Liturgical Colour : White
Psalm 88 : 21-22, 25 and 27
I have found David my servant, and with My holy oil I have anointed him. My hand will be ever with him and My arm will sustain him.
My faithfulness and love will be with him, and by My help he will be strong. He will call on Me, ‘You are my Father, my God, my Rock, my Saviour.’
Liturgical Colour : White
Isaiah 61 : 1-3a, 6a, 8b-9
The Spirit of the Lord YHVH is upon Me, because YHVH has anointed Me to bring good news to the poor. He has sent Me to bind up broken hearts, to proclaim liberty to the captives, freedom to those languishing in prison; to announce the year of YHVH’s favour and the day of vengeance of our God; to give comfort to all who grieve; (to comfort those who mourn in Zion) and give them a garland instead of ashes.
But you will be named priests of YHVH, you will be called ministers of our God. I will give them their due reward and make an everlasting covenant with them. Their descendants shall be known among the nations and their offspring among the peoples. All who see them will acknowledge that they are a race YHVH has blessed.
Liturgical Colour : Purple/Violet
Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, today as we all listened to the words of the Sacred Scriptures we are all reminded that each and every one of us as Christians, we are called to remember the Covenant which the Lord our God has established with our predecessors, such as what He has established with Abraham, our father in faith, whom He has called from the land of Ur to follow Him and to trust and have faith in whatever that He would be guiding him towards. Through the Covenant which He has established with Abraham, all of us have become partakers of this Covenant, that the Lord is our God and we are all His beloved people, all called to live in His grace and love.
In our first reading today, taken from the Book of Genesis, as mentioned we heard about the moment when God, having called Abram from the land of Ur towards the land of Canaan which He promised to him and his descendants, made a Covenant with him and those descendants, promising him that he would become the father of many nations, that he would be blessed beyond compare, and this is all the more amazing considering the fact that at that time, Abram was already rather advanced in age while not having any child of his own yet. Therefore, not having any child on his own and yet God promised him to be the father of many nations was a proof of just how strong the faith that Abram had in God.
And God knew what was in Abram’s heart, and what his faith and trust in Him was like. That was why He chose him among all the other people, making him to be the recipient of His promises, all the promises that He has provided and reassured him and in the future, his descendants, reminding them all of just how faithful and committed God had been to them all and it is also therefore a reminder to all of us that we are all also assured of whatever it is that He has promised to us, that we will never be alone amidst the challenges and trials in this world. God will always be by our side, blessing all those who have blessed us, and protecting and providing us in every steps and at every moments of our journey.
Then, from our Gospel passage today, we heard from the Gospel passage according to St. John the Apostle and Evangelist in which we heard of the confrontation and debate between the Lord and the Jewish people who opposed Him because they did not agree with what He has been doing and teaching. For the context, this reference to the Jewish people was likely not referring to the Jewish people as a whole, all those living in Judea and Galilee, but rather specifically referring to those who firmly followed the prescriptions of the Jewish Law and customs, essentially the Pharisees and their supporters. And as the Pharisees practiced a rather strict, rigid and incorrect version of the Law according to their own flawed understanding and appreciation of the Law, thus, this led to the disagreement between them and the Lord.
Then, in that occasion, the Jews were particularly unhappy that the Lord was referring to Abraham, the father of their nation, whom they greatly revered, and how He claimed that Abraham would have been glad to see and witness His coming, and would have welcomed Him as opposed to how those Jews refused to listen to Him and refusing to accept and embrace His teachings and truths. They were even more angered when they doubted Him further and accused Him of putting Himself of the same level of Abraham, their ancestor, and when He said that before Abraham was, He was already there. But the Lord was merely speaking the truth, revealing more about Himself as the One Whom God had sent into this world, God’s own Begotten Son, the Eternal Word of God incarnate in the flesh.
But despite all the signs, miracles and wonders that He had performed many times before their very own eyes, and despite the great Wisdom which He Himself has shown them through His teachings and words to them, those people still hardened their hearts and minds, refusing to trust in the Lord and preferring rather to remain in their prejudice, their sense of superiority, their pride and ego, maintaining that they could not have been wrong in their idea and way of living up to the Law of God, against this supposed upstart Who had come upon them with many signs and wonders. Their pride and ego therefore became their undoing, preventing them from truly seeing and believing, blinding them to the truth of God.
Brothers and sisters in Christ, today therefore as we have heard from our Scripture passages earlier on, we are reminded that we should not harden our hearts, and we should instead be humble just as Abraham had been. We should not allow ourselves to be swayed by our pride, ego and ambitions, by our worldly desires which can lead us easily astray as how these had done the same to the Jewish people and their elders. This Lent, all of us are called to be more humble and to recognise our frailty, imperfections and sins more, realising that in God we can find true peace, reconciliation and mercy. And through our reconciliation with Him, we can finally experience the fullness of God’s grace and love in the Covenant He has established with us all.
