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Wednesday, 3 December 2025 : Feast of St. Francis Xavier, Priest, Patron of Missions and Missionaries (Homily and Scripture Reflections)

Liturgical Colour : White

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, on this day as we gather together to worship the Lord and to proclaim His glory, and as we all heard from the passages of the Sacred Scriptures, we are reminded that as we continue to progress through this time and season of Advent, we should continue to do our part as Christians, as those whom God had called and chosen so that we may truly embody our Christian faith in everything  that we say and do, that we may indeed proclaim the Lord in every opportunities that had been provided for us, in all the encounters with those who are around us, we may always be the bearers of God’s Good News and His love, compassion, truth and hope to everyone we meet and work with, to our communities and everyone whom we care for, as is our mission in life to do so.

Today we mark the Feast of St. Francis Xavier, the Patron of Missions and Missionaries and hence, the Scripture readings speak strongly about what is the meaning of Christian mission and the role of missionaries in fulfilling and completing what the Lord has entrusted to each and every one of us, His beloved people. In the first reading from the Epistle of St. Paul the Apostle to the Corinthians, the Apostle spoke of what he was called to do as a minister of the Good News of God, and that everything which he had done, he did for the greater glory of God and not for his own benefits, while in our Gospel passage today, we heard of the words of the Lord Jesus Himself to His disciples and followers after His Resurrection, reminding them all of the missions which He has entrusted to them, to go forth to all the nations and to proclaim His truth and Good News, and how He would always be with them in all of their efforts and works.

Today as mentioned, the Church marks the occasion of the Feast of St. Francis Xavier, the Patron of Missions and a member of the Society of Jesus or the Jesuits renowned for his lengthy and great missionary journeys to different parts of the world, especially his works in Asia, in the regions of India and South Asia, then Southeast Asia and the Far East, in Macau, China and Japan. St. Francis Xavier gave inspiration to many others in how he dedicated his life and service to God, in his perseverance to continue the mission despite the challenges and hardships he encountered during his journeys, and his passion and love for his fellow brothers and sisters, in the genuine desire he has to proclaim the Word of God and His Good News to more and more of the people of God all around the world.

St. Francis Xavier was born in what is today Spain as Francisco de Jasso y Azpilicueta in the town of Javier or Xavier which would later on made him known as Francis Xavier as we know him today. He was one of the companions of the Founder of the Society of Jesus, St. Ignatius of Loyola and one of the first members of the Jesuits, considered as one of its founding members. Back then, during the height of the Protestant reformation, St. Ignatius of Loyola gathered his companions and other like-minded people to commit themselves to the works of evangelisation and other ministries to spearhead the efforts in countering the terrible effects of the so-called reformation, which splintered the Church in many places into several factions and ‘churches’, and heresies and falsehoods were abound because of errant heretics and preachers.

The Jesuits were founded with the aim to help the Pope and the Church to oppose the tide of heresy and disunity, as well as to reform the Church in the right way. St. Ignatius of Loyola sent out the Jesuits in ministering both to the traditional areas of Christendom like in what is today Germany, the hotbed of the reformation, and also to those mission areas beyond Europe, where European explorers and adventurers made many discoveries of distant lands, all of which had not yet heard the message of God’s truth, His Gospels and the Good News of His salvation. St. Francis Xavier was among those entrusted with the responsibility to proclaim the Good News in the foreign and distant lands, and hence, he went forth, never returning to his homeland ever again.

He followed the long journey to the newly discovered areas, embarking on an extensive missionary journeys in parts of India, where missionaries had already laid some foundations earlier on, as well as areas of Southeast Asia like Malacca and the Spice Islands where he went to several islands and communities, preaching about God and gaining some people who were interested to know more about the Lord and became the first Christian converts in those areas. He did not always have it smooth though, as he did face rejection and hardships along the way, and in a well-known story about him, St. Francis Xavier almost met his end in a terrible storm in the sea, where the boat he was in was battered by waves and the strong wind. He prayed to God and thrust his crucifix into the waves, which then fell into the water and the storm stopped miraculously. A crab later on brought the crucifix back to St. Francis Xavier, who blessed it, and that crab later on always had a cross on its back.

That is just one of the many well-known stories regarding St. Francis Xavier, in his many efforts to serve the Lord through his time and work, in proclaiming the Good News to the furthest ends of the world. He went on to proclaim the Gospels in Japan, and was instrumental in laying the foundations for the later very successful Jesuit mission in Japan, which despite its termination later by the very intense persecutions under the Tokugawa Shogunate, for a period of about fifty years, the Church managed to flourish really well in Japan, with an estimated three hundred thousand Christians during the very height of the mission there, several decades after the passing of St. Francis Xavier. St. Francis Xavier himself passed away in Shangchuan Island just on the shores of China as he awaited the opportunity to enter China to begin a mission there. Some of other Jesuits like the famous Matteo Ricci would then continue what St. Francis Xavier had started.

Brothers and sisters in Christ, let us all continue to follow therefore in the footsteps of the courageous St. Francis Xavier in his determination and commitment to serve the Lord in everything that he had done, in all the missions which he undertook even in the most difficult and challenging moments. Let us all be inspired by this great courage and faith which our holy predecessor had shown so that in our own actions, in our own words and interactions with one another, in our own lives as Christians, we will continue to be the shining examples and inspirations ourselves to everyone around us, to all those whom we encounter in our daily lives. May God bless our every good works, efforts and endeavours therefore, for His greater glory, in our respective missions in life. Amen.

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Tuesday, 2 December 2025 : 1st Week of Advent (Homily and Scripture Reflections)

Liturgical Colour : Purple/Violet

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, today as we all listened to the words of the Sacred Scriptures and as we all continue to progress further through this season and time of Advent, the time of preparation for the coming of the joyful season of Christmas, let us all continue to ponder upon the words of the Lord that we have received and blessed with through the Sacred Scriptures, so that we may better be able to focus our attention on what truly matters, the Lord and His teachings and ways. Each and every one of us must truly be genuine in our faith and belief in the Lord as Christians, and in our preparations for Christmas, we are reminded that we should not just be focused on the worldly aspects of the celebrations, but more importantly, focus ourselves on the more wholesome understanding of what Christmas is truly about.

In our first reading today, taken from the Book of the prophet Isaiah, we heard of the words of the Lord given to the prophet Isaiah in which He reassured all of His people, the Israelites and their descendants that despite the difficulties, hardships, challenges and humiliations which they had been facing at that time and before, the day and time will eventually come when the Lord will come for His beloved ones, gathering each and every one of them, calling upon all of them to return back to Him and to be once again in His most loving and generous embrace. God has reassured His people of all of these things, and He would not say things that He Himself would not fulfil or make to come true.

That is why, for those people of Judah to whom the prophet Isaiah had ministered to, such great words of hope and consolation must have meant really a lot to them. They had faced lots of sufferings, humiliations, defeats and other misfortunes from their enemies and all those who opposed them because of their own disobedience and refusals to listen to the Lord and to the prophets and messengers whom He had sent into their midst to remind and help them. The Lord however did not forget about them and He still continued to love them nonetheless, helping them to find their way back to Him, patiently leading and guiding them all, with all the encouragement, reassurance and promises He made after He has first chastised and rebuked them for their sins and wickedness.

God truly cares for all those whom He has considered His own, all those whom He had created out of pure and perfect love. After all, He did not create us so that He can punish and destroy us, but He wants us instead to rediscover the love which we ourselves ought to have for Him, so that we may continue to grow ever stronger in faith, hope and love in Him and through Him. This is what He has constantly reminded His people through the prophets, and which we are therefore also reminded yet again, and again, each and every time we listen to these words of the Scriptures that we may truly be faithful and committed in all things, in doung what God has called us all to do, in being good role models and examples of our faith in our love for God and also our love for one another.

