Reflection of the Bible

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Tuesday, 22 July 2025 : Feast of St. Mary Magdalene, Apostle of the Apostles (Homily and Scripture Reflections)

Liturgical Colour : White

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, today the Church celebrates the Feast of St. Mary Magdalene, a truly important woman and figure in the early Church and who was also highly visible throughout the narrative of the Gospels, the story of the activities of the Lord Jesus during His ministry in this world. This was because St. Mary Magdalene, although not numbered among the Twelve Apostles, was truly an integral part of the Lord’s group, and was one of the women who had always journeyed with the Lord and followed Him throughout His ministry and works. She was also honoured greatly as an equal to the Apostles, and indeed, was considered as one of the Apostles. In fact, she was known as the Apostle to the Apostles, Apostolorum Apostola, for her role in bringing the news of the Lord’s Resurrection to the Apostles.

In our first reading today, we heard of the reading from the Book of Song of Songs in which we heard the words of the author of this book speaking about the love that the author has been seeking, the love of the Lord, the One Who is truly the true love of our lives. That passage from the Book of Song of Songs highlighted the seeking and longing within one’s heart, seeking the great love of God that alone can truly satisfy our longing for love that is indeed true and fulfilling, and the effort that one ought to have and put in, in our journey to seek the love of God, to find this most wonderful and generous love that He has imparted upon us, and which we all experienced in every aspects and parts of our lives.

Then in the other alternative first reading from the Epistle of St. Paul the Apostle to the Church and the faithful people of God in the region of Corinth, we heard of the Apostle speaking also on the love of Christ, the perfect manifestation, proof and example of God’s love being made manifest for all of us. He spoke of how the love of Christ has transformed all the Christian believers, the people of God with the transformational love, the most selfless and wonderful love which He has selflessly and most lovingly provided upon us. That is why all of us as Christians, as those who profess to believe in Christ, must all be filled with the same love which Christ our Lord has shown us most generously and most lovingly from His Cross, for the sake of our salvation.

Lastly, from the Gospel passage today from the Gospel according to St. John the Apostle and Evangelist, we heard the moment when the Lord Jesus rose from the dead and how He revealed Himself first of all to none other than St. Mary Magdalene, the one to whom the Lord entrusted the news of His Resurrection. That was why as mentioned, St. Mary Magdalene was the Apostle to the Apostles, with the word ‘Apostle’ meaning someone who brings forth a testimony and Good News, and it was through her that the Twelve Apostles and the other disciples came to know of the Risen Lord before He appeared to them as well. She was distraught when she went to the Lord’s tomb and saw that the tomb had been opened and the Lord’s Body went missing.

And despite the words of the Angels that were there to tell St. Mary Magdalene and the other women of the Lord’s Resurrection, we heard how at first she was distraught that someone might have stolen His Body. But the Lord appeared to her in all of His Risen glory and reassured her of His Resurrection. She was distraught because she truly cared for the Lord, and having been one of His most ardent and faithful followers, she genuinely felt the loss when she saw and witnessed everything that happened during the Lord’s Passion on the Cross, as He suffered and died, and St. Mary Magdalene herself being specifically mentioned being there at the Lord’s side during His crucifixion when many of the disciples had fled and hid themselves. And when His Body apparently disappeared as well, that must have been terrible to her. But the Lord reassured her and strengthened her in her faith.

While not much was known of the exploits and works of St. Mary Magdalene after this point during the early Church, it was quite certain that she was together with the other disciples when the Holy Spirit came upon them all, and she was likely part of the missions and evangelising works, the spreading of the Good News of God, bringing more and more of God’s people closer to Him, and calling on more to come to know Him. And through her efforts in encouraging the Apostles after the Lord’s Resurrection and the many other roles that she might have played in the early Church, many were touched by the love and devotion that St. Mary Magdalene had for the Lord, in her focus on Him and in her efforts to seek Him, as an exemplary disciple and follower of Christ.

Brothers and sisters in Christ, let us all therefore be inspired by the good examples, faith and love for God which St. Mary Magdalene, the Apostle to the Apostles, has shown to us. Let us all be inspired by the great love and dedication that she has shown, in following the Lord faithfully throughout His ministry, as she went to wherever the Lord and His disciples went, serving Him and being committed to Him and the mission He has entrusted to her and others. Let us all therefore also answer God’s call with fervent and loving hearts, full of love for Him and ever focused on Him at all times. Let us all be good, worthy and faithful Christians at all times, doing our very best so that through our actions, efforts and works, we may inspire many others to come to the Lord and His salvation as well.

St. Mary Magdalene, Holy Apostle to the Apostles, you who have restored hope to the Apostles and the disciples of the Lord through your faithful bearing of the Good News of the Resurrection, pray for all of us so that we too may be good and faithful witnesses of the Lord and His Resurrection in our world today, within our communities and to everyone whom we encounter and journey with each day, in every moments of our lives. May God be with us always, and may He continue to bless us all most wonderfully in all things, in our every efforts to glorify Him by our lives, now and always. Amen.

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Monday, 21 July 2025 : 16th Week of Ordinary Time, Memorial of St. Lawrence of Brindisi, Priest and Doctor of the Church (Homily and Scripture Reflections)

Liturgical Colour : Green or White (Priests)

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, today as we listened to the words of the Sacred Scriptures, we are all called to trust in the Lord more and to believe wholeheartedly in Him and His Providence, and not to doubt His guidance and help. God will always be with those who trust in Him and those who have always kept strong in their commitment and devotion to Him. He will not abandon us in our time of great need, and will always stand by us even when everyone else abandoned us and left us behind. That is why we must always put our faith and trust in Him no matter what, and do our very best to walk ever more faithfully in the path that He has shown us, and not to be easily swayed by the temptations and pressures around us to abandon our faith in the Lord.

In our first reading today, we heard of the moment when the Pharaoh, the king and ruler of Egypt regretted having allowed the Israelites to go free and to go to their promised land. Earlier on, God had struck Egypt hard with the Ten Great Plagues, causing sufferings for the Egyptians and their Pharaoh, with the signs of clear Divine displeasure and works against the Pharaoh, the Egyptians and their gods. God showed His might and power against them and eventually the Pharaoh relented and gave in after the tenth and the greatest of the Ten Great Plagues, the death of all the firstborn of Egypt likely affected him personally, killing his own firstborn and heir, not withstanding the devastating effects of that plague and the other nine to the whole country.

