Tuesday

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Tuesday, 30 January 2024 : 4th Week of Ordinary Time (First Reading)

Liturgical Colour : Green

2 Samuel 18 : 9-10, 14b, 24-25a, 31 – 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 2024 : 3rd Week of Ordinary Time, Week of Prayer for Christian Unity (Homily and Scripture Reflections)

Liturgical Colour : Green

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, today all of us heard from the readings of the Sacred Scriptures, in which we heard of the story of how King David of Israel brought the Ark of God, the Ark of the Covenant from the House of Obed-Edom into Jerusalem, the city that he has conquered and chosen to be the new capital of the united Kingdom of Israel. David has obeyed the commandments and Law of the Lord, and he lived his life and his reign in doing what is righteous and just, worthy and appropriate for being a follower of God, and especially as the king appointed to rule over the people of God. Then we also heard of the words of the Lord Jesus telling all those who were listening to Him that all those who follow the way of the Lord, obeying His words and Law, are all His beloved brothers and sisters.

In our first reading today, we heard of the moment when King David brought the Ark of the Covenant into the city of Jerusalem, welcoming it with great celebrations and festivities, glorifying God with the king himself taking part in the celebrations, dancing before the Lord with passion and vigour. This was the glorious moment as not only that David had his kingdom secure and united, but he has also established a new and mighty capital city in Jerusalem, to be the centre of his kingdom, the kingdom of the people of God, the Israelites. God blessed David and made his reign secure, and David in turn brought the Ark of God to dwell once again among the people of God, in the city which he has established to be the centre of the kingdom, as a symbolic representation of how God is always amongst His beloved ones.

That is because ever since the Ark of the Covenant was crafted from the finest materials known to mankind during the time of the Exodus, it has always been at the centre of the community of the people of God, placed in the Holy Tent where the High Priest and Moses were to go in and commune with God, Who came down and settled among the Cherubim crafted atop the Ark of the Covenant itself. Within the Ark of the Covenant was the two tablets upon which were written the Ten Commandments that God gave to His people, as well as the manna, the heavenly bread with which God had fed His people, the Israelites, during their long sojourn in the desert, and lastly the staff of Aaron, with which God had led His people through Moses and Aaron, and performed many miracles and wonders.

Then, in our Gospel passage today, we heard about the Lord Jesus speaking to the people who were all gathered to listen to Him teaching and preaching to them, and it was in that occasion, that someone told Him that His relatives and family members were all looking for Him and waiting for Him. The Lord then told the people that everyone who obey the will of God and follow Him are His brothers and sisters, members of His family, His beloved ones. And this is related to what we have heard in our first reading today, of the Ark of God coming to dwell among His people in Jerusalem, because in Jesus Christ Himself, the Son of God and the Saviour Whom God has promised to all of His people, God Himself had become incarnate and manifested in the flesh, appearing before all of us and dwelling in our midst.

By coming down to dwell among us, the Lord has truly fulfilled His promises to us, and becoming Emmanuel – ‘God Who is with us’, and He is the New Covenant, the One Who established the new link between us and our Master and Creator, through His Presence in our midst, and most importantly through His Passion, His suffering, death and Resurrection from the dead. That is why, God Himself has dwelled in our midst, and when the Lord Jesus said to the people that all those who obey the will of God are His own brothers and sisters, it is a reference to the fact that because the Word of God has been incarnate in the flesh as the Son of Man in Jesus, thus, through His humanity, He has united all of us to Himself and to His heavenly Father, making all of us the sons and daughters of the Lord by adoption.

Brothers and sisters in Christ, through what we have heard in our Scripture readings today, we are clearly reminded that we are all God’s people, whom He loves most dearly, and how He desires to dwell in our midst, at all times. However, it is our disobedience and sins against Him, every moments and times when we refused to listen to Him that we ended up turning against God and rejecting His salvation, love and grace. If we continue to allow the temptations and ways of this world, the pleasures and the darkness present around us from continuing to mislead us down the wrong path, we will likely fall ever deeper into the darkness of sin, and hence into our downfall.

Let us all therefore remind ourselves to be ever more faithful to the Lord in all things, and to commit ourselves ever more wholeheartedly in each and every moments of our lives, so that by our every actions and commitment, our every words, deeds and interactions with one another, we will draw ever closer to God and to His grace. Let us all be like David, King of Israel, who has always done his best in trying to do the will of God, in following the Law and commandments of God, and in repenting and turning away from the path of sin whenever he fell into temptation and the allures of worldly glory and pleasures.

May all of us as Christians, as God’s beloved people, continue to be good role models in all of our lives, our every moments and actions, so that by our lives we may truly be the living examples and the shining beacons of God’s light, love and truth, illuminating this world darkened by sin and evil. May all of us continue to persist in our efforts and works, in doing what we can so that by our lives, God’s Name may truly be glorified, and many more souls may be saved by their return to the Lord. May God bless our every good efforts and works, now and always. Amen.

