Tuesday

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Tuesday, 1 April 2025 : 4th Week of Lent (Homily and Scripture Reflections)

Liturgical Colour : Purple/Violet

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, today as we all listened to the words of the Scriptures, we are all reminded of the power of God’s healing and mercy, the hope and light that we have been assured of from Him, everything that He has done for us, so that by His grace and love, all of us may attain healing and liberation from the attachments and shackles of our sins and evils. All of us as sinners still living in this world have been afflicted by the plague of sin and the corruption of our souls, which have kept us separated and distant from God. But God does not give up on us, and He still wants to be reconciled and reunited with us, and that is why we are constantly being reminded of this great love and mercy of God, freely and generously given to us.

In our first reading today, we heard from the Book of the prophet Ezekiel in which the vision of Ezekiel has been highlighted to us. Ezekiel saw a vision of Heaven and its Temple where the Temple of God and His Holy Presence has been manifested to him, showing the glory of God and the majesty that Heaven is full of, and how from the Temple of God life-giving water came forth and this great flood of life-giving water comes down upon the world, bringing about healing and grace, sanctification and purification. This symbolism of the Heavenly Temple and the life-giving water is a representation of God’s love and mercy for all of us His people, that despite the sufferings and punishments that we mankind are suffering as sinners due to our sins and wickedness, but ultimately God’s love trumps over even all those.

This must be further understood in the context of the ministry of the prophet Ezekiel and events happening during his time. The prophet Ezekiel ministered to the people of God in the land of their exile in Babylon just before and after the destruction of Judah and Jerusalem, which saw the Babylonians and their armies ransacking the city of Jerusalem and razing the Temple that King Solomon had built for God to the ground. There was nothing left of that Temple and the once great city of Jerusalem was left in ruins, as a stark reminder of the consequences of the sins which God’s people had committed against Him, their disobedience and sins by which they had been therefore punished and made to endure humiliation in the land of their exile, far away from the lands which God had promised to them and their ancestors.

By this vision of the Heavenly Temple and the healing which God has revealed through this same vision, God wanted to reassure His people of the healing and grace that He would impart to all of them, by which He would forgive them all from their sins and faults, and restore them all once again to their lands, bringing and gathering them back once again to the places where they would dwell again in His Presence. But at the same time, beyond the immediate effects of healing and reconciliation which God promised to all of His people, the Israelites, this same healing is also a premonition of what He would do in bringing about healing to all of us mankind, healing us all from our many sins and wickedness, from all of our troubles and trials, delivering us from the clutches of sin and from the fangs of death.

From our Gospel passage today, we heard of the events that happened at the Pool of Bethzatha in Jerusalem where many people came seeking God’s healing and mercy. As mentioned in the passage, those who went to the water of the Pool right when the Angel of God descended upon it would be healed and made whole again, freed from their troubles and complaints. But for that particular man who was paralysed and had been suffering for thirty-eight years, as mentioned there was no one present to help him for all those years, and he was still waiting for God’s healing and miracle when the Lord came to him at the side of the Pool of Bethzatha. The Lord saw the great faith in the man and had pity on him, and by His power, He made the man to be able to walk once again, healed from his illness and problems.

And we heard how this healing happened during the Day of the Sabbath when the people of God were supposed to cease their activities and focus on prayers to God. However, the Pharisees above all enforced a particularly strict version of this Law on the Sabbath, where they forbid even all kinds of actions including the actions of mercy and love, good and beneficial actions that are necessary for the good of the people of God. They often clashed with the Lord and refused to listen to Him despite the Wisdom that He has shown in their interactions with Him. Those same Pharisees also criticised the Lord in His action in healing the paralysed man as we heard in today’s Gospel passage. They all refused to admit that what the Lord had done for the paralysed man was truly a good thing and not something that is unlawful.

Brothers and sisters in Christ, God does not desire the destruction of His people, and He certainly does not want to see us to suffer. We have to suffer from sin and its consequences because we have hardened our hearts and disobeyed His Law and commandments, but in the end, all these sufferings will come to an end and God will forgive us our sins if we seek Him sincerely with contrite and sorrowful hearts and minds. Through His love and mercy, God has brought freedom and consolation to the suffering paralysed man, and this action is a reminder for each one of us of God’s love and mercy, His compassion and kindness, in His ever present desire to be reconciled and reunited with us, His beloved people and children.