Then, from our Gospel passage today, taken from the Gospel according to St. Luke the Evangelist, we heard the prayer of thanksgiving and praise which the Lord Jesus Himself prayed to His Heavenly Father, giving Him thanks on behalf of everyone that He had been sent to, to all of us mankind, in thanking God for His ever present and enduring love, for all the wonderful things that He had done for us all, on our behalf, in reaching out to us all, and presenting to us the finest and best of His love which has been manifested perfectly to us in the Person of His own beloved and only Begotten Son, Our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. Indeed, through Jesus Christ and all that He has done for us, are all perfect fulfilment of everything that God our loving Father and Creator has promised to each and every one of us and our ancestors.

And we must count ourselves truly lucky because we have been made partakers of God’s everlasting and true Covenant, which He has renewed and established firmly for us all through His Son, in all that He had done in offering on our behalf a most perfect and worthy offering of His own Most Precious Body and Blood, so that by that offering all of us may be redeemed and freed from the tyranny of evil, sin and darkness surrounding us. We are reminded that because Christ has come into our midst, God Himself in the flesh, we truly have hope of liberation and true happiness, in an eternity of joy and eternal existence with our most loving God and Father. We must continue to uphold this faith and hope within us, and embody the great and ever enduring love of God in ourselves and our own actions.

Brothers and sisters in Christ, today let us all therefore ponder and reflect upon the words of the Sacred Scriptures, ever being reminded that we are all called to put our trust in the Lord and in everything that He has promised to us. We have to trust that everything which the Lord has promised to us will eventually come true, and that we should not easily give up or lose faith in what He has told us. This is because we must realise that in God alone we can find hope and reassurance that will not fail us, and while anything in this world can fail us, the Lord alone is always with us without fail, and it is He alone that has been there for us, providing for us and steadily loving and supporting us through the darkest and most difficult moments, and He does this even through those whom He has provided to be with us.

May the Lord continue to bless us all in our Advent journey and progress, and as we continue to go deeper into this blessed time of preparation for Christmas and what we will celebrate during that season, let us all continue to deepen our faith and trust in the Lord, allowing Him to come into our lives and our hearts, strengthening our resolve and giving us the courage to continue going forth and doing our best to glorify Him by each and every moments of our lives, in all of our actions, words and deeds. May God bless our every good works, efforts and endeavours, now and always. Amen.

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Monday, 1 December 2025 : 1st Week of Advent (Homily and Scripture Reflections)

Liturgical Colour : Purple/Violet

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, as we embark on this journey during this Season of Advent, entering into this appropriate time of contemplation, reflection and preparation, each and every one of us are called to reorientate our lives and rediscover that path towards the Lord and His salvation, especially if we have been so busy and distracted in life that we have forgotten what it truly means for us to be Christians, to be God’s holy and beloved people. Each and every one of us should always be prepared to welcome the Lord when He eventually comes again in glory, whenever it may be, as no one can know the exact timing of His Second Coming, but we know with certainty that this will definitely happen in the future. Therefore, all of us as Christians, we must 

In our first reading today, taken from the Book of the prophet Isaiah we heard the message of reassurance and encouragement from God to His people in the kingdom of Judah where He had sent Isaiah to minister at, reminding all of them that their sufferings, humiliations and struggles all would not last forever, and that eventually they would all be vindicated and rescued if they continued to walk faithfully in the presence of the Lord and commit themselves to follow His Law and commandments. In the first place, it was the disobedience and sins of the people which had distanced them away from the Lord and from His path and blessings, and due to this, that is why they had faced challenges and trials, and like their brethren in the northern kingdom of Israel, whose disobedience were even greater, they had to face defeat and destruction at the hands of their enemies.

Back then, at that time, during the beginning of the ministry of the prophet Isaiah, the forces of the Assyrians came up to Samaria, the capital of the northern kingdom, besieging it and thereafter destroying it, and this led to the downfall of the northern kingdom, with many of its people being brought off into exile in the lands of Assyria and even beyond, and throughout all those challenges and trials, God still wanted to remind His people that He was still with them, patiently guiding them and encouraging them even through their darkest and most difficult moments. Even though the people of God had been stubborn in refusing to listen to His words and reminders which He had made to them through His many prophets and messengers, but He still patiently sent to them more reminders and help nonetheless.

This is why each and every one of us must realise just how fortunate we all are to have been loved by God in such a manner, and we should no longer take His most generous and patient love for granted. If we take God’s love, compassion and generous mercy for granted, in the end, there will only be regret for us all. We have been blessed by many opportunities which God has presented to us, again and again, as He calls on us to return to Him and to embrace His love once again, love that has always been made available for us even after we have continually disobeyed Him and disregarded His kindness and compassion. We should continue to strive to embrace God’s love and mercy, devoting ourselves anew to serve Him wholeheartedly from now on.

Then, from our Gospel passage today, taken from the Gospel according to St. Matthew the Apostle and Evangelist, we heard of the moment when an army captain or centurion came to the Lord Jesus in Capernaum in Galilee, requesting and beseeching Him to take pity upon his servant who had fallen very sick at home, firmly believing that the Lord could heal his servant and make him whole again. And the faith of the army centurion was such that he was willing to believe and trust in the Lord that even without making Him to go to his place to heal his servant, and merely by the command and power of His words alone, everything would be accomplished and his servant would be healed. This kind of faith was then highlighted by the Lord as a truly great and exemplary faith for all the people to follow.

In order to better understand the significance and importance of what this event entailed, we must first understand that this army centurion or captain was likely to be a Roman, or at least a Gentile or non-Jewish person, and at that time, the Jewish customs and practices were mostly limited to only those of Jewish descent, and hence, the army centurion was likely to be considered as a pagan or non-believer. And at that time, for a non-Jewish person to interact with a Jew like the Lord Jesus and His disciples was often considered taboo, and in fact, why the army captain was reluctant to let the Lord to come to his house and mentioned that he was unworthy to have Him under his roof was because of the common practice at that time, in which for a Jew to enter into the house of a Gentile would have made them ritually unclean.

That was the reason why the chief priests and the Pharisees did not enter into the Praetorium where Pontius Pilate resided as the governor of Judea during the time of the Lord’s Passion, and it was in fact specifically mentioned that this act would have made them to be ritually unclean and therefore would be unable to eat the Passover that was to happen that moment soon. Hence, not only that the army centurion had great faith in the Lord but he was also very humble and considerate, knowing the local customs and not wanting to cause hassle and difficulties on the Lord and His mission. And for his great faith in the Lord, his faith was rewarded and everything came true just as the Lord deemed it to be, with the servant being healed the very moment the Lord Himself declared it.

Brothers and sisters in Christ, as we enter into this season of Advent and progress through it, let us all therefore realise that each and every one of us are in need of God’s love, mercy and compassion, and we should no longer take all these for granted. Every opportunities that He has presented to us should be cherished by us, and we should always do our best in each and every one of us our actions, words and deeds, in our every steps in life so that we may draw ever closer to our most merciful and loving God. Let us make great use of this time and the opportunities that the Lord has presented to us such that we will not squander them and that we can continue to grow ever stronger in our faith as true and genuine Christians moving forward.

May the Lord continue to help and strengthen us in our journey of faith and life during this time and season of Advent, so that we can continue to grow ever stronger in our faith and commitment to God. Let us all do our very best to glorify the Lord by our lives and actions, in everything that we say and do. Let us all continue to be good and worthy bearers of our Christian faith, and do our very best to shine forth with the light of God, showcasing what we truly believe in the Lord, in His love for us, and in the hope that we have for Him. May the Lord be with us always and bless our every good efforts and endeavours. Amen.

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Sunday, 30 November 2025 : First Sunday of Advent (Homily and Scripture Reflections)

Liturgical Colour : Purple/Violet

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, this Sunday marks the First Sunday of Advent, which not only marks the beginning of the Season of Advent, the time of preparation for the upcoming celebrations of Christmas, but also the beginning of the new liturgical year cycle. Therefore, as we begin this new time and season, all of us are reminded as we begin our preparation for the joyful celebration of Christmas that we should renew our determination and commitment to live our lives in the manner that is truly pleasing to God and worthy of Him. As we begin this new liturgical year, our mindset should be improving and not remaining in the same way we have been doing things all these while, especially if we have been distant away from God.

