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Saturday, 23 August 2025 : 20th Week of Ordinary Time, Memorial of St. Rose of Lima, Virgin (Homily and Scripture Reflections)

Liturgical Colour : Green or White (Holy Virgins)

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, we are reminded from the readings of the Sacred Scriptures today that we should always be humble and righteous in life, in everything that we say and do, in our every actions and interactions with one another so that we may indeed be truly genuine in being faithful to God. We should not merely be paying lip service of our faith or be superficial in our Christian faith and commitment, but we should instead seek to be wholeheartedly devoted in all things to God’s will, and in committing ourselves to whatever it is that He has entrusted to us and called us all to do in our respective areas and capacities in life, in making good use of the opportunities that God has given to us.

In our first reading today, taken from the Book of Ruth we heard of the story of one woman named Ruth, who hailed from the land of Moab beyond the land of Israel, and hence was a Moabite. She was the wife of one of the sons of Elimelech and Naomi, two Israelites whose children married Moabite women. When Elimelech and the two sons of both him and Naomi passed away prematurely, both of their wives were widowed, and when Naomi released both of them from their obligations to her, Ruth kept on staying and refused to go, vowing that she would always follow her and take care of her mother-in-law, and that she would have Naomi’s God as her own God and Master. And that was how both Naomi and Ruth returned to the land of Judah.

And then we heard of the encounter between Ruth and Boaz, one of the relatives of Ruth’s late father-in-law, Elimelech. We heard how Boaz was eventually touched by Ruth’s great sincerity and devotion to her mother-in-law, her great personality and beauty, and they eventually fell in love and were married together, becoming the ancestor of the House of David, as their son Obed was the father of Jesse and the grandfather of David, whom God would call to be the great King over all of His people, the Israelites. And we can also clearly see how even among David’s ancestors, there were foreigners like Ruth, a Moabite, whom many of the Israelites often deemed to be wicked and unworthy, and yet, like Ruth has shown it herself, her faith in God and her virtues were greater than many of the Israelites themselves.

Then, from our Gospel passage today, taken from the Gospel according to St. Matthew the Apostle and Evangelist, we heard of the words of the Lord Jesus to His disciples and followers regarding the behaviours and attitudes of the Pharisees. In that account of the Lord’s words regarding the Pharisees, the Lord criticised the actions and ways that the Pharisees took in carrying out their daily activities and also their attitudes towards the faith. Those Pharisees often paraded their faith and pious practices, seeking to be praised and adored for their great dedication and piety to God. That was why they often prayed loudly and publicly in the places where many people could see them doing so, wearing their wide prayer bands and headdresses, proclaiming their fast days and other works, and seeking important places in celebrations and feasts.

Yet, despite all these public display of piety and faith, many among the Pharisees at that time often had condescending attitude against those whom they deemed to be inferior than them, and they often criticised and attacked those whom they disagreed with in the matter of how their faith should be lived and practiced. They sought worldly glory, ambition and influence rather than truly and genuinely being faithful to the Lord, and that was how they ended up resisting the Lord so frequently in everything that He had done, in refusing to believe in Him even when the evidences and reality have all pointed out that what the Lord had done, taught and shown them all were indeed the truth. This is why all of us as Christians should always be vigilant against the temptations of pride, ego and ambition, and seek instead to be humble and truly faithful to God in all things.

Today, the Church celebrates the Feast of St. Rose of Lima, the very first saint from the New World or the Americas to be canonised as saint. She was born in Lima as Isabel Flores de Oliva in what is today Peru during the late sixteenth century in what was then Spanish colony in the New World, to a noble family of mixed heritage, with her father being an officer in the Spanish Army then, while her mother was a criolla or a mixed-race native of the region. She was more popularly known as Rose because of one of her servants who said that her face was miraculously transformed into a rose upon looking at her. And the young St. Rose of Lima grew strong in the faith and dedication to God, carrying out great acts of penance and devotion to God, resisting all the suitors who came to seek her.

St. Rose of Lima was renowned for her commitment to chastity and dedication to God, and against her parents wishes for her to marry, she was committed to a vow of virginity to God, and she further deepened her devotions, to the Blessed Sacrament in her daily reception of the Lord, and more, as she continued to grow older. She really wanted to become a religious sister, to be a member of the Dominican Order that was attracted to her great piety and dedication to God. However, her parents’ objection prevented that, and St. Rose of Lima chose instead to become the member of the Third Order of St. Dominic, taking a perpetual vow of virginity, and living in a most holy, pious and chaste manner for the next eleven years until her passing, famously wearing a heavy silver replica of the crown of thorns to emulate the sufferings of Christ.

Brothers and sisters in Christ, as we have listened from the examples and inspiration of St. Rose of Lima and also from the Scripture readings which we have received today, we are reminded of the need for all of us to listen to the Lord calling on us to follow Him, to be humble in all things and to reject the temptations of worldly glory and desires, so that we may truly be committed and faithful to the Lord, and not to fall into the temptations to sin. As Christians, that is as God’s holy and beloved people, all of us should always strive to be good role models and examples in our faith and way of life. We should proclaim God’s truth, His Good News and salvation through our actions and deeds in life, and not just merely by our words and appearances, like what the Pharisees had done.

Let us all therefore help one another in remaining truly faithful and committed to God, putting Him as always at the very centre of our lives and existence. May God be with us always, and may He continue to strengthen us in faith and in our perseverance to follow Him ever more wholeheartedly, now and always. Amen.

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Friday, 22 August 2025 : 20th Week of Ordinary Time, Memorial of the Queenship of the Blessed Virgin Mary (Homily and Scripture Reflections)

Liturgical Colour : White

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, today the Church celebrates the Feast of the Queenship of the Blessed Virgin Mary, a week after the great Solemnity of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary, when we celebrated the moment when Mary, the Mother of God was assumed or taken up body and soul into Heaven. And this is why we honour Mary as the greatest one among all the saints, the one who is ever closest to her Son’s Throne in Heaven. Why is that so, brothers and sisters? That is because Mary as the Mother of God Himself, the Mother of the Son of God, the King and Ruler of Heaven, is nothing less or other than the Queen Mother of Heaven, and she is indeed Queen, having been given that honour and distinction by the virtue of her Son being the King of Kings, the Master of all Creation.

There were those and even until this very day, those who still question, criticise and attack how we believe in Mary and her role in the whole story of salvation of mankind, and what is the place that she has in our Christian conscience and world. Some criticised our faith and belief because they said that we are making Mary into like a goddess and on par with God, and that we worship Mary in the manner that we worship God. But this is where lack of awareness and understanding of the role of Mary and how Christians truly differentiate between worship and veneration is something that is really important to understand or else we may misunderstand everything about Mary. Unfortunately the reality is that even many among us all as Christians have not truly understood who Mary truly is, and why we give her such great honour.

Let us all first look upon the Scripture readings today to better understand Mary’s Queenship, and we begin with the Book of the prophet Isaiah, our first reading passage today, where we heard the prophecy of Isaiah regarding the coming of the long awaited Messiah that God had promised His people, the people of Israel and Judah, telling a people that had been waiting long in the darkness that their Light would come, and the salvation that God had told them to expect would eventually come among them, and this salvation would come through the One that God sent to be among His people, to fulfil what He had told them that He would be known as Emmanuel or Immanuel, God Who is with His people. Little did everyone then know that it would be God Himself that would come to dwell with them in the flesh.

Then, from our Gospel passage taken from the Gospel according to St. Luke the Evangelist, we heard of the moment when the Archangel Gabriel made an appearance before Mary herself at Nazareth, the moment that we celebrate as the Annunciation of the Lord, because it was at that moment the Lord revealed His long awaited Good News of salvation to all of His people, through Mary, the one whom He had prepared especially for this very important role in bearing the bearer of the Messiah, the Saviour of the whole world. And the Archangel Gabriel also revealed that Mary would become the mother of the Son of God Most High Himself, revealing the plan of God that He would become incarnate in the flesh, through the power and working of the Holy Spirit and by the will of the Father, that the Son would become flesh and incarnate, made tangible and real in this world through the cooperation of Mary, who would henceforth be known as the Mother of God.

