Scripture Reflections

by

Monday, 27 June 2016 : 13th Week of Ordinary Time, Memorial of St. Cyril of Alexandria, Bishop and Doctor of the Church (Homily and Scripture Reflections)

Liturgical Colour : Green or White (Bishops)

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, on this day we heard about the great anger of God which He had raised against His own people, all because of their disloyalty, their insubordination and extremely rebellious attitude, refusing to listen to the Lord their God and preferring to walk on their own decided paths. They sold themselves to debauchery and to the pagan idols of their neighbours, and turned a deaf ear to the Lord and to His prophets.

God had done so much for their sake, destroying their enemies before them and protecting them from all those who desired for their destruction, and He also brought them to deliverance from their suffering and slavery in the land of Egypt, giving them land to stay and dwell in, showing His great power and majesty in carrying them out into freedom.

And yet, through the generations, they had been unfaithful. They complained when God brought them out of Egypt into the desert, raising up a golden calf for themselves to worship as a god. And they disobeyed and complained on the harsh laws and rules which the Lord gave to them, because they were themselves lazy, poisoned by the laziness of this world, and the complacency which led to the raise of temptations of the flesh.

Thus, that was why even many of the people of God eventually slid down the slippery slope of sin and disobedience, abandoning the Lord their God, because they found the world and its temptations to be more appealing and attractive to them rather than what the Lord offered them in the discipline of the faith. They found that following the Lord was too difficult and too demanding for them, and thus, they faltered.

And that is the same reality which our Lord Jesus mentioned to the teacher of the Law and to His disciples about following Him and His ways. When two of them came up to Him and said that they needed to do so and so first before following Him, and saying that they would follow Him wherever He went, He mentioned to them that to follow the Lord, one cannot be divided or to be distracted in his or her heart.

It was those distractions and temptations which had led the people of Israel in the past to wander and to drift away from the Lord into wickedness and sin, and that was what Jesus had warned His disciples about, that following Him is a difficult matter, and challenges and oppression would come upon all those who professed their faith in Him, for He was taking them out of the world, and the world controlled by Satan does not like that.

It is a reminder to us all that being a Christian is not a part-time job, and neither should it be a mere formality. To be a Christian means for us to commit ourselves, body, heart, mind and soul in obeying the Lord and His commandments, and to devote ourselves, our time and our commitment to transform ourselves and others around us by righteousness and through our devotion to the ways of God.

It is a reminder also that we have to be the bearers of the truth of Christ, by showing love to one another and by showing that we truly belong to the Lord through our ways. We should no longer say things or act in the way which would identify us as those who do not belong to God. We have to persevere and stand by our faith even though it will indeed be difficult for us, and we will be ridiculed, rejected and even persecuted for doing so. But great is our reward in the Lord.

Let us all see the example of St. Cyril of Alexandria, the holy saint whose feast we are celebrating today. St. Cyril of Alexandria was the Bishop and Patriarch of Alexandria, one of the greatest early centres of Christianity. St. Cyril of Alexandria lived and served the Lord and His people at a time of great turmoil and trouble for the faithful, a truly difficult time to live in.

St. Cyril lived at the time when the faithful and the Church in Alexandria were divided among the different groups, where several of these were in open heresy against the true faith. He was in constant struggle over the supporters of the heretic Nestorius and his false teachings, known to us as the Nestorians. Those people alleged that the divine and the human nature of Jesus was separate as two distinct beings, which were false and untrue.

And thus St. Cyril of Alexandria worked hard through his works, writings and preachings to condemn the false teachings of the heretics and convinced the people of God to remain faithful to God and His truth, even though his enemies made his life difficult and challenged him wherever he went. He endured persecutions and oppositions, and to the very end, he remained faithful and committed to save the people of God from the falsehoods of Satan.

Brothers and sisters in Christ, St. Cyril of Alexandria remained faithful and true to the Lord even though he suffered rejection, ridicule and even persecution for his faithfulness. Are we able to do the same as well? Are we all able to commit ourselves to God just as he had committed himself fully to the Lord his God and Saviour? Let us all discern and ponder all these deep in our hearts.

May God our Lord and Master help us to find the courage to stand up for Him and for the Church, that we will not tolerate or be complacent in our faith, that in all things, we may always remain true to He Who loves us all and Who will bless us the faithful ones with the eternal glory and joy of heaven. God bless us all. Amen.

by

Sunday, 26 June 2016 : 13th Sunday of Ordinary Time (Homily and Scripture Reflections)

Liturgical Colour : Green

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, today we heard the passages from the Holy Scriptures, all of which spoke about being called and chosen by our God, to be His servant and follower, and to dedicate our lives to Him as we have been called to do so. In the first reading, we heard about the calling of the prophet Elisha, whom God called through Elijah His prophet, so that Elisha might continue what good works Elijah had started.

And in the Gospel today we heard about Jesus Who called His disciples and the people to follow Him and to leave everything they had behind them, even families, possessions and all other things that prevented them from devoting themselves fully to God. And truly indeed, it is not something that is easy to be done. Jesus Himself mentioned to them that while even animals had places to lay their heads, He had none.