However, the Pharaoh hardened his heart yet again and sent his hundreds of chariots after the Israelites with the desire to gather them all back and enslave them all again. And we heard how upon seeing the Pharaoh’s chariots, many among the Israelites were terrified and grumbled against Moses, asking him why he led them to their deaths there in the desert between the sea and the armies of the Pharaoh and the Egyptians. It was there that the Lord showed His power and might before His beloved people, reassuring them and reminding them all to have faith and trust in Him. Those Israelites had seen all the signs and wonders that God had done before them, with all the plagues that struck only the Egyptians and from which the Israelites were spared from, and yet they still failed to believe and have faith in Him and His Providence.

Then, lastly from our Gospel passage today, we heard of the exchange between the Lord Jesus and some Pharisees and teachers of the Law who asked Him to perform and show them some signs and miracles, to which the Lord responded, chiding their lack of faith and refusal to believe in what He had clearly shown them in many occasions. Contextually, those Pharisees and teachers of the Law often followed the Lord and His disciples around as they went to minister to the people and they also listened to and attended the Lord’s preaching and teaching. And yet, despite all of that, they still failed to believe in God and doubted Him, questioning His authority and works, and putting obstacles and even falsely accusing Him of wrongdoing and disobeying the Law.

It was for these attitudes that the Lord had criticised those Pharisees and the teachers of the Law, the ones who were supposedly the most knowledgeable and understanding of the Law of God and the Prophets, and hence, should have believed in all that the Lord Jesus Himself had said, the truth and Good News that He had brought into the world, fulfilling the prophecies of the prophets among other things, and in all the miracles and wonders that God had promised His people, and which had also been prophesied by the prophets as well. But they allowed their ego and pride to cloud their judgment, their ambitions and desires to drag them down the path of rebellion and disobedience against God.

That is why we are reminded through these readings of the Scriptures today not to allow ourselves to be swayed in a similar manner as well. If we allow ourselves to be tempted by these desires, ambitions and pride, like how the Pharaoh, the Pharisees and the teachers of the Law had been, then we will only bring ourselves towards doom and destruction. That is why as Christians we are all reminded and called to be humble, to listen to God and to obey Him rather than to follow the whim of our own desires and ambitions. We should always constantly align ourselves to what the Lord wants us all to do, by living a prayerful and holy life, ever centred and focused on the Lord rather than on worldly desires and ambitions, trusting in Him wholeheartedly at all times.

Today, the Church also celebrates the Feast of St. Lawrence of Brindisi, a Capuchin Friar and faithful servant of God, an Italian priest who was born in Brindisi in southern Italy to a family of merchants. He eventually joined the Capuchin friars and was ordained as a priest, and was noted for his great linguistic talents. In his many roles in the Capuchin order, as the superior and then eventually Vicar General, and using his many talents, St. Lawrence of Brindisi carried out many good works for the sake of the Lord and His Church. He continued to work even in the area of diplomacy in service of the Church and peace, as Papal Nuncio in some occasions and others. He did his best throughout his life to glorify God by what he has been blessed with, to the very end of his life, trusting in God for all things.

Brothers and sisters in Christ, therefore as we reflect upon the words of the Sacred Scriptures and as we remember the life and deeds of St. Lawrence of Brindisi, let us all continue to strive to be good and faithful disciples and followers of the Lord at all times. Let us all continue to live our lives with great faith and devotion, acting in ways that are aligned and attuned to the Lord, in all the things that we say and do, in our every interactions with one another and all those whom we encounter in life. May God bless us all and bless our every good efforts and endeavours, now and always. Amen.

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Sunday, 20 July 2025 : Sixteenth Sunday of Ordinary Time (Homily and Scripture Reflections)

Liturgical Colour : Green

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, this Sunday all of us are reminded to have faith and trust in the Lord, to believe in Him wholeheartedly and to trust in the plans that He has for each and every one of us. There is truly nothing that is impossible for God, and everything that God has planned for us will come to fruition and completion in due time, provided that we trust in Him, listen to Him speaking to us and guiding us all towards the fulfilment and accomplishment of His promises to us. We should trust in His plans and designs, which we may not yet see in full or completeness, and which we may still wonder at and have a lot of questions about, but trust in the Lord nonetheless, because we know that in God alone is sure hope and certainty of salvation.

In our first reading today, we heard from the Book of Genesis of the account of the time when the Lord came to visit Abraham and Sarah at their encampment at the moment when both of them were still awaiting their promised son, whom God had promised to him many times from the time when He called Abraham, then still known as Abram, from the land of Ur in Mesopotamia, to follow Him to the land that He would bestow upon him and his descendants, the land of Canaan. And Abraham obeyed the Lord and trusted in Him even though he and his wife had not been able to conceive a child for a long time. He went to the land of Canaan and did everything just as God had told him to do, and he was righteous in all things, a truly obedient servant of God.

And for additional context, Sarah did try to circumvent the problem, if we are aware of the story of how everything turned out in the Book of Genesis, by using her slave Hagar to conceive a child with Abraham. That was how Ishmael, Abraham’s eldest son was born, born from Abraham and Hagar, Sarah’s Egyptian slave. At that time, it was common practice for a woman who owned a slave and had difficulty having a child, or for other reasons, to take her own slave to bear a child with her husband, and any children born by the slave would be considered as the legal child of the woman instead of the slave. This was because slave did not have any right at that time, and the slave and everything the slave possessed were considered to belong to the slave’s master, and that included any children the slave might have borne.

But God reassured Abraham and told him that the child that He had promised to him and Sarah would be born through Sarah and not through any other means, including that of Hagar and Ishmael. And the Lord appeared to both Abraham and Sarah as we heard in today’s first reading to remind and reassure them again on this matter. But as we heard, Sarah did not truly believe and still doubted, and she even laughed in secret about this. Yet, nothing could have escaped God’s attention and knowledge, and that was why He told Sarah that precisely that very moment the next year, she would be having a child with her, the child born from her own womb, just as God has promised. What God had promised might be delayed for a while, but eventually in His good time, everything will happen just as He has said it would.

That was how Isaac was to be conceived and born for Abraham and Sarah, the son that had been promised to them, the one through whom Abraham, the childless man, would become the father of many nations, and whose descendants would number as many as the stars in the sky, and as many as the grains of sand on the seashore. And he was named Isaac precisely because of this incident, because Sarah laughed at what the Lord had told her and Abraham about having a child at her age, something that is impossible for man, but not impossible for God. Indeed, God had the final laugh when everything did happen as He said it would, proving to Abraham and Sarah, and to all of us, the faithfulness and love that God has for all of us, and of the Covenant that He had made with us.