And it is important that this Divine Motherhood of Mary is acknowledged and understood by us, as it is central to our faith and Christian identity, with our Christian beliefs stating that we believe in Jesus Christ, Our Lord and Saviour being truly Man and truly Divine, with Him being fully Man and fully Divine, having two distinct and unique natures, fully united in the one Person of Jesus, the Son of Mary. And if we believe that Jesus is truly God just as He is truly Man, then we cannot separate His Divinity from His Humanity, and Mary is not just the Mother of Jesus, the Son of Man, but also the Mother of the Son of God. And as the Mother of God, the Almighty King and Ruler of the Universe, the King of Heaven, Mary is indeed a Queen, as the Queen Mother of Heaven.

But it is important to take note that Mary did not become a Queen by her own power or right, as she is a Queen by the right of her Son, the King of Kings. In the past, as it is throughout history and even to the present day, the mother of the King has always been respected as the Queen Mother of the kingdom, even if she herself has never been a Queen Consort or Queen Regnant beforehand. And one of the examples of this would be the Queen Mother of Israel, Queen Bathsheba, the mother of King Solomon, whom the renowned King Solomon of Israel placed by her side, with her throne beside his own, and he sought her ideas and thoughts on many matters of state. She is greatly respected by both her son and by the kingdom as a whole.

That is why we truly honour Mary as Queen, because of her relationship to her Son, as well as the righteousness and virtues that she herself has shown as the exemplary servant of God. She is truly full of grace and blessed, and if we truly love and honour God, then we will also show the same love and honour to Mary, His mother as well. If we do not honour her and appreciate the role that she has in the history of our salvation, then how can we truly say that we have been faithful in God? And how can we say that we love God? Jesus and His mother Mary are so wonderfully united and connected in love that we cannot love one without loving the other, and we cannot disdain her, or else we will also disdain and dishonour the Lord Himself too.

Therefore, brothers and sisters in Christ, let us all honour Mary as our Queen, just as she is the Queen of Heaven, the Queen of All the Saints, the Queen of Angels, and all the other queenly titles that the Church has attributed to her. Let us all ask Mary our Queen for her constant intercessions for us, because we know and we believe that she is truly the closest to her Son’s Throne in Heaven, ever praying and interceding on our behalf, all of us who are her beloved children, entrusted by God Himself as our own Mother. Mary, Holy Queen, most wonderful and loving Mother of God, pray for us all sinners, now and always. Amen.

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Thursday, 21 August 2025 : 20th Week of Ordinary Time, Memorial of Pope St. Pius X, Pope (Homily and Scripture Reflections)

Liturgical Colour : White

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, today as we all listened to the words of the Sacred Scriptures, we are reminded that we must have faith in God, trust and believe in Him, and not be doubtful about His Providence, as well as His commitment to make things work for us. We have to listen to Him and to do our best to follow His will, to do whatever it is that He has commanded us to do. We should not let our many preoccupations, the many temptations and distractions present all around us to keep us away from God and from doing His will. God has always provided us His guidance, help and strength whenever we need it, and He would never abandon us in our time and hour of need. But often we allow ourselves to be distracted and pulled away by fear and doubt, and we seek instead other means to satisfy our needs and desires, that lead us away from God.

In our first reading today, taken from the Book of Judges, we continue to hear the story of what happened to the people of God, the Israelites during the time of the intervening years between the time of the Exodus from Egypt and the days of the Kings of Israel. And after several episodes of the rule of the Judges whom God appointed and called to be the one guiding and leading His people, the Israelites, this time, it was the call that He made to one known as Jephthah, in order to lead the Israelites into freedom from the power and the subjugation under their Ammonite neighbours. And we heard in our first reading passage today, Jephthah vowing before the Lord that if He would make him victorious, then He would offer anything or anyone that came out from his house to the Lord as a burnt offering.

The words of Jephthah would come back to haunt him later on after the Lord had led him to a great victory against the Ammonites, breaking their domination over the Israelites and chasing them back to their own lands. His own daughter came out of the house, and Jephthah regretted of making such a foolish vow before the Lord, and he had to fulfil it even if it meant offering his own daughter to the Lord. And the lesson from this passage for us all is that we should never doubt the Lord’s Providence, guidance and power, and we should always trust in Him, having hope and faith that He will always provide for everything that we need. He would never abandon us all to the darkness and to destruction, and instead of doubting Him, we should remember how He has always rescued us from our predicaments and brought us into the light.t

Then, from our Gospel passage today, we are reminded from the Gospel according to St. Matthew the Apostle and Evangelist of the parable which the Lord Jesus used to speak to the people gathered to listen to Him, the parable of the wedding banquet, detailing about a king who was holding a wedding banquet for his son, and how those guests that had been invited to the wedding banquet refused to come to his banquet. Those people who had been invited had many reasons and excuses, and many of them chose to attend to their own matters and worldly desires and pursuits instead of coming to the banquet. This wedding banquet is a representation of what God had prepared for all of us, His beloved people, and the king himself is a representation of God.

Those who are invited, are all of us, and those who have not responded to the banquet’s invitation are those who refused to follow the Lord. They refused to listen to the king’s invitation and reminders, and when the king sent his servants and messengers to them, they ignored those sent to them, and in some cases even persecuted and killed them, and this is a representation of how the wicked people to whom the Lord had sent His messengers, the prophets and servants to help and remind them, had treated those messengers badly. And this was followed by the king crushing, punishing and destroying those who have refused to come to his banquet and still stubbornly persecuted his messengers and servants, showing how those who rejected God’s ways would suffer and be punished for their sins.

Then as we heard from the parable, the king patiently sought others to attend his banquet instead, and this is just as how the Lord patiently reached out to all of us, calling on us to come to His Presence, and to enjoy the fullness of His blessings and love. And at the same time, we then heard of how those new guests that the king invited came to the banquet venue, and one of them was not wearing a wedding garment, essentially was not properly attired for the event. We heard how the king confronted the man and then ordered him to be thrown out because he was not attired properly for the banquet. We may think and misunderstand the Lord’s intentions with this, wondering why the king was so cruel in doing so, but this is in fact a reminder for all of us that if we truly want to follow the Lord, then we need to abandon our current sinfulness and embrace wholeheartedly our faith in the Lord, to be holy as the Lord is holy, that we may be worthy to come and be part of His eternal, heavenly banquet.

Today, the Church celebrates the feast of one the recently well-known Popes, that is Pope St. Pius X, also known as the Pope of the Holy Eucharist for his role in allowing younger children to access the Holy Eucharist by lowering the age requirement for the reception of the First Holy Communion to the age of reason. Pope St. Pius X, born as Giuseppe Melchiorre Sarto, was born in born into a poor Italian family as Giuseppe Melchiorre Sarto, the second of ten children. His parents, while poor, was very devout to the Lord and valued education and formation for their family, ensuring that the young Giuseppe was properly educated despite their poverty and situation. Eventually, Giuseppe Sarto continued to do well in his education and eventually received a scholarship to continue with his priestly formation in a seminary, eventually ordained as a priest.

During his priestly ministry, he was well-known for his great holiness and care for his flock, and was very dedicated in his ministry as the Archpriest of Salzano, where he helped to restore the church that had been run down at the time and building expansion to the local hospital, which he managed to support from his efforts, including even begging and other things that he had done for his flock. He also showed great compassion and concern for his flock in an epidemic of cholera that struck the area. Eventually this gained the attention of the diocese, and he was trusted as a canon of the Cathedral and then as the Chancellor for the Diocese of Treviso in northern Italy. He continued to do his best to care for the needs of the people entrusted to him, placing a lot of emphasis on the youth, on their education and upbringing, which he would continue as the Pope many years later.

