revelation of truth

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Sunday, 10 May 2026 : Sixth Sunday of Easter (Homily and Scripture Reflections)

Liturgical Colour : White

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, this Sunday all of us are called and reminded to live our lives worthily of the Lord as Christians, whom God had called and chosen from this world. Through our shared Christian baptism, all of us have become parts and members of the Church of God, the one Body of Christ where all those who profess to be faithful in Christ are part of this Communion of unity, united as one people, living a new and blessed life with the grace of God as a community. All of us have been reminded of the life of the early Christian communities so that we may be inspired to pursue the same life filled with holiness and devotion to God, and that we may no longer be obsessed with all sorts of worldly temptations and evils, desires and attachments. We are reminded that we should always show God’s love in all things, in all that we say and do.

In our first reading today, we heard from the Acts of the Apostles, the account of how the Apostles worked to proclaim the Good News and the words of the Lord, His salvation and grace to all the people in various places. St. Philip the Apostle went to the region of Samaria, proclaiming the word of God likely to the Samaritans who lived in that area, who had earlier on responded favourably to the Lord and his teachings and truth. There were many great signs and wonders that happened, as the Apostle carried out his ministry, performing miracles and wonders, and many among the people listened attentively to the words of truth as proclaimed by St. Philip. And then we heard how St. Peter and St. John came to the Samaritans, who had been baptised, and sent the Holy Spirit to come down upon them as well.

Historically, there had been a rather tense and hostile relationship between the Jews and the Samaritans due to conflicting claims on the heritage of the people of Israel, and for their differing viewpoints with regards to faith practices and customs, with each side often blaming the other side for having become wayward in their way of living their faith, and each one of them claimed that their way was the right one while the other one was wrong and heretical. The Jewish people, particularly the Pharisees back then took great pride on their status as God’s people, inheriting the claim of the Israelites as God’s first called and chosen people. However, the problem was that this ended up with them being condescending, elitist and uncharitable in their attitudes and interactions with others, as exemplified by how the Pharisees considered that all those who did not follow their ways and beliefs would be doomed and damned.

This is in tandem with what we have heard from the readings we have listened to in the past few weekdays, which focused on the divisions and disagreements within the early Church where those who belonged to the group of the hardline Pharisees and the teachers of the Law were against those who sought to help and make it easier for the non-Jewish people or the Gentiles to become a member of the Church. The former demanded that all of the faithful people of God must embrace and obey the full entire range of extensive rules, laws, precepts, practices and customs of the Jewish Law, which the Jewish people themselves had found it hard to be followed and obeyed, which would have pushed many of the non-Jewish people away from the Church and the Christian faith, should they have succeeded in having their way done.

Instead, the Lord guided His Church through the hands of the Apostles and by the guidance of the Holy Spirit, in moderating the extreme demands of those who had their preconceived ideals and thoughts that were incompatible with what the Lord had taught us all. He has shown them what His disciples and followers should all do, and how His Church should be like. The Church is One and Universal, as contained within its character as the One, Holy, Catholic and Apostolic Church. Therefore, as one community of the faithful people of God, all called to a holy life and existence, just as our Lord and God is Holy, there cannot be prejudices, bias and all other things that bring about division and disunity within the community of the faithful, and that is why the Church is Catholic, which means Universal in nature. There is no favouritism or preference for a certain custom or practice within the Church, as everyone is truly equal before the Lord.

Then, we must also remember that the Church is also Apostolic in nature, which is reflected in the works and mission of the Apostles and the other missionaries of the faith. The word ‘Apostle’ itself came from the Ancient Greek word ‘Apostolos’ which means the ‘one who is sent off’, highlighting that the Church is also missionary in nature, all of us are sent out to proclaim the truth and Good News to more and more people out there who have not yet known  about the Lord yet. The actions of the Apostles St. Philip, St. Peter and St. John who went to the Samaritans to work amongst them, proclaiming the Good News and giving them the gift of the Holy Spirit were just some of the examples of how our Church is truly Apostolic or missionary in nature. The Church always extends it hands to reach out to more and more of the people, not enclosing ourselves within a bubble of self-righteousness and intolerance of differences.

Brothers and sisters in Christ, hopefully all these serve to remind us all of our important calling and mission as Christians, for each and every one of us to do our part in living our lives faithfully and worthily as Christians at all times. Unless we carry out what the Lord had told us to do, and practice our faith with genuine and sincere desire to love Him and to walk in His path, doing what is right and just according to His Law and commandments, how can we convince others to believe in God as well? If our own actions contradict our faith and beliefs, then are we not just like hypocrites and unbelievers? If our actions, works and deeds, our words and interactions contradict what we believe in, then we may even end up driving others further from the faith, and causing divisions within the Church like how some of our predecessors had done.

Therefore, let us all discern carefully our path as we reflect upon the words of the Scriptures this Sunday, so that we may be inspired to live our lives more worthily and be able to commit ourselves more to the path that the Lord has shown us. Let us all continue to do our best, to live our lives to the best we can, so that our every actions, our every words and deeds, our interactions may be the best means through which we may introduce the Lord, His truth and Good News to all the people all around us. Let our lives be the shining beacons of God’s light, truth and love in our world today, and may the Holy Apostles, the saints and all the holy people of God continue to intercede for us, and may the Lord continue to guide us all and His Church, and bless our good works and labours for His greater glory, now and always. Amen.

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Saturday, 9 May 2026 : 5th Week of Easter (Homily and Scripture Reflections)

Liturgical Colour : White

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, today as we listened to the words of the Scriptures, we are all reminded of the responsibility and mission that each one of us as Christians had been entrusted with, and how as the followers and disciples of Christ, it is bound that we will encounter challenges and trials in our journey and path, as we continue to proceed down this way, in obeying the Lord and His commandments. Sometimes we may even have to make a stand and choose between remaining faithful to the Lord or to conform to the ways and norms of the world at the cost of abandoning our faith and Christian identity. But we must also remember that it is at the core of our Christian identity to be full of love and compassion, like God’s own in how we relate and interact even with those who hurt us.