Then, from our second reading this Sunday, taken from the Epistle of St. Paul the Apostle to the Church in Colossae in Asia Minor, we heard of the Apostle exhorting the faithful to hold firmly to the truth and the Good News which they have all received from the Apostles and the other missionaries, the truth which the Lord Jesus Christ Himself has come to reveal to the whole world, through the Apostles and the Church, from which the secrets and mysteries of the Lord that had been long hidden from our sight and understanding, had finally been revealed and made known in full to everyone who believe in Him and in His Providence. And all these had been made known to them all because God wants all those whom He loved and truly cared for to find their way to Him, and to trust in Him, in His Wisdom and guidance, that they may not be lost to Him.

This relates well to what God had Himself revealed to Abraham and Sarah from our story in the first reading passage today, as the Lord revealed His plan, slowly, through the wisdom and the encounters that He has put in the paths of men, and showed His faithfulness to the Covenants He had made and established, and constantly renewed with us. And lastly, He gave us all the perfect fulfilment of all of His promises, Covenant and all that He has reassured us all from time to time, through His only Begotten Son, Our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ, by Whom God has shown us all the perfect manifestation of His Love, teaching and revealing to us what His Law, commandments and ways are all about, and how we all ought to follow Him so that we may partake in the eternal life that He has prepared for all of us.

In our Gospel passage this Sunday, according to St. Luke the Evangelist, we then heard the short, more summarised account of what happened in the encounter between the Lord Jesus and the two sisters, Mary and Martha, who invited Him to their house. And we heard how Mary was listening to the Lord speaking and teaching to her while Martha was busy preparing all the things to welcome the Lord, probably a meal and more. But when Martha asked the Lord to tell Mary to help her out, likely that she was frustrated that she was left to do all the work by herself, the Lord told Martha that she should remember what is truly most important for her, and not to be distracted by all her works that she failed to notice how the Lord truly should be the priority at that time, and not all of her plans and chores.

This does not mean that what Martha had done was wrong. Martha had good intentions above all else, and she certainly and genuinely wanted to welcome the Lord and make Him happy with her hospitality. However, what the Lord wanted her to know was that she should not allow those busy preoccupations and the hectic preparations to distract her from appreciating the Lord’s Presence and the time when He was there at her place. This applies to all of us as well, brothers and sisters in Christ. How many of us, for example, were all so busy seeking for worldly pursuits and ambitions, in us seeking to climb the career ladder and in getting various wants and ambitions that we have, our desires and all that we ended up forgetting those whom we love all around us?

This is why we should learn to be more like Mary, to be ready to listen to the Lord and to be appreciative of everything we had done for us. We should have more faith and trust in God like Abraham had done, instead of being skeptical and doubtful as Sarah had done. If we put our trust more in God than in our own human power and works, then we can certainly see the clear difference in our lives, as we will find that trusting in God give us the peace and satisfaction that trusting in our own human means and workings cannot do for us. And we are reminded this Sunday that we should apply this to our lives, and do our best so that as Christians, we may be good role models and inspirations for one another, at all times, to show them God’s Providence, love and guidance in all things.

May the Lord continue to help and guide us in our journey and actions through life, and help us all so that we may continue to be strong and faithful in Him at all times. May He grant us the listening ears of Mary and the faith that Abraham, our father in faith had in Him. May God bless our every actions and good works, our efforts and endeavours, all done for His greater glory, now and always. Amen.

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Saturday, 19 July 2025 : 15th Week of Ordinary Time (Homily and Scripture Reflections)

Liturgical Colour : Green or White (Saturday Mass of Our Lady)

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, today all of us are reminded through the readings of the Sacred Scriptures we have received, of the great love and providence which God has given to all of us His beloved and holy people. He does not leave us without any providence and help, but He always acts in the way that leads us all into the ultimate happiness and true satisfaction in Him, even when we may have to face a lot of trials and struggles in our paths. That is why we must always keep in mind this even when we go through hardships and when things and prospects are dark and not really promising for us, remembering that we always have God with us even when everything else, all of our worldly matters, things that we usually rely on, and other means fail us.

In our first reading today, we heard of the account from the Book of Exodus regarding the moment when the people of Israel, God’s first chosen people finally set off on their journey from the land of Egypt, exactly four hundred and thirty years after they had first set onto that land during the days of Jacob and his sons, Joseph and his brothers. Initially, Jacob and his family had relocated to Egypt upon the invitation of Joseph, who was sent by God ahead of his family and became the Regent of Egypt. And in time, over the next few centuries, God’s guidance and blessings were with their descendants, and they became a great nation living in the bounty of the wealth and prosperity of Egypt, up to the time when new generation of Pharaohs came to power and feared the Israelites and their numbers and might.

That was how the Israelites came to be oppressed and enslaved by the Egyptians as all of us are surely aware of, and for many years and even decades they suffered greatly at the hands of their slavemasters, and yet, God’s reassurance and faithfulness to the Covenant which He had made with their forefathers remained strong in the hearts and minds of the people of Israel. They all hoped for the coming of a deliverer, the one who would lead them out of the land of their misery and return them to the land of overflowing milk and honey, the Promised Land of Canaan, the land promised to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, their ancestors. And God did fulfil all these, sending Moses, His servant, whom He entrusted with the power and authority, delivering Ten Great Plagues against Egypt, the Egyptians and their Pharaoh.

And after all those things had happened and passed, as we heard, the Israelites were finally let free to go as they wished, as the Pharaoh gave in to the pressure and all the devastations that he and the other Egyptians had faced for him having disobeyed God and hardened his heart throughout the plagues that happened earlier. And we heard the great joy that the people of God experienced, after tasting freedom and true joy once again after being enslaved for a long time. They went forth with great joy and jubilation, thanking God for everything that He had done for them, and all these served as reminders for each and every one of us of all the great things that God Himself had done for us.

Then, in our Gospel passage today, we heard from the Gospel according to St. Matthew the Apostle and Evangelist, the works of the Lord Jesus Christ, the One Whom God had promised to His people as the Saviour of all, and how His works and ministry in this world fulfilled everything that God had revealed and promised through the prophets particularly the prophet Isaiah, who spoke in detail and at length regarding the coming of the salvation of God. And we also heard at the same time the challenges and trials which the Lord faced from those who disagreed with Him and bitterly opposed Him because they refused to accept the truth and embrace what the Lord Himself had actually clearly revealed and shown to them through the many wonders and miracles that He had performed.

