Sunday Mass sermon

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Sunday, 29 June 2025 : Vigil Mass of the Solemnity of St. Peter and St. Paul, Apostles (Homily and Scripture Reflections)

Liturgical Colour : Red

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, this Sunday all of us celebrate together the occasion of the great Solemnity of St. Peter and St. Paul, the two great pillars of the Church, as two of the most important Apostles in the Church, with St. Peter the Apostle being the leader of all the Apostles, the leader of the Twelve Apostles, the chief servant of God as the one to whom the Lord had entrusted His Church, as the ‘Rock’ of faith upon which the Church had been founded upon. St. Peter the Apostle as the first Pope and Vicar of Christ led the whole entire Church in communion and together with all the whole body of the Apostles and the other disciples of the Lord, together with the whole entire Church, and he was called from his work as Simon the fisherman at the lake of Galilee to be a fisher of man in gathering all of God’s people to Himself.

Meanwhile, St. Paul the Apostle was once known as Saul, a young Pharisee who was very impulsive and zealous in pursuing the ideals and goals of the Pharisees and their version of the Jewish customs, faith and tradition, and was initially very militant in his efforts to attempt to root out the early Christian Church and faith, persecuting and arresting many of the disciples of the Lord. However, God had a different plan for Saul, whom he called on the way to Damascus in attempting to arrest more of the disciples and followers of the Lord. Saul was touched by the Lord and he had a life-changing experience, choosing to follow the Lord henceforth and becoming one of His greatest disciples and defenders, becoming Paul, the great Apostle to the Gentiles, for his courageous efforts in mission to the Gentiles or the non-Jewish people.

And this Sunday’s celebration particularly has a very great importance for all of us as we belong to the Roman Catholic Church and as part of the Roman Rite of the Church, with our Pope, Pope Leo XIV as the Successor of St. Peter as the Vicar of Christ and leader of the whole entire Church being also the Bishop of Rome, as the Ordinary of the Diocese of Rome, which was during the time of the Lord and His Apostles, the heart and centre of the then mighty Roman Empire. And it was in Rome that both St. Peter and St. Paul went to minister to the people of God and proclaim the Good News of the Lord to those who had not yet believed in God and known Him, and they were both eventually martyred there in Rome. Hence, that is why both St. Peter and St. Paul are celebrated this Sunday with this Solemnity as the Patron Saints of Rome, the seat of our Pope.

Then, as we all reflect upon the Scripture readings this Sunday, we are reminded of the great wonders and things which the Lord had done through St. Peter the Apostle and the other Apostles and disciples, who were merely ordinary men, and yet, they had been given great power and authority, just as we heard in our first reading this Sunday from the Acts of the Apostles. In that occasion we heard how St. Peter and St. John were both at the Beautiful Gate of the Temple of Jerusalem and they encountered a man who had been afflicted with paralysis since his birth, and seeing his sufferings and predicament, they told him that they had nothing to give him, not money or help in that manner, but they were giving him an even greater gift, the gift of salvation and healing in the Name of Jesus Christ, the Saviour of all.

This happened shortly after the Lord had risen from the dead and ascended into Heaven, and after the Holy Spirit had come upon all the Apostles and disciples of the Lord, the whole Church of God. The once fearful and timid Apostles and disciples began going forth most courageously and fearlessly in proclaiming the Good News of God, despite their earlier fears and uncertainties over the threats from the Pharisees and the other members of the Sanhedrin, the Jewish High Council, which had threatened action and gave pressure against all those who proclaimed and taught in the Name of the Lord Jesus, or spoke of His Resurrection and truths. However, as we heard in our first reading this Sunday, St. Peter and St. John fearlessly and courageously invoked the Name of the Lord as they healed the man from his affliction.

Then, as we heard from our second reading this Sunday, as was mentioned earlier on, in his Epistle to the Church and the faithful people of God in Galatia, St. Paul the Apostle spoke of his past experiences of persecuting the early Christian communities and how he had been young, impulsive and misguided by wrong upbringing and mistaken perspective as a Pharisee. But God rescued him out of that situation and predicament, and through His guidance, help and strength, what was a great enemy of the Church turned into one of the Church’s greatest champions and defenders, making great use of his talents, energy and enthusiasm for the greater glory of God and for spreading the Good News of God instead of persecuting the Church wrongly as he had done earlier on.

St. Paul received the baptism and was welcomed into the Church, receiving the gift of the Holy Spirit and was instructed in the faith by the Apostles themselves, the members of the Twelve whom St. Paul mentioned meeting, and despite not being member of the Lord’s disciples when the Lord was still around in the world, he received the same truth that the other Apostles and disciples of the Lord had themselves received and preserved, by the sharing of the experiences and truths which the Lord’s disciples and followers had experienced firsthand. And from this exchange, St. Paul was strengthened through the Holy Spirit to go forth to the many places where he ministered to many of the Gentiles or the non-Jewish people throughout his many missionary journeys, that he became known as the Apostle to the Gentiles, the one spearheading the rapid expansion of the Church beyond its homeland in Judea and Jerusalem.

Lastly, from our Gospel passage this Sunday Vigil Mass, we also heard the account from the Gospel according to St. John the Apostle andLuke the Evangelist where the exchange between the Risen Lord Jesus and St. Peter the Apostle in Galilee was highlighted to us, where the Lord Jesus asked St. Peter not just once but three times, ‘Peter, do you love Me?’, and the significance of these questions must be understood from the context of what happened before between them during the time of the Lord’s Passion, the moment when He was betrayed by Judas Iscariot and persecuted. It was at that time, as we all should know that the Lord was also abandoned by all of His disciples, and St. Peter, who earlier on had declared that he would even die for Him, denied knowing Him when confronted by the people, not just once but three times.

Therefore, when the Risen Lord asked St. Peter not just once, but three times whether he loved Him, this was a very powerful symbol and reminder for St. Peter that the Lord has truly forgiven him and everything he had done in denying Him earlier on. The Lord’s love and compassion are truly boundless, and St. Peter, whose love and commitment to the Lord was also truly real and strong, devoted and committed himself totally to the Lord from then onwards. It was this great faith which the Lord saw and knew to be present in St. Peter, and which was why He chose him to be the leader of all of His Apostles and disciples in the first place, to be His Vicar and the first Pope. The Lord entrusted His Church and His entire flock of the faithful to St. Peter and the other Apostles, to be the ones to take care of them and to represent Him in this world.

Brothers and sisters in Christ, just as we have heard in our Scripture readings today and in all that we have just discussed, the Lord called both St. Peter and St. Paul from their ordinary and even most unlikely origins, the former being a mere illiterate and brash fisherman from the Lake of Galilee, who had even denied the Lord three times in times of distress, while the latter was an overzealous young Pharisee who persecuted the Church in the beginning. And yet, the Lord transformed them from their ordinary and unlikely origins and beginnings to be His great servants, to do many of His great works and perform many great wonders and miracles, touching the lives of so many people that they had encountered in their missions and journeys.

Therefore, brothers and sisters in Christ, as we rejoice greatly in this Solemnity of St. Peter and St. Paul, in honour of these two great saints and servants of God, let us all realise that the Lord has also been calling on each and every one of us to follow in their footsteps as well, and to do our very best in our lives so that by our commitment and good works, by our dedication and faith, our every actions, words and deeds, we will always glorify the Lord at all times and be active parts of the labours of His Church. May God be with us always, and may He strengthen us all in faith, in our love for Him, now and forevermore. Amen.

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Sunday, 22 June 2025 : Solemnity of the Most Holy Body and Blood of the Lord, Corpus Christi (Homily and Scripture Reflections)

Liturgical Colour : White

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, today we celebrate a very great occasion, a core tenet of our Christian faith, that is the belief in the Real Presence of Our Lord Himself in the Eucharist, in the bread and wine used during the Holy Mass, transformed by the will of the Father and the incarnation of the Son, and by the power and descent of the Holy Spirit, into the very substance and essence of Our Lord Himself, truly present in Body, Heart, Mind, Soul and Divinity before us all. This is the Dogma of the Transubstantiation, our firm belief that the bread and wine has been transformed completely into the Lord’s own Presence and Body and Blood, although in terms of appearance they may seem to still have the appearance, feel and taste of bread and wine.

