Tuesday

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Tuesday, 27 May 2025 : 6th Week of Easter, Memorial of St. Augustine of Canterbury, Bishop (Psalm)

Liturgical Colour : White

Psalm 137 : 1-2a, 2bc-3, 7c-8

I thank You, o Lord with all my heart, for You have heard the word of my lips. I sing Your praise in the presence of the gods. I bow down towards Your holy Temple and give thanks to Your Name.

For Your love and faithfulness, for Your word which exceeds everything. You answered me when I called; You restored my soul and made me strong.

You save me from the wrath of my foes, with Your right hand You deliver me. How the Lord cares for me! Your kindness, o Lord, endures forever. Forsake not the work of Your hands.

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Tuesday, 27 May 2025 : 6th Week of Easter, Memorial of St. Augustine of Canterbury, Bishop (First Reading)

Liturgical Colour : White

Acts 16 : 22-34

So the slave owners of Philippi set the crowd against Paul and Silas and the officials tore the clothes of them and ordered them to be flogged. And after inflicting many blows on them, they threw them into prison, charging the jailer to guard them safely. Upon receiving these instructions, he threw them into the inner cell and fastened their feet in the stocks.

About midnight, Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the other prisoners were listening. Suddenly a severe earthquake shook the place, rocking the prison to its foundations. Immediately all the doors flew open and the chains of all the prisoners fell off.

The jailer woke up to see the prison gates wide open. Thinking that the prisoners had escaped, he drew his sword to kill himself, but Paul shouted to him, “Do not harm yourself! We are all still here.” The jailer asked for a light, then rushed in, and fell at the feet of Paul and Silas. After he had secured the other prisoners, he led them out and asked, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?”

They answered, “Believe in the Lord Jesus Christ and you and your household will be saved.” Then they spoke the word of God to him and to all his household. Even at that hour of the night, the jailer took care of them and washed their wounds; and he and his whole household were baptised at once. He led them to his house, spread a meal before them and joyfully celebrated with his whole household his newfound faith in God.

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Tuesday, 20 May 2025 : 5th Week of Easter, Memorial of St. Bernardine of Siena, Priest (Homily and Scripture Reflections)

Liturgical Colour : White

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, today as we all listened to the words of the Sacred Scriptures, we are reminded of the reality of becoming disciples and followers of the Lord, which will likely involve some sorts of challenges and difficulties in our paths, and we must always be prepared that we may not have it easy and smooth in our journey, but we may encounter twists and turns in our way towards the Lord. As our predecessors in faith, the many Christians throughout the history of the Church had shown us, and the innumerable saints and martyrs had testified to us, there will likely be a lot of opposition to our commitment and faith in God, and to our works and efforts as the Lord’s disciples in this world. But this does not mean that we should easily give up on our faith in the Lord and our efforts to glorify Him by our actions in life. Instead, we should be even more resolute in committing ourselves to love and serve the Lord at all times, in whatever opportunities that He had provided to us.

In our first reading today, we heard from the Acts of the Apostles of what St. Paul and St. Barnabas encountered during their missionary journey in Asia Minor, in what is now part of Turkey, where they faced obstacles and hardships in proclaiming the words and Good News of God to both the Jewish diaspora communities and the Gentiles alike. They were attacked by the conspiracy of some of the Jewish people who opposed them in Lystra, causing the people who mistakenly worshipped St. Paul and St. Barnabas as the manifestations of their gods to go violent against the two of them and causing them to almost lose their lives after being stoned. Yet, all these did not dampen the spirits of the Apostles who picked up from where they were and then continuing their journey and ministry to other people in the other places.

St. Paul and St. Barnabas used all those experiences and sufferings to strengthen the other disciples and followers of the Lord, reminding them that they were not alone in suffering for the sake of the Lord. They also helped to establish the strong foundation of the Church in those areas they had visited appointing elders and leaders to guide the faithful, so that the Church and the body of the Christian faithful and community could continue to grow despite the many hardships and challenges that they had to face at that time. The Lord guided and strengthened the Apostles, and the other disciples and followers of the Lord such that they would not lose their faith amidst the trials and challenges that they had to face in their mission and journey.