In our Gospel passage today, the Lord spoke plainly before all of His disciples that they were bound to be hated by the world, as the world itself had hated the Lord and tried to suppress Him and His truth. Just as the Lord had encountered a lot of opposition from the Pharisees, the teachers of the Law and the chief priests throughout His mission in this world, and had His path littered with plenty of disapproval, persecution and ridicule from those who hardened their hearts and refused to believe in His truth, hence, the same things would likely happen to those who walk in the same path that Christ had walked as well. This is why we are reminded of this that we do not end up expecting that our lives and journeys as Christians will be an easy and utterly smooth one without any challenges or obstacles.

That was what the disciples would encounter as they went on their mission and works, having been sent by the Lord with the mission to evangelise to the whole entire world. He called on all of them and gave them the mission to go forth to all the nations, and make disciples of all mankind, to baptise them all in the Name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. The Apostles and the many other missionaries and servants of God all laboured throughout the history of the Church, proclaiming the Good News of God’s salvation and His truth, and both enjoying great successes as well as enduring the persecution that came in quite a few of their missions. The Lord was always with them, guiding them and His Church, strengthening and encouraging them throughout all their struggles and trials.

As we heard in our first reading today, we heard of how St. Paul continued with his missionary journey, bringing St. Timothy, one of his protege with him, who would become one of the first bishops and successors of the Apostles. It was mentioned and indirectly implied how the Apostles were encountering challenges in their journey, and how the Christian missionaries encountered opposition from both the Jewish diaspora and from others who were not receptive of the truth they were bringing to them. If we read on more from the Acts of the Apostles beyond our reading passage today, then we will realise just how much hardships they had to endure, all the difficulties that they must face and all the tears and sacrifices which they were likely required to give amidst all of that.

Thus, as I mentioned earlier, the Apostles both encountered hardships, trials, prison and even death in martyrdom, as well as great successes in gaining many more people who became believers in the Lord. They established firm foundation for the Church, and many people flocked to seek the truth of God. The Church as we know it today would not have existed if not for all the hard work and efforts showed by the Apostles and all the followers of the Lord. This is why it is very important for us to appreciate and realise the importance of our commitment to the work of evangelisation, as without those who commit themselves to the work of the Gospels, the Church would not have grown. It is through the conscious efforts and participation of God’s faithful, all of us, that God’s works are made even more evident in our world today.

Brothers and sisters in Christ, each and every one of us are the ones who ought to continue the good works that the Lord has begun in His Apostles, as the ones inheriting His Church and the world as it is how we perceive and live in, in the world we have today, in our respective livelihoods and areas of responsibility. Each and every one of us have been entrusted with the unique and specific roles in our lives, in whatever areas the Lord had placed us in, so that we may make good use of the talents, abilities, gifts and all other opportunities that He has granted to us, hopefully that we will make good and prudent use of those gifts for the benefit of everyone around us and ourselves. This is why we are reminded of this reality today, of what we are called to do in our lives, in each and every moments we have.

And if we think that we are incapable or unworthy of doing such deeds and actions, then let us all remember that the Lord did not call the perfect and unblemished. Even the Apostles themselves were just normal, ordinary human beings like us, with their flaws and imperfections. But they chose to follow the Lord and His guidance, in whatever He has led them and entrusted to them to do, they strived to do their best in proclaiming the Good News and truth of God, showing the reality of God’s love to the world, bringing forth the Light of God and the Hope of His salvation to this world filled with darkness and despair. And we are the ones that have been entrusted to continue the good works that they had started and laboured for many long years in faith, and shed their blood for.

May the Lord, our most loving God and Father, Who has raised up Jesus Our Risen Lord and Saviour, continue to strengthen us all to be faithful and good witnesses of the Risen Lord, His Resurrection, truth and Good News to all the whole world, through even the smallest and what may seem to be least significant of our actions, words and deeds. Let us all be the ones to bear witness to the Risen Lord in our world today, becoming those through whom God exercises His actions and justice, showing His love and compassion to everyone, in all that we say and do. May all of us come ever closer to the Lord and may we continue to support one another in our journey of faith and life, now and always. Amen.

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Friday, 8 May 2026 : 5th Week of Easter (Homily and Scripture Reflections)

Liturgical Colour : White

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, today as we listened to the words of the Scriptures, each and every one of us are called to follow wholeheartedly the commandments of the Lord, to take it to heart and to believe in God most sincerely in all things. We should not forget this call and duty that each and every one of us as Christians have in living our daily lives with commitment and devotion to God. All of us have the calling and the mission entrusted to us to proclaim the truth and Good News of God to all the people all around us. We should do whatever the Lord has told us to do, and live our lives the way that He has taught us, so that by our examples and way of life, we may inspire others all around us to become more committed to the Lord, and to believe in Him as well.

In our first reading today, we heard from the Acts of the Apostles, of the conclusion of the First Council of Jerusalem, the very first Council of the Church assembled to discuss and discern the decision regarding how the Christian faithful, the people of God ought to carry out their lives, as there was then the controversy and division among the Christian faithful whether the Christian faithful ought to follow the full range of the extensive and often oppressive Jewish laws and customs espoused and championed by those who belonged to the group of the Pharisees and teachers of the Law, and who embraced the Lord as their Saviour. To those people, the faithful had to embrace the fullness of the Jewish customs and laws, with all of their strict regulations and practices, in order for one to be saved and worthy of God.