What does that mean, brothers and sisters in Christ? That means Jesus was telling His disciples that to follow Him and to be His true disciples, it requires a great deal of effort and sacrifice, and also that by no means that it would be easy. Challenges and difficulties would come their way, and just as the world had rejected and persecuted Jesus, they too would share in His rejection, persecution and suffering.

From all these, we ought to reflect how it is like to be a Christian, and to be a faithful follower of our Lord Jesus in this modern era, in these difficult and challenging times. It is just as difficult and challenging now as it was in those times, when the Lord still walked on this world with His Apostles and disciples. And as it was then, there is still a great need for those who would listen to God or His calling and follow that calling.

Firstly, it is referring to our priests and all who have given their lives to the service of the Lord. These people have given their time, effort and attention to God, and through their dedication, they have done many good things for the Church, that is for the people of God. After all, without them, there would be no one who would carry the message of the Gospels and the Good News to us and to many others who have not received the salvation in God.

But is it only about our priests, our bishops and our religious, all those who devoted their whole lives to God? No! In fact it is also about all of us, including all of the laity and all the people who followed the Lord and yet continued to live their lives as usual in this world. Each and every one of us have a part to play in following our God and in obeying His laws.

How many of us truly live our lives faithfully? How many of us are willing to put the concerns of the world aside for our God? And just how many among us have ignored our God and left Him behind in the pursuit of worldly happiness, joy and celebrations? How many of us can claim that we have stayed true to our God in all things? It is important that we should understand this, or else we are going to continue in our downwards path, for we often act, but we do not think or discern carefully.

Have we given something or done something to contribute to the works of the Church? Have we helped the faithful servants of God, our priests, bishops, all the religious and all others who have devoted themselves to God with all their hearts? If we have not done so in all these, it is most likely because we are either too afraid to do so because of the challenges which we are facing, or rather that we may be too distracted by our temptations so as to follow God’s path faithfully.

Brothers and sisters in Christ, let us all hesitate no longer! After all, God did not hesitate at all when He sent us His only beloved Son, Jesus Christ our Lord, to be our Saviour. He Himself suffered and bore the burdens of our sins on His back, being tortured and humiliated for our mistakes, so that through Him and the sacrifice which He had given to God for our sake, we all may be saved and have life in Him.

The Church cannot function properly without active participation from all of its members, and we are all part of the same Church, God’s one and only Church in this world. And we are also in dire need of faithful servants of God, those who followed in the footsteps of Elijah and Elisha the prophets, and the Apostles and the disciples of Christ.

I was referring to the vocations to the priesthood. We have many good young men around us who were willing to embrace the calling of the Lord, only for their families and the society around them to shun them and to dampen their spirits, or worse, that is to prevent them sometimes even with violence, from becoming who they were meant to be, the consecrated priests and servants of the Lord.

And that is where we all, the laity and all others must work together as one Church, and support the works of the Lord through His Church. Parents, let us not hamper or prevent our children who have heard the calling of God to serve Him from doing so. And young men and women, those who have been called to their respective vocations, embrace God’s calling and be who you are meant to be, God’s workers and labourers in the field of this world.

And when all of us are working together, participating actively in God’s saving works, all of us will be justified in Him and He shall bless us and give us His grace. Let us all not lose sight or be discouraged by the challenges that we meet on our path, but instead, let us all renew our commitment to the Lord, that we may be ever more committed to serve the Lord and to bring His light into this darkened world.

May God bless us all and all of our endeavours, so that we may draw ever closer to Him, and find salvation and eternal life, all of us, brothers and sisters, children of the same Lord our God. Amen.

by

Saturday, 25 June 2016 : 12th Week of Ordinary Time (Homily and Scripture Reflections)

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

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, on this day we heard firstly from the Book of Lamentations of the sorrows of Israel, the people of God, whom God had rejected because they had disobeyed Him and persistently refused to walk in His ways, preferring the company and worship of the pagan idols and gods. God had given them up to the hands of their enemies, and they looked for Him without avail, for they had been left behind.

But God Who loved all of His people would not abandon them forever. He extended His mercy and love to them, and called them back to Him. But their salvation and liberation required their repentance and their genuine faith, that is the genuine desire to seek Him and to change their ways wholeheartedly so that in all that they do, they would no longer do what displeased God but instead be faithful to Him from then on.

Yet, there were many obstacles for that path, as the people of God, as men are, are very susceptible for their desires and greed, and they were also renowned for their pride. It is not easy for sinners to come to terms with their sins and regret them, as their pride often came in the way. Pride caused men to refuse God’s mercy, love and forgiveness, and it made them to persevere and continue in their sinfulness.

And this is where Jesus came in with His experience with the captain of the guard, which we heard in our Gospel today. The captain of the guard had a servant who was ill with paralysis and suffered from it terribly, and he wanted Jesus to heal his servant that he might be whole once again and be freed from his sufferings. Here it may be just seen as another of Jesus’ healing miracles where He touched the person and that person was healed, but yet, there is something very important there which all of us should take note of.