But the Lord continued with His works and ministry nonetheless regardless of those oppositions and challenges that He and His disciples had faced. He did not let all those things to deter or dissuade Him from reaching out to those whom He had been sent to, the lost sheep of the people of God, calling and gathering them all back towards God’s loving embrace and showing unto them the perfect manifestation of God’s love, giving them renewed hope and strength amidst the struggles and challenges of the world, and in fulfilling everything that the prophet Isaiah and the other prophets had said, in all the miracles, signs and wonders that this Messiah or Saviour would be performing, He reminded the people that God has always been with them just as He had been with their ancestors as He led them out of their slavery in Egypt.

Yes, brothers and sisters in Christ, in fact what happened during the time of the Exodus from Egypt to the Israelites was indeed a precursor and prefigurement of everything that God Himself would also do for everyone, for all of His beloved ones, all of us mankind, in delivering us all from the slavery and bondage to sin and darkness of evil, just as He has delivered the Israelites from their bondage and slavery to the Egyptians and their Pharaoh. And He did all these through His own mighty hands, delivering unto us His sure deliverance, promises and providence, which He did first of all through Moses to the Israelites, and then in a far greater way through His own Begotten Son to the whole entire world, in manifesting His perfect Love in the flesh.

Brothers and sisters in Christ, let us all therefore be thankful of everything that the Lord our most loving and compassionate God had done for us, in loving us all so consistently and persistently despite our waywardness and our lack of commitment to Him. Let us be inspired by His great and ever enduring love so that we ourselves may love Him in the same way as well, and strive to love one another in the same manner too. Let us all follow Him wholeheartedly from now on, dedicating our time and efforts to proclaim Him and His truth, His Good News and love to all those whom we encounter in our daily lives, now and always. Amen.

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Friday, 18 July 2025 : 15th 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 Sacred Scriptures, we are reminded that the Lord our God is truly a most loving, compassionate and kind God, Who has always been concerned about our well-being and our journey in life, in each and every moments, in good times and in bad times. He does not forget about us or abandon us when times goes bad for us, but He helps us all the more, guiding and strengthening us even through those darkest moments, providing us with what we need and giving us all the means to endure and survive the many challenges in life. 

In our first reading today, we heard from the Book of Exodus in which the Lord instructed Moses and Aaron on what they ought to do in preparing for the very first Passover in the land of Egypt. It was at that moment when the Israelites were on the verge of being freed from the bondage of their slavery in Egypt, after a long and grueling many years suffered because of the persecution and oppression by the Egyptians and their Pharaoh who exploited them, made them to work very hard to build their cities, temples and monuments, while even trying to eradicate them as a nation through genocidal policies. God remembered His people and sent His deliverance upon them through Moses, who challenged the Pharaoh and the Egyptians, and brought God’s Ten Great Plagues upon Egypt.

And this Passover happened just right about the time when the Tenth and the Last of all the Ten Great Plagues, by which God would send against Egypt to finally liberate His beloved people after the earlier nine plagues had struck Egypt, the Egyptians and their Pharaoh, but the latter still hardened his heart and refused to let them all go. The Pharaoh had intended destruction for all the Israelites, to continue to persecute and oppress them, and hence, God would send death against all the firstborn of the Egyptians, and this Passover from the words being ‘passed over’ or in the ancient Hebrew, Peshach or Pesach, which is translated to Pascha and Easter in our later celebration of the Christian Passover, became the most important of all the celebrations of the Israelites, the people of God.

That is because it marked the moment when the Lord Himself intervened and came to help His people, giving them the exact instructions so that His Angels of Death would pass over them all, by the blood of the Passover lamb, slaughtered for that very Passover, marking their doorposts, to distinguish them all from the Egyptians. The Passover marked the moment when a people who had been enslaved, suffering and without hope, finally met the moment of their breakthrough and reckoning, shown the saving hands and works of the Lord, Who struck the Egyptians and their Pharaoh so terribly that they were finally brought to their long-awaited freedom. And even more importantly for all of us as Christians, this Passover is a prefigurement of the New and Eternal Passover, the Sacrifice of Christ Our Lord and Saviour as our Paschal Lamb, in Him delivering us all from the slavery to our sins and bringing us to freedom and eternal life in God.upt

Then, in our Gospel passage today, taken from the Gospel according to St. Matthew the Apostle and Evangelist, we heard of the moment when the Pharisees who were following and observing the Lord Jesus and His disciples criticised those disciples because they were picking on the grains of wheat in the field as they were hungry during their missions and trips. It happened that it was the Sabbath day and contextually we must understand that back then, and as it still is today, in the Jewish community, the Law of the Sabbath dictated that everyone ought to abstain from any forms of labour or work, and dedicate that day for the worship and glorification of God. And the Pharisees were very particular about enforcing this Law just as any other laws and rules in the Law of Moses.

That was why they were very critical at the Lord and His disciples because to them, those disciples were breaking the Law of the Sabbath and therefore committing sin against God. But the Lord Himself quickly rebuked those Pharisees and their hypocritical attitude, in criticising others simply because they did not align to their preferences and ideals, and thinking that they were better spiritually and more worthy than everyone else, especially those whom they deemed to be unworthy and sinful. But they themselves had not been truly faithful to the Lord, and had been vain, seeking for worldly glory and ambitions, for human praise and adoration rather than truly being focused and centred on God, and truly fulfilling the Law of God in the manner that the Lord had told them all to do.

And the Lord Jesus told those Pharisees that there were circumstances in the past where the Law had been bent and adjusted before to accommodate certain circumstances, as He highlighted the example of King David and his followers, who at that time was fleeing from the persecution by King Saul and his supporters. At that time they took shelter in God’s Temple, and they were very hungry, just as the disciples were very hungry at that time. And King David with his followers took the showbread which according to the Law was reserved only for the priests, and the High Priest, Abiathar at that time, allowed King David and his followers to partake of those showbread. That is because the alternative to this, if they did not eat the bread was that they might die of starvation, and that was clearly not what God intended to happen.

Which is why we are all reminded to put our faith and trust in the Lord, to follow Him in all things and to love Him wholeheartedly through the Law that He has put before us, which we ought to follow with true understanding of His intentions, which is to teach us all how to love Him and to love one another most generously as He Himself has loved us all. We must not be like those Pharisees who were hypocrites in their way of life, and in their sense of superiority, in their rigidity and constant criticism of others simply because they thought themselves as better than everyone else in the matter of the faith and their way of life. Instead, we should continue to put the Lord as the focus of our attention in life, remembering all the generous love and patience we have received from Him all these while.

May the Lord continue to bless each and every one of us in our endeavours and good efforts to glorify Him by our lives. May He empower and strengthen us to remain strong and steadfast in our faith despite the many trials and challenges that we may encounter in our journey and path going forward in life. Amen.