On this day, we remember the same Sacrifice that the Lord Jesus had done at the Cross at Calvary, which is being celebrated at every celebration of the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass, at every Masses celebrated everywhere in the world, from the time of the Apostles, throughout history and up to the present day, and which will continue to be in the future until the end of time. This Holy Sacrifice that the Lord Himself has offered constituted Him as the Eternal High Priest of all, the One True High Priest Who offered on our behalf the only perfect and worthy offering for the atonement of our sins, as it is only by the breaking of the Most Precious Body and the shedding of the Most Precious Blood of the Lamb of God, Our Paschal Lamb, that we can be saved.

In our first reading today, we heard of the passage from the Book of Genesis in which the story of the interaction between Abraham and Melchizedek, the King of Salem was highlighted to us. This happened as Abraham came to settle in the Promised Land of Canaan after he had followed the Lord Who called him to go to the land that He would show him and entrusted to him and his descendants. Abraham trusted in the Lord even though he was childless even until he was close to a hundred years old, and he followed the Lord to where He led him, and in the occasion mentioned in today’s reading, he was just triumphant in a battle against the Canaanite kings in a mission to protect and recover Lot, his cousin that had been captured by those kings.

This figure of Melchizedek, the King of Salem was indeed a mysterious one, as he was described as a high priest of the Lord Most High, and it was told that no one knew his origins or that he was even without a father. In this sense therefore, many saw Melchizedek as a prefigurement of Christ Himself, Our Lord and Saviour, Who would indeed eventually come into this world, to do exactly the same thing that Melchizedek had done in offering the sacrifices to God as the High Priest of all creation. Melchizedek received Abraham’s offerings which the latter made in thanksgiving to God, and offered it on his behalf to the Lord, and this city of Salem that Melchizedek was king of, was indeed likely to be the one and the same as the city of Jerusalem, the city and place where the Lord would accomplish His mission in His Passion, suffering and death on the Cross.

Then, from our second reading today, we heard from the account made by St. Paul the Apostle in his Epistle to the Church and the faithful people of God in the region of Corinth regarding the events that happened at the moment when the Lord instituted the Holy Eucharist, this perfect gift from God, the Most Holy Sacrament, the manifestation of His Real Presence in the bread and wine which the priests and the other celebrants of the Mass offer to the Lord on our behalf, much like Melchizedek had done for Abraham, and this is done ‘in persona Christi’, as the priests celebrate the Mass in representing Christ Himself, our One and True Eternal High Priest. They do not offer the Mass on their own accord and their own strength, but representing the Lord Who has given us all most generously His own Most Precious Body and Blood for us.

When the Lord told the disciples at the moment of the Last Supper which St. Paul recounted to us, He truly meant every single words that He said, and He truly meant it when He said that the bread He had broken, blessed and shared with the disciples was indeed His Body, and the wine that He has also blessed and passed to be shared with the disciples was indeed His Blood. The Lord did not say that those were merely symbolic or representative, or a memorial or any of those sorts, replicating or resembling His Body and Blood. What He said, as affirmed further by St. Paul the Apostle and by the teaching of the early Church fathers, is that the bread and wine truly became the very Real Presence of the Lord, and are indeed the Most Holy and Precious Body and Blood of the Lord, through the actions of the priest, in invoking the power of God to enact this.

In our Gospel passage today, we heard then of the Lord feeding all of the multitudes of the five thousand people in the famous miracle that I am sure we are all well familiar with. Through this miracle we can see how the Lord is so loving and compassionate towards us, realising our physical needs just as much as we have our spiritual needs as well. He blessed the five loaves of bread and the two fishes that were presented to Him, breaking them and sharing them, and we heard how miraculously those small amount of food was enough to feed the whole multitude of five thousand people, with plenty of leftovers collected, amounting to twelve whole full baskets worth of food. Many people were happy and satisfied, fully filled by their experience with this miracle.

And after this event, chronologically in the events of the Lord’s ministry, many people came seeking Him and wanting Him to be their King, and the Lord told them that they desired this because they were happy to get the food from all those miraculous multiplication of the loaves of bread and fish, the food that satisfied the physical self and the body. However, the Lord told them then that what is more important is the food that lasts forever, and the true and real Food which He would share to them which would bring them all to the promise of eternal life and true happiness with Him. This was highlighted in the discourse on the Bread of Life in the Gospel of St. John the Apostle, where the Lord Jesus clearly stated to all those who followed Him that He is that Bread of Life which has come down from Heaven.

The Lord also stated, just as He had done in the Last Supper, that His Body is real Food and His Blood is real Drink, and they were to be given to everyone to partake and share, so that all those who partake in the Body and Blood of the Son of God and Son of Man would have eternal life in them. Again, all these highlighted the undeniable and clear fact that what the Lord Himself has instituted at the Last Supper was truly His Most Precious Body and Blood manifested in the bread and wine which He had transformed into the very Essence and Reality of His Body and Blood, His own Presence with them, which we therefore partake and therefore God Himself dwell within us all. And should we wonder if this is possible, we do not have to look far but the miracle that He Himself performed in feeding the five thousand people. What seems impossible for us mankind, is possible for God, as there is nothing impossible for God.

Now, brothers and sisters in Christ, let us all consider carefully how we have believed in the Real Presence of Our Lord in the Most Holy Eucharist. The sad truth and reality facing our Church today is the ever dwindling faith that many Catholics are exhibiting towards the Real Presence in many parts around the world, especially in the places in Europe and the Americas where the Christian faith used to be predominant and strongly embraced by the people. This is then also linked to the ever rapidly dwindling attendance and participation in the Masses and other liturgical events and activities of the Church. If we start losing our faith and belief in the Real Presence of the Lord in the Eucharist, then sooner or later, we will also grow detached and be easily distracted by the many temptations and pressures around us in this world.

And in the manner of how we treat the Lord in His Real Presence in the Eucharist is also alarming, as many of us no longer have that faith in this important and core tenet of our faith, in the manner how we act nonchalantly in receiving the Holy Eucharist and even in how we are usually so impatient and cannot wait for the Holy Mass to end so that we can continue with our activities and other busy way of living in the world outside there. This is something that we are constantly being reminded of, especially on this Solemnity of the Most Holy Body and Blood of the Lord, that there is a need for all of us as Christians to return once again to the root of our faith in the Holy Eucharist, a faith that is truly centred on the Lord truly present in our midst, with sure hope in His Providence and with a heart full of love for Him and for our fellow brothers and sisters around us.

Brothers and sisters in Christ, let us all therefore seek to renew our commitment to the Lord our God, our most loving Saviour and King, He Who has made Himself available to us all through the Eucharist, His perfect gift of love to all of us, ever tied and linked to the ultimate and most loving Sacrifice that He has performed at the Cross at Calvary. Therefore, every time we come and participate at the Holy Mass, let us all renew our faith and commitment to the Lord in what He has shown and given us through the Most Holy Eucharist from now on, and be the worthy bearers of His truth and love by living our lives in the manner that He has taught us to do, now and always. Amen.

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Sunday, 22 June 2025 : Twelfth Sunday of Ordinary Time (Homily and Scripture Reflections)

Liturgical Colour : Green

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, this Sunday all of us are reminded of God’s salvation and grace that He has freely and generously presented to each and every one of us, which He has always extended to all of us out of His ever loving and most merciful Sacred Heart. He has always loved us all so generously and wonderfully, and we must not be afraid that we will not be well taken care of and provided for. If we truly believe in the Lord and in His Providence, there will certainly be a sure path forward for us, and we should also strive to put our trust and faith in the Lord, showing this faith to others around us so that they all may also be strengthened in their resolve to follow the Lord and to commit themselves wholeheartedly to Him as well.

In our first reading today, taken from the Book of the prophet Zechariah, we heard of the words of the Lord’s assurances and providence to all of His people, reassuring and strengthening them all with the promise that He would not abandon them in their time and hour of darkness, and that He would always be with them, and He would show them all the fulfilment of His many promises, which the prophet Zechariah was well-known of, for speaking the words of hope to the people of Israel and their descendants Jerusalem and Judah at the time when the outlook of things for God’s people was not so good. The prophet Zechariah was active during the time and reign of the Persian ruler, Darius the Great, at the time when the Babylonian exile had been over, but which previously affected the people of God greatly.

Prior to that period of time, both the northern kingdom of Israel and the southern kingdom of Judah had been destroyed, and as a result, many among the people who were living in both kingdoms, the Twelve Tribes of Israel, had been uprooted from their ancestral lands, scattered throughout many distant places and exiled to far-off lands, into the lands of their exile and humiliation amongst the nations. But the Lord, their God, did not forget about them and still loved them all the same, even when those same people and their ancestors had betrayed, abandoned and disregarded His Law and teachings for so many years and centuries, refusing to listen to the many prophets and messengers that God Himself had sent to them patiently over all those years.

