Sundays after Epiphany

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Friday, 10 November 2023 : 31st Week of Ordinary Time, Memorial of Pope St. Leo the Great, Pope and Doctor of the Church (First Reading)

Liturgical Colour : White

Romans 15 : 14-21

As for me, brothers and sisters, I am convinced, that you have goodwill, knowledge, and the capacity to advise each other; nevertheless, I have written boldly in some parts of this letter, to remind you of what you already know. I do this, according to the grace God has given to me, when I was sent to the pagan nations. I dedicated myself to the service of the Good News of God, as a minister of Christ Jesus, in order to present the non-Jews to God, as an agreeable offering, consecrated by the Holy Spirit. This service of God is, for me, a cause of pride, in Christ Jesus.

Of course, I would not dare to speak of other things, but what Christ, Himself, has done, through me, my words and my works, with miracles and signs, by the power of the Holy Spirit – so, that, non-Jews may obey the faith. In this way, I have extended the Good News to all parts, from Jerusalem to Illyricum.

I have been very careful, however, and I am proud of this, not to preach in places where Christ is already known, and not to build upon foundations laid by others. Let it be as Scripture says : Those not told about Him will see, and those who have not heard will understand.

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Thursday, 9 November 2023 : Feast of the Dedication of the Lateran Basilica (Homily and Scripture Reflections)

Liturgical Colour : White

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, today the Church celebrates the joyful occasion of the Feast of the Dedication of the Lateran Basilica, which is the most important of all the churches in the whole entire world, being the Cathedral of the Diocese of Rome and hence is the seat of the Pope as its Bishop and leader of the whole Universal Church. This Lateran Basilica is the place where the Cathedra or the seat of the bishop, in this case, for the Pope, is placed at, and hence, why the Lateran Basilica is the Cathedral of the Pope. Since the Cathedral of the diocese is Mother Church of the whole diocese, and Rome is the seat of the Pope as the leader of the Universal Church as the Vicar of Christ, hence, this Basilica is the Mother Church of the whole entire world and is consequently also the most important and preeminent of all the world’s churches.

The Lateran Basilica, also known as the Basilica of St. John Lateran, or by its proper full name of The Archbasilica Cathedral of the Most Holy Savior and of Saints John the Baptist and John the Evangelist in the Lateran, as the only Archbasilica in the world, the most important and mother of all churches in the city and Diocese of Rome and the whole entire world, dedicated to the Most Holy Saviour, Our Lord Jesus Christ, and the two saints, St. John the Baptist and St. John the Evangelist, is one of the earliest and longest-enduring historical church buildings from the early days of the Church, having been built and consecrated about a thousand and seven hundred years ago during the reign of the Roman Emperor Constantine the Great.

Back then, the Church and the Christian communities had just emerged out of long period of constant but intermittent episodes of persecution of Christians by the Roman and local authorities, that under the same Roman Emperor Constantine the Great, had ended officially with the famous Edict of Milan. The Edict of Milan extended toleration to all Christians, ending the persecution of Christians by the state, and with the Emperor Constantine increasingly becoming favourable and supportive to the Christian faith and Church, the Church began to flourish, and with the Emperor’s support, extensive building programs of various churches began in the city of Rome and elsewhere. Within the city of Rome, the Lateran Basilica was one of the first to be built, intended as the Cathedral for the Pope, as well as the Old St. Peter’s Basilica built atop the tomb of St. Peter in the Vatican Hill, among other churches and Basilicas.

Many people mistook the St. Peter’s Basilica, or the Papal Basilica of St. Peter in the Vatican as the place of the Pope’s Cathedral, because of its frequent use in the Papal Masses and liturgies. This was because St. Peter’s Basilica, which current building dated from about five centuries ago and replaced the Old St. Peter’s Basilica, was the place where the Popes resided after their temporal and worldly authority were no more when the Papal States ceased to exist about one and a half centuries ago. Prior to that, for a long time the Pope often resided at the Lateran Palace located just adjacent to the Lateran Basilica itself, as the seat of his temporal and spiritual power, as both the ruler of the Papal States or the States of the Church, as well as the Vicar of Christ and Supreme Pontiff.

