revelation of truth

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Thursday, 11 April 2024 : 2nd Week of Easter, Memorial of St. Stanislas, Bishop and Martyr (Homily and Scripture Reflections)

Liturgical Colour : Red

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, today as we listened to the words of the Lord through the Sacred Scriptures, we are reminded yet again of the need for all of us as Christians, as God’s disciples and followers, to be ever ready to proclaim His truth and Good News in our world today, at every opportunities and in every circumstances and places that we have found ourselves in. This is such that by our every words, actions and deeds, by our every way of life and commitments, our efforts, we may proclaim the Risen Lord faithfully and truthfully like how our holy predecessors had done, in their tireless and ceaseless efforts and hard work, in doing God’s will and in showing the truth through their whole beings.

In our first reading today, taken from the Acts of the Apostles, we heard of the continuation of the moment when the Apostles were arrested yet again after they continued to preach about the Risen Lord, the Saviour of all mankind, despite having been warned earlier on not to do so anymore, and despite having been arrested and made to suffer for the sake of the Risen Lord. They continued to preach courageously and fearlessly in public, in the grounds of the Temple of God in Jerusalem, where many people witnessed their good works and miracles, listening to the wisdom of God and the revelation of truth through those same Apostles, which had been revealed to them through Christ and the Holy Spirit Who had been sent to them to guide and strengthen them.

Those chief priests, the members of the Pharisees and the Sadducees that made up the Sanhedrin, or the Jewish High Council were angered at the continued persistence of the Apostles in proclaiming the Risen Lord, the same One Whom they had arrested, charged with blasphemy, surrendered to the Romans to be condemned to death on the Cross. Despite their many efforts, including spreading of fake information about what happened to the Lord’s Body and the Empty Tomb which were proofs of His Resurrection, they could not contain the truth from spreading out ever more quickly and vigorously, especially because of the great efforts and tireless works of those Apostles. They tried to threaten them, but as we heard, the Apostles led by St. Peter courageously refused to obey the demands made upon them.

They continued to proclaim the truth, and fearlessly spoke about the truth of everything that had happened, and professed as they had done before the people in Jerusalem and elsewhere, how the Risen Lord had indeed risen from the dead, and they had witnessed everything that happened, and they would not remain silent anymore, not even with the threats upon themselves and their own safety. They had been strengthened by the Lord Himself, and the Holy Spirit had given them the courage and power to carry on their ministry despite the tough challenges, trials, suffering and difficulties that they had to endure. They did not allow fear to mislead them down the path of inactivity anymore, but allowing the Lord to lead them in their path of faithfulness.

In our Gospel passage today, we then heard of the words from the Gospel of St. John in which the words of St. John the Baptist, the one that the Lord had sent to prepare the way for the Lord, the Saviour of the world. St. John the Baptist, as the Herald of the Saviour, had spoken about Him and called upon all the people to come back to their Lord with contrite heart and the desire to be forgiven from all of their many sins and wickedness. St. John the Baptist told the people that the One Who would come after Him would come from Heaven itself, and would proclaim the salvation of God to all, and all of that would come true indeed with the coming of Christ, the Son of God Whose coming St. John the Baptist was preparing.

In his efforts and works, St. John the Baptist himself also faced a lot of hardships and struggles, as he faced the opposition and rejection even from the same Pharisees and all those who also opposed the Lord later on. He also had to face difficulties from the immoralities of the leaders of the people at the time, particularly that of King Herod, the ruler of Galilee at that time, who he criticised and rebuked for his immoral attitude, in his adulterous behaviour with his own brother’s wife Herodias, whom he had taken as his own wife despite his brother still likely being alive at the time. For that, St. John the Baptist arrested and eventually, through the mechanism and plotting of Herodias, he was martyred.

Once again, we have heard and witnessed how the servants of the Lord often faced a lot of hardships and difficulties in the conduct of their missions and ministry, and they had to endure those challenges amidst their fulfilment of the things and missions entrusted to them. Yet, they embraced those sufferings and hardships with joy as they knew that through their faith, obedience and commitment to God, they would receive their just rewards in the Lord, the promise of eternal life and glory with Him, that even though they might have to suffer persecutions and challenges, in the end, they shall all be triumphant together with the Lord. The Lord has strengthened and given them the courage to carry out their mission with faith, committing themselves wholeheartedly to God.

Today, the Church celebrates the feast of a great saint and martyr, whose life and dedication to God, and eventually whose martyrdom echoed what we have heard in our Scripture readings today regarding the sufferings, challenges and trials that we may have to face amidst our lives and ministries as faithful and devoted Christians, as disciples and followers of the Lord. St. Stanislas was a renowned Bishop in Medieval Poland, who was martyred in defence of his faith by the Polish King himself, and whose commitment to the Lord and His Church inspired many people during his life and ministry, as well as after his martyrdom. He was one of the earliest native Polish bishops, as it was just a century or so after the conversion of Poland. He worked hard and was crucial in the establishment and the strengthening of the Church and its institutions throughout Poland at that time.