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Thursday, 17 July 2025 : 15th Week of Ordinary Time (Homily and Scripture Reflections)

Liturgical Colour : Green

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, today all of us are reassured and comforted once again by the Lord through what we have heard in our Scripture passages, telling us all that we are all beloved and dear to Him, and nothing will happen to us without Him knowing it, and He will always take care of us even when we are suffering great persecutions and challenges in life, such as what the people of God, the Israelites had suffered in the past during their enslavement in Egypt. In God’s time and plan, He would rescue them all out of their predicament, sending His deliverance and help, as He has frequently done throughout history and perhaps to all of us as well. It is often that when we look back at what happened then we all realise what God had done and how He has always been there for us.

In our first reading today, taken from the Book of Exodus, we heard of the moment when God told Moses exactly what he was to do as he was sent to the land of Egypt to face the Pharaoh of Egypt and to tell the Israelites at the same time about the coming of God’s deliverance and salvation for His people. Moses was unsure and doubtful about how 

he could do such a work, as he was rather uncharismatic and had difficulties with words, not eloquent and was also unsure how he could introduce the Lord to the people who had been suffering a lot in hardships in their lives in slavery. But the Lord reassured Moses and told him that He would guide him and be with him throughout his ministry, his works and ordeals, in guiding His people out of their sufferings.

The Lord reassured Moses by telling him everything that He would do wonders through him, and made it clear to him what he would encounter and all the challenges that he would have to face in the midst of his ministry and works. Linking to the later Gospel passage of today, this is a reminder for us that God’s mission and calling for us is something that may be full of challenges and difficulties, but we must not be afraid to take them up because ultimately, like Moses himself, who accepted his calling and ministry, he trusted wholeheartedly in the Lord and putting his faith in His Providence, doing everything with God’s guidance and help, not by depending on his own strength or power. Otherwise, if he and the Israelites had used their own strength and means to liberate themselves, without God’s guidance, it would have been impossible.

Then, as we listened from our Gospel passage today, from the Gospel according to St. Matthew the Apostle and Evangelist, we are reminded of God’s great and ever enduring love for each one of us, and how all of us as the beneficiaries of this wonderful love should trust in Him and believe in His path, and all that He has called on us all to do in our respective lives. The Lord told His disciples and followers that they all should put their trust and faith in God, and put their trust in the yoke that He offered to them. Why the imagery and comparison to a yoke? Again, the Lord was using this metaphor to deliver His intentions and teachings to the people, using terms that many of them were familiar with so that they could appreciate its meaning and understand better.

For many people who were working in the fields, as farmers and others who were aware of the agriculture works, the yoke is the burden placed onto beasts of burden, animals like buffaloes and oxen, or donkeys and mules which helped them to shoulder the weight of carriages and other weights placed on them. Therefore, this symbolism of the yoke is meant by Christ Himself to highlight that becoming His disciples and followers would mean struggles and difficulties will be part of those who have chosen to do so, but at the same time, He reassured all those, all of us who have embraced Him as our Lord, Master and Saviour that we will not have it difficult beyond our means to carry those burdens and endure them, it will be easier than we think it is.

As mentioned earlier, following Christ does not mean for us to enjoy all happiness, comfort and joy, unlike what some would have believed, and unlike what some people actually taught about believing in God, that this would have led to blessings and more good things, something known as the ‘Prosperity Gospel’. While it is indeed much nice, easier and more enticing to believe in that manner, that following God would have led to an easier and less challenging path for us, we must not understood what we have heard from our Gospel passage today and what is to be expected of our journey in life as Christians, as the disciples and followers of the Lord. We should not think that being the disciples of the Lord would mean instantaneous liberation from hardships and trials, as we might have hoped to be.

But the truth is that following the Lord would mean that we may have to choose the harder path or what may seem to be harder one as compared to the alternatives that we may have. Why is that so? That is because the alternative path, the path of worldliness and the paths advocated by the evil ones seeking our destruction will naturally look more attempting and pleasing for us. However, they all ultimately lead to destruction and damnation for us, and we must not easily be swayed by short term gains and pleasures which lead to us denying the true happiness, joy and satisfaction that will be ours if we remain firm in our faith and commitment to the Lord. And why the Lord said that His yoke is lighter and easier despite all these? That is because we are not alone in this journey, as the Lord is with us, always.

Yes, brothers and sisters in Christ, our Lord is carrying our burdens, our crosses in life with us, journeying and walking with us at each and every moments of our journey. We must not forget that the Lord has always been faithful to His Covenant with His beloved people, and all the love that He has constantly shown us. And that is why today we are again reminded of this great love, and we should therefore do our best to live our lives most worthily as Christians, in obeying God’s will and doing our part to glorify Him and to proclaim His truth and Good News by our lives and examples. May God bless us always, now and forevermore. Amen.

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Wednesday, 16 July 2025 : 15th Week of Ordinary Time, Memorial of Our Lady of Mount Carmel (Homily and Scripture Reflections)

Liturgical Colour : Green or White (Our Lady of Mount Carmel)

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, today as we all listened to the words of the Sacred Scriptures, we are reminded that God has called upon each and every one of us to do His will, to do what He has entrusted to each one of us in a distinct and unique manner so that by our active participation in His will and works, we may truly obey what He has wanted us to do and that we may truly be fruitful in everything that we say and do. We are also reminded of God’s great and generous love, His persistent and enduring love and care for each and every one of us, the great love which He has lavished on us throughout time, all the kindness which He has provided so lovingly and selflessly all these while. Through this generous love of God, we are reminded that we are truly blessed and we should really appreciate this grace.

In our first reading today, we heard of the moment from the Book of Exodus when the Lord called Moses to be the one to deliver His message of hope and deliverance to His people, the Israelites being enslaved in Egypt, and to confront the Egyptians and their Pharaoh that they might set the people of God free. This happened as Moses was in the land of Midian, pasturing the sheep of his father-in-law Jethro during the time when he was in exile from Egypt after murdering an Egyptian slavemaster. He saw the Lord appearing in a miraculous burning bush and he encountered the Lord there at His mountain, and hearing God sending him out on the mission to rescue and lead the people of Israel out of the land of Egypt and to head to the Promised Land that He had promised their forefathers.

Moses received this mission from the Lord Who was acting to move His people out from suffering, because despite having endured a lot of tribulations and trials, the people of God were never forgotten and abandoned by God, Who have always loved them and remembered His Covenant with them. But the Egyptians and their Pharaoh chose to act with impunity and persecuted the Israelites through slavery and oppression. That was why, at the appointed time, according to His will, God moved and Moses was the one that He had chosen to bring His people out of the land of their misery, leading them to the land of milk and honey, a land of bounty and joy which God would grant to all of them.

