Saturday

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Saturday, 7 October 2023 : 26th Week of Ordinary Time, Memorial of Our Lady of the Rosary (Homily and Scripture Reflections)

Liturgical Colour : White

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, today the Church celebrates the occasion of the Feast of Our Lady of the Rosary, in which we remember Mary, the Holy Mother of God, in her aspect of her gift to us in the rosary, the beads that we usually use in our prayers, composed usually of fifty beads that are interconnected together, and represent the chain of prayers that all of us have been given so that we may be able to find our path towards the Lord. Mary, Our Lady of the Rosary has always shown us God’s wonderful love, through her own compassionate and loving attention towards each and every one of us, God’s beloved people. God entrusted to His beloved mother, all of us to be His own children, so that we may be under her care and protection.

This event of the Feast of Our Lady of the Rosary had its roots in the victory of the forces of the Lord at the great Battle of Lepanto, in which the combined forces of Christendom stood its ground against the mighty forces of the Ottoman Empire, which at that time, was greatly expansionist and aggressive, in trying to subjugate Christian realms and God’s people. Hence, after having suffered from many important setbacks, the forces of the Christian rulers were gathered and assembled under the leadership of the Pope, then Pope St. Pius V, who urged Christian rulers to gather their forces and stop the forces of the Ottomans, and hence, a mighty fleet came to meet the Ottoman fleet at the bay of Lepanto in what is today part of Greece.

Pope St. Pius V commanded all of Christendom and urged all Christians everywhere to pray for the success of the forces of the Christian nations, and advised everyone to pray the rosary, asking for the intercession of the Blessed Mother of God, the Angels and the saints, to help the forces of the Lord’s faithful against those of their enemies. In the end, during the great battle, which went miraculously for the forces of Christendom, ended up in a great and triumphant victory against the forces of the enemies of the people of God, their oppressors and all those who have refused to believe in the Lord. It was told according to tradition and eyewitnesses on both sides of the battle that during the battle, a heavenly vision of great army of Heaven, led by the Blessed Virgin Mary, Our Lady of the Rosary, the Angels and saints were fighting on the side of the faithful against the Ottomans.

Thus, upon the great victory, the Pope declared a great celebration and dedicated this victory to the Blessed Virgin Mary, with the title of Our Lady of Victory. However, soon after, this celebration and dedication was renamed after the title of Our Lady of the Rosary which we celebrate up to this day. This is also a reminder of the powerful nature of the rosary prayer, in invoking the intercession of the Blessed Virgin Mary, the Mother of God, in helping us all to find our way towards the Lord and His salvation and grace. We must not underestimate the use and the power of the rosary, which had indeed helped countless souls in finding their way back towards God. The rosary has been instrumental in helping so many people to rediscover their faith and also prayer habits, and reconnecting many of them back to God, through His Blessed Mother, Our Lady of the Rosary.

The rosary itself, also sometimes known as the Dominican rosary, came to be in its present form from the practices of the Church fathers in praying over knotted prayer ropes, which our brethren in the Eastern Churches still used till this day. Initially, those ropes were used to say the Jesus prayer, or the entire a hundred and fifty chapters of the Book of Psalms, which then evolved into the rosary in its present form, in the prayers offered to God through His Blessed Mother, the Pater Noster or the Lord’s Prayer, the Ave Maria or Hail Mary, and the Gloria Patri or the Glory Be prayer. These were presented to St. Dominic, the founder of the Order of Preachers, the Dominicans, in a vision which the saint received from the Mother of God, who passed on to St. Dominic, the gift of the rosary.

Ever since then, the rosary has become a truly powerful spiritual weapon and sacramental, helping many of the people of God to remain firmly rooted in their faith in God. Back then, the practice of saying prayers like Ave Maria or Hail Mary had been commonplace, and the rosary helped to give this popular practice an anchor through which more and more people could practice this devotion and deepen their relationship with God through His Blessed Mother, Our Lady of the Rosary. Therefore, today, as we celebrate this great Feast of Our Lady of the Rosary, let us all renew our devotion and commitment to God which we made through spending meaningful and good time in praying, in deepening our relationship with Him and in honouring His Blessed Mother at all times.