He ended up in disputes with the then King of Poland, Boleslaw II, over disagreements about certain matters such as Church land and property, which according to tradition led him to miraculously resurrect a dead man who had sold the land to the Church, only for the land to be claimed by his family, so that the man could testify before the king and his court, and everyone assembled, that the land had indeed been legally and rightfully sold to the Bishop, St. Stanislas himself. Then later on, he ended up in even bigger dispute over the treatment that the King gave to his own men during his wars, and their wives which were punished for their lack of faith in their husbands. St. Stanislas disagreed with the brutal nature of the King’s punishments and treatments, and these acts among others were seen by the King as being disobedient against royal authority and undermining his power, culminating in the King personally slaying the faithful Bishop as he said the Mass, when his servants were hesitant to act.

Brothers and sisters in Christ, we can see very clearly how it can be challenging for us to embrace God’s path faithfully, living them with faith and dedication to Him. It can be difficult for us to follow the path of God because of all the difficulties, trials and oppressions that we may face in our journey. However, that should not discourage us from committing ourselves to the Lord, but instead it should strengthen and encourage us ever more, like how St. Stanislas and many others of our holy predecessors, the holy martyrs and saints, had done in their own lives and ministries. Let us all therefore ask them all to intercede for us so that God may bless us and strengthen us in our every good works, efforts and endeavours, all for His greater glory, now and always. Amen.

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Wednesday, 10 April 2024 : 2nd Week of Easter (Homily and Scripture Reflections)

Liturgical Colour : White

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, today all of us listened to the words of the Lord from the Sacred Scriptures in which we are all reminded of our responsibilities and missions in life as Christians to be the ones to proclaim the truth of Our Lord’s Resurrection, His truth and salvation for all the people. Each and every one of us as Christians must always remember our calling and mission, to proclaim the Risen Lord in all opportunities and in every moments that the Lord Himself had presented to us. We are reminded of the light and hope, the renewal and reconciliation that Our Lord’s Passion, His suffering and death, and then His glorious Resurrection from the dead had brought us, which we celebrate joyfully throughout this time and season of Easter.

In our first reading today, we heard from the Acts of the Apostles of the moment when the Apostles were arrested while they were performing their ministry, their work and preaching at the Temple of God in Jerusalem. It was done by the Temple officials and authorities who opposed the works of the Lord and His disciples, refusing to believe and listen to Him and His truth. Those were the same ones who persecuted the Lord and handed Him over to the Romans to be condemned to death and crucified. They also tried to spread misinformations regarding the Resurrection of the Lord by saying that His disciples had gone to steal His Body from the tomb, in the desperate effort trying to silence the truth of the Lord’s Resurrection. We also heard the Sadducees, those influential members of the Jewish community who did not believe in spiritual matters and resurrection of the dead, tried hard to go against the truth about the Lord’s Resurrection.

However with the guidance and strength given to them by the Lord through the Holy Spirit, the disciples of the Lord refused to be silent or to be intimidated to keep quiet about what they themselves had experienced and witnessed. They still went forth and proclaimed boldly to the people about the Risen Lord, not fearing the persecutions, hardships and oppressions that they had to endure in the midst of their ministry and missions, and they went forth courageously, revealing the truth of God to everyone, and even when they were imprisoned for their activities as we have heard from the Acts of the Apostles, they remained faithful and trusting in God, and God was with them, delivering them out of their troubles, miraculously bringing them out of the prison, and they continued to preach about the Lord yet again before the people.

Through what we have heard in our first reading today, we are all shown what it truly means for us to be faithful to God, to be committed to His cause and to embrace everything which He has entrusted to us, all the truth and all the revelations that He has passed to us through His Church. Like what the Apostles and the other disciples of the Lord had experienced, often it might mean that we may also have to face trials and difficulties amidst living our lives faithfully as Christians. We cannot be idle or ignorant of our calling as those whom God had called and chosen, and we should continue to stand up for our faith and to live our lives worthily as best as we are able to do so. We should continue to devote our time, effort and attention to follow the Lord and His will, as the disciples had done.

In our Gospel passage today, we then heard of the continuation of the passage from the Gospel of St. John detailing for us the conversation between the Lord Jesus and one Nicodemus, a Pharisee who believed in the Lord Jesus, His teachings and the truth that He has brought into this world. Nicodemus came secretly at night to avoid being seen with the Lord as it would have created an uproar and trouble with the rest of the Pharisees, many of whom had rejected the Lord and refused to listen or believe in His teachings. But Nicodemus believed in Jesus and wanted to know more about what He had been teaching and revealing to the people of God, and hence, this was when the Lord revealed God’s great plan, sending His own Son to this world, in Jesus Himself, to save everyone.

Through those famous words, ‘For God so loved the world, that He gave His only Son that whoever believes in Him may not be lost, but may have eternal life.’, the Lord wanted us all to know that God’s love for each and every one of us is so great and has always endured despite our rebelliousness and unwillingness to adhere to His path, as He continued to give us time and opportunities, again and again, so that we may find our path back towards Him, and be reconciled with Him. And then, as the Lord continued with, ‘God did not send the Son into the world to condemn the world. Instead, through Him the world is to be saved.’, He wanted everyone to know that through the coming of His Son into our midst, the salvation of the whole world was nigh, and He would do it all through His ultimate and most loving sacrifice on the Cross.