That was why these words that the Lord spoke through the prophet Zechariah, all the prophetic words and the assurances that he had told the people of God was truly reassuring and strengthening to them, although none of them probably could understand the full significance of what the prophet Zechariah had spoken, as just like the prophet Isaiah before him, he was also speaking of the Suffering Servant or the Suffering Messiah, the One Whom God would send into this world to redeem all of His people. And later on, as we all now know, all of these would indeed be fulfilled in none other than Jesus Christ, Saviour of the whole world, the Son of God and the Divine Word Incarnate, Who became Flesh and Man, so that by His loving sacrifice on the Cross, He might rescue all of us from certain destruction.

Then, from our second reading today, taken from the Epistle of St. Paul the Apostle to the Church and the faithful people of God in the region of Galatia in Asia Minor, which is today part of Turkey, regarding how all of the faithful people of God, Christians who have been baptised in the same Lord, have been given and dedicated to Christ Himself, and have indeed received Christ, His light and hope, His love and all of His truth and teachings, and had been granted the same assurance and liberation that the Lord had promised to all of His people through the prophets like Zechariah, Isaiah and many others. And as we have just covered earlier, the Lord’s coming would indeed bring about perfect fulfilment of all that the Lord had promised to all of us, and we should indeed consider ourselves truly fortunate to have been loved so greatly by God.

Finally, as we heard from our Gospel passage today taken from the Gospel according to St. Luke the Evangelist, we heard how the Lord Jesus was asking His disciples about His identity and truth, and about who was it that they thought or others had said about Him. That was where as we heard, they stated whatever the people of their time believed in Him, in thinking that He was a prophet of God or a great teacher of the faith that God had sent, but St. Peter the Apostle, Simon Peter, the chief of the Lord’s disciples, spoke bravely and courageously that he believed that Jesus was not merely a Man or just a Prophet, but was the very Messiah, Saviour and Son of God that the Lord Himself has promised to all of us, to be the One to lead us all to eternal life and glory with Him.

This great faith that we have in Him is then completed by the Lord telling His disciples at the same occasion that they, just as we all are, will likely face great hardships, challenges and difficulties in life. And He said how unless they all took up their crosses in life and carry it with Him, a premonition of His own suffering on the Cross, the Passion that He was to undertake for all of our sakes, out of the ever great, boundless and ever amazing love that He has for each and every one of us, ones for whom He has come into this world for. This is an important reminder for us that as long as we continue to be faithful and committed to the Lord, there may be difficulties, challenges and trials facing us in our journey, and yet, we should not give up faith as in the end, we shall be triumphant with God if we are truly faithful to Him.

Brothers and sisters in Christ, let us all therefore continue to reflect and discern carefully these words from the Sacred Scriptures as we continue to move forward in life, being fully and completely dedicated to the Lord at all times. Let us all continue to press on forward faithfully, carrying our crosses together with the Lord, remembering that He is always by our side, strengthening us and providing for us all. He shall never abandon us but He shall always be paving the way forward for us. For God indeed, there is nothing that is impossible, and as long as we continue to trust in Him and allow Him to guide us all in everything that we say and do, we will always be truly worthy and blessed by the Lord at all times.

May the Lord continue to strengthen our faith within us and give us all the courage to continue to push forward in life so that in everything that we say and do, in our every interactions and efforts in life, we will continue to glorify the Lord by our exemplary and faithful living of our Christian faith. May God bless our every efforts and endeavours, and may He empower each one of us to live in accordance to His will, now and always. Amen.

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Sunday, 15 June 2025 : Solemnity of the Most Holy Trinity (Homily and Scripture Reflections)

Liturgical Colour : White

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, this Sunday, the Sunday after the Solemnity of Pentecost Sunday we celebrate together the occasion of the Solemnity of the Most Holy Trinity, or also known popularly as the Trinity Sunday. In this Sunday’s celebration we mark one of the most important tenets of our Christian faith, indeed the very core of what we believe as Christians and what distinguishes us from other monotheistic and Abrahamic faiths. This is because we believe in God Who is One and only One, and yet at the same time, as the word ‘Trinity’ highlights to us, He is also Three at the same time. Therefore in our Trinitarian faith and formula of belief, we all believe in the Lord God, Master and Almighty Ruler over all the Universe that is One and yet Three, Three and yet One in nature.

Let us all first look at the readings of the Sacred Scriptures that we have heard on this Sunday before we delve deeper into the discussion on the nature and mystery of the Most Holy Trinity, beginning with what we heard in our first reading this Sunday taken from the Book of Proverbs. In that passage we heard of the prophetic and revealing words of the Lord through the prophets and messengers that He had sent into this world, and in this particular revelation, if we read it through again more carefully, it was actually revealing the relationship between that of the Father and the Son, as in that account from

the Book of Proverbs, we heard everything from the perspective of the Son describing and explaining what the Father is doing in all of His works and how He Himself also has a part in the work of Creation.

We heard how the Son truly existed before the Creation of the world and therefore is not part of Creation and neither He is one of the created beings that are inferior to God, unlike what some heresies had claimed as we will delve more into later on. Instead, the Son has been begotten by the Father before time, and has always existed with Him. And as we listened on, the Son was present at the time of the Creation of the world, because He was indeed there, co-responsible for the work of Creation with the Father and the Holy Spirit. Why is that so, brothers and sisters in Christ? That is because the Son is also the Logos, the Word of God, which later on became Incarnate into Flesh, becoming Son of Man and known to us as Jesus Christ, the Lord and Saviour of all. But at the time of Creation, He is the Word by which the Father created all things and made all things to be.

In the Book of Genesis, we heard how the Holy Spirit was present in all the whole universe before it came to be, and the Father declared all things to come to be, through His Word that is the Son, and then gave life and goodness to all things through the Holy Spirit, the same Spirit by which He has given life to our first ancestors, whom He crafted from dust in His own image and likeness. We can see here how the Most Holy Trinity, God Who is One but Three at the same time, in His Three Divine Persons carry out the work of Creation. And that is precisely what we all believe in, brothers and sisters, in the One and only One True God of all, and yet in His Oneness He existed in the Three distinct Divine Persons, the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit, bound perfectly by love and indivisible from each other.

Then, from our second reading passage this Sunday, we heard from the Epistle of St. Paul the Apostle to the Church and the faithful people of God in Rome reminding each and every one of us how we have been given great grace from God through the working of the Holy Trinity, with the love of God the Father having been manifested to us and revealed through His Son, Jesus Christ, Who has manifested the perfect love of God for us in the flesh, becoming tangible, accessible and approachable to us. And then, at the same time, we have also received the Holy Spirit just as St. Paul had mentioned, reminding us of the gifts which we have received through this outpouring of the grace of the Holy Spirit, strengthening and empowering us to be faithful and wonderful disciples and followers of the Lord.

Lastly, from our Gospel passage this Sunday taken from the Gospel according to St. John the Apostle and Evangelist, we heard of the words of the Lord speaking to His disciples and reassuring them all of how there were many things that He had taught and revealed to them from the Father, and how there were still many more things that would be revealed to them and reminded to them even though it would not be Him Who would do it for them. This would indeed happen with the coming of the Helper or Advocate that the Lord Jesus Himself promised, the Holy Spirit that would come upon the Church at Pentecost just as we have celebrated it last Sunday with great festivity. Through the Holy Spirit, we receive the fullness of truth from God, proceeding from the Father through the Son to us.

This is what the Church believes in how the Holy Spirit is related to the Father and the Son, in how the Holy Spirit is also Co-Equal and Co-Eternal with God the Father and God the Son, but proceeding to all of us from the Father and through the Son, just precisely as what we have heard in our Gospel passage this Sunday, as the Lord Jesus, the Son of God Himself mentioned that ‘All that the Father has is Mine; because of this, I have just told you that the Spirit will take what is Mine, and make it known to you.’ This clearly showed that the Holy Spirit came upon all of us through the Son, Who has manifested the perfect love of God in the flesh, He Who has reconciled us all with the Father and brought us back in connection with Him, as the great bridge linking us with our Creator. Thus, that was how we all received the Holy Spirit through the Church.