Subsequently, the future Pope St. Pius X was appointed and ordained as the Bishop of Mantua, where he still carried on with his many earlier good works and efforts. He was made a Cardinal of the Holy Roman Church and then soon after the Patriarch of Venice, entrusted with the care of one of the largest and the most prominent dioceses in the Church at the time. He continued to labour hard for the sake of his beloved flock, being a very pastoral shepherd to his people, reaching out to them and being concerned about their needs, both physical and spiritual. After the passing of Pope Leo XIII, Cardinal Sarto was eventually elected as Pope, taking the name of Pius, in the Year of Our Lord 1903, during whose Pontificate, he was truly well known as mentioned, for his championing of the cause of earlier age for the reception of the First Holy Communion by the young children as long as they have reached the age of reason and received proper catechesis and preparation.

He was also renowned for his hard work against the dangers of modernism that was then harming the Church and the Christian community. He continued to work hard to the very end, dying heartbroken over the terrible wars that began in Europe, which would become the First World War. To that very end, Pope St. Pius X showed us that he was truly a great and loving shepherd to all of God’s flock and people, whom he has always been concerned about, thinking about them at each and every moments, worrying about their well-being and salvation at all times. The courageous and faithful life, work and dedication of Pope St. Pius X, holy man of God should indeed be great inspirations for all of us to follow in our own lives.

Brothers and sisters, through what we have discussed and discerned from the messages of the Sacred Scriptures, and also from the inspiring life and examples shown by Pope St. Pius X, the Pope of the Eucharist, let us all hence do our very best to trust in the Lord and to be ever more faithful to Him, doing our part in proclaiming the Good News and truth of God to everyone, in standing up courageously and staying true to our faith, believing wholeheartedly in Him and not doubting Him, always being firm in our faith in everything that we do. As long as we continue to do so, we will be steadfast and strengthened by God, and in the end, we shall indeed share in the glory of God, just as He has promised for us, to partake in the eternal banquet in Heaven. May God be with us all and bless each one of us, now and always. Amen.

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Wednesday, 20 August 2025 : 20th Week of Ordinary Time, Memorial of St. Bernard, Abbot and Doctor of the Church (Homily and Scripture Reflections)

Liturgical Colour : White

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, today as we all gather together and listen to the words of the Lord contained within the Sacred Scriptures, we are reminded that we should not allow ourselves to be swayed and dragged by our own worldly desires and ambitions, all the things which may often cause us to fall into temptations and lose sight of our focus and attention in the Lord, and instead, we may end up walking down the wrong path towards damnation and destruction, especially if we continue to follow the path of worldliness. And we have been given this reminder hopefully that we may turn away from all those temptations and desires before it is too late for us. But the question is, are we willing to commit ourselves to reject the path of worldliness and embrace instead God’s path, His wisdom and truth? This is something that we need to decide on, brothers and sisters.

In our first reading today taken from the Book of Judges detailing to us the activities of the Judges of Israel, in which we heard of the details of the strife that happened that time in Israel between the sons of Gideon, whose exploits we heard in our first reading yesterday. During the time of the Judges, the Lord sent those judges, called from among His own people the Israelites to lead them all out of their predicament and troubles, from those who have oppressed and subjugated them like the Midianites in the case of Gideon. The Israelites had sinned against God by their stubbornness and disobedience, and yet, God still showed His mercy and compassion on them, by giving them the Judges to lead them out of their troubles, to govern and guide them in the right path.

And Gideon managed to defeat and liberate the Israelites from the domination of the Midianites with the guidance and strength of God, and he reigned for a while as the Judge and leader of all the Israelites. According to the Scriptural evidence, he went on to have many children, numbering seventy all in all, and one among them, who was mentioned in the first reading today, Abimelech, had a great ambition to become a Judge succeeding his father and even as king, and was indeed made king of Shechem. And in his attempts to do that, after the passing of Gideon the Judge, he gathered all of his father’s other children and massacred all of them, except for one who escaped, the one known as Jotham. When Abimelech sought to be chosen and crowned as king over Shechem, Jotham appeared in that city and cried out before them, speaking God’s words against Abimelech.

Essentially, the words of Jotham inspired by God highlighted the disapproval that God has over how Abimelech rose to power and massacred his own brothers in his efforts to rise to power and dominion over the people of Shechem, one of the major centres of the Israelites at the time. Abimelech rose to power on violence, and his reign over Shechem was also dominated by violence and conflict, and eventually, as the fulfilment of whatever Jotham had courageously spoken before the people of Shechem, Abimelech would be killed by a woman who threw down a stone from the tower that Abimelech and his forces was besieging in his ambitious efforts to expand his power and dominion. This is a reminder for all of us not to allow ourselves to be swayed by worldly ambitions or else, we may fall into the path to our downfall and destruction. 

Then, from our Gospel passage today, taken from the Gospel according to St. Matthew the Apostle and Evangelist, we heard of the parable that the Lord Jesus spoke of to His disciples, sharing with them the story of a vineyard owner and master who sought workers for his vineyard, and how the owner kept on going to various places, to the roadsides and other places to find people to work in his vineyard, even right up to the eleventh hour, that is just an hour or so before the end of the work day at sunset. And the owner gathered all those who agreed to work in his vineyard, and by the end of the day, he gave all of them the reward which he had promised to them, and they were all paid equally as agreed, only for those who had started to work earlier in the day to grumble because they were not being paid more than those who started later.

Brothers and sisters in Christ, this is a representation of what God has called us to do, what He has presented to us and what He has promised us. The master of the vineyard represents the Lord Himself, our God and Master, while each of the people whom He had called represent each and every one of us those whom He had called from the world. Some indeed He called earlier on and responded earlier on, while others responded much later and some even hesitated and tarried, but eventually they also went to follow the Lord as well. This is also an important reminder for all of us that our salvation and ultimate reward from God is the same for all of us, and unlike how we usually think of it in this world, we cannot quantify or compare them among us, as we are all ultimately, equally beloved by God and precious to Him.

That is why we should not be jealous at those whom God had called later on in their lives, or think that in any way that we are better or superior than them simply because we think that we deserve more or better, or that we are more beloved or precious than those whom we are prejudiced and biased against. The Lord wants each and every one of us to realise that all of us are brothers and sisters, all of His children that He truly loves wholeheartedly, and that is why we should always show care, concern, love and compassion to one another. We should not allow ourselves to be swayed by the desires for glory and greatness to the exclusion of others, and we should not be discriminatory to anyone in our actions and interactions. That is what we are expected to do as Christians, as those whom God has called and chosen.

Today, the Church celebrates the Feast of St. Bernard, a holy and renowned Abbot and honoured as one of the Church’s Doctor of the Church. St. Bernard, also known as St. Bernard of Clairvaux, was born into a noble French family in Burgundy, and he was third of seven children. He was eventually convinced of becoming a priest after having gone through education with the priests of his local school, and this led to St. Bernard of Clairvaux joining several others in founding a community of monks that followed the Rule of St. Benedict, known as the Order of Cistercians, with St. Bernard himself as one of the founders of the Order. His epithet ‘of Clairvaux’ stemmed from the foundation of this monastery that he established for his community in Clairvaux, and over which he was the abbot of.

St. Bernard of Clairvaux spent many years in managing his Clairvaux Abbey and community, and at the same time also spent a lot of time outside the monastery as a preacher and a trusted diplomat of the Pope. He preached in many places and gained a large following, gaining more popularity for his growing Cistercian Order, and was also involved in the promotion of the efforts of the Crusades at the time. He was also a mystic and received visions from God, and he wrote extensively on many matters, and his great preachings, all of these eventually led him to be honoured after his passing, not just as a revered saint but also as one of the Doctors of the Church, a rare honour reserved to those who have contributed a lot to the Christian theology, teachings and have extensive writings and homilies attributed to them.