And that is regarding what the captain had said to Jesus as He went on His way to the house. The captain said politely that he was not worthy to receive Jesus under his roof, for he was a sinner. And for us to be able to understand the meaning of these words fully, we have to understand the context and the situation facing that captain and then we will be able to know more what we ourselves are to do in our own lives.

Brothers and sisters in Christ, the captain of the guard was not specified in the Gospel whether he was a Jew or a Roman, but firstly, if he was a Roman, then at that time, the custom of the Jews was that for a non-Jew like a Roman, and after all, a pagan, it was a taboo for a Jew to come and visit the house of a Gentile. And even if he was a Jew, being a soldier, his lifestyle and work which dealt with killing people and violence must have made him felt uneasy to welcome such a great Master to his place.

But he threw away all of his pride and fear, and he also overcame all of his anxieties and uncertainties, and came humbly begging for Jesus with complete faith in Him, that He would be able to heal his servant. And he bared it before all the people who followed Jesus, that he was unworthy, sinner, unclean and his conscience told him that he should not let the Lord to be besmirched by his unworthiness.

What does this tell us brethren? The captain of the guard showed us all how we should act as Christians before the Lord our God. God saw his great faith and praised him, and He listened to his petitions and fulfilled them. He healed the servant and showed the example of his faith to those who followed Him. That captain was an example of how we should live our lives faithfully before God, and most importantly that we must seek our God with great humility, owning up all of our sins and asking Him for forgiveness.

We may think that this is something trivial and easy to be done, but in fact, it is not. All of us must have experienced and knew how difficult it is for us to own up our mistakes, and we tend to hide them or to conceal them with lies and sweet words, so as not to ask for forgiveness and destroy our ego. But this is where our downfall comes from, and if we do not act, then I am afraid that it may drag us deeper into the darkness and from there into eternal damnation.

Therefore, brothers and sisters in Christ, let us all reflect on today’s Scripture readings, and let us all commit ourselves anew to God, promising to live our lives more faithfully from now on, and no longer be afraid to seek Him and to confess our sins before Him. If we have not gone to confession for a while, then it may be the time right now for us to do so. Remember, we must not wait until it is too late, as we do not know when the time is up for us.

May God strengthen our faith in us, and may He empower us to live our lives faithfully and devote ourselves ever more strongly to Him. May He forgive us our sins and help us to walk more faithfully in His presence, that we may find our way to Him and receive the grace of salvation and eternal life. God bless us all. Amen.

by

Friday, 24 June 2016 : Solemnity of the Nativity of St. John the Baptist (Homily and Scripture Reflections)

Liturgical Colour : White

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, on this day we celebrate the great feast and solemnity in honour of the great saint and Herald of our Saviour, St. John the Baptist, whom God had sent to walk before Him, in order to prepare the way for His own coming into the world in Jesus Christ. On this day we commemorate the birth of St. John the Baptist, faithful and devoted servant of God Most High, through whom God willed to reveal Himself to the world.

St. John the Baptist was told to be the return of the prophet Elijah to the world, as Elijah was taken up by God with the flaming chariots of God Himself, and just as the prophet Elijah was sent to the people of Israel to call them to repent from their sins and to turn their backs against the wickedness that they and their ancestors have committed, thus, St. John the Baptist also came into the world, called and chosen by God since within his mother’s womb, to be the one to call God’s people to repentance and forgiveness in God.

And God was with him as he grew up and became strong in faith. He wandered in the desert, preparing himself for the ministry to which he was called into, that is the ministry to proclaim the One and only Messiah and Saviour of the world, God Himself Who became Man for the sake of our salvation. He preached to the people, many of whom had been living in ignorance of God and His ways, calling them to repent their sinful ways and return to God in penitence.

Many came to follow him and listened to him. They gave themselves to be baptised by St. John through the baptism of water, that they might prepare themselves for the eventual coming of the Lord and Saviour. He also rebuked the Pharisees, the elders and the teachers of the Law for their hypocrisy in faith and pride, calling them brood of vipers, those who have neglected their duties in guiding the people of God for their own benefits.

But when the people thought that he was the Messiah and Saviour of God, he humbly rejected that opinion, and he told his disciples openly that he was not the Messiah. He told all of them that when the Lord and Messiah came, which would be soon at that time, he who was the greatest of the prophets of God and most honoured of all, would not even be worthy to untie the straps of the sandals of the Lord Who was coming into the world.

In all these examples, we can see the example of a great servant of God, who was devoted and totally committed to the mission he was called to by God, and yet was filled with humility and love for his Lord and Master. When mankind by their nature would give in to pride and to their human desires, and the tendency for them to follow their heart’s wishes, St. John the Baptist showed us all how to be a committed and good follower of our God.