Now, brothers and sisters in Christ, having reflected and recalled what we have heard in our Scripture passages, let us all then now delve deeper into the mystery of the Most Holy Trinity. First of all, the nature of the Most Holy Trinity, Our God Who is both Three and One at the same time, Co-Equal, Co-Eternal and Consubstantial, Indivisible and yet Distinct, all of these have always intrigued many in the Church throughout its whole entire history. From the very beginning of the Church members of the faithful, theologians and teachers of the faith had debated and disagreed many times on the true nature of God, of the Holy Trinity and especially the relationship between each of the members of the Holy Trinity to each other, between God the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit.

In fact, numerous schisms and heresies had been caused by these disagreements and differences in schools of thought, opinions, interpretations and understanding of what constitutes the Holy Trinity and the relationship between the Three Divine Persons of the Holy Trinity. The most famous ones of these include that of Arianism, which claimed and taught its followers that Jesus Christ, the Messiah or Saviour of the world, while is the Son of God, was not Co-Equal and Co-Eternal with God the Father, being instead the first of all of God’s creation, meaning that there was a time when the Son did not exist. But this was refuted by the First Ecumenical Council of Nicaea, the first of the Ecumenical Councils which declared that the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit are Co-Equal and Co-Eternal, and the Son and the Father also share the same essence and substance, hence the word ‘consubstantial’ that we mention in the Nicene Creed formulated in that Ecumenical Council.

There were also the heresies of Nestorianism and Monophysitism, which were extremes of the wide spectrum of the beliefs then existing in the early Church regarding the true nature of the Most Holy Trinity particularly regarding the nature of Christ or Christology. Nestorianism alleged that Jesus the Man and the Divine Word of God, the Son of God were two separate and distinct beings and that they have separate will and identity, while on the other extreme, Monophysitism which in fact rose in response to the extreme ideas of Nestorian heresy alleged that the Son of Man and Son of God were united as one Being, indivisible and not having two distinct identities, unlike what we all believe and what the Church had preserved from the time of the Apostles.

We believe that Jesus Christ, the Son of God and Saviour of the world is truly fully God and fully Man at the same time. He is truly both the Son of God and the Son of Man, having two distinct natures, Man and Divine, but united perfectly and indivisibly in the one Person of Jesus Christ, the Saviour of the world. And this same Saviour that had taken up the Cross and saved us all is truly Man, tangible and approachable to us, and at the same time, is also Divine, the Word of God Incarnate, by Whose offering and death He has unlocked for us the gates of Heaven and assuring all of us of eternal salvation and grace. And together with the Father and the Holy Spirit, as One God, Three Divine Persons united perfectly in love, He has shown us this most wonderful love and grace.

How do we then understand the Holy Trinity better, brothers and sisters in Christ? There are in fact many ways that we can use to appreciate better the nature of the Most Holy Trinity, in a more understandable and appreciable way. For example, St. Patrick, the famous missionary and Patron Saint of Ireland was remembered for his symbol of the shamrock, or a three-leaf clover that he used in order to explain the nature of God in the Holy Trinity to the pagans throughout Ireland, that they might come to understand Him better. For if one of the three leaves of the shamrock is taken away, then it is no longer the shamrocks as it is, incomplete and no longer can be properly called a shamrock. Each of the three leaves of the shamrock are also connected to each other and not distinct from each other while at the same time, each of the three leaves can be distinguished clearly from each other. They are therefore representative of the Holy Trinity, Three Divine Persons, but one Godhead, and one God in perfect unity, all Three distinct yet inseparable.

We can also use the example of the burning flame as a way to represent the Holy Trinity in a more understandable way. The burning flame produces heat, which many people for a long time had been using as a way to fend off cold and keep themselves warm. They also provide light to the place and dispel the darkness, so that we can see even in the darkest of nights and in places without any illumination. This light is produced as a result of the reaction between the particles involved in the burning, and lastly, the flame itself, which has a discernible shape, because it is in fact heated air and matter, that when heated produce that hue and shape of the flame. And the relationship between these three components of the flame is one other way I can use to illustrate the relationship between the Three Divine Persons in the Holy Trinity as if any of these properties and parts of the burning flame are missing or are taken out, then it will no longer be a burning flame.

Brothers and sisters in Christ, after we have discussed at length about the Holy Trinity, most importantly, let us have faith in our Triune God and not to be overly concerned about the full truth of what the Holy Trinity is all about. After all, St. Augustine of Hippo was famously told to have encountered the Lord at the seashore disguised as a child who was trying to pour the water from the sea into a hole in the sand. When St. Augustine asked the child and wondering why he was doing such an impossible task, then the child, Who was in fact the Lord Himself in disguise, told St. Augustine that therefore it would be similarly impossible for him to understand the whole nature and mystery of the Holy Trinity. St. Augustine, who was then pondering about the Holy Trinity was so profoundly touched by the experience that he wrote one of his masterpieces, De Trinitate or ‘On the Holy Trinity’.

Therefore, brothers and sisters in Christ, let us all hence continue to put our faith and trust in the Lord our God, Who is One and indivisible in unity and yet existing at the same time as Three distinct Divine Persons, the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. Let us all therefore continue to be truly faithful and committed in Him and do our best each day to proclaim Him in every opportunities that we have received, and do our part in the ministry of the Church to proclaim His Good News to the world. May the Lord, Triune God, Our Master and King continue to bless our every good efforts, works and endeavours, now and always. Amen.

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Sunday, 8 June 2025 : Solemnity of Pentecost Sunday (Homily and Scripture Reflections)

Liturgical Colour : Red

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, this Sunday marks the very last day of this joyful and glorious Easter season, the fiftieth day since Easter Sunday, when we mark the Day of Our Lord’s glorious Resurrection from the dead. This Sunday is the Pentecost Sunday, with the word Pentecost meaning ‘fifty’ dating from the ancient Jewish and Israelite tradition of celebrating the Festival of the Pentecost, fifty days after the Passover. And since Easter is truly the New, Christian and Eternal Passover which the Lord Jesus, Our Lord, God and Saviour had sealed and made with all of us, therefore, this Pentecost is the celebration of the renewed Pentecost of the ancient past. This is why we celebrate this fiftieth day of Easter marking the coming of the Holy Spirit upon the Church as a very significant event.

On this Sunday’s celebration, we remember the moment when the Lord’s promised Advocate or Helper, the Holy Third of the Holy Trinity, the Holy Spirit, came down upon the Apostles and the disciples of the Lord, marking the moment when the Church was revealed to the whole world. This day of the Pentecost was often mistaken as the ‘birthday of the Church’ as it is understandable that many would have seen it that way. After all, it was the moment when the Church was manifested and became real to the world, as the Apostles and the other disciples, traditionally numbering a hundred and twenty of them all according to Apostolic traditions, went forth from their hiding place to go public and courageously proclaiming the Good News of God, gaining three thousand converts that day, and hence laying the foundation for the visible Body of Christ, the Church.

However, the true birthday of the Church actually happened on the Good Friday according to the Catechism of the Catholic Church, as the Church of God came forth from the side of the Lord, His pierced side that gave the outpoured Precious Blood and water, coming forth into this world after He has proclaimed it before the disciples, the Church of God, the Body that the Lord Himself has broken and shared with us all, so that by His gift of His Most Precious Body and Blood, all of us become sharers and partakers in the same Eucharist, the Real Presence of Our Lord, and thus becoming united as one Body of Christian believers, and hence, the Church of God. Nevertheless, this does not mean that what happened at Pentecost was less important in any way, as up to the Descent of the Holy Spirit, the Church was hidden from the world, hiding in fear and uncertainty.

In our first reading this Sunday, we heard of the account of what had happened at the moment of that Pentecost, when the Holy Spirit descended upon the Apostles and disciples, strengthening and rejuvenating them all with hope and great courage, overcoming all their doubts, fears and all the things that had kept them in hiding from all those who sought to persecute and oppress them with threats and harm. They went forth joyfully in carrying out everything that the Lord had commanded them all to do, to proclaim Him and His Good News to all the people of all the nations. The Lord has reassured them of the Holy Spirit that He would send to them to remind them of everything that He had taught them and to strengthen them in their labours, and that was exactly what He had done for them.

Through the Holy Spirit, God had strengthened the hearts of the disciples, and gave them the wisdom and knowledge of languages and tongues, through which they had proclaimed courageously the Good News and truth of God to all those people who were assembled in Jerusalem at that time for the Festival of the Pentecost. It was symbolic reversal of what had happened in the past with the Tower of Babel, which if we recalled was the moment when God confused the language of mankind when they all came in pride and arrogance in trying to become like God themselves. Through the Holy Spirit, God brought back the unity that was lost to us mankind, gathering us all from the nations, regardless of our languages, races and origins, all called to become the same children and holy people of God.

