Saturday

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Saturday, 27 September 2025 : 25th Week of Ordinary Time, Memorial of St. Vincent de Paul, Priest (First Reading)

Liturgical Colour : White

Zechariah 2 : 5-9, 14-15a

Raising my eyes again, I saw a man with a measuring line in his hand. I asked, “Where are you going?” He answered, “I am going to measure Jerusalem, to find its width and its length.”

As the Angel who spoke to me came forward, another Angel met him and said, “Run and tell this to that young man : ‘Jerusalem will remain unwalled because of its multitude of people and livestock.’ For this is the word of YHVH : I, Myself, will be around her like a wall of fire, and also within her, in glory.”

“Sing and rejoice, o daughter of Zion, for I am about to come, I shall dwell among you,” says YHVH. “On that day, many nations will join YHVH and be My people.”

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Saturday, 20 September 2025 : 24th Week of Ordinary Time, Memorial of St. Andrew Kim Tae-gon, Priest and Martyr, St. Paul Chong Ha-sang, Martyr, St. Laurent Imbert, Bishop and Martyr, St. Jacques Chastan, Priest and Martyr, and Companions, Martyrs (Homily and Scripture Reflections)

Liturgical Colour : Red

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, today as we all listened to the words of the Sacred Scriptures, we are all reminded that each and every one of us have been given and entrusted with many great and wonderful things by God Himself, all the talents, abilities, opportunities and the many other things which He has provided for us so that we may truly be fruitful and active in making good use of them for the benefit of all the people of God and all those whom we encounter in our paths and journeys as Christians, as the disciples and followers of the Lord. Each and every one of us should always do our best such that our every actions, words and deeds may inspire many more people to come to know the Lord, His love and truth.

In our first reading today, taken from the Epistle of St. Paul to his protege and fellow missionary, St. Timothy, we heard of the Apostle reminding St. Timothy and all fellow Christians to always remember that they were all the servants and followers of Christ, the Lord and Saviour, God Himself Who has manifested His love and works through His Son, Whom He sent into our world in order to bring all of us, His beloved people into salvation and eternal life through Him. And because of this, each and every one of those who have professed their faith as Christians ought to continue to focus our lives on God and His teachings, to embody our faith in our everyday actions, in our every words and deeds, in everything that we say and do, at all times.

Then, from our Gospel passage today, taken from the Gospel according to St. Luke the Evangelist, we heard of the famous parable that the Lord Jesus taught to His disciples, which I am sure we are all well aware of, that is the parable of the sower. In this parable of the sower, we heard of what happened to the different seeds that fell in different places, and how among all those seeds, only those that fell on rich and fertile soil managed to grow well and bear fruits, while all the other seeds, those that fell by the roadside, those that fell on the rocks and those that grew amongst the brambles and weeds, all those failed to grow. The Lord Himself had explained His parable and its meaning clearly to the disciples, highlighting how God has given to each and every one of us the gifts and opportunities, talents and abilities much like those seeds that were mentioned in the parable.

However, they had to be nurtured and cultivated, meaning that we should do our best to give the best conditions possible in allowing this faith, all the gifts and things that God had provided to us. And how do we exactly do that, brothers and sisters in Christ? It is by us spending more quality time with the Lord, doing our best to walk ever more faithfully in the Lord’s Presence at all times, in even the most ordinary things that we do. We must not underestimate the power of prayer and faith in our lives, and we should always strive to lead a life that is attuned to God’s will, doing our part such that we may grow ever closer to God and continue to glorify Him by our exemplary living, at all times. We should be good inspirations and role models for others around us, and that is one way how our faith can lead to so many more others finding their way to the Lord, and hence, bearing rich fruits for the Lord.

Today, the Church celebrates the Feast of the Holy Korean Martyrs, or the Holy Martyrs of Korea, which are composed of many local Korean Christians and converts, both among the clergy and the laity alike, as well as the many missionaries who had come from distant lands, serving the Lord and His people, and all of whom endured great challenges, trials and sufferings amidst their ministry and living of their Christian faith. Today we remember all of these most courageous, faithful and loving people of God, who have borne the pains and struggles of being God’s faithful and beloved children and disciples, suffering prison, pains and sufferings, humiliations and hardships, and many of them even died as martyrs, choosing to die in faith rather than to give up their faith in God or to abandon Him and His Church.