What does this mean, brothers and sisters in Christ? It means that we as Christians must be true disciples of our Lord, in all of our words, deeds and actions. We cannot be calling ourselves as Christians and yet our actions prove to be otherwise. If that is so, then we are causing a great scandal both to our faith and to our Lord Himself.

Let us all today as we reflect on this occasion of the Solemnity of the birth of St. John the Baptist, the Herald of our Lord and Saviour, the one who made it known to all the world that God was coming to save the whole race of mankind, that we may give ourselves to the Lord in the same manner as St. John the Baptist himself had devoted himself to God.

May God help us in our endeavours and in our perseverance and commitment to live by His grace, that we may be inspired to follow and walk in the footsteps of St. John the Baptist, fully committing ourselves to God and remaining humble and loving in His presence. May we all as Christians be light for the world, and reveal the truth about Christ to the darkened world just as St. John the Baptist had once done. May God bless us all, now and forever. Amen.

by

Thursday, 23 June 2016 : 12th Week of Ordinary Time (Homily and Scripture Reflections)

Liturgical Colour : Green

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, on this day we heard about the first exile of the people of Judah from Jerusalem and the rest of Judah into exile in Babylon, which was done by the king of Babylon, Nebuchadnezzar. Many people were uprooted from their lands and were carried away into a foreign land, and many more would follow when the same king of Babylon destroyed the city of Jerusalem eleven years from what we heard in the Scriptures today.

In all that, we saw the final stage of the downfall of the Israelites, who had for generations been disobedient to God, and following their own ways, they have brought upon themselves those consequences which at that time, the time finally was at hand for them to endure the sufferings and tribulations as punishments for their numerous and wicked sins.

In the Gospel today we heard our Lord Jesus Who spoke to the people about the parable of the foundations or the parable of the houses. He spoke of those who did not listen or act upon what they have heard from the Lord, as those who built their houses on the weak and unstable foundation of sand, while those who in their faith kept faithfully the commandments of the Lord and did what the Lord had asked of them, built their houses on the firm foundation of the word of God.

This is closely related to what we have heard in the first reading about the downfall of the people of Judah, how they were defeated by the Babylonians and were carted off into exile. Those faithless people had disobeyed God from time to time, again and again. Many of them refused to listen to the prophets and leaders who were sent to them, from Isaiah to Jeremiah, and from many other servants of God who told them of God’s words and His will.

They were like those mentioned by Jesus our Lord as those who built their houses on the shaky and unstable foundation of sand, as they trusted in their own power and in worldly things. They refused to submit to God and to obey His will. They worshipped the pagan idols and gods of their neighbours, the Canaanites, the Ammonites, the Moabites and others.

And God in His anger turned away from them and withheld from them His grace and blessings. He let them to be on their own, supported by their own power, and very soon they realised that no human power is useful without the grace and blessings from God. When troubles come, and when all the challenges of life came, the power and strength of their wealth and worldly power could no longer help them, and they were at the mercy of their enemies.

But those who put their trust in the Lord shall never be shaken. We just have to look at the clear example of Abraham, our father in faith, who followed the Lord Who called him, leaving behind his ancestral lands, and travelled to a faraway foreign land, and God blessed him and all those who were with him. And He has also fulfilled the promise which He made with him, to make his descendants to be great among the nations.

And God Himself brought His beloved people, the children of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob out from the slavery at the land of Egypt. He brought them out by the means of mighty power, which He displayed against the Egyptians and their Pharaoh. He cast the Ten Plagues against Egypt, and brought them away from death and destruction intended on them, and opened a sea before them to walk through. And He fed them with manna and with crystal clear water. What else can we seek from the Lord, our faithful and loving God?

Brothers and sisters in Christ, therefore, let us all devote ourselves to the Lord with a renewed spirit, especially if we have not done so all these while. Let us all resist the many temptations of the flesh, the temptations of this world, which Satan is using to corrupt us and to divert us away from finding the way to the Lord, our God and Saviour. May God help us in our journey towards Him, and may He strengthen each and every one of us, now and forever. Amen.

by

Wednesday, 22 June 2016 : 12th Week of Ordinary Time, Memorial of St. Paulinus of Nola, Bishop and St. John Fisher, Bishop and St. Thomas More, Martyrs (Homily and Scripture Reflections)

Liturgical Colour : Green or White (Bishops) or Red (Martyrs)

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, on this day, we heard firstly the account of what happened during the time of king Josiah of Judah, when the book of the Law of God was rediscovered in the Temple of God after it had been abandoned or presumably lost for quite some time. The king ordered for the Law to be read to him, and what he heard astounded him and made him tore his clothes in regret to the Lord.

King Josiah was a faithful king, who renewed the covenant of God with His people in the kingdom of Judah. He destroyed the pagan worship sites and the pagan idols, destroying their altars and returned the purity to the faith of the people, enforcing once again the righteous and good worship of YHVH, their Lord and God. And he was also renowned for his celebration of the proper Passover again which have not been truly observed since the days of Solomon, several centuries prior.