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Tuesday, 23 January 2024 : 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 2024 : 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 2024 : 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 2024 : 2nd Week of Ordinary Time (Homily and Scripture Reflections)

Liturgical Colour : Green

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, today as we listened to the words of the Sacred Scriptures, we are all reminded of the calling of David whom God had chosen to be the new king over His beloved and chosen people, Israel. We heard how the prophet Samuel was sent to David’s family for him to be chosen and then anointed as the new king of Israel. We heard the Lord’s words telling Samuel why He has chosen David to be the new king of Israel in replacing Saul, who has disobeyed Him. Then, we have also heard from our Gospel passage today of the account of the moment when the Pharisees questioned and likely even criticised the Lord because His disciples had been picking the grains of the field on the day of the Sabbath, which according to the very strict interpretation of the Law by the same Pharisees, was forbidden and against the Law.

In our first reading today, as mentioned, we heard from the Book of the prophet Samuel of the moment when God told Samuel to seek the one chosen by Him to replace Saul as the King and ruler over the people of Israel. At that time, God’s favour had left Saul because of his disobedience and refusal to obey God’s Law which led the people of God into the path of sin, and hence, God chose another person who would be more worthy in his heart and mind than Saul in carrying out His commandments and Law, and in doing His will, namely that of David, the youngest son of Jesse, of Bethlehem in Judah. David was chosen not because of his stature and might, his influence and power, or his intellect and greatness, or his family connections and lineage, but rather, because in him, God saw a true love and dedication which few others have.

We heard how Samuel went to the house of Jesse and told the man of the tribe of Judah to show his children as one of them had been chosen by God to be His anointed one, and hence king over His people. And we heard how at first, Samuel thought that the eldest son of Jesse, who had eight sons, namely that of Eliab, must have been the chosen one of God because of his age, stature and appearance. Yet, God told Samuel that He did not choose by appearances, and the same happened for all of the seven elder sons of Jesse. It was David, the youngest of Jesse’s sons, who was still relatively young and lesser in stature that God had chosen to be His new ruler and king over all of His people. This can be contrasted to Saul who was chosen earlier on as king, for Saul was truly tall and was head and shoulders over all the others.

This contrast between Saul and David, in how the former would have indeed been physically and apparently ideal for kingship and leadership, and yet, it was this same Saul who led the people of God into sin, as he disobeyed the Lord and disrespected Him, choosing to follow his own decisions and did not show humility to God unlike that of David later on. David himself was not perfect as king, as Scriptures showed that he did make mistakes and wrong choices as king, and yet, he showed humility before God, as well as the realisation and understanding that he had sinned against God. While Saul was very proud and arrogant, and did not humble himself before God, continuing to walk down the path of sin, David was humble and willing to seek the Lord’s forgiveness, turning himself back once again on the path of righteousness and virtue.

Essentially, what we have seen is the contrast between the ones who have chosen to follow their own path, their greed and desire, as compared to those who placed their trust and faith in the Lord. If we allow worldly temptations and ambitions to distract us and to mislead us down the wrong path, then like that of king Saul and many others who had fallen into sin, we too may end up in the path towards our downfall because of our inability to resist the temptations of our greed, desire and ego, and of the various worldly attachments and pleasures out there, all of which are the ways how Satan and all those seeking our destruction sought to bring about our downfall and end. We must remind ourselves not to be tempted and to remain strong in our faith in the Lord, at all times.

Then, in our Gospel passage today, as mentioned, we heard about the Lord and His disciples being criticised and questioned by the Pharisees and the teachers of the Law who were likely following and shadowing them, as those disciples were picking upon the grains of the crops in the field, which was forbidden and taboo according to the way the Law of God was practiced and interpreted by the Pharisees and the teachers of the Law. Those people who had been entrusted with the guardianship over the Law and commandments of God strictly perceived the Law and customs, which were expanded and modified over the centuries, such that by the time of the Lord and His ministry, the original purpose and intention of the Law had become forgotten and altered.

Therefore, the Lord rebuked those Pharisees and the teachers of the Law for their folly and their rigidity, by quoting the examples from the same King David, the one whom the prophet Samuel had anointed and whom God had chosen to be the king over all of His people, the Israelites. The much revered and honoured king David himself did not obey the Law of God to the letter when he and his men were on the move, at that time, during days of conflict between him and king Saul. They were all hungry and without food, and High Priest Abiathar allowed him and his men to eat from the bread of offering which were reserved only for the priests. Had the Law been followed to the letter without understanding its true intent and meaning, then king David and his men would have starved to death, there and then.