Brothers and sisters in Christ, inspired by the faith and examples of St. Bernard of Clairvaux, let us all therefore remember that our primary objective in this world is not to amass for ourselves worldly riches, glory and fame, and that all of these cannot truly satisfy us. Instead, we should always put our focus in the Lord, remembering that we have been given such a great grace and blessing by God, and the expectation of true and everlasting joy with Him. We should not therefore take what God has given us for granted, and we should strive to live our lives to the fullest with the genuine efforts and work to live lives that He has called us to do. We should do our best to glorify Him by our lives and to do things for the good of everyone around us.

May the Lord continue to help and strengthen us in our journey in life, and may He bless our every good efforts and works, all the things that we do for the good of others and for the greater glory of His Name, in every circumstances and opportunities which He had provided us. May all of us continue to be worthy bearers of His truth, Good News and salvation, to all those whom we encounter daily in life. Amen.

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Tuesday, 19 August 2025 : 20th Week of Ordinary Time, Memorial of St. John Eudes, Priest (Homily and Scripture Reflections)

Liturgical Colour : Green or White (Priests)

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, today as we all listened to the words of the Sacred Scriptures, we are reminded that with God there is nothing that is impossible, and all things are possible for God, even whatever that is beyond our area and possibility of understanding. We should always trust in Him and put our faith in His Providence and care, knowing that He will do everything that needs to be done for our sake, so that we will be protected and guarded, and we will not suffer without any consolation and hope. In the end, we will share in God’s triumph and glory, and we shall enjoy forever the fullness of His loving grace and inheritance intended for us. God has indeed intended for many good things for us, and we will not be disappointed if we put our faith wholeheartedly in Him.

In our first reading today, we heard from the Book of Judges in which God spoke and revealed His plans to Gideon, the one that He had chosen to lead His people, the Israelites in the struggle against the Midianites, who have risen to oppress and persecute the Israelites. At that time, the repeated disobedience and refusals of the people of Israel to obey the Lord and to follow His ways led to them continuously being subjected to difficulties and challenges, attacks and subjugation by their neighbours, because God withdrew His protection and power, so that the Israelites, who had become proud and filled with hubris, thinking that they did not need God, would come to realise just how powerless they truly were without God and His Providence.

Gideon did begin with lamentations and sharing to the Angel of the Lord that came before Him with God’s words, how the Israelites had truly suffered and endured a lot of troubles, and they cried out to the Lord wondering where this same God that had protected their ancestors and brought them out from the land of Egypt, and through their journey in the desert with great power and wonders. And that was when the Lord through His Angel showed His reassurance, and when Gideon asked the Lord for a sign, God heard him and showed the sign that he asked for, and Gideon believed in God’s words and Providence, and He told the former how he would be the instrument by which God would act against the Midianites for the sake of His beloved people, to lead them to freedom and to return once again to His grace and protection.

Then, in our Gospel passage today, we heard from the Gospel according to St. Matthew the Apostle and Evangelist in which the Lord told His disciples and followers that if they all wanted to enter into the Kingdom of Heaven then it is important that they all must seek to be humble and to strive to reach that desired existence with God by resisting the many temptations, pressures, coercions and distractions that are present in this world which can lead us astray and prevent us from finding the path towards God. The Lord also said that it is ‘easier for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle’ than for the rich man to enter into the Kingdom of Heaven. This is indeed puzzling and we may wonder what the Lord actually meant by these words, but we have to understand His intentions and thoughts carefully.

When a camel wants to go through a door or gateway, it is common for them to lower their heads to allow them to be able to enter through the gate, and to lower their bodies in doing so. This is a symbol of humility and simplicity against the excesses of the worldly riches and desires, all of which often lead us to hubris, ambition and stubbornness in refusing to follow God’s ways and commandments. That was what happened with many of those who were entangled and trapped by their own wealth and possessions, and most importantly by the unhealthy attachments and desires towards them. Those who suffer from this cannot attain the Kingdom of Heaven not because they are rich and wealthy, but rather because they put their wealth and ambitions above even God.

God is not in fact against us having possessions and wealth, or for us to be rich and wealthy. What He wants us to know in fact is that we should make good use of whatever blessings that we have received and whatever we have been fortunate to gain from God’s grace. But when we allow ourselves to be swayed by all the worldly temptations and be overcome by our greed and selfish desires, for example when we desire to gain more of what we already have aplenty, even to the point of causing sufferings and hardships to others around us, and in ignoring the plight of the needy, then it is in all these things that we shall be found wanting and lacking in worthiness by God, because we have not used our blessings for the good purposes set before us by God.

Brothers and sisters in Christ, as we listened to the words of the Sacred Scriptures, we are reminded that each and every one of us as God’s beloved and holy people should always trust in Him and have faith in His Providence. We should continue to make good use of what He has entrusted to us and blessed us with so that we may use them for the benefit and the good of others around us, for everyone whom we encounter in this life. This is not what we should be doing, to put our faith and trust in God for the direction in our lives, trusting that He will bless us in the manner that we need them, and He will provide for all of us, and our part is to make good use of what He has entrusted to us, even in the smallest things. Let us all not be overcome and be swayed by worldly corruptions and ways which can lead us away further from God.

Today, the Church also celebrates the Feast of St. John Eudes, who hailed from France and was a priest that was the founder of the Order of Our Lady of Charity and also the Congregation of Jesus and Mary, known as the Eudists after their founder. St. John Eudes was born in rural France in the early seventeenth century and made an early vow of chastity in his teenage years before eventually joining the priesthood after being guided and educated under the Jesuits and the Oratorians with the latter showing him strong emphasis on the relationship with Christ and the Holy Spirit. He then went on to minister in various parishes and did a lot of missions, and he was noted for his great and prodigious skills in evangelisation and in reaching the hearts and minds of the people that he ministered to.

He also played a role in the development and training of priests, helping to establish several seminaries after having been concerned with the upbringing and education of future priests in France. Then, in his concern and care for the poor and marginalised, especially with prostitutes and others who were often encountering a lot of hardships in life, as mentioned, St. John Eudes established the Order of Our Lady of Charity of the Refuge to care for the needs of those prostitutes who sought to turn away from their lives of sin. He then eventually left the Oratorians and founded the Eudists, the Congregation of Jesus and Mary with the focus and emphasis on education of priests and parish missions, works which he continued to carry out faithfully until the end of his life.

Let us all therefore be inspired by the examples and faith of St. John Eudes, in his determination to serve the Lord and His people, in all the things he had done in reaching out to the marginalised and those who have been less fortunate, those who have been lost to the Lord and facing difficulties in life. Let us all as Christians be always charitable and be kind in all things, doing whatever we can so that we may always be good examples and role models for everyone around us, and that we may show God’s love and kindness, His truth and salvation to everyone whom we encounter in life. May God be with us all and bless our every good endeavours and efforts, now and always. Amen.

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Monday, 18 August 2025 : 20th Week of Ordinary Time (Homily and Scripture Reflections)

Liturgical Colour : Green

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, we are all reminded through our Scripture readings today that we should truly be faithful to the Lord wholeheartedly and sincerely, and we should not allow ourselves to be swayed by the temptations present all around us, all the desires and all the pursuits of worldliness that are always tempting and pulling us away from the path towards God. We must always be mindful that to love the Lord our God means that we should always put Him at the centre and forefront of everything that we say and do in life. As long as we continue to trust in the Lord and allow Him to guide us in our path and journey, then we will be strengthened and empowered by Him to walk faithfully in His Presence. But if we allow the many temptations and desires around us to lead us astray, then we will likely end up being distracted and pulled away from God’s path.

