Liturgical Colour : Green

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, this Sunday all of us are reminded very strongly through the words of the Sacred Scriptures that each and every one of us as God’s followers, as His holy and beloved people must not allow ourselves to be easily swayed and turned into the wrong paths by the many temptations all around us which try to pander to our pride, ego and greed within us, and try to tempt and persuade us to move away from the Lord and His righteousness in making us to indulge in our desires for worldly pleasures, fame, glory, comfort and many other things in this world that had led so many of our predecessors into their doom and downfall. Each and every one of them have failed to resist those temptations and allowed those things to pull them away from the path of virtue and righteousness into evil and disobedience against God.

In our first reading this Sunday, we heard from the Book of Wisdom in which the words of the author speaking of the plots and vicious plans certain group of people attempted against the righteous and faithful people of God, and particularly, it also mentioned the Righteous One, the Son of God as the target of these vicious efforts and plans. This Book of Wisdom was written and compiled centuries before the coming of Christ, the Son of God likely referred to by this same author, and therefore, it is indeed a premonition of what was to come, proclaiming the coming of the Salvation in the Son of God, Jesus Christ Himself, Who would indeed face challenges and sufferings amidst His mission in this world, facing rejection and stubbornness from the people to whom He had been sent to, persecution and eventually death on the Cross.

In our second reading this Sunday from the Epistle of St. James, we then heard the reason for this rejection and opposition against the Lord, which is also a good reminder for us all so that we do not end up in the same fate as well. St. James mentioned about how we tend to fight and quarrel with each other over worldly desires and pursuits, all because of our clashing desires and ideals, and also our pride, ego and ambitions, our greed and jealousy, all the things which can easily lead us down the slippery slope of disobedience against God and sin. This is why it is important for us all to keep ourselves on guard against all those negative emotions and distractions, all of which had led many among our predecessors to be disobedient and sinful against God.

For example, many among the Pharisees who have frequently opposed the Lord and persistently attacked and criticised Him did so most likely because they were jealous of His many achievements and wonderful works of performing miracles, that many among the people who used to follow them and respect them as the religious and intellectual elites of the community, no longer did so and went to seek the Lord Jesus instead. Their pride and ego, their sense of superiority and self-righteousness also added on to this, as they refused to accept the fact that One could have come and revealed to them the truth and the teachings that they themselves did not about. They hardened their hearts and minds against the Lord despite having heard and seen for themselves on many occasions the truth that God has brought upon them.

Then in our Gospel passage this Sunday, we heard of the account from the Gospel according to St. Mark the Evangelist in which He first foretold to His disciples everything that He would have to suffer in the midst of His mission and works, and in how He would be betrayed and abandoned to His enemies, persecuted and oppressed to the point of death, which was indeed in alignment with what the author of the Book of Wisdom had been telling us earlier from the first reading today. This persecutions and oppressions that the Lord would endure however did not dampen His desire to reach out to us and to rescue us from our predicaments and troubles, and He doubled up the efforts He made to seek us and to help us all to be reconciled with His heavenly Father, our Lord and God.

He then also mentioned how it was foolish for them to constantly bicker, argue and quarrel among themselves regarding who among them were better and more worthy, more righteous or more virtuous in their deeds and works, as they often did at that time. Many among them must be bickering and quarrelling, hoping that they would be more favoured and honoured by the Lord and became His right hand disciple and trusted one, looking with jealousy and dislike those that had been gaining favour with the Lord. That was the same attitude which the Pharisees had shown, and which the disciples initially also had, because they were all thinking in terms of worldly matters and desires, all of which would have led them down the path of pride and downfall, as their predecessors had experienced.

This is why the Lord pointed out the folly in all those arguments and bickering, all the struggles they had with one another regarding who among them were better and more worthy. All the things that they were seeking for or craved were ultimately illusory and impermanent, and would not have led them to true satisfaction and joy, and He pointed to them that they should instead be like little children in how they believe in Him, and in their way of living. Why is that so, brothers and sisters in Christ? That is because young children besides being innocent, they also believe in something truly and with pure intention instead of being burdened and affected by various desires and concerns of the world, all of which distracted those disciples and others like us from our true focus and purpose in life that is to glorify the Lord our God.

Brothers and sisters in Christ, this Sunday as we all have been reminded by the Lord through the words of the Scriptures, let us all therefore do our best to realign our lives back to the Lord and to devote ourselves more and more, our efforts, time and attention to follow the Lord our God ever more wholeheartedly from now on. Let us all continue to walk ever more worthily in God’s Presence, by returning ourselves to focus once more to Him and to reorientate our whole lives to His cause, doing whatever we can to obey Him and His commandments, and to seek true satisfaction and pleasure from serving and glorifying Him rather than to satisfy our selfish desires and ambitions, which would disappoint us in the end. May the Lord continue to guide and strengthen us all in faith, and help us so that we can continue to embrace Him and come ever closer to Him and His salvation, now and always. Amen.