At that time, the Korean state and government were very suspicious and hostile against the Christians and the missionaries who came to Korea to evangelise and proclaim the Lord and His Good News. They viewed the Christian faith and the missionaries as threat to their way of life and the authority of the state, as opposed to the strict Confucian nature of the society and the worldview of the time prevailing in Korea. And therefore, the state persecuted the Christians, both the foreign missionaries and also the local converts, oppressing and attacking them, forcing them to choose between their faith and suffering, or to obey the commands and demands of the state and abandoning their newfound faith and trust in the Lord.

St. Andrew Kim Taegon was particularly renowned among the saints and martyrs commemorated today as he was the first Korean Catholic priest, and he had a rough early life because his family, who had converted to the Christian faith were persecuted and he had his family members martyred for being followers of Christ. At a young age of fifteen, St. Andrew Kim Taegon chose to be baptised and then went to Macau to study as a seminarian and eventually was ordained as a priest in Shanghai in China. He later on returned to Korea to preach the Christian faith and Good News, evangelising to many of the people in his homeland. Eventually, he was persecuted with many other Christians, both missionaries, clergy and laity alike during intense persecutions against them, but he and the other faithful martyrs remained firmly faithful to the very end.

There was also the story of the faith of St. Laurent Imbert, the first Vicar Apostolic of Korea, the missionary which the Pope appointed to be the representative of the Church in Korea, laying down the important groundwork for the growth of Christianity in that area. St. Laurent Imbert dedicated himself to minister to the faithful people of God, the flock entrusted to his care by the Lord, despite the intensifying persecutions against him and many other missionaries. When he and the other missionaries had to go into hiding during those persecutions, St. Laurent Imbert voluntarily surrendered himself to the authorities, and encouraged two other priests to do the same as he hoped that by doing so, he might spare many other Christians, his own flock, from suffering more for being followers of Christ. Before he was martyred, he was remembered for his great quote from the Gospel, ‘The Good Shepherd lays down His life for His sheep.’, showing the action that he and the Lord Himself had done in ensuring our salvation and liberation from sin and destruction.

Therefore, brothers and sisters in Christ, let us all be inspired by the faith and examples shown to us by the Holy Martyrs of Korea, those whose lives and dedication to God have been most exemplary and strong, and who have inspired us all to continue to live our lives with genuine and strong faith in the Lord as we should have always done. Each and every one of us as Christians have been called to commit ourselves thoroughly and wholeheartedly to the cause of the Lord, to be truly loving and generous with our compassion and mercy to one another, and to trust in the Lord’s providence and care, and in everything which He has reassured and promised us, the promise of everlasting life and true happiness, of glory everlasting with Him.

May the Lord our God continue to guide us all and strengthen us in faith as He has done to all those faithful servants, those Holy Martyrs in Korea who had dedicated their lives to Him and those who have done their best to remain faithful to Him despite the persecutions against them. May all of us continue to walk ever more faithfully and courageously in God’s Holy Presence and lead others to come ever closer to Him as well by our good examples and inspirations in life. Let us all be like the seeds that fell on the rich soil and bear wonderful fruits of our faith, that we may be found truly worthy by God. Amen.

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Saturday, 20 September 2025 : 24th Week of Ordinary Time, Memorial of St. Andrew Kim Tae-gon, Priest and Martyr, St. Paul Chong Ha-sang, Martyr, St. Laurent Imbert, Bishop and Martyr, St. Jacques Chastan, Priest and Martyr, and Companions, Martyrs (Gospel Reading)

Liturgical Colour : Red

Luke 8 : 4-15

At that time, as a great crowd gathered, and people came to Jesus from every town, He began teaching them with a story : “The sower went out to sow the seed. And as he sowed, some of the seed fell along the way, was trodden on, and the birds of the sky ate it up.”

“Some seed fell on rocky ground; and no sooner had it come up than it withered, because it had no water. Some seed fell among thorns; the thorns grew up with the seed and choked it. But some seed fell on good soil and grew, producing fruit, a hundred times as much!” And Jesus cried out, “Listen then, if you have ears to hear!”