Then, from our second reading, taken from the Epistle to the Romans, St. Paul the Apostle spoke to the faithful people of God in Rome referring to the Holy Spirit that has been given to all of the faithful, calling on all of them to holiness and to live their lives in accordance to the way of the Lord and the Holy Spirit. It is a reminder that all of us as Christians should also always strive to live in the manner that is worthy of the Lord, following His examples and the inspiration of the Holy Spirit at all times, keeping ourselves away from the wickedness of the world and from all the sins and darkness present all around us. By the Holy Spirit that we have received from the Lord, we should be encouraged and strengthened in our faith so that we can continue to persevere and be strong despite the challenges and trials that we may have to face and endure in life.

Therefore, brothers and sisters in Christ, as we have reflected well upon these words from the Sacred Scriptures and reminded of what the Lord Himself had told His disciples in our Gospel passage today that all of us should keep His commandments, the Law of God, which is love, loving God and loving one another, and referring to the Holy Spirit that we have all received through Baptism, and which is then further strengthened and confirmed with us with the Sacrament of Confirmation, therefore, let us all as Christians joyfully proclaim the Lord at all times, all of His goodness and graces, through our works and actions, through everything we do, our every interactions with one another, filled ever more wonderfully by the gifts of the Holy Spirit within us, so that we may truly bear rich fruits of the Holy Spirit.

Come, Holy Spirit, fill the hearts of the faithful and enkindle in all of us the fire of Your love. Lord, send forth Your Holy Spirit upon us and this world, and renew the face of the earth. May all of us be the loving examples and inspirations to one another, the perfect manifestation of the Love of God and the works of the Holy Spirit in our world today, now and always. Amen.

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Sunday, 8 June 2025 : Vigil Mass of the Solemnity of Pentecost Sunday (Homily and Scripture Reflections)

Liturgical Colour : Red

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, in this evening we celebrate the Vigil of the great Solemnity and Feast of Pentecost Sunday, marking the fiftieth day since the celebration of the Day of the Lord’s glorious Resurrection from the dead, that is Easter Sunday. This Solemnity of the Pentecost Sunday, one of the greatest feasts and celebrations of the Church, together with Easter and Christmas had its roots from the ancient Jewish and Israelite Festival of the Pentecost, which means ‘fifty’, marking fifty days from the time of the Passover. And since Easter is truly the New, Christian and Eternal Passover which the Lord Jesus, Our Lord, God and Saviour had sealed and made with all of us, therefore, this Pentecost is the celebration of the renewed Pentecost of the ancient past.

On this Sunday’s celebration, we remember the moment when the Lord’s promised Advocate or Helper, the Holy Third of the Holy Trinity, the Holy Spirit, came down upon the Apostles and the disciples of the Lord, marking the moment when the Church was revealed to the whole world. This day of the Pentecost was often mistaken as the ‘birthday of the Church’ as it is understandable that many would have seen it that way. After all, it was the moment when the Church was manifested and became real to the world, as the Apostles and the other disciples, traditionally numbering a hundred and twenty of them all according to Apostolic traditions, went forth from their hiding place to go public and courageously proclaiming the Good News of God, gaining three thousand converts that day, and hence laying the foundation for the visible Body of Christ, the Church.

However, the true birthday of the Church actually happened on the Good Friday according to the Catechism of the Catholic Church, as the Church of God came forth from the side of the Lord, His pierced side that gave the outpoured Precious Blood and water, coming forth into this world after He has proclaimed it before the disciples, the Church of God, the Body that the Lord Himself has broken and shared with us all, so that by His gift of His Most Precious Body and Blood, all of us become sharers and partakers in the same Eucharist, the Real Presence of Our Lord, and thus becoming united as one Body of Christian believers, and hence, the Church of God. Nevertheless, this does not mean that what happened at Pentecost was less important in any way, as up to the Descent of the Holy Spirit, the Church was hidden from the world, hiding in fear and uncertainty.

In this Pentecost Vigil’s many readings, which stemmed from the ancient practice and tradition that Pentecost Vigil in fact mirrored that of Easter Vigil with its multiple readings from the Old Testament, with the most solemn and greatest of solemn celebrations, symbolising the fulfilment of God’s plan of salvation, and also the fulfilment of everything that the Lord Himself has promised, in promising to send the Holy Spirit, the Holy Advocate and Helper to strengthen, guide and encourage all the disciples and the others whom He has called and chosen to be part of His Church, the members of His Body. We heard of the many occurrences and instances in the past when the Holy Spirit had been at work and highlighting to us what the nature of the Holy Spirit is all about, in all of His works among us mankind.

In the first one from the Book of Genesis we heard of the time after the Great Flood, the Flood that had destroyed most of mankind except that of Noah and his immediate family, and we heard how at that time the whole earth still spoke in one same language. And at that time, the people grew proud and haughty in their achievements and abilities, boasting that they could build a tower that reached to the Heaven itself, known as the Tower of Babel, building ever higher and seeking to be like God’s equal. And hence, in their moment of pride and arrogance, they had sinned against God and the Lord then withdrew the gift of His Spirit, the gift of understanding and unity, and hence, bringing about divisions and lack of understanding, as the people became unable to comprehend each other, and henceforth, stopped the project that they had pridefully undertaken.

Then, in the next reading from the Book of Exodus, we heard of the moment when the Israelites were encamped at Mount Sinai, the Mountain of God, at the time when the Lord was to establish a Covenant with all of them through Moses. God called all of His people to Himself, gathering them there and revealing His great glory before all of them, The Lord’s Holy Presence descended on the Mountain itself, and He spoke to them all with the voices that sounded like great thunder and roll of trumpets. And this is a very significant event, when compared to what happened at the actual Pentecost Sunday itself, two millennia ago, together with the earlier reading from the Book of Genesis. For we can see clear parallel and contrast between those events and that of the Coming of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost.

First of all, God made His Covenant with His people at Mount Sinai and wanted to establish it with them, and yet, as we all should also know, at that time, after waiting for many days, the Israelites grew restless and chose to act in a manner that displeased the Lord, in making a golden calf idol over themselves and calling it their god who saved them from Egypt. As a result, if we read on, three thousand people were destroyed and punished because of their rebellions and sins afterwards, and we can see the contrast with the three thousand people who accepted the Lord as their Saviour at the time of the Pentecost, where the Covenant of God was affirmed to His people, restoring the unity that was lost between God and us mankind.

Not only that, but the confusion of languages that happened at the Tower of Babel was also reversed as the Apostles and disciples also received the gift of languages and tongues at Pentecost, speaking in various languages understandable to the many people that gathered at that time in Jerusalem, that they all understood the message of God’s truth and Good News through the words spoken by those faithful servants of God. We can see how the Holy Spirit carried out His works, restoring the unity and the wisdom that had been lost to us mankind because of our rebelliousness, our pride and arrogance, our haughtiness and wickedness. Thus, through the Holy Spirit, God restored unto us the grace and the gifts which He has always intended for us from the beginning of time.

From the Book of the prophet Ezekiel, the other one of the Old Testament readings we heard of his vision of a great valley that was filled with vast multitudes of dry bones, which represented the people of God, that had been laid to waste by the darkness of sin and the corruption of evil. But then Ezekiel saw the Spirit of God came from the Lord and then gradually restoring those dry bones, bone by bone, sinew by sinew, flesh by flesh, reconstructing and rejuvenating what was once there, the life that had been lost from them. This highlighted to us what we believe in the Holy Spirit as we always say in the Nicene Creed, ‘I believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the Giver of Life.’ And we also heard of God giving us all life and created the whole world by His Spirit, present in all.

Then lastly from the Book of the prophet Joel, we heard of the words of reassurance from the Lord telling the people, all of us that His Spirit will come in due time, to strengthen all of us and to be strong amidst the challenges and trials that we had to face in this world. And His salvation and grace would come upon us all, as He has indeed promised and fulfilled by the sending and arrival of His Son, Jesus Christ, Our Lord and Saviour, and by the outpouring of the Holy Spirit that had come upon us all, His Church. This is also echoed by St. Paul in his Epistle to the Romans, in our second reading this Vigil Mass, which spoke about the coming of the Holy Spirit upon us, which we have all received, and how salvation has been reassured to us and strengthening us with His hope and love, that we may have the courage and strength to fulfil everything that God had entrusted to us.