Brothers and sisters in Christ, as we are all reminded through the passage from the Gospel about what the Lord had done for us through His Son, Our Risen Lord and Saviour, and from the earlier first reading taken from the Acts of the Apostles, we are therefore reminded and called that as Christians, as the Lord’s own disciples and followers, each and every one of us should do well to proclaim His truth, His love, His Resurrection and everything that God has done for us, for the sake of our salvation and liberation from the tyranny of sin and death. We are the ones who have been entrusted with these respective missions and vocations in life, proclaiming His Good News by our own lives, which should indeed be full of righteousness and virtues, as we do what the Lord had commanded us to do.

Let us all be not afraid to stand up for our faith in the Risen Lord, brothers and sisters in Christ. Let us all proclaim the truth of God faithfully at all times, by living our every way of lives with faith, in our every actions, words and deeds throughout all circumstances and in every places and occasions. May the Risen Lord continue to guide us and be with us always in our every struggles, commitments and efforts throughout each and every moments of our lives. Amen.

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Tuesday, 9 April 2024 : 2nd Week of Easter (Homily and Scripture Reflections)

Liturgical Colour : White

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, we are all reminded today of the joy of the Lord’s salvation which He has revealed and passed on to us through His Son, Our Lord and Saviour. In His glorious Resurrection from the dead that we celebrate during this time and season of Easter, and we are all also reminded of the love which He has shown us through His Son as ultimately, everything that He had done for us, He did them all because He truly loves us all from the very beginning, and He never stopped loving us and He never gave up on us. That is the essence of what we have heard in our Scripture readings today, reminding us what it truly means for us to be Christians, to be always full of love for the Lord, our ever loving and generous God, as well as to love our fellow brothers and sisters all around us, in our community.

In our first reading today, taken from the Acts of the Apostles, we heard about the lives of the early Christians who lived their lives with great grace of God present in their midst, living their lives obediently as how the Lord and His Apostles had taught them. They shared their possessions and goods among them, with the Apostles governing over them and helping them to manage their lives. All of them showed love, care and concern for their fellow brothers and sisters, and did not stock the riches of the world or the material possessions for their own use and purpose, but rather, sharing them generously with one another, so that everyone have enough for themselves and are well taken care of by the whole community of the faithful. This is used as a good example of Christian charity and love, and as an inspiration for all of us in how we should act towards our fellow brothers and sisters.

However, we need to take note the context and situation of the Christian community at that time so that we can understand better how the Christian faithful at the time lived their lives in the described manner. At that time, the Christian community was still relatively small and closely knit together and hence it was relatively easy for them to gather and share their resources, all the materials and goods they need in the manner that they had done. However, this way of living soon encountered many challenges, as if we read on further in the Acts of the Apostles, there were disagreements and complaints because certain members of the Christian community were overlooked, particularly those from the non-Jewish origins, which was why the Apostles later on instituted the order of the Diaconate or the Deacons to help serve the rapidly growing Christian community.

Yet, what we should learn from the lives of the earliest Christian communities is how they had great love and compassion for one another, where they truly cared for the well-being of their fellow Christians around them. They trusted in the Lord and in one another, living with their focus and emphasis in the Risen Lord and in His ways, and not in amassing worldly wealth, possessions, or in seeking the glory and the pleasures of the world. They truly embody the joyful spirit of Easter, living righteously and worthily as the chosen people of God, being the good and worthy beacons of His Light, Hope and Salvation to everyone, through their exemplary and inspirational lives, which drew many others to come to believe in God as well. While the circumstances and conditions are different now, but it does not mean that we cannot strive to live in the manner that enriches the faith of everyone around us by our own exemplary way of life.

In our Gospel passage today, we heard from the Gospel of St. John where the interactions and conversations between Nicodemus the Pharisee and the Lord Jesus Himself was recorded. Nicodemus was a member of the Pharisees, a group of very influential and powerful block of power that existed at the time during the time of the life and ministry of the Lord, two millennia ago. They, together with the Sadducees, another influential group, formed the governing body of the Jewish community, as many of their members were part of the Sanhedrin, the Jewish High Council. The Pharisees themselves were those who were intellectual, knowledgeable about the Law of God as revealed through Moses, and also were very particular about keeping the commandments, rules, precepts and the details of the Law of God, to even the smallest of details.

And since the Pharisees tend to be very strict in their interpretation and enforcement of the Law, all of its rules and tenets, hence, that was why many of them often opposed the Lord and His teachings, refusing to listen to the wisdom and the words of truth which He had brought into the midst of the people of God. Yet, it does not mean that all of the Pharisees rejected and opposed the Lord, as Nicodemus himself had shown us. Nicodemus was one of the Pharisees who was in fact attracted to the Lord’s teachings and was drawn to the truth of God. He came to the Lord at night in order to avoid being seen with Him, which would have caused complications, but he truly had questions in his heart and mind, which he asked of the Lord. The Lord therefore told Nicodemus part of the truth of what He would be doing for the salvation of mankind, prefiguring His Passion, His crucifixion and death.

Yes, as we heard in that same Gospel passage today, we heard how the Son of Man, Jesus Himself would be raised up and shown to everyone as the Sign of Salvation, just as Moses once raised the bronze serpent on the standard back when the people perished because of their disobedience against God. This is a reference for His Passion and death on the Cross, as He was raised up on the Cross at Calvary, suffering and dying for our sins and faults, offering Himself, His own Precious Body and Blood as the perfect and worthy offering for our salvation. This is something that Nicodemus certainly recalled, as the same Nicodemus was also mentioned after the Passion and death of the Lord, because together with another secret disciple of Jesus from among the Pharisees, Joseph of Arimathea, Nicodemus helped to take down the Body of the Lord from the Cross and prepare Him for burial.