Then, as we heard from our Gospel passage today taken from the Gospel according to St. Matthew the Apostle and Evangelist, we are reminded that the Lord has revealed to us His will and intentions, all of which had been made clear and tangible to us through His Son, Our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ, the One through Whom we have seen the love of God manifested perfectly before each one of us. And through His obedience to His Father’s will, in showing us the perfect example of what it truly means to be faithful, Christ our Lord has shown us all how we can follow God faithfully in all things, becoming the role models and inspirations for one another, becoming the beacons of hope and light for everyone around us, in living our lives and faith most committedly at all times.

And that is what we are all reminded to do, to be ever more faithful and dedicated to God, to follow the Lord in all and every moments of our lives, and to listen to Him speaking to us in the depths of our hearts and minds. We should allow the Lord to lead us down the path that He wants us all to walk in so that we may truly be good and virtuous Christians at all times, in each and every one of our actions, works and deeds, in our every dealings and interactions. God has called us all to be His faithful disciples and followers, to go forth and proclaim His truth and Good News in every possible opportunities, in doing our best to glorify Him by our lives and our every contributions, even in the smallest things that we do in life.

Today, the Church also celebrates the Feast of Our Lady of Mount Carmel, remembering the occasion of the apparition of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Holy Mother of God, to St. Simon Stock in the region of Mount Carmel in the Holy Land, from which the Carmelites get their name from, and which devotion would later be popularly known as the Devotion to Our Lady of Mount Carmel. At that time, during the time of the Crusades, Our Lady of Mount Carmel appeared and gave the now popular brown scapular of Our Lady of Mount Carmel to St. Simon Stock who then popularised this devotion at about the same time when the Carmelite order began in the late twelfth century.

Ever since then, the Carmelites and their devotion to Our Lady of Mount Carmel, among their many other charisms and works continued to work wonders for the salvation of souls. Even after they had to leave the Holy Land due to the failure of the Crusades, the Carmelites continued to do many great works for God and His people, calling more and more people to salvation in Him and through Him, echoing how Moses brought the people of Israel out of their slavery in Egypt and into the land promised to them and their ancestors. Therefore, we too are called to leave behind our slavery to sin and darkness, and to embrace wholeheartedly the new life and existence which God is providing to us all, and which He has always reassured us all, all these while.

May the Lord continue to guide and strengthen us all through the many challenges in life, through all of the difficult moments we may have to encounter in our paths and journeys. May He empower us all to be His worthy and committed disciples, allowing us to be truly good and worthy followers of His, to be the beacons of His light, truth and hope, now and always, forevermore. Amen.

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Tuesday, 15 July 2025 : 15th Week of Ordinary Time, Memorial of St. Bonaventure, Bishop and Doctor of the Church (Homily and Scripture Reflections)

Liturgical Colour : White

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, as we all listened to the words of the Sacred Scriptures today, we are all reminded of God’s love and providence, His kindness and compassion for all those who are dear and beloved to Him. God has always remembered us all in our good and bad times, and we are never forgotten or abandoned even when we cannot feel or see His Presence and works immediately. God is always with us regardless of the circumstances because He truly cares for us, and He has shown us His wonders and love again and again throughout history, in what He had done to His first-called people, the Israelites when they suffered in Egypt, and also in giving us all the best and most perfect gift of all, His own Begotten Son, Our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ.

In our first reading today, we heard the continuation of the account from the Book of Exodus in which the moment when Moses was born was told to us. Moses was the one whom God had promised to His people to be the one to lead them all out of their slavery in the land of Egypt. At that time, the new generation of Pharaohs had arisen in Egypt that did not know about the great deeds of Joseph and his exploits, and feared the rapidly growing numbers and prosperity of the Israelites who were dwelling in the region of Goshen somewhere in the Nile River delta region. Therefore as we heard yesterday, the Pharaoh decreed first the enslavement of the Israelites, forced to do hard labour for the Egyptians, and then, in a more desperate effort, the order to throw all the sons born to the Israelites into the Nile River to try to destroy them as a nation.

But God was with His people and despite all these challenges that they faced, they kept on growing in numbers and in one of the babies which had been saved from the water by God’s interventions, it was Moses who was named as such because he had been taken out and rescued from the water by his adoptive mother, the Pharaoh’s daughter. According to tradition, the Pharaoh’s daughter was childless and hence, she took upon herself the Hebrew baby that she found floating on the Nile as her own adopted son, and that was how Moses grew up in the court of Pharaoh as an Egyptian prince. But then we heard how Moses grew up seeing the injustice faced by his people, the Israelites, who were persecuted and oppressed by the Egyptians, and he fled from Egypt after killing one of the Egyptian slavemasters that struck upon a Hebrew, one of his own people.

But God would be with Moses, who fled to the land of the Midianites, and after many years later, he would be called by God and would return back to Egypt with God’s mission and words to the Pharaoh, beginning the fulfilment of His promises to them and their ancestors, where by His power and might, God would rescue all of them, with the Ten Great Plagues that He sent unto Egypt, the Egyptians and their Pharaoh. All of these show us the great might of God and the enduring love and patience which God has always had for those who are dearly beloved to Him. And this is an important reminder for all of us not to take this same love which He has shown all of us for granted. We should always be grateful of God’s love and Providence, everything that He had done for our sake.

Then, in our Gospel passage, taken from the Gospel according to St. Matthew the Apostle and Evangelist, we heard of the Lord Jesus and His lamentations on the cities in the region of Galilee such as Capernaum, Chorazin and Bethsaida. Why did the Lord make such denunciations and lamentations? That is because of the lack of faith which many of the people in those places had shown despite having witnessed and seen all the miracles and wonders that the Lord had performed before them all. Some among them, especially from among the Pharisees, doubted and criticised the Lord for His actions and teachings, questioning His authority and authenticity, and even accusing Him of colluding with evil spirits and demons in doing His works.

It is all these lack of faith and trust in the Lord, in all that God had done through His Son, sent into our midst, into this world to bring all of us into His loving embrace and salvation which had led to the lamentations and anguish that the Lord had spoken against those places. This was compared to the faith of those whom the people of God then often deemed to be sinners and unworthy, like those of the Syro-Phoenicians, those living in the region of Tyre and Sidon that the Lord mentioned, as a Syro-Phoenician woman had such great faith in the Lord that she believed in Him so wholeheartedly even against His harsh words towards her. And the Samaritans whom the Jewish people often regarded as heretics and pagans, proved to be more welcoming to the Lord and His words and teachings.