In our first reading today, taken from the Book of Judges, detailing of the activities of the Judges of Israel, the ones that God appointed as the leaders of the people of Israel during the time between their arrival in the land of Canaan and the days of the Kings of Israel and Judah. And as we heard in that passage, the Israelites had grown lax in their faith in the Lord, and they failed to remain faithful to God despite them and their ancestors having promised and committed themselves to be faithful to God and having made a Covenant with Him. They abandoned Him and instead worshipped the pagan idols and gods of their neighbours, Baal, Astarte and many other gods. And because of this betrayal and lack of faith, God withdrew His protection and providence towards them, which He had shown to them as they conquered and took the lands where they stayed in earlier on, allowing them to be subjugated by their enemies and neighbours.

But this did not mean that God did not love His people, as on the contrary, He still always cared for them and provided for them in their time and hour of need by sending upon them His chosen servants, the Judges to help and lead them in the manner of how Moses and Joshua had led their ancestors in the years of their Exodus and journey to the Promised Land. The Judges were sent to guide the Israelites back towards the Lord and to liberate them from their oppressors, from those people in their neighbouring regions that attacked them like the Ammonites, the Moabites, Amalekites, Philistines among other Canaanites. They also reminded the people of God of the responsibilities which they had in obeying the Law and commandments of God.

All these showed just how much God had loved His people and cared for them, that even after repeated rebellions, disobedience and all the stubborn attitudes that they had shown, He still loved them all nonetheless and still wanting to help and guard them, even as those people were being punished and disciplined for their lack of faith in Him. He still sent them His help and protection, and rescued them from their troubles when they called on Him, having mercy on them when they repented from their sins and mistakes. And thus, through this, we ourselves are reminded that as Christians, as God’s holy and beloved people, we are also called and expected to be faithful to God and to trust Him at all times. And we should not easily be dragged down by the various temptations and pressures all around us, which seek to force us to turn away from God.

Then, from our Gospel passage today, from the Gospel according to St. Matthew the Apostle and Evangelist, we heard of the conversation between the Lord Jesus and a wealthy young man who asked of Him how he could attain eternal life. And the Lord responded asking him whether he had obeyed the Law and commandments of God as he should have done, and that wealthy young man responded affirmatively, saying that he had done everything which the Law had commanded him to do, in his obligations to serve the Lord and in the obligations to love his fellow neighbours. And then, when the Lord asked of the wealthy young man to sell everything that he had and give them to the poor, then the man went away with sorrow as he had a great amount of wealth with him.

Brothers and sisters in Christ, as we reflect upon what the Lord told the wealthy young man, we are reminded that Christ did not actually oppose us having wealth or worldly possessions with us, and He does not intend through His interactions with the wealthy young man to tell us to sell all of our possessions and wealth. If that is what we desired and wanted then sure, we can do so, but what the Lord intended to let His disciples know is that to follow Him wholeheartedly and to be truly faithful, then we should not allow ourselves to be swayed by the various attachments that we may have to all sorts of worldly desires, ambitions, pleasures and all other things such as possessions which may prevent us from committing ourselves to the Lord.

In addition, we must also understand the context in which the Lord’s advice was made, as He was making an example of how one ought to detach oneself from worldly things and matters so that one may truly be worthy of God and eternal life. It is the willingness to detach from all these distractions and worldly desires and ambitions that is truly important and which we all should take note of, and be open to the suggestion and idea. And the wealthy young man might have also inquired to be a disciple and follower of the Lord like that of the Twelve Apostles and the other committed disciples, who spent their full time serving the Lord and the missions entrusted to them. Such a mission certainly would require one like the wealthy young man to divest and detach himself from all worldly distractions.

Brothers and sisters in Christ, therefore, after having discussed these words of the Sacred Scriptures and discerned on their meaning and intention, we are reminded that if we truly want to be faithful and dedicated, committed and worthy Christians, then we have to make the commitment and the willingness to follow the Lord with zeal and genuine love for Him. If we do not do what we should in following the Lord, His teachings and ways, then how can we truly call ourselves as Christians? We should be good role models and examples for one another in faith, in everything that we say and do, at all circumstances and opportunities. May the Lord be with us always, and may He strengthen us always in our every efforts and resolve to glorify Him by our lives. Amen.

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Sunday, 17 August 2025 : Twentieth Sunday of Ordinary Time (Homily and Scripture Reflections)

Liturgical Colour : Green

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, this Sunday all of us are called to remember that to follow the Lord our God is often something that may bring upon us hardships and challenges in our path, and we may have to endure trials and difficulties, obstacles and hardships especially in remaining true to our calling as Christians and in remaining faithful to the Lord and to His teachings and ways. We must not easily give up the struggles and the journey that we are undertaking towards God because in the end, we shall be triumphant with Him, sharing the joy and the glory that He has promised and reassured all of us, and we shall not be disappointed if we continue to hold onto that faith in God because only the Lord alone will not fail us, even when all sorts of worldly means and matters that we usually depend on failed us.

In our first reading this Sunday, we heard from the Book of the prophet Jeremiah detailing to us what was happening at that time to the prophet Jeremiah during the reign of King Zedekiah of Judah, the last King of Judah when the opponents and many officials of Judah were plotting and attempting to destroy Jeremiah as he kept on speaking to the people and to the king regarding the omens and the terrible events that would come upon Judah and Jerusalem because of the disobedience, wickedness and sins of the people of Judah, all of their constant rebelliousness and lack of faith in the Lord, in persecuting the many prophets which had been sent to them to help them to return to the Lord’s path, and that included what was done to Jeremiah himself.

But we then see God’s Providence in protecting Jeremiah through our first reading passage, as even though the king had to follow the pressures and coercions of his councillors and officials who were against the prophet Jeremiah, but the latter still had friends that had the ears of the king. That was how Jeremiah managed to escape his fated suffering and death in a cistern which his enemies and oppressors had been plotting to happen to him. His friends among the king’s advisers reminded the king that such wicked treatments were unjust, and hence, the king allowed them to rescue Jeremiah in secret and took him out from that cistern, to hide from his persecutors and enemies, which continued until the time when Judah and Jerusalem were conquered and destroyed by the Babylonians.

Then, from our second reading this Sunday, taken from the Epistle to the Hebrews, the author encouraged those to whom he wrote the Epistle for, reminding them of how they have all shared in the sufferings of Christ, the One Whom the Lord had sent into this world to save us all. And just as Christ Himself, Our Lord and Saviour, had faced great sufferings and challenges, and persevered on nonetheless to show us the true face of God’s love and compassion, God’s undying and ever enduring love and patience with us, therefore, we too should remain resilient and strong amidst all the challenges and trials that we may have to face in our journey as Christian believers and faithful, and we should not expect that our journey ahead should be easy, but with God by our side, we can truly do all things and endure even the hardest challenges.

This is why we should always continue to remind ourselves that with God by our side, strengthening and guiding us, we will not falter and stumble as long as we continue to have faith and trust in Him. God would not abandon us to destruction purposefully, and He would not give us challenges and obstacles that are beyond what we can take and endure, and we certainly will not go through all of them alone. The Lord would always be by our side, helping us to endure and bear our crosses in life. And if we remember everything that the Lord had gone through for our sake, out of His ever always generous love, then truly we shall in fact be grateful to have shared in the sufferings of Christ, for if we have suffered for His sake, then surely it is because we have been truly faithful to Him, as how the prophet Jeremiah had been committed in his missions, and suffered greatly for it.

Finally, from our Gospel this Sunday taken from the Gospel according to St. Luke the Evangelist, we heard of the Lord Jesus telling the disciples that His coming into this world, His teachings, revelations and ways would not bring about peace and harmony, and in fact, more likely than not it would lead to strive and divisions, not because He Himself wanted it, but because the world and all the forces in this world, the forces of Satan, the evil one and all of his fellow wicked forces, all assembled against us, and they are always arrayed against those who walk in God’s path. That is why the Lord told His disciples that they should not expect a good and smooth path in ministry and life in following Him, and unlike what many believed about the Messiah, that following Him would not bring them earthly glory and joy.

