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Monday, 2 December 2024 : 1st Week of Advent (Homily and Scripture Reflections)

Liturgical Colour : Purple/Violet

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, today as we all listened to the words of the Scriptures, we are all reminded of the need for each and every one of us as Christians, as God’s holy and beloved people to continue to keep up our faith in Him, to trust Him in all things and to overcome our doubts and fears, putting our Hope ever on Him, Our Lord and Saviour, as we enter and continue to progress through this blessed time and season of Advent, the time of preparation for the joyful celebration of Christmas. And that is why we should use this time and opportunity given to us to reflect and to grow ever stronger in our faith and hope in God, so that amidst our darkened world by sin and evil, the light and truth of God may pierce through this veil of darkness and bring hope back into our hearts.

In our first reading today, taken from the Book of the prophet Isaiah, we heard of the words of assurances of the Lord to His people in the kingdom of Judah, the southern half of the once glorious and mighty kingdom of God’s people during the days of King David and King Solomon. At that time, as I have also mentioned in the First Sunday of Advent homily yesterday, the people of God had fallen into a dire strait, falling deeper and deeper into their sinful ways, and falling into temptations one after another, siding with the false gods and pagan idols instead of obeying and following the Law and commandments of the Lord, their God and Master. They have been harassed and under threat by their many neighbours and enemies, just as their northern brethren had been conquered and exiled decades prior by the Assyrians.

That was why the Lord gave His assurance and promises to them through His servant, the prophet Isaiah, to encourage and to strengthen them in faith, to remind them that despite everything which they had done, in disobeying the Law and the commandments, and in refusing to love Him as they should have done, the Lord has always been patient and kind to His people, and He would forgive them their sins and embrace them with His generous love and compassion once again if only they would turn away from their sinful and wicked ways, and listening once again to the words that the Lord their God had spoken to them, all the love which He has poured out on them, calling on all of them to return to Him.

We have also heard the words of Hope in that same passage, listening to the words of the Lord telling the people about how He would restore the glory of Zion, of Jerusalem and His people, restoring the grace and blessings to them all, after they had been bought down low. He would gather all of His beloved ones to Himself, and at the same time, purify them and all Jerusalem from all the taints and corruptions of sin and evil. And that is what we are all also called to do during this time and period of Advent, to cast away all the corruptions and wickedness from our hearts and minds. We are all called to come back to our Lord and Father, our Creator and Master with contrite and sorrowful hearts, regretting our sins and corruptions, our faults and mistakes.

Then, in our Gospel passage today taken from the Gospel according to St. Matthew the Apostle and Evangelist, we are reminded of the great faith of the army centurion who came to the Lord and asked Him sincerely and faithfully to heal his servant who was very sick at that time. The army centurion was so faithful to the Lord that he refused to allow the Lord to come to his house, but instead, he told the Lord that it is sufficient for Him just to say that his servant would get well, and it would be done according to God’s will. And in order to understand this better, we ought to know that at that time, it was taboo for a Gentile or pagan to come to the house of a Jew or for a Jew to visit the house of a Gentile or pagan, as it would have made the Jew to be considered as unclean.

This army centurion, being such a high-ranking officer was likely to be a Roman, and according to Church history and tradition was a Gentile who had faith in the Lord. The Lord was impressed by the great faith which the army centurion had in Him, which was indeed contrasted to the lack of faith shown by many of the Jewish people to whom He had been sent to, including those spiritual leaders and elites like the chief priests, the Pharisees and the teachers of the Law, many of whom had doubted and questioned the Lord, opposed Him and refused to believe in Him despite the many miracles, wonders and signs that He had performed before their very own eyes and presence. And then, there was this army centurion, a pagan and Gentile who truly believed in God and who did not require the Lord to perform signs and wonders before him in order for him to believe, unlike those Jewish leaders.

The words that the army centurion had spoken are the same as what we ourselves mention at every moment shortly before we are to receive the Lord Himself in the Holy Eucharist. As the celebrant presents to us the Lord Himself truly present in His Most Precious Body and Blood with the words, ‘This is the Lamb of God, Who takes away the sins of the world. Blessed are those who are called to the supper of the Lamb., and we respond with, ‘Lord, I am not worthy that You should enter under my roof, but only say the word, and my soul shall be healed.’ This is a reminder for us of the great faith of the army centurion, and our own strong profession of faith in the Lord, that although we may not see Him directly in the form that the army centurion and the disciples had seen, but we truly believe in Him, and uphold the faith we have in His Real Presence in the Holy Eucharist.

That is why, today we are all reminded that we must continue to have faith and hope in the Lord, entrusting ourselves to His Providence, love and care at all times. We are reminded that we must not easily give up our faith in Him even if we encounter challenges, trials, hardships and difficulties in our journey, path and life. All of us must always hold this strong and enduring faith in the Lord, just as the Lord Himself has always been patient in loving and caring for us, in wanting us all to come back to Him with repentance and sorrow for our many sins and faults. May the Lord continue to guide us in our journey of faith and life, and may He empower each one of us to live ever more faithfully in our every efforts and deeds, now and always. Amen.

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Sunday, 1 December 2024 : First Sunday of Advent (Homily and Scripture Reflections)

Liturgical Colour : Purple/Violet

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, this Sunday we mark the occasion of the First Sunday of Advent, the beginning of the Season of Advent, which is the time of preparation for the coming joyful and glorious Christmas Season. This day also marks the very first day in the new liturgical year in our liturgical calendar, in which the First Sunday of Advent marks the beginning of the new liturgical year. And hence, as we all gather together this Sunday in the Lord’s Presence, we ought to commit ourselves anew to the Lord as we enter into this time of spiritual preparation and renewal, so that we may truly be ready to celebrate the upcoming Christmas in a few weeks’ time. And this Sunday, we focus on the first aspect of Advent that we commemorate, which is Hope.

In our first reading this Sunday, we heard from the Book of the prophet Jeremiah in which the prophet spoke of the Lord’s words to the people of God living in the kingdom of Judah, the southern half of the divided old Kingdom of Israel, which at that time was merely a shadow of the once glorious and mighty kingdom during the heyday of King David and King Solomon centuries earlier. At that time, the people of God in Judah had been facing a lot of hardships and misfortune, being surrounded by powerful enemies and humbled by them, and at the same time, their northern neighbours, the people of the kingdom of Israel, had been conquered and scattered into exile by the mighty Assyrians. The same fate would eventually befall the people of Judah as well.