All these showed us that we must not be prejudiced against anyone, and we must realise that God truly loves each one of us, all of us mankind without limits and boundaries. He loves each one of us unconditionally and He has always patiently done so, even when we ourselves had not been faithful to Him, and even when we have taken His love and kindness for granted. Each and every one of us should strive to do what is right and just, in loving, following and obeying the Lord to the best of our abilities, in each and every moments in life so that by our love for Him and in loving one another in the same manner, we may truly be worthy to be called as Christians, as those whom God had called and chosen as His own holy and beloved people.

Today, the Church celebrates the Feast of St. Bonaventure, a renowned Franciscan bishop and Cardinal of the Holy Roman Church who was remembered for his great many works and writings that eventually also earned him the honour of being one of the Doctors of the Church. St. Bonaventure was born in Italy during the High Middle Ages and while nothing much was known about his childhood and younger years, he eventually joined the Franciscans, and at the same time gaining great experiences and respect as an academic, earning his doctorate in theology which inspired him further in his many writings and works later on. St. Bonaventure was then also elected as the Minister General of the Franciscan Order, the overall head and authority over all the Franciscans.

He was also involved deeply in the works of reform of the Church at that time, before and after he helped the election of Pope Gregory X, who then appointed him as a Cardinal, as the Cardinal Bishop of Albano for his role in his election. St. Bonaventure continued to do great works in his various capacities, and it was well-known that he led the Franciscans in a moderate way, balancing faith and reason, making them very popular and outstanding in the Church. While he passed away not long after his appointment as Cardinal, St. Bonaventure’s legacy and inspiring works in various areas, especially in many matters of the faith and theology continued to touch the lives of many people even long after his lifetime.

Brothers and sisters in Christ, let us all therefore reflect upon the words of the Scriptures that we have received today, remembering the love that He has always shown us, and through the inspiration and examples of St. Bonaventure, who has dedicated his life in the service of God and his fellow brothers and sisters. May the Lord help us all to be ever more faithful and committed to Him, to follow Him ever more wholeheartedly in each and every moments, becoming good role models and examples in faith to one another, now and always. Amen.

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Monday, 14 July 2025 : 15th Week of Ordinary Time, Memorial of St. Camillus de Lellis, Priest (Homily and Scripture Reflections)

Liturgical Colour : Green or White (Priests)

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, as we listened to the words of the Sacred Scriptures that we received today, we are all reminded of the challenges and difficulties that we may have to encounter in our journey and path as Christians and as God’s holy and beloved people. This is because being a disciple and follower of the Lord does not mean that we will be free from hardships and challenges, trials and difficulties in life, unlike what some among us might have believed in. We must not delude ourselves into thinking that our lives will be absolutely happy and smooth after we have followed the Lord and been faithful to Him. Instead, we have to remind ourselves that we must be steadfast even in the face of the toughest challenges and trials.

In our first reading passage today, taken from the Book of Exodus, we heard of the moment when the people of Israel, the descendants of Jacob living in Egypt after Joseph brought his whole extended family there, began to suffer the persecutions and oppressions by the new Pharaoh, king of Egypt who according to the accounts did not know the good deeds and works which Joseph had done for the Egyptians. Historically, Biblical scholars and historians had attributed this to the change of government or dynasty in Egypt, with the Pharaohs favourable to the Israelites hailing from among the Hyksos people that conquered and ruled Egypt for a period before they were overthrown by the local Egyptians.

That was why when the new rulers of Egypt came to power, they feared the growing numbers of the Israelites, who grew rapidly in numbers, being blessed by God in the land of Egypt. And that was how the Israelites came to be subjugated and enslaved by the Egyptians and their Pharaoh, who persecuted them badly and made use of them to do hard labour and works, beginning the period of enslavement, from which God would eventually save all of them from, through Moses, the one whom He would send to His beloved people to guide them out of the land of Egypt. And despite the efforts of the Pharaohs to eradicate and destroy the people of Israel, they kept on thriving regardless, as God was with them.

Then, from our Gospel passage today, we are all reminded that being disciples and followers of the Lord will likely require us to face challenges and difficulties, and for us to make sacrifices and efforts to follow the Lord faithfully. And the Lord also presented the reality of how we may even face opposition, rejection and hardships from those who are closest to us, our own family members and closest friends at times. The Lord was telling this to His disciples in particular because at that time, the common perception was that when the Messiah was to come into the world, many thought or expected that the Messiah or Saviour would bring an era of everlasting peace and joy, glory and greatness to the people of God, reestablishing the glorious Kingdom of Israel as how it once was during the reigns of King David and King Solomon.

The Lord wanted His disciples and followers, and hence also all of us here to realise that being His disciples and followers will likely entail obstacles and opposition because ultimately, the world and its ways hate the Lord and His truth, His ways and righteousness. And that is why His disciples and followers, all those who adhere to His path, all of these, including each and every one of us will be tested and made to endure hardships, instead of enjoying immediate joy and satisfaction in life. It does not mean that our lives will be completely miserable, but we must not have the unrealistic expectation that our lives will be totally free from trouble, or that everything that we want and desire will be fulfilled. We have to prepare and strengthen ourselves, our resolve and commitment that we may always be faithful as disciples of Christ.

Today, the Church also celebrates the Feast of St. Camillus de Lellis, the founder of the religious order of the Camillians, dedicated to the care of the sick, and was famous for his great efforts and works in caring for the ones who have suffered physical maladies and difficulties. He was born during the time of the Renaissance in Italy and he had a rather neglected childhood and upbringing as his mother passed away when he was young while his father as an army officer was rarely home. As he grew up, he followed his father in his career, serving in the military for a number of years, and after a rather tough period of time, and having lost his possessions through gambling, he sought to join the Capuchin friars only to be rejected because of a persistent leg wound he was suffering from.

And that was how he ended up establishing a new religious order with several others who were also called to minister to the service to the patients and the sick in the hospital, which would eventually be known as the Order of Clerks Regular, Ministers of the Infirm, known more popularly by their association with their founder, St. Camillus de Lellis himself, as the Camillians. Together, St. Camillus de Lellis and his fellow workers of the faith ministered to the people who were suffering from various sicknesses and committed to care for them until their dying moments, and they cared for many during the numerous occasions of epidemics that broke out throughout Italy at that time and beyond. While he himself was suffering from ailments, St. Camillus de Lellis did not allow those ailments to stop him from helping others who were in need, and it was told that he would even crawl when he was unable to walk towards his patients.