Thus, on this day, we are reminded of this less well-known but not less important Basilica and church, upon which the whole entire Christendom revolved around. It was founded in the Year of Our Lord (Anno Domini) 324, almost a thousand and seven hundred years ago, during the reign of Pope St. Silvester I, who reigned during the pivotal twenty-one years during which the fate of Christianity and the Church was evolving and changing rapidly, from a faith that was just recently being tolerated and emerging from the very intense persecution by Emperor Diocletian and Galerius, to a Church that was growing rapidly and gaining many support and followers not just from the Emperor himself, but also from many segments of the Roman society. It was truly a time of great transformation in the Church and the community of God’s faithful people.

Many people mistook St. Peter’s Basilica as the Pope’s Cathedral and principal church because in the recent decades and centuries, that is where the Pope usually carried out most of his functions and celebrated the Mass, and that is where he also dwelled, historically because of the establishment of the Vatican City State as an independent and sovereign country, with the Pope as the Head of State, which is centred upon the Basilica of St. Peter and the Apostolic Palace at the Vatican. The Papal Basilica of St. Peter is indeed a very important church, the second in importance and precedence after the Lateran Basilica itself, but the fact remains that the Cathedral and hence the Mother Church of all Christendom, is the Archbasilica of St. John Lateran, which dedication we celebrate today.

In today’s readings, we heard Scripture passages related to the dedication of a church, and reminded of the importance of these places consecrated and set aside to be House of God, the place of God’s dwelling, His Holy Presence, and a House of Prayer for all. In our first reading today from the Book of the prophet Ezekiel, we heard of the heavenly vision of Ezekiel, who saw a great vision of a Heavenly Temple and Sanctuary, in God’s Holy Presence, from which a great torrent and flood of water came forth, purifying and blessing all that came within its path. This water is a life-giving water and spring which came from the Lord Himself, and is a reminder for us of another part of the Gospel, when the Lord Jesus met a Samaritan woman who was collecting water from Jacob’s well, and told her that He is the Life-giving Spring, in Whom she will no longer thirst or seek for anything else.

In the second reading, from the Epistle of St. Paul the Apostle to the Church and the Christian community in Corinth, we heard of the famous passage in which the Apostle reminded the faithful there, and hence also all of us, that we are all God’s Temple, the Temple of the Holy Presence of God, and how the Church has been built upon the foundation of the Apostles, and we are all the parts of this Church, as parts of the one and same Body of Christ, the One, Holy, Catholic and Apostolic Church. This is a reminder that just as we celebrate and commemorate this anniversary of the Dedication of this great Basilica and House of God, we must not neglect the Temple, the House of God, that is each and every one of us, because God dwells in us too, and not just in the churches and Basilicas.

In the ceremony and parts of the Dedication of a church and Basilica, there are many components that if we examine closely, resembles and are similar to the rite of Baptism, done either on Easter Vigil or at the adult and infant baptisms. In the Dedication of a church, holy water is sprinkled upon the Altar and the whole Church, which is just as how the catechumens are baptised with holy water in the Sacrament of Baptism. Then, the Altar is also anointed with holy oils, the sacred chrism, to mark and consecrate it to God, together with the twelve consecration crosses throughout the church building, just as how the newly baptised are anointed with sacred chrism as well, anointing and consecrating us to God, as His holy and beloved people.

The church that is being dedicated is also lighted with the light from the blessed fire which ultimately originated from the holy fire blessed on Easter Vigil, symbolising Christ’s light, the Altar candles and all the other candles throughout the church, just as how the newly baptised Christians receive the light of Christ symbolised through their lighted baptismal candles. The Altar is then covered with pure white ‘garments’ that is the Altar cloths, just as we don our white baptismal garments at the time of our baptism. Then both are also incensed, just as the Altar and the church are incensed with the fragrant aroma pleasing to God, as we all, the whole living Church of God are incensed, marking us to be holy and dedicated to God.