The disciples asked Him, “What does this story mean?” And Jesus answered, “To you it has been given to know the mystery of the kingdom of God. But to others it is given in the form of stories, or parables, so that, seeing, they may not perceive; and hearing, they may not understand.”

“Now, this is the point of the parable : The seed is the word of God. Those along the wayside are people who hear it; but immediately, the devil comes and takes the word from their minds, for he does not want them to believe and be saved. Those on the rocky ground are people who receive the word with joy; but they have no root; they believe for a while, and give way in time of trial.”

“Among the thorns are people who hear the word, but, as they go their way, they are choked by worries, riches, and the pleasures of life; they bring no fruit to maturity. The good soil, instead, are people who receive the word, and keep it, in a gentle and generous mind, and, persevering patiently, they bear fruit.”

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Saturday, 20 September 2025 : 24th Week of Ordinary Time, Memorial of St. Andrew Kim Tae-gon, Priest and Martyr, St. Paul Chong Ha-sang, Martyr, St. Laurent Imbert, Bishop and Martyr, St. Jacques Chastan, Priest and Martyr, and Companions, Martyrs (Psalm)

Liturgical Colour : Red

Psalm 99 : 2, 3, 4, 5

Serve YHVH with gladness; come before Him with joyful songs.

Know that YHVH is God; He created us, and we are His people, the sheep of His fold.

Enter His gates with thanksgiving, His courts with praise. Give thanks to Him and praise His Name.

For YHVH is good; His love lasts forever; and His faithfulness, through all generations.

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Saturday, 20 September 2025 : 24th Week of Ordinary Time, Memorial of St. Andrew Kim Tae-gon, Priest and Martyr, St. Paul Chong Ha-sang, Martyr, St. Laurent Imbert, Bishop and Martyr, St. Jacques Chastan, Priest and Martyr, and Companions, Martyrs (First Reading)

Liturgical Colour : Red

1 Timothy 6 : 13-16

Now, in the presence of God, Who gives life to all things, and of Jesus Christ, Who expressed before Pontius Pilate the authentic expression of faith : preserve the revealed message to all. Keep yourself pure and blameless, until the glorious coming of Christ Jesus, our Lord, Who God will bring about at the proper time : He, the Magnificent Sovereign, King of Kings and Lord of Lords.

To Him, alone, immortal, Who lives in unapproachable light, and Whom no one has ever seen or can see, to Him, be honour and power, forever and ever. Amen!

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Saturday, 13 September 2025 : 23rd Week of Ordinary Time, Memorial of St. John Chrysostom, Bishop and Doctor of the Church (Homily and Scripture Reflections)

Liturgical Colour : White

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, today as we listened to the words of the Lord contained within the Sacred Scriptures, all of us are reminded that we have to be truly and genuinely faithful to the Lord in all things so that we may indeed be worthy of what He has promised to us, everything that He has meant for us all, His beloved and holy people. As Christians, all of us should always aspire to be ever ready to carry out our actions, works and deeds, our every words and interactions with one another with great faith and commitment to God. This means that we should always strive to do what is good and righteous, worthy and just at all times so that by everything that we say and do, everyone will truly come to know that we belong to the Lord and come to know His love and truth.

In our first reading today, taken from the Epistle of St. Paul the Apostle to St. Timothy, his protege and one of the Church fathers and earliest bishops of the Church, we heard of the Apostle speaking about what the Lord Himself had done in sending His own Son into this world in order to save it and to liberate all of us from the threat of eternal damnation. Through Christ, Our Lord and Saviour, God Himself has intervened for our sake and opened for us the sure and direct path towards eternal life and salvation in Him, offering unto us the forgiveness and reparation for our many and innumerable sins. He has generously offered to us this most perfect and wonderful gift because of His ever enduring and constant love for all of us.