Now, during this time of Lent, let us all therefore commit ourselves anew to love the Lord our most loving God and Father, striving to be at our best each day in being good role models in our actions and lives so that by our good examples and inspirations, we may inspire many others around us, our fellow brothers and sisters to follow our examples and to walk in the same path that we the faithful and holy people of God had walked. Let us all be humble and be cognisant of our flaws, mistakes and sins, and seek God’s rich and most generous mercy so that He may heal us all and bring us to true and genuine reconciliation with Him. May the Lord continue to bless us in our Lenten journey and observance, and may He guide us all in each and every moments of our lives so that we may draw ever closer to Him and come ever closer to His salvation and grace. Amen.

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Tuesday, 1 April 2025 : 4th Week of Lent (Gospel Reading)

Liturgical Colour : Purple/Violet

John 5 : 1-16

At that time, there was a feast of the Jews, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem. Now, by the Sheep Gate in Jerusalem, there is a pool (called Bethzatha in Hebrew) surrounded by five galleries. In these galleries lay a multitude of sick people : blind, lame and paralysed.

(All were waiting for the water to move, for at times an Angel of the Lord would descend into the pool and stir up the water; and the first person to enter the pool, after this movement of the water, would be healed of whatever disease that he had.)

There was a man who had been sick for thirty-eight years. Jesus saw him, and because He knew how long this man had been lying there, He said to him, “Do you want to be healed?” And the sick man answered, “Sir, I have no one to put me into the pool when the water is disturbed; so while I am still on my way, another steps down before me.”

Jesus then said to him, “Stand up, take your mat and walk!” And at once the man was healed, and he took up his mat and walked. Now that day happened to be the Sabbath. So the Jews said to the man who had just been healed, “It is the Sabbath, and the Law does not allow you to carry your mat.” He answered them, “The One Who healed me said to me, “Take up your mat and walk!”

They asked him, “Who is the One Who said to you : Take up your mat and walk?” But the sick man had no idea who it was Who had cured him, for Jesus had slipped away among the crowd that filled the place. Afterwards Jesus met him in the Temple court and told him, “Now you are well; do not sin again, lest something worse happen to you.”

And the man went back and told the Jews that it was Jesus Who had healed him. So the Jews persecuted Jesus because He performs healings like that on the Sabbath.

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Tuesday, 1 April 2025 : 4th Week of Lent (Psalm)

Liturgical Colour : Purple/Violet

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

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 the Lord of hosts, the God of Jacob, our refuge. Come, see the works of the Lord – the marvellous things He has done in the world.

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Tuesday, 1 April 2025 : 4th Week of Lent (First Reading)

Liturgical Colour : Purple/Violet

Ezekiel 47 : 1-9, 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 eastwards. 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.

The man had a measuring cord in his hand. As he went towards the east he measured off a thousand cubits and led me across the water which was up to my ankles. He measured off another thousand cubits and made me cross the water which came to my knees. He measured off another thousand cubits and we crossed the water which was up to my waist. When he had again measured a thousand cubits, I could not cross the torrent for it had swollen to a depth which was impossible to cross without swimming.

The man then said to me, “Son of man, did you see?” He led me on further and then brought me back to the bank of the river. There I saw a number of trees on both sides of the river. 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 sea water 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.”

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Tuesday, 25 March 2025 : Solemnity of the Annunciation of the Lord (Homily and Scripture Reflections)

Liturgical Colour : White

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, today we mark the great occasion of the Solemnity of the Annunciation of the Lord, the moment when we celebrate the time that the Lord Jesus Christ, Our Saviour and King, Our God and Lord of all the Universe, was incarnate in the flesh, and was conceived by the power of the Holy Spirit in the womb of Mary, His mother. This must not be confused with the moment of the Lord’s birth into this world, His Nativity, which we celebrate at Christmas, exactly nine months from today. And it is precisely because today is nine months away from Christmas and it marks the beginning of the Lord’s nine months period spent in the womb of His mother Mary, that we celebrate this Solemnity of the Annunciation of the Lord.

On this day, the Lord sent one of His great Archangels, the Archangel Gabriel to proclaim the Good News long awaited by His people, who have long awaited the fulfilment of God’s promise of salvation, the sending of the deliverance and Saviour, which had been given to us through this Incarnation of the Son of God, Who embraced our human nature and existence, becoming Man and therefore manifesting perfectly the love of God, which had thus been made tangible, real and approachable to us. No longer God is merely a concept or myth, or a Being far removed from us by His Almighty transcendence. Yes, God remains all-powerful and transcendent, far beyond us in might and glory, infinite in majesty and power, but at the same time, by the mystery of His Incarnation, God has made Himself close to us, approachable and real.