Now, I hope we can already see very clearly how each and every one of us as Christians are also God’s Temples, where His Holy Presence dwells. He has also given us His Holy Spirit to dwell in us, and hence we, as the Temples of the Holy Spirit, in the words of St. Paul the Apostle, are all called to be holy and worthy, all the more because we also receive Him in the flesh and in His Real Presence, through the Most Holy Eucharist we partake, that the Lord Himself, in His Body, Soul and Divinity, has entered into our beings, not just spiritually but also physically, and hence, it is imperative that each and every one of us recognise the importance and the gravity of the matter, in ensuring that all of us remain vigilant in how we live our lives as Christians, that we always strive to do what is right and just according to God’s will, His Law and commandments.

In our Gospel passage today, this is alluded in the famous occasion of the Lord Jesus clearing the Temple from the many merchants, money changers and all others peddling their businesses in the courtyard of the Temple. Contextually, those merchants, money changers and others serve practical purpose providing the pilgrims and all those who came to the Temple to worship the Lord, the sacrificial offerings and animals to be offered and burnt to God. And at that time, since many Jewish people and believers lived in faraway places in the diaspora that spanned the entire Roman Empire and even in distant places like Persia and Ethiopia, they would have used different coins and currencies that might need to be exchanged first. Hence, this was why those merchants and money changers carried out their works and businesses there at the Temple.

What the Lord was against, was their practice in cheating and being dishonest in the way they carried their businesses and works, as they likely overcharged the worshippers by a lot, taking advantage of the fact that most if not all worshippers and other pilgrims needed their services. They treated the people of God and the sanctity of His holy place, His own House, the Temple of Jerusalem, with disdain, committing grievous sins in His very Presence. This was what angered the Lord very much, Who struck them all with a whip and chased those corrupt merchants and money changers out of the Temple courtyard. This is also a reminder therefore for us, that we must always keep our own Temples, that is our own beings, truly holy and worthy, just as we also should keep our churches, that had been dedicated to God for sacred worship, holy and worthy of God’s Holy Presence.

Now, brothers and sisters in Christ, can we therefore ensure that we always strive to uphold the sanctity and holiness of our places and worship, as well as our own beings, our bodies, minds, hearts and souls as well? As we rejoice today in the memory of the Dedication of the Mother Church of all Christendom today, let us all do what is tangible and possible for us, that is to keep ourselves truly holy and worthy of the Lord, by striving to be always obedient to His Law and commandments at all times. May the Lord continue to bless us all and guide us in our respective journeys in life, in all the things we say and do, and in our every interactions all the time. Amen.

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Thursday, 9 November 2023 : Feast of the Dedication of the Lateran Basilica (Gospel Reading)

Liturgical Colour : White

John 2 : 13-22

At that time, as the Passover of the Jews was at hand, Jesus went up to Jerusalem. In the Temple court He found merchants selling oxen, sheep and doves, and money-changers seated at their tables.

Making a whip of cords, He drove them all out of the Temple court, together with the oxen and sheep. He knocked over the tables of the money-changers, scattering the coins, and ordered the people selling doves, “Take all this away, and stop making a marketplace of My Father’s house!” His disciples recalled the words of Scripture : Zeal for Your house devours me like fire.

The Jews then questioned Jesus, “Where are the miraculous signs which give You the right to do this?” And Jesus said, “Destroy this Temple and in three days I will raise it up.” The Jews then replied, “The building of this Temple has already taken forty-six years, and will You raise it up in three days?”

Actually, Jesus was referring to the Temple of His Body. Only when He had risen from the dead did His disciples remember these words; then they believed both the Scripture and the words Jesus had spoken.

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Thursday, 9 November 2023 : Feast of the Dedication of the Lateran Basilica (Psalm)

Liturgical Colour : White

Psalm 45 : 2-3, 5-6, 8-9

God is our strength and protection, an ever-present help in affliction. We will not fear, therefore; though the earth be shaken and the mountains plunge into the seas.

There is a river whose streams bring joy to the City of God, the holy place, where the Most High dwells. God is within, the city cannot quake, for God’s help is upon it at the break of day.

For with us is YHVH of hosts, the God of Jacob, our refuge. Come, see the works of YHVH – the marvellous things He has done in the world.

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Thursday, 9 November 2023 : Feast of the Dedication of the Lateran Basilica (First Reading)

Liturgical Colour : White

Ezekiel 47 : 1-2, 8-9, 12

The Man brought me back to the entrance of the Temple and I saw water coming out from the threshold of the Temple and flowing eastward. The Temple faced the east and the water flowed from the south side of the Temple, from the south side of the Altar. He then brought me out through the north gate and led me around the outside, to the outer gate facing the east; and there I saw the stream coming from the south side.