In our first reading this Sunday, we heard from the Book of the prophet Isaiah in which the reassuring vision of Isaiah was told to us, in all that God has revealed to him to be told to His beloved people who at that time had been suffering lots of setback, humiliation, struggles and challenges, all mainly due to their own disobedience and lack of faith in Him. Contextually, the prophet Isaiah was sent to the people of the southern kingdom of Judah to help guide and assist them in their ways, in returning to God after many of their ancestors and predecessors had been living in long periods of disobedience and disregard for the Law and commandments of God. Their disobedience and sins have separated them from the fullness of God’s grace and blessings, and they faced the consequences of their disobedience as their fortunes turned downhill.

At about that time, the northern kingdom of Israel was also attacked, conquered and destroyed by the forces of the Assyrians, who destroyed their cities and capital Samaria, and brought many among the people to exile in distant lands. Then the king of Assyria, Sennacherib, also came up with his great and vast army to attack Judah and Jerusalem itself, and this same king mockingly spoke ill of the Lord and the people’s faith in Him, boasting that his armies and forces have crushed and conquered countless nations and states, overthrowing their gods and idols. But God rebuked the Assyrian king and gave him a fitting punishment for having boasted in such a manner and for raising his hands against the people of God, as He sent His Angels to decimate the Assyrian army, sending king Sennacherib back to his lands in great shame.

Therefore, it was against this background and the other historical evidences that the Lord reassured His people, all of those who remained faithful in Him, that all of their trust and faith in Him were not misplaced, and that they would indeed rejoice in the end with Him, because God Who is always ever faithful and loving to all those who are true to Him will be rewarded and will be guided by Him to the right path, to the path of vindication and fulfilment. The Lord was always with His people, even in their darkest and most difficult moments, and the time of His renewal would eventually come, and the people really needed to put their faith and trust in their Lord and Master instead of continuing with their rebellion and disobedience.

And God Himself also revealed that He would also gather all the other nations and peoples, and that His salvation and grace would not be limited only to the Israelites, as ultimately, all the children of mankind are precious, beloved and dear to the Lord. Through Israel as the first example, ultimately, all the people of all the nations would be gathered together to praise the Lord their God, and all the people would be called to come to the Presence of God, to be reconciled and reunited once again with their most loving and compassionate God, their Creator, Who has always desired to be reunited with those whom He had created generously out of love, but have been scattered and lost to Him due to our disobedience and sins against Him.

From our second reading this Sunday, from the Epistle of St. Paul the Apostle to the Church and the faithful people of God in Rome, we are reminded by St. Paul that the time of the reckoning of our lives and the coming of God’s salvation, while it may not be as immediate as what St. Paul and the Apostles back then thought of, but it may be sooner than what we expected or may expect. Ultimately, the reality is such that, no one save that of the Lord Himself know when the exact moment of the Lord’s Second Coming and the end of the world and time as we all know it, which is known as parousia, the end of times prophesied and predicted, revealed and shown to us through the servants of God.

What we can be very sure of is the fact that the Lord will come again, at the time of His choosing, and what is most uncertain is the exact time that this will happen. That is why we have to be always ready and alert, vigilant and prepared at any time so that whenever we are expected to commit ourselves to the Lord and account for our actions and works in this life, and including even our failures to act whenever we are capable of and when we have been given the perfect opportunity for, that is where we need to realise that we have to account for all of that before the Judge of all the living and the dead in the end. All of us are sinners, imperfect and unworthy of God, and yet, at the same time, God is so infinite and boundless in His mercy and compassion that He has given His love and mercy towards us without end.

Then, lastly, from our Gospel passage this Sunday, taken from the Gospel according to St. Matthew the Apostle and Evangelist, we heard the similar message from the Lord Jesus telling His disciples of the certainty of what will happen one day, in the coming of God’s salvation at the end of time, the reckoning which will happen at the time of God’s choosing, when this will happen in the most unexpected of times and moments, which He likened in a simple parable and comparison, with how no one would have known when a thief would break into a house, and hence, the owner of the house ought to be always vigilant, ready and prepared against all eventualities. Essentially, those who failed to plan and prepare, they are all planning and heading to failure and doom.

That is why, each and every one of us are reminded that as we enter into this new season, the Season of Advent, being a time of spiritual rediscovery, renewal and reconnection with God, we are all called to turn once again towards the Lord. If our lives have been hectic, busy and if we have been distracted by our numerous commitments, responsibilities and attachments in the world, then we are reminded to keep our focus firmly directed towards the Lord, Who ought to be the centre and the focus of our whole lives and existences. We should not forget the presence of God in our lives and remember that no matter what, and no matter how difficult things may be for us, the Lord will always be present in our midst, supporting and strengthening us in our journeys in life.

As we reflect upon the words of the Sacred Scriptures which we have received just earlier on, we are reminded on this First Sunday of Advent that each and every one of us should make good use of this time, season and opportunity for us to prepare ourselves well not only for the upcoming Christmas season which we are surely going to celebrate joyfully and wonderfully, but also for the ultimate coming of our Lord, His Second Coming, given the dual nature of this Advent season, which commemorates both the first coming of Christ that had happened two millennia ago, and which we celebrate in Christmas, as well as the expectation of the parousia, the second coming of Our Lord and Saviour, which had been promised to us, and which will certainly happen in due time.

Let us all therefore live our lives courageously and worthily of the Lord, doing our very best in each and every moments in life. Let us continue to do our best to be good and worthy examples of our Christian faith in each and every actions, words and deeds, in all that we do for the greater glory of God. Let us all shine brightly with the light and hope of our Saviour. May the Lord be with us always, and may He continue to encourage and empower all of us to be His faithful and committed disciples and followers in all times and circumstances, becoming shining beacons of His light and hope to everyone we encounter, now and always. Amen.

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Sunday, 23 November 2025 : Solemnity of Our Lord Jesus Christ, King of the Universe (Homily and Scripture Reflections)

Liturgical Colour : White

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, this Sunday we celebrate on the Thirty-Fourth and Last Sunday of this Ordinary Time of the year, the great occasion of the Solemnity of Our Lord Jesus Christ, King of the Universe, also known as the Solemnity and Feast of Christ the King. This Feast, which was established in the year 1925 by Pope Pius XI as a strong response to the ever increasing tide of secularisation and materialism in the world, the ending of many traditional hierarchies and societal norms, and especially the rapid ascent of Communism in various places and states, which seeks to detach the Lord and the Christian faith from the daily living of the people, their actions, works and livelihood. That was why Pope Pius XI established this Feast, originally celebrated at the last Sunday of the month of October, to remind all of us that Christ is the King of the whole world, and the Source of all authority of states and worldly powers.

This means that ultimately, whatever the differences may exist between the different states, countries, groups, sovereignties and other ways that we often distinguish ourselves from each other, God holds dominion and sovereignty over all of us. And no power or dominion, authority or sovereignty can claim to be independent of God because in God alone is found the true source of all power and sovereignty. And all of us belong to the Lord, Who is our one true Lord, Master and King, the One Who has created us and Who rules over all of us. The rulers and states of this world have been entrusted with the various authorities and powers by the Lord as stewards of God’s people, and those come along with responsibilities and duties that those who have been entrusted by God have to ultimately account to Him.

In our first reading this Sunday, we heard from the Book of the prophet Samuel in which we heard of the moment when the tribes of Israel, all the assembly of the Twelve Tribes and their representatives came and gathered to acclaim David as the King over all of Israel, after several years of strife, divisions and civil war between the supporters of David and those who supported Saul’s family and the latter’s claim to kingship. For the context, David was the one that God chose to be the new King and ruler of Israel replacing Saul, the first one to rule as King of Israel. He was anointed by the prophet Samuel who was also the Judge over all Israel. It was also Samuel himself who anointed Saul earlier on as King of Israel, but Saul had disobeyed God and did not do as the Lord has instructed to him, and hence, David was appointed as his replacement.