In our Gospel passage today, taken from the Gospel according to St. John the Apostle and Evangelist, we then heard of the moment not long before the Lord was to go and face His Passion, where He had to endure the worst of persecutions and sufferings for our sake, betrayed by one of His own closest disciples and abandoned by the rest, and condemned to death for sins that He did not commit. Hence, knowing all of these that were to happen to Him, the Lord reassured His disciples that despite everything that would happen to Him, they all should not lose hope but instead they should remain firm in their commitment to serve Him, because while He would be taken away from them, He would not truly go away, as He would still remain with them and would always guide them in each and every steps of their journeys.

Linking this to what we have heard in our first reading passage today, we can see indeed how true it would be, that the sufferings and hardships that Christ suffered would also be shared by many of His own Apostles, disciples and followers. And yet, the reassurances from the Lord Himself of His Presence and guidance strengthened many of these disciples and made them to joyfully and courageously continue their efforts and struggles in proclaiming the Good News of God despite the many challenges and hardships that they had to endure and go through, all the oppositions and persecutions that they faced, but at the same time also all the good things that they had done and the opportunities and successes that they had achieved in their respective missions and works.

And the Lord Jesus reminded His disciples as we heard in our Gospel passage today that He gave them His peace, and that His peace would be with them as they carried on with the missions and works that He had entrusted to them. This is a reminder for us that we should not be afraid or worried in doing what we have been tasked by the Lord through His Church, in contributing our efforts and works for the good of the Church and the faithful people of God. We must always trust in God in guiding and strengthening us in our journey and mission as Christians, in all the things that we do, even in the smallest and the seemingly least significant efforts and works that we do. With God, nothing is impossible, and He will grant us the strength, courage and power to carry out our works, missions and efforts and bring us to success, all for His greater glory.

Today, the Church also celebrates the Feast of St. Bernardine of Siena, a holy man and priest of God whose faith and examples in how he had committed his life and efforts should inspire all of us to be more committed towards God and be more righteous in our actions and ways of life. St. Bernardine of Siena was born into a noble Italian family, but was orphaned at a young age and was raised by his pious aunt, who eventually led to him joining the Franciscan order, firstly as a member and then eventually becoming a priest. He was a renowned preacher and missionary who spent a lot of effort working with the sick and the poor, as well as preaching against the corruption and worldly excesses practiced during that time among many of the people, especially among the nobility and even within the Church and the clergy.

He preached effectively as he used examples and connections to the daily lives and sufferings of the people, which could be easily related to many of them, and therefore, he drew many people who came to seek his preaching and works. People flocked to his sermons and he spent many hours in these sermons and works, touching the hearts and souls of countless people, and calling many to the conversion of their lives. Through his faith and dedication, St. Bernardine of Siena had indeed shown us all what it truly means for us to carry on our own mission with faith in God, and in being committed to live our lives worthily as Christians, to the best of our abilities, in our respective areas and vocations in life, each and every moments and each day.

Let us all therefore do our best from now on to live our lives as good and faithful Christians in all things, and do our best to be good role models and inspirations for one another in faith. May the Lord be with us always, and may He continue to inspire us all to live our lives most worthily in His Presence, now and always, forevermore. Amen.

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Tuesday, 20 May 2025 : 5th Week of Easter, Memorial of St. Bernardine of Siena, Priest (Gospel Reading)

Liturgical Colour : White

John 14 : 27-31a

At that time, Jesus said to His disciples, “Peace be with you! I give you My peace; not as the world gives peace do I give it to you. Do not be troubled; do not be afraid. You heard Me say, ‘I am going away, but I am coming to you.’ If you loved Me, you would be glad that I go to the Father, for the Father is greater than I.”