Back then, many among the people of God, the descendants of the Israelites, the Jewish people, believed that the Messiah would be born into the House of David, to be the One to bring about liberation and freedom for the Israelites from all of their oppressors and from all their troubles. Therefore, many among them expected that the Messiah would come as a conquering King and Ruler, to overthrow the yoke of the Romans and the Herodians, to bring back and reestablish the Kingdom of Israel, as how it was in the glorious days of King David and King Solomon, and to bring peace and prosperity to everyone. This was not how it was to be, and in fact, the Lord Himself would have to suffer grievously for the sake of our salvation and in accomplishing all that He has planned for all those. Yet, He kept on going nonetheless and kept on loving us regardless all the way to the Cross.

Brothers and sisters in Christ, let us all therefore remind ourselves that sufferings and hardships should not lead us to abandon our faith in the Lord, and in fact, they should strengthen our resolve ever further in following God’s path, and doing whatever we can so that by our exemplary lives and actions, we may inspire many others to follow the Lord and His path, to persevere in faith and to remain truly committed to Him despite the struggles and challenges, obstacles and trials, disappointments and difficulties that we may encounter in the path that we walk. We must help especially those who are troubled and who are facing all these hardships alone and enduring lots of trials, so that by our companionship and help, we may continue to strengthen one another in faith, and journey together in faith towards God.

May the Lord, our most loving God and Father continue to help us in our journey through life, ever strengthening each one of us so that we can continue to journey courageously and with great devotion towards the Lord, with ever stronger desire each day to glorify Him by our lives and actions. Let us all continue to trust and have faith in God, knowing that with God by our side, there is truly nothing that is impossible. For God, everything is indeed possible, and if we remain true in our faith, then we shall indeed share in the fullness of joy and satisfaction that we can find in God alone. May God be with us all, and may He bless our every good efforts and endeavours, now and always. Amen.

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Saturday, 16 August 2025 : 19th Week of Ordinary Time, Memorial of St. Stephen of Hungary (Homily and Scripture Reflections)

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

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, today as we listened to the words of the Sacred Scriptures, we are all reminded of the need for all of us to remain truly faithful to the Lord at all times, through good and bad times, through moments of difficulties and trials, and when we are facing various temptations and challenges that may make us to question our faith in God or to forget and abandon Him. When times and moments are good, we may also be so preoccupied by our joy and pursuits in life that we may ignore the Lord and forget about Him as well. This is why it is important for us to remain truly grounded in our faith in the Lord and not to be easily swayed by the various temptations, pressures and coercions all around us.

In our first reading today, we heard from the Book of Joshua of the moment when many years after the Israelites had arrived in the promised land of Canaan and having settled there with God’s guidance, protection and providence, managing to overcome their enemies and all those who have opposed them, then Joshua and the Israelites gathered together in Shechem which was roughly at the centre of the land of Israel, to renew their commitment towards God. Why is that so? That is because by that time, Joshua was already old and he knew that he did not have much longer as the leader of the people of Israel. The older generations who had witnessed God’s miracles, providence and works had passed away and many of the younger generations might not have known and experienced God’s works, providence and signs.

Therefore Joshua gathered the Israelites and told them that they should all choose and decide whether they want to follow the Lord and commit to Him or not, highlighting all the great wonders and deeds which the Lord Himself had done for the sake of His beloved ones, and they need to remember all that God had done for their sake because it would be easy for them to forget about God and abandon Him when things are good and happy for them in the lands that they were settling in. And like their predecessors before them, they might be tempted to worship other gods and idols instead of following the Lord, as they were still surrounded by their Canaanite neighbours with their idols and all their pagan way of living, which might lead them away from the path of the Lord.

As we heard, the Israelites were united in their commitment towards the Lord, and they professed their faith in Him together there at Shechem before Joshua and in the presence of all the assembly of God’s people. And it was there that Joshua renewed the Covenant between God and His people, solemnly establishing the pact between God and those whom He had called and chosen to be His own, that God would always be their God, providing for them and protecting them all, while the people of God ought to obey the Law and commandments which God has shown, taught and revealed to them all, and to pass these down to their own descendants as well. The reality is such that, even after this moment, God’s people would still falter in their commitments, and they would repeatedly disobeyed and abandoned Him, but each time, God continued to love them and send to them leaders, judges and prophets to help guide them to the right path.

Then in our Gospel passage today taken from the Gospel according to St. Matthew the Apostle and Evangelist, we heard of the words of the Lord Jesus telling His disciples that they should not keep children from coming towards Him. This was because the disciples were likely annoyed at people bringing the little children towards the Lord, for Him to bless them and to be with them. But the Lord told the disciples not to stop those children from coming to Him, because in fact, the kingdom of Heaven truly belong to those who behave like those children, those who are truly humble and faithful in God. On the contrary, for many adults including the disciples themselves, many among them did not truly have genuine faith in the Lord, as many among them attached many conditions to their faith in God.

This is indeed a reminder for all of us as Christians that we must always have genuine and strong faith in God, and not one that is dependent on our desires, ambitions and worldly pursuits. Many among the disciples and followers of the Lord at that time often bickered and quarrelled among themselves because they were seeking vanity, ambition and worldly glory in following the Lord, thinking that they would gain much from following Him and becoming close to Him, such that when Christ restored the Kingdom of Israel as they expected, they would be richly rewarded. But this is not what true faith is all about, and true faith in the Lord is something more than merely just our desires for worldly things and matters. True faith is about truly loving God at all times, and continuing to trust in Him even in most difficult and challenging moments in life.

Today, the Church celebrates the Feast of St. Stephen of Hungary, the very first King of Hungary who was crowned as King and ruler of the Hungarian nation, consecrated as the Divinely appointed ruler of the people entrusted to him and with the blessing and approval of the Pope. At that time Hungary was still in the midst of transformation from the previously pagan Magyar tribal nation after their migration from the Eurasian Steppe to the Pannonian plain where Hungary lies today. St. Stephen was the member of the ruling House of Arpad and while he was not the first Christian in his family, but he was indeed the first one to be devout and truly dedicated to the Christian faith, the first of the Christian Kings and rulers of Hungary.

St. Stephen took his duties and responsibilities as King very seriously, dedicating his time and effort to care for the well-being of his people, to improve their livelihood and to care for their spiritual needs, by establishing the Church and its institutions in all parts of his kingdom. He established many archdioceses and dioceses throughout Hungary, building churches, hospitals, monasteries and other institutions that help improve the livelihood of the Hungarians, both in physical and spiritual dimensions. He also led a pious life, dedicating himself to be a good Christian in all things, reigning justly and maintaining a relatively peaceful time in his reign over Hungary. He was well-remembered for his great faith and commitment to God and to the people entrusted to him, and he is indeed a good source of inspiration for all of us as well.

Brothers and sisters in Christ, let us all therefore do our very best so that we may indeed be truly faithful in the Lord, with the purest intentions and desire to follow and serve the Lord wholeheartedly at all times. Just as we have been inspired by St. Stephen of Hungary, let us all be good inspiration and examples for one another so that we may continue to encourage everyone around us, so that more may come to know the Lord through us, through our actions and interactions with those whom we encounter daily in life. May the Lord give us His guidance and strength, and help us in our journey of faith and life, now and always. Amen.

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Friday, 15 August 2025 : Solemnity of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary (Homily and Scripture Reflections)

Liturgical Colour : White

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, today on the fifteenth day of August, all of us as the Church of God gather together to celebrate the occasion of the Solemnity of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary, commemorating the moment when Mary, the Mother of God, of Our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, was taken up body and soul into Heaven at the end of her earthly life at the time that God had appointed it. This celebration of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary is also celebrated similarly as the Dormition of the Virgin Mother of God in the Eastern churches and traditions, both of which highlighted not just the importance of Mary in our Christian faith but also the role that she has played in the history of our salvation.