Brothers and sisters in Christ, therefore, having been reminded of the examples from the loving and faithful lives of the early Christian communities and also from the faith and readiness to listen which Nicodemus the Pharisee had shown us in our Scripture readings today, let us all therefore strive to follow the Lord and live our lives as Christians in the same manner. Let us all be exemplary and worthy in each and every moments of our lives so that by our good examples and our every moments in life, we may inspire more and more people to come ever closer to God, and that we may truly proclaim the Risen Lord, His truth and salvation through our own lives, our every actions, words and deeds, now and always. Amen.

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Monday, 8 April 2024 : Solemnity of the Annunciation of the Lord (Homily and Scripture Reflections)

Liturgical Colour : White

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, today marks the Solemnity of the Annunciation of the Lord, marking the important moment when the Archangel Gabriel came from the Lord to Mary, who was to be the Mother of God, through her motherhood of the One Whom God had sent into this world to save all of us, that is His own Beloved Son, Jesus Christ, our Lord, the Son of God and the Divine Word of God. This important event marked by today’s Solemnity happened exactly nine months before Christmas, which showed that this was the moment when the Lord, Our Saviour was conceived in the womb of Mary, His Mother.

Usually this Solemnity is celebrated each year on the twenty-fifth day of March, but as that date fell on the Monday of Holy Week earlier on, and the commemorations of both the Holy Week and the Easter Octave take priority over all other Solemnities and Feasts, therefore, this celebration of the Annunciation of the Lord is postponed this year to this day, the day after the Second Sunday of Easter, the Octave Day of Easter. Nonetheless, despite this change of dates, it does not diminish the importance of the event that we commemorate, as linking to what we are celebrating this Easter, it was all made possible by the acceptance of Mary of her crucial role in being the Mother of our God and Saviour, Jesus Christ.

The Annunciation of the Lord marks the moment when Mary received the Good News from the Archangel Gabriel, proclaiming to her the long awaited coming of God’s salvation to all mankind, that He would send into this world His own beloved and begotten Son, the Divine Word of God, Who would become incarnate in the flesh, becoming the Son of Man, through the role and intercession of Mary herself. This pivotal event is truly important because by her acceptance of the role entrusted to her by God through the Archangel Gabriel, Mary had made possible what seemed to be impossible, that God Himself would come in our form and nature of humanity, incarnate in this world, showing to us the perfection of His love manifested in all of His glory and yet made approachable to us.

As we compare the attitudes of King Ahaz of Judah and Mary, the Mother of God as highlighted in our Scripture readings today, we can clearly see the difference in their attitudes and response to the revelation of God which they received through the prophet Isaiah and the Archangel Gabriel respectively. While King Ahaz of Judah refused to believe in the Lord and did not trust or have genuine faith in Him, Mary submitted humbly and despite her uncertainties, she did not doubt the Lord’s providence and plans for her. Contextually, we must also understand that King Ahaz of Judah was counted among those many kings of Judah who were not faithful to God, in the way that they did not worship the Lord faithfully and led the people into sin by allowing or even promoting the worship of pagan gods and false idols.

When the prophet Isaiah asked the king for a sign, the king said that he would not ask or put the Lord to the test. Some might consider or perceive this as an act of humility, but if we understood his background and other actions, we will quickly realise that he was being a hypocrite in his action and response to God’s instructions. Through his failure to do what he had been expected to do in his own reign as king, he had tested the Lord many times and brought great misery and sufferings on God’s people because of his disobedience and wickedness. He did not refuse to ask of the Lord of any sign or wonders because he was humble, but rather because he did not truly believe in the Lord or did not want to bother with the matters pertaining to God, or that he did not trust that the Lord would actually do as He had said He would do.

On the contrary, Mary who was then just a young maiden, a young virgin who was still really young in age, chose to trust in the Lord wholeheartedly, and while she naturally was apprehensive given the breadth and scope of the mission and the responsibilities entrusted to her, to be the Mother of the Son of God Himself, and to be pregnant, bearing a Child when she was not even married yet, while she had already been betrothed to St. Joseph, her husband-to-be, but she still ultimately trusted the Lord with the words, ‘I am the handmaid of the Lord, let it be done unto me according to Your will.’ Mary embraced the Lord, His words and promises, His will and His desire for her to do as she had been entrusted to do, and hence, through her resounding and firm ‘Yes’ to the Lord, the work of God’s salvation has been made evident in this world, showing unto all of us the perfect example of obedience and faith.

God has given us all the free will and the freedom to choose our course of action in this life we have been given. Unfortunately, our ancestors beginning with Eve chose to disobey the Lord, listening to the lies and wickedness of Satan instead, and we allowed ourselves to be swayed by worldly temptations and glory, by the allure of pride and glory which had twisted our perception of the world, our existence and relationship with God. This is why we must not allow ourselves to be swayed by these temptations, or listen to the falsehoods and the lies of the devil, who had done in his every opportunities and capabilities to try to mislead us down the path towards our downfall. Instead, we should follow the good examples and inspiration set for us by Mary and her Son, Jesus Christ, Our Lord and Saviour, Who as the New Eve and the New Adam, had undone the damage and the corruption done unto us by the original Eve and Adam.