He said to me, “This water goes to the east, down to the Arabah, and when it flows into the sea of foul-smelling water, the water will become wholesome. Wherever the river flows, swarms of creatures will live in it; fish will be plentiful; and the seawater will become fresh. Wherever it flows, life will abound.”

“Near the river on both banks, there will be all kinds of fruit trees, with foliage that will not wither; and fruit that will never fail; each month they will bear a fresh crop, because the water comes from the Temple. The fruit will be good to eat and the leaves will be used for healing.”

Alternative reading (Second Reading if this Feast is celebrated as a Solemnity)

1 Corinthians 3 : 9c-11, 16-17

But you are God’s field and building. I, as good architect, according to the capacity given to me, I laid the foundation, and another is to build upon it. Each one must be careful how to build upon it. No one can lay a foundation other than the One which is already laid, which is Jesus Christ.

Do you not know that you are God’s Temple, and that God’s Spirit abides within you? If anyone destroys the Temple of God, God will destroy him. God’s Temple is holy, and you are this Temple.

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Wednesday, 8 November 2023 : 31st Week of Ordinary Time (Homily and Scripture Reflections)

Liturgical Colour : Green

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, today we listened to the words of the Sacred Scriptures in which all of us are reminded that we must be always full of the most important of all Christian virtues, that is love. Without love, we cannot really call ourselves as Christians, as to follow the Lord our God, it is imperative that we must always be filled by His love and grace at all times. The fundamental reality and truth is that God is Love, and His love permeates through all of creation, since He has created each one of us by His love, ever enduring since the beginning of time. Therefore, if God has loved us so much, so generously all these while, then we should also be filled with the love for God and also for our fellow brothers and sisters, which is our primary missions in life.

In our first reading today, we heard from the Epistle of St. Paul the Apostle to the Church and the faithful people of God in Rome, in which he exhorted all of the faithful there to be always filled with God’s love and compassion, to have no debt between them except that of the debt of love. This means that as God’s people, Christians should always be filled with God’s love in all things, and they all should be obedient to the Law of God, which in essence is showing all of the people of God how to love, loving both their Lord and God first and foremost, and then loving their fellow brothers and sisters in the same way, and just also as much as they love themselves. This is the most important benchmark and sign of what a Christian should be like, as without love, we cannot be true and genuine Christians.

This is a reminder from St. Paul that Christians must always be filled with love, true and generous love for others, or else, they would not have obeyed the Law of God in its fullness. This is contrasted to the attitudes of many of the Pharisees and the teachers of the Law, who at the time of the Lord Jesus and His Apostles in the early Church, followed a very strict and rigid interpretation of the Law and forced them upon the people of God, that they must follow the Law according to their interpretation or else they would be unworthy of God. But ironically, in their pursuit and obsession with the Law and all of its tenets and practices, rites and actions, they had failed to follow the Law in its most fundamental nature, that is Love. They obeyed the letter of the Law to perfection, but failed to understand and appreciate its spirit.

In our Gospel passage today, we heard from the Lord teaching His disciples and followers about the matter of following Him and committing themselves to Him, and how following God may require one to make sacrifices, which in this case means that, there may be time when one may need to choose between loving God and loving their brethren, and just as the early history of the Church showed us, many of the saints and martyrs faced challenges from even among their own families and friends, and they had the challenge of remaining faithful to God while still at the same time, being charitable and caring, forgiving and loving towards those who have persecuted and hated them, or made their lives difficult and challenging.

Then the Lord spoke on using a parable in which He compared the actions of people who wanted to build and establish their houses, and a king who would want to go on and wage war with a neighbouring kingdom, and how they ought to prepare in advance whatever plans they might have for themselves, for their houses or for the war that they were planning to wage. This is a reference to our own lives in this world, as each and every one of us have been called and entrusted with unique and distinct gifts, missions and purposes in life by the Lord. We have been taught and shown by the Lord on how we ought to obey His commandments and Law, and as we have just discussed earlier, these Law and commandments are all about Love.