And all those things happened because of the lack of faith that the people of God had shown, their disobedience and frequent refusals to follow the path which they had been taught and shown through their ancestors, and the Law and commandments which God has presented to them. All of these happened even after the Lord had sent them His messengers, prophets and servants to help and remind them of their true path and dedication to God. Instead, they had chosen to follow the path of sin and wickedness, leaving behind the truth of God and His love for the comforts and pleasures of the world, and the false paths shown by the false gods and idols of their neighbours, the Canaanites. But God still loved all of His people even if they had been rebellious and unfaithful.

That was why He gave them His message of reassurance through His prophets, so that they would remember His love, His most patient kindness and desire to welcome them all back to His embrace. Despite all that the people had done, God was still willing to forgive them all, and this is what we are reminded of today, that is the Hope which God has given us all through His Son, and how by this Hope we can gain sure entry into the kingdom of God, into the eternal life and true joy which the Lord has promised us and reassured everyone. We must not give up on this hope, and in fact, we should devote ourselves ever more strongly to the Lord by this renewal and reminder of God’s promise and reassurance as we celebrate annually this time of Advent to prepare for the joy of Christmas.

From our second reading passage today, taken from the Epistle of St. Paul to the Church and the faithful in the city and region of Thessalonica in Greece, we are reminded that the Lord’s salvation has been given to us through His Son, Our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ, and as He has generously given us all this perfect and most tangible manifestation of His love and compassion, His mercy and kindness through His Son. As such, all of us who believe in Him, in the salvation offered by the Son of God for us, we must truly follow Him in all of our ways, and truly believe in Him wholeheartedly, embracing His teachings and truth with all of our hearts and minds, with all of our strength and might. And this is our calling and mission as Christians, as God’s holy and beloved people.

Then in our Gospel passage this Sunday, taken from the Gospel according to St. Luke the Evangelist, we heard of the Lord Jesus Himself telling His disciples about the signs of the time and events to come, that is especially about the return of the Son of God and Son of Man into this world. This is a promise which Our Lord Himself had made, showing that just as He has predicted His own suffering, persecution and death, and then glorious Resurrection from the dead, hence, He will one day return in glory to complete all that the Lord our God had planned for us and for our eternal salvation and life with Him. He reassured us all that He will return in triumph and we will all share in His glory and joy if we remain firm in our faith and trust in Him.

This is why as we enter into this Advent season, this time of reflection and renewal of our faith and life, we are all called to refocus our attention and efforts to the Lord, turning away from all the hustle and bustle of the world, and we are all reminded to prepare ourselves well and properly so that we may truly be able to celebrate Christmas with true understanding, appreciation and knowledge of what it is that we truly celebrate and are rejoicing about. We are reminded that this season is a time to look upon the Lord with renewed Hope in Him, Hope that only God Himself can provide us, not the false hope and promises of the world, or all the other distractions and temptations present all around us.

Therefore, as we enter into this blessed Advent season and continue to prepare ourselves well to welcome the Lord into our midst this Christmas, let us all centre all of our preparation, especially in our spiritual preparation that we are all celebrating the Hope that we can find in God alone, and the Hope in the eternal life, the salvation from sin, evil and darkness which we all have been suffering from. May the Lord, our most loving, compassionate and patient God and Father continue to love us all most generously and grant us all His strength and wisdom so that we may make very good use of this time of Advent that we have received, to prepare ourselves and to make ourselves ever more worthy of Him, now and always. Amen.

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Saturday, 30 November 2024 : Feast of St. Andrew, Apostle (Homily and Scripture Reflections)

Liturgical Colour : Red

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, today the Church celebrates the Feast of St. Andrew the Apostle, one of the Twelve Apostles of the Lord and the brother of St. Peter the Apostle, and was the very first one of the Lord’s disciples and followers, hence why he is also sometimes known as St. Andrew the First-Called. On this day we honour this great man of God, who has devoted himself thoroughly to the service of God, and given himself to the ministry of the proclamation of the Good News of God to the many people and communities he encountered. St. Andrew the Apostle is truly a great inspiration to all of us in how he has lived his life with fervent desire to glorify God in his many missionary works and actions.

Now, first let us all begin with a revisiting of the passages from the Scriptures which we had received and heard earlier. In our first reading today, we heard from the Epistle of St. Paul the Apostle to the Church and the faithful people of God in Rome, where where the Apostle was very clear in his words and reminders to the people of God regarding who it is that they believe in and worshipping, namely the Lord God, our Saviour, Jesus Christ, the Son of God Who has brought into this world the assurance of His salvation, the promise of eternal life, true joy and glory with God, offered to all of mankind, everyone without any exception, bias or prejudice, whether they were Jews or Gentiles. And this message truly brought great hope to everyone who heard it.

This is because at that time, the belief among the Jewish people, the descendants of the original chosen people of God, the Israelites was that the Jews were the only ones deserving of God’s favour and salvation, while the Gentiles, who were mostly pagans and unbelievers were seen as defiled, corrupt, wicked and unworthy, and would be condemned unless they adopted wholly the ways and practices of the Jews, such as the strict laws and rules according to the Law of God as revealed to Moses including all the subsequent additions, modifications and changes. The problem is that the requirements were so stringent that even the Jews themselves have great difficulty obeying them, and all the more difficult for the Gentiles to do so.

In addition to this, based on historical evidence and Church records, the practices and customs of the Jews such as circumcision and the dietary preferences among other things were abhorrent and considered as alien and undesirable by many of the Gentiles, and forcing the Gentiles to adopt such practices would indeed have made their lives extra difficult, on top of the challenges that they would already have to face by being a follower of Christ. That was why St. Paul made it clear that the belief in the salvation in Jesus Christ, the Saviour of all is universal, and not reserved only for any particular group of people. Anyone who truly believe in Him and obey Him, following His teachings and ways will be saved, and they shall all share in the fullness of grace and glory of God.

Then, in our Gospel passage today taken from the Gospel according to St. Matthew the Apostle, we heard of the moment when the Lord called His disciples, the first ones that He had, from among the fishermen of the lake of Galilee. St. Andrew was among these fishermen, and he was likely the one to introduce the Lord to his brother, then known as Simon, the future St. Peter the Apostle, as well as to the two sons of Zebedee, namely St. James the Apostle and St. John the Apostle. According to Apostolic and Church tradition, St. Andrew was also a disciple of St. John the Baptist, and was one of the two disciples of St. John the Baptist who went to follow the Lord after He was baptised by the former. This is why St. Andrew is also known as St. Andrew the First-Called as mentioned earlier.

The Lord then called him and the other fishermen, the other disciples to be the ‘fishers of men’, to be the ones to gather all mankind to the Lord, to lead them all to His salvation, just as they had gathered fish in their earlier work and livelihood. Through them, the Lord would reach out to many more people and bring them all towards His loving embrace and compassionate mercy, and that is the very important role which the Lord has entrusted and called the Apostles like St. Andrew to do. They would be the ones proclaiming the Good News of God, bringing hope and light of Christ to those who have suffered and waited in the darkness of this world, separated and sundered from God’s love and grace.