But then why did he tremble and acted in terror when he heard about the Law of God which were read to him? That is because the Law of God told the people about the blessings which God would give all those who obeyed the Lord and were faithful to Him, while curses and destruction would be the fate of all those who have disobeyed the Lord and abandoned His ways.

And prior to the reign of king Josiah, there had been many wicked and unfaithful kings of Judah, amidst some of those who were faithful. And these led the people of God in Judah into sin, and as a result, God’s wrath was stoked against His people and His anger has blazed against them. And by the time of Josiah, the time of reckoning was at hand, as the time when the people of Judah would be carried off into exile as what their northern brethren had experienced was coming.

A good king produces good results, and led his people into the right paths. And that was what Josiah tried to do, to led the wayward people of God back to His presence, and hopefully the anger of God would be appeased and calmed down. Unfortunately, for a good king like Josiah and some of his predecessors, there were too many of those who had been wicked and unfaithful.

And these wicked leaders led the people into sin as I have mentioned. A bad tree also produces bad and rotten fruits as well. It was what the Lord Jesus mentioned in the Gospel today. And in the end, as Josiah was the last king of Judah who was faithful to God, and the people of God had their last chance of redemption and forgiveness through him. Unfortunately, they continued to live in sin, and thus God scattered them through the foreign lands where they were exiled in, after the Holy City and the Temple of God were destroyed.

In this we heard what are the consequences if we do not keep our faith in God, and if we do what is wicked and evil. If our hearts are filled with impurities and corruptions of the world, then it is likely that our actions will also be filled with sins and wickedness, and as a result, we are in great danger, for if the Lord comes again to judge us, then He may find our faith wanting, and we will be judged amongst those who deserve the eternal suffering of hell.

If we want to be saved, then we must make sure that we walk in the path of righteousness, and lead a just and devoted life. And if we have not done so all these while, then we should start it right now. Otherwise, if we have done so, then we should continue doing what is right and just before God. And indeed, today, we are all blessed with the presence of not just one, but three honourable saints whose feast we commemorate today.

St. Paulinus of Nola was a Roman noble, who was born into privilege and belonged to a distinguished family, who became an official in the government and eventually rising to the rank of the Roman governor of Campania, a very distinguished and privileged position at that time, ruling one of the main provinces and region of Italy, the heart of the Roman Empire.

But despite that influential position, and the wealth and position which he possessed, St. Paulinus of Nola changed his ways almost entirely after he married a Christian to be his wife. He accepted the Lord as his Messiah and Saviour, and was baptised as a Christian. He was once a devoted pagan, but after having been baptised and followed the Lord’s way, he came to realise the errors of his previous ways, and changed his ways almost completely.

After his son died at an early young age, he and his wife shunned all forms of worldly influences and attractions, with St. Paulinus of Nola leaving behind his career as the governor of Campana and embraced wholly the way of the Lord through service to the Church of God and to His people. And St. Paulinus of Nola ministered to the people of God over many years, eventually appointed as the Bishop of Nola.

Meanwhile St. Thomas More was the Chancellor under the employ of the King of England, King Henry VIII. He was a powerful man with great influence, and he has a lot of power and authority being the one most trusted and most powerful beneath the king himself. However, he remained humble and devoted to his works, and in many cases, he did his best for the sake of his kingdom and his Faith.

St. Thomas More in particular was strongly against the heresy of the Protestant ‘reformation’, the heresy which had spread rapidly throughout Christendom, and caused many people to fall into sin. And he worked closely with the Church, ensuring that the heretical teachings were outlawed and prevented from misleading the people of God into sin.

St. Thomas More remained steadfast even in the midst of the increasing pressure from the king and his allies, all of whom were drifting gradually towards the Protestant camp, with the king having had the grudge against the Church and the Pope for the refusal against the remarriage of the king with another woman as well as his protracted attempt at annulment from his wife, which caused a great scandal at that time.

Both he and St. John Fisher, Bishop of Rochester, refused to obey the king on the matters in which he had caused a break between the Church in England from Rome. St. Thomas More resigned his Chancellorship and remained true to his faith, and openly with St. John Fisher stood against the tide of heresy and wickedness that had engulfed the king and his court.

They were the examples of good trees that produce good fruits, for their steadfast faith led to great courage and bravery to stand up even against overwhelming forces, and even in the face of suffering and death. They were martyred for their Faith, and from their examples, inspirations and hope remained for many people to keep up their faith even amidst persecutions.

Brothers and sisters in Christ, let us all today reflect on all these, and think about what all of us as the people of God can do, so that our actions, words and deeds may be filled with righteousness because our hearts and minds are filled with the Law of God, as well as obedience to His laws and the justice and strength which God has given to all of His faithful ones. Let us all commit ourselves anew to God, and do our best to be righteous in His sight always. God bless us all. Amen.

by

Tuesday, 21 June 2016 : 12th Week of Ordinary Time, Memorial of St. Aloysius Gonzaga, Religious (Homily and Scripture Reflections)

Liturgical Colour : White

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, on this day we heard about the Lord Jesus Who reminded all of us that the path to the Lord and His salvation is difficult and tough, and the gate to His presence is narrow. And many would not be able to enter into the kingdom of God. Those who manage to enter are those whose faith have been tested by trials and tribulations and yet they remain faithful to the very end without doubt and without falling into temptation.