This means that as Christians, all of us must always strive to be loving in all things, in all of our words and actions. We should do our best to put the Lord our God at the forefront and at the centre focus of our whole lives. We should always do what we can in order to walk in the path that the Lord has shown us. This also entails us doing and showing that same love to our fellow brothers and sisters all around us, be it those whom we love and are precious to us, our family and friends, but also even to our acquaintances and strangers. And as mentioned earlier and which the Lord had also told His disciples to do, all of us should continue to show love, mercy and compassion even for those who have hated and persecuted us, just like how the Lord Himself had prayed and died for the sake of even those who persecuted Hin, and how many among the saints and martyrs had done the same as well.

All of us are called to show genuine and true love, even in the smallest things we do, by showing care and concern to everyone around us, and most importantly, we should do it without expecting anything in return. This is the kind of love that we all should have, and not the kind of superficial and transactional love that many of us may have engaged in or practiced in our world so far. We should instead aspire to the kind of love which the Lord has shown us, in His most selfless and pure love that He has shown us despite our stubborn refusal to believe in Him or embrace His love, and despite us still being antagonistic against Him, being unworthy as sinners who are still corrupted by the various vices and evils of this world.

Let us all therefore continue to strive to be good, worthy and loving disciples of the Lord at all times, and let us all be great role models and examples for one another. Let us all no longer be swayed and tempted by the temptations of worldly glory and pleasures, but strive from now on to do God’s will in all things, and to show good examples of our Christian love and actions, so that we may inspire many others all around us to do the same as well in their lives, and so that they may continue to experience God’s love in all things, and therefore may come ever closer to God and His salvation, embracing together with us, the love and mercy of God, ever generously presented and given to us. Let us all strive to get ourselves rid and cleansed of sin, and be truly worthy of God, now and always. Amen.

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Wednesday, 8 November 2023 : 31st Week of Ordinary Time (Gospel Reading)

Liturgical Colour : Green

Luke 14 : 25-33

At that time, when large crowds were walking along with Jesus, He turned and said to them, “If you come to Me, unwilling to sacrifice your love for your father and mother, your spouse and children, your brothers and sisters, and indeed yourself, you cannot be My disciple. Whoever does not follow Me, carrying his own cross, cannot be My disciple.”

“Do you build a house without first sitting down to count the cost, to see whether you have enough to complete it? Otherwise, if you, have laid the foundation and are not able to finish it, everyone will make fun of you : ‘This fellow began to build and was not able to finish.'”

“And when a king wages war against another king, does he go to fight without first sitting down to consider whether his ten thousand can stand against the twenty thousand of his opponent? And if not, while the other is still a long way off, he sends messengers for peace talks. In the same way, none of you may become My disciple, if he does not give up everything he has.”

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Wednesday, 8 November 2023 : 31st Week of Ordinary Time (Psalm)

Liturgical Colour : Green

Psalm 111 : 1-2, 4-5, 9

Alleluia! Blessed is the one who fears YHVH, who greatly delights in His commands. His children will be powerful on earth; the upright’s offspring will be blessed.

He is for the righteous a light in darkness; He is kind, merciful and upright. It will be well with him who lends freely, who leads a life of justice and honesty.

He gives generously to the poor; his merits will last forever; and his head will be raised in honour.

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Wednesday, 8 November 2023 : 31st Week of Ordinary Time (First Reading)

Liturgical Colour : Green

Romans 13 : 8-10

Do not be in debt to anyone. Let this be the only debt of one to another : Love. The one who loves his or her neighbour fulfils the Law. For the commandments : Do not commit adultery, do not kill, do not covet, and whatever else, are summarised in this one : You will love your neighbour as yourself.

Love cannot do the neighbour any harm; so love fulfils the whole Law.

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Tuesday, 7 November 2023 : 31st Week of Ordinary Time (Homily and Scripture Reflections)

Liturgical Colour : Green

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, today as we listened to the words of the Scriptures, all of us are called as Christians to be always ever full of love and compassion towards others, and most importantly, all of us need to be fully attuned to God, and be focused on Him in all opportunities and moments. This means that our whole lives and existence should always be centred on God, and we should always strive to do what God has taught and shown us to do, or otherwise how can we call or consider ourselves as Christians? It is important that we are all truly Christians not just in name or formality only, but that we are all truly Christians in hearts and minds, in all of our whole beings, as God’s beloved children and people, those whom He had called and chosen.