The Lord Jesus highlighted the fact and truth that the Law of God was meant to show all of us mankind how we should all love the Lord our God with all of our hearts and minds, with all of our might and strength. But it was never meant to make our lives miserable and difficult, or to make the Law, its customs, details, precepts and rituals to rule over us and to make us forget of the true and most important purpose of the Law, that is to bring our focus back towards the Lord, our most loving God and Father, our Creator and Master. We must not allow our own prejudices and worldly attachments, desires and all those things from leading us down the slippery slope towards our downfall and damnation through sin.

We must not be like those Pharisees and the teachers of the Law who thought that they were better than anyone else, superior and more worthy, and yet, failed to realise and understand the true meaning and purpose of God’s Law, on top of making it difficult and challenging for those who are actually in greatest need of God’s help, love and mercy, by making it so difficult and a great chore indeed in following and obeying God’s Law. Let us all instead do our best so that our lives may truly be attuned to the Lord, and be willing to listen to Him humbly like David, who truly loved the Lord and dedicated himself and his life to serve Him.

May all of us be like David and all of our holy predecessors, in how we live our lives in each and every moments, that through us, more and more may come to know the Lord and believe in Him, and this is how we, as Christians, evangelise and spread the Good News of God to the whole world. May God bless our every good works, efforts and endeavours, for His greater glory, now and always. Amen.

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Tuesday, 16 January 2024 : 2nd Week of Ordinary Time (Gospel Reading)

Liturgical Colour : Green

Mark 2 : 23-28

At that time, on one Sabbath Jesus was walking through grain fields. As His disciples walked along with Him, they began to pick the heads of grain and crush them in their hands. Then the Pharisees said to Jesus, “Look! They are doing what is forbidden on the Sabbath!”

And He said to them, “Have you never read what David did in his time of need; when he and his men were very hungry? He went into the House of God, when Abiathar was High Priest, and ate; the bread of offering, which only the priests are allowed to eat, and he also gave some to the men who were with him.”

Then Jesus said to them, “The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath. So the Son of Man is Master even of the Sabbath.”

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Tuesday, 16 January 2024 : 2nd Week of Ordinary Time (Psalm)

Liturgical Colour : Green

Psalm 88 : 20, 21-22, 27-28

In the past, You spoke in a vision; You said of Your faithful servant : “I have set the crown upon a mighty one; on one chosen from the people.”

I have found David My servant, and, with My holy oil, I have anointed him. My hand will be ever with him; and My arm will sustain him.

He will call on Me, “You are my Father, my God, my Rock, my Saviour.” I will make him the firstborn, the highest of the kings of the earth.

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Tuesday, 16 January 2024 : 2nd Week of Ordinary Time (First Reading)

Liturgical Colour : Green

1 Samuel 16 : 1-13

YHVH asked Samuel, “How long will you be grieving over Saul whom I have rejected as king of Israel? Fill your horn with oil and be on your way to Jesse the Bethlehemite, for I have chosen My king from among his sons.”

Samuel asked, “How can I go? If Saul hears of this, he will kill me!” YHVH replied, “Take a heifer with you and say, ‘I have come to sacrifice to YHVH.’ Invite Jesse to the sacrifice and I will let you know what to do next. You shall anoint for Me the one I point out to you.”

Samuel did what YHVH commanded and left for Bethlehem. When he appeared, the elders of the city came to him asking, fearfully, “Do you bring us peace?” Samuel replied, “I come in peace; I am here to sacrifice to YHVH. Cleanse yourselves and join me in the sacrifice.” He also had Jesse and his sons cleansed and invited them to the sacrifice.

As they came, Samuel looked at Eliab the older and thought, “This must be YHVH’s anointed.” But YHVH told Samuel, “Do not judge by his looks or his stature for I have rejected him. YHVH does not judge as man judges; humans see with the eyes; YHVH sees the heart.”

Jesse called his son Abinadab and presented him to Samuel who said, “YHVH has not chosen this one either.” Jesse presented Shammah and Samuel said, “Nor has YHVH chosen this one.” Jesse presented seven of his sons to Samuel who said, “YHVH has chosen none of them. But are all your sons here?”

Jesse replied, “There is still the youngest, tending the flock just now.” Samuel said to him, “Send for him and bring him to me; we shall not sit down to eat until he arrives.” So Jesse sent for his youngest son and brought him to Samuel. He was a handsome lad with a ruddy complexion and beautiful eyes. And YHVH spoke, “Go, anoint him for he is the one.”

Samuel then took the horn of oil and anointed him in his brothers’ presence. From that day onwards, YHVH’s Spirit took hold of David. Then Samuel left for Ramah.