This is why today, we should renew our practice and make the good habit of praying to God, and especially through the use of the holy rosary. Through the rosary, each and every one of us have been led to the Lord via the patient and loving hands of our blessed Mother Mary, Our Lady of the Rosary. The rosary has helped us to redirect our attention and focus back towards the Lord, and away from all the distractions, evils and the temptations of the world, all of which threatened to lead us down the wrong path into our downfall and destruction. We should always strive to fulfil God’s will, as well as obeying His Law and commandments at all times. Through the faithful devotion and genuine prayer of the rosary, all of us should grow ever stronger in our faith and love for God. At the same time, we should also pray the rosary and other prayers with genuine attention and focus on the Lord, and not merely reciting the prayers without meaning or proper intention.

May Our Lady of the Rosary, the Most Holy Mother of God, our protectress, guide and inspiration continue to pray for all of us sinners, and may she, our loving Mother, continue to intercede for us, that we may be strengthened in our faith and lives by the Lord. May the Lord continue to bless each and every one of us, in all of our every efforts and endeavours, and in our every actions, so that we may indeed be good role models and inspirations to one another, and to all those whom we encounter in our daily lives. May God be with us always, now and forevermore, together with His Blessed Mother, Our Lady of the Rosary. Amen.

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Saturday, 7 October 2023 : 26th Week of Ordinary Time, Memorial of Our Lady of the Rosary (Gospel Reading)

Liturgical Colour : White

Luke 1 : 26-38

In the sixth month, the Angel Gabriel was sent from God to a town of Galilee called Nazareth. He was sent to a young virgin, who was betrothed to a man named Joseph, of the family of David; and the virgin’s name was Mary.

The Angel came to her and said, “Rejoice, full of grace, the Lord is with you.” Mary was troubled at these words, wondering what this greeting could mean. But the Angel said, “Do not fear, Mary, for God has looked kindly on you. You shall conceive and bear a Son, and you shall call Him Jesus. He will be great, and shall rightly be called Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give Him the kingdom of David, His ancestor; He will rule over the people of Jacob forever, and His reign shall have no end.”

Then Mary said to the Angel, “How can this be, since I am a virgin?” And the Angel said to her, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; therefore, the Holy Child to be born of you shall be called Son of God. Even your relative Elizabeth is expecting a son in her old age, although she was unable to have a child; and she is now in her sixth month. With God nothing is impossible.”

Then Mary said, “I am the handmaid of the Lord, let it be done to me as you have said.” And the Angel left her.

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Saturday, 7 October 2023 : 26th Week of Ordinary Time, Memorial of Our Lady of the Rosary (Psalm)

Liturgical Colour : White

Luke 1 : 46-47, 48-49, 50-51, 52-53, 54-55

My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord, my spirit exults in God, my Saviour!

He has looked upon His servant, in her lowliness, and people, forever, will call me blessed. The Mighty One has done great things for me, Holy is His Name!

From age to age, His mercy extends to those who live in His presence. He has acted with power and done wonders, and scattered the proud with their plans.

He has put down the mighty from their thrones, and lifted up those who are downtrodden. He has filled the hungry with good things, but has sent the rich away empty.

He held out His hand to Israel, His servant, for He remembered His mercy, even as He promised to our fathers, to Abraham and his descendants forever.

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Saturday, 7 October 2023 : 26th Week of Ordinary Time, Memorial of Our Lady of the Rosary (First Reading)

Liturgical Colour : White

Acts 1 : 12-14

Then they returned to Jerusalem from the Mount called Olives, which is a fifteen minute walk away. On entering the city they went to the room upstairs where they were staying. Present there were Peter, John, James and Andrew; Philip and Thomas, Bartholomew and Matthew, James, son of Alpheus; Simon the Zealot and Judas son of James.