And now, let us revisit the life and examples of St. Andrew the Apostle especially after what was written in the Scriptures. According to Apostolic tradition, St. Andrew would go on to various places to proclaim the Gospels, the Good News of the Lord, including places such as Georgia, Greece and Asia Minor, parts of southern Russia and Ukraine around the Black Sea region, Romania, Cyprus, Malta and other places where he touched the hearts and minds of many with the Good News of the Lord, with His love and kindness, which have been freely and generously given to us. He established many churches and the foundations of the Christian communities in all those places, and was eventually martyred in Patras in southern Greece, being crucified on an X-shaped cross, which henceforth is known as ‘St. Andrew’s Cross’.

Brothers and sisters in Christ, let us all therefore learn and be inspired from the good and worthy life, examples and commitment which St. Andrew has shown to the Lord and to the people he had been sent to. All of us should also have the same vigour and courage in proclaiming the Good News of God like that of St. Andrew and that of the other Apostles because they have shown us what it truly means to be good and faithful Christians, not just in name and formality only, but also through real actions, words and deeds based upon that living and genuine faith in God. We must embody our faith in our daily living and in how we interact with one another, with those whom we encounter, even acquaintances and strangers.

May the Lord, our ever loving and compassionate God continue to bless and guide us all in our journey in life so that by His blessings and providence, by His encouragement and strength we may continue to do our best in our respective lives, continuing the good works which the Apostles such as St. Andrew had done in their lives. May our own lives and works be truly worthy of being Christians, and may we continue to be good role models and inspirations for each other, now and always. Amen.

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Friday, 29 November 2024 : 34th Week of Ordinary Time (Homily and Scripture Reflections)

Liturgical Colour : Green

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, on this day as we all listened to the words of the Sacred Scriptures, all of us are reminded of the need for us to remain firmly faithful in God and to continue to live our lives worthily as Christians, in not doing what is wicked in the eyes of the Lord. As Christians, all of us are always reminded to keep our faith in God and not to be easily swayed by the temptations and coercions of the world all around us. We have to keep in mind that all of us should be good and worthy role models for our fellow brothers and sisters, to inspire them all through our own good examples and actions in life, based upon the faithful obedience to God and genuine commitment to God and His ways. And we have to remember that if we are faithful to God, in the end, we shall share in His glory and triumph, while if we disobey Him and went astray from His path, there will be nothing for us but defeat and darkness.

In our first reading today, taken from the continuation of the Revelation of St. John the Apostle about the final defeat and destruction of the power of the Devil, Satan, the Evil One, which St. John witnessed during the visions he received at the Island of Patmos, where he saw the series of events that will happen at the end of time, the time of reckoning and final struggle between good and evil. After series of great catastrophes and destructions coming upon the world, which at that time came under the dominion of the Evil One and all of his forces, the forces of Satan and the Antichrist, the Lord reassured His faithful ones that had been facing and enduring persecutions and hardships that eventually all of their struggles and endurance shall be vindicated and they shall be liberated from their struggles and sufferings.

This is also a reminder for us all that if we side with the devil and all of his false lies and temptations, then in the end we shall share his fate, defeated and crushed by God, overthrown and cast out into eternal darkness and suffering, cut off completely and totally from the grace and love of God. Meanwhile, all those who are faithful to God shall be part of the new Heaven and new Earth, which God had made to replace the original world and creation which had been defiled and corrupted by sin and evil. Essentially, He will restore everything to how all should be, making all things wonderful, good and perfect once again just as He has intended and just as He wants us to enjoy all the rich and great bounties of this world, made perfect and wonderful for all of us, God’s most beloved children and people.

At the end of time, the Lord will come once again to gather all of us to His Holy Presence, restoring us all in body and soul, delivering us from the darkness and evils that have afflicted us. He will free all those who have been persecuted and oppressed because of their faith in Him, and crush all those who have rejected Him and oppressed His faithful ones. We are reminded that we have to make a choice on which path we will follow in our own respective lives. Are we going to follow the path of rebellion and disobedience as advocated by the devil and all those seeking our ruin and destruction? Or are we going to follow the Lord and His path, even though it may be a more difficult and challenging path for us to follow? We have been given the freedom to choose our path in life, and we have also been reminded of the Final Judgment in the end.

Then, from our Gospel passage today, taken from the Gospel according to St. Luke the Evangelist, we heard of the Lord Jesus Who told His disciples about the sign of times, warning them of the upcoming changes and trials that they will have to encounter in their journey and path in their ministry and works. This is also a reference to the earlier parts of the Gospel passage that we have heard in the earlier days of this week where the Lord foretold of the coming of great upheavals, conflicts and destruction, a premonition of the great destruction which the first Jewish-Roman war would bring to Judea and Jerusalem a few decades after the Lord spoke of it and predicted everything that would be happening, the scattering of the people of God, the destruction of Jerusalem and the grand Temple of God in that city. It was a great disaster and many perished during the events that happened then at that time.

Throughout all those challenging moments, difficulties and trials, the Lord would not abandon His people and would grant them His strength and providence, leading them down the path of righteousness and grace, strengthening and empowering them all with the gift of His Holy Spirit. Just as St. John saw in the revelations and visions that he had received at the Island of Patmos, the Lord reassured His disciples and followers that they will not be disappointed if they continue to hold strongly and firmly in their faith in Him. They shall all be triumphant with Him, and regardless of everything that will happen, and even if Jerusalem and the Temple were to be destroyed, but the Lord and His words, His truth and power will remain and will be triumphant in the end, against all those who have risen up against His people and persecuted them.

Brothers and sisters in Christ, let us all therefore be strengthened in our own faith and be encouraged at all times, reminding ourselves that we should ourselves be good role models and inspirations to one another in faith, in how we live our own lives, in how we dedicate ourselves to God. We must always be good and worthy in our every actions, words and deeds so that all those who encounter us and interact with us may come to know the Lord and His truth, His love, and kindness through the manifestation in our lives and works. This is part of the mission which the Lord has entrusted to us, just as He has granted us many opportunities and chances, the means and the blessings for us all to share with each other, to brighten up this darkened world with the hope and light of God’s grace, and not to give in easily to fear and uncertainties, to the temptations to sin.

May the Lord, our most loving, compassionate and merciful God continue to strengthen us all in faith, helping us all to endure and persevere through the challenges and hardships in our path in life. May He continue to encourage us to walk ever more graciously and faithfully in His path, guiding us all through His light, truth and hope so that we may remain firmly committed to Him, and not be easily swayed and misguided by all the false leads and the lies and temptations of the evil ones around us. May God bless us all and our every good works and efforts for His greater glory, now and always. Amen.