What was not shown in this passage is that lots of struggles, hardships, sufferings and tragedies happen in the process, as the kingship passed on and went from Saul and his family to that of David. David was persecuted by Saul although he was the favourite of the king, and he was chased by Saul that he had to go into exile even to the land of the Philistines and to the wilderness. And when Saul and his son Jonathan were slain in the battle against the Philistines, David also lost his best and precious friend Jonathan in that tragedy. And in the ensuing civil war between David and the family of Saul, many people were affected in the fighting and conflict, suffered and perished. But eventually David won the civil war and was universally accepted by all the Israelites as their King, ushering the golden age of the United Kingdom of Israel under David and his son, Solomon.

And the Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of God and Divine Word Incarnate was born into this world as the Son and Heir of David, as the rightful Heir and descendant of David as King over all of Israel although the kingdom of Israel itself had been destroyed centuries prior to His coming. But the Lord has promised through His many prophets and messengers that He would restore the Kingdom to His people, and the One Whom He would send, would be the One to restore it to its glory and even more. That was then how everything was fulfilled through Christ, Our Lord and Saviour, Who was born into the House of David and inherit the Throne of David as King, and with God Himself as King over all of His people, He became the Eternal Ruler and Master of all. Then, in addition, He is King not only just over Israel, because as the Lord, Creator and Master of the whole Universe, He is the King of all the Universe.

Then, from our second reading this Sunday, we heard from the Epistle of St. Paul the Apostle to the Church and the faithful people of God in Colossae, where the Apostle spoke of the One Whom all of us as Christians have believed in, the One Who is the Son of God, incarnate in this world as the Saviour of all mankind, begotten of the Father before all of the ages and time. St. Paul highlighted Who this King of Kings and the King of the Universe is, the Image of the Unseen God, the Almighty God Who has created this whole Universe, Who was once beyond our understanding, appreciation and knowledge, but through His will and power, has manifested Himself and His love perfectly in the flesh, becoming tangible, real and visible to us, showing us Who our true Lord, King and Master is.

And that is the reality about our King of Kings, the King and Master of the whole Universe. As St. Paul described of Him, He is indeed incomparable and far beyond our league, infinitely mighty and powerful, holding dominion and power over all of Creation. He is the King Who truly loves us, Who is always compassionate and caring towards each one of us, His beloved children and people. That is why we should always appreciate all the love, attention and care that the Lord Himself has shown to us. We are truly fortunate to be loved in such a manner and we should indeed do our best to embrace His love, He Who has united all of us to Himself and to each other, as the Head of the visible Body of Christ, His own Body, the whole Church of God. Each and every one of us, we are part of the same Kingdom of our God and King.

Lastly, from our Gospel passage this Sunday, we heard of the account from the Gospel according to St. Luke the Evangelist about the moment of the Passion and suffering of the Lord, when Jesus, the Saviour and Son of God was nailed to His Cross at the place known as Calvary or Golgotha. At that moment, we heard how the people were mocking Him for not being able to save Himself while He has saved others, mocking Him and telling Him to bring Himself down from His Cross. And yet, He Himself has willingly taken the Cross upon His own shoulders, because He is a King Who truly cares for His beloved people, ever full of love for each and every one of those who are precious to Him, and that is why He was willing to endure the worst of humiliations and punishments for our sake, that we all may live and not perish.

And in His conversations with the two thieves who were crucified with Him, we can see even further the great love, compassion and magnanimity that our Lord and King has for each and every one of us, even to the greatest and worst of offenders and sinners. The repentant thief admitted his faults and sins before the Crucified Lord and King, and he asked that He would remember him when He comes into His kingdom, and the Lord granted his wish, becoming perhaps the first to enter into the Kingdom of Heaven, which we are all invited into as well. Our Lord and King has shown us that He is a King Who truly cares for each and every one of us, His people, and not like those kings who cared only about themselves and caused sufferings for many of those whom they ruled.

Brothers and sisters in Christ, today on this great Solemnity of Our Lord Jesus Christ, the King of Kings and King of the whole Universe, let us all therefore remember that as Christians, all of us as God’s people have Him as our King and we truly should behave and act in a way that truly shows that He is indeed our Lord and Master, the One Who rules over each and every one of us. That is why we should do our very best and continue to be good role models and examples, inspirations and encouragement for one another as exemplary and good Christians in all things, in our every actions, words and deeds so that we may truly inspire many more people, all those whom we encounter, that we can indeed glorify the Lord our King at all times.

May the Lord Jesus Christ, King of the Universe and King of Kings continue to reign in our hearts and in all of our lives, and may all of us be ever faithful and committed to Him at all times and as always, now and forevermore. Amen.

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Sunday, 16 November 2025 : Thirty-Third Sunday of Ordinary Time, World Day of the Poor (Homily and Scripture Reflections)

Liturgical Colour : Green

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, this Sunday we mark the occasion of the Thirty-Third and therefore the second last Sunday in our current Ordinary Time and also liturgical year. Within two weeks from now, we will enter into the season of Advent in preparation for Christmas and therefore also the beginning of the new liturgical year. Therefore, that is why the Scripture readings and the overall tone shift into one of preparing ourselves for the inevitable end of times, the time of the reckoning of our actions and lives, which we all ought to be well-prepared for, and which the Lord has amply and repeatedly reminded us of, in each and every opportunities that we have been given. 

In our first reading this Sunday, taken from the Book of the prophet Malachi, we heard of the words of the Lord as presented through Malachi, who was in fact the last in the long line of prophets that had been sent to the people of God in Israel and Judah. The prophet Malachi spoke briefly of the coming of the time of reckoning where those who were wicked and who committed evils will be destroyed and crushed, while those who are faithful and just will be strengthened and blessed by God. God knows each and every hearts and minds, and He will not stay silent against any kind of injustice. He will be with all of His people, whom He will always care for and protect, provide and strengthen amidst the challenging times.

God is a loving and just God Who does not overlook injustice and evil, and He is also a loving and caring God Who knows righteousness and justice in those who follow Him and His path. And this is why in our daily actions, in our manner of living our lives, in our every interactions and in our every moments spent journeying in every aspects in life, we are reminded that we should always continue to do what is truly right and just in accordance to what the Lord has taught and shown us all. We must not think that we can act in impunity, in causing hurt and harm to others especially in the pursuit of our own selfish needs, ambitions and desires. God knows all things, and we will have to account for everything, both good and bad, in the end.

Then, from our Gospel passage this Sunday, taken from the Gospel according to St. Luke the Evangelist, we heard about the moment when the Lord Jesus predicted the downfall and destruction of the Temple and House of God in Jerusalem before the disciples and others assembled to listen to Him. That Second Temple of Jerusalem, which was also known as Herod’s Temple due to the massive enlargement and expansion done by King Herod the Great was indeed a magnificent Temple and House of worship dedicated to God, but what the Lord Himself encountered was a lot of hypocrisy and corruption, in how many of the religious and intellectual elites, the chief priests and the Pharisees, had superficial faith in God and were not truly faithful in Him.

And worse still that they allowed corruptions and corrupt practices to creep into the Holy House of God’s Presence, by them allowing the merchants, money changers and others to turn the courtyard of the Lord’s House to places where injustices took place, where they manipulated and profited over those who had come to them to get the necessary goods for the worship of the Divine. That was why the Lord told them all that eventually none of the grand edifice would remain, a premonition of the disaster that would come true in a few decades afterwards, when the Romans destroyed the very Temple that Jesus spoke about as they quelled and crushed the Jewish rebellion that happened then.

Through what the Lord has shared in our Gospel passage this Sunday, we are therefore reminded yet again that nothing in this world is permanent, even glorious edifices and worldly fame and power. In the end, what remains is our faith, trust and hope in the Lord, and we are all indeed expected to carry out our lives in good faith and obedience to God and His will. We should keep in mind of the Lord’s constant reminders, Who has always reminded us to live our lives worthily each day, in caring for those whom He has entrusted to us to love, our most beloved ones, family members and others, and also those whom He has sent to our way, so that our faith can truly shine and that we will be ready when He comes again and we have to account for our lives.

