Liturgical Colour : Green or Red (Martyrs)
Luke 8 : 19-21
At that time, the mother of Jesus and His relatives came to Him; but they could not get to Him because of the crowd. Someone told Him, “Your mother and Your brothers are standing outside and wish to meet You.”
Then Jesus answered, “My mother and My brothers are those who hear the word of God and do it.”
Liturgical Colour : Green or Red (Martyrs)
Psalm 121 : 1-2, 3-4a, 4b-5
I rejoiced with those who said to me, “Let us go to the House of YHVH!” And now we have set foot within your gates, o Jerusalem!
Jerusalem, just like a city, where everything falls into place! There, the tribes go up, the tribes of YHVH, the assembly of Israel.
To give thanks to YHVH’s Name. There stand the courts of justice, the offices of the house of David.
Liturgical Colour : Green or Red (Martyrs)
Ezra 6 : 7-8, 12b, 14-20
Let the governor of the Jews together with their leaders build the House of God on its former site. This is the command I give as to what you should do to help those Jewish leaders rebuild the House of God : pay the expenses in full and without delay, with the income from taxes of the province at the other side of the River which is allotted to the king. I, Darius, give this command. Let it be carried out at once.
And the leaders of the Jews continued to make progress in building, encouraged by what Haggai, the prophet, and Zechariah, the son of Iddo, had said; and they finished the work according to the command of the God of Israel and the decrees of Cyrus and Darius. The House was finished on the third day of the month of Adar in the sixth year of the reign of Darius.
The children of Israel, the priests and the Levites, and the rest of those who had returned from exile celebrated the consecration of this House of God with rejoicing, offering on this solemnity one hundred young bulls, two hundred rams and four hundred lambs; and twelve he-goats as a sin-offering for all Israel, according to the number of the tribes of Israel.
Then they installed the priests according to their ranks, and the Levites according to their classes, for the service of the House of God in Jerusalem, as it is written in the Book of Moses. Those who had returned from exile celebrated the Passover on the fourteenth day of the first month, for the priests and the Levites had purified themselves together, and all of them were clean. So, they slaughtered the Passover lamb for all who had returned from exile, for their fellow-priests and for themselves.
Liturgical Colour : Green or Red (Martyrs)
Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, today as we listened to the words of the Scriptures, all of us are reminded that as Christians we must always be faithful to God and put our trust in Him at all times, believing that in Him alone that we shall have an everlasting and true joy that will last forever, and not merely just a temporary attraction or satisfaction that lasts just a moment, and then fails us when it has run its course or when it is gone. We must also be good role models and examples for one another, inspiring our fellow brothers and sisters through our exemplary and holy lives, so that we may help many more people around us to come ever closer to God and to His grace, as we should have done as faithful and devoted, holy people of God.
In our first reading today, taken from the Epistle of St. Paul to St. Timothy, we heard of the Apostle laying out the rules, expectations and the criteria for the selection of those who would become bishops and deacons in the Church, which by extension also included the priests, and essentially laying out the expectations of what it truly means for one to be chosen as the shepherds of God’s flock, in their respective ministries. Back then, the office of bishop, priest and deacon were not yet clear cut in their proper functions and works, unlike today, but as the Church grew rapidly in size and numbers, therefore, the demand and need grew for the Church to have proper leaders and shepherds, ministers and all those who were involved in the management of the Church and the people of God.
And as St. Paul had mentioned to St. Timothy, all of those who were considered and chosen to be those important parts of the mission and works of the Church should be exemplary and faithful in their lives, and they should be worthy, righteous and virtuous in their way of life and actions. St. Paul mentioned and explained how they should be respectable and good in their lives so as to become good examples and inspiration for others, and to be good and worthy managers of the Lord’s Church. This was indeed important because good and dedicated servants of God and the leaders of the Church in the history of the Church had led so many people closer to God and inspired many to come to righteousness through their works and examples, but there were those wicked and unworthy leaders and ministers who scandalised and turned away many people from the Lord through their wickedness and evil deeds.