And we have an excellent example of this from the Old Testament, as we heard today how the king Hezekiah of Judah, the faithful king of God’s people stood up against Sennacherib, the great and very mighty king of Assyria, feared all over the known world at that time due to his great conquests and his ruthlessness. Sennacherib brought all of his armies to strike at Jerusalem, which stood defiantly against the Assyrian forces.

And Sennacherib taunted Hezekiah and the people of Judah, boasting of his many conquests and his many triumphs, and how all of them were not saved by their gods and idols, and were delivered into his hands. He boasted that neither the Lord our God, the God of Israel would be able to save Jerusalem and Judah from Sennacherib and his mighty armies.

But Hezekiah and the people of Judah did not falter in their faith in God. They knew that God has been faithful to His covenant, and He would not abandon His people in their time of need. And unlike the other gods and idols which were mere creations of men and their hands, the Lord God of Israel is the one and only true God Who created all and rules over all, even over the Assyrians and Sennacherib.

And God delivered Hezekiah and Judah through His mighty power, saving them for they have stood by Him faithfully to the end, even amidst such a great odds stacked against them. He sent His mighty Angel to slay most if not all of Sennacherib’s mighty army. The mighty and great army of the Assyrians has been humbled and destroyed.

We were told that a hundred and eighty-five thousand soldiers of the Assyrians perished that day, and this told us that the army which besieged Jerusalem was very great indeed. And this was at the time when Hezekiah would likely not be able to barely muster even ten thousand men to defend his kingdom. And thus we see again how great is the victory that God would give to His faithful ones over the wicked.

And Sennacherib would return in total shame to Nineveh, his capital, having his armies destroyed and his aim of conquering Jerusalem unfulfilled. And he met his end, murdered by two of his own sons who killed him in the temple of his gods. In the end, from this history, we can see how many people would not enter into the glory of God but end up in defeat and destruction.

Only those who keep their faith and stand fast amidst the darkness will triumph in the end. Those who have been true to God will be richly rewarded. And thus all of us have to persevere in faith and devote ourselves to the Lord in all things. And perhaps the saint whose feast we are celebrating today can give us hints on how we ought to live our lives faithfully and gain righteousness in God.

St. Aloysius Gonzaga was the scion of a noble family who was expected to be the successor to his father’s noble titles and rights, as well as possessions and wealth. And from early on in his life, he has been prepared for that role to be the head of the noble house. He was given military training and good education, but deep in St. Aloysius Gonzaga’s heart, the seeds of love and devotion for the Lord began to take root and grow deep.

St. Aloysius witnessed the terrible nature of the conflicts that raged on in Italy and Spain during his youth at that time, when wars and conflicts were commonplace, and where conflicts between noble houses and families were numerous. As such, he witnessed how two of his brothers were killed in that conflict, and St. Aloysius Gonzaga began questioning his aim and direction in life, which eventually led to his desire to become a Jesuit.

And although his father was firmly against the decision, but St. Aloysius Gonzaga was truly firm and committed in his decision. Eventually he became a Jesuit, leaving behind all his rights to succeed to the titles and properties of his ancestors, and gave himself wholly to the service of God and His people. He served the poor, the sick and the dying, including those who are affected by the epidemics that were raging at that time.

And it was in the midst of that faithful service that St. Aloysius Gonzaga himself was affected by the sickness, became weak and dying himself. But to the very end, he still desired and indeed, still ministered to the poor and the sick to whom he had devoted his life to. And after his death immediately many miracles attributed to him were reported. And thus we see how God reward His righteous ones with glory and grace.

And looking at the glory of the saints in heaven, we too shall receive the same glory that the saints have received. And thus, let us all commit ourselves to the work of God, and let us all strive to be ever righteous and just in all things, that we may receive the salvation promised to us by our God. May God bless us all, now and forever. Amen.

by

Monday, 20 June 2016 : 12th Week of Ordinary Time (Homily and Scripture Reflections)

Liturgical Colour : Green

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, on this day firstly we heard about the story of the downfall of the northern kingdom of Israel, which was the breakaway state consisting of ten of the twelve tribes of Israel. That northern kingdom had had many kings who led them down the path of disobedience and rebellion against God, and they also refused to follow the house of David, who ruled the southern kingdom of Judah, whom God had appointed to rule over His people.

And as the Lord had repeatedly sent His many servants, including the prophets Elijah and Elisha to call them to repent from their sins, and yet they refused to budge and change their ways, therefore, God showed His anger on them and destroyed their whole nation. They were conquered by the Assyrians, who brought them into exile far away from the lands that once belonged to them. And they were scattered among the nations.