Therefore, brothers and sisters in Christ, as we have reflected well upon these words from the Sacred Scriptures and reminded of what the Lord Himself had told His disciples in our Gospel passage today, ‘Let anyone who is thirsty come to Me, and let the one who believes in Me drink, for the Scripture says : Out of the believer’s heart shall flow rivers of living water’, referring to the Holy Spirit that we have all received through Baptism, and which is then further strengthened and confirmed with us with the Sacrament of Confirmation, therefore, let us all as Christians joyfully proclaim the Lord at all times, all of His goodness and graces, through our works and actions, through everything we do, our every interactions with one another, filled ever more wonderfully by the gifts of the Holy Spirit within us, so that we may truly bear rich fruits of the Holy Spirit.

Come, Holy Spirit, fill the hearts of the faithful and enkindle in all of us the fire of Your love. Lord, send forth Your Holy Spirit upon us and this world, and renew the face of the earth. May all of us be the loving examples and inspirations to one another, the perfect manifestation of the Love of God and the works of the Holy Spirit in our world today, now and always. Amen.

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Sunday, 25 May 2025 : Sixth Sunday of Easter (Homily and Scripture Reflections)

Liturgical Colour : White

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, this Sunday which marks the Sixth Sunday of Easter, all of us are reminded that as Christians, it is important for us to be truly filled with the love of God in all things, in our every actions, words and deeds. We are all called to follow the Lord in all of our ways, in our everyday interactions, actions and works so that by our complete and total dedication to God’s ways as Christians, as those whom God had called and chosen. We must not easily be distracted by the many alternative ideals and ways which may be contrary to the ways that the Lord had presented to us. This is why it is important that we have to discern carefully our actions and choices in life, so that we may truly walk faithfully the path that the Lord has guided us through in life.

In our first reading this Sunday, taken from the Acts of the Apostles, we heard of the aftermath of the First Council of Jerusalem, the first major gathering of the assembly of the faithful in the history of the Church, which dealt with the issue of the disagreements that happened due to the efforts by some among the early Christians to impose the full weight of the Jewish customs, practices and ways on the whole Church. And as I have explained in detail in the deliberations earlier this week, such a rule and requirement would have made it very difficult for the believers from among the Gentiles, or the non-Jewish people to follow the Lord and becoming His disciples, as certain practices and customs of the Jews such as circumcision and dietary restrictions are viewed with disgust and suspicion by the Gentiles as a whole.

That was why after deliberations and discussions, guided by the Lord through the Holy Spirit, the Apostles led by St. Peter the Apostle decided that the whole Church should not be bound by the whole extensive and cumbersome Jewish customs, traditions and practices, which numbered about six hundred and thirteen in all, not counting the many other rites and rituals, practices and interpretations that the Pharisees often enforced. After all, the Lord Jesus Himself had criticised those same Pharisees for their way of observing the Law, for their overly rigid and strict interpretation of the Law of God, and most importantly for their hypocrisy in exercising their authority and in their own way of living and practicing the Law. And in accordance to what the Lord Himself had taught and presented before the disciples, the Church required only the fulfilment of what the Lord had told His people to follow.

As ultimately, the Law of God was meant as the guide for the faithful to follow in how they ought to live up their lives, and in showing all of them on how they ought to love God first and foremost, above all else, and then to love one another, their fellow men and women, their brothers and sisters in the same Lord. It is meant to lead us all towards God, and not to burden us unnecessarily. That is why the Apostles sent out the letters and messages to the faithful throughout the various community then present, through St. Paul and the other missionaries so that they might be able to practice the Christian faith in the proper and right manner without unnecessary burden and inconvenience. The Lord guided His Church and the efforts of the disciples, and the Church continued to keep on growing ever since.

This is also an important reminder for us that we should always have the right focus in our way of obeying the Lord’s commandments and laws, and we should not be easily distracted by certain tenets or doctrines that ended up causing us to lose sight and focus on what the Law of God is truly all about. As Christians, it is most important that we focus our attention on the Lord and not on our own different preferences and prejudices, and it is also very important that we must all be ready to listen to one another, and not to be hardened in our attitudes, in refusing to listen to the opinions of others around us. We should learn to understand the true will of God and the path that He is guiding and leading us through, by the guidance of the Holy Spirit instead of insisting on our own way and methods.

Then, from the second reading passage this Sunday, we heard of the vision of St. John the Apostle and Evangelist that he had received in the island of Patmos and which he recorded in the Book of Revelations. In that vision and account, we heard about the New Jerusalem, the vision of the city that will come from God at the end of times, a vision of the everlasting and true joy that all of us will share together as God’s holy and beloved people. And through this hope we are all reminded that if we are truly faithful to the Lord, full of love for Him and being dedicated to Him, then we shall receive from God Himself the fullness of everything that He has prepared and intended for us all, the glorious inheritance that He has reserved for us, that even if we are to suffer persecutions and hardships, in the end, we will enjoy forever the true happiness and joy with Him in Heaven.

From the perspective of the Apostle St. John himself, it was also a vision of comfort and strength, which is an encouragement for him, having suffered so many years in persecution and hardships. St. John the Apostle was the only one of the Twelve Apostles that was not martyred for his faith in God, but while he did not face a bloody and painful end of his life, he did suffer a lot throughout his very long life, as according to tradition he lived to the end of the first century, which is about seven decades or so after the Lord’s Resurrection, suffering persecutions, exile and other kinds of trials and difficulties during his ministry, missions and works among the people of God. That is perhaps the Lord showed His vision of the end times to St. John so that it could strengthen him in his own faith and commitment to Him, despite the many sufferings that he had to bear throughout his life.

Lastly, from our Gospel passage this Sunday, taken from the Gospel according to St. John the Apostle, we heard of the Lord telling His disciples about everything that would happen to them, but they should not be afraid or fearful as in the end, God would be with them always, and none of them will be left alone or abandoned as He will always provide for them whatever they need in their journey and ministry. Through the Lord, all of us, His disciples and followers will gain true and lasting peace, through the Holy Spirit, the Holy Advocate and Helper that He has bestowed upon us in this world. That is why we should not fear persecutions or hardships, just as the Lord has reassured us through His visions to St. John the Apostle and the Lord’s own reassuring words through His disciples as we have all heard today.

Essentially, all of us are reminded this Sunday to continue to do our best to carry out our missions in life as Christians, as those whom God has called and chosen to be His own people. Each and every one of us have been entrusted with the various missions and works, in our own areas of expertise and responsibility, as He granted us the various gifts, abilities, talents and all the means by which we may touch the lives of everyone around us, all those whom God had called and chosen, those whom God had placed in our lives and allowed us all to encounter in the different moments and times. All of us have been blessed with many gifts and wonders, and it is time for us therefore to make good use of them so that through our works and efforts, we may glorify the Lord and show His truth, Good News, His love and salvation through our lives and examples.

Brothers and sisters in Christ, let us all therefore strive to do our best in each and every moments of our lives so that our every words, actions and deeds, we may always proclaim the Lord’s truth and Good News to everyone whom we encounter in every opportunities. Let us all continue to be faithful and courageous in all things, doing our best in every opportunities that we have been given so that we may truly be fruitful in doing God’s good works and be strengthened in our resolve to continue to be ever more committed in proclaiming the truth and Good News, the love and hope of the Lord’s salvation to more and more people, just as He has entrusted to all of us His Church, His missionaries and all those whom He has entrusted the good works of His salvation.

May all of us be strengthened and guided as always by the good hands of the Lord in all times and occasions, and may God bless our every good efforts, works and endeavours, all for His greater glory, now and always, forevermore. Amen.

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Sunday, 18 May 2025 : Fifth Sunday of Easter (Homily and Scripture Reflections)

Liturgical Colour : White

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, this Sunday is the Fifth Sunday of Easter and all of us are reminded through what we have heard from the Sacred Scriptures, of the great love of God for each and every one of us mankind, how He has willingly shown us this love to us through everything that He had done for us, in revealing to us His beloved Son, His only Begotten One, the One through Whom He has made His love manifested in this world, becoming tangible and real for us. And in His glorious Resurrection that we have been celebrating throughout this time and season of Easter, we have seen the hope which the Lord has brought upon us, the hope of life beyond death, life that is everlasting and bringing us true happiness and joy, one that no one and nothing else can provide to us.