God has always desired for all of us to find our path towards Him, to be reconciled with Him and be forgiven from our many sins, from all the things that had separated us all from Him. And to this extent, that was why He gave us such a wonderful means to reach Him, through His own Beloved Son, sent into our midst to manifest this perfect and most wonderful, patient and amazing love and mercy of God. In Jesus Christ, Our Lord and Saviour, the power of sin had been broken and cast down, all the shackles that had been holding us back, and the dominion of Satan and the evil ones had been overthrown. All these happened because Christ has willingly taken upon Himself all the punishments due for our sins, and healed us from our transgressions, and hence, we should follow His own examples of obedience and love, in each and every moments of our lives.

Then, from our Gospel passage today, taken from the Gospel according to St. Luke the Evangelist, we heard of the words of the Lord to His disciples and followers, telling all of them with a parable highlighting how one’s actions and attitudes are representative of one’s true nature and orientation in life, as those who are truly good and faithful will no doubt bear good fruits of their virtue and faith. On the other hand, those who have no faith in them, those who are wicked and vile in their hearts will no doubt bear fruits that are rotten and wicked as well. And the Lord made this clear through the parable to remind all of His disciples and followers, to all of us that we should not be ignorant of our important missions and calling in life, in our respective areas of responsibility and in what God had entrusted to us, to do His good works in this world.

The Lord reminded all of His followers that to be His disciples, each and every one of them must be filled with true and genuine faith, and not merely one that is merely superficial. If they do not have true and genuine faith in God, this would eventually be shown through their own actions, just as shown in how Judas Iscariot, the traitor, who did not truly have faith and trust in the Lord, as recorded in the Gospels, stole from the common fund of the Lord and His disciples for his own personal benefit and gain. And ultimately, he also betrayed the Lord to the chief priests, an action that he would come to regret later on, and in despair, in lacking faith and trust in the Lord’s love, mercy and forgiveness, which were extended even to Him, Judas chose instead to take his own life.

This is an important reminder therefore that the state of our relationship with God, our connection and attunement to Him truly matter for us, as if we do not truly embody our faith within us in a genuine way, then we may end up doing things that are against the Lord and His ways, and no matter how much we try to hide or conceal it, eventually our true intentions and ways will be unmasked and come to the surface, as exemplified through the Lord’s parable, in how rotten and bad trees will eventually produce bad fruits. We are therefore called to be like the good trees, to nurture ourselves in faith and obedience to God, so that in everything that we do, we will always glorify Him and His Name, and remain true to our faith and beliefs in Him.

Today, the Church also celebrates the Feast of St. John Chrysostom, one of the renowned and most prominent Church fathers and also one of the esteemed original Doctors of the Church from the Eastern Church. St. John Chrysostom was the Archbishop of Constantinople in the late fourth and early fifth century, during which time there were a lot of hurdles and hardships for the Church and the faithful. There were a lot of heresies and false ideas which threatened the unity of the Church, and all these were harmful to the salvation of souls. St. John Chrysostom was renowned for his efforts in standing up for the true orthodox Christian faith against all the falsehoods, while also working for the unity of the Church and the faithful people of God.

In addition, he was also very much remembered for his many good works, writings and efforts by which he would eventually be considered as one of the original Doctors of the Church and one of the most influential authors of the Christian teachings of the Church fathers. He was also involved in the stand-off against the then Roman Empress of the Eastern Empire, Empress Eudoxia, wife of the Roman Emperor Arcadius, who lived a lavish life with the upper echelons of the society, a fact which the austere and simple St. John Chrysostom spoke up sternly against. This led to a lot of friction between St. John Chrysostom and his enemies, and he had to endure even exile from his See due to the campaign of the ones opposed to the holy servant of God. Nonetheless, St. John Chrysostom remained firmly faithful to the very end in serving God and His people.

Brothers and sisters in Christ, let us all therefore be inspired by the great examples shown by St. John Chrysostom in his faith and dedication, in all the efforts that he had done for the sake of the salvation of souls. Each and every one of us should continue to do our best in each and every moment to follow the examples of the saints and the Lord Himself, in how we ought to be righteous and virtuous in all things, to be full of love for God and to be full of the same love towards our fellow brothers and sisters, to everyone whom we encounter daily in our respective lives. As Christians, we are challenged to live in the manner that is truly inspired by Christ our Lord, and the love which He has shown most generously and unconditionally towards us.