As we can see here, the wicked deeds of the people and the nation led the Lord to judge them for their sins and wickedness. And when God judged them, they were found wanting and unworthy, and thus for their punishment, they had to endure humiliation after humiliation, and suffering after sufferings. That is the just price they have paid for their lack of faith in God, their Lord and Master, Whom they have betrayed for the pagan idols.

And how does this relate to what we heard in the Gospel today? It is relevant because Jesus our Lord spoke to His disciples with regards to being judgmental and in the matter of judging one another. In the first place, all of us should understand that it is in our human nature that we tend to be judgmental. And even in matters as simple as our opinions of other people around us, all these are already filled with judgmental attitudes.

So, is it correct or wrong to judge another person? Then let us delve deep into the matter and understand fully what our Lord Jesus, our God wants to tell us about being judgmental. There is what is right and what is wrong in making judgments, and it is important that we should not get it wrong, or otherwise, what may be great help for other people will instead be a great bane and hindrance for us.

Brothers and sisters in Christ, our Lord Jesus said that we should not judge. He said, “Do not judge, or you will be judged.” And many of us straight away jump to the conclusion that we should not judge no matter what. What is worse, some of us even said such statement such as, “Who am I to judge?” or “Why should I judge?” These people forgot that in another occasion, Jesus also said that we should judge with a good judgment.

It means that we must not judge when that judgment ends up becoming a prejudice and a bias against someone. It also means that we must not judge when we end up judging and thinking that we are superior than the one we judge. That is the attitude which we should not have, and indeed what our Lord Jesus has warned us against.

It was just like the Pharisees and the chief priests, the elders and the teachers of the Law, whose attitudes are always judgmental in nature. They were always proud of their supposedly pious ways and boasted of them to the people openly. And they were judgmental towards others, all those whom they deemed to be inferior to them because these people did not obey the Law in the way that they did.

This is not what the Lord wanted to happen to us as well. But at the same time, we should not be a people who does not know how to judge. In his Epistle, St. Paul spoke about the faithful people of God who will one day judge the whole world. Clearly it does not mean that we must not judge, but rather than our judgment must be done out of good will as well as with good intentions.

Let us ask ourselves this question. If we refuse to judge and made comments about someone who committed sin, and allow that person to continue living in sin, would it not be that we have abandoned our duties as Christians? As Christians we are bound to help others and show them the way to the Lord. What we do not do, is to judge the state of the person’s soul. To decide whether a person will end up in heaven or in hell, is God’s prerogative and right alone. But to judge our brethren for their wicked and sinful behaviours, is our right and duty as the people of God.

Therefore, brothers and sisters in Christ, let us all from now on strive to help one another to reach out to the Lord, pointing out to our brethren when they make mistake or commit evil and sinful things, reminding or even if necessary, to chide them and rebuke them, so that they would realise the gravity of their own sins, and come to the realisation that a change of their life is necessary to save them from destruction and damnation.

May God help us all and bless us all in the endeavours and works we do for the sake of all the peoples, all the children of God. May we help one another to find our way together to the Great Judge of all, and be found worthy in Him. God be with us all, now and forever. Amen.

by

Sunday, 19 June 2016 : 12th Sunday of Ordinary Time, Memorial of St. Philip Minh, Priest and Companions, Martyrs (Homily and Scripture Reflections)

Liturgical Colour : Green

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, on this day we heard the message from the Sacred Scriptures telling us about the salvation of God which He has given to us through Jesus Christ His Son, the long awaited fulfilment of God’s promise to the world, that He would bring them into salvation and eternal life, freedom and liberation from the darkness of sin and death.

God has had mercy on His people, and He was willing to give them the succour and the liberation from the troubles which they have gained by their own disobedience. We have to always remember, brethren, that while we were often disobedient to God, but God is always forever faithful to us. We have suffered not because of Him, but rather due to our own waywardness and lack of faith which led us to commit sin.

In the first reading, taken from the Book of the prophet Zechariah, the Lord promised His people that He would return the joy and blessings to the house of David and to His people. This message was given to a people who have endured great difficulties, as their ancestors’ disobedience and their own sins had brought them much misery, at the mercy of their enemies, uprooted and exiled from their own homeland, and suffered tremendously without God’s grace.

But amidst all of that, God gave them hope that a new light, the spring of life shall arise among them, to save them and to bring them once again into His favour and into His presence. In the second reading, which we received from the Epistle of St. Paul to the Galatians, we heard how through Jesus Christ, Who is the Light and the Spring of Life promised, all those who believe in Him has been made righteous and just.

And because of that, they received the grace of God and were made to be one people, as the members of the Church of God, where ancient divisions and distinctions no longer exists. There is now no more distinction between Jews or non-Jews, which were mostly the Greeks at that time. All are equal before God. God no longer limited His love and grace just to the people of Israel alone, but instead to the whole world. For the whole mankind are His most beloved creation and children, after all.

And the way through which He has endeavoured to help us all, has been revealed through the Gospel and from what we know of what He had done through Christ. For the Son of Man would be rejected by the elders and the chief priests, and would be handed over to the Romans to be sentenced to death by the cross. But it is through that act, through great suffering and enduring the sins which we have, that God had made us whole and justified once again through Him.