However, the Apostles and the elders of the Church decided, after a period of gathering and discernment, guided by the Holy Spirit, that what is important is obeying the Law of God in its true spirit and understanding, and focusing on the key aspects of the Law of God just as the Lord Jesus Himself has revealed it, and not requiring the faithful people of God to subject themselves to the numerous tenets and often difficult to enforce rules and laws, which had in fact made it difficult for many of God’s people to come to Him, as those laws hindered them and prevented them from coming closer to God. Not only that, but as the Pharisees and the teachers of the Law also often used those same rules and laws to discriminate against those whom they deemed to be less worthy and condemned as sinners, it became stumbling block for the Pharisees and the teachers of the Law themselves, who became enamoured with worldly glory, pride and ambition, and were blinded by their fanatical ideals and pursuits of their agenda.

They spent more time worrying about how to satisfy the many different aspects and tenets of the various rites and practices rather than truly loving and honouring the Lord their God through the faithful and proper appreciation, understanding and application of those laws and commandments. They often spent so much time focusing on the minute details that they had made an idol out of their way of observing and practicing the Law, zealously and even fanatically guarding their way of observing and practicing the Law, and not willing to listen to others who told them otherwise, even the Lord Himself Who had rebuked them and criticised them for their pettiness and their excessive emphasis on the ‘letter’ of the Law while forgetting the ‘spirit’ of the Law. The Lord reminded all of us, just as He had said to His disciples in our Gospel passage today, that each and every one of us should truly commit ourselves to His commandments of Love, that is to love God our most loving Father and Creator above all else, and then to love one another in the same way.

Unless we have the right focus and motivation, it will likely be easy for us to be distracted and pulled down the wrong path, as like the Pharisees and the teachers of the Law themselves have shown us, that we may be externally pious, holy and devout, and yet inside us, within our hearts and minds, it is possible for us not to have space for the Lord at all. Therefore in that case and regard, our faith is no more than an empty and dead faith, one that will not benefit us in our path towards the eternal life in God and in His salvation. Each and every one of us are called to be truly faithful to the Lord, to be filled with generous love like that which our Lord Himself has shown us at every moments. All of us are called to do what He has taught us, to be compassionate and kind towards our fellow brothers and sisters, and to resist the temptations of evil, of pride, greed and worldly attachments.

Brothers and sisters in Christ, we are all therefore reminded through what we have received in our Scripture passages today, the call to be truly genuine in our faith in God, that is to be truly filled and steeped in God’s Love above all else, in first loving Him most sincerely and generously in the manner that He has loved us first, and then in showing the same love towards everyone around us, especially all those whom we love the most, who are most precious and dearest to us, and whom God had placed in our lives to care for, while also showing love and care towards those whom we meet and encounter in our paths, who have no one to love and care for them, showing genuine love and compassion just as the Lord Himself has first shown and taught to us how to love like He has loved us.

This is why we are all reminded to show that in how we live our lives, in genuinely caring for others around us instead of behaving in a manner that is elitist and exclusivist like those Pharisees and the early Jewish Christians had behaved, in thinking that they are better and more superior in all things. We should remember that every one of us are beloved by the Lord, and none of us are more or less deserving of His love. And certainly, we should never be prejudiced, biased or selective in our love, choosing only to love or care for those who we think we can benefit from, but causing hurt and harm, or be apathetic against those whom we may disagree with. Worse still, we may even inadvertently cause hurt to those who love and care for us too, if we allow our ego and pride, our ambitions and desires to get the better of us.

May the Lord, our ever loving and compassionate God continue to be with us always, to be with us throughout all the challenges and hardships which we may face and encounter in life, strengthening us at all times with His love and kindness, with His strength and encouragement so that we may always be genuine and true Christians at all times, in each and every one of our actions, way of life and in our every commitments to God and to one another. Let us always be the good role models and inspirations for each other, strengthening one another in our journey of life and to persevere together towards God and His salvation, now and always, with God by our side. Amen.

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Thursday, 7 May 2026 : 5th Week of Easter (Homily and Scripture Reflections)

Liturgical Colour : White

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, today we heard the reminders from the Lord for all of us to follow His Law and commandments in all things, to be faithful at all times and to live our lives in accordance with what He has taught and revealed to us. But at the same time, we must also remind ourselves not to be fixated at the routines and the practices of faith that we carry out, or else we may end up losing sight on what is truly important in our lives and our faith. We are all reminded to turn towards the Lord once again, refocusing our attention towards Him and not allowing ourselves to be distracted either by the vices and temptations often present around us, and also by growing ever deeper in our understanding about our Christian faith, by knowing the tenets and precepts of our faith well but without exaggerations and overemphasis on the externals without an internalised understanding of the faith.

In our first reading today, taken from the Acts of the Apostles, all of us heard about the continuation of the events highlighted these past few days of the historic First Council of Jerusalem in which the issue regarding whether the Christian faithful had to follow and obey the extensive and in fact excessive ordinances and the rules of the Jewish laws and customs was resolved by the meeting of the Church leaders and elders. This issue had bitterly divided the early Christian community, with the side of the Jewish converts particularly those who belonged to the group of the Pharisees and the teachers of the Law being very adamant in their demands and viewpoint that unless the faithful obeyed the entirety of the Jewish laws and customs, then they could not be saved. Those who belonged to those groups insisted that all the Christian faithful must obey fully the commandments of the Lord as practiced and enforced by them.

However, we must understand that back then, it was very difficult for any of the non-Jewish people or the Gentiles to follow the whole extent of the strict law as practiced and enforced by the Pharisees because some of those laws and customs were abhorrent and alien, repulsive and foreign to those people. With regards in particular to the practice of circumcision for example, it was a practice that was deemed abhorrent and disgusting by the Greeks and the Romans. Hence, if the Church were to require all the faithful to be circumcised as per required by the Jewish laws and customs, then it would have been very difficult for the Gentiles, many of whom found Jewish customs and cultural practices incompatible, to become Christians and to be the followers of the Lord. The strict and outdated dietary restrictions of the Law was another of this obstacle and hurdle which prevented many to come closer towards the Lord.