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Tuesday, 9 January 2024 : 1st Week of Ordinary Time (Homily and Scripture Reflections)

Liturgical Colour : Green

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, today we all begin the time of the Ordinary Season, the first of the two Ordinary Times of this current liturgical year, which will continue on towards the Season of Lent. And then, as we listened to the words of the Scriptures, we are all reminded of the need for all of us as Christians to put our faith and trust in the Lord, because through Him all of us will be safe and taken care of, and we have to trust in Him as no matter what trials and challenges may befall us, or whatever troubles and hardships that we may have to endure, in the end, we shall be triumphant with God, and the Lord will guide us all and give us His strength and power, so that we will be strong throughout our journey and we will be able to persevere through those challenges as long as we keep onto that faith in the Lord.

In our first reading today, taken from the Book of the prophet Samuel, we heard of the beginning of the story of Samuel, the one whom the Lord sent to the Israelites to be their Prophet and Judge, as the one to lead and guide them through their lives, to keep them faithful to the Law and commandments which God had revealed and passed to them through their ancestors. Samuel was conceived and born miraculously after God has answered the prayers of his mother Hannah. At that time, Hannah was married to a man named Elkanah, who also had another wife named Penninah. Penninah had bore many children for Elkanah while Hannah could not have any child and was barren, and yet, Elkanah loved Hannah more, and this led to the jealousy of Penninah who often bullied Hannah and ridiculed her for her barren state.

As we heard in our first reading today, Hannah went to seek the Lord at His Holy Tent in Shiloh, asking for God’s help because she was already desperate and out of options, and at that time, it was indeed considered disgraceful and unbecoming for a woman to be barren and unable to bear any child at all. That was why Hannah sought the Lord, promising to Him that she would entrust her firstborn son to Him as His servant, if He would answer her prayers. The High Priest and Judge Eli was there and thought that Hannah was drunk, but Hannah told her everything that she had hoped to achieve in seeking the Lord earnestly in prayer. Thus, Eli understood her predicament and gave Hannah his blessing, and hoped that the Lord would grant her what she has asked for.

And God did indeed answer Hannah’s prayer, listening to what she has asked for, and gave her a son, which was miraculously conceived between Elkanah and Hannah, and was therefore born and named as Samuel. As Hannah has promised the Lord, she fulfilled her promise by offering her firstborn son to the Lord, to be His servant, and God made Samuel to be a great Prophet and Judge, the last one to guide and rule over the Israelites. Through Samuel, God would perform many great things among His people, and eventually He gave them kings to rule and lead them, to continue shepherding and guiding them throughout their lives, from Saul and then to David, the virtuous king who led Israel into its golden age. Throughout all these, God kept on guiding and helping His people through Samuel, His prophet and servant.

Then, in our Gospel passage today, we heard of the account of the actions of the Lord Jesus in the synagogue on a Sabbath day, when He miraculously healed an afflicted man by casting out evil spirit from him. The Lord sternly rebuked the evil spirit who was disturbing Him and His teaching, and He healed the man, freeing him from the affliction and bondage to the evil spirit. He also taught with power and authority such as have never been seen, heard or witnessed before. All these amazed everyone who witnessed the event and many believed in the Lord through what He Himself had done, through His Son, Our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ, Who has come into our midst to show unto us all the love of God, manifested in the flesh.

Brothers and sisters in Christ, through what we have heard in our Scripture passages today, we are all reminded that God is always on our side, and we are all always beloved by Him, in all circumstances. All those who have put their faith and trust in Him shall not be disappointed, for in His time, He will move to assist and help us in His own mysterious ways, such as how He assisted Hannah, by giving her a son, and according to the Scriptures, she would go on to bear many more children, erasing the stain of shame of barrenness from her. In other different ways, thus God also helped His other faithful ones throughout history, including that possessed man, whom He Himself had liberated from the power of the evil ones, and brought back into His loving care and grace, into the community of God’s people.

What does this mean for all of us? It means that we should always strive to remain firm in our faith in the Lord, and we should always put our trust in Him, even when challenges and trials are facing us, and even when hope and prospects seem to be really dim and dark. We must not easily be swayed by other paths and temptations of worldly means, which may end up causing us to fall astray from the path that the Lord has shown us. We must resist the temptations to embrace those false paths, the allures of worldly matters and attachments, or other things that may seem to be promising and good for us, but in fact may lead us into even greater hardships and regret later on. The path of the Lord is certainly not the easiest and the smoothest one, but it is the one and only one leading to true joy and fulfilment for us.

Let us all hence renew our faith in the Lord today, and affirm our trust in Him, and let us all do our very best so that we may always endeavour to put ourselves in the hands of the Lord, and believe that in Him, we can be strengthened and made firm, amidst all the trials and challenges of the world. May the Lord continue to guide us through this life, so that our every day moments, our whole lives, and how we live them, will always ever be inspirational and be great role models for others in our Christian virtues and ways. May God bless us, now and forevermore. Amen.