That is why, on this great Solemnity of the Annunciation of the Lord, we remember the role that Mary, the Mother of God, Our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ, who has answered God’s call and mission with faithful and firm dedication, entrusting herself completely and wholly to the Lord. Her Son, Jesus Christ, Our Lord and Saviour, has also shown perfect and complete obedience to the will of His Heavenly Father, embracing His Cross, bearing willingly all the weight and burdens of our many and innumerable sins, wickedness and evils, so that through Him, His obedience and love for all of us. by dying on the Cross for us at Calvary, we may receive the hope of salvation and eternal life, liberation and freedom from the tyranny and bondage of sin, from the power of death and destruction, which He has done through His glorious and triumphant Resurrection from the dead.

Brothers and sisters in Christ, therefore, as we celebrate this day with great joy, marking the moment when the Salvation of God entered into this world and become incarnate in the womb of Mary, the Mother of God, let us all recall the salvation which Our Risen Lord has brought unto us, and which we rejoice and celebrate this season and time of Easter. Let us all follow the faith and dedication of Mary, His Mother, and strive to do the will of God at all times. May the Risen Lord be with us all, and may He guide us all in our journey of faith. May His Blessed Mother continue to pray and intercede for us, at all times. Amen.

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Sunday, 7 April 2024 : Second Sunday of Easter, Divine Mercy Sunday (Homily and Scripture Reflections)

Liturgical Colour : White

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, this Sunday we celebrate the Second Sunday of Easter, the last day of the Easter Octave that began last Sunday with the glorious celebration of Easter and our Lord’s Resurrection from the dead. On this Sunday, we continue to rejoice greatly for the Lord’s triumphant victory over sin, evil and death through His Resurrection, showing all of us the certain hope and way out from the dominion, tyranny of sin and evil, breaking their hold and control over us mankind. Through the Risen Lord we have received the hope of eternal life, the liberation from the darkness surrounding us all, that we now once again can rejoice fully with God as a people whom He has called and chosen to be His own.

In our first reading this Sunday, we heard from the Acts of the Apostles in which we are told about how the earliest Christian communities lived their lives, detailing to us how they cared for one another and showed genuine care and charity in all of their actions. They shared their possessions and goods among them, with the Apostles governing over them and helping them to manage their lives. Every one who had extra with them shared with all those who had less or insufficient amount, such that as mentioned, everyone had enough for themselves and their needs. This is used as a good example of Christian charity and love, and as an inspiration for all of us in how we should act towards our fellow brothers and sisters.

We do have to take note the context and situation of the Christian community at that time so that we can understand better how the Christian faithful at the time lived their lives in the described manner. Back then, the Christian community was still relatively small and closely knit together and hence it was relatively easy for them to pool and share their resources in the manner that they had done. However, this way of living soon encountered many challenges, as if we read on further in the Acts of the Apostles, there were disagreements and complaints because certain members of the Christian community were overlooked, particularly those from the non-Jewish origins, which was why the Apostles later on instituted the order of the Diaconate or the Deacons to help serve the rapidly growing Christian community.

Nonetheless, we should be inspired by the manner how those early Christians lived their lives as they truly gave their all to serve the Lord and to focus their lives upon Him. They trusted in the Lord and in one another, showing genuine love and care for each other just as the Lord has told and taught them to do. They truly embody the joyful spirit of Easter, living righteously and worthily as the chosen people of God, not worrying about earthly concerns and desires but focusing themselves upon the Lord and their calling to be good and worthy disciples of the Lord. While the circumstances and conditions are different now, but it does not mean that we cannot strive to live in the manner that enriches the faith of everyone around us by our own exemplary way of life.

In our Gospel passage today, we then heard of the account of what happened after the Resurrection of the Lord, as we remember how the Risen Lord appeared suddenly before all of His assembled disciples save for St. Thomas the Apostle. At that time, the Lord showed Himself in all His Risen glory before them, proving to them that He was indeed risen from the dead and not merely a ghost or a spirit. He reassured them with His words, reminding them that everything had happened just as He Himself had foretold it. He told them to go forth and proclaim everything that they had themselves seen and witnessed, while breathing over them and granting them the Holy Spirit to guide them and strengthen them in their journey and efforts.

Then as we heard, St. Thomas was not present in that first moment the Lord appeared to His disciples and he refused to believe when the other Apostles told him of what they themselves had seen and witnessed. St. Thomas was always a doubter, and in earlier occasions in the Gospels, he had also shown this doubt publicly before the other disciples as well. He thus essentially challenged the Risen Lord Himself, as he said that he would not believe unless he could see and experience Him in person, and touch His wounds to know that He has indeed truly risen from the dead just as the other disciples had said to him. That was when then the Risen Lord afterwards showed Himself to St. Thomas and to the other disciples that he finally believed in the Resurrection.

