Tuesday

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Tuesday, 6 February 2018 : 5th Week of Ordinary Time, Memorial of St. Paul Miki and Companions, Martyrs (First Reading)

Liturgical Colour : Red

1 Kings 8 : 22-23, 27-30

Then Solomon stood before the Altar of YHVH in the presence of all the assembly of Israel. He raised his hands towards heaven and said, “O YHVH, God of Israel, there is no God like You either in heaven or on earth! You keep Your Covenant and show loving kindness to Your servants who walk before You wholeheartedly.”

“But will God really live among people on earth? If neither heavens nor the highest heavens can contain You, how much less can this House which I have built! Yet, listen to the prayer and supplication of Your servant, o YHVH my God; hearken to the cries and pleas which Your servant directs to You this day. Watch over this House of which You have said, ‘My Name shall rest there.’ Hear the prayer of Your servant in this place.”

“Listen to the supplication of Your servant and Your people Israel when they pray in this direction; listen from Your dwelling place in heaven and, on listening, forgive.”

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Tuesday, 30 January 2018 : 4th Week of Ordinary Time (Homily and Scripture Reflections)

Liturgical Colour : Green

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, today we continue the discourse of the Scripture readings from yesterday, regarding the civil war between king David of Israel on one side, and on the other side, Absalom, David’s son who was supported by many of the nobles and the people of Israel. David had to flee from the capital city of Jerusalem, bringing many of his loyalists with him. Eventually, as much as David did not want to face off with his son in the battlefield, circumstances forced him to do so.

David had to face Absalom in battle, and when Absalom was losing and fleeing the battle, as we heard in our first reading today, his hair was caught among the tree branches, and the commander of David’s guards, Joab, when he heard about what happened to Absalom and how no one dared to harm him, took his own initiative and killed Absalom who was trapped and helpless.

As we heard from what happened next, David was devastated by the news of his son’s death. This actually resembled what David also had done, when he heard the news of his predecessor’s death at Mount Gilboa, when king Saul committed suicide to avoid being captured by the Philistines. David was truly sorrowful and filled with anguish, when he heard about the horrible news.

This showed that despite all the bitterness that often arose because of civil wars, disagreements and conflicts, David still loved his son, Absalom, and also revere his king, Saul when Saul was still alive. This is showing the quality of a person of David’s calibre, and a very good reason why he was likely chosen by God to be His king to rule over Israel. He was upright, just, loving and compassionate, even to his enemies and all those who have wronged him.

Joab, the commander of the guard certainly did not agree with king David. Right after the events portrayed in the first reading today, he admonished the king for having turned what should have been a celebration for the victory against the rebel forces into a lamentation and sorrowful wailing for the deceased Absalom. But Joab was thinking in the manner of the world, and he was not aware of the love which David had for his son, despite all that the son had done towards him.

In the same way, if we look at the Gospel passage today, Our Lord Jesus had mercy on all of us mankind, those whom He loved despite all those who have sinned against Him, as He showed us when He healed the woman who had bleeding problems for many years, as well as the time when He raised up the daughter of the synagogue official from the dead, calling on her to return to life.

Through this, all of us should be aware that each and every one of us are precious to the Lord, no matter what we have done to antagonise and to make Him angry. Just like Absalom who is still beloved by his father, David, all of us are also still loved. But many of us do not realise this fact, and we continue going down the path of our rebellion and disobedience, ultimately to our downfall.

Brothers and sisters in Christ, let us all be like the woman who had bleeding issue, that even though we may be afraid or unsure, but we should be courageous enough to seek out the Lord and by wanting to be healed. Let us allow the Lord to touch our lives, that by His actions and works in our lives, we will be transformed thoroughly, from what was once creatures of sin and darkness, into a new people living in the light.

May God be with us always, and may He bless us all with His grace. May He empower us all to live ever more faithfully day after day, doing our very best to walk in His ways and by drawing ever closer to Him, Our loving God and Father. Amen.

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Tuesday, 30 January 2018 : 4th Week of Ordinary Time (Gospel Reading)

Liturgical Colour : Green

Mark 5 : 21-43

At that time, Jesus then crossed to the other side of the lake; and while He was still on the shore, a large crowd gathered around Him. Jairus, an official of the synagogue, came up and, seeing Jesus, threw himself at His feet; and begged Him earnestly, “My little daughter is at the point of death. Come and lay Your hands on her, so that she may get well and live.”