That is why, guided by the wisdom of the Lord through the Holy Spirit and through the prayers of the Apostles, we heard how St. Peter led the whole assembly of the faithful in the prayerful and careful discussion, discernment and the decision about the path that the Church ought to take going forward then, in the manner of how the faithful ought to be faithful to God. St. Peter related his examples ministering to both the Jewish and Gentile converts to the faith, and told them how everyone were called to follow the Lord, to follow what He Himself had said and taught to them, and to do what the Lord has called them to do. The Church should not make it difficult for all those who seek to be disciples and followers of the Lord, but should instead be most supportive in how they reach out to the people of God, to all those who are marginalised and forgotten, as the source of salvation for many out there, the lost sheep of the Lord’s one flock.

Essentially, all of us are reminded through these Scripture passages today of the need for us all to rediscover our faith in the Lord and to centre our focus and attention on Him, instead of being distracted by the many temptations and false paths, distortions and many other fallacies present all around us. We should not be like those Pharisees and the teachers of the Law who spent so much of their time focusing on the nitty-gritty and the specific tenets, rules and regulations of the Law and commandments of God, and ending up forgetting why the Law and commandments were there in the first place. They were meant to help lead and guide the people who have been lost to the Lord so that they might find the path back towards the Lord and towards His saving grace. Unfortunately, that Law and commandments then had been misused to be tools of power and self-justification, as well as self-glorification and pride.

As we heard in our Gospel passage today, we are reminded by the Lord Himself to return to the very roots and origins of the commandments of God, which the Lord Jesus summarised very well into two main categories, that is the love for God, the love and devotion that we ought to show Him at all times, greater than anything else, and then also the love for our fellow brothers and sisters, particularly for all those who are in need of help. We should not think that we are better and more worthy than others simply because we observe more of the Law and the commandments of God, or because we are more stringent and particular in how we carry out living our faith life. Instead, we should remind ourselves that being Christians first and foremost is a call for us all to be loving just as our Lord, our God and Father is loving and kind towards us. Our love ought to be truly genuine and unconditional just as God’s love for us has been shown to us in such a manner too.

That is how all of us can be better and more committed Christians, not by doing things that we think make ourselves holier or better, or worse still by putting others down or by thinking that by our actions and merits, we can gain glory or status for ourselves. We should instead follow the examples of the Lord Himself, Who went to the most marginalised and all those who were most prejudiced against in the community, reaching out to them with love and proclaiming to them all the words of God’s salvation and reassuring them of God’s love and grace. All of us as Christians should do well therefore to love our fellow brothers and sisters as much as we love ourselves, and love the Lord our God first and foremost above all else, above all other things in life. We should renew our commitment to Him and be good examples and role models to each other in how we live our lives as Christians.

May Christ our Risen Lord continue to help and guide us in our journey of faith through life, and may He empower us all to live ever more worthily and courageously in His path. May the truth and the love of God guide us always in our path, that we will always draw ever closer to Him, with each and every passing moments. Let our lives and examples be good inspiration and motivation for many around us who have witnessed us and our efforts, who have been working with us and interacting with us, seeing God’s truth and love manifested in each and every one of our actions, words and deeds, consistently, at all times. Amen.

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Wednesday, 6 May 2026 : 5th Week of Easter (Homily and Scripture Reflections)

Liturgical Colour : White

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, today as we listened to the words of the Scriptures, each and every one of us are reminded that as Christians, all of us should be truly connected and linked to the Lord, attuned and in tandem with His ways and truth at all times. Unless we keep ourselves connected to the Lord and follow Him wholeheartedly, we may find it difficult to remain truly faithful to Him, and we may easily end up falling away from the path that the Lord and causing us to fall into eternal damnation if we are not careful and vigilant in how we live our lives. That is why we should heed to messages carried in our Scripture passages today so that we may truly know what the Lord has called us to, to a life and existence that is truly blessed and harmonious with His truth and love, to obey Him and to do as the Law and the commandments He had told us to do, with genuine understanding and appreciation of what we believe in.

In our first reading today, we heard from the Acts of the Apostles of the beginning of the narrative of the moment of time when the Church in its early and very rapidly growing days, began to be pulled into two opposite extremes, as we ourselves heard from the account of the Acts of the Apostles. Back then, the Church grew rapidly with the conversion of many of the Jewish people both in Judea and Galilee as well as in the diaspora, and not few of them came from among the Pharisees and the teachers of the Law. Meanwhile, the Apostles and the missionaries of the Lord had also managed to get great inroads into the Gentile communities throughout the Mediterranean, as many among the Greeks and other local populace, as well as the Romans and many others began to heed the call of the Lord and embraced Christ as their Lord and Saviour.

The Pharisees and the teachers in particular, as mentioned, carried on their past baggage of beliefs and prejudices, as they began to argue and insist that the whole Church and all of the Lord’s believers should follow the full rigour of the Jewish laws and customs, as how the Pharisees themselves had observed and enforced. As we all ought to remember from the Gospels, the Lord Jesus Himself had often rebuked and criticised many of the Pharisees and the teachers of the Law for their overly strict interpretation and observation of the Law of God, which happened because of the accumulation of excesses and changes throughout the many centuries since the first time revelation of the Law through Moses during the time of the Exodus from Egypt. The Law of God had been passed down through the generations, and the interpretations of the Law had been changing ever since, with the Law by the time of the Lord Jesus having become excessive and difficult to observe by the people of God.

Not only that, but one of the main criticisms that the Lord laid on the Pharisees and the teachers of the Law are the fact of their hypocrisy. This means that while they enforced the very strict interpretation of the Law and forced others to obey and to follow their way of observing the Law of God, but they themselves did not truly obey the Law the way that they themselves had prescribed. Then, in addition, their preoccupation and obsession with the extensive details of the Law and all the rituals and the complicated nature of the laws, rules and regulations had distracted and prevented them and others from becoming true believers, as they made idols out of their own obsession with the Law of God and their own preoccupation with the intricacies of the laws and rules that they had made in their way of observing the Law and the commandments of God.