St. Thomas’ attitude is not surprising as there were quite a few people at the time of the Lord who also did not believe in the resurrection from the dead like those of the Sadducees. And throughout history, even until this present time and age, there are people who refused to believe in the resurrection from the dead, or the concept of faith in the Risen Lord, or in anything spiritual simply because they could not rationalise them or experience the things that they would expect to encounter and experience before they would believe in such a belief. This is why we must understand that our belief in the Resurrection cannot be rationalised or proven through experience, but having seen how those same Apostles, including St. Thomas himself, believed in the Risen Lord so much and proclaimed His Resurrection and truth at the cost of even their own lives, therefore, the Resurrection is and must indeed be true.

After all, St. Thomas himself who had doubted the Lord, His Resurrection and all, turned over a new leaf and embraced the Lord wholeheartedly, enduring persecutions and sufferings, spent a lot of efforts to proclaim the Lord in distant lands, and suffered martyrdom in the end, all these showed us all that, what our faith had taught us, and all the truth passed down to us through the Church of God, is nothing less and nothing else than the truth, even after two millennia had passed from the time when everything happened at that time. Each and every one of us as Christians are reminded that the belief in the Resurrection is a core tenet of our Christian faith, and we should always held up this faith firmly in our hearts and minds.

This Sunday is also known as the Divine Mercy Sunday because of the decision made by Pope St. John Paul II who decreed in the Year of Our Lord 2000, the Great Jubilee Year upon the canonisation of the Polish nun, St. Faustina Kowalska, the one who had received the visions of the Lord in His Aspect as the Divine Mercy. For many years, St. Faustina Kowalska received those visions of the Divine Mercy, recorded what she had witnessed, seen and heard, and then, she had to face many hardships and struggles when many around her, priests, confessors, other nuns and Church authorities figures showed skepticism at the things which she had revealed and written in her books and diaries. Yet, St. Faustina Kowalska continued to persevere in her efforts and remained firm in her commitment to spread the devotion to the Divine Mercy till the end of her life.

For many years, her works were scrutinised by the Church authorities, and at times they were even banned and prohibited by those who were determined that her works were not divinely inspired and were false, or even delusions. Nonetheless, the Devotion to the Divine Mercy continued to spread, and slowly but surely, with better understanding of the context and details of the revelations received by St. Faustina Kowalska, the works, revelations given to her and the Devotion to the Divine Mercy finally received support, endorsement and approval, and as mentioned, ever since Pope St. John Paul II declared it twenty-four years ago, the Second Sunday of Easter has also been known as the Divine Mercy Sunday, with the Devotion to the Divine Mercy of God ranking as one of the most popular contemporary devotions of the Church.

Brothers and sisters in Christ, what we have discussed today and through what we have heard in our Scripture passages, we are all reminded that our faith in the Lord must always be firm and strong, and we must remember that in our own limitations and inability to comprehend the whole truth of God, His many mysteries including that of His Resurrection and the nature and Aspect of His Divine Mercy, we must entrust ourselves ever more strongly to the Wisdom of God, to the teachings of the Church which we have received throughout all these years of our lives. Most importantly, we must also embody this faith and belief in our own actions, words and deeds in each moments of our lives or else, we are no better than hypocrites who claim to believe in God and yet did not have true faith in Him.

Let us all hence renew our faith in the Resurrection of Our Lord, in His great love and compassion for us, that He, as the Divine Mercy, continues to show us His desire to forgive us our sins and to embrace us all when we come back to Him with regret and sorrow for all the sins and wickedness we have committed in our lives. Let us all also be the good and faithful witnesses to His Resurrection, His truth and Good News, His Love and most generous Mercy to all, that by our lives, the Risen Lord will always be glorified and proclaimed to the nations. Eternal Father, I offer You, the Body and Blood, Soul and Divinity of Your dearly beloved Son, Our Lord Jesus Christ, in atonement for our sins and those of the whole world. Amen.

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Saturday, 6 April 2024 : Saturday within Easter Octave (Homily and Scripture Reflections)

Liturgical Colour : White

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, today all of us are reminded yet again as we progress through this Season of Easter, of our mission and responsibilities in proclaiming the Risen Lord, our Saviour, to all those around us and everyone we encounter in life, in the various opportunities and circumstances we have been given so that we may always be evangelistic, missionary and faithful in carrying out whatever it is that the Lord has entrusted to us in our own various callings and vocations in life. We are entrusted by the Lord with the mission to proclaim His Good News and salvation, His truth and love to all the whole entire world, so that more and more people may come to know the Lord and be ever closer to His grace and love.

In our first reading today, we heard from the Acts of the Apostle of the account of the aftermath of the time when the Apostles St. Peter and St. John healed the crippled man at the Temple of God in Jerusalem, which led to them being arrested and persecuted, questioned and faced the wrath of many of the members of the Sanhedrin or the Jewish High Council, who fiercely opposed the works and teachings of the Lord Jesus. At that time, with the news of the Lord’s Resurrection beginning to spread rapidly all throughout the community, those people in authority scrambled to try to stop the spread and even used bribes and lies to spread their own version of events of what happened, hoping that the belief in the Resurrection of Jesus would not continue spreading and take hold in the community.

Unfortunately for them, the Apostles like St. Peter and St. John did not fear the persecutions and hardships that they might have to face amidst their ministry and works among the people, as they kept on proclaiming the truth about the Lord, His works and His Resurrection, His triumphant victory over sin, evil and death, despite the threats, obstacles, hardships and persecutions that they had faced from various sources, particularly at that time from the Jewish authorities. As we heard in that passage from the Acts of the Apostles, the two Apostles courageously responded and defied the direct order from the members of the Sanhedrin telling them that they can no longer speak in the Name of the Risen Lord. They courageously said that they could not obey their authority over that of God and His commands.