Brothers and sisters in Christ, how do we then live our lives faithfully just as the Lord Himself has taught us to do? How do we then be righteous and just in the eyes of the Lord and men alike so that we will be worthy of His everlasting inheritance? This is where what we also commemorate today this Sunday should help us in our path and journey as Christians and disciples of the Lord. Our late Pope Francis promulgated that the Sunday before the Solemnity of Christ the King, that is this Sunday, be known as the World Day of the Poor. We are reminded this Sunday therefore of the presence of those who are poor in our midst, and it is our Christian calling and obligation for all of us to reach out to the poor and show them love, care and attention.

But we must also realise that poverty is not just material poverty, but can even be spiritual and mental poverty. For there are a lot of people in our midst, although have nothing lacking in terms of material goods and possessions, but they are facing lots of struggles and difficulties in their spiritual journey and in their mental state and relationships, with God or with one another. There are many people out there today who are facing challenges and difficulties in their lives, facing struggles of loneliness, mental health issues and problems, as I am sure we have heard being quite common these days. Many are facing lots of struggles daily not just in earning their livelihood but also in enduring challenges not just physically but also mentally.

Brothers and sisters in Christ, therefore let us all continue to help one another especially those who are around us and those whom we encounter daily in life so that we may indeed be the ones who always show love and compassion to everyone, especially to the poor around us, and not just those who are poor materially but also poor spiritually and mentally, all those whom the Lord had put in our paths and journeys to care for. Let us all make good use of whatever blessings and opportunities that God had provided to each and every one of us, so that in all the things that we say and do, we will continue to glorify Him by our actions and deeds. Amen.

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Sunday, 9 November 2025 : Feast of the Dedication of the Lateran Basilica (Homily and Scripture Reflections)

Liturgical Colour : White

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, today the whole entire Church celebrates together the Feast of the Dedication of the Lateran Basilica, the Mother Church of all the whole entire world, the most important and prominent of all the churches, as the seat of the Pope, the Vicar of Christ, the seat of the Papal authority, power and sovereignty over the whole Universal Church. Some may have thought that St. Peter’s Basilica in Vatican is the most important church of all, given its unique position in Vatican City, just adjacent to the Apostolic Palace where the Popes reside in, but this is actually not the case. Indeed, most of the major celebrations by the Pope and other important major celebrations and commemorations are celebrated in St. Peter’s Basilica due to its size and also importance, being essentially the largest church in all of Christendom and also convenient centre of the Church’s coordination and ministry.

However, in terms of actual significance and importance, St. Peter’s Basilica, also known officially as the Papal Major Basilica of St. Peter in Vatican is second in rank after that of the Lateran Basilica, which commemoration of Dedication we are celebrating today. The Lateran Basilica is the actual seat of the Pope and the place where his Cathedra as the Bishop of Rome is located at. In order to understand this better, first we must all know that each ordinary or bishop of a diocese has his own Cathedra, located in a church which is therefore known appropriately as a Cathedral, the Cathedral and also the Mother Church of the entire diocese. Since ancient times and the earliest days of the Church, the bishop’s authority has always been associated and linked to his seat of teaching and authority, which is his Cathedra.

That is why whenever a new bishop has been ordained, he officially takes over the governance of his diocese when he has been installed and enthroned on his Cathedra, a ceremony which is even more explicit and clear in nature amongst our brethren following the Eastern Christian traditions. In the same way therefore, the Pope as the Bishop of Rome also has a Cathedra, the Cathedra of the Diocese of Rome and its bishop, who is also the Pope and the Vicar of Christ. This Cathedra is located at the Basilica of St. John Lateran, which is therefore, given the universal nature of the Papal authority and supremacy over the whole Church, is appropriately the Mother Church of the whole entire world. Hence, the Basilica of St. John Lateran, sometimes also known by its official name of the Archbasilica of Our Saviour, and of St. John the Baptist and St. John the Evangelist in Lateran, is truly the most important church of all.

Historically, this very important particular House of God was also among the first churches to be built following the end of official persecutions of Christians and the whole Church by the Roman state, as well as the beginning of period of toleration and eventually support by the Roman Emperors and state for the Christian faith. Prior to the Edict of Milan which ended a long series of persecutions against Christians, most Christians usually worshipped in secret, gathering in places where they would not be easily seen and found out being Christians, such as in the catacombs, the tombs where many of the martyrs and saints were buried, as well as in houses, outside of cities and other secret places that were relatively safe from the knowledge of the authorities. Most Christians were not able to openly profess their faith in God, and many were persecuted, suffered and died for their faith in God.

Therefore, when the Roman Emperor Constantine decided to end the official persecution of Christians which had lasted for almost three centuries, and extended toleration and even support for the Church, it was a time of new beginnings for the Church and to the Christian communities long accustomed to great persecution and sufferings. The Emperor helped to fund and provide the lands which would become the place where the then Pope, Pope St. Miltiades, would establish a new church dedicated to God, the Most Holy Saviour of all, as a most worthy House of God and as the seat of the Pope and Vicar of Christ, and hence, as the centre of all of Christendom. The Church since the earliest days and the beginning had always considered St. Peter and his successors, the Popes, to be the ones entrusted by God with the governance and leadership over the whole Church.

That church, what would become the Basilica of St. John Lateran, was dedicated on this date, the ninth day of November, about seventeen centuries ago, in the year of Our Lord 324, just eleven years after the Edict of Milan. This church therefore became the beginning of a visible authority of the Church which had remained long hidden from the world, as it emerged out of the long and dark periods of persecutions, into a new period of establishment and expansion, as many new churches, facilities and communities were established all throughout the Roman Empire and beyond, and seventeen centuries later, this work of evangelisation and establishment of the Church which had begun even earlier since the days of the Apostles, still continued on after the Christian faith has reached the very ends of the world.

On this day, we celebrate the day of the Dedication of this great House of God, the Mother Church of all the whole entire world. What does it mean by a church being dedicated to God? It means that the church as a building and edifice has been solemnly blessed and marked by God to be a House and Temple worthy of His Presence, and worthy of the Divine Sacrifice taking place there, where the bread and wine, by the power of God, through the offerings and hands of the ordained, in persona Christi, are changed in essence, reality, matter and all into the Most Precious Body and the Most Precious Blood of Our Lord Himself. And henceforth, because the very Real and Holy Presence of God is present and contained within the church, it has to be purified and blessed, dedicated to God for purpose only of divine worship and praise.

Otherwise, the Sacraments cannot be celebrated within the church, and therefore it is imperative that a church has to be dedicated before it can be properly used for any benefits for the faithful and the community of the people of God. That is why we celebrate and rejoice in the dedication of a church because that moment of dedication is the time when the people of God can finally celebrate together the Sacraments and be in the Holy Presence of God. The Church of God rejoices because a new House of God where the people can gather together as a Church has been blessed and hallowed as such, appointed to be a place of holiness and virtue, and for the offering of the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass. It is rightful therefore that the people celebrates the dedication of their parishes and the anniversary of that dedication, and the people in a diocese to celebrate the dedication of their Cathedral and the respective anniversaries.

Therefore, it is most fitting and right for the whole Church to celebrate together the dedication of this great Basilica of St. John Lateran and its anniversary, which happens on this date, as it is the Mother Church of all of us, reminding us of the unity of all Christians through the leadership and guidance of St. Peter and his successors, the Popes and the Vicars of Christ. As we celebrate this Feast of the Dedication of the Basilica of St. John Lateran, we therefore renew our commitment to the unity between all the faithful people of God, all members and parts of this same Body, the one and only Church of God, the One, Holy, Catholic and Apostolic Church. We remember the seat of the Pope and his authority, over the whole Church, together with all the bishops and other leaders that the Lord has appointed, and the deposit of faith that has been preserved from the time of the Apostles themselves, and those are what we celebrate today.