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Thursday, 28 November 2024 : 34th Week of Ordinary Time (Homily and Scripture Reflections)

Liturgical Colour : Green

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, today as we all listened to the words of the Scriptures, we are reminded by the Lord through His Church yet again towards the end of this current liturgical year that as we continue to live on with our lives, in each and every moments, we will always keep in mind our relationship with God and our state of life in the world today. All of us are reminded that tribulations and hardships will likely be part of our journey towards the Lord, but if we remain firm in our faith towards Him, in the end, we will share in His ultimate triumph and victory against the forces of evil, sin and darkness. We must always have faith in the Lord and believe that no matter what obstacles and hardships we may encounter in our journey, we will be able to overcome them with God’s help and guidance.

In our first reading today, the continuation from the Book of Revelations to St. John the Apostle, we heard of the story of the great triumph, after all the tribulations, hardships and challenges facing all the faithful people of God by Satan, the great enemy, the Antichrist and all those forces of evil and wickedness arrayed against the faithful and holy ones of God. During those days in the final moments of the current world we are living in, Satan and all of his forces made a final attempt at us all, and in their attempts, they tried to bring us all down into damnation by striking at us, tempting us and coercing us into following their false and wicked paths, persecuting and oppressing all those who have been faithful to the Lord and His truth. But we are all reminded through this reading today that we should not easily give up the struggle or surrender to the demands of the evil ones, because ultimately we will be triumphant with God.

This Revelation received by St. John the Apostle came at the time when the Church and many of the faithful were encountering great hardships and persecutions for their faith in God, with the Apostle himself being persecuted and exiled at the island of Patmos when he received this series of visions and revelations from God. According to historical evidence and Sacred Tradition, this persecution which had begun under the Emperor Nero, became more intense under the succeeding Emperors, and this particular episode of persecution happened during the reign of the Emperor Domitian who ruled the Roman Empire about five and six decades after the death of Christ, His Resurrection and Ascension into Heaven. Many of the Apostles except for St. John had died as martyrs, and many more early Christians had become martyrs as well.

They all persevered in faith and refused to obey the Emperor’s command for them to worship him as a god. They refused to worship the pagan gods and offer sacrifices to these gods and false idols, and especially in the case of the Emperor Domitian, known in history for his megalomania and claim to divinity which was scandalous and controversial even to the Romans and the pagan believers at the time. But knowing this fact makes us realise just how dire the situation was for the Church and many of the early Christians who suffered greatly for their faith in God. But the Lord strengthened and encouraged them through His servants and all the reassurances that He has given them, including this Revelation of the ultimate triumph and victory the faithful shall all have in God, just as ultimately the Christian faith triumphed over the pagan idols and Emperor worship of Ancient Rome.

Then from our Gospel passage today, taken from the Gospel according to St. Luke the Evangelist, we heard of the Lord Who foretold the destruction of Jerusalem, its Temple and the entire city that would happen soon sometime in their lifetime. He told them all about the signs of things around them and for them all to be prepared for the time of tribulation and hardships. This prophecy would indeed come true a few decades later, when the Romans came to besiege Jerusalem and eventually conquered it from the Jewish rebels who had risen up in rebellion due to instigation from the extremist factions within the Jewish community who sought to liberate themselves from the rule and dominion of the Romans. But for all the efforts that they had made, they all came to nothing as they were defeated and their rebellion crushed, and Jerusalem itself and the Temple were destroyed and burnt to the ground, leaving only a small portion of the Temple complex wall remaining, which is now known as the Western Wall.

All these are clear reminders for us that there will be hardships and trials facing us, and there is no guarantee that can be found in the world, as our only source of Hope and strength can be found in God and in Him alone. Those Jewish people living during the time of the Lord and His disciples, the Apostles and the first Christians of the early Church, they all believed in the Temple and the priesthood, the Law and the commandments so much so that that adherence and attachment to the Temple made them to forget their true devotion and focus on the Lord, their God. And when the Temple of Jerusalem, the grand Temple rebuilt and expanded by King Herod the Great was torn down and destroyed, those people lost their faith and their focus in life, forgetting that God alone is their true focus and the source of all their hopes.

It is a clear reminder for all of us that we should not easily give in to the temptations of worldly glory and the falsehood of earthly treasures. Instead we must renew our commitment, faith and trust in God. We must always have faith that the Lord will be triumphant with us in the end, and the sufferings that we are facing now, are what He Himself has suffered even more, as He has suffered the worst of sufferings, humiliations and pains, the worst that this world can project upon anyone, and yet, He endured it all because of His love for us, and He triumphed in the end. It is also normal for us to struggle with those sufferings and pains, and our hardships are real sufferings, but we must always remember that we do not suffer alone, for the Lord Himself is journeying by our side, bearing our crosses with Him, as He will always support us all the way.

Brothers and sisters in Christ, as we have discussed and discerned earlier from the readings of the Scriptures and from what we have been reminded, of the need to have firm trust and strong faith in God, let us all therefore renew our faith in Him and do our very best to glorify God by our every actions, words and deeds that are truly worthy of Him. May the Lord continue to strengthen us all and encourage each one of us in our respective journeys in life, so that hopefully by our own good role model and inspirations, we may help each other in this difficult but ultimately rewarding journey towards God. May God bless us all and our every good works and endeavours, now and always. Amen.

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Wednesday, 27 November 2024 : 34th Week of Ordinary Time (Homily and Scripture Reflections)

Liturgical Colour : Green

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, as we listened to the words of the Scriptures today, we are all reminded again that our path as Christians, as those who follow the Lord and believe in His teachings and words will not be an easy one. There will definitely be plenty of challenges and obstacles in our path and journey, and the way forward may be very arduous for us, but we must not easily give up the struggle and perseverance regardless of the various oppositions and trials in our path. We must always remain firm in our faith and commitment to God, and we must never lose sight of the true happiness and joy that we shall enjoy forever with Him, as long as we remain true to Him regardless of the difficulties that we have encountered.

In our first reading today, we heard from the continuation from the Book of Revelations of St. John as we had in the earlier days, in which the Apostle related to us what he had witnessed in his vision of the end of time, with the seven great Angels of God bringing forth the seven bowls of plagues from God to the world, at the last moments before the Final and Last Judgment. In that vision, St. John saw the Angels of God bringing forth God’s punishment upon all the sinners and all those who have remained in the world and chose to side with the evil one, refusing to listen to His truth and repent from their sins. This is what the Lord has justly given to all those who have constantly rejected and refused His love and kindness, His compassion and mercy.