Liturgical Colour : Green

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, this Sunday we are all presented from the readings and words of the Lord contained in the Sacred Scriptures, the reminders for all of us to put our faith and trust in the Lord, and not to allow ourselves be easily swayed by the temptations of worldliness, and by the fears, uncertainties and doubts that we may have in our hearts and minds. Instead we have to continue to put our faith and trust in the Lord, and do our very best at all times so that our lives may truly be exemplary and be full of faith and righteousness, that in everything which we say and do, we will continue to proclaim the Lord and His truth, and that our lives may be truly sincere and worthy in all things, our faith truly vibrant, living and real, and not merely empty proclamations of faith and belief, but one that truly embody our love for God.

In our first reading this Sunday, we heard from the accounts of the Book of the prophet Isaiah in which the prophecy of the Suffering Servant or the Suffering Messiah, as the prophet highlighted the prophecy from God on the coming Servant and Man of God Who would have to suffer grievously for the sake of everyone. What we have heard from our first reading account today is a reminder for all of us of the mission which the Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, Our Lord and Saviour, had to take up in order to save us all from eternal damnation and destruction. This prophecy of the prophet Isaiah would indeed be a strange prophecy to the Israelites and their descendants, as God did promise them the coming of His Saviour and salvation, but they could not comprehend why this Saviour must suffer and endure bitter challenges, oppressions and difficulties in doing so.

But this is where we are reminded that as Christians, each and every one of us must not only have faith but we must also act and live our lives in the manner that is compatible and in accordance to the faith which we have in the Lord. In our second reading this Sunday we heard from the Epistle of St. James the Apostle in which the famous phrase uttered by St. James the Apostle was highlighted to us, that is ‘faith without good works is dead’. This is an important tenet and part of our Christian faith and beliefs, as each and every one of us are reminded that if our faith is not made complete with real and authentic actions, good works and efforts in accordance to that faith, then our faith would not have existed or been genuine in the first place, and hence, we will be found wanting by the Lord on the Day of Judgment.

Some people actually misunderstood this, thinking that our Catholic faith and true belief in the Lord involved us gaining entry into Heaven and righteousness, justification and salvation through our good works and efforts. These peope who misunderstood this truth and reality failed to understand that we are ultimately still saved and justified by our faith in God, but such a faith cannot be devoid of true and genuine commitment to God. It is entirely possible for one to profess to have faith in God and yet, his or her faith may be empty and meaningless faith, namely a faith that is merely superficial and external, and does not translate into true and enduring relationship with God, or faith that is truly rooted in our strong and vibrant belief in God, in our genuine and loving relationship with Him.

That is why each and every one of us are reminded by St. James the Apostle to live our lives and embody our faith most genuinely through our efforts, works and contributions in life, in each and every one of our words, actions and deeds, our various interactions with one another and our commitment to love and serve the Lord among other things. We should not be Christians who are merely paying lip service to our faith in the Lord. Instead, we should always aspire to love the Lord wholeheartedly, in each and every moments in our lives, remembering as always His love and kindness, His compassion and mercy towards us, particularly in what we have just discussed earlier, in how He has done so much for us, in enduring the worst of sufferings, oppressions, humiliations and pain for the sake of our salvation and for our reconciliation with Him.

In the Gospel passage this Sunday, we then heard from the Gospel according to St. Mark in which the Lord asked His disciples about who they thought He was, and we heard the different answers they uttered, on whether He was a Prophet or Holy Man of God, but St. Peter courageously spoke the truth before everyone, stating that He was the Messiah, the Saviour Whom the Lord had promised, the Son of God Most High. Then, the Lord told them all that He would suffer and be persecuted just exactly as how the prophet Isaiah had predicted and prophesied that He would. This was met with the confusion and consternation from the disciples of the Lord, and a strong objection from St. Peter who tried to argue with the Lord and dissuade Him from carrying out such a mission.

This was when the Lord rebuked Satan who had been tempting St. Peter and the other disciples, while He Himself also kept His courage and commitment, dedication and desire to save us all strong, to obey fully and wholeheartedly the will of His heavenly Father. This was one of Satan’s many attempts to distract, persuade and coerce the Lord from completing His mission, and to tempt Him much as he had once successfully tempted away Adam and Eve to disobey God and to fall into sin. But the Lord Jesus obeyed perfectly and completely, dedicating Himself wholly, willingly humbling and emptying Himself of all glory and power, to embrace each and every one of us so that we may receive through Him and from Him the promise of eternal life and salvation.

Brothers and sisters in Christ, let us all therefore renew our efforts and convictions so that we can continue to walk ever more faithfully in God’s Holy Presence. If we have not truly devoted ourselves wholly and completely in the Lord’s path, let us all continue from now on, changing our paths and our commitments, so that we no longer merely obey His Law and commandments by external obligations and appearances. Instead, let us all commit ourselves anew and dedicate ourselves in each and every moments to follow the Lord ever more faithfully and wholeheartedly from now on. Let us no longer be idle in how we live our lives and faith, and let us all no longer be ignorant of our responsibilities and calling in life as Christians, as God’s holy and beloved people in all the things we say and do, in every moments of our lives.

May the Lord, our ever loving God and Father, our Creator and Master, continue to guide and strengthen us in our journey of faith through life. May He empower each and every one of us with the strength and courage to continue devoting ourselves to the Lord, in each and every moments of our lives. May God bless each and every one of us in our every good works, efforts and endeavours, now and forevermore. Amen.