Jesus went with him, and many people followed, pressing around Him. Among the crowd was a woman who had suffered from bleeding for twelve years. She had suffered a lot at the hands of many doctors and had spent everything she had, but instead of getting better, she was worse. Because she had heard about Jesus, this woman came up behind Him and touched His cloak, thinking, “If I just touch His clothing, I shall get well.”

Her flow of blood dried up at once, and she felt in her body that she was healed of her complaint. But Jesus was conscious that healing power had gone out from Him, so He turned around in the crowd, and asked, “Who touched My clothes?” His disciples answered, “You see how the people are crowding around You. Why do You ask who touched You?”

But He kept looking around to see who had done it. Then the woman, aware of what had happened, came forward, trembling and afraid. She knelt before Him, and told Him the whole truth. Then Jesus said to her, “Daughter, your faith has saved you. Go in peace and be free of this illness.”

While Jesus was still speaking, some people arrived from the official’s house to inform him, “Your daughter is dead. Why trouble the Master any further?” But Jesus ignored what they said, and told the official, “Do not fear, just believe.” And He allowed no one to follow Him except Peter, James and John, the brother of James.

When they arrived at the house, Jesus saw a great commotion, with people weeping and wailing loudly. Jesus entered, and said to them, “Why all this commotion and weeping? The child is not dead, but asleep.” They laughed at Him. So Jesus sent them outside, and went with the child’s father and mother and His companions into the room, where the child lay.

Taking her by the hand, He said to her, “Talitha kumi!” which means, “Little girl, get up!” The girl got up at once and began to walk around. (She was twelve years old.) The parents were amazed, greatly amazed. Jesus strictly ordered them not to let anyone know about it; and He told them to give her something to eat.

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Tuesday, 30 January 2018 : 4th Week of Ordinary Time (Psalm)

Liturgical Colour : Green

Psalm 85 : 1-2, 3-4, 5-6

Listen, o YHVH, and answer me, for I am afflicted and needy. Preserve my life, for I am God-fearing; save Your servant who trusts in You.

Have mercy on me, o YHVH, for I cry to You all day. Bring joy to the soul of Your servant; for You, o YHVH, I lift up my soul.

You are good and forgiving, o YHVH, caring for those who call on You. Listen, o YHVH, to my prayer, hear the voice of my pleading.

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Tuesday, 30 January 2018 : 4th Week of Ordinary Time (First Reading)

Liturgical Colour : Green

2 Samuel 18 : 9-10, 14b, 24-25a, 30 – 2 Samuel 19 : 3

Absalom was riding a mule and happened to meet the guards of David. As the mule passed under the thick branches of a big oak tree, his head was caught in the oak tree and he was left hanging between heaven and earth, while the mule has was riding went its way. Someone reported to Joab, “I saw Absalom hanging from an oak tree.”

So Joab took three spears in his hand and thrust them into Absalom’s heart while he was still alive in the oak tree. David was sitting between the two gates. The watchman posted at the roof of the gate, on the wall, saw a man running alone. So he called out and reported to the king who said, “Move away and stand here.” He moved aside and stayed there.

The Cushite arrived and said, “Good news for my lord the king! YHVH has done you justice today and saved you from all those who rebelled against you.” The king asked the Cushite, “How is the young Absalom?” The Cushite answered, “May the enemies of my lord the king and all who rebel against you end up like that young man.”

The king was greatly disturbed and, going up to the room over the gate, he wept and said, “O, my son Absalom! My son, my son Absalom! Would that I had died instead of you, o Absalom, my son, my son!”

It was reported to Joab, “The king is weeping and mourning for Absalom.” So the victory that day turned into mourning for all the people, when they heard that the king was grieving over his son.

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Tuesday, 23 January 2018 : 3rd Week of Ordinary Time, Week of Prayer for Christian Unity (Homily and Scripture Reflections)

Liturgical Colour : Green

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, on this day we listened to the words of the Scripture, relating to us firstly about the moment when king David brought the Ark of the Covenant, the symbol of God’s covenant and promise with His people, into the city of Jerusalem, after the Ark had resided for many months outside of the city, due to an accident that happened during the earlier attempt to bring it into Jerusalem.