All of these, together, gave themselves to constant prayer. With them were some women, and also Mary, the mother of Jesus, and His brothers.

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Saturday, 30 September 2023 : 25th Week of Ordinary Time, Memorial of St. Jerome, Priest and Doctor of the Church (Homily and Scripture Reflections)

Liturgical Colour : White

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, today as we have listened to the words of the Scriptures, we are all reminded yet again of just how fortunate we are to have been beloved by God so much, that He has provided us with such great graces, in sending us His most wonderful guidance and help throughout all these time, and how He gave us the assurance of His salvation that He has fulfilled perfectly and completely through His Son, Our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ. The Lord has loved each and every one of us so much that He has given us the perfect gift, the manifestation of His wonderful love in His Son, that through Him, all of us have been shown and led to the path towards eternal life and true joy.

In our first reading today, taken from the Book of the prophet Zechariah, we heard of the vision which Zechariah received from God, a heavenly vision in which an Angel and a Man went around a heavenly Jerusalem, the Holy City, measuring its length and size, and how the Angel revealed to Zechariah that there would be no wall or protection required for the heavenly city of God, because the Lord Himself would be with His people, as He gathered all of His beloved people to Himself, calling all of them from wherever they had been scattered to, reuniting them all to Him, and reconciling them to Himself. They will be His people and He will be their God, and they all will enjoy forever the fruits of His love and kindness, blessings and graces.

We can understand this better if we know the context of the works and the ministry of the prophet Zechariah. The prophet Zechariah ministered to the people of God during the time after their exile and then return back to the land of their ancestors, and after they had started rebuilding their home back from the ashes and the destruction inflicted decades earlier by the Assyrians and the Babylonians. Back then, the city of Jerusalem was still in ruins, with not just its Temple, but the whole city and its walls had been torn down and destroyed. Therefore, God’s words to His people came at a most appropriate time, reminding all of them, that if they all trust in Him and walk ever more faithfully in His ways, then there is nothing that they should be afraid of. God Himself would protect them and defend them.

And as we heard from the Gospel passage today, we heard of how the Lord sent His Son into our midst as we have discussed just earlier on. And there, the Lord Jesus foretold of His upcoming sufferings, the moments of His Passion and struggles that would come upon Him, as He warned His disciples and followers so that they would be ready for those moments and remain strong in the faith, and not falling into temptation or despair, when the enemies of the Lord were to rise against Him. Linking to what we have heard in our first reading today, we should realise the significance of what the Lord had done for us. Just as He had come into our midst, and willingly took upon Himself our many sins and wickedness, He had put Himself between us and our accusers, Satan and all of his forces that sought our destruction.

Thus, that is how the Lord, our most loving God and Saviour, had suffered for all of us, as He looked lovingly upon us from His Cross. He chose to suffer so that we may all be saved and have eternal life and true happiness through Him. His love for us endures even through the various challenges and the many trials that He had to face, and through all the betrayals and stubbornness that He has suffered and faced from us. He reached out to us nonetheless, and tried His best to save us all, and to lead us all back to the right path, so that none of us may end up being lost from Him, and that we may enter into the glorious kingdom and inheritance prepared for us from the very beginning, just as He has always intended.

That is why, today, brothers and sisters, let us all discern carefully what we have heard and discussed earlier, and discern carefully our path forward in life. Are we going to continue to disobey the Lord and to harden our hearts and minds against Him? Or are we going to rectify our mistakes and errors, and listen to His words and advice being spoken in our hearts and minds? Let us all make best use of whatever time and opportunities that have been given to us so that we will always continue to live our lives most faithfully and worthily in all things, and that we ourselves may be good inspirations and role models for others all around us, in how we live our lives with faith in God. Let us all appreciate all the love we have received from God, and the compassion and mercy we have received from Him.