Then, in our Gospel passage today, we heard again of the account of the Lord’s Resurrection and what happened as He appeared first before the women who went to His tomb on Easter Sunday morning, and then how He appeared to the other disciples and made Himself truly present and visible to all of them, showing them that He was truly risen from the dead, fully Risen in the Body and was not just merely a spirit. The Lord showed all His disciples that everything which He told them had come true, and that He has reassured them of everything that He had taught and revealed to them, that His words are nothing less than God’s truth and the way to the salvation in God and eternal life in Him. That is what the Lord had done, and with the promise of the Holy Spirit to guide the disciples, the Lord sent them out to proclaim His Good News and truth, His salvation and love to the whole world.

Thus, after having been strengthened and encouraged by the Holy Spirit, the Lord’s Apostles and disciples went forth proclaiming everything that they themselves had witnessed, seen and heard. They went forth to share to everyone whom they encountered about the Risen Lord, calling on everyone to embrace the love that God has shown us all through His Son. They faced those challenges with gladness and eagerness, knowing that through the sufferings, they have also endured the same sufferings that their Lord and Master Himself had once suffered. They also helped and supported one another, being parts of the same one Church of God, by physical and real support, as well as through spiritual support and prayers, invoking God to help His beloved people and guide His servants in their journeys, efforts and struggles.

Through the many examples these holy predecessors of ours have shown us, we are reminded that each and every one of us also share in the same missions that the Lord had once entrusted to them, and the fact is that we cannot ignore these things which the Lord has also called us to do. As Christians we should not and indeed cannot be idle, and not speaking up about our faith in God, or showing them in our every actions and deeds throughout our whole lives. We must always be good role models and inspirations for others around us so that by our good and worthy lives we may indeed proclaim the truth and Good News of God to everyone.

Brothers and sisters in Christ, let us all therefore reflect on our various and respective missions and vocations in life, and discern carefully our path going forward in life. Let us all discern on how we should embrace God’s call and do His works in our respective areas in life, in our various responsibilities and efforts that we do in our daily living. Let our way of life, our every actions, words and deeds bring about glory to God, and proclaim His truth before everyone all around us, so that by our works, our efforts and perseverance, we may indeed show the love of God, the Good News of God’s salvation and grace to more and more people, and help many to find their own way towards the Lord.

May the Risen Lord continue to help and strengthen us in our efforts, in our works and daily struggles in life. May He strengthen and encourage us all so that by our commitment and dedication, we may truly be worthy and fruitful in our actions as good and faithful Christians in each and every moments of our lives. May God be with us always and be our guide and encouragement, now and always, forevermore. Amen.

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Saturday, 6 April 2024 : Saturday within Easter Octave (Gospel Reading)

Liturgical Colour : White

Mark 16 : 9-15

At that time, after Jesus rose early on the first day of the week, He appeared first to Mary of Magdala, from whom He had driven out seven demons. She went and reported the news to His followers, who were now mourning and weeping. But when they heard that He lived, and had been seen by her, they would not believe it.

After this He showed Himself in another form to two of them, as they were walking into the country. These men also went back and told the others, but they did not believe them. Later Jesus showed Himself to the Eleven while they were at table. He reproached them for their unbelief, and stubbornness, in refusing to believe those who had seen Him after He had risen.

Then He told them, “Go out to the whole world and proclaim the Good News to all creation.”

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Saturday, 6 April 2024 : Saturday within Easter Octave (First Reading)

Liturgical Colour : White

Acts 4 : 13-21

The Jewish leaders, elders and teachers of the Law were astonished at the boldness of Peter and John, considering that they were uneducated and untrained men. They recognised also, that they had been with Jesus, but, as the man who had been cured stood beside them, they could make no reply.

So they ordered them to leave the council room while they consulted with one another. They asked, “What shall we do with these men? Everyone who lives in Jerusalem knows that a remarkable sign has been given through them, and we cannot deny it. But to stop this from spreading any further among the people, let us warn them never again to speak to anyone in the Name of Jesus.”

So they called them back and charged them not to speak or teach at all in the Name of Jesus. But Peter and John answered them, “Judge for yourselves whether it is right in God’s eyes for us to obey you rather than God. We cannot stop speaking about what we have seen and heard.”

Then the council threatened them once more and let them go. They could find no way of punishing them because of the people who glorified God for what happened.

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Friday, 5 April 2024 : Friday within Easter Octave (Homily and Scripture Reflections)

Liturgical Colour : White

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, today as we listened to the words of the Scriptures, we are all reminded that we must always be strong in our faith in the Lord, in being His disciples, witnesses and missionaries in our world today, so that in whatever challenges, trials and difficulties we may encounter throughout our lives, especially in living our lives faithfully as Christians and in proclaiming God’s truth and Good News, we will continue to be strong and be able to persevere through whatever trials and challenges that we may encounter in our respective paths in life. We should not easily be swayed to give up our struggles and commitments to God just because we encounter stubborn opposition and hardships in our journey of faith and life.