The Annunciation of the Lord marks this moment when the long awaited Hope and Salvation of the world has finally come into a reality, and the Light of Hope is restored to the world, long slumbering in darkness, and what is significant is that the Lord chose not to come in glory and majesty, or as a conquering and mighty King, but instead, He chose to be incarnate and born of a humble, unknown Virgin, Mary, who was merely a peasant girl in the totally unimportant and small town or even village of Nazareth, at the fringe of the Jewish world at that time. Yet, from what we have heard in the accounts of the Annunciation today, we are reminded of exactly why the Lord chose to do this, to bring about our salvation.

The Lord chose to become one of us because it is by this action that He can undo the harm and damage which our ancestors had done in disobeying God, in embracing the falsehoods and lies of Satan. By His coming into this world, He would unite us all mankind through His own humanity, and show to us the ultimate love and compassion through His Son, Who would lay down His life for our sake, freeing us from the domination and tyranny of sin. By His perfect obedience, Christ as the Son of Man would bear the many burdens of our sins, our trespasses and mistakes, which He bore on His Cross, and through this perfect obedience and ultimate sacrifice of love, He made for us a New and Eternal Covenant between God and us, giving us the sure path to eternal life through Him.

Brothers and sisters in Christ, as we continue to journey through this time and season of Lent, we are all reminded of why we observe this penitential season of Lent in the first place. We are preparing ourselves to celebrate the most important events in the story of our salvation, which the Lord had made possible through the Incarnation of His Son, Our Lord Jesus Christ, Our Saviour, into this world. Therefore today, as we all remember the moment of His Incarnation at this Solemnity of the Annunciation of the Lord, we should remember the great love and compassion which God has manifested before us all in His Son, and be filled with the same love towards Him just as He has shown us all first. We should be grateful that the Lord has been so patient in loving us all despite all of our faults and transgressions so far.

By offering Himself willingly and selflessly for us, just as the second reading from the Epistle to the Hebrews had highlighted, the Lord by His enduring love for us has fashioned for us the means of our salvation, to purify and sanctify us all by His grace, cleansing us all from the corruptions of our innumerable sins. And by this most wonderful and generous love of God, we have been healed and made whole once again, shown the compassionate and most loving Heart of God, full of love for us as always. Therefore, we too should be filled with love and devotion towards Him, and do our very best during this time and season of Lent to seek His forgiveness and mercy, and strive to distance ourselves from all sorts of corruptions, evils and sins that can lead us all further away from God.

Brothers and sisters in Christ, today we should also look upon the great example of faith and obedience which Mary, the Mother of Our Lord and Saviour, the Mother of God, has shown each and every one of us. Despite her uncertainties and her inexperience, Mary chose to entrust herself to the Lord and His plans, devoting herself thoroughly to the mission which has been entrusted to her through the words of the Archangel Gabriel. Mary is our perfect role model and example, and just as Christ her Son is the New Adam that led us all by His perfect obedience to His heavenly Father, thus Mary, as the New Eve also directs us all towards her Son, towards the salvation that He has generously offered to each and every one of us. We should follow Mary’s examples in our own lives, in each and every moments.

Let us all therefore renew our commitment to the Lord this Lent, and strive to do our best in living our daily lives as good and faithful Christians in all the things we say and do. Through prayer, fasting and almsgiving, let us all continue to draw closer to the Lord and devote our time and attention to Him, so that by each and every moments of our lives, by our every actions, ever devoted to Him, we may draw ever closer to Him and His grace, and be truly worthy to receive the pardon and forgiveness for our many mistakes and faults. Through our humility and obedience, which we should deepen ever more during this time and season of Lent, we should follow the examples of Christ Himself and His blessed Mother Mary, our own beloved Mother so that we may continue to humble ourselves before God, sinners in need of God’s mercy and healing.

May the Lord, our most loving God and Father continue to show us all His love, and help us in this journey of life, as we come ever closer to His Presence this Lent. May He welcome us back through His generous mercy and compassion, forgiving us our sins when we come to Him with truly humble and contrite hearts. May God bless us all, and bless our Lenten journey and observances. Amen.

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Tuesday, 25 March 2025 : Solemnity of the Annunciation of the Lord (Gospel Reading)

Liturgical Colour : White

Luke 1 : 26-38

In the sixth month, the Angel Gabriel was sent from God to a town of Galilee called Nazareth. He was sent to a young virgin, who was betrothed to a man named Joseph, of the family of David; and the virgin’s name was Mary.