May the Lord our God, our most loving, compassionate and patient Lord and Master continue to guide and strengthen us all in our respective journeys throughout this time and season of Lent, so that we may continue to follow Him wholeheartedly and be reminded of the Covenant which He has established, renewed and strengthened with us, and that God will always be by our side no matter what, helping and providing for us in whatever we need. Let us all continue to journey together through this time and season of Lent so that we may be good role models, inspirations and examples for others around us, journeying ever closer towards the Lord and His salvation, now and always. Amen.
Liturgical Colour : Purple/Violet
John 8 : 51-59
At that time, Jesus said to the Jews, “Truly, I say to you, if anyone keeps My word, he will never experience death.” The Jews replied, “Now we know that You have a demon. Abraham died and the prophets as well, but You say, ‘Whoever keeps My word will never experience death.’ Who do You claim to be? Do You claim to be greater than our father Abraham, who died? And the prophets also died.”
Then Jesus said, “If I were to praise Myself, it would count for nothing. But He Who gives glory to Me is the Father, the very One you claim as your God, although you do not know Him. I know Him, and if I were to say that I do not know Him, I would be a liar like you. But I know Him and I keep His word. As for Abraham, your ancestor, he looked forward to the day when I would come; and he rejoiced when he saw it.”
The Jews then said to Him, “You are not yet fifty years old and You have seen Abraham?” And Jesus said, “Truly, I say to you, before Abraham was, I am.” They then picked up stones to throw at Him, but Jesus hid Himself and left the Temple.
Liturgical Colour : Purple/Violet
Psalm 104 : 4-5, 6-7, 8-9
Look to the Lord and be strong; seek His face always. Remember His wonderful works, His miracles and His judgments.
You descendants of His servant Abraham, you sons of Jacob, His chosen ones! He is the Lord our God; His judgments reach the whole world.
He remembers His covenant forever, His promise to a thousand generations, the covenant He made with Abraham, the promise He swore to Isaac.
Liturgical Colour : Purple/Violet
Genesis 17 : 3-9
Abram fell face down and God said to him, “This is My covenant with you : you will be the father of a multitude of nations. No longer will you be called Abram, but Abraham, because I will make you the father of a multitude of nations. I will make you more and more famous; I will multiply your descendants; nations shall spring from you, kings shall be among your descendants.”
“And I will establish a covenant, an everlasting covenant between Myself and you and your descendants after you; from now on I will be your God and the God of your descendants after you, for generations to come. I will give to you and your descendants after you the land you are living in, all the land of Canaan, as an everlasting possession and I will be the God of your race.”
God said to Abraham, “For your part, you shall keep My covenant, you and your descendants after you, generation after generation.”
Liturgical Colour : White
Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, this day we celebrate the great Solemnity of St. Joseph, the Spouse of the Blessed Virgin Mary. On this great St. Joseph’s day, we celebrate this wonderful man of God who had so faithfully dedicated his whole life to God’s service, and who had shown us what it means for us to be disciples and followers of the Lord, by our faith and actions. As the Spouse of Mary, the Mother of God, St. Joseph was also the Foster-Father of the Lord, as although he was not the biological father of the Lord, but he was His legal father, through his marriage to Mary, our Lord’s Mother. And it is this courageous and righteous man of God whose memory we venerate and celebrate today on this great Solemnity.
St. Joseph dedicated his life to the Lord and to do His will. He has always lived virtuously and honourably, a model Christian in all things. Although he was just merely a humble carpenter of a small village at the periphery of the Jewish world at that time, St. Joseph was indeed a great man, one whom God had chosen to be the instrument through whom He would enter into the world and perform His works. St. Joseph was also the upright and courageous man who have always shown love for both God and for his fellow men, a truly great example and role model for everyone, even though he was a relative nobody in his world at that time, but his righteousness truly shone forth, and his identity as the Heir of David also made him the perfect guardian and foster-father for Our Lord Himself.
St. Joseph whose feast we celebrate today is the great Protector of the Church and all of us Christians just as he is the loyal, committed and faithful Protector of the Holy Family. And we remember all that he had done in caring for the Holy Family, that is first and foremost in how he laboured hard to protect the vulnerable Child Jesus from the hands of His enemies, all those who sought for His death. He protected Jesus and Mary from harm even before Jesus was born, caring for Mary and helping her to find a lodging as she and St. Joseph made their way down to Bethlehem for the census of the Emperor Augustus. It was certainly a difficult journey, but they all courageously and patiently bore through the journey.
And later on St. Joseph brought Mary and Jesus to Egypt fleeing from the hands of King Herod, who wanted the Child Jesus to be killed, as the former saw the Lord as a threat and rival to his power. St. Joseph followed the word and advice of the Angel of God who told him to bring his family out to Egypt. He cared for them there and brought Mary and Jesus back to Nazareth after the enemies of the Lord had passed on. He was truly a great father and a righteous man, dedicating himself and his life to the mission that has been entrusted to him. He might be just a mere lowly carpenter often looked down by everyone else, but his virtues and greatness far surpassed anything else, a great inspiration to each and every one of us.