Brothers and sisters in Christ, today as we recall the words of the Sacred Scriptures and as we remember the inspiring examples and faith shown to us by St. Camillus de Lellis, we ought to keep in mind that each and every one of us are called and challenged to live our lives ever more faithfully in each and every moments, to serve God and to help one another, showing genuine love and concern as St. Camillus de Lellis and our many other holy predecessors had done in their lives and ministry. May the Lord continue to help and guide us, strengthen each one of us in our commitment to walk ever more faithfully in what the Lord Himself has called us to do, in each and every moments of our lives, now and always. Amen.

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Sunday, 13 July 2025 : Fifteenth Sunday of Ordinary Time (Homily and Scripture Reflections)

Liturgical Colour : Green

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, this Sunday all of us are reminded through the words of the Sacred Scriptures that we have received in which focused on the matter of the Law and commandments of God, which we all have received from the Lord through His Church and the Scriptures themselves. We are reminded this Sunday that the Law of God is not just meant for us to follow and obey blindly, but we must truly understand the true meaning, purpose and intentions of such Law and commandments so that we can become better, more faithful and more loving Christians in all things. We cannot be shallow in our faith and be merely paying lip service or be hypocrites in how we live our Christian lives and in how we follow the Law and commandments of God, but we must always be sincere and genuine in following God wholeheartedly at all times.

In our first reading today from the Book of Deuteronomy, we are reminded that the Law that God has given us all originated from the Law which the Lord Himself has shown and revealed to His first called people, the Israelites, through Moses, and therefore was also known as the Law of Moses. It was composed of the famous Ten Commandments and also the many rules and regulations that accompanied the Law. All those laws and rules, commandments and precepts were all meant by God to help and guide His people in their path and in their journey towards becoming a people truly blessed by God. However, in time, such Law, commandments and all of the precepts became blurred in their intentions and purposes, and the people grew to forget what their significance truly were in the first place.

That was why by the time of the Lord’s ministry and life, the Law and commandments of God had become a shadow of its original intent and purposes, with the people who were entrusted with its guardianship and safekeeping, namely the teachers of the Law and Pharisees being more concerned with the manner of how the Law and the commandments were enforced and lived, followed through and obeyed, in all of its intricate details, particularly with the additions and modifications made on them over the centuries, rather than truly understanding their significance and purpose, that is to teach everyone, all the people of God how to love Him and how to love their fellow brothers and sisters all around them. This is what truly matters, instead of how many among the Pharisees using them to discredit and being biased against those they deemed to be inferior.

Then, from our second reading today, taken from the Epistle of St. Paul the Apostle to the Church and the faithful people of God in the region of Colossae in Phyrgia in Asia Minor, we heard of the Apostle describing the Lord Jesus, the Saviour of all as the Image of the Unseen God, the Firstborn of all, and the One through Whom God had created the whole world and the Universe. He is the Logos, the Incarnate Word of God, the Divine Son of God made Flesh, becoming the Son of Man, and He is indeed the perfect manifestation of God’s Love, His Law and commandments being made visible, tangible and real for all of us, that God is no longer a distant concept, but as One Who is truly present among us and within us all.

That is why all of us who have received this great grace from God, of knowing His love personally and most wonderfully, which He had made through the sending of His only Begotten Son, we should indeed be grateful and thankful of everything we have received, and at the same time, we should also realise what the Lord truly wants us to do with our lives, in following His Law and commandments in the right way and with the right purpose and intentions. As the Head of the Church, Christ has shown us all what it truly means for all of us to be Christians, to be the ones whom He had called and chosen from the world to be His own, to be loved by Him and to be the examples and inspirations for everyone around us in our way of life so that many more may come to know what it means to follow the Lord, His Law and commandments in the right manner.

Lastly, from our Gospel passage today taken from the Gospel according to St. Luke the Evangelist, we are all reminded of what the true meaning and purpose of the Law of God is, as we heard of the Lord Jesus speaking to His disciples and followers, and to a teacher of the Law who asked of Him regarding what he ought to do to gain eternal life, and then regarding the Law and the commandments which he and the other teachers of the Law had always held very sacred and committed to guard and fulfil, the Lord then used the parable of the Good Samaritan to make it clear to all of them and to His disciples. This is important because the Samaritans from the perspective of the Jewish people at the time had a rather low regard and they were seen as heretics and even pagans, classified as the same level as sinners like prostitutes, tax collectors and those deemed to be unworthy of God.

But in that story of the Good Samaritan, the Samaritan was clearly the protagonist of the story, unlike the behaviour of the priest and the Levite who passed by and ignored the plight of the man who had been beset by bandits and robbers and left to die on the way to Jericho. And this comparison is significant because the Samaritans as mentioned were seen as sinners and wicked people, while the priests were highly revered in the Jewish community as the ones who were offering the sacrificial offerings and prayers to God on behalf of the people, while the Levites were the members of the tribe that had been consecrated and dedicated to God, and from among whom the members of the priesthood came from, and hence, shared the same respect and honour as the priests themselves.

Therefore the irony in that parable story was that the ones who were supposedly the most devout, most pious and the ones who got the positive outlook and respect from the people were the ones that ignored the sufferings and hardships of their own brother, who was evidently from the story of the Lord, was also a fellow Jew. It was in fact a Samaritan, which at that time could be said as the bitter enemy of the Jewish people, who actually bothered to stop and help the wounded man, who was on the verge of death. Not only that, but the Samaritan in fact went the extra mile to help the wounded man, telling the innkeeper to take good care of the man, and how he would return and pay any extra expenses that the man incurred should his injuries required longer recuperation time.

Now, that is what the true intention and meaning of the Law of God is, what the Lord had wanted us all to learn, that is to love as He Himself has loved all of us, without limit and without boundary. To love everyone generously and sincerely, and even more so to those whom we love and are dear to us. And we cannot be biased and prejudiced against others simply because of our man-made divisions and categorising, that ‘us-vs-them’ attitude that often directed our actions and way of interacting with those whom we encounter, like how the Jews and the Samaritans were often at each others’ throats. For us to be true and genuine Christians, and to obey His Law and commandments authentically, we ought to learn to love as the Lord Himself has loved, as how the Good Samaritan has loved, so generously and so sincerely.

Now, are we all ready and willing to follow the Lord faithfully in the manner that He has called us to do? Are we willing to follow Him in His Law and commandments in the manner that He Himself has shown and taught us, in loving others around us sincerely and generously, and not only showing outward expression of faith, but by truly being filled with God’s love, and sharing that love to others, to be faithful at all times and to share our hope in God’s light and truth to everyone we encounter in life, at all times? May all of us be inspired and strengthened in all these, and may God bless our every endeavours made with truly generous love, all for His greater glory. Amen.