, but the Holy Spirit from God would come upon them and be their Guide.

And indeed, the Holy Spirit came upon the Apostles and the disciples, as tongues of flame that descended from heaven, on the occasion of the Pentecost. It inflamed their hearts with courage and zeal, and they henceforth proclaimed the Word of God and His truth with courage, as exemplified in today’s first reading, when St. Paul the Apostle went to preach in the bastion of Greek paganism, Athens itself, before the assembled people and philosophers at the Acropolis.

He preached passionately, with the wisdom and strength of the Holy Spirit, and spoke before the pagans who worshipped idols made of wood and stone, and worshipping aspects of nature, of the folly of their actions and ideals, and the meaninglessness of their faith, as clearly, even though the created things are wondrous and great to behold, and even mighty, far mightier and greater still is the One Who had created all of them, that is God.

It must have taken a lot of courage and strength, for St. Paul to speak in such a manner in the midst of many others who have not yet heard about God, and whose livelihood and beliefs have been strongly entrenched for centuries, in their pagan worship and beliefs. Nonetheless, St. Paul spoke with such wisdom and faith, that there quite a few among those who listened to him, who were stirred in their hearts and minds.

There were of course those who refused to listen to St. Paul and ridiculed him, and in the end, they caused quite some troubles for him and the other followers of Christ. But all these obstacles did not deter the faithful servant of God from doing his best in trying to do as the Lord had commanded him to do, and entrusting himself to the guidance of the Holy Spirit, he became the beacon of the Light of God, revealing His truth to the nations.

Brothers and sisters in Christ, as we listened to the Scripture readings and reflect on their importance and meaning, let us all understand them in the light of what we are going to celebrate tomorrow and in a few days to come. Tomorrow marks the occasion of the Solemnity of the Ascension of the Lord, which reminds us of the moment when Christ ascended in His glory to heaven, just as He said He would, and in a few days’ time, we will celebrate the Solemnity of Pentecost Sunday, when the Holy Spirit came down on the disciples of the Lord.

All of us as Christians are therefore reminded, that to each and every one of us, God has given us the same Holy Spirit, as He had given to St. Paul and the other Apostles and disciples of His. Thus even though the Lord no longer physically walks in our midst as He once did, but He is always with us, as the Holy Spirit is in our midst guiding us and showing us the way to go.

But are we able to make good use of the gifts which He has given us? To all of us have been given gifts and talents, abilities and blessings from God, each one of us with our own strengths and abilities. Have we been using these to serve the greater glory and purpose of God? Or have we squandered them for personal desires and cravings of worldly matters?

Brothers and sisters in Christ, are we able to commit ourselves in the same manner as that of St. Paul and the other Apostles of the Lord? Are we able to devote ourselves to the mission which the Lord has given us? Yes, we have a mission, that is to be the witnesses of Christ and His truth, to all people of all the nations. But how should we do this?

We should begin with ourselves, with the transformation of our lives to be more attuned to the Lord and His ways. In our actions and deeds, we should really embody our faith in Him, and show our faith by loving God with all of our hearts, and loving one another, with sincerity and true love. With these, all those who see us will come to know God, through us and our actions, and come to believe in God.

May the Lord be with us all, just as He had been with His Apostle, St. Paul and the many other holy saints and martyrs. May He continue to guide us and strengthen us, that we may continue to walk down this path of obedience to His will. May God bless us all and all of our endeavours. Amen.

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Tuesday, 8 May 2018 : 6th Week of Easter (Homily and Scripture Reflections)

Liturgical Colour : White

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, on this day, we listened to the words of the Scripture, telling us about God’s love and providence to all those who believe in Him and walk in His ways, beginning with the story of St. Paul and St. Silas his companion, who were beset with trouble in prison during their missionary journey, and how God helped them overcome the trouble they were in.

And then, we listened to the Lord Jesus Himself speaking to His disciples about Him leaving His disciples as He would soon no longer walk physically among them. He was speaking about His suffering, and then His death on the cross, and after He had risen from the dead, in a short whole He would ascend into heaven to be at the right side of His Father. But He would not leave them alone.

He promised them that He would give them a Helper, in the Holy Spirit He would give all of them from the Father through Him. And He did fulfil that promise, at the occasion of the Pentecost, when the Holy Spirit came as tongues of fire descending on the Apostles and the disciples of the Lord, dwelling in them and giving them strength and courage, that from then on, all of them were ready to do everything for God’s sake.

The first reading today showed us all clearly enough what the Apostles had to face during their missionary works, where they had to encounter opposition and persecution, just as they were also openly accepted by some others who welcomed them and were willing to listen to the truth. St. Paul and his companion, St. Silas were persecuted by their opponents, who instigated the effort that ended up with them in prison.

This showed clearly the kind of difficulties and challenges that they had to encounter in life. They had to endure prison and suffering in the hands of their enemies, and it must have been difficult and inconvenient to them. However, they knew God was with them, and persevered through with prayer and devotion. And God showed His might before them, through the earthquake recorded in the Acts of the Apostles, freeing the two servants of God from their chains.

And not only that, they did not only have their physical chains broken, but they even managed to free others from the chains of sin and darkness. The jailer and his family believed in the Lord because of what they have witnessed, and converted to the Christian faith under the guidance of St. Paul and St. Silas. They repented from their actions and their sinful lives, and turned wholeheartedly towards God.

In that way, God showed His love and providence to all those who have been faithful to Him. He liberated them from their oppressors and guided them down the path towards salvation. He has always loved us and cared for us, and nothing will ever change that fact. It is us mankind who have always disobeyed and rejected God’s generous love and mercy. We often think that we know better, but the reality is that God knows what is best for us.

Brothers and sisters in Christ, on this day, we are all called to heed the examples of the Apostles, who have followed God’s way and obeyed Him, in the mission which had been entrusted to them. The Lord Jesus made it clear in the same Gospel passage today, that the sin of the world against Him, is disbelief, or the lack of faith in Him. We are all called therefore to be the witnesses of Christ, in spreading His truth to all the world.

Are we willing and able to do as God had commanded us to do? This will surely not be an easy task, just as we saw how the Apostles and the disciples of the Lord had suffered for the sake of their faith. Yet, they believed in the Lord, and kept their faith in Him. They knew and they believed that God was always with them, and would be with them through their most difficult moments.

It was this faith they had, which became their strength and the source of their inspiration. Are we able to have the same faith as theirs? Let us all reflect on this today, and do our best, to emulate our holy predecessors in everything they had done, for the salvation of our fellow men, all who are still living in the darkness and ignorance of God. May God be with us all, now and always. Amen.