Tuesday

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Tuesday, 2 June 2026 : 9th Week of Ordinary Time, Memorial of St. Marcellinus and St. Peter, Martyrs (Homily and Scripture Reflections)

Liturgical Colour : Green or Red (Martyrs)

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, today as we all listened to the words of the Sacred Scriptures, we are reminded that we have to continue to uphold our faith and hope in the Lord at all times, remembering that God is never far and distant from us. He has always been with us, supporting, guiding and strengthening us all, empowering us all with the courage and the necessary strength to remain firm in our journey, patiently helping us with the gift of His Wisdom that He has sent unto us through His Holy Spirit. God has always been with us even through the most difficult and darkest moments, and that is why, because of His great love for us, which we may not truly realise the full extent of, we too should strive to love Him and to give our love and focus onto Him as best as we can.

In our first reading today, taken from the Epistle of St. Peter, we heard the continuation of the exhortation of the Apostle to the faithful and the Church, reminding them all to remain strong, firm and steady in their faith in God because the Lord would always be with them, guiding and strengthening them through all the challenges, trials and hardships that they would have to face in their journey, all the trials that they were enduring through at the time. At that time, it was indeed difficult for one to be a Christian, having encountered opposition and oppression from both the Jewish and Roman authorities, as well as from the other local authorities and pagan believers. This was why St. Peter reminded the faithful to remain strong in their faith because in the end, God will vindicate and rescue them all from their troubles.

God truly is always with each and every one of those who have been faithful to Him, keeping them and guiding them in their steps, but it is the temptations and pressures from all around us in this world which often distract us from the path that God has led us through, and which had kept us from truly being able to follow Him wholeheartedly and courageously. Each and every one of us are reminded that we must always trust in God’s Providence and in His guidance even when we may be facing lots of uncertainties and disturbances in our paths. The reality is such that this path that each and every one of us are walking through, are often not an easy one, and in fact, the more that we commit to the path that is truly faithful to God, the more challenges we may face in this path we have. But with God, everything is truly possible for us.

Then, from our Gospel passage today, taken from the Gospel according to St. Mark the Evangelist, we heard of the exchange between the Pharisees and the members of the party of Herod, or his supporters, with the Lord and His disciples, in which the former were asking about the matter of paying taxes to Caesar, a truly sensitive and difficult topic to be discussed at that time. The intentions of the Pharisees and the Herodians were clear, that they were working together in order to put a trap to the Lord, in getting Him to give an answer that they could use against Him, trapping Him in a dangerous dilemma designed to discredit Him and to get Him into trouble. In their mind and in what they plotted, they thought that no matter what the Lord answered, they could use His answer against Him.

Why is that so? That is because should the Lord tell them that it was alright to pay the taxes to Caesar, then those Pharisees and Herodians could discredit the Lord among many among the people of God, because many among them despised the Romans and even the rulership of the Herodian dynasty itself as the taxes that they had to pay among other things were considered as humilaiting and oppressive by the Jews. Therefore if the Lord had supported paying taxes to Caesar, the Pharisees and the Herodians could have accused the Lord among the people of being a supporter of the Roman rule and hence losing His credibility, support and popularity among the people of God. On the other hand, if the Lord had told them that they should not be paying the taxes to Caesar, then He could be accused of sedition and treason against the Romans, and He could end up in great trouble.

However, the Lord in His infinite Wisdom responded truly well to this attempt to trap Him, by saying that since as the coins that they ought to be using to pay the taxes with bear the image of Caesar, as was typical of the Roman coins of the time, then it is indeed right and just to pay what is due to Caesar just as one ought to pay what is due to God. Through this perfect and wise answer, the Lord silenced His critics and enemies, preventing them from taking advantage of the situation or His responses for their own benefits. He was speaking the truth, reminding the people of God to give their dues to the state authorities entrusted by God for their leadership and rule, and at the same time, most importantly, not forgetting to give God what is right and due too. This is a reminder for all of us to do the same in our own lives as well.

Today, the Church celebrates the feast of two great saints whose lives, actions and dedication to God hopefully can inspire each one of us to be faithful to the Lord in the similar manner as well. St. Marcellinus and St. Peter were faithful Christians who were persecuted for their faith, and they were, according to the Christian traditions, either priests or ministers of the faith, with St. Marcellinus reputedly being a priest and St. Peter was an exorcist, who were arrested and tortured during one of the most brutal episodes of Christian persecutions under the Roman Emperor Diocletian. According to the same traditions, the two saints gladly faced martyrdom and prepared the site where they were then beheaded and buried, in a place that was purposefully kept hidden so that they could not be venerated by the other Christians later on.