The Angel came to her and said, “Rejoice, full of grace, the Lord is with you.” Mary was troubled at these words, wondering what this greeting could mean. But the Angel said, “Do not fear, Mary, for God has looked kindly on you. You shall conceive and bear a Son, and you shall call Him Jesus. He will be great, and shall rightly be called Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give Him the kingdom of David, His ancestor; He will rule over the people of Jacob forever, and His reign shall have no end.”

Then Mary said to the Angel, “How can this be, since I am a virgin?” And the Angel said to her, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; therefore, the Holy Child to be born of you shall be called Son of God. Even your relative Elizabeth is expecting a son in her old age, although she was unable to have a child; and she is now in her sixth month. With God nothing is impossible.”

Then Mary said, “I am the handmaid of the Lord, let it be done to me as you have said.” And the Angel left her.

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Tuesday, 25 March 2025 : Solemnity of the Annunciation of the Lord (Second Reading)

Liturgical Colour : White

Hebrews 10 : 4-10

And never will the blood of bulls and goats take away these sins. This is why on entering the world, Christ says : You did not desire sacrifice and offering; You were not pleased with burnt offerings and sin offerings. Then I said : “Here I am. It was written of Me in the scroll. I will do Your will, o God.”

First He says : “Sacrifice, offerings, burnt offerings and sin offerings You did not desire nor were You pleased with them – although they were required by the Law. Then He says : Here I am to do Your will. This is enough to nullify the first will and establish the new. Now, by this will of God, we are sanctified once and for all by the sacrifice of the Body of Christ Jesus.

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Tuesday, 25 March 2025 : Solemnity of the Annunciation of the Lord (Psalm)

Liturgical Colour : White

Psalm 39 : 7-8a, 8b-9, 10, 11

Sacrifice and oblation You did not desire; this You had me understand. Burnt offering and sin offering You do not require. Then I said, “Here I come!”

“As the scroll says of me. To do Your will is my delight, o God, for Your law is within my heart.”

In the great assembly I have proclaimed Your saving help. My lips, o Lord, I did not seal – You know that very well.

I have not locked up in my heart Your saving help, but have spoken about it – Your deliverance and Your faithfulness; I have made no secret of Your truth and of Your kindness in the great assembly.

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Tuesday, 25 March 2025 : Solemnity of the Annunciation of the Lord (First Reading)

Liturgical Colour : White

Isaiah 7 : 10-14 and Isaiah 8 : 10

Once again YHVH addressed Ahaz, “Ask for a sign from YHVH your God, let it come either from the deepest depths or from the heights of heaven.”

But Ahaz answered, “I will not ask, I will not put YHVH to the test.” Then Isaiah said, “Now listen, descendants of David. Have you not been satisfied trying the patience of people, that you also try the patience of my God? Therefore the Lord Himself will give you a sign : The Virgin is with Child and bears a Son and calls His Name Immanuel.”

“Devise a plan and it will be thwarted, make a resolve and it will not stand, for God-is-with-us.”

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Tuesday, 18 March 2025 : 2nd Week of Lent, Memorial of St. Cyril of Jerusalem, Bishop and Doctor of the Church (Homily and Scripture Reflections)

Liturgical Colour : Purple/Violet

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, today all of us are reminded through the readings of the Sacred Scriptures during this time and season of Lent that all of our actions and practices during this time of repentance and reorientation towards God should always be based and founded upon the desire for us to return towards our loving God and Father, ever being mindful of our fallen and wicked nature, having been tempted and corrupted by those sins and wickedness present all around us. During this time of Lent, all of us are made more aware of all the obstacles that prevented us from coming back towards God and His love, to our loving Father and Creator, Who has always desired for us to return to Him and to be reunited with Him, no longer separated from Him due to our sins.

In our first reading today, taken from the Book of the prophet Isaiah, we heard of the words of the Lord warning His people, the Israelites of the dangers of sin, reminding them of what had happened in the past to the two cities of Sodom and Gomorrah, which in history had been destroyed because of their grievous and terrible sins, and most importantly, because they refused to listen to God’s words and reminders, ignoring the opportunities given to them to repent and turn away from their sins. For the context, the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah were where Lot, the nephew and relative of Abraham settled in after they parted ways from each other. God first revealed to Abraham His plan of destroying the two cities for their wickedness and sins, but Abraham pleaded with the Lord a few times, asking Him to spare the cities if some righteous ones could be found in them, likely also for the sake of Lot, his relative.