And it is in idolising their own prejudices and preoccupations with the Law and how it ought to be observed and done that the Pharisees and the teachers of the Law had ended up separating themselves from the True Vine, that is the Lord Himself, Who manifested Himself through His Son, through Whom He wanted to make us know and understand all these things. In our Gospel passage today, we heard of the Lord speaking to His disciples using the parable of the vines in order to deliver to them His intentions and teachings, and to remind them to remain firmly faithful to the teachings and truth of the Good News that He has brought upon them, and which has been revealed to them. They should not seek to find other focus or distractions, or put their emphasis and attention upon other things that may end up misleading them down the wrong path, as what many among the Pharisees and the teachers of the Law had done.

Through the parable of the vine, as well as by referring to Himself as the one and only True Vine, the Lord wanted all of His disciples and followers to remember that everything and especially all those who belong to the Church of God must be rooted in Him, in His teachings and truth. Anyone who separated themselves from the Lord will not have life or part with Him, and those who profess teachings and beliefs contrary to what the Lord Himself had taught His disciples, were wrong and mistaken, and unless they change their ways and beliefs, they would likely end up being discarded, damned and rejected at the end of days. They also can cause division and harm to the unity of the Church, as what happened back then during the time mentioned in our first reading today, was almost the case. Thankfully, the Apostles and the Church elders, guided by the Holy Spirit, convened the very first gathering of the Church, in what would be known as the First Council of Jerusalem.

Through the guidance of the Holy Spirit, the Church led by the Apostles resolved the situation and reaffirmed that the Church and all the Christian faithful ought to follow the Law and commandments of God as revealed and explained by the Lord, but not the grievous excesses, abuses and misrepresentations and misinterpretations of the Law as espoused by the Pharisees and the teachers of the Law. The Lord, as the True Vine, truly guided and gave help and life to the Church, and as long as the faithful remained firmly attached and faithful to Him, they would indeed be blessed and strengthened in their ways and life, and the Lord would provide for them. Unfortunately, a lot of people tend to prefer to depend on other things, and got distracted by the many temptations of worldly desires and attachments found all around us.

That is why all of us must truly grow genuinely in the faith that we have in the Lord, in truly appreciating and understanding the true meaning, purpose and intention of the Law and commandments that God has given to us, in all of His intentions and will, in all that He has done towards us. We are all called to follow Him wholeheartedly in the manner that He Himself had taught and shown us, and we are also reminded not to follow the examples of those Pharisees and Jewish Christians who continued to be prejudiced and biased against those whom they disagreed and felt themselves superior against, that we ourselves do not end up doing the same things and show the same attitude which are truly unbecoming of us as Christians.

May the Lord, our most loving, compassionate and patient God continue to help and lead us all down His righteous path, bringing us all ever closer to Him and helping us all to be truly genuine in our way of living our faith, not merely superficially understanding it, but truly immersing ourselves fully in God’s love in all of our attitudes, actions and way of life, in everything that we say and do, at all times. May God bless our every good efforts and endeavours, now and always, forevermore. Amen.

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Tuesday, 5 May 2026 : 5th Week of Easter (Homily and Scripture Reflections)

Liturgical Colour : White

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, today as we listened to the words of the Scriptures, all of us are called and reminded to be missionary and evangelising disciples and followers of God, in carrying out our duties and responsibilities as Christians faithfully in our lives and in doing the will of God at every possible opportunities. The Lord has called on all of us to be His beloved people, to walk in His path and to be exemplary in our lives so that everyone who witness our works and our way of life may truly know that we are the people of God, and that they may also know God Himself through us. Through our Scripture passages today, we have also heard and are reminded that challenges will likely come our way in the midst of our ministry, and trials and hardships may be part of our lives as we journey with faith in God’s path, but we must always persevere and keep up hope.

In our first reading today, taken from the Acts of the Apostles, we heard of the continued works of St. Paul and St. Barnabas in their mission in proclaiming the word of God and His truth, amidst the trials and challenges that they had to face, and despite the oppositions and hardships that they had to endure. St. Paul and St. Barnabas were struck at by the provocation of the Jewish people and those who opposed their efforts and works in proclaiming the Good News of God in the region of Lystra. They were stoned and were almost left for dead if not for God’s protection and guidance, which still remained with them throughout their journey. Yet, that did not dampen their spirits at all, and the two Apostles continued to carry on their mission with zeal and commitment, dedicating their time and effort to glorify the Lord and to proclaim His Good News to more and more of the people. They laboured hard and long so that by their dedication and hard work, they might make God known to more people.

In our Gospel passage today, the Lord also reassured His disciples, telling them all not to be afraid as He would always be with them, guiding and protecting them on their path, not allowing them to be crushed and destroyed. He would give them true peace and happiness, joy and satisfaction of having walked and being present in His love and grace. The Lord Jesus reminded His disciples that He is truly the manifestation of God’s perfect and ever enduring love, which has often been shown to us, given to us so that we may know that He has truly been with us throughout the way, not leaving us behind despite us and our predecessors having often abandoned and rejected Him. He has come to us so that we may have sure path towards eternal life and salvation through Him, our Lord, Saviour and King.

As we heard in our first reading today, the Apostles continued to carry on their missions and works, reaching out to the various communities of people and ministering to them. To those who have not yet known the Lord, the Apostles proclaimed the words of God’s truth and revealed Him to all of them, patiently showing them the love of God, teaching them about His precepts and ways, and living their lives as good Christian role models, in loving one another and caring for each other, and in building a loving and caring community of Christians, the holy people that God had called and chosen. We heard how the Apostles appointed the elders and overseers, which we now know as bishops, to be the guide for the people and community of the faithful, spreading the joy of the Gospel and leading more and more people to the light of Christ and His salvation.