Nonetheless, according to Church traditions, the Lord inspired two women, named Lucilla and Firmina to discover the martyrdom and burial site of the two great martyrs, and they were properly buried, becoming great inspiration for many other Christians of the later era, right up to our time. The tale of their courageous and unwavering faith amidst the intense trials, hardships and challenges that they had to face as servants and followers of the Lord would inspire countless people of God throughout the subsequent years, decades and centuries, and being commemorated even in the Roman Canon amongst the few martyrs listed there highlighted just how influential both St. Marcellinus and St. Peter had been in the history of the Church throughout the ages. Their lives and examples should therefore also serve as inspirations and examples for us all as well.

May the Lord, our most loving God and Father, our Saviour and King continue to help and guide us throughout our journey, and may the inspiration and good examples showed by His great servants, the martyr saints, St. Marcellinus and St. Peter continue to lead us down the path of faith and righteousness, Christian virtues and dedication so that we may grow ever closer in our relationship with God and in our faith in Him. May our own actions, words and deeds, our every good works and interactions be filled with true Christian faith and way of life, and may we glorify the Lord in each and every moments of our lives, in our obedience to Him and in being good and law-abiding citizens at all times. May God bless us all in everything we do, now and forevermore. Amen.

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Tuesday, 2 June 2026 : 9th Week of Ordinary Time, Memorial of St. Marcellinus and St. Peter, Martyrs (Gospel Reading)

Liturgical Colour : Green or Red (Martyrs)

Mark 12 : 13-17

At that time, the chief priests, the teachers of the Law and the elders sent to Jesus some Pharisees with members of Herod’s party, with the purpose of trapping him by his own words. They came and said to Jesus, “Master, we know that You are truthful; You are not influenced by anyone, and Your answers do not vary according to who is listening to You, but You truly teach God’s way. Tell us, is it against the Law to pay taxes to Caesar? Should we pay them or not?”

But Jesus saw through their trick and answered, “Why are you testing Me? Bring Me a silver coin and let Me see it.” They brought Him one and Jesus asked, “Whose image is this, and whose name?” They answered, “Caesar’s.” Then Jesus said, “Give back to Caesar what is Caesar’s, and to God what is God’s.” And they were greatly astonished.

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Tuesday, 2 June 2026 : 9th Week of Ordinary Time, Memorial of St. Marcellinus and St. Peter, Martyrs (Psalm)

Liturgical Colour : Green or Red (Martyrs)

Psalm 89 : 2, 3-4, 10, 14 and 16

Before the mountains were formed, before You made the earth and the world, from eternity to eternity – You are God.

You turn humans back to dust, saying, “Return, o mortals!” A thousand years in Your sight are like a day that has passed, or like a watch in the night.

Seventy years to our life, or eighty if we are strong; yet, most of them are sorrow and trouble; speeding by, they sweep us along.

Fill us at daybreak with Your goodness, that we may be glad all our days. Let Your work be seen by Your servants and Your glorious power by their children.

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Tuesday, 2 June 2026 : 9th Week of Ordinary Time, Memorial of St. Marcellinus and St. Peter, Martyrs (First Reading)

Liturgical Colour : Green or Red (Martyrs)

2 Peter 3 : 12-15a, 17-18

As you wait for the day of God, and long for its coming, when the heavens will dissolve in fire, and the elements melt away in the heat. We wait for a new heaven and a new earth, in which justice reigns, according to God’s promise.

Therefore, beloved, as you wait in expectation of this, strive, that God may find you rooted in peace, without blemish or fault. And consider, that God’s patience is for our salvation. So then, dearly beloved, as you have been warned, be careful, lest those people who have gone astray, deceive you, in turn, and drag you along, making you stumble, and finally fall away.

Grow in the grace and knowledge of Our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ : to Him be glory, now, and to the day of eternity. Amen.

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Tuesday, 26 May 2026 : 8th Week of Ordinary Time, Memorial of St. Philip Neri, 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 all reminded that our faith and hope in the Lord is not going to be in vain, and despite the challenges, hardships and difficulties that we may have to face and encounter in our respective paths and journeys in life, each and every one of us are guided and helped by the Lord in various unique ways through His works and mysterious means, and especially the Holy Spirit that He has sent to us as our Helper, Advocate and Guide. We must learn to put our trust and hope in God and follow His guidance, help and gentle prodding in our lives and paths. All of us must remember that we are never alone in this journey in life, and God is always by our side even through the darkest and most difficult moments.