Today, the Church celebrates the Feast of St. Jerome, a great priest and servant of God, who is one of the four original Doctors of the Church, who is a great disciple of the Lord, and whose life and holiness should inspire us all in how we can live our lives in a more committed way to the Lord. St. Jerome was well-known for his ascetic lifestyle and dedication to God, and he was also remembered for his many theological works and writings, as well as his efforts in compiling the Latin translation of the Greek Septuagint Bible, which would become the Latin Vulgate, the version of the Bible used by many others up to this very day. He was also active in his other contributions to the Church, including as an important and close advisor to the Pope, so much so that he was considered as one of the precursors of the Cardinals that assist the Pope in the governance of the Church today. He was a truly dedicated and holy servant of God, in all the things he has done.

Brothers and sisters in Christ, the faithful examples of St. Jerome, his works and commitment should inspire all of us to live our lives worthily of the Lord as well, with focus ever directed towards God and not upon our own personal ambitions and desires. We should also help one another in putting our faith and trust ever more in God, and in doing what we have been all called to do as Christians, as God’s people. Each and every one of us should always be filled with the desire to love the Lord our God and to have constant faith in Him, at all times. We should not easily be swayed or distracted by the many temptations and challenges present all around us. May God be with us always, and may He strengthen all of us in our devotion to Him. St. Jerome, holy man of God, and devout servant of God, pray for us all sinners. Amen.

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Saturday, 30 September 2023 : 25th Week of Ordinary Time, Memorial of St. Jerome, Priest and Doctor of the Church (Gospel Reading)

Liturgical Colour : White

Luke 9 : 43b-45

At that time, while all were amazed at everything Jesus did, He said to His disciples, “Listen, and remember what I tell you now : The Son of Man will be betrayed into the hands of men.” But the disciples did not understand this saying; something prevented them from grasping what He meant, and they were afraid to ask Him about it.

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Saturday, 30 September 2023 : 25th Week of Ordinary Time, Memorial of St. Jerome, Priest and Doctor of the Church (Psalm)

Liturgical Colour : White

Jeremiah 31 : 10, 11-12ab, 13

Hear the word of YHVH, o nations, proclaim it on distant coast lands : He Who scattered Israel will gather them and guard them as a shepherd guards his flock.

For YHVH has ransomed Jacob and redeemed him from the hand of his conqueror. They shall come shouting for joy, while ascending Zion; they will come streaming to YHVH’s blessings.

Maidens will make merry and dance, young men and old as well. I will turn their mourning into gladness, I will give them comfort and joy for sorrow.

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Saturday, 30 September 2023 : 25th Week of Ordinary Time, Memorial of St. Jerome, Priest and Doctor of the Church (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, 23 September 2023 : 24th Week of Ordinary Time, Memorial of St. Pius of Pietrelcina, Priest (Homily and Scripture Reflections)

Liturgical Colour : White

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, today as we listened to the words of the Scriptures, and as we remember those words, we are all called to grow in faith in God, to nurture the faith that we have received from Him through the Church so that each and every one of us may truly be fruitful and bountiful in the living of our faith, and so that our every words and actions may truly be filled with God’s grace and love. All of us as Christians, we are all called to be genuine and truly faithful Christians, in all of our words, actions and deeds, and not just merely in outward appearances and in symbolic faith only. We have to be truly steeped in the way of the Lord and in the commandments and Law that He has given us, that our every works and actions may be transformed to one of Christian virtues and righteousness.

In our first reading today, from the Epistle of St. Paul to St. Timothy, that is what the Apostle told to his protege and to all the faithful, that every one of them should keep themselves pure and blameless, free from the corruption of sin and evil, that in all of their words and actions, they should always strive to be truly good and worthy of God, following the very examples of their own Lord and Master, Who has come into our midst in the person of Jesus Christ, the Saviour of all, Who has proclaimed the truth of God before all the people, before all those who judged and betrayed Him, and before Pontius Pilate, the governor of Judea, who sentenced Him to death. According to tradition, this event and also his wife’s dream terrified and struck Pontius Pilate so much, that eventually, he himself became a believer and a Christian.