In our first reading this Sunday, taken from the Acts of the Apostles, we heard of the actions of St. Paul and St. Barnabas who were returning to Antioch after the missionary journey in Asia Minor, where they encountered both successes and obstacles. St. Paul and St. Barnabas encouraged and strengthened the faithful there in Antioch with their stories and testimonies, reminding all of them that to be a missionary and disciple of the Lord, one must be prepared and ready to endure challenges, difficulties and trials, to suffer for the sake of the kingdom of God, just as St. Paul and St. Barnabas had experienced. But at the same time, they strengthened and encouraged the other disciples and members of the faithful by reminding them of God’s guidance and providence throughout their ministry.

We heard more of the exploits and works of the two faithful and courageous servants of God, who continued to work for the greater glory of God, going from places to places proclaiming the word of God and His Good News to more and more people while strengthening the faith of those who have believed in God. Through all these tireless and ceaseless efforts we can see how the Apostles became important parts of the Church’s missions and works, and they were indeed the pillars of the Church of God. But we must also realise that they did not do their work alone, and in fact, they had many collaborators and fellow missionaries, and many others who assisted and helped throughout their ministries, journeys and other efforts. We too, therefore, as Christians should be active in taking part in and in supporting the works of the Church.

We also heard of how the works of God’s salvation and His Good News were also intended for the Gentiles or the non-Jewish people, as much as they had been intended also for the Jewish people. This is yet another reminder for all of us of the universality of the Church and the salvation that God has promised and offered to us. The Lord has offered His salvation to each and every one of us, His beloved children and people, and not just being limited to a certain group of people like the Israelites and their descendants. While it was indeed true that they were God’s first chosen people, but through them, God revealed His true intention, that the chosen people He really wanted to gather together includes all of mankind, the entire world and its people. All of us living today in this world are also part of this God’s plan of salvation.

Then, from our second reading this Sunday, we heard of the passage from the Book of Revelations of St. John, in which we heard the powerful words of reassurance from God for His people, revealing to them the great joy and happiness that He will bring about to us, at the end of time, after the reckoning for everything. The Lord showed the vision of the new Heaven and the new Earth to St. John the Apostle as part of the visions that he received while he was exiled at the island of Patmos. This vision of the new Heaven and Earth came after the vision of the times of tribulations, hardships and trials that would come against all those who continue to be faithful to God. And yet, God does not abandon or neglect His people, as even throughout the greatest persecutions and difficulties, He is and will still be with us, journeying with us.

This encouragement is truly very important especially to those to whom St. John the Apostle recounted his visions as they were all suffering then from persecutions by the Romans, who were causing great hardships and sorrows among the Christians, especially during the reign of the Roman Emperor Domitian, who wanted to be worshipped as god, and found the refusal by Christians to do so as a reason for persecuting them. Therefore, amidst such great trials and tribulations, the message of hope that God had shown through St. John the Apostle must have been very encouraging and uplifting, that despite the hardships and trials they were facing, in the end, the Lord would provide for His people and would not abandon them to the darkness and evil.

From our Gospel passage this Sunday, the Lord then reminds all of His disciples and followers of how God’s love has been given to them, and therefore just as they have been beloved by God, they should all love one another as well. The commandments of love that the Lord gave to them all highlight that there are two most important among the many commandments and laws of God, principally being the fact that one is called to love God first and foremost above all else, and then to show that same love to their brothers and sisters around them. One cannot be a true Christian and disciple of the Lord unless one show this love, which we all therefore ought to show as well in our own lives. And the Lord also reminded the disciples that He would soon go away from them, but they would have to continue to do what He has taught them to do.

Therefore, as we have heard from our earlier Scripture passages this Sunday, all of us as Christians are reminded that God’s love for us is truly very generous and beyond comparison, and His love for us have been given to everyone, without any exceptions. Each and every one of us are precious and important to God, and all of us are equally beloved by Him. And this same love we have to show to everyone around us, not just those whom we love and hold precious, but also to those whom we encounter in life. It is by our actions filled with love that everyone will come to know that we truly belong to God, and that God is really present in us all. Through us, God’s love will become manifest in this world, in how we love our loved ones, our family and everyone else we encounter in life.

Brothers and sisters in Christ, let us all therefore strive to love the Lord our God and to show this love in each and every one of our actions and deeds, in our words and interactions with each other. Let us all continue to be good and worthy bearers of our faith to everyone whom we encounter in life, and let us all do our very best so that we can commit ourselves ever more wholeheartedly to whatever missions and callings that He has entrusted to us in our respective areas in life. May the Lord be with us always, and may He strengthen each and every one of us so that we may always be faithful and strong in our living of our Christian life, in each and every moments. Amen.

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Sunday, 11 May 2025 : Fourth Sunday of Easter, Good Shepherd Sunday and Vocation Sunday (Homily and Scripture Reflections)

Liturgical Colour : White

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, this Sunday is the Fourth Sunday of Easter and it is also commonly known as the Good Shepherd Sunday or Vocation Sunday. On this Sunday we remember the Lord as the Good Shepherd, the One Who guides all of the faithful people of God, the sheep of the Lord’s flock to return to God our loving Father and Creator, gathering us all from being scattered all throughout the whole world, so that we are no longer lost to Him. On this Sunday we also keep in mind all those who are discerning their vocation in life, and while we often put a lot of focus and emphasis on those who are being called to the priesthood, this day is in fact also a reminder of our various vocations in life, be it as those called to priesthood or consecrated life, as well as those who are part of the laity, in our diverse callings in life.

In our first reading this Sunday, we heard from the Acts of the Apostles of the actions and works of St. Paul the Apostle and his companion in ministry, St. Barnabas, who was also an Apostle. Both of them went through the regions of Perga and Pisidia which were in Asia Minor, what is now part of modern day Turkey, where they ministered to the people of God, both amongst the Jews in the diaspora communities there, as well as among the Gentiles or the non-Jewish people. St. Paul in particular was well-known for his outreach and efforts to proclaim the Good News of God among the Gentiles, and was very adamant in the equality between the Jews and the Gentiles, and how there should be no distinction between the two groups of people as God loves everyone of His followers equally and and wonderfully.

But many among the Jewish community, even in the diaspora, particularly thosewho who belonged to the school of the Pharisees and their supporters, namely those who upheld a very strict and rigid observance of the Law of God, and who were often very elitist and exclusivist in their faith, considering that God’s salvation and grace were meant only for the people of Israel and their descendants, and all the other people were doomed to condemnation and destruction unless they would adopt completely and entirely the whole Jewish customs and practices, that essentially therefore turned them into a Jew. This is something that is very difficult for the Gentiles, consisting of the Romans, the Greeks, Egyptians and many other local people, whose own customs and practices were very different from the Jews, and many of the Jewish customs and practices such as circumcision were abhorrent and disgusting to the Gentiles.

That was why St. Paul and St. Barnabas reached out to the Gentiles, since some if not quite a few among the Jewish populations in those cities they visited were not very keen or welcoming on the words and teachings that they had been bringing with them. But as we heard, this incited jealousy among the Jewish people in the region because St. Paul and St. Barnabas proclaimed salvation for all the people, both Jews and Gentiles alike, which were not agreeable to those among the Jewish people who upheld the ideas I mentioned earlier. They stirred up trouble and unrest and led to St. Paul and St. Barnabas to be expelled from the region. Nonetheless, both Apostles had already succeeded in planting the seeds of faith among the people, and they continued on their works despite all those challenges and trials that they had to face in their journey.

Then, from our second reading this Sunday, we heard from the Book of Revelations of St. John the Apostle in which the heavenly vision of St. John was highlighted to us. In that vision, St. John saw the multitudes of people, millions upon millions of people who had been found worthy by the Lord because they had been persecuted, facing difficulties and hardships, trials and challenges, and yet remained faithful to the Lord regardless to the very end. All of those people had washed themselves in the Blood of the Lamb, either in sharing His death through their martyrdom or by patiently enduring those sufferings in all of their various forms. Through this vision, God wanted us all to know through St. John the Apostle that there is hope for all of us and regardless of the sufferings and challenges that we may encounter in our paths in life, we will eventually be triumphant with God and freed from all those troubles.

There had been many challenges and trials facing the Church from the very beginning of its existence. Persecutions and trials, betrayals and many other hardships had been facing the faithful people of God from the very beginning of the Church, and there were many episodes and moments throughout the history of the Church, in all of its two thousand years, that numerous people who have committed themselves to the Lord faced a lot of troubles and hardships because of their faith. Some of them faltered and gave up their faith, and yet there were others who remained firm in their faith. And even among those who have given up their faith, some of them eventually repented and returned to the faith, and were willing to be persecuted again for their faith and trust in God.