In our first reading today, we heard of the continuation of the Epistle of St. Paul the Apostle to the Romans, in which the Apostle reminded the faithful people in Rome that they are all recipients of God’s various gifts and blessings, and of all the opportunities which He has presented to us. God has blessed us with many wonderful things and we should be appreciative of whatever it is that He has granted to us. We must always strive to be faithful to Him and to do what we can do so that we can use those gifts, blessings and opportunities which God has freely given to us. This is because ultimately, we will be judged and held accountable based on what we have been given and what we can do for our fellow brethren and for our communities.

This means that we must not be idle in living our faith and life, and we have to do what we can so that we may impact the lives of other persons around us in a good and faithful way. We should always act in ways that are in accordance to God and His path, and obey His Law and commandments in all things, not just only the letter but also appreciating, understanding and implementing the spirit of the Law. However, this is easier said than done, as many of us tend to do things that are against the Law, or merely doing things of our faith without appreciating their importance and significance for us. Our faith is one that requires us to be truly immersed in the Lord’s teachings and ways, and to follow Him wholeheartedly, and not just paying Him lip service.

In our Gospel passage today, we heard from the story of Lord Jesus Who was teaching His disciples and followers using a parable, in order to tell them how everyone has been called to the banquet of the Lord, to enjoy everything that the Lord has prepared for them, the joy and happiness meant for them from the beginning. However, as we heard in that parable, those who had been invited to the banquet of the master refused to come to the banquet and made excuses as of why they could not come, and refused to do what the master had told them to do. Hence, that was why those people had no place at all in the banquet which had actually been prepared for them. Instead, their places were given to all those gathered from the streets and other places.

This parable represented and symbolised how God had called everyone to His kingdom, welcoming all of them into His presence. God did not exclude anyone, but welcomes all to come to Him. Those who had already had place in the banquet were representing the Israelites, the ones whom God had first called among the nations, to be His disciples and followers. But some among those people refused to obey Him and disregarded His Law and commandments, and the Lord wanted to make a point that everyone, and not just the Jewish people, all of them have the chance to enter into the kingdom of God, provided that they all are willing to embrace the Lord and His path. God has always been kind and loving towards all of us, and He wants all of us to be reunited with Him. But in the end, it is our choice whether we want to embrace His love or not.

Brothers and sisters in Christ, let us all reflect carefully on what we have heard in today’s Scripture passages. Let us all consider carefully what we have been presented with, and let us do what we can so that in our every actions and efforts, we will always put the Lord as the focus and emphasis of our lives, and do our very best at every moments so that we may truly serve Him by following what He has shown and taught us, in our every efforts and good deeds, all the time. As Christians, we should be worthy examples of our faith and beliefs in God, and we should help to lead others towards the Lord, by our own good inspirations and actions that may encourage others to come closer to God and His righteousness.

Let us all therefore first of all give thanks to God for having called and brought us all close to Him. Let us thank Him for having shown us His love and mercy even when we have not deserved them. Let us all be reminded of everything that He has done for us, what He has taught and shown us to do, so that we will draw ever closer to His path, and follow Him ever more courageously, fervently and sincerely in each and every moments of our daily lives. We are all called to be good examples, in all of our words and actions, in our every interactions with one another so that our lives may truly be life-giving and full of love, both for God and for our fellow brethren, all around us. Are we able to do this, brothers and sisters? To do what God has asked and commanded us to do? And not only obeying Him externally and for show only?

May the Lord be with us always, and may He empower each one of us to live ever more worthily in His Presence. May He encourage and strengthen each one of us so that by His guidance, wisdom and providence, all of us may always continue to walk down the path of righteousness and virtue, in obeying His Law and commandments, despite the trials and challenges that we may have to face amidst our journey in life. May God bless our every efforts and good works, and may He guide us all that we will always strive to follow Him and His loving examples, in being good and faithful Christians, as His disciples and followers, and as shining beacons of His light and truth to our darkened world. Amen.