King David himself accompanied the Ark with many other people, with priests bearing up the Ark which symbolised God’s presence and dwelling among His people Israel. It was told in that same reading how king David danced with all of his might and passion before the Lord in the Ark. The people celebrated and rejoiced because the Lord has come to dwell among His people, as symbolised by His entry into Jerusalem, the capital of the whole nation of Israel.

King David was truly blessed because he obeyed God, and he devoted himself wholeheartedly and entirely to serve his Lord and Master. He did not even hesitate to dance before the Lord, to show Him his jubilation and adoration, before the entire people of Israel. This is something that had not been seen yet in all of the history of the people of God, as it was extremely uncommon and indeed, in the eyes of many, unbecoming for a king to lower himself such as to dance before his people.

That was exactly what Michal, Saul’s daughter, whom David took to be one of his wives, told him in mockery, after having seen David wearing the ephod cloth and danced before the Lord in the procession. Yet, this roused the anger of God against Michal, who have slandered her own husband and mocked him, that she was made barren and without child from then on, as the clear sign of God’s anger upon her.

In the Gospel today, we heard about the exchange between the Lord Jesus and the people who were listening to His teachings, as it was conveyed to Him that His family was waiting for Him outside the place where He was teaching the people. But He told the people that all those who listened to the word of God and obeyed Him, they would become the children of God, as the Lord Jesus Himself would consider them to be His brothers and sisters, as His own family.

This should be understood in the context of how Jesus and His actions would be seen by many, including from those among His own family as being controversial and weird, and in another occasion, they even pulled Jesus out from the crowd, because He was spending so much time with the people, teaching them about the Word of God, that they took Him away, saying to the others that He was out of His mind.

What does these two occasions that happened to the king David of Israel and to Our Lord Jesus Christ tell us, brothers and sisters in Christ? It is the revelation to us that if we are to become true disciples of the Lord and devote ourselves wholeheartedly in His ways, then we must be prepared that there will be those who slander us, attack us and doubt us. There will even be those who ridicule us and reject us, based on what we believe in the Lord.

After all, if such criticisms and difficulties were experienced by Our Lord Himself, then we can expect that the same will also happen to us if we are to obey Him and to follow Him wholeheartedly. But we must not lose faith or try to conform to whatever ways that the world expects us to do. We have to stand by our faith in the Lord and persevere through those challenging times, that we may be able to find our foundation in the Lord.

May the Lord be with us always, and may He continue to strengthen our faith, so that even when the world and even those who are close to us ridicule our faith and commitment to God, we will always be ready to do our best, to give our very best and commit ourselves completely, to the One Who has loved us so much since the beginning of time following in the examples of David and Our Lord Jesus, as we heard in the Scriptures today. May God bless us all. Amen.

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Tuesday, 23 January 2018 : 3rd Week of Ordinary Time, Week of Prayer for Christian Unity (Gospel Reading)

Liturgical Colour : Green

Mark 3 : 31-35

At that time, the mother and brothers of Jesus came. As they stood outside, they sent someone to call Him. The crowd sitting around Jesus told Him, “Your mother and Your brothers are outside asking for You.” He replied, “Who are My mother and My brothers?”

And looking around at those who sat there, He said, “Here are My mother and My brothers. Whoever does the will of God is brother and sister and mother to Me.”

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Tuesday, 23 January 2018 : 3rd Week of Ordinary Time, Week of Prayer for Christian Unity (Psalm)

Liturgical Colour : Green

Psalm 23 : 7, 8, 9, 10

Lift up, o gateways, your lintels, open up, you ancient doors, that the King of glory may enter!

Who is the King of glory? YHVH, the Strong, the Mighty, YHVH, valiant in battle.

Lift up Your lintels, o gateways, open up, you ancient doors, that the King of glory may enter!

Who is the King of glory? YHVH of Hosts, He is the King of glory!

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Tuesday, 23 January 2018 : 3rd Week of Ordinary Time, Week of Prayer for Christian Unity (First Reading)

Liturgical Colour : Green

2 Samuel 6 : 12b-15, 17-19

King David went to bring up the Ark of God from the house of Obededom to the city of David, rejoicing. After those who carried the Ark of YHVH had walked six paces, they sacrificed an ox and a fattened calf. David whirled round dancing with all his heart before YHVH, wearing a linen ephod, for he and all the Israelites brought up the Ark of YHVH, shouting joyfully and sounding the horn.