For such great love that God has shown us, He just require from us one thing. And that is that we should love Him back with the same love He has shown us, and if we love Him, we should also know that following God may mean that we may be rejected by the world as well, just as the world had rejected Him before. And we may endure the same sufferings and pains that He had once suffered from.

And that is our cross to bear, for each and every one of us has a cross to bear, the cross of our life. And these crosses we bear are united to the cross of Christ, as we share together in the suffering which He bore for our sake. And as we share in His suffering and death, so we have also shared in the same life which He has promised to all those who believe in Him.

And how do we as Christians bear our crosses each day? We do so by following what God had commanded us to do, that is to love Him with all our heart, devoting ourselves to Him with all of our effort. And if we think that this is easy, then we should remember again, that following God and His ways may mean that we have to do things which in the eyes of the world, in the sight of the community around us, we may be seen as weird, or even downright wicked.

Are we ready to face challenges or even persecution from the world for staying faithful to our God? Are we ready to defy the societal norms at times when we are called to choose between God and this world? That is our challenge in this world today, to stand up for our faith against the currents and forces of the world. And still, even so, we also have another challenge as well.

Why is that so? That is because the Lord also commanded us to show the same love to our brethren, to our neighbours, brothers and sisters. Are we able to show genuine love to all our brethren, that is, not just our beloved ones but even also those who resented and hated us, or those who have persecuted us? This is the cross that each of us have to bear as a Christian, as those whom God has made as one of His own.

Let us all reflect on these, and think about what else we can do if we have not done so, as a Christian, to show our love both to our God and to our brethren. Let us all devote ourselves all the more to God, and commit ourselves through faith and action, that through us we may find the salvation of God and be made blessed and righteous in our God. May God bless us and all of our endeavours and works. Amen.

by

Saturday, 18 June 2016 : 11th Week of Ordinary Time (Homily and Scripture Reflections)

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

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, on this day we heard the message from the Scripture about firstly how God rewards the just and punishes the wicked ones. He gives His blessings and grace to all those who devoted themselves to Him and His ways, while bringing down His wrath and curses on all those who have disobeyed Him.

And one example given was that of king Joash, the descendant of king David, the faithful servant of God. Continuing the narrative from yesterday’s passage, when we heard how God restored Joash to his throne as the rightful king after his grandmother queen Athaliah usurped the throne from the house of David. By the virtue of the great faith and devotion of king David, king Joash’s ancestor, God restored him to the throne of David.

Joash did remain faithful for a time, that is as long as his mentor, Jehoiada the High Priest lived. But after Jehoiada passed away, Joash began slipping into the way of wickedness and doing things that are against the laws and the will of God. And thus, despite having been warned of such wrong actions by Zechariah, the son of Jehoiada, Joash did not listen and continued down his path of sin and disobedience, and even plotted for the death of Zechariah.

As a result, God punished Joash by causing him to suffer the same death he has caused Zechariah. And that was indeed the reward for the wicked, that they would be cast out of God’s grace and be bereft of God’s love, and life will have no place in them. Meanwhile, He shall bless the righteous and the just, and He shall put His life into them.

In the Gospel today, Jesus our Lord spoke about the problem which is often faced by all of us, that is the division and dilemma which we mankind often have with regards to whom we should serve, be it God, or be it our possessions. It is also a dilemma, whether we should serve the Lord or serve the devil who opposes God. And many of us are often not aware that whenever we do something, we often have to make conscious decisions to choose one decision over the others.

It comes to the point of knowing that the worries and the concerns of the world are what have kept us away from the Lord and His ways. That is also the essence of what Jesus our Lord was telling His disciples on that day. We are often so concerned about ourselves, about what we are to eat, about what we are to wear, and about what we are to have and to receive, to the point that we completely forgot about the Lord and about our brethren around us.

And it is also what made we mankind to be selfish, concerned about ourselves and not about others who are around us. In our desire and attempt to gain more things for ourselves, we often even trample on the rights of others, causing harm, hurt and pain on them. And that was why we have sinned before God and before men, for we have not stopped to consider the needs of others, but instead concerned only with ourselves.

Brothers and sisters in Christ, let us all reflect on these, even as we continue to live our lives today in these world. Let us all put our trust more in the Lord our God, and less in ourselves and in the things of this world. And as Jesus our Lord has said, we should not worry about what we are to eat or what we are to have for ourselves. God will provide for us all that we need.

When we worry, it is when we shall start to drift away from God and into the hands of the devil. We cannot serve both God and the devil, and if we want to be truly faithful to our God, then we must do our best in order to be upright and be righteous in all our deeds, and we should try our best to resist those temptations in our hearts, that we may not fall into the trap of sin, and remain true and worthy to our God.

May the Lord help us and bless us, and may He strengthen us in our faith, and renew our lives so that we may be always filled with faith, hope and love, both for our God and for our fellow brethren. God bless us all. Amen.