This does not mean that God desires any one of us to be destroyed and condemned to Hell. On the contrary, He wants all of us, every single one of us, children of mankind, His most beloved and the pinnacle of all of His creation, to share in His eternal joy and love, and to be with Him forevermore. He does not wish for any one of us to be lost to Him. Hence, He has given us so many means for us to reach out to Him and to find our way to His salvation and grace. But if by our own volition and conscious decision and choice we have made, in denying God and refusing His generous offer of love and mercy, then we have been condemned by our own sins and by our own stubbornness and desires, and this is what those people will suffer in the end times.

We are being reminded all these so that we can remain strong and vigilant in our faith and in our lives so that we do not end up falling into the slippery slope of sin. It does not mean that all of us who have been baptised as Christians can never fall again into sin. The fact is that this makes the evil one and all of his forces to be even more hardworking in trying to bring us down and to drag us into the path towards our downfall. We are all saved by our faith in God, but if that faith is not made alive and vibrant through our actions, words and deeds, then that faith is as good as empty, meaningless and dead. And such a faith will not avail us on the Day of Judgment and reckoning, when we will have to account for our lives.

Then, from our Gospel passage today, taken from the Gospel according to St. Luke the Evangelist, we heard of the words from the Lord Jesus to His disciples in which He foretold before them everything that they would have to endure as His disciples and followers, all the persecutions, hardships and obstacles that they would have to face in the midst of their ministry and works. This is a reality that all of us as Christians must realise, that as long as we remain faithful to the Lord and His ways, from the very beginning of the Church to the present day and even in the future, there will always be oppositions that we may face in various ways from the world, which is opposed to the path and the way of the Lord.

That is the reality of becoming a Christian, brothers and sisters in Christ. Having believed in the Lord, we are all called to be prepared to face the same struggles and challenges that He Himself had faced, and all these are caused by the darkness and evils present in this world which refuse to obey the way and truth of God, and all those that present to us the divergent ways that are contrary to the Lord’s teachings and salvation. This is why we must not be easily swayed and fooled, to think that having become Christians and believers in the Lord, then our lives will be all good and smooth, blessed and without problems. Indeed, that will be our ultimate fate in the world that is to come, but at present, in our world still marred by sin and corruption of evil, we may still have to suffer persecutions and challenges.

Brothers and sisters in Christ, now what matters is what we are going to do about our own lives in this world. Are we going to commit ourselves anew to the Lord, to His path and to everything that He has entrusted to us? Or are we continue to be ignorant of our calling and mission in life? Or worse still, are we still going to allow the temptations of the world and sin to lead us astray and to bring us to our downfall? If we are not careful we may end up being dragged by the sins we commit and by our disobedience, and hence, risk falling ever deeper into the path towards damnation. That is why we should always keep in mind to follow the Lord ever more faithfully in each and every moments of our lives, doing whatever we can to serve Him at all times.

May the Lord, our ever patient, loving and compassionate God continue to strengthen us in faith so that we may ever draw strength and courage from Him as we endure various challenges and difficulties in life, so that we do not easily falter in our commitment to Him, and that we will not lose sight on the focus of our lives, that is God and Him alone. May the Lord bless us and guide us in our journey, in all the efforts and works that we make, fo the greater glory of His Holy Name, now and forevermore. Amen.

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Tuesday, 26 November 2024 : 34th Week of Ordinary Time (Homily and Scripture Reflections)

Liturgical Colour : Green

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, as we listened to the words of the Lord contained within the Sacred Scriptures we have heard today, we are all reminded that we must always be prepared and vigilant in our lives, in each and every moments of our daily living, in our every words, actions and deeds so that we may truly be prepared for the coming of the Lord and to be truly worthy of Him at all times, so that when He comes again and when we have to account for our lives, actions and deeds, all that we have carried out in this life and even things that we have not done or failed to do when we should have done them. As we come ever closer to the end of the current liturgical year we are being constantly reminded about this so that we will have the resolve and the desire to continue living our lives worthily of the Lord as we should have always done.

In our first reading today, we heard from the Book of Revelations the continuation of the account of the events that is to come at the end of time according to the vision which St. John the Apostle received at the Island of Patmos, who recounted to us what he saw in the Angel of God being sent into the world to reap the harvest at the appointed time, referring to the moment of reckoning, the end of times and the coming of the Final and Last Judgment. In that vision, St. John saw the Son of Man sending the Angels out to the world with a great sickle, to harvest the vines of the earth for it is already time for the harvest. Then, we heard how the Angels gathered the produces and put them in the winepress of the anger of God. This is a reminder for us all to cultivate a truly good and worthy life that the Lord will truly find worthy at the time of the great harvest, the end of times.

It is also a reminder for us that while God’s love and kindness, His compassion and mercy for each and every one of us are truly great and generous, wonderful and ever made available always for us, but we must not forget that we must embrace His generous offer of love and mercy, and not to reject Him and ignore His outreach of love and grace. Otherwise, by our own disobedience and wickedness, our own constant rejection of His love and generous mercy, in the end, there will be nothing left for us, no share in God’s grace and salvation. It is often that we have disregarded and abandoned Him for many of the temptations and other pursuits and desires in the world all around us. That is why, for our wickedness and constant refusal to listen to Him and embrace His love, God’s righteous anger will be against those who reject Him.

Then, in our Gospel passage today, taken from the Gospel according to St. Luke the Evangelist, we heard of the words of the Lord to the people gathered in the area of the Temple of Jerusalem to admire it, its magnificence and wonderful appearance. This great Temple complex was the second Temple built on the site after the first Temple originally built by King Solomon of Israel was destroyed by the Babylonians. The Temple was modest in size and appearance, but was greatly enlarged and expanded by King Herod the Great, the previous ruler of the land of Judea, who was obsessed with lots of large building works to cement his legacy, including that of the Temple of Jerusalem. But while the Temple was truly grand and mighty in appearance, but it was full of corruption and wicked things, due to the corrupt activities of the merchants and the money changers that were there.

Not only that but the beliefs and the practices of the Israelites and their descendants, the Jewish people were already astray and far from what God has intended for them, from what God had taught and shown them. The priests and those Pharisees and teachers of the Law put much greater emphasis and focus on the sacrifices at the Temple, and not truly understanding and appreciating the true meaning and purpose of the Law of God. They have grown proud and arrogant because they thought themselves as being superior and better than the others around them. They hardened their hearts and minds against the Lord, refusing to listen to the truth which the Lord Jesus Himself had brought to their midst and presented to them.