Then in our Gospel passage today, we heard of the great miracle which the Lord Jesus performed in the small town of Naim, in which He raised the dead son of a widow who lived in that area. Through this well-known and great miracle, the Lord showed us all that He is truly the Lord, our God, the One with the power over all things, over the living and the dead. Each and every one of us in this world are called to be part of His flock, and He showed us all that death has no power against Him and His love for us. He raised the widow’s dead son to show us all that if we have faith and trust in Him, then we shall be led into the eternal and true joy in Him, to enjoy the fullness of God’s grace and love, forevermore. He is our Lord and Shepherd, Whose life, ministry and examples in our midst became example and inspiration to all of the faithful, to those whom He had called to lead the Church that He has established in this world.
The Lord cared for the needy and all those who have the great need for His love and compassion, His mercy and forgiveness. Throughout the Gospels we can see just how much effort and works that the Lord had put into reaching out to all of us, especially the ones among us who have fallen into the darkness and have been away from Him. He did not shun the wicked and the sinful ones, but instead reached out to them with love and compassion, even those who have resisted and stubbornly refused and opposed Him. The Lord did His works in perfect obedience to the will of His heavenly Father, and showed us all the meaning of true and genuine love and faith that all of us as Christians, as God’s people should always have to the Lord, our God and Master.
Through these readings of the Sacred Scriptures and what we have discussed, let us all discern carefully therefore our path in life, and our works and missions in doing God’s will and in following the path that He has shown to us. Let us all ourselves be good and worthy of being called as Christians, just as St. Paul had elaborated it to St. Timothy. His criteria for the selection of the faithful ministers of the Lord should also be seen as a guide for all of us, in how we ourselves should carry out our own lives. That is because what St. Paul had told St. Timothy, is also how all of us as Christians should live our lives and carry out our words, actions and deeds in our daily moments, so that we may become good and worthy inspirations for one another in our communities this day.
Today, the Church celebrates the feast of St. Januarius, a great and holy servant of God, whose life and commitment to God should serve as a great example and inspiration for all of us to follow in our lives. St. Januarius was the Bishop of Benevento in what is part of southern Italy today. He is famously today the patron saint of the great southern Italian city of Naples, where his blood relic miraculously undergoes liquefaction at important events especially on his feast day such as today. He was known for his dedication and commitment to his people, as the shepherd of the Lord’s flock, who were then suffering under the great persecution by the Roman state during the reign of the Roman Emperor Diocletian. It was told by Church traditions and contemporary accounts that he helped to hide and protect Christians from being persecuted and arrested, and eventually he himself was arrested, persecuted and martyred for his faith, ever faithful to the Lord, to the very end.
Brothers and sisters in Christ, let us all therefore follow the great examples of the saints and martyrs, and that of our Lord Himself, so that each and every one of us, in every opportunities and at every occasions, may always guide and strengthen us all in our resolve and desire to serve and follow Him ever more faithfully in all things. May all of us also be great inspiration and examples for one another, that we may truly show God’s righteousness and truth to all the whole world. May God bless our every efforts and endeavours, and help us to live our lives worthily at all times. Amen.
Liturgical Colour : Green or Red (Martyrs)
Luke 7 : 11-17
At that time, a little later, Jesus went to a town called Naim. He was accompanied by His disciples and a great number of people. As He reached the gate of the town, a dead man was being carried out. He was the only son of his mother, and she was a widow; there followed a large crowd of townspeople.
On seeing her, the Lord had pity on her and said, “Do not cry.” Then He came up and touched the stretcher, and the men who carried it stopped. Jesus then said, “Young man, I say to you, wake up!” And the dead man sat up and began to speak, and Jesus gave him to his mother.
A holy fear came over them all, and they praised God saying, “A great Prophet has appeared among us. God has visited His people.” The news spread throughout Judea and the surrounding places.
Liturgical Colour : Green or Red (Martyrs)
Psalm 100 : 1-2ab, 2cd-3ab, 5, 6
I will sing of Your love and justice; to You, o YHVH, I will sing praise. I will walk the way of integrity – o YHVH, when will You come to me?
With a blameless heart, I will walk within my house. I will not set before my eyes anything that is base. I hate the deeds of faithless people.
He who deals with others treacherously, I will silence. He who talks and acts arrogantly, I will not endure.
I will choose from the faithful of the land, those who may dwell with Me; only the upright shall be My servant.
Liturgical Colour : Green or Red (Martyrs)
1 Timothy 3 : 1-13
If someone aspires to the overseer’s ministry, he is, without a doubt, looking for a noble task. It is necessary, that the overseer (or bishop) be beyond reproach, the husband of one wife, responsible, judicious, of good manners, hospitable and skilful in teaching.