Unfortunately, despite the pleading from Abraham, not even few righteous in those cities could be found save that of Lot himself and his immediate family. And when God sent His Angels to those cities, the wicked people of Sodom and Gomorrah, who according to tradition involved themselves in perverse sins and corruption of the flesh, demanded that the guests of Lot, who were the Angels in disguise, were to be surrendered to them. This was the last straw that sealed their fate, as the Angels led Lot and his family out of the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah, which ended up being destroyed by fire and brimstone from Heaven. God told the people through the prophet Isaiah about this reference to Sodom and Gomorrah to remind and warn them of the dangers of the sins that they had committed, in disobeying His Law and commandments, which could eventually lead them into the same path towards destruction.

The lesson from this story of Sodom and Gomorrah, and what the Lord Himself has told His people, the Israelites through the prophet Isaiah is that, while God is truly loving and merciful towards us, His beloved ones, but we must not take this love and mercy for granted, as in the end, at the time of reckoning and judgment, we will be condemned by whatever sins and wickedness that we have committed, if we do not repent from them. God did remind His people of His mercy and love as well, giving them reassurance and hope that if they were to change their ways and embrace His love and mercy, then they would be fully forgiven from their faults, mistakes and sins. But if they were to persist in their sins, then they would eventually face destruction and damnation.

In our Gospel passage today, we heard from the Gospel according to St. Matthew the Apostle and Evangelist in which the Lord Jesus told His disciples regarding the behaviour and attitude of the Pharisees and the teachers of the Law, many of whom liked to showcase their piety and actions among the people around them, praying visibly in public places and wearing long and wide bands of prayer tassels and cloaks that the Jewish elders and intellectuals often wore, so that they would be praised by the people who saw them and their pious behaviour and actions. The Lord was warning His disciples and therefore also all of us against following this kind of behaviour so that we will not end up being tempted by pride, ambition and desire, all of which may lead to us into this same path of arrogance and egoistic behaviour that will likely lead us away from God.

Instead, the Lord said that to be His faithful and true followers, we must be humble and we must always keep our focus on the Lord, our one and only true Master. We must not let ourselves to be deluded into thinking that we are the master of our lives and our fates, or that we can gain the riches and glory of the world that will last forever. None of these worldly things, attachments and pursuits will last forever, and they will not avail us on the time and moment of reckoning and judgment of our lives. And if we spend so much time in trying to gain all these at the expense of our relationship with God, then in the end there may be nothing left for us except regret because we have spent so much time and effort to gain all these in vain, because none of those things will last for us. All of them are ultimately fleeting and impermanent.

Today, the Church also celebrates the Feast of St. Cyril of Jerusalem, a holy man and servant of God who had devoted himself thoroughly to the service of God. St. Cyril of Jerusalem was born in Jerusalem in the early fourth century, and was ordained as a deacon, priest and eventually became the Bishop of Jerusalem, which was why he was known as St. Cyril of Jerusalem. St. Cyril as the Bishop of Jerusalem became one of the most steadfast defenders of the true and orthodox Christian faith against those who sought to change and twist the teachings of the Church to suit their own agenda and ambitions. He met a lot of opposition from those who embraced the heretical Arian teachings and ways, and such as from one Arian bishop Acacius, he had to face stubborn resistance which led to him being banished by those in power who were favourable to the Arian cause.

St. Cyril endured patiently all these challenges and hardships, giving his all in the struggles for the souls of the faithful people of God. He embraced the fullness of the orthodox teachings after having been influenced by Arian teachings and ideas himself in his youth. During those turbulent years when he was exiled from his See of Jerusalem, and after, when he returned in favour and power, he wrote extensively about the faith, which is the basis for his later elevation as one of the Doctors of the Church, a rare privilege among the saints of God. His great series of catechises on various matters and aspects of the Christian faith still inspired many people long after his passing, much as his great faith and piety are truly examples for all of us to follow in our own lives.

Brothers and sisters in Christ, today all of us have discussed from the words of the Sacred Scriptures that we have received regarding the need for us to repent and turn away from our sins, and on the need for us all to be humble in all things, to seek the Lord, His love and mercy at all times in our lives. We have also listened to the life and ministry of St. Cyril of Jerusalem, the faithful servant of God whose life should serve as a good inspiration for all of us so that we may know how to move forward in life, striving to distance ourselves away from the corruptions and temptations of sin. Let us all therefore be good role models and examples for one another, and do our part as good, holy and devoted Christians, as God’s holy people, to be the ones to glorify the Lord by our lives and examples. May our Lenten journey continue to bear rich fruits of faith, and help us to draw ever closer to the Lord, our God and His salvation. Amen.