In our first reading passage today, taken from the Epistle of St. Peter the Apostle, we heard of the words of encouragement from the Apostle to all the faithful who were then living through moments of uncertainty and struggles in their faith, while at the same time experiencing the great grace of God flowing through them and the Church. St. Peter reminded them all that everything which they had received and experienced, their ancestors and predecessors could only imagine, hope and long to see, while they themselves have experienced, witnessed and received the revelations of God’s truth and Good News in the flesh, through Jesus Christ, the Lord and Saviour of all. That is why they all should remain firm in their faith and they should not allow fear and uncertainties from discouraging them in living their lives faithfully in the manner that they had been taught to do.

Persecutions, challenges and trials are indeed part and parcel of Christian living, as it was back then and it may be even in our present day world. But if we trust in the Lord and have faith in Him, allowing Him to guide us in our path and journey, there is nothing impossible for us, and not even the most difficult challenges and trials can dissuade and prevent us from remaining firm in our path towards the Lord. Through His Holy Spirit, God continues to nudge us all through the difficult moments and choices we have to make in navigating life’s challenges and problems, and He will lead us all ultimately to the final triumph and greatness with Him, to the glory of eternal life, fullness of grace and true happiness that He has promised to each one of us, all that He has constantly reassured us with, that we will not easily give up amidst the struggles we encounter and endure.

Then, from our Gospel passage today, taken from the Gospel according to St. Mark the Evangelist, we heard of the words of interactions between St. Peter and the other disciples of the Lord with the Lord Himself, stating about how they had all devoted themselves, their time and their lives to serve Him and to follow Him, and how the Lord then reassured them all that none of those who had dedicated themselves and offered their lives, time and effort to serve the Lord would be left or found lacking in the end. Even as they might suffer and endure persecutions, but the Lord would always be with them, guiding and strengthening them in their paths, and the Lord knows all of their struggles and efforts, all the sacrifices that they had made for His sake, and would act on them in His good time.

Brothers and sisters in Christ, it is an encouraging message and reminder to all of us that we should not easily give in to the challenges and hardships that we may have to endure and encounter in the path that we have embarked in our own journey of following the Lord, in whatever way it may be. We must remember how truly beloved we are by the Lord, and how wonderful this love is, and how we should do our best to live our lives in the manner that is truly worthy of the Lord, that our every examples, perseverance and faith will continue to be great inspirations for many others, and often we may not realise it ourselves, but the impact of our actions are truly immense, and we must never underestimate them.

Today the Church also mark the feast of one great saint whose life and works may be great source of inspiration to all of us as we carry on living our lives as Christians in our world today. St. Philip Neri was known as a great priest and servant of God, known as the ‘Second Apostle of Rome’ after St. Peter himself, for all the efforts he has done for the glorification of God and for the spreading of the Good News of the Lord and His salvation. He founded the Congregation of the Oratory, which still remained busy and active to this very day, and he contributed a lot in his mission to reach out to the least fortunate and to many of those who have fallen into sinful ways in the community back then. Through his efforts, countless souls were saved and brought towards God’s salvation.

St. Philip Neri ministered to prostitutes and those who were often shunned by others, and many were inspired to follow his examples, and not few became followers of the Lord because of his efforts. He established a growing community of believers both within and beyond his Oratory Congregation, and brought many closer to God. He continued to do his efforts despite the many challenges facing him and the stigma encountered by those whom he was working with and reaching out towards, as well as the stigma of associating with such people. But in doing this, St. Philip Neri showed and reminded us all none other than the same love which Christ our Lord Himself has shown to all those were marginalised, rejected and ostracised by the rest of the society. It is therefore a kind reminder to us all that we too should show the same genuine and sincere love to everyone around us as well.

Brothers and sisters in Christ, let us all thus be inspired to follow the Lord ever more faithfully following in the footsteps of St. Philip Neri and the other Apostles like St. Peter and St. Paul, as well as many other among our holy predecessors, whose examples in faith and way of life should inspire each one of us to carry out our lives most worthily as Christians, that is as the disciples of the Lord. Let us all seek the Lord ever more faithfully and show greater commitment to Him, and entrust ourselves to Him and to His providence from now on, that we may always be worthy in our way of life and actions, and be inspiration for many others who desire to follow the Lord as well. May the Risen Lord be with us always, and may He strengthen us in our faith and commitment. Amen.