In our first reading today, we heard from the Acts of the Apostles of the moment when the two Apostles, St. Peter and St. John, who had performed a great miracle of healing on a crippled man at the Temple of God in Jerusalem, healing him in the Name of the Risen Lord, and afterwards they proclaimed with great courage and vigour the Resurrection of Christ and everything that God had done through His Son, to all those who had been present there to witness the remarkable event. We then heard of the chief priests and the Temple authorities, the influential members of the Jewish community like the Sadducees who refused to believe in the Lord, His teachings and works, and also His Resurrection, despite the many signs and evidences pointing to the contrary. They went to arrest the two Apostles and brought them before the Sanhedrin, the Jewish High Council.

Those authorities questioned the two of them about what they had done and put pressure on them because they did not want any further spread of the words and teachings of the Lord Jesus Whom they had condemned to death. At that time, the news about the Lord’s Resurrection had spread quickly to many people, and He has also shown Himself to many of His disciples, who eagerly went forth after Pentecost to proclaim what the Lord had told them to preach joyously, of the salvation which He has reassured us, and of His glorious Resurrection by which He has conquered death itself, and broken forever the chains and dominion of sin over all of us. Many of the Pharisees and the Sadducees among the members of the Sanhedrin refused to believe in the Lord because of their differences with what the Lord taught and stubborn attitudes.

The Pharisees opposed the Lord because they disagreed with Him regarding how the Law of God should be observed, practiced and enforced. They adopted a very strict interpretation of the Law and commandments of God, which led them to be criticised by the Lord for their failure to appreciate and understand the true purpose and meaning of the Law of God, as He Himself revealed to everyone the truth about the Law, and what the Law is truly all about, bringing God’s people closer to Him and teaching them to love Him and one another instead of being an oppressive set of excessive rules and regulations that made it difficult for many to follow the Lord. Meanwhile, the Sadducees who did not believe in the concept of resurrection, refused to believe in the Resurrection of the Lord, and did what they could to oppose the spread of this fact.

The Gospel passage today then reminded all of us that despite all of those challenges and difficulties, we must always remain firm in our faith in God, as the Lord will guide us to our destination and path, providing us with help and assistance along the way. He will not abandon us to the darkness or destruction, but will show us the advice and help so that we may find our way to Him, just as we heard in that Gospel passage. In that account from the Gospel of St. John we heard of the moment when the disciples of the Lord went to Galilee just as the Lord had instructed to them. There, they had been spending the night fishing at the Lake of Galilee without much success, catching no fish at all despite all of their efforts throughout the whole entire night.

That was when the Risen Lord appeared to them by the shore, telling them how to get good catch, and we heard how they immediately got so many fishes that their boats almost sank. That was when St. Peter immediately recognised the Risen Lord and went right to Him, swimming towards Him from the boat. This moment was an important one for the Lord’s disciples and for us because through that, we are reminded that by following the Lord, His will and commandments, we will have His blessings and help throughout our journey and struggles in life, and with God and His grace, our works and efforts will eventually bear many rich fruits and products. Without the guidance of God, like how the disciples failed to catch any fish earlier on, then no matter what efforts we put in, all of them may be futile in the end.

Brothers and sisters in Christ, today all of us are reminded that we must always keep our focus in the Lord, and trust Him in His providence and guidance. We must not allow worldly temptations, challenges and difficulties to distract us and to persuade or coerce us to give up our faith in God. Instead, all those trials, tribulations and challenges should in fact strengthen our commitments to God, as we should recall how the Lord Himself has suffered and endured the same kind of persecutions, challenges and trials throughout His ministry and then later on with His Passion, His suffering and death on the Cross. We are not alone in this journey, suffering and tribulations, as we are carrying our crosses together with the Lord.

That is why it is important that we continue to be faithful to God in all things, trusting in Him to lead and guide us down the right path, and helping us to overcome the many challenges around us, persevering through whatever opposition, persecutions and rejections that may come our way. May the Risen Lord continue to be with us, guiding and strengthening us so that in each and every moments, we will always continue to walk ever more faithfully in His Presence, becoming good and worthy witnesses of His Resurrection and truth, at all times. Amen.

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Friday, 5 April 2024 : Friday within Easter Octave (First Reading)

Liturgical Colour : White

Acts 4 : 1-12

While Peter and John were still speaking to the people, the priests, the captain of the Temple guard and the Sadducees came up to them. They were greatly disturbed because the Apostles were teaching the people and proclaiming that resurrection from the dead had been proved in the case of Jesus.

Since it was already evening, they arrested them and put them in custody until the following day. But despite this, many of those who heard the Message believed and their number increased to about five thousand. The next day, the Jewish leaders, elders and teachers of the Law assembled in Jerusalem. Annas, the High Priest, Caiaphas, John, Alexander, and all who were of the high priestly class were there.

They brought Peter and John before them and began to question them, “How did you do this? Whose Name did you use?” Then Peter filled with the Holy Spirit, spoke up, “Leaders of the people! Elders! It is a fact that we are being examined today for a good deed done to a cripple. How was he healed? You and all the people of Israel must know that this man stands before you cured through the Name of Jesus Christ the Nazarean.”

“You had Him crucified, but God raised Him from the dead. Jesus is the stone rejected by you the builders which has become the cornerstone. There is no salvation in anyone else, for there is no other Name given to humankind all over the world by which we may be saved.”