Then, in our Gospel passage today, we heard of the famous parable of the sower mentioned by the Lord to the people, who listened to His teachings and words, and in this parable, the Lord told them all about the fates of the seeds that fell on four different types of places and soils, and how only the ones that landed on the rich and fertile soil could truly grow well and bear rich and bountiful fruits, while all those that landed on the barren ground, by the roadside, on rocky ground and among the thistles and brambles, they all could not grow well, either by failing to germinate, eaten up by the birds of the air, or that they grew temporarily, but perished from the heat and the scorching heat of the Sun.

As the Lord explained and made it clear to His disciples and to the people, this is a reminder to all of us, that as Christians, as God’s holy and faithful people, we must always be filled with true and genuine faith in Him, that we have to nurture in our hearts and minds, in our every moments in life, and in all of our interactions, words and actions. It is by living our lives with true and genuine faith, and by providing the best conditions for our faith to be nurtured and to grow, that we can truly proclaim the Good News and the Gospels of the Lord’s salvation and grace to all. Like that of the Lord Himself, Who has shown us His perfect example of faith, obedience and love for God and for all of God’s children, and like that of the saints and martyrs, whose lives and works had shown us how we ought to live a truly holy and worthy Christian life. We should follow their great examples in our own lives.

Today, the Church celebrates the feast of the famous St. Pius of Pietrelcina, much better known by his epithet of Padre Pio. He was a Capuchin Franciscan friar and priest who was renowned for his great piety and dedication to God, for his experience in having the Lord’s wounds, the stigmata, as well as for his great personal holiness and sanctity, in which he became a very popular figure both during his life and after his passing. St. Pius of Pietrelcina was born into a family of peasants that were very deeply religious and committed to God, and this had great impact on the upbringing and development of the young St. Pius of Pietrecina, who developed a great love and commitment for God from an early age, and who joined the Capuchins in his early teenage years.

This young future saint had experienced mystical visions and revelations from a very young age, something which would continue to influence and affect him throughout his later life and ministry. When he later on became a Capuchin friar and saint, he ministered to the people faithfully, in his devotion and prayerful life, and through his miraculous stigmata and personal holiness, many began to come to him with various problems and needs, coming to him at the monastery at San Giovanni Rotondo, where today a great Basilica and shrine to this saint now stands. St. Pius of Pietrelcina however did not have it easy, as he also faced a lot of hardships and trials, challenges and difficulties from those who doubted the authenticity of his miracles and stigmata among others.

For many years, St. Pius of Pietrelcina faced opposition and investigations by the Church authorities and investigators who sought to find out the truth and veracity behind the purported miracles that surrounded his figure and works. He also faced a lot of attacks and persuasions from Satan and the evil spirits, and frequently struggled with demonic attacks from time to time. In one well-known and attested occasion, the devil even attempted to set fire to his chambers, in part of the attacks against this holy man and servant of God. But St. Pius of Pietrelcina remained firmly committed to his faith in God, drawing ever more people and pilgrims seeking his advice and help, for him to heal them and cast out demons, and for hearing their confessions. This is why, the devil truly hated him so, because St. Pius of Pietrelcina, by his dedication and faith, and by his perseverance and faith, and holiness, inspired many to turn away from sin and evil, and back towards God’s path.

Brothers and sisters in Christ, let us all therefore follow the great examples set by St. Pius of Pietrelcina, in all the holy actions and works that he had done, in his devotion to prayer and to the righteous and virtuous path of God. Let us all not lose heart or be discouraged by the challenges that we may face in life, but be the inspiration and be the role models for one another, in all of our actions, words and deeds, so that in everything, we may always inspire more and more in this world, all those around us, to walk ever more faithfully, in the path that God has revealed to us. Let us all be great role model in nurturing our Christian faith, so that we may truly be the shining beacons of God’s Good News and light. May God be with us always, and may He bless our every efforts and endeavours, now and forevermore. Amen.

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Saturday, 23 September 2023 : 24th Week of Ordinary Time, Memorial of St. Pius of Pietrelcina, Priest (Gospel Reading)

Liturgical Colour : White

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.”