May the Lord continue to strengthen us in faith and help us to walk ever more faithfully with Him as what our holy predecessors had done in their lives, especially that of St. John Chrysostom, the faithful and dedicated servant of God and shepherd of the Lord’s flock. Let our own lives be full of faith and good examples, through which we may inspire many more people to come ever closer to God and to His salvation. Are we willing to make the effort and commitment to follow the Lord with ever greater devotion in each and every moment, brothers and sisters? Let us all be the faithful and worthy beacons of our Christian faith, now and always. Amen.

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Saturday, 13 September 2025 : 23rd Week of Ordinary Time, Memorial of St. John Chrysostom, Bishop and Doctor of the Church (Gospel Reading)

Liturgical Colour : White

Luke 6 : 43-49

At that time, Jesus said to His disciples, “No healthy tree bears bad fruit, no poor tree bears good fruit. And each tree is known by the fruit it bears : you do not gather figs from thorns, or grapes from brambles. Similarly, the good person draws good things from the good stored in his heart, and an evil person draws evil things from the evil stored in his heart. For the mouth speaks from the fullness of the heart.”

“Why do you call Me, ‘Lord! Lord!’ and do not do what I say? I will show you what the one is like, who comes to Me, and listens to My words, and acts accordingly. That person is like the builder who dug deep, and laid the foundations of his house on rock. The river overflowed, and the stream dashed against the house, but could not carry it off because the house had been well built.”

“But the one who listens and does not act, is like a man who built his house on the ground without a foundation. The flood burst against it, and the house fell at once : and what a terrible disaster that was!”

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Saturday, 13 September 2025 : 23rd Week of Ordinary Time, Memorial of St. John Chrysostom, Bishop and Doctor of the Church (Psalm)

Liturgical Colour : White

Psalm 112 : 1-2, 3-4, 5a and 6-7

Alleluia! Praise, o servants of YHVH, praise the Name of YHVH! Blessed be the Name of YHVH now and forever!

From eastern lands to the western islands, may the Name of YHVH be praised! YHVH is exalted over the nations; His glory above the heavens.

Who is like YHVH our God, Who also bends down to see on earth as in heaven? He lifts up the poor from the dust and the needy from the ash heap.

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Saturday, 13 September 2025 : 23rd Week of Ordinary Time, Memorial of St. John Chrysostom, Bishop and Doctor of the Church (First Reading)

Liturgical Colour : White

1 Timothy 1 : 15-17

This saying is true and worthy of belief : Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am the first. Because of that, I was forgiven; Christ Jesus wanted to display His utmost patience, so that I might be an example for all who are to believe, and obtain eternal life.

To the King of ages, the only God, Who lives beyond every perishable and visible creation – to Him, be honour and glory forever. Amen!

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Saturday, 6 September 2025 : 22nd Week of Ordinary Time (Homily and Scripture Reflections)

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

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, today all of us are reminded through the readings and passages of the Sacred Scriptures of what we all need to do as Christians, that is as the disciples and followers of the Lord, our God, in doing what the Lord Himself has told us all to do, in each and every moments of our lives. All of us are reminded that we should always have a genuine and steadfast faith in God in all the things that we say and do, and we should not be easily swayed by other concerns and temptations present all around us which may be trying to lead us away from the path towards God and His salvation. We should follow only what the Lord had told us to do through His Church, and not allowing our worldly concerns and ideologies from affecting how we are to live our lives and faith.

In our first reading today, taken from the Epistle of St. Paul to the Church and the faithful people of God in the city and region of Colossae, we heard of the words of the Apostle reminding the faithful people of God there of what the Lord had done for their sake, in liberating them from the path of wickedness and worldliness that they had followed earlier on in their lives. Contextually, the people of Colossae had also been quite faithful to the Lord in their way of life, in obeying the Lord and His commandments according to what St. Paul and the other Christian missionaries had delivered to them. They had listened to the words of those missionaries and lived their lives in a Christian manner, and that was praised by St. Paul himself, who encouraged them to continue to be faithful to God.