They brought in the Ark of YHVH and laid it in its place, in the tent which David had pitched for it. Then David offered burnt and peace offerings before YHVH. Once the offerings had been made, David blessed the people in the Name of YHVH of hosts, and distributed to each man and woman of the entire assembly of Israel, a loaf of bread, a portion of meat and a raisin cake. With this, all the people left for their homes.

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Tuesday, 16 January 2018 : 2nd Week of Ordinary Time (Homily and Scripture Reflections)

Liturgical Colour : Green

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, on this day we heard yet another conflict between Our Lord Jesus and the Pharisees in the Gospel passage. In that occasion, the Pharisees and the teachers of the Law criticised Jesus and His disciples as they picked up grains of wheat from the wheat field and ate them during the day of the Sabbath. According to the former, and their interpretation of the laws of Moses, no one could do any work on the Sabbath.

This set them up against the Lord, Who rebuked them for their stubbornness to believe in Him and their persistence in insisting that their way and interpretation of the Law was the correct one, to the point of criticising and rejecting all those who did not agree with them. They believed in a very strict observance of the tenets and practices of the Law, to the point that they failed to understand the purpose and intention of God’s laws.

To them, the laws of God ended up becoming a source of pride and hubris, as they liked to show off their observances and supposed obedience to the Law, which to them was unlike what the others had done, those whom they deemed to be less worthy than they were for the Lord and for His kingdom. In the same manner, they looked down on the Lord Jesus and His disciples, because to them, all those who did not follow the Law as they did, were inferior, or even blasphemers.

In the first reading today, we listened to the account of the prophet Samuel’s actions, as God withdrew His favour and grace from king Saul, the first king He chose as ruler over Israel, and gave the favour and grace to David, the one whom God chose to replace Saul as His king over the people. Samuel came to the household of David, and went on to examine each of the sons of Jesse, David’s father, for the signs of God’s chosen one.

At that occasion, at first Samuel thought that the oldest son of Jesse, a man of great stature and worldly appearances, handsome and mighty, would be the one whom God chose to be king over Israel. Yet, God spoke to Samuel and reminded him about the truth, that He sees the good in His people and judges them not based on their appearances or external matters, but instead, their interior situation, the heart, mind and the soul.

Thus, none of Jesse’s sons were chosen, and the choice of God was revealed in the youngest among his sons, David, the simple and humble shepherd of his father’s flock, still very young and by any standards of the world, untrained and unfit to be a king to lead and to rule over Israel. Yet, God does not think in the same way as man thinks, and in His all-knowing sight, He knew how much David loved Him and how great was his faith for Him.

And that is the kind of love and dedication which God wants from each and every one of us mankind. It is not the dedication by performing external observances and obedience, by what the Pharisees and the teachers of the Law had done, a blind obedience, and worse still, one that was aimed at personal self-aggrandisement and ambition. Instead, God wants each and every one of us to have a genuine love and commitment for Him, as king David himself once had.

The law of the Sabbath itself had been given to the people of Israel by the Lord, because if we read what happened during their Exodus from Egypt more carefully, we will notice that they have been unfaithful and rebellious throughout their journey. They committed many things which were wicked, and God was not the first priority in their lives. Thus, one day in each week was set aside as a day of the Lord, made sacred and sanctified as the time reserved for the Lord, and not for other worldly purposes. That is the true purpose of the law, that is to bring mankind to love God and to realise the love which God has for them.

Therefore, brothers and sisters in Christ, let us all rediscover the true faith and love for God in each and every one of us. Let us all spend more quality time with the Lord if we have not done so thus far. Surely if we reflect on our own lives, and remember all that we have done in life thus far, many of us will remember that in many occasions, we put God aside and we treat Him as of second importance or less.

Let us all put aside all the distractions and all that has kept us separated from the love of God. We cannot survive without His love, and all that He has done for us. That is why it is only right that we do our best to love Him in the same way that He has loved us. Let us spend good and quality time with Him, through prayer that comes from our hearts, and at the same time, listening to Him speaking with us.

With that, hopefully we will grow ever closer to Him, and as our relationship with God deepens, we will draw ever closer to His salvation and grace. May the Lord help us in our faith journey in this life, that we may reach out to Him and attain the glorious promise of His eternal grace. Amen.