“I have told you this now before it takes place, so that when it does happen you may believe. It is very little what I may still tell you, for the prince of this world is at hand, although there is nothing in Me that he can claim. But see, the world must know that I love the Father, and that I do what the Father has taught Me to do.”

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Tuesday, 20 May 2025 : 5th Week of Easter, Memorial of St. Bernardine of Siena, Priest (Psalm)

Liturgical Colour : White

Psalm 144 : 10-11, 12-13ab, 21

All Your works will give You thanks; all Your saints, o Lord, will praise You. They will tell of the glory of Your kingdom and speak of Your power.

That all may know of Your mighty deeds, Your reign and its glorious splendour. Your reign is from age to age; Your dominion endures from generation to generation.

Let my mouth speak in praise of the Lord, let every creature bless His holy Name, forever and ever.

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Tuesday, 20 May 2025 : 5th Week of Easter, Memorial of St. Bernardine of Siena, Priest (First Reading)

Liturgical Colour : White

Acts 14 : 19-28

Then some Jews arrived from Antioch and Iconium and turned the people against Paul and Barnabas. They stoned Paul and dragged him out of the town, leaving him for dead. But when his disciples gathered around him, he stood up and returned to the town. And the next day he left for Derbe with Barnabas.

After proclaiming the Gospel in that town and making many disciples, they returned to Lystra and Iconium and on to Antioch. They were strengthening the disciples and encouraging them to remain firm in the faith, for they said, “We must go through many trials to enter the Kingdom of God.”

In each Church they appointed elders and, after praying and fasting, they commended them to the Lord in Whom they had placed their faith. Then they travelled through Pisidia, and came to Pamphylia. They preached the Word in Perga and went down to Attalia. From there they sailed back to Antioch, where they had first been commended to God’s grace for the task they had now completed.

On their arrival they gathered the Church together and told them all that God had done through them and how He had opened the door of faith to the non-Jews. They spent a fairly long time there with the disciples.

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Tuesday, 13 May 2025 : 4th Week of Easter, Memorial of Our Lady of Fatima (Homily and Scripture Reflections)

Liturgical Colour : White

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, today the Church celebrates the Feast of Our Lady of Fatima, commemorating the famous Apparition of the Blessed Virgin Mary in Fatima in Portugal, which happened just over a hundred years ago. Today as we recall everything that happened at that time in the small town of Fatima before the three shepherd children who witnessed the Apparition of Mary, the Mother of God, we remind ourselves of the great love that Mary as the Mother of Our Lord and also as our loving mother in loving and caring for us all her adopted children. All of us have been blessed to be loved in such a way by the Mother of Our Lord herself, who has shown herself to us from time to time, with the intention to call on us to come back towards her Son and be saved, and not be lost to sin and darkness.

At that time, at the site of Cova da Iria near the small town of Fatima in Portugal, over a century ago to young children-shepherds, namely St. Francisco Marto and St. Jacinta Marto who were siblings, and their cousin, the Venerable Lucia dos Santos. They had actually begun experiencing the Apparition of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Our Lady of Fatima from the previous year, 1916. Historically, it was known that Mary, the Mother of God had made appearances during times and moments when wars and conflicts happened in the world, where a lot of hardships, sufferings and trials were faced by the people, and a lot of wickedness and evils were present all around everyone. At that time, the First World War or World War I, then known as the Great War was raging throughout the world, but was particularly terrifying and devastating in Europe.

While Portugal itself was not directly affected by the war, but it was at the year 1916 that Portugal entered into the Great War on the side of the Entente or the Allies against the Central Powers led by Germany. By that time, the Great War had been raging for over two years and millions had perished due to the continuing warfare and conflicts, while many millions more people were suffering because of the effects of the disruptions to their daily livelihood, the hunger and famine due to the entire national resources of many states being pooled and focused for the war efforts. It was at this tumultuous time that the Mother of God, as Our Lady of Fatima, chose to make her appearance to us all. She was calling on the people of God to distance themselves from all the acts of violence that brought about great destruction and also the anger of God.