He must not be addicted to wine, or quarrelsome, but be gentle and peaceful, and not a lover of money, but a man whose household is well-managed, with obedient and well-mannered children. If he cannot govern his own house, how can he lead the assembly of God? He must not be a recent convert, lest he become conceited, and fall into the same condemnation as the devil. Moreover, he must enjoy a good reputation among the outsiders, lest people speak evil about him, and he fall into the snare of the devil.
Deacons, likewise, must be serious and sincere, and moderate in drinking wine, not greedy for money; they must keep the mystery of faith with a clear conscience. Let them be first tried and, if found blameless, be accepted as deacons. In the same way, the women must be conscientious, not given to gossip, but reserved and trustworthy.
A deacon must be husband of one wife, and must know how to guide his children and manage his household. Those who serve well as deacons will win honourable rank, with authority to speak of Christian faith.
Liturgical Colour : Green or White (Most Holy Name of Mary)
Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, today the Church celebrates the Feast of the Most Holy Name of Mary, in which we honour Mary and her most holy name, which like that of her Son, Our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, is feared by the devil, our great enemy, who has always despised her for having taken so many away from his clutches, because of all of her efforts in reaching out to us, all these time, in trying to bring us back once again towards the Lord, our Saviour, her Son. Mary has always cared for all of us, whom her Son had entrusted to us to be her own, and hence, we have her as our own beloved mother. Through her many efforts and outreach towards us, Mary had brought so many among us and our predecessors out of the darkness of sin and evil, and back into the path towards the salvation and eternal life in her Son.
In our first reading today, we heard several possible readings for today, the Epistles written by St. Paul the Apostle, either from the Scriptures or the day or the readings for this Feast of the Most Holy Name of Mary, and in them we heard reminders for all of us that ultimately, it was by the coming of the salvation of God through Jesus Christ, the Son of God, Our Lord, that we have been saved and guaranteed the assurance of heavenly glory, if we continue to be faithful to Him, and if we kept on obeying His Law and commandments, and walk faithfully in His path, then we shall truly be blessed and empowered by Him, to be His disciples and to be the shining beacons and examples of His love and truth in this world.
It is a reminder for all of us today that God is and should be our focus and emphasis in life, and it was through His Son that God has rescued us from our fated destruction and damnation, because His coming into this world opened up for us all the path of liberation and freedom, the light that pierced through the darkness that surrounded all of us. And what about Mary and the role that she plays in all of this? Mary is the one through whom we have the surest and most direct path towards the salvation in her Son, Our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ, and that is why, we have the famous phrase, ‘Ad Jesum per Mariam’ or ‘To Jesus through Mary’, which highlights to us the very important role that Mary has in helping all of us, her beloved adopted children, in our path towards redemption.
We must all understand clearly that Mary did not save us all by herself, or that her Most Holy Name is holy and sacred by her own right and volition. Instead, Mary is indeed Holy, her Name truly Holy and wonderful, and feared by the devil and all of his wicked forces, because of her faith in God, her righteous and most exemplary actions and life, and her connection and love that she has for her Son, Our Lord and Saviour, as the Mother of God, and also for all of us, her beloved children, through which not only that the devil is constantly reminded of the final defeat that he will face in the end, but also how often he had been thwarted in his efforts to condemn souls into hell, and to corrupt the children of mankind because of the great efforts of Mary, the Mother of God, and our mother.
And since Mary is the Mother of God, and the mother of a King is truly honoured in the kingdom in the past, Mary is truly a mighty Queen by association with her Son, Our Lord and King, and we ought to honour her and to treat her and her Name with utmost deference and respect. That is why, just like the Most Holy Name of her Son, Our Lord Jesus Christ, we must also honour the Most Holy Name of Mary, as a name that is truly powerful and effective against the attacks and depredations by the forces of evil, invoking our loving Mother’s protection and intercession on our behalf, that God will be moved to protect us from the attacks and the oppressions by the forces of evil being present all around each and every one of us.