St. Paul encouraged the Christians in that place to continue to have faith in the Lord and to be always filled with hope in Him. He wanted each and every one of them to stay strong amidst the challenging nature of their lives and the environment all around them. If they remained strong and committed to the Lord, in the end, their faith and commitment to God shall be rewarded and they shall enjoy the fullness of God’s promised inheritance and everything that He has desired to give to all those who have been faithful to Him. There would indeed be trials and tribulations, hardships, obstacles and challenges, but all those things should not prevent the people of God from remaining true to their faith in Him, and from continuing to hold fast and strongly to the faith that they continue to have in Him, their Lord and Master.

Then, from our Gospel passage today, taken from the Gospel according to St. Luke the Evangelist, we heard of the Lord Jesus debating with the Pharisees who were following Him and His disciples, and then criticised those disciples because they were picking on the grains of wheat on the field on the day of the Sabbath. For the context, the Sabbath day is the last day of the week in the Jewish calendar, the seventh day which is a day of rest, following the model of the Lord Himself Who rested on the seventh day after His labours in Creation. According to the Law of God revealed through Moses, the people of Israel ought to observe the Sabbath as a day of rest as well, dedicated to the Lord and not to be used for labour and work.

The Lord’s intentions when He made this Sabbath Law for the people was that He wanted them all to spare that time for their Lord and Master, and remembering that despite their busy schedules and activities, after all, they still have their obligation and responsibility to give their time and attention to the Lord their God. Otherwise, it is easy for them, especially when things are all good, or when they are too busy settling worldly matters for them to forget about God completely and to be ignorant of their roles and missions in life. That was why the Lord wanted all of His people to spare that day of the Sabbath to be focused on Him rather than on their various worldly dealings and concerns, their works and activities which could distract them from what they needed to do.

Unfortunately, over time, the intention and purpose of the Sabbath had been largely overlooked and forgotten. The people began to observe the Sabbath out of routine and fear of punishment rather than to truly spend quality time and to focus their attention on God. And in the case of what the Pharisees had highlighted and criticised the Lord’s disciples for, they were too focused on the fact that they broke the Law and disobeyed the commandment for anyone not to do work on that day, but overlooking the fact that they were themselves doing God’s works. And by the nature of their ministry, ever busy going from places to places and ministering to the people of God in many places, long hours and tedious works, they certainly had difficulties getting enough time to rest and eat food.

That was why the Lord quoted from the example of King David and his followers when they were in a journey fleeing and in exile because of the persecutions they faced from King Saul of Israel, and also the trials they faced in their journey. In that case, at the House of God, with the High Priest’s generosity and permission, the highly respected King David partook with his followers the Temple showbread that were supposed to be eaten only by the priests, and they had their fill and continued on their journey, which was what the Lord wanted them all to do, and because of this, we are reminded that what the Lord wanted us to know is that He does not demand blind obedience and attitudes that do not truly show genuine faith and trust in Him.

Instead, He wants each and every one of us to grow genuinely in faith in Him, and He is truly full of concern and care for each and every one of us, wanting us all to be well and happy in all things, and He wants us to love Him just in the same way that He has constantly loved us ceaselessly and consistently. And that is why God has given the best help to each and every one of us by providing His Law and commandments to help regulate and guide us in our journey through life, that we may truly find our way to Him, and that we may live our lives worthily, and be ever closer towards Him, our loving Father. He does not treat us like slaves, unlike what some people at the time of the Lord would have thought, but as His beloved children and people, and hence, we should not think that God’s Law are meant to constraint, restrict and make our lives difficult.

Brothers and sisters in Christ, let us all hence continue to put our faith and trust in the Lord, to follow in the path that He has shown to each and every one of us, becoming good role models and examples in faith to each other and to be truly and genuinely faithful to God in all things despite the challenges and trials that we may be facing in life. We should not allow ourselves to be swayed and turned from the Lord because we are deluded by the thoughts thinking that God wants to control us and make our lives difficult. Instead, we should do our best to work with God and embrace His love wholeheartedly, and we should always remember all the kindness and love that He has shown us all these while. May the Lord continue to strengthen us in faith, and may we do our very best to glorify Him each day and at every moments by our lives, now and forevermore. Amen.