Initially, people were skeptical of what the three children-shepherds were experiencing and telling to them, about the apparition of a Woman at the site of Cova da Iria, which they associated with Mary, the Mother of God. The Lady in the Apparition told the three children of many things, including the prayer to end the Great War, and the call to return to peace, and for mankind to abandon all the wicked and evil deeds which they had committed through the War and many other things which had indeed angered the Lord greatly. Mary appeared to the three of them calling on them to pass on the messages and the words that she had brought with her to everyone, so that more and more people would come to turn their hearts and minds back towards the Lord, and away from the evils and wickedness which many of them had committed and led them to sin against God.

On this date of the thirteenth of May in the Year of Our Lord 1917, Mary appeared to the three children again, as she showed herself to them as a great Woman, appearing brighter than the Sun, and with light clearer and stronger than a crystal goblet filled with the clearest water, in the words of the witnesses themselves. The appearance of this Woman, who wore a white and gold-trimmed mantle, with the holy rosary upon her hands would become the inspiration of the images and statues now commonly known and venerated widely all around Christendom as Our Lady of Fatima. The Apparition told the three witnesses to tell everyone to commit themselves to the Lord, the Holy Trinity more and more, and to pray the Rosary everyday to bring an end to the war and return to peace. All those things which the Blessed Virgin had mentioned, eventually came to be, just over a year later.

There were many other things and miraculous signs and wonders which Mary as Our Lady of Fatima had shown to the three children and to many other witnesses in her series of Apparitions, as her messages and words brought upon everyone a message and reminder for them to return once again to God’s love and grace, abandoning the evils and wickedness of the world, to sin no more and to embrace wholeheartedly God’s loving and compassionate mercy, which He has always readily given to us, but yet, our stubbornness and wickedness had often prevented us from being able to receive the fullness of God’s grace, forgiveness and love. And while the messages and the words of Our Lady of Fatima, and the whole Apparition would be approved by the Church authorities, and became one of the most popular and enduring Marian devotions up to this day, but at that time, many were skeptical of the veracity and authenticity of what the three children and witnesses had seen.

That was why those three witnesses had to face scrutiny, objections and obstacles from the secular and religious authorities at that time, who questioned them and doubted them, and some did not believe that the Apparition was real or legitimate. But, through the repeated Apparitions, the many signs and miracles which Our Lady of Fatima had shown, eventually, many were convinced of the truth and authenticity of Our Lady’s appearance, that Mary had indeed appeared to the three shepherd children and through them to many others, who were therefore touched and called to propagate her words and reminders, which were all ultimately meant to direct mankind to return once again to righteousness and virtues in God. Our Lady of Fatima, as our loving adoptive Mother, has always been concerned about us, many of whom are always in the danger of losing in the battle for our souls to those who seek our destruction and downfall.

Brothers and sisters in Christ, as we reflect upon what happened that time in Fatima, the events surrounding Our Lady’s appearance before the three children and also the signs that she performed before so many people, let us all remind ourselves what she had told them all, in the messages of Fatima and everything that she had revealed to us. Ultimately, all of her efforts and works were intended to lead us all towards her Son, Our Lord and Saviour, and all of us should therefore make the conscious effort to turn away from our sins and wickedness, embracing instead God’s love and compassionate mercy, doing our very best to commit ourselves to follow God and His will for us, to be good role models and examples to everyone around us, as is our calling as Christians.

May Our Lady of Fatima continue to intercede for all of us sinners who are struggling in our journey through life in this world, and through her guidance may many of us come to realise the depths of our sins and seek her Son, Our Lord and Saviour, with greater vigour and effort, so that we may truly be worthy of His salvation and grace, at the time of the reckoning of our lives. Our Lady of Fatima, Mary, Holy Mother of God, pray for us all sinners now, and at the hour of our death. Amen.