And not only that, brothers and sisters in Christ, as we are also reminded at the same time that while we rejoice greatly at this House of God which God has blessed and made worthy to be the Temple of His holy Presence, we should not forget that there is yet another Temple of God, the House of His Presence that is equally important for each and every one of us. And what is that, brothers and sisters? It is the body that we have, each and every one of our body, heart, mind, soul and indeed, our while entire beings. We are all the Holy Temples of God, the Temple of His Holy Presence just as St. Paul told the faithful and the Church in his Epistle to the Corinthians. All those who have received the Lord and accepted Him as their Lord and Saviour, are all the dwelling places of God, Who is truly present in us.

Those who are familiar with the rites of dedication of a church will know that what happens during the dedication is exactly just what we as Christians went through during our initiation to the faith, be it as infants or as adult converts. Just as the church is blessed with holy water, so has us as Christians received the holy waters of baptism, and just as the church is anointed with oil, on the twelve consecration crosses, we too have received the anointing with holy oils of sacred chrism during our baptism as well. The incensation of the Altar and the whole church is mirrored by the incensation of all the people of God in the Mass as the living Church, the Temple of the Lord’s Holy Presence, marking that each one of us are truly set aside to be holy and worthy of God. And just as the Altar is clothed in white, so we have also received the white garments at our baptism.

What is even more important is that, while churches and even the great Basilica of St. John Lateran are all made with the hands of men, imperfect and flawed, the One Who crafted and made us all was none other than God Himself. He made us all to be worthy and perfect, but unfortunately, due to our disobedience and refusal to follow His path, His Law and commandments, sin had entered into our hearts, our very being and corrupted this Temple and House of God that is our bodies and our being. Yet, God did not give up on us or destroy us, because of His ever enduring love for us, and He gave us the means towards our salvation and liberation from sin through His Son, Our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ.

Brothers and sisters in Christ, God has called all of us to holiness and to be worthy of Him, remembering that each one of us have received the Lord Himself, in His Real Presence through the Eucharist, and also have been sanctified and set aside by our baptism, and our whole initiation into the Christian faith and Church. Therefore, let us all be reminded of the need to keep ourselves as far as possible to be blameless and free from sin, and refrain from doing things that are contrary to God’s will and can lead us down the slippery slope towards sin and damnation. We have to do our best to guard and take care of ourselves to avoid falling into the many temptations, coercions and pressures all around us trying to drag us away from the path towards God’s salvation and eternal life.

Let us hence live our lives to the best of our abilities, to be good role models and inspirations for one another in faith. Let us all be truly worthy of God dwelling and being with us all the time. Otherwise, if we fail to fulfil our respective Christian callings and missions, then it will be more difficult for us to come nearer to God. May the Lord give us the strength and the perseverance to remain firmly committed to Him despite the challenges and hardships we may have to encounter along the way, keeping our body, heart, mind, soul and our whole existences and beings free from sin, as the Temples of the Lord. May God be with us all, and as He blessed the great Basilica of St. John Lateran, may He also bless us all in our future good works and endeavours. Amen.

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Sunday, 2 November 2025 : Feast of All Souls, Commemoration of All the Faithful Departed (Homily and Scripture Reflections)

Liturgical Colour : Black or Purple/Violet

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, after we have celebrated the Solemnity of All Saints yesterday, now on this Sunday, we celebrate and commemorate the occasion of All Souls Day, in which we remember all those holy departed souls, who have gone from this world before us, and are now still in Purgatory. Purgatory refers to the state or situation in which the souls of the faithful departed who have gone from this world, and yet, because they have not yet been cleansed or purified completely from their taint and corruptions of sin, thus they cannot yet enter into the fullness of bliss, glory and happiness in Heaven, to be with God. That is why they are still currently in Purgatory, spending the time and occasion there in purification so that they may be fully and completely free from the taint and corruption of their sins.

This does not mean that God has purposely made it difficult for us mankind to reach out to Him or punished us unjustly. In fact, the truth is that no one can possibly be tainted by the corruption of sin and be in the Holy Presence of God. Otherwise, the sins and wickedness, corruptions and evils remaining in us will condemn us before the Lord, and the Lord’s goodness and perfection will wipe us out from existence. Hence, from the beginning of the Church, the Church fathers and traditions of our Christian faith have always taught that the souls of those who have died in the state of grace, and have not denied the Lord and remained unrepentant to the very last moment, do not end up in either Heaven or Hell.

The former, Heaven, is because the soul was still tainted with some venial sins, the residual effects of the corruptions of their soul, which had not been resolved and forgiven at the moment of their passing from this world. Meanwhile, for the latter, Hell, the Lord’s grace is so great and powerful that, to those whom He has deemed and judged at the moment of death, also known as the Particular Judgment, to be saved, thus, He did not condemn into Hell. Instead, that soul of the departed will eventually end up in Heaven. It is just that, those souls will not be able to immediately enter the glory of Heaven, unlike the saints, whose faith, virtues and commitments to God had deemed them worthy in the eyes of God to enter immediately into the glory of Heaven.

This state of the souls who have not yet been able to enter Heaven is thus known as the Purgatory. Unlike Hell, in which the condemned soul has no hope ever to enter into Heaven, and will suffer eternity of sufferings, punishments and regret for their sins, the souls in Purgatory do suffer, but not for an eternity. Why do they suffer, brothers and sisters in Christ? That is because their intense love for God was raging in them, ever desiring to be reunited fully with God, but because of the residual corruptions and effects due to the sins which they had committed and which had not been resolved and forgiven, that ardent and burning love for God made them to endure the purifying fire of Purgatory. This should not be understood as a physical place with fire or any kind of flames that purified the souls in Purgatory, but rather, it was the love those souls had for God which made them to endure those burning love and zeal that had yet to be fulfilled completely.

And what is important today, as we commemorate this All Souls Day, we must remember that we ourselves may also end up in Purgatory one day, and we must not forget or ignore the holy souls in Purgatory. Many of our loved ones and those whom we know, our own family members and friends may be in Purgatory now, and are still awaiting the moment when they will finally enter into the eternal and true glory of Heaven. They are also still part of the Church, as I have mentioned on All Saints Day yesterday. Just as the saints, the holy men and women of God who are already enjoying the glory and the beatific vision of Heaven, are part of the Church Triumphant, and all of us still living in this world are part of the Church Militant, struggling daily for our faith against the temptations of sin and evil, thus the holy souls in Purgatory are part of the Church Suffering.

They are also our brothers and sisters, who need our love, care, compassion and prayers. The holy souls in Purgatory all need our prayers and help, as they cannot help themselves, and they cannot pray for themselves. They can pray for us, who are still living in this world, and no doubt, they hope that we do not make the same mistakes and sins they had done, which prevented and kept them away from the Lord’s glorious inheritance and true joy for the time being. They are in need of our prayers and help, and our every prayers for their sake do matter, as through prayer, we help them by moving God to have pity and mercy on these holy souls who are currently still in Purgatory. When their sins had been expiated, cleansed and they had been completely forgiven from those sins, the holy souls in Purgatory can finally then enter into the glory of Heaven, and enjoy what the saints have been enjoying.

Let us all therefore be charitable and compassionate to our brothers and sisters, the holy souls in Purgatory, that we remember today on this occasion of All Souls Day. Let us all remember that one day, we ourselves may also end up in the same condition and place, suffering the wait in Purgatory just as the holy souls in Purgatory are now enduring and experiencing their temporary wait and separation from God. We should always spend some time and moments to pray on behalf of those poor souls in Purgatory, be it those whom we may know, from our own family and circle of friends and acquaintances, but also those whom we do not know. There are many holy souls in Purgatory who had no one to remember them or pray for them, and today, on this All Souls Day, we should also remember them and love them, show them God’s love and compassion through our efforts and prayers for their sake.

Brothers and sisters in Christ, on this All Souls Day therefore, let us all first of all remember and pray for all the holy souls in Purgatory, all those who have passed on from this world and have yet to enter the glory of Heaven. Let us all ask the Lord to have mercy on these souls, and allow them to be forgiven and to be cleansed and purified from their residual corruptions by sin, and thus, able to enter into the glory of Heaven the soonest. Then, at the same time, as we have discussed and talked about earlier, we should also remind ourselves that we should strive to do what we can so that our lives will always be truly worthy of God, in obeying His Law and commandments, and in distancing ourselves and keeping ourselves away from sin and its corruption, as best as we can.