Brothers and sisters in Christ, this is the same mission which God has entrusted to us and commanded us to do, continuing whatever good works that His Apostles and faithful ones had started and faithfully carried out. The works of the Church, the Apostles and the many other missionaries of the Lord are still aplenty, and there are truly still many areas where the Lord is not yet known, and there are still parts and areas where the faith of the people of God in their Lord and Saviour had become lax and weakened. God has therefore called on all of us, on each and every one of us to follow Him and His commandments. We are all sent out to proclaim His Good News and salvation, to show His love and truth to the whole world, to the people of all the nations, just as how the Apostles like St. Paul and St. Barnabas among others had done.

However, many of us are often too distracted with our many preoccupations and temptations in life. We often spent a lot of time and effort seeking for worldly sustenance and attachments, for worldly comforts and desires, all of which often suffocated the faith and the love for God inside of us. Many of us have not carried out the actions and works that we should have done, and the reason was simple, that is we are too busy with ourselves and our various pursuits and desires in life, our many attachments and other distractions that we simply did not have the time to spend for the Lord. And if we have faltered in our efforts to do what the Lord had asked us to do, or worse still, in doing what are contrary and wicked in the sight of God and others, how can we then call ourselves as true and genuine Christians, brothers and sisters in Christ?

Therefore, that is why during this time of Easter, all of us are reminded to return the focus of our lives to the Risen Lord, our Saviour, to His truth and love, to the Good News and everything that He has brought unto us. Let us all remember the great love by which He has always shown us, in having come down into our midst and reaching out to us with most generous love, and let us recall how He continues to patiently care for us and calls us all unto Himself, sending us many servants and messengers, to help and remind us, and guide us in the right path towards Him. Let us all remember the grace and love that He has shown us, in not letting us all to suffer the persecutions and hardships of this world, the many trials and challenges of this life by ourselves. He is in fact, always there for us, and He has not left us at all, and supported us whenever we needed help and guidance.

Therefore, let us all give thanks to our most loving God and endeavour to do better in living our lives as most faithful Christians from now on if we have not done so. Let us all be good role models and examples to our fellow brothers and sisters, and do whatever we can to glorify the Lord by our lives and works at all times. We are all called to show genuine love firstly towards the Lord our God, wholeheartedly and passionately, and then in the same manner towards our own brothers and sisters around us, just as much as we love God and ourselves. May the Risen Lord, our Saviour and Guide, our King and Good Shepherd, Jesus Christ, be with us always and bless our works, in all of our labour of love, and may He always be with His Church and all who have laboured in His Name. Amen.

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Tuesday, 5 May 2026 : 5th Week of Easter (First Reading)

Liturgical Colour : White

Acts 14 : 19-28

Then some Jews arrived from Antioch and Iconium and turned the people against Paul and Barnabas. They stoned Paul and dragged him out of the town, leaving him for dead. But when his disciples gathered around him, he stood up and returned to the town. And the next day he left for Derbe with Barnabas.

After proclaiming the Gospel in that town and making many disciples, they returned to Lystra and Iconium and on to Antioch. They were strengthening the disciples and encouraging them to remain firm in the faith, for they said, “We must go through many trials to enter the Kingdom of God.”

In each Church they appointed elders and, after praying and fasting, they commended them to the Lord in Whom they had placed their faith. Then they travelled through Pisidia, and came to Pamphylia. They preached the Word in Perga and went down to Attalia. From there they sailed back to Antioch, where they had first been commended to God’s grace for the task they had now completed.

On their arrival they gathered the Church together and told them all that God had done through them and how He had opened the door of faith to the non-Jews. They spent a fairly long time there with the disciples.

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Monday, 4 May 2026 : 5th Week of Easter (Homily and Scripture Reflections)

Liturgical Colour : White

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, today as we listened to the words of the Sacred Scriptures, all of us are called and reminded to be the faithful and humble disciples of the Lord, carrying out our lives and living our Christian faith daily to glorify the Lord and to proclaim His Good News to everyone, and not for our own personal glory and ambition. All of us should get rid from our hearts and minds, the dangerous evils of our pride, ego, greed and other things that can become serious obstacles in our path towards the Lord, His grace and salvation. We ought to heed what we have heard from our Scripture passages today relating to the experiences of the Apostles and what the Lord Himself had told His disciples to help us to remain rooted in our faith in the Lord, and not to fall into the many temptations all around us.

In our first reading today, we heard from the Acts of the Apostles of the time when the Apostles, St. Paul and St. Barnabas, who were in the midst of a missionary journey, went to the area of Lystra in Asia Minor, where they performed several miracles and proclaimed the Good News of God to the people there. However, as we heard, the many pagan peoples of Lystra mistook this miraculous sign as their own pagan gods, Zeus and Hermes having come down into their midst in the person of St. Paul and St. Barnabas. This was actually accurate as per Greek mythology which believed that their gods occasionally walked down this world in the human form, and hence, those people of Lystra misunderstood what St. Paul and St. Barnabas had done, and treated them as if they were gods incarnate in the flesh, worshipping and honouring them like gods.

St. Paul and St. Barnabas pleaded before the people with little effect, as they told them the folly of their actions and the mistakes in their ways and beliefs, in their failure to recognise the one and true Living God, and in their attachments to the inanimate gods and beings of earth, sea, sky and nature as how their pagan beliefs revolved around. By the way they were treated, St. Paul and St. Barnabas were treated with the greatest honours and respect, and it took great courage for them to resist the temptations of pride, glory and worldly power, and not only that, but even also chiding the people for their false ways and erroneous beliefs. They were not swayed by worldly glory and ambition, and while they could have gained and benefitted from the great fervour and honour they were receiving from the people, but they remained firm in their faith and remembered the mission that God has entrusted to them.