Through St. Joseph, Our Lord Jesus was born legally as the Heir and Son of David, as according to the genealogy that we heard today from the Gospel of St. Matthew, Joseph was the rightful heir of David, born of his line and house, and therefore, just as the Lord promised to David that his rule, house and kingdom would be forever firm, these all were fulfilled in Christ. Through Jesus Christ, God has come into this world, to reign as our King, claiming the Kingship of His forefather David, and reestablish the true Kingdom of God in this world. But His Kingdom is not of this world and is not like of this world, and that was why, He was not born into great wealth and splendour, but into simplicity and humility.
But as I have mentioned just earlier, we celebrate the glorious memory of St. Joseph more than just because he was the foster-father of Our Lord and Saviour. It was because of his great virtues and righteousness that we rejoice to have such a great role model and inspiration in our own lives. St. Joseph is that great example whom we can follow in our own lives, as we look upon him as our guide in our own journey of faith through life towards God. We are constantly reminded that we too have to be righteous, good and committed in our lives, walking with God and helping to guide one another in faith towards Him.
That is why, in this season of Lent, all of us are called to look upon the good examples set by St. Joseph and we are called to emulate him in our own lives, reminding ourselves to be more righteous and just, more committed to follow the Lord by following the examples of St. Joseph, who laboured hard in life with honesty and justice, not minding his own personal desires, ambition, ego or greed. He placed God above all else and the mission that He has entrusted to him, he has carried out with patience and virtue all the same. That is what each and every one of us as Christians ought to be doing as well, in being devoted to the Lord and in following His path courageously and faithfully at all times.
All of us must remember that as Christians we have to exhibit these virtues in life, in our every moments and actions, in whatever we say and do. Let us really make good use of the time and opportunity afforded to us this Lent for us to rediscover our faith in God, reconnect our lives to Him, reorientate our ways, thoughts and all the things we say and do, that all those may come harmoniously along with God and His path. Let us all do our very best and come ever closer to God and His salvation, that we may be filled with His grace and love, at all times. And through this faithful commitment to God, let us all be good and shining examples to one another like how St. Joseph had been good role model to us.
May God be with us all, and may He empower each and every one of us that we may always walk faithfully in His presence, and may He bless all of our actions and works, and may St. Joseph, the Protector of the Holy Family and the Protector of the Church, intercede for us always, and help us through his inspirations and his prayers, that we may always walk courageously as he himself had done, in the path of his foster Son, Our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ. St. Joseph, holy saint of God, pray for us! Amen.
Liturgical Colour : White
Matthew 1 : 16, 18-21, 24a
Jacob was the father of Joseph, the husband of Mary, and from her came Jesus Who is called the Christ – the Messiah.
This is how Jesus Christ was born : Mary His mother had been given to Joseph in marriage, but before they lived together, she was found to be pregnant through the Holy Spirit. Then Joseph, her husband, made plans to divorce her in all secrecy. He was an upright man, and in no way did he want to discredit her.
While he was pondering over this, an Angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, “Joseph, descendant of David, do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife. She has conceived by the Holy Spirit, and now she will bear a Son. You shall call Him ‘Jesus’ for He will save His people from their sins.”
When Joseph woke up, he did what the Angel of the Lord had told him to do.
Alternative reading
Luke 2 : 41-51a
Every year the parents of Jesus went to Jerusalem for the Feast of the Passover, as was customary. And when Jesus was twelve years old, He went up with them, according to the custom of this feast. After the festival was over, they returned, but the Boy Jesus remained in Jerusalem, and His parents did not know it.
They thought He was in the company, and after walking the whole day they looked for Him among their relatives and friends. As they did not find Him, they went back to Jerusalem searching for Him, and on the third day they found Him in the Temple, sitting among the teachers, listening to them and asking questions. And all the people were amazed at His understanding and His answers.
His parents were very surprised when they saw Him, and His mother said to Him, “Son, why have You done this to us? Your father and I were very worried while searching for You.” Then He said to them, “Why were you looking for Me? Did you not know that I must be in My Father’s house?” But they did not understand this answer.
Jesus went down with them, returning to Nazareth, and He continued to be subject to them.
Liturgical Colour : White
Romans 4 : 13, 16-18, 22
If God promised Abraham, or rather his descendants, that the world would belong to him, this was not because of his obeying the Law, but because he was just and a friend of God through faith.
For that reason, faith is the way and all is given by grace; and the promises of Abraham are fulfilled for all his descendants, not only for his children according to the Law, but also for all the others who have believed.
Abraham is the father of all of us, as it is written : I will make you father of many nations. He is our father in the eyes of Him Who gives life to the dead, and calls into existence what does not yet exist, for this is the God in Whom he believed. Abraham believed and hoped against all expectation, thus becoming father of many nations, as he had been told : See how many will be your descendants.
This was taken into account for him to attain righteousness.
Liturgical Colour : White
Psalm 88 : 2-3, 4-5, 27 and 29
I will sing forever, o Lord, of Your love and proclaim Your faithfulness from age to age. I will declare how steadfast is Your love, how firm Your faithfulness.
You said, “I have made a covenant with David, My chosen one; I have made a pledge to My servant. I establish his descendants forever; I build his throne for all generations.”
“He will call on Me, ‘You are my Father, my God, my Rock, my Saviour.’ I will keep My covenant firm forever, and My love for him will endure.
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