Let us all hence do what we can so that we may inspire one another to live our lives worthily in God’s path. Let us all be committed to lives that are truly virtuous and righteous in the sight of God and mankind alike, and do our part such that we may be the faithful bearers of God’s truth, Good News and love to more and more people, and that more souls may be saved from the damnation to Hell, and may at least end up in the purifying fire of Purgatory on their way to Heaven, because of their faith in God. May the Lord be with us all, and especially also with the holy souls in Purgatory, our brothers and sisters, and may He remember them, particularly those who have none to remember them or pray for them. May God grant them all eternal rest in Him, and may they rest in God’s love and peace. Amen.

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Saturday, 1 November 2025 : Solemnity of All Saints (Homily and Scripture Reflections)

Liturgical Colour : White

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, on this day united as one in the Universal Church we all celebrate with all the glorious saints in Heaven the occasion of the Solemnity of All Saints, as we rejoice on this All Saints’ Day. On this All Saints Day, we rejoice in the glory of all the saints, both the ones whose names and lives are known to us, as well as the many other innumerable holy men and women of God out there who are saints, and yet not known to us. There are also all those other holy men and women who have deserved the glory of Heaven, and yet have not been named and declared saints yet, because of various circumstances. Today, as we rejoice on this All Saints’ Day, we remember all those whom I had mentioned, the ones who have lived their lives worthily of God.

Who are the saints, brothers and sisters in Christ? First of all we have to understand the role that the saints play in the history of our salvation and in the Church. The saints are all those holy men and women of God who have been deemed by the Church after a period of scrutiny and exploration, as worthy of God and as deserving of the glory of Heaven. The process of the declaration of someone as Saint is one that is usually lengthy one, as one went from being a Servant of God, Venerable, and then Blessed or Beatus and finally Saint. All those things are meant to highlight that being a Saint means that the person, his or her life and actions are truly worthy of God and of being exemplary Christians. This is to ensure that the person mentioned as saints are truly worthy of veneration and honour, and being followed by other Christians as good role models and inspirations.

And then, we must understand also that the saints are not divine beings or gods, or divinities, as what some others might and may still misunderstand about this particular practice of the Church. Quite a few people both inside and outside the Church have the misunderstanding and misconception thinking that we worship the saints. Yet, that is a very wrong way of seeing how we Christians venerate the saints and blesseds since the very beginning of the Church. Ever since the earliest days of the Church, the faithful Christians have always venerated important members of the Church who have been martyred for their faith, or have led exemplary lives, venerating them as great role models and inspirations, and beings worthy of Heaven, to inspire them in their own lives.

That is in essence what saints are and how they are significant for us all. The saints are our role models and inspirations, who by their words, actions and deeds have been deemed by the Church and the authorities of the magisterium to be worthy of God’s grace and eternal kingdom, to experience the beatific vision of Heaven prior to the Last Judgment, and are now in Heaven with God and His Angels. Christians and even the Jewish people of the past believed in the life after death, and the existence of the world to come, and the saints are those who have been welcomed to enter into God’s heavenly Presence, to enjoy the fruits of their labour and faithful life. And when we venerate those saints, we honour them for all that they had done out of faith and love for God.

We must understand that veneration does not equal adoration and worship or ‘latria’. Those are reserved for God and God alone. Not even Mary, the Mother of God and the Queen of Heaven by virtue of her Divine Motherhood, is to be worshipped and adored. On the contrary, to her we accord the greatest honour and veneration or also known as ‘hyperdulia’ among all the other saints and beings, as the one who bore the Messiah or Saviour of the world in her, and who is our greatest intercessor, ever being present by her Son’s side in Heaven, pleading for our sake before Him. To Mary we accord the greatest of veneration, but that still does not equate to adoration and worship that we only give to God, the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit, the Triune God, the one and only True God.

Then to St. Joseph we accord the next greatest honour of ‘protodulia’ which accords him the first of honour among all the saints just after Mary, her spouse. St. Joseph as the foster-father of the Lord and the Protector of the Universal Church has that place of honour and also because of his virtuous life, which are again great inspiration, examples and role models for each one of us as Christians. Then the other saints and blesseds also have their own unique life stories and examples which we can emulate and follow in our own lives. That is why we venerate them, as we are all inspired by their examples, and wanting to follow them, and why we adopt their names as our baptismal names as well. And not only that, as we also believe that the saints are already in the presence of God in Heaven, we also ask the saints for their help and intercession.

Now, what we need to realise is also that the saints although they are no longer physically with us, they are still very much part of the Church. The saints, blesseds and all the other holy men and women of God already in Heaven and have not yet been officially recognised by the Church as saints, are all parts of the same Church of God, as the Church Triumphant. Meanwhile, all of us still living in this world are the Church Militant, those who are still struggling and enduring the challenges and trials of this world daily. Then the Church is completed by all those souls who have departed from this world and yet, they are not yet worthy of Heaven, and are enduring the purifying flames of purgatory, the Church Suffering. Those holy souls in purgatory will be remembered tomorrow in the All Souls’ Day.

Altogether, the Church Triumphant, the Church Militant and the Church Suffering all form a united Church of God, all united through the indivisible link and union through the common Communion in Christ. All of us are united together as one Church, and as such, we are united in prayer for each other. The saints and blesseds have no more need for our prayers, but they are always praying for us in this world, the Church Militant, as well as for the ones who are still suffering in the purgatory, the Church Suffering. We ourselves as those who are in this world can also pray for those in purgatory. We can see how each and every one of us are still united as one Church, and just as we are still connected to each other, we should also be inspired to follow the examples of the saints in our respective lives.

Brothers and sisters in Christ, we have been shown the means and the ways for us to follow the Lord faithfully as Christians. As we heard in our first reading today from the Book of Revelations of St. John the Apostle, the vision of St. John revealed to us the glory of the innumerable saints of God, who in the vision had appeared in their pure white garment, all made white by washing in the Precious Blood of the Lamb of God. The martyrs suffered at the hands of their persecutors and those who oppressed them, but they remained resolute and firm in living their lives faithfully, in standing up to their Christian vocations and missions, and enduring whatever persecutions with grace and faith. Some of them had to shed their blood and some perished, but even those who did not perish, had to endure martyrdom of sorts, as they were persecuted and had to face hardships and challenges.

They practiced what the Lord had told them all to do as we heard in our Gospel passage today on the Beatitudes, or the Eight Beatitudes, in which the Lord listed down all the behaviours and attitudes that are truly worthy of Him, and praised all those who have done according to those ways. Essentially through the Eight Beatitudes, the Lord has called on all of us as Christians to be His true disciples, as those who are poor in spirit, for those who are sorrowful and suffering for their faith, for those who are gentle and kind, and for those who hunger, thirst and desire for justice, for those who show mercy to others, for those who are pure and virtuous at heart, for those who advance and work towards peace and help others to seek peace, and for all those who are persecuted. All of those are essentially what we are expected to do as Christians in our own daily living.

Now, if we are not sure how and where to start in this regard, we must not be disheartened or give up the effort before we even start it. That is precisely why we have the saints to inspire us and to show us the way how we should live our lives. Each and every one of them had distinct and unique circumstances that some may in one way or another inspire us in our respective lives and journey, to be our compass and guidance in how we are to practice our faith in life. Each and every one of us are called and constantly reminded of the many good actions and deeds of our holy predecessors, and we should do the same. The question is, are we all willing to commit ourselves to this cause that the Lord had called us to do? Are we willing to put the effort to transform our lives from one that is based on worldliness and wickedness into one of virtue and adherence to God’s ways?