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Tuesday, 13 May 2025 : 4th Week of Easter, Memorial of Our Lady of Fatima (Gospel Reading)

Liturgical Colour : White

John 10 : 22-30

At that time, the time came for the Feast of the Dedication. It was winter, and Jesus walked back and forth in the portico of Solomon. The Jews then gathered around Him and said to Him, “How long will You keep us in doubt? If You are the Messiah, tell us plainly.”

Jesus answered, “I have already told you, but you do not believe. The works I do in My Father’s Name proclaim Who I am, but you do not believe because, as I said, you are not My sheep. My sheep hear My voice and I know them; they follow Me and I give them eternal life.”

“They shall never perish, and no one will ever steal them from Me. What the Father has given Me is above everything else, and no one can snatch it from out of the Father’s hand. I and the Father are One.”

Alternative reading (Mass of Our Lady of Fatima)

Luke 11 : 27-28

At that time, as Jesus was speaking, a woman spoke from the crowd and said to Him, “Blessed is the one who gave You birth and nursed You!”

Jesus replied, “Truly blessed are those who hear the word of God, and keep it as well.”

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Tuesday, 13 May 2025 : 4th Week of Easter, Memorial of Our Lady of Fatima (Psalm)

Liturgical Colour : White

Psalm 86 : 1-3, 4-5, 6-7

He Himself has built it in His holy mountain; the Lord prefers the gates of Zion to all of Jacob’s towns. Great things have been foretold of you, o city of God.

Between friends we speak of Egypt and Babylon; and also Philistia, Tyre, Ethiopia : “Here so-and-so was born.” But of Zion it shall be said, “More and more are being born in her.” For the Most High Himself has founded her.

And the Lord notes in the people’s register : “All these were also born in Zion.” And all will dance and sing joyfully for You.

Alternative Psalm (Mass of Our Lady of Fatima)

Psalm 44 : 11-12, 14-15, 16-17

Listen, o daughter, pay attention; forget your father’s house and your nation, and your beauty will charm the King, for He is your Lord.

All glorious as she enters is the princess in her gold-woven robes. She is led in royal attire to the King, following behind is her train of virgins.

Amid cheers and general rejoicing, they enter the palace of the King. Forget your fathers and think of your sons, you will make them princes throughout the land.

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Tuesday, 13 May 2025 : 4th Week of Easter, Memorial of Our Lady of Fatima (First Reading)

Liturgical Colour : White

Acts 11 : 19-26

Those who had been scattered because of the persecution over Stephen travelled as far as Phoenicia, Cyprus and Antioch, telling the message, but only to the Jews. But there were some natives of Cyprus and Cyrene among them who, on coming into Antioch, spoke also to the Greeks, giving them the Good News of the Lord Jesus. The hand of the Lord was with them so that a great number believed and turned to the Lord.

News of this reached the ears of the Church in Jerusalem, so they sent Barnabas to Antioch. When he arrived and saw the manifest signs of God’s favour, he rejoiced and urged them all to remain firmly faithful to the Lord; for he himself was a good man filled with Holy Spirit and faith. Thus large crowds came to know the Lord.

Then Barnabas went off to Tarsus to look for Saul and when he found him, he brought him to Antioch. For a whole year they had meetings with the Church and instructed many people. It was in Antioch that the disciples were first called Christians.

Alternative reading (Mass of Our Lady of Fatima)

Isaiah 61 : 9-11

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.

I rejoice greatly in YHVH, my soul exults for joy in my God, for He has clothed me in the garments of His salvation, He has covered me with the robe of His righteousness, like a bridegroom wearing a garland, like a bride adorned with jewels.

For as the earth brings forth its growth, and as a garden makes seeds spring up, so will the Lord YHVH make justice and praise spring up in the sight of all nations.