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Tuesday, 26 May 2026 : 8th Week of Ordinary Time, Memorial of St. Philip Neri, Priest (Gospel Reading)

Liturgical Colour : White

Mark 10 : 28-31

At that time, Peter spoke up and said, “We have given up everything to follow You.” Jesus answered, “Truly, there is no one who has left house or brothers or sisters, or father or mother, or children, or lands, for My sake and for the Gospel, who will not receive his reward.”

“I say to you : even in the midst of persecution, he will receive a hundred times as many houses, brothers, sisters, mothers, children, and lands in the present time, and in the world to come eternal life. Do pay attention : many who are now first will be last, and the last, first.”

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Tuesday, 26 May 2026 : 8th Week of Ordinary Time, Memorial of St. Philip Neri, Priest (Psalm)

Liturgical Colour : White

Psalm 97 : 1, 2-3ab, 3cd-4

Sing to YHVH a new song, for He has done wonders; His right hand, His holy arm, has won victory for Him.

YHVH has shown His salvation, revealing His justice to the nations. He has not forgotten His love, nor His faithfulness to Israel.

The farthest ends of the earth all have seen God’s saving power. All you, lands, make a joyful noise to YHVH, break into song and sing praise.

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Tuesday, 26 May 2026 : 8th Week of Ordinary Time, Memorial of St. Philip Neri, Priest (First Reading)

Liturgical Colour : White

1 Peter 1 : 10-16

This was the salvation for which the prophets so eagerly looked when, in days past, they foretold the favour of God, with regard to you. But they could only investigate when the Spirit of Christ present within them, pointed out the time and the circumstances, of this – the sufferings of Christ, and the glories which would follow.

It was revealed to them, that they were working, not for themselves, but for you. Thus, in these days, after the Holy Spirit has been sent from heaven, the Gospel’s preachers have taught you these mysteries, which even the Angels long to see.

So, then, let your spirit be ready. Be alert, with confident trust, in the grace you will receive, when Jesus Christ appears. Like obedient children, do not return to your former life, given over to ignorance and passions. Imitate the One Who called you. As He is holy, so you, too, be holy, in all your conduct, since Scripture says : Be holy for I am holy.

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Tuesday, 19 May 2026 : 7th Week of Easter (Homily and Scripture Reflections)

Liturgical Colour : White

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, today as we listened to the words of the Scriptures, each one of us are reminded of the need for us to trust in the Lord our God, in His providence, love and care for us, in all the things that He will do for us, to guide and strengthen us throughout our journey of faith and life. All of us are reminded that the Lord has always been with us, by His Presence and through the Holy Spirit that He has sent to us, by His dwelling within us through His Real Presence in the Eucharist. We must not lose hope or faith, and we must not abandon our faith in God, no matter what challenges and trials, and all the hardships that we may have to endure in the path of our obedience to God, just as the Apostles and the disciples of the Lord have shown us through their own faith, endurance and experiences.

In our first reading today, we heard from the Acts of the Apostles of the conversation which St. Paul the Apostle had with the faithful people of God and the Church in Ephesus, as he related to them the challenges and experiences that he had, in everything that he had encountered and endured, from the successes he had gathered as well as the hardships, trials, failures and persecutions that he had to face in the midst of his journey and ministry all throughout the regions, towns and places that he has visited, in his tireless and constant efforts to proclaim the Good News and the truth of God to more and more of the people especially to those who have not yet known the Lord, His truth, love and compassionate kindness for each and every one of us. St. Paul told the people all these in order to strengthen them in their faith, and for them to pray together to one another for their respective missions.

St. Paul was saying his farewells to the faithful in Ephesus, to all those who supported him there and those who cared for him, to the elders and those who have been entrusted with the care of the Church there, as he prepared to embark on his last mission, answering the Lord’s call, who had called on him to follow Him, and to suffer for His sake, in proclaiming the Good News and in facing the tribulations and challenges, as he went to Jerusalem to answer those who accused him falsely of crimes and wrongdoings, especially the Jewish authorities, the members of the Sanhedrin and others who sought to oppose St. Paul and stop everything that he had laboured and done in the Name of the Lord. St. Paul dedicated his life to the Lord and followed Him to wherever he was being led to, and although he could have chosen not to go to Jerusalem and stay somewhere else where he could be safe, he chose to follow the Lord and put his trust in the Lord.