In the Dogma of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary, one of the Four Marian Dogmas and the latest of the four to the officially declared as a Dogma, by the Venerable Pope Pius XII in the Year of Our Lord 1950, the Church teaches that Mary, the Mother of God as mentioned was taken up body and soul into Heaven, although the exact manner of which how this was done was left into interpretations, of which there are two major interpretations. And although it was recently declared as a Dogma, it did not mean that the Church and the faithful had not believed in the Assumption of Mary earlier on. Instead, since the earliest days of the Church, as attested by the Apostolic accounts and traditions themselves, and passed onto the faithful people of God, the early Christians, they have all upheld that Mary did not remain in this earthly realm in her body, and there was indeed no tomb of Mary that existed, just like that of her Son, Our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, Who had risen from the dead and ascended into Heaven.

Now, in order to understand better the Assumption of Mary, let us first delve into our Scripture readings today. In our first reading today we heard from the Book of Revelations of St. John the Apostle and Evangelist, we heard of the great vision which the Apostle saw of the premonitions of the end times, of a great red dragon, the Dragon of the Apocalypse, representing Satan, the great enemy of all the faithful, and the ultimate obstacle in the path of the Church and all the faithful and holy people of God, in the spiritual struggles and battles that have always raged all around us, in our struggles against sin and darkness holding us back and bonded to the chains that kept us enslaved, refusing to let us all go free and to be truly beloved and filled with God’s grace.

In that vision, we also saw a Woman who was struggling and in labour, bearing a Child that was to judge all the nations, and how this Child was rescued from the clutches of the great red dragon to the presence of God Most High. This vision is of great symbolism, both a reference to the Blessed Virgin Mary, Mother of God herself, who had borne within her, the Son of God, the Saviour of the world, the King of Kings, and at the same time also referring to the Church, the Holy Mother Church, through which the Saviour was indeed brought into this world, manifesting the salvation of God through Christ Who has established His Church in this world, opening the sure and certain path to Heaven and eternal life, and breaking free forever the dominion and power of Satan and all of his fellow wicked forces all around us.

Then, from our second reading today, taken from the Epistle of St. Paul the Apostle to the Church and the faithful people of God in Corinth, we heard again the comparison of Our Lord Jesus, Our Saviour with Adam, the first man that God had created. And indeed, Christ is the New Adam, the One Who would correct everything which the first and old Adam had brought upon us, into ruin and destruction by his disobedience and sins. And Christ as the Son of Man united His humanity with ours, leading us all mankind into the path of redemption and reconciliation with God. Through Christ and His triumphant victory over sin and death, by His Passion, His sufferings and death on the Cross, and ultimately by His glorious Resurrection, He has assured and shown us all that sin and death will not have the final say over us, and His love and guidance will help lead us into this path towards the ultimate victory.

Lastly, from our Gospel passage today taken from the Gospel according to St. Luke the Evangelist, we heard of the moment when Mary visited Elizabeth, her cousin, whose miraculous pregnancy had been told to her by the Archangel Gabriel at the same time as the Good News of the coming of the Saviour was told to her. And we heard how Mary was filled with the Holy Spirit after Elizabeth and her unborn son recognised her and the Son of God that she bore within her, and for this amazing miracle and wonders that God had done, and for having finally revealed the long-awaited salvation, all of which were done through this simple and humble woman of Nazareth, God had indeed shown us all His wonderful and ever-enduring love, faithfulness and commitment to His Covenant, which He had made with us, and these were what Mary sang in her great song of praise, the Magnificat, in praising and glorifying God for His greatness, wonders and love for us mankind.

Today’s celebration of the Assumption of Mary has great link to what we believe about her in the other Dogmas, such as the Immaculate Conception and her Perpetual Virginity. Mary had been prepared specially for this role to be the one to bear within her the Son of God Himself incarnate in the flesh. Therefore, linking to another Scripture reading used in the Vigil Mass of this Solemnity of the Assumption of Mary, Mary as the New Ark of the New Covenant is even far greater than the original Ark of the Covenant, which had been made from the most noble and precious materials by the hands of men, but incomparable to the New Ark, Mary, that was made and crafted by God Himself, to bear something far greater than what was in the original Ark, the New Covenant that is far greater than the original Covenant, covering not just the people of Israel, but also all the sons and daughters of mankind, to all the whole world.

As what St. John had seen in the vision, Mary is truly the Woman that God had prophesied from the beginning that would be the end of Satan as mentioned in the Book of Genesis, as the New Eve, the one who together with the New Adam, Christ our Lord Himself, would undo all the harm and corruptions that sin had brought upon us through the disobedience and selfish desires of the first Adam and the first Eve. By their obedience and commitment to their missions, both Christ our Lord as the New Adam and Mary, His Mother as the New Eve, they showed us all what it truly means for us all to be faithful to the Lord and to walk the path that He has shown and led us all through. And the Assumption of Mary which we celebrate today reminded us all of this triumph and victory that Our Lord and His mother have won for us against sin.

That was why Mary was kept from the taint of original sin, being conceived without it, in the Immaculate Conception so that no taint of sin would have made her unworthy of bearing the Lord and Saviour of all, God Himself in the flesh. And she remained full of grace throughout her whole life, and hence, to the very end of her earthly existence, Mary remained free from the taint and corruption of sin, and hence according to Apostolic tradition, teachings and beliefs, Mary did not have to suffer from the effects of sin unlike the rest of us mankind, who still have to endure death as the consequence of our sins. That, together with the historic evidence and the testimony of the experiences that the Apostles and the early Christians themselves experienced, Mary was indeed taken up to Heaven in body and soul.

Now, as mentioned, one of the schools of thought highlighted this lack of consequence for sin and death, and therefore Mary did not go through death at all, and was taken up directly into Heaven to the side of her Son. Another school of thought, which is also celebrated as mentioned in the Eastern churches and traditions as the Dormition of the Theotokos, is that Mary did still die, but not because she had to suffer the consequences of sin, which is death, and she did not die as a punishment for her own sins, because she was free from it. Rather, she died, and went through the process peacefully akin to falling asleep, and hence ‘Dormition’, and all these happened because she wanted to share in the same death that her own Son suffered on the Cross, out of love for Him, so that she would be like just her Son in all things.

Brothers and sisters in Christ, Mary showed us all the preview of what we ourselves will experience in the end of times, when we too shall share with her the fullness of the resurrection, as we are lifted up in body and soul, reunited fully with each other, truly living a new and eternal life with the Lord, to enjoy forever the inheritance that God has planned and meant for each and every one of us. That is why, we too should seek to follow the Lord wholeheartedly and worthily in the same way as our Blessed Mother herself had done, so that in all of our words, actions and deeds, in our every dealings and interactions with one another we will continue to be good examples and inspirations for one another as good disciples and followers of the Lord.

May God be with us always and may through the intercession of our loving Mother, Mary ever Virgin, assumed body and soul into Heaven, and now seated at the right hand of her Son’s Throne, we will continue to be guided and strengthened in our respective journeys in life. May God bless our every good works and endeavours, and may His blessed Mother continue to intercede and pray for us, now and always. Holy Mary, Mother of God, gloriously assumed into Heaven, pray for us sinners now and at the hour of our death. Amen.

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Friday, 15 August 2025 : Vigil Mass of the Solemnity of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary (Homily and Scripture Reflections)

Liturgical Colour : White

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, this evening before the fifteenth day of August, all of us as the Church of God gather together to celebrate the Vigil of the Solemnity of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary, commemorating the moment when Mary, the Mother of God, of Our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, was taken up body and soul into Heaven at the end of her earthly life at the time that God had appointed it. This celebration of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary is also celebrated similarly as the Dormition of the Virgin Mother of God in the Eastern churches and traditions, both of which highlighted not just the importance of Mary in our Christian faith but also the role that she has played in the history of our salvation.