But even more so than her connection to her Son, as the Mother of God and of our Lord and Saviour, we honour Mary because of her virtues and righteousness. It was her total obedience to God that allowed her to play such an important part in the history of our salvation. Her ‘yes’ to the Archangel Gabriel and her commitment to the missions entrusted to her showed unto us the perfect role model and inspiration for all of us to follow in how we ourselves should be living our lives, that is with faith and commitment to God. Mary’s faith and commitment should be the strong inspiration that encourage us all to be following God wholeheartedly in the same way as well, and this is yet another reason why the devil fears her so much, because there is nothing in her that he can find any blame with. Sin has no power over her, and hence neither did the devil ever have any dominion over her.
And through her works, even now from her heavenly throne, beside that of her Son, Mary continues to help bring many more of us to the salvation and eternal life assured to us by her Son, Jesus Christ, our Saviour. Mary has never ceased to intercede for all of us sinners, having always shown her love and care for us, just as her numerous apparitions and miraculous presence have shown us, how she truly wants all of us to come ever closer to the throne of her Son’s mercy, to be forgiven our many sins and wickedness, so that we may once again be worthy of God, and be no longer distant or separated away from Him, entering into renewed relationship with Him, one that is founded upon the strong and enduring love that we ought to have in Him, and that our faith in Him will always be strong.
Today, let us all ask our blessed and loving Mother Mary, whose Most Holy Name we honour and glorify, to pray for us always, to intercede for us sinners, that we may be forgiven our many sins, and be reconciled with her Son, Our most loving Saviour, our God and Creator. May Mary, Holy Queen and Mother, continue to guide and help us all in our journey of faith and life, that we may always come ever closer to the glory and joy of Heaven, and distance ourselves from the wickedness and evils of sin. May God be with us too, and may He empower us all to follow Him ever more faithfully, at all times. Amen.
Liturgical Colour : Green or White (Most Holy Name of Mary)
Luke 6 : 12-19
At that time, Jesus went out into the hills to pray, spending the whole night in prayer with God. When day came, He called His disciples to Him, and chose Twelve of them, whom He called ‘Apostles’ : Simon, whom He named Peter, and his brother Andrew; James and John; Philip and Bartholomew; Matthew and Thomas; James son of Alpheus and Simon called the Zealot; Judas son of James, and Judas Iscariot, who would be the traitor.
Coming down the hill with them, Jesus stood in an open plain. Many of His disciples were there, and a large crowd of people, who had come from all parts of Judea and Jerusalem, and from the coastal cities of Tyre and Sidon. They gathered to hear Him and to be healed of their diseases. And the people troubled by unclean spirits were cured.
The entire crowd tried to touch Him, because of the power that went out from Him and healed them all.
Alternative reading (Mass of the Most Holy Name of Mary)
Luke 1 : 39-47
Mary then set out for a town in the hill country of Judah. She entered the house of Zechariah and greeted Elizabeth. When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the baby leapt in her womb.
Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit, and, giving a loud cry, said, “You are most blessed among women; and blessed is the Fruit of your womb! How is it, that the mother of my Lord comes to me? The moment your greeting sounded in my ears, the baby within me suddenly leapt for joy. Blessed are you, who believed that the Lord’s word would come true!”
And Mary said, “My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord, my spirit exults in God, my Saviour!”
Liturgical Colour : Green or White (Most Holy Name of Mary)
Psalm 144 : 1-2, 8-9, 10-11
I will extol You, my God and King; I will praise Your Name forever. I will praise You, day after day; and exalt Your Name forever.
Compassionate and gracious is YHVH, slow to anger and abounding in love. YHVH is good to everyone; His mercy embraces all His creation.
All Your works will give You thanks; all Your saints, o YHVH, will praise You. They will tell of the glory of Your kingdom; and speak of Your power.
Alternative reading (Mass of the Most Holy Name of Mary)
Luke 1 : 46-47, 48-49, 50-51, 52-53, 54-55
My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord, my spirit exults in God, my Saviour!
He has looked upon His servant, in her lowliness, and people, forever, will call me blessed. The Mighty One has done great things for me, Holy is His Name!
From age to age, His mercy extends to those who live in His presence. He has acted with power and done wonders, and scattered the proud with their plans.
He has put down the mighty from their thrones, and lifted up those who are downtrodden. He has filled the hungry with good things, but has sent the rich away empty.
He held out His hand to Israel, His servant, for He remembered His mercy, even as He promised to our fathers, to Abraham and his descendants forever.