This passage is a reminder to all of us that as Christians we must always have faith in the Lord, and we should not be afraid of the trials and persecutions that we may encounter in our path and journey as Christians, in being faithful to the Lord. We must trust in the Lord and in His Providence, in all that He has assured and repeatedly reassured us again and again, in everything that we shall receive and enjoy in the end after our earthly struggles and hardships have come to an end. Whatever sufferings and trials that we may be facing now in this world are not permanent, and the Lord Himself is always faithful to His Covenant and to the great and ever generous love that He has for each and every one of us. We should put our trust fully in His love and do our very best to commit ourselves to Him wholeheartedly at all times.

Lastly, from our Gospel passage taken from the Gospel according to St. John the Apostle and Evangelist, we heard the short account of the Lord’s words to His disciples telling them that He is as the Good Shepherd of the Lord’s flock, He knows His sheep well and conversely, His sheep also knows Him. This is a reminder for all of us again of God’s great love and commitment to us, in His ever enduring and present love for us, in His patient guidance and companionship with us as our loving and most dedicated Shepherd. He has come into our midst to find us all, to gather us all from being scattered all throughout this darkened world so that we may once again be reunited with God, and become members of this same flock, this same Church of God, the one united Body of Christ, which He has established in this world.

And He has shown His great love for us through His actions and most selfless love, by accepting on our behalf the punishments due for our sins and wickedness. He took upon Himself the blame and the punishment due for our sins, which He bore upon the Cross that He took on His shoulders. That is what the Good Shepherd has willingly done for His sheep, as He Himself said, that ‘The Good Shepherd lays down His life for His sheep.’ Essentially this means that a true and good shepherd will always care for his sheep no matter what, and will even put his life on the line for the ones who are truly precious to him. That is indeed the essence of true and genuine Christian love, love that is truly selfless and beautiful, and which all of us are called to follow in our own lives and examples. As Christians we should embody the selfless love of Christ, our Good Shepherd.

It means that we should help one another in  journeying towards the Lord and His salvation, and we share the responsibility of the Good Shepherd in being good role models and inspirations for each other in our respective lives. We should remind one another that every actions and words, deeds and interactions which we make in our lives are all very important, in ensuring that our every efforts, good works and endeavours are always focused on the Lord, and that we will continue to do our best to proclaim Him to everyone we encounter in life, in whatever circumstances and opportunities. And as today we also pray for our priests and all those who are discerning their vocations in life, may all of us be truly discerning in what we are planning to do in our lives, and pray that the Lord will guide us in making careful and well-discerned choice in our lives. May God bless us always. Amen.

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Sunday, 4 May 2025 : Third Sunday of Easter (Homily and Scripture Reflections)

Liturgical Colour : White

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, on this Sunday, the Third Sunday of Easter, all of us are reminded of the great faith and courage that the Lord’s Holy Apostles had shown amidst the challenges, oppressions and trials that they were facing, because they truly believed in the Lord and His truth, and having witnessed His great wonders and signs, especially that of the Resurrection, having seen the Risen Lord Himself in person, interacting and spending time with Him, and knowing that everything did indeed happen just as the Lord Himself has predicted it all. That was why, strengthened further by the Holy Spirit, all of them courageously stood up for their faith in the Risen Lord, even amidst the opposition and threats from the members of the Sanhedrin or the Jewish High Council that opposed them.

In our first reading today, we heard from the Acts of the Apostles in which the Apostles were arrested and brought before the members of the Sanhedrin led by the High Priest, who questioned them on their works and actions, in which they continued to teach and preach in the Name of the Lord Jesus, the One Who had risen from the dead, and yet, such facts were denied by the Sanhedrin. At that time, the High Priest and the members of the Sanhedrin, who earlier on had accused the Lord Himself of blasphemy and treason against Caesar, such that He was condemned to death by Pontius Pilate, wanted to keep silent on the news on the Resurrection, as if such news were to spread among the people, that would have led to the total loss of their leadership and credibility as the leaders of the people of God.

But even when the Apostles, led by St. Peter, were threatened and coerced not to teach and preach, or carry out any more works in the Name of the Risen Lord, they all resoundedly refused to do so, as they committed themselves to the mission which they had been entrusted with by the Lord, and they, led by St. Peter spoke courageously before the High Priest and the other members of the Sanhedrin, that they would rather obey God rather than to obey the orders of men. That is also because the orders of the Sanhedrin, led by the High Priest, while being the legitimate religious authority of that time, directly contradicted the mission and orders which the Lord Himself directly told them all to do, to proclaim His truth and Good News, His Resurrection and salvation ton all the people of all the whole world.

That was why the Apostles and many other disciples of the Lord, and later on, their successors, to whom they had passed on their faith and accounts of the Lord’s Resurrection and other events and teachings, continued to labour hard in their various ministries and they did their best to proclaim the Lord to everyone whom they encountered in their lives. They have believed in what they had witnessed and seen for themselves, and those who have not seen the Lord and His works directly, His miracles and Resurrection were inspired by the examples of their predecessors, their courage and commitment to proclaim the Lord faithfully even to the cost of their own comforts and safety in life, as many among them were persecuted, oppressed and tortured, and many were martyred for their faith.

In our second reading this Sunday from the Book of Revelations of St. John the Apostle, we then heard of the heavenly vision of the Apostle St. John which he received while he was being exiled in the Island of Patmos, where he saw the vision of countless millions and multitudes of people who have been found worthy by the Lord in Heaven, where they sing of the glory of God for eternity and rejoice in the true happiness and joy that can be found in the Lord alone. And all those things had been made possible by the sacrifice and loving offering of the Lamb of God, that is Christ our Lord and Saviour, Whose selfless and perfect offering that He had made on the Altar of His Cross had brought about liberation and healing to all of us sinners who have been afflicted and made to suffer due to our sins and wickedness.

We are all reminded that at the end of our earthly journey, we shall be reunited with God, and if we are truly faithful to Him, then we shall indeed share in the glory of His saints and the joy of the Angels, as what St. John himself had witnessed in his vision. We should not be worried or fearful of what may happen if we continue to commit ourselves in this path towards God. The ever faithful Lord will bring us all to His Presence and we shall share in the glory of the Apostles. Even if we should suffer persecutions and hardships in this life, nothing can truly separate us from the love and grace of God, and in the end, by our faith and commitment to God we will be vindicated and share in the eternity of true joy that God has promised and reassured all of us.

Then, from our Gospel passage this Sunday, we heard of the passage from the Gospel of St. John in which the account of the moment when the Risen Lord appeared to His disciples in Galilee was recounted to us. In that occasion, we heard how the Lord appeared to the disciples at the shores of the lake where they had all been out fishing throughout the night without having any success. And when the Lord told the disciples to do as He said, and they immediately caught so many fishes, St. John was the first to recognise the Lord, but St. Peter was the one who immediately went down to the water and swim to seek the Lord. And afterwards, after having witnessed the Risen Lord Himself, and experiencing having eaten with Him, knowing that He was truly risen from the dead, then the Risen Lord had a time with St. Peter and conversed with him.

In that conversation, it was evident that this was a reversal of what had happened at the moment of the Lord’s Passion, when St. Peter denied knowing the Lord three times. Despite having been denied by Peter not just once but thrice, this did not stop the Lord from continuing to love him, and that was why He wanted to extend that opportunity for reconciliation and reaffirmation of the love that he has for Him, by asking Peter not just once but also thrice, ‘Simon, son of John, do you love Me?’ Peter himself must have realised what the Lord had done, and he must have felt guilty and sad hearing those questions, but he courageously confessed his undying love for the Lord, all three times before Him, committing himself wholly to the Lord.

Brothers and sisters in Christ, through what we have heard from our Scripture passages this Sunday, let us all therefore remind ourselves of the need for each one of us as Christians to be truly committed to the Lord, and to keep our faith and trust in Him, in His Resurrection and all the promises and reassurances that He has provided to us. The Lord has always been loving towards us, forgiving and compassionate, and it is time for us to embrace His love and mercy, to be truly committed to Him in everything that we do in this life. Let us all be ever more faithful and exemplary in how we live our lives each day and every moments so that in our every actions and words, our deeds and interactions with one another we will always show the love of God in all things.

May the Risen Lord continue to help and guide us in our journey through life in faith, and may He continue to empower each and every one of us such that we may do our best in every situations in life, in being good and faithful disciples of His, in doing our best to glorify His Name and proclaim His Good News through our own lives and examples. May God bless us always in everything that we say and do, now and forevermore. Amen.