That was why the Lord told the people and everyone else assembled how no matter the greatness and the glory of the Temple and all of its appearances, everything would not last forever as they would be crushed and destroyed within a matter of decades, and this prophecy would indeed come true about thirty years or so after the Lord had said it, with the Romans destroying Jerusalem and its Temple during the first Roman-Jewish War caused by the rebellions led by the more extreme and hardline factions among the Jews at the time. It was a reminder to all of us that no matter what kind of greatness and glory in the world, ultimately all of those things are illusory and will not last forever, no matter what. That is why we must not allow ourselves to be easily swayed by all the temptations and pleasures of this world.

Brothers and sisters in Christ, let us remember that we are all weak and sinful people, who are in need of God’s great love and mercy, His healing and grace. Let us all remember to be humble and to desire this forgiveness and compassion, so that we may be truly reconciled with God, and be one day fully and completely reunited with Him. Let us all put our trust in the Lord instead on all worldly things and matters, so that by having this strong and genuine anchor in faith in God, we will not be easily shaken and swept by all the tides and waves around us, caused by all the temptations and challenges in our path. Let us all continue to walk ever more faithfully in God’s path, and do whatever we can to inspire many more people to come ever closer to God.

May the Lord, our ever loving and compassionate God, our merciful and just Creator and Master continue to help us to be ever stronger in our faith and commitment to Him. May He continue to give us the courage and strength to persevere through whatever challenges and trials, hardships and obstacles in our path so that we may not falter in our journey towards Him, and that we will continue to endure and be strong, and ever be committed in our desire to love Him and to follow Him at all times. May God bless our every good efforts, works and endeavours, all for His greater glory, now and always. Amen.

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Monday, 25 November 2024 : 34th Week of Ordinary Time, Memorial of St. Catherine of Alexandria, Virgin and Martyr (Homily and Scripture Reflections)

Liturgical Colour :  Green or Red (Martyrs)

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, today as we all listened to the words of the Scriptures, we are all reminded that all of us as Christians, as God’s holy and beloved people should always keep our faith in the Lord firm and strong amidst all the difficulties, challenges and hardships that we may be facing in life. As we come ever closer to the end of the current liturgical year that is ending this week, we are constantly being reminded of the need for all of us to remain strong in our faith and commitment to God, in our desire to love Him and to follow Him courageously and honourably all the time. We must not be easily dissuaded and prevented from committing ourselves to the Lord by the many obstacles, trails and opposition we may have to face in our journey.

In our first reading today, we heard the continuation of the account from the Book of Revelations of St. John the Apostle in which the great vision of St. John was told to us, about the presence of the Lamb of God, the Saviour of the whole world, Our Lord Jesus Christ, on Mount Zion, surrounded by the one hundred and forty-four thousand, a large number meant to represent the vast number of those who have been saved and made worthy by their faith in God. All those people have been found worthy in their faith and dedication to God, having lived worthily and righteously amidst all the challenges, temptations and difficulties, all the sufferings that they had to endure in the midst of their obedience and faith in God.

It is a reminder for all of us that regardless of the challenges and trials, all the persecutions and the difficult paths that we have had to traverse in order to come towards the Lord, all these perseverance and endurance in faith, obeying the will of God and doing whatever He has asked us all to do, in the end, we will share in the triumph and eternal glory, true joy and bliss that the Lord has reassured and promised us, and which He showed us all through His disciple, St. John, to share with us the hope of everlasting life, the eternal and true glory that we will enjoy with Him in His Holy Presence, freed from the bondage and dominion of evil and sin. All of us will share in the glory and joy of the saints, and be truly happy forevermore.

Then, in our Gospel passage today taken from the Gospel according to St. Luke the Evangelist, we heard of the short passage recounting to us the moment when the Lord Jesus praised the faith and commitment of the old widow who gave from her own poverty, the offering of two small coins, when many others gave to the treasury of the Temple in amounts far greater than what she has given. What the Lord truly meant by this mention of the faith of the old widow was not that He disliked or were biased against those who were rich and powerful, or favoured only those who were poor and weak. Instead, what He truly wants us to know is that even if we are facing hardships and challenges in our own lives, it does not mean that we cannot give from even our sufferings and poverty.

Instead, as Christians, we are always called to be generous with ourselves, to love even when there is nothing else we can give in terms of physical and material goods. We can still give others our time and love, our compassion and care. We must always strive to be kind and compassionate to everyone, even when we ourselves have been beset by evil and hatred by those who are around us. We must always remember the examples set by our Lord Himself, Who has forgiven those who have persecuted and oppressed Him, condemned Him to die an unjust death. He prayed for those who had hated and condemned Him, not hating or being angry against them, or seeking vengeance. This is the kind of love that we all must aspire and strive to have in us as well, brothers and sisters, love that is truly pure and selfless.

We are all reminded today that as we continue to carry on our lives in the world today, in each and every moments of our lives, we should be always be mindful of everyone around us, of all the sufferings and difficulties that each and every one of us may be facing in our own respective lives. God has shown us all what it means to be truly loving and generous, and to be truly rooted in His love and compassion. We must never ignore our calling and mission to be truly loving and compassionate towards everyone, regardless who they are, in all and every moments of our lives, doing our very best to show them all the love of God manifested through our genuine actions, deeds, all the care and concern that we have shown one another, in how we all live our lives in a selfless and loving manner.

As Christians we must never be selfish and wicked in all of our deeds and actions. Our lives should indeed reflect the light of God, His virtues and wonderful truth in everything that we say and do, in all of our interactions with one another, just as the Lord Himself has shown and taught us through His Church and His disciples. All of us must always embody our Christian faith within us, or else our faith is meaningless, empty and pointless, and will not avail us on the Day of Judgment. We are all reminded that we have been given so many opportunities by the Lord and endowed with all sorts of various blessings, talents and other things so that we may make good use of them for the benefit of everyone, for ourselves and for everyone around us, through our love and compassion.

Today, the Church also celebrates the Feast of St. Catherine of Alexandria, a great and holy woman, and a devoted servant of God who was remembered for her great faith and commitment to God. According to Sacred tradition and history, she was the daughter of the Roman governor of Alexandria during the third century, and therefore belonged to the social elite at the time, being referred to as a ‘princess’ in the historical writings. At that time, her study of the texts about the Blessed Virgin Mary and the Church writings led her to convert to the Christian faith, and it was a time of great turmoil and difficulty for the Christians throughout the Roman Empire, as the then Roman Emperor, Diocletian and his fellow co-Emperors launched intense persecutions against Christians.