In our Gospel passage today, we heard from the Lord Jesus Himself as He spoke to His disciples regarding the matter of obedience and listening to His truth, and how His disciples and followers ought to behave as genuine and faithful people of God. The Lord said that those who loves Him, follows and obeys His commandments, carrying out whatever the Lord has told and taught them to do, and those who did not truly love Him would not obey what He had told and commanded them to do, or that they would not carry out the actions and commandments in the manner and way that they should have been carried out. And this was reflected exactly in how the two Apostles, St. Paul and St. Barnabas had carried out their mission and actions, that despite the many challenges they encountered, they remained firm in faith in God, and persevered through those challenges.

And as we heard earlier in our first reading today, as St. Paul and St. Barnabas were treated like they were gods incarnate in the flesh, and worshipped by the people, they did not give in to the temptation of ego and greed, which had in fact brought down so many people and members of the Church throughout the history of the Church in the past two millennia. There were so many heretics and false leaders who had caused divisions in the Church, and misled many of the faithful into the wrong path because they were swayed by the temptations of worldly glory, desires and other attachments in life. Those people chose to put their own selfish desires, ambitions and worldly pursuits ahead of their obligation and responsibilities in following God and doing what the Lord has taught and commanded them to do.

That is why, brothers and sisters in Christ, as we have discussed earlier on, it is important that all of us have to learn to place the right focus of our lives in Christ, in the truth that God has revealed, shown and taught to us. All of us have been called to follow Him, to be His genuine followers and disciples, with hearts and minds attuned and focused on God’s truth and love. Each and every one of us have received the great bounty of God’s grace and love, and we have been guided to the right path by His providence and patient care. Therefore, we should be careful lest we allow the many temptations and distractions all around us from misleading us down the wrong path in life. We should resist the temptations of worldly power and glory, and remind ourselves that in the Lord alone we have true hope and fulfilment.

Brothers and sisters in Christ, let us all then spend our time discerning our path in life. If we all have been living our lives with the focus and emphasis to seek for our own personal gains and advantages, or in seeking our various ambitions and attachments in life, then it is time for us to strive to detach ourselves from all those and return to the root of our lIves and existence, that is God Himself. All of us should refocus our attention towards Him and remind one another to walk ever more faithfully in the path that He has shown us. We should resist the many temptations of the world just as how the Apostles had done, and be inspired by the courage shown by St. Paul and St. Barnabas, among the many other ones of our holy predecessors, the numerous saints and martyrs whose lives and actions should serve as inspiration and strength, role model and guide for each one of us, and not be swayed easily by worldly desires and temptations.

May the Risen Lord, Our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, continue to guide us all and help us in our journey, so that we all may come ever closer to His presence, and be inspired to live our lives with ever greater devotion and commitment to the Law and commandments that He has taught and shown us how to do. May we show genuine love and care in our every actions, in our every interactions with one another so that by our most genuine and generous love, the love of God may be manifested in our world today. May all of us be the worthy and great beacons of God’s light, truth and love, in all of our various communities, at every possible opportunities presented to us. May all of us continue to live the true spirit of Easter joy and glorify our Risen Lord by our lives. Amen.

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Monday, 4 May 2026 : 5th Week of Easter (First Reading)

Liturgical Colour : White

Acts 14 : 5-18

A move was made by pagans and Jews, together with their leaders, to harm the Apostles and to stone them. But Paul and Barnabas learnt of this and fled to Lycaonian towns of Lystra and Derbe and to the surrounding countryside, where they continued preaching the Good News.

Paul and Barnabas spent a fairly long time at Lystra. There was a crippled man in Lystra who had never been able to stand or walk. One day, as he was listening to the preaching, Paul looked intently at him and saw that he had the faith to be saved. So he spoke to him in a loud voice, “In the Name of the Lord Jesus Christ, I command you to stand up on your feet!” And the man stood up and began to walk around.

When the people saw what Paul had done, they cried out in the language of Lycaonia, “The gods have come to us in human likeness!” They named Barnabas Zeus, and Paul they called Hermes, since he was the chief speaker. Even the priest of the Temple of Zeus, which stood outside the town, brought oxen and garlands to the gate; together with the people, he wanted to offer sacrifice to them.

When Barnabas and Paul heard this, they tore their garment to show their indignation and rushed into the crowd, shouting, “Friends, why are you doing this? We are human beings with the same weakness you have and we are now telling you to turn away from these useless things to the living God Who made the heavens, the earth, the sea and all that is in them.”

“In past generations He allowed each nation to go its own way, though He never stopped making Himself known; for He is continually doing good, giving you rain from heaven and fruitful seasons, providing you with food and filling your hearts with gladness.”

Even these words could hardly keep the crowd from offering sacrifice to them.

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Sunday, 3 May 2026 : Fifth Sunday of Easter (Homily and Scripture Reflections)

Liturgical Colour : White

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, this Sunday all of us are reminded yet again of why we celebrate most joyfully this holy and blessed season of Easter. We celebrate it because of the ever enduring Love of God Who has sent unto us His most beloved Son, Jesus Christ, Our Risen Lord, through Whom we have received the fulfilment of the promises of God, and through Whom we have been redeemed and saved from the impending destruction and damnation due to those many sins and wickedness that we have committed. God reached out to us with His love which endured even through the most difficult moments, and He patiently cared for us all and He still loved us despite of our frequent stubborn attitude and rebelliousness, which had often hampered us in the path towards salvation and true grace in God.

In our Gospel passage today, the Lord told His disciples that they all have to trust in Him and to listen to Him, and be reassured with everything that He has said and promised to them, as He would do whatever He had told them, and that even though they might not see Him for a little while, as He predicted His own suffering and demise, but He would never abandon them. Not only that, but this Sunday, as we come ever closer to the ending of the Easter season and particularly the celebration of the Solemnity of the Ascension of the Lord, we are all reminded that God is still there with us, protecting and guiding us throughout our journey. As He Himself said in the same Gospel passage today, that He would go on forward to prepare the places and rooms for us in Heaven, in the presence of God. By His Ascension, the Lord went up in glory, returning to His rightful place and Throne, and is now there reigning gloriously while still remembering each and every one of us.