It is important that as Christians we have to live our lives worthily of the Lord, doing whatever we can to uphold our Christian faith and actions, in each and every possible moments like what the saints had done. But at the same time we must also have the correct understanding of what the saints are and how they can help and lead us on the right path. Sadly, even within the Church there are still many people, among the faithful who misunderstood the meaning of sainthood, and conflating it with idolatry, which resulted in the so-called popular devotions and faith among the people becoming corrupted with the worship and adoration of the saints instead of a proper veneration. Not only that, but those same people end up depending on the saints and hoping that the saints would solve all of their issues and problems, and that by praying to them everything they were troubled with would magically and immediately be solved.

That is why we have to correct our wrong or mistaken understanding and knowledge about the saints, should we have any of them. And we should also encourage ourselves on this Solemnity of All Saints, that each one of us will no longer be idle and be ignorant in the living of our faith. Instead, we should be more active and involved in being true and devout Christians starting this very moment, being inspired by the many examples of our holy predecessors, the saints and blesseds we have among the Church Triumphant. We as the Church Militant are reminded that we are still facing the trials, struggles and challenges that can prevent us and lead us astray from reaching the path towards God and His salvation. We cannot let the temptations of worldly glory and fame to make us abandon these struggles, and as long as we keep our focus on the Lord and strengthened by the courage and examples of His saints, we surely can find a way to live worthily of God.

May the Lord continue to strengthen and guide us in all of our lives, and may He, through His saints, constantly inspire and encourage us that we too may be holy just as those saints had led holy and worthy lives. May God be with us always and may He bless us all in our every good works and endeavours. All the Holy Saints of God, holy men and women who have glorified the Lord by your lives, all of you who are now with God in Heaven, pray for us sinners! Pray for the sake of all your brethren still living and struggling in this world who are in dire need of God’s mercy, love and strength. Amen.

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Sunday, 26 October 2025 : Thirtieth Sunday of Ordinary Time (Homily and Scripture Reflections)

Liturgical Colour : Green

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, on this Sunday as we all listened to the words of the Sacred Scriptures, we are reminded that the Lord our God is never blind to our sufferings and our predicaments, and He is always ever present by our side throughout our most difficult moments, being by our side and journeying with us through all those difficult times. He will never leave us alone or unguided throughout all those things, and even if we are to suffer, we have to always constantly keep in mind how He Himself has suffered most grievously and greatly for our sake, in all the love that He has shown us. And at the same time, we must also be careful that we do not end up giving in to the spirit of self-righteousness and pride, even if we do not intend it to be so, especially when we think that we are better than others around us in our faith and lives. God rewards the humble while brings down the proud and haughty ones.

In our first reading this Sunday, we heard from the Book of the prophet Sirach in which the Lord reassured His people by telling them all that those who have obeyed and served the Lord faithfully and wholeheartedly will be heard and helped, and all the those people had prayed for with great faith and trust in God will be heard by the Lord Himself, Who knows all that they need and all that they are going through in life. As it was said, ‘the prayer of the humble person pierces the clouds, and he is not consoled until he has beeen heard’, and this is indeed true, that as long as we continue to persevere in prayer, continuing from what we have also heard last Sunday on the power of the perseverance of prayer and hope in God, eventually God will answer and will provide us what we have asked for.

The Lord Himself also told us all ‘Ask and you shall receive, seek and you shall find, and knock, and the door will be opened for you’, and these words are again reminders for us all how truly fortunate all of us are to have received such great grace from God, Who has always loved us so wonderfully and so patiently, that He has always cared for us and guided us through the most difficult parts of our lives’ journey. He is always there with us, both through the good and the bad times, and we should not lose hope and faith in Him even when it seems that He does not answer our prayers and fulfil our hopes immediately. God is always out there, listening to us, and He is always full of compassion towards us, knowing everything that troubled us. He wants us to trust in Him and have complete faith and hope in Him.

Then, from our second reading this Sunday, taken from the Epistle of St. Paul to his protege, St. Timothy, we heard of the Apostle speaking to him regarding the realities of being a follower of Christ, in doing God’s will and in proclaiming the truth of God. St. Paul faced a lot of hardships and oppositions in his paths and works, the rejections and persecutions from the Jewish authorities, the Sanhedrin or the Jewish High Council, as well as from the Roman authorities and the other locals, the pagans, slavers and others who were opposed to the truth and the message of the Christian faith. He had to endure a lot of obstacles and sufferings, imprisonment, exile and others, in the midst of his ministry and journey in fulfilling what he had been entrusted to do.

But he did all and endured all willingly and courageously for the Lord’s sake and for the people of God. He knew that the Lord was with him all through the sufferings and persecutions that he had to face through all those years that he spent in his missionary journeys and visits to the various communities throughout the Eastern Mediterranean region, in Asia Minor and Greece, and elsewhere where God had led him to, and he was never alone in all those struggles, carrying his cross together with the Lord, Who had suffered even worse struggles and sufferings. And the Lord had helped him through many of those occasions, rescuing him and his fellow missionaries and servants of the Gospel from harm and troubles, and allowing him to continue many more good works.

Of course St. Paul also knew that the moment was coming for him to meet the end of his earthly life, as how some of the Apostles themselves by then had experienced, beginning from St. James the Greater, the first of the Apostles to be martyred, and like St. Stephen, the first martyr of the Church, who was persecuted by the Jewish authorities and was stoned to death by the angry mob. St. Paul himself knew that he would eventually face the same reckoning and martyrdom, and he surrendered it all to God, entrusting himself completely to him, knowing that whatever he would face, the Lord would be with him and He would reward him with crown everlasting, crown of glory that will never fade, with true joy that can be found in the Lord alone, and this is something that we should keep in mind as we ourselves may face hardships and struggles in our own lives.

In our Gospel passage this Sunday, we then heard of the parable that the Lord Himself told His disciples comparing the behaviours of two people who were offering their prayers to God at the Temple. And the Lord compared the attitudes of a Pharisee to a tax collector in this regard, and in order to understand and appreciate better its significance, we must first understand that both of these people depicted here belonged to two extremes in the society of the people of God at that time, especially in Judea and Galilee where the Lord and His disciples often ministered in. The Pharisees first of all belonged to the group of social elites of the community, the religious and intellectual elites and leaders of the community, particularly respected, revered, honoured and even feared for their preservation of the Law of God and its enforcement among the people.

Meanwhile, the tax collectors were on the opposite end of the spectrum, where they were generally hated and despised by much of the population because of the stigma and the prejudices against them, due to the nature of their work, collecting the taxes, which were much hated and despised, on behalf of either the Romans, or the local monarchs like Herod’s family, or both. And it did not help that some of the tax collectors were indeed corrupt and extracted even more taxes or took more money than they were supposed to in order to enrich themselves. Hence, the community’s prejudices and dislike upon the tax collectors were quite universal and severe at the same time. And yet, as we heard in the parable that the Lord mentioned, it was the honest and humble prayers of the tax collector that was heard by God, and not the proudful boastings of the Pharisee.

Brothers and sisters in Christ, this is an important reminder for all of us as Christians that God loves each and every one of His beloved children equally and most lovingly, and we must be careful not to end up like the Pharisee in our attitude, simply because we think that we have done what the Lord asked of us, and therefore we deserve to treat others whom we deem to be inferior or less worthy than us in a prejudiced and nasty way. That is exactly how pride and hubris became the undoing and downfall for the proud Pharisee in the parable. We are reminded that no matter what we do in our lives, especially as Christians, we must always be humble and remember that everyone around us are beloved by God all the same just as He has loved us.

Instead of putting down one another or trying to upstage each other in how worthy we are before the Lord, we should instead help one another to remain strong in faith and hope in God, even through life’s greatest challenges and difficulties. We must always bring hope in our actions, and reminding each other, our fellow brothers and sisters around us, that God is always there for us, and one way this is done, is indeed through our own actions. God often works through each one of us, in our every works, actions and deeds, and even through the words that we said to each other, words of encouragement and hope that can inspire hope and light in the hearts of those who have been in the darkness. And this, brothers and sisters in Christ, is the true essence of our Christian faith, and the way how we should live as those whom God had called and chosen to be His own. Amen.