St. Catherine was a courageous and faithful woman, and she did not fear the persecutions and hardships that she would have to face amidst the intense persecution of the time, just like what we have heard in our first reading today. She went to the Emperor, then the Roman Emperor Maxentius ruling in Rome to criticise and rebuke him for his persecution of Christians, where the Emperor assembled fifty most experienced and knowledgeable pagan philosophers to debate her without avail, and even many among those philosophers were convinced of the Christian truth and converted, leading to themselves being tortured and martyred. The Emperor then had St. Catherine arrested and imprisoned afterwards. It was told that many, including the Emperor’s own wife visited her in prison, and many including the Empress became Christian converts and were martyred.

The Emperor was desperate to overcome the faith of St. Catherine, and in doing so he wanted to persuade her by asking for her hand in marriage, providing that she abandon her Christian faith. But she remained firm in her faith and refused, declaring her obedience to God and her unshakeable faith. Therefore, St. Catherine was sentenced to death, but even the spikes to be used to kill her fail and prove to be unable to take her life. Eventually, she was martyred by beheading after she willingly allowed herself to be martyred, and it was told that miraculously, a milk-like substance instead of blood poured forth from her wounds. The great examples, faith and commitment, as well as the courage and perseverance of St. Catherine of Alexandria should indeed inspire us all Christians in our own faith in God.

May the Lord, our ever loving God and Father, our wonderful Creator and King continue to guide us all in our lives today, so that we may draw ever closer to His presence, and may all of us continue to be inspired by the great examples shown by His saints, like that of St. Catherine of Alexandria whose life we have just discussed and reflected upon. May all of us continue to love Him first and foremost in our lives and do our best to glorify Him through each and every one of our actions, words and deeds in life, and may God bless our every great efforts and endeavours for His greater glory, now and always. Amen.

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Sunday, 24 November 2024 : Solemnity of Our Lord Jesus Christ, King of the Universe, Thirty-Fourth Sunday of Ordinary Time (Homily and Scripture Reflections)

Liturgical Colour : White

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, this Sunday is the Thirty-Fourth and therefore the Last Sunday of Ordinary Time for this current liturgical year. Beginning next Sunday, the season of Advent will begin and it will also mark the beginning of the new liturgical year cycle. On this Sunday therefore we celebrate the great occasion of the Solemnity of Our Lord Jesus Christ, King of the Universe, celebrating and honouring the Kingship of Our Lord, His Universal Dominion and Kingship, Mastery and Rule over the whole Creation and over all things. On this day we glorify our Lord and King, proclaiming Him as our only Sovereign and Master, the One Who is ruling over our lives, renewing our commitments and dedication to Him, as His followers and disciples, and as His one united people, the Church of God.

In our first reading this Sunday, we heard from the Book of the prophet Daniel in which the vision of Daniel was recounted to us, the vision of God on His Throne, One of a Great Age and the Son of Man, to Whom Daniel saw that the One of Great Age had granted power, sovereignty and dominion over the whole world. This vision was in fact a prelude and premonition of Christ’s coming into this world, the revelation that God would indeed send none other than His own Beloved and Begotten Son, the Divine Word of God, to be incarnate in our midst and to dwell among us, ruling over us all as our Lord and King. And as He comes upon us in the flesh, adopting our human nature and existence, He also made His Kingdom to be manifest in our midst, as something that is real and tangible.

We are also reminded that ultimately, our allegiance and obedience lies and rests in God. Of course we are parts and members of our own respective countries, states and other worldly authorities that we are under and subject to, but we must always keep in mind and remember that all the authority and power they have ultimately came from God, our true Lord and King, our Master and Ruler, Who has entrusted and delegated His power and authority to those whom He had chosen and called to be the ones to exercise that power and authority on daily basis, be it in the secular world, in our states and countries, our governments and worldly rulers, as well as in the Church of God, the Pope and the many bishops all around the world, who have been entrusted with all of us, God’s flock and holy people.

Then, in our second reading this Sunday, we heard from the Book of Revelations of St. John the Apostle where St. John recounted to us his heavenly vision of the events of the end of times and the Final Judgment, the ultimate triumph of the Lord and His victory over all evil, sin and death. St. John had witnessed all those things so that he might be able to encourage and strengthen every one of us, God’s holy and faithful people, reminding us that Our Lord, He Who is Alpha and Omega, the Beginning and the End, the Lord, Master and Ruler of all will come again in the end of times, to gather us all and to lead us into the eternal bliss, true happiness and joy that He has promised and reassured us all these while. As long as we have faith and trust in Him, and commit ourselves wholeheartedly to Him, we will be saved.

From our Gospel passage this Sunday, taken from the Gospel according to St. John, we heard of the account of the time when the Lord was going through His Passion or Suffering, when Pontius Pilate, the Governor and Procurator of Judea was questioning Him about why the chief priests handed Him over to him to be condemned to death and crucified. Then, in that conversation and exchange we heard Pilate’s question to Jesus, asking Him about the accusations that the chief priests had been making against Him regarding the claim that He called Himself as the King of the Jews. This false claim and accusation was made by the chief priests against the Lord because they knew that it was high treason for anyone to claim to be king and ruler when the land was under Roman dominion and rule.

It was then that the Lord replied to Pilate that He is indeed a King, although not in the manner that he would think or know of. The Lord Himself mentioned that His Kingdom is not of this world, in the sense that His Kingdom, Dominion, power and sovereignty cannot be bound or described in the manner that any other earthly kingdoms and dominions, states and realms can be defined and bound. His Kingship is truly Universal and all-encompassing, and every nation, dominions, realms and other earthly boundaries are all under His rule and power, and this is the truth and reality that every one of us have to believe and trust in, knowing that because God is our Lord and King, hence, we are all the people of the King of Kings, the ones whom He had called and chosen to be His own beloved people.

Brothers and sisters in Christ, today as we all listened to these words from the Scriptures and as we all ponder upon the reality of the Kingship of Our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ, let us all therefore renew our faith and commitment in the Lord, to proclaim Him as our one true Lord and King. And if we truly believe and accept our Lord Jesus as King, then we must truly enthrone Him in our hearts, minds, bodies and souls, in our whole being, and strive as always to put Him at the very centre of our existence and lives. This is what we have been invited and reminded to do, to follow and obey Our King at all times and in all circumstances. As Christians, we must always be ready to proclaim our allegiance to God and our adherence to His ways and teachings, His Law and commandments at every moments in our lives.

The problem often then lies in the fact that many of us do not truly proclaim and hold fast to the fact and belief that Our Lord Jesus Christ, our God, is our Lord and King, our Master and Ruler. Why is that so, brothers and sisters? That is because we often allow the temptations present all around us, the temptations of power, money, worldly desires and attachments to distract us and pull us away from God and His path. And we also end up making those things to be our idols and masters instead of the Lord. Indeed, there are plenty of false idols around us, the idol of money, possessions, ambitions and other forms of worldly pursuits and desires that can keep us away from being truly committed and faithful to the Lord, our true Master and King.