Christ, our Risen Lord, by His suffering and death on the Cross has lifted us up from the deepest depth of our darkness and misery. He has unlocked for us the gates of Heaven and the path to reconciliation with God our loving Father and Creator, leading us down the sure path to redemption. The Lord has reached out to us with His most wonderful love, loving us most generously and with the gift of His Son, He has shown us all just how beloved and fortunate we are, that despite of our attitude and our mistakes and faults, God’s love still triumphed and overcame even all of those things. He despises our sins and wickedness, but He loves each and every one of us, His beloved children, and there is nothing that can separate us from His love, unless it is we ourselves who have consciously and purposefully refused His love and rejected His mercy.

All of us always have the choice whether to follow the Lord or to turn away from Him. But today we are reminded yet again therefore of God’s love and naturally, because God has loved us so much, then all of us should love Him in the same way as well, and have this love in our lives, in our actions and way of life, in how we interact with one another, in our every words and commitments in life. We are reminded that all of us Christians are a people that God had called and embraced with love, and we have been consecrated and chosen by Him, to be His tools and means through which His light, truth and love may be propagated ever more to our communities and to our societies today in the world that we are living in. Each and every one of us have been entrusted with the opportunities and the time for us to show forth the way of the Lord and His truth in our own lives.

As we heard in our second reading today from the Epistle of St. Peter, all of us as Christians are a chosen race, a community of priest-kings, a consecrated nation, and a people that God has made His own to proclaim His wonders. What St. Peter told all the faithful in this Epistle passage is a reminder for us all that through our baptism, in which we have become part of the Church of God, entering into this one community of believers and the faithful in the Lord, we have been sanctified and consecrated, marked with the very mark of the Living God, and all of us have entered into the New and Eternal Covenant that God has established with us through the works and sacrifice that His own beloved Son, Our Risen Lord, had done on the Cross. We have been called and brought into a new existence through Christ, a new life and existence that is full of God’s grace and free from sins.

Again, St. Peter had spoken about how the Lord was rejected by the people that He had been sent to, persecuted, arrested and made to suffer and die, because of the stubbornness of all those who have refused to listen to Him and His truth, all those who have allowed the vices of this world and their pride and ego to get the better of them. Yet, the Lord did not let all these to stop Him, and instead, He gave it all for our sake, by enduring the worst of persecutions and humiliations on our behalf, that through His perfect obedience and love, He might show to us what it truly means to live our lives worthily of the Lord, and to be a good and genuine Christian, full of faith and love for our loving God and Creator. He has become the Cornerstone, the Foundation of His Church, establishing His kingdom and dominion in this whole world, freeing us from the power and dominion of sin and death.

Therefore, each and every one of us as Christians, as God’s holy people, all of us are called to live our lives well and worthily as how Christians should be like, in doing the will of God and in obeying His Law and commandments at all possible opportunities. Each and every one of us have been blessed and given various talents and abilities, and we have been called to different vocations in life. But all of us are reminded to dedicate ourselves and our lives to the Lord in the manner how our Lord Himself, Jesus Christ, our Risen Lord and Saviour, had dedicated His life, work and ministry, in perfectly obeying the will of His heavenly Father, in doing what He had been sent into this world for, even to the point of laying down His life for us, because He truly loves each and every one of us. He is the perfect role model for all of us Christians in how we should live our lives.

Then, in our first reading today, we heard lastly from the Acts of the Apostles of the time when the Church under the leadership of the Apostles decided to appoint holy and devout men as the first Deacons of the Church, instituting therefore the Order of Deacons, which role is to assist the Apostles and their successors in the management and the daily running of the Church in its various ministries. Seven holy and worthy men were chosen from among the followers of the Lord, including the well-known St. Stephen, who would become the Protomartyr, or the very first martyr of the Church, who died in defending his faith in the Lord and in proclaiming the Good News and truth to the people. All of the deacons were appointed and charged with the mission to help in the care of the faithful, and later on in assisting the bishops and priests in their own ministry.

Through what we have heard today, all of us are reminded to do what the Lord has entrusted to each one of us to do in our own lives as well. The deacons had been called with a particular mission to serve the Church and the faithful, just as the Apostles and their successors, the bishops as well as the priests have their own missions and vocations to carry out throughout their respective lives. Then, there are also those who have been called to religious and consecrated life, dedicating themselves to a life of prayer, virtue, poverty and common life in certain communities and groups, as well as those others called to married life, to give glory to God through their families and by raising up children and new generations of faithful Christians. There are yet others called to holy single life, to the work of missions among others, called to glorify God in their own ways, and there may yet be others with their own unique vocations beyond even what is prescribed and described by the Church, called to live out their lives with genuine love for one another.

Now, brothers and sisters in Christ, let us ask ourselves, what is our own vocation in life? What have we been called to do and what have we committed ourselves to do with our lives? Let us all spend the time today and afterwards to discern carefully how we can live our lives better as Christians, in embracing more fully our various respective vocations in life, and doing the will of God in all things. Let us all do our best to carry out our Christian calling and obligations, our respective missions in life, making good use whatever opportunities, time and chances that God has presented to us. All of us have been entrusted by the Lord to do His will, to do our best in our lives and proclaiming His Good News and truth at all times. Our lives should serve as inspiration and guide for others all around us so that they may be inspired to follow our examples as well.

May the Risen Lord continue to guide and strengthen each one of us, and may He empower all of us to live our lives to the best of our abilities, to glorify Him by our lives and works. May God be with His Church and all of His faithful ones, at all times. May He bless our works and efforts, and remain with us always. Amen.