Therefore, St. Paul told the faithful in Ephesus to be strong and committed to God, that everything happened as the Lord has willed it to be, and the Holy Spirit that had been given to all of them would be with them and strengthen them in their hour and time of need. They would not be left alone and wanting, and they would be provided with help and assistance, as long as they entrust themselves to the Lord. And should they face tribulations, suffering and even martyrdom, as St. Paul himself was prepared to face, the Lord would raise them up and bring them to Him, to enjoy the eternal fruits of their labours and their faith, to be glorified with Him forever. Those who remain faithful in the Lord shall triumph in the end, and will not be disappointed, and they shall be found worthy of the Lord’s grace and kindness, and the eternal life awaiting them.

In our Gospel passage today, we heard of the Lord Jesus praying to His heavenly Father, a continuation of what we have heard in the past few weekdays. We can see how the Lord Jesus Himself often prayed to His Father, and communicate with Him, exactly what St. Paul and the disciples in Ephesus were doing as well. Back then, the Lord Jesus Himself was about to face His greatest challenge and trial, as He would have to endure the most intense and harsh of all persecutions, oppressions and hardships, and He would have to suffer the worst of sufferings, pains and be humiliated so bad that He would have to face being treated less than a human being, as the worst of criminals. And yet, He trusted completely in His Father and devoted Himself thoroughly to the mission that has been entrusted to Him, a spirit of obedience, faith and love which St. Paul and many other disciples of the Lord followed as well.

Brothers and sisters in Christ, as we spend some time to reflect upon what we have heard from the Sacred Scriptures today, let us all hence learn to trust in the Lord, commit ourselves to His path and do everything within our abilities and power to follow God’s commands, to listen to Him and to be exemplary in how we live our lives so that we may be good role models and inspiration to all the others around us. As Christians, this is our calling and mission in life, our responsibility and our vocation to do whatever we can to help one another to come ever closer to God. And we must have that strong and genuine faith in God first so that others may also come to believe in Him, through what we believe and through our way of life among many other things that we may do for the greater glory of God.

Today, as we all continue to progress through this blessed season and time of Easter, and although we are coming close to the end of it with the upcoming Solemnity of the Pentecost Sunday, but we all must realise that this does not mean that our journey of faith, our missions and works have come to an end. There are many areas where our works and contributions are still needed, and it is through our works and efforts that many people are still able to come to the Lord and to His salvation. There are indeed still a lot of works and expectations for us as Christians, in the many things that we are expected to do, in our every moments and times, and in all the opportunities that God has granted to each one of us, having been blessed with the various talents and abilities to reach out to others, to inspire them in faith much as Our Lord Himself and St. Paul, and many others among our holy predecessors had done.

May the Risen Lord, our Saviour, Jesus Christ, our most loving God and Good Shepherd, be with us always, be with His Church, and may the Holy Spirit be our inspiration, strength and guide. May the Lord bless our every works and good efforts for His greater glory, and may He help us all to persevere through all the hardships and challenges that we may have to face in this world. May He, the One and only True God, shine the light of His truth and love to the whole of this darkened world, and may He continue to inspire us all to show genuine love in all of our actions particularly in how we interact with one another, especially to those most dearly beloved and dearest to us. Amen.

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Tuesday, 19 May 2026 : 7th Week of Easter (Gospel Reading)

Liturgical Colour : White

John 17 : 1-11a

At that time, after Jesus said all that He had said to His disciples, He lifted up His eyes to heaven and said, “Father, the hour has come! Give glory to Your Son, that the Son may give glory to You. You have given Him power over all humanity, so that He may give eternal life to all those You entrusted to Him. For this is eternal life : to know You, the only true God, and the One You sent, Jesus Christ.”

“I have glorified You on earth and finished the work that You gave Me to do. Now, Father, give Me, in Your presence, the same glory I had with You before the world began. I have made Your Name known to those You gave Me from the world. They were Yours, and You gave them to Me, and they kept Your word. And now they know that whatever You entrusted to Me, is indeed from You.”

“I have given them the teaching I received from You, and they received it, and know in truth that I came from You; and they believe that You sent Me. I pray for them. I do not pray for the world, but for those who belong to You, and whom You have given to Me. Indeed all I have is Yours and all You have is Mine; and now they are My glory.”

“I am no longer in the world, but they are in the world, and I come to You.”