May our Lord and Saviour, our King and Master, Jesus Christ, the Almighty and All-Encompassing Master and Ruler of the whole entire Universe and Creation continue to bless and guide us in all of our every endeavours, efforts and works. May all of us as His beloved and faithful people, His one flock and nation, all remain united in total obedience and commitment to Him as our Lord and King, our true Master in all things. Let us all and our devotion to our King continue to inspire many others in how we live our lives, becoming the great and shining beacons of truth, hope and love, revealing the Good News of God to all creation. Christus Vincit! Christus Regnat! Christus Imperat! Amen.

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Saturday, 23 November 2024 : 33rd Week of Ordinary Time, Memorial of Pope St. Clement I, Pope and Martyr, and St. Columban, Abbot (Homily and Scripture Reflections)

Liturgical Colour : Green or Red (Martyrs) or White (Abbots)

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, today as we all listened to the words of the Sacred Scriptures, each and every one of us are reminded of the coming of the end of times and the need for us to continue to have faith and trust in God, no matter what sufferings or hardships we may encounter in our respective paths in life. We must always trust that God will have our back and that we will not be disappointed if we put our faith in Him. At the end of time, we will be raised body and soul to be truly and fully reconciled with God 

In our first reading today, taken from the Book of Revelations of St. John, as we continue to hear the series of revelations received by St. John the Apostle during his exile and persecution in the Island of Patmos and in that vision, we heard of how the Lord will send to His people and to this world two great witnesses who then went on to proclaim the Word of God and His truth amongst the many people who have abandoned and rejected Him and His salvation, choosing instead to obey and follow the Devil, the one who is foretold to try to rise up against all of us at the end of time, persecuting all the ones who are faithful to the Lord. But God will not abandon us and through His servants, He will continue to show His love and encouragement.

Then, as we heard in what will happen next, those two servants are protected from all those who will seek to destroy them, up to the appointed time, when the forces of the evil one will come up and strike at those servants of God. And yet, in the end, the Lord raised them all up to His Presence, as His Spirit of Life descended upon them, striking fear against all those who have persecuted, oppressed and attacked them. It also showed how not even Satan, all sorts of evil forces, sin and death can triumph against God and His power. Ultimately, God will be triumphant against all those who are against Him, Satan and all his fellow fallen angels and demons, and all those who sided with them, while all those who are faithful to Him shall be vindicated and shall share His glorious triumph.

In our Gospel passage today then, taken from the Gospel according to St. Luke, we heard of the discussion between the Lord and some of the Sadducees who were there and wanted to question Him regarding the matter about the Resurrection from the dead. The Sadducees were one of the two most powerful and influential groups within the community of the Jewish people at the time of the Lord Jesus’ ministry, together with the Pharisees. The Sadducees were powerful and the ruling group of the Jews, those who were chosen as the High Priest and the other chief priests, the religious and secular elites of the community. And many of them were worldly in their views and beliefs, seeking to preserve their worldly influence and power above all else.

And hence, they were among those who refused to believe in the resurrection from the dead and any other spiritual matters and beliefs, as opposed to the Pharisees, who were intellectual elites and the teachers and preservers of the Law, who believed firmly in all things spiritual and the resurrection after death. Thus, as the Lord often spoke about life and existence transcending death, the Sadducees were strongly opposed to the Lord on this matter, and questioned Him about this belief in the resurrection. Their example quoting the seven brothers who shared a wife, as per the Law of Moses which dictated that the wife be taken care of by a man’s brothers should he die without a child, was an example of their lack of understanding and appreciation of the teachings and belief in the resurrection and life after death.

The Lord made it clear that life and existence after death should not be compared to our lives in this world, and it will be different from our lives here on earth which is full of desires and imperfections, corruptions and the temptations due to sin that has afflicted each and every one of us. Those who have passed on from this life to the world that is to come, and eventually after the Last Judgment, all of them, and all of us shall share in the fullness of God’s glory and rejoice together with Him in eternity of true happiness and bliss. We who will share in the joy of the Lord will no longer have desires for worldly matters, possessions, attachments and all the other things that those Sadducees and many among us may be desiring. That is what each and every one of us as Christians must realise as well.

Today, the Church celebrates the feast of two great saints, holy men of God, whose lives, faith and dedication to God should be great source of inspiration for all of us to follow in our own respective lives. They are Pope St. Clement I, a holy and dedicated Pope and Vicar of Christ, as well as St. Columban, a renowned Abbot and holy man. First of all, Pope St. Clement I was one of the first Bishops of Rome, the successors of St. Peter the Apostle who was the first Pope and Bishop of Rome. He is the fourth Bishop of Rome, succeeding St. Peter the Apostle, Pope St. Linus and Pope St. Anacletus. According to Apostolic tradition and Church history, Pope St. Clement I was the first among the Apostolic Fathers, the successors to the Apostles who continued their work and ministry among the people of God.

Pope St. Clement I was very active in his ministry as bishop and the leader of the Church, caring for the spiritual needs of the people of God, showing great leadership and governance of the flock of the Lord. He wrote many letters and epistles to the faithful, some of which survived in the writings of the early Church fathers, exhorting the faithful people of God to remain committed to Him despite all the challenges, trials and difficulties that they all had to face and endure amidst the persecutions and oppressions from the Roman state that was common at that time. He continued to work hard to the very end, eventually suffering prison and exile, and in the end, according to Apostolic tradition, like most of the other early Popes, died as a martyr of the Church.

Meanwhile, St. Columban, also known as St. Columbanus, was an Irish missionary priest who dedicated himself to the service of the Lord, in his missions in mainland Europe, in what is today parts of France and beyond. St. Columban spread the word of God to many of the people, and established schools and institutions that drew many people who seek to gain greater knowledge and understanding of their faith. However, despite the great and growing popularity of his schools, St. Columban preferred the solitude of the mountains, after many rounds of conflicts and disagreements with the bishops in France and Italy, eventually settling down in northern Italy on the land bestowed on him and others to establish a monastery, over which St. Columban became an abbot. He continued to dedicate himself to the Lord and His people to the very end of his earthly life.

Brothers and sisters in Christ, as we have all heard from our Scripture passages today, and also from the good examples and lives of Pope St. Clement I and St. Columban, we are all reminded that as Christians, we are all called to be truly obedient to God and to put our full trust and faith in Him at all times, striving at all times to do whatever is pleasing to Him, to obey Him, His Law and commandments. May the Lord, our most loving and compassionate God continue to help, strengthen and empower us all in our journey in life, and may He continue to bless us in all of our efforts and endeavours to glorify Him in each and every moments of our lives. Amen.