In the Dogma of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary, one of the Four Marian Dogmas and the latest of the four to the officially declared as a Dogma, by the Venerable Pope Pius XII in the Year of Our Lord 1950, the Church teaches that Mary, the Mother of God as mentioned was taken up body and soul into Heaven, although the exact manner of which how this was done was left into interpretations, of which there are two major interpretations. And although it was recently declared as a Dogma, it did not mean that the Church and the faithful had not believed in the Assumption of Mary earlier on. Instead, since the earliest days of the Church, as attested by the Apostolic accounts and traditions themselves, and passed onto the faithful people of God, the early Christians, they have all upheld that Mary did not remain in this earthly realm in her body, and there was indeed no tomb of Mary that existed, just like that of her Son, Our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, Who had risen from the dead and ascended into Heaven.

Now, in order to understand better the Assumption of Mary, let us first delve into our Scripture readings today. In our first reading on this Vigil Mass, we heard from the Book of Chronicles of Israel and Judah in which the story of the moment when David, then King of Israel, was bringing the Ark of the Covenant of God into the city of Jerusalem. The Ark of the Covenant was usually housed in the Holy Tent of Meeting, within the Holy of Holies of that Tent ever since days of the Exodus of the Israelites from Egypt. But King David had wanted to build a permanent House and Temple over the Ark of God, and hence he consulted the prophet of God, which was then the prophet Nathan, on the proposition that he had in wanting to build a great and worthy Temple for God.

We may wonder on why we heard about the Ark of the Covenant on this occasion of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary, and that must be related to the purpose and intention of the Ark of the Covenant in the salvation of the people of God. The Ark of the Covenant contained the two stone tablets of the Law of God, containing the Ten Commandments that God Himself had written on those two tablets, and then in addition, there was also manna, the heavenly bread that God provided to the Israelites which was preserved in the Ark, together with the Staff of Aaron, the staff that Moses used in leading the Israelites through their journey in the desert, and the same staff by which Moses and Aaron had shown God’s power and might before the Egyptians and their Pharaoh, and all the other miracles and wonders before God’s people.

And this is related to Mary because there are many parallels between the original Ark of the Covenant and Mary being the one to bear within her the Saviour of the world, Jesus Christ our Lord, Who is the Mediator of the New Covenant between God and mankind. Just as the old and original Ark of the Covenant bears within it the evidence and aspects of the original Covenant between God and His people, the Israelites, therefore Mary is the New Ark, of the New Covenant, the New and Eternal Covenant which the Lord our God has lovingly established with each and every one of us, His beloved and chosen people. Why is that so, brothers and sisters in Christ? Because Christ Himself is the fulfilment and perfection of the Law of God, also the Bread of Life, the One Who has given Himself for us all to partake, and He is the One bearing the power and authority of God as the Good Shepherd of all the faithful, with parallel to each of the items stored in the original Ark of the Covenant.

Then, from the second reading today, taken from the Epistle of St. Paul the Apostle to the Church and the faithful in Corinth, we heard of the Apostle speaking about the matter of sin and death, and how the sting of sin is death. Indeed, this is because sin that we have committed against God out of disobedience against Him has led us to be separated from Him, the Master and Lord of life. But the Lord did not let us to perish alone and to be destroyed. He loves each and every one of us, and through His great love and kindness, He has given us all His Son to save us all from our certain damnation and destruction. By the perfect offering of love that He has given to us all, through His most selfless love on the Cross, Christ our Lord has opened for us the gate of Heaven, and becoming the bridge leading us all back to our Heavenly Father.

And He made for us the New and Eternal Covenant, one that is enduring and everlasting, and will not be overcome by any forms of challenges and trials, and not even sin and darkness around us can separate us from the eternal and ever-patient love of God, which He has always constantly poured out upon us. If we put our faith and trust in our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ, then surely we shall share in His victory and triumph, which He has won for all of us by His sacrifice on the Cross. By rising from the dead, Christ our Lord and Saviour has been victorious and triumphant against death itself, and hence against the power and dominion of sin, showing that sin and ultimately death do not have the final say over all of us. While we may have to endure the sufferings of death, but in the end, we will be freed from it, in a new and eternal life that we shall share with God.

Lastly, from our Gospel passage today, we heard of the short passage from the Gospel according to St. Luke the Evangelist where the people praised the Lord and the one who had given birth to Him because of everything which He had done in their midst, highlighting His own Blessed Mother Mary. But the Lord told the people that truly blessed are those indeed who listen to the words of the Lord and obeyed them faithfully. In doing so, it does not mean that the Lord was being rude to His own Mother as some of us might be thinking about. In fact, since His own Mother had been a truly great example in listening to the Lord and obeying His commandments, Jesus was using her as an example for everyone, for all of us to follow and to be inspired by, in imitating and following whatever she had done in her own life and actions.

Today’s celebration of the Assumption of Mary has great link to what we believe about her in the other Dogmas, such as the Immaculate Conception and her Perpetual Virginity. Mary had been prepared specially for this role to be the one to bear within her the Son of God Himself incarnate in the flesh. Therefore, even far greater than the original Ark of the Covenant, which had been made from the most noble and precious materials by the hands of men, but incomparable to the New Ark, Mary, that was made and crafted by God Himself, to bear something far greater than what was in the original Ark, the New Covenant that is far greater than the original Covenant, covering not just the people of Israel, but also all the sons and daughters of mankind, to all the whole world.

That was why Mary was kept from the taint of original sin, being conceived without it, in the Immaculate Conception so that no taint of sin would have made her unworthy of bearing the Lord and Saviour of all, God Himself in the flesh. And she remained full of grace throughout her whole life, and hence, to the very end of her earthly existence, Mary remained free from the taint and corruption of sin, and hence according to Apostolic tradition, teachings and beliefs, Mary did not have to suffer from the effects of sin unlike the rest of us mankind, who still have to endure death as the consequence of our sins. That, together with the historic evidence and the testimony of the experiences that the Apostles and the early Christians themselves experienced, Mary was indeed taken up to Heaven in body and soul.

Now, as mentioned, one of the schools of thought highlighted this lack of consequence for sin and death, and therefore Mary did not go through death at all, and was taken up directly into Heaven to the side of her Son. Another school of thought, which is also celebrated as mentioned in the Eastern churches and traditions as the Dormition of the Theotokos, is that Mary did still die, but not because she had to suffer the consequences of sin, which is death, and she did not die as a punishment for her own sins, because she was free from it. Rather, she died, and went through the process peacefully akin to falling asleep, and hence ‘Dormition’, and all these happened because she wanted to share in the same death that her own Son suffered on the Cross, out of love for Him, so that she would be like just her Son in all things.

Brothers and sisters in Christ, Mary showed us all the preview of what we ourselves will experience in the end of times, when we too shall share with her the fullness of the resurrection, as we are lifted up in body and soul, reunited fully with each other, truly living a new and eternal life with the Lord, to enjoy forever the inheritance that God has planned and meant for each and every one of us. That is why, we too should seek to follow the Lord wholeheartedly and worthily in the same way as our Blessed Mother herself had done, so that in all of our words, actions and deeds, in our every dealings and interactions with one another we will continue to be good examples and inspirations for one another as good disciples and followers of the Lord.

May God be with us always and may through the intercession of our loving Mother, Mary ever Virgin, assumed body and soul into Heaven, and now seated at the right hand of her Son’s Throne, we will continue to be guided and strengthened in our respective journeys in life. May God bless our every good works and endeavours, and may His blessed Mother continue to intercede and pray for us, now and always. Holy Mary, Mother of God, gloriously assumed into Heaven, pray for us sinners now and at the hour of our death. Amen.