Liturgical Colour : Green or White (Bishops)
Psalm 111 : 1-2, 7bc-8, 9
Alleluia! Blessed is the one who fears the Lord, who greatly delights in His commands. His children will be powerful on earth; the upright’s offspring will be blessed.
For his heart is firm, trusting in the Lord. His heart is confident, he needs not fear, he shall prevail over his foes at the end.
He gives generously to the poor, his merits will last forever and his head will be raised in honour.
Liturgical Colour : Green or White (Bishops)
Tobit 2 : 9-14
That same night, after I had buried the body, I returned home. I washed myself and went out into the courtyard to sleep against the wall; my face was uncovered because of the heat. I did not see that there were sparrows on the wall of the courtyard and, as my eyes were open, the hot droppings from the sparrows fell into my eyes and formed a white film on my eyes.
I went to find doctors to attend to me for medical treatment but the more ointments they smeared on my eyes, the more blind I became because of the film. Finally I became totally blind. I suffered from blindness for four years. All my brothers were burdened because of me. Ahikar kept me for two years before he departed for Elymiade.
My wife Anna worked hard at a woman’s task, weaving. On the seventh day of the month of March she cut the cloth and delivered it to her employers. They paid her wages and gave her, over and above, a young goat for food. When she returned home the kid began to cry. I said to her, “Where does the little kid come from? Did you steal it? Return it to its owners for we are not allowed to eat anything that is stolen.”
But she said, “It is a gift which has been given to me in addition to my wages.” “I do not believe it. I tell you to return it to its owners.” I was ashamed of her. She replied, “What about your own almsgiving and your good deeds? I have to put up with all this from you.”
Liturgical Colour : Green
Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, today as we listened to the words of the Scripture, we are all reminded that following the Lord as Christians is something that will require from us a commitment and the willingness to face hardships and challenges, trials and more for the sake of the Lord. Following God requires us all to be active and be filled with dedication to the Covenant that He has established with each one of us. The Lord has also dedicated Himself to the same Covenant, and lest we think that He has not suffered or made His effort, then we must remind ourselves how He sent to us His beloved Son, Jesus Christ, our Lord and Saviour, Who came into our midst and was persecuted for our sake. We must remember how the Lord Himself went through the worst of it all just so that all of us might be saved, by laying down His own life on the Cross.
In our first reading today, we heard from the Book of the prophet Sirach, which exhorted the people of God to live their lives worthily and well, in accordance with the Law and commandments of God, to be selfless and caring towards others, just as the Lord has taught us all how we should be living our lives as Christians in this world. The prophet said how everyone ought to be kind and just towards each other, and shun all kinds of evils and wickedness, and to be truly faithful in all things, and not just merely paying lip service in the faith. He also highlighted how the Lord knows everything in our minds and hearts, and we should not come to the Lord with an empty hand, but with offering. If we read this literally, we may think that the prophet Sirach referred to the sacrificial offerings that were commonly offered at the Temple like the burnt offerings and others. However, in truth, if we understand the context of what he had said in this whole segment, then it went really much deeper than that.
The prophet Sirach wanted all the faithful people of God to live wholeheartedly in the presence of God, full of genuine love for Him and for everyone, ever faithful and ever dedicated to Him, in all things, and not just outwardly only. This is of course not easy to be done, as more often than not, we will be tempted to put ourselves and our desires first than that of others. In this world, we tend to live inherently selfish lifestyle, and often we are taught and shown that we ought to put ourselves first before that of others. However, that is against what the Lord Himself has told us to do, and hence, as Christians, we often have to go on this path that may not necessarily be aligned with the path that is common and understandable by the world and many of the people around us.
That is why all of us are reminded that as Christians, all of us are called to a new way of life and existence, which sometimes require sacrifices and commitment from us, and some amongst us are called to make more sacrifices and to endure more hardships, depending on our vocation and calling in life. Like the Apostles as mentioned in our Gospel passage today, and as St. Peter asked the Lord, mentioning how they have given up on a lot of things to follow Him, which was indeed the case. They had to leave behind their families, loved ones and past lives, their works, careers and other things because they dedicated themselves wholly to the Lord, to do the works of the Lord at all times, and to be His missionaries and evangelisers among the various peoples that they had been sent to.
The Lord again reassured them all, and all of us, just as what we have heard from the prophet Sirach, that He truly knew everything, and that all of us who have given up a lot for Him, dedicating ourselves to Him and spent the time to carry out His will, shall not be disappointed as He knew all that we have done for Him, and He will bless us and keep us all in His grace and love. This is a reassurance and reminder that we should continue to live our lives faithfully in God and we should not allow the temptations of this world and the fear of sufferings and persecutions, hardships or trials to sway us from our path and from the way of righteousness. If we allow ourselves to be swayed as such, we will end up quickly losing our path in life, and will likely fall deeper and deeper into the path of sin and evil.
Brothers and sisters in Christ, today therefore as we continue to carry on living our lives in this world today, let us all dedicate ourselves anew to Him, to our loving God and Saviour. In all the things we say and do, let us all be genuine in living our lives in a most Christian manner, in loving God and loving one another wholeheartedly. This is our Christian mission and calling, brethren, and one that we should heed as we continue living our lives with faith and commitment to God. But are we able to do this? Are we willing and able to follow the Lord wholeheartedly as we should, trusting in Him and believing that even if we have to endure hardships for Him, that it is all worth the efforts? And not just that, but all of us are also part of the Church has the obligation and calling to be active in its works and mission, to reach out to more and more people all around us.
Therefore, let us all commit ourselves, our time and efforts from now on, especially if we have not done so, to be missionary and evangelising in our lives, and we can do so not by grand actions or mere words, but by every single actions and deeds, words and interactions we make, even to the smallest and seemingly least significant ones. All of them are part of our contribution to our Christian faith and living, and it is by truly living up to our Christian faith that we are all expected to do in our lives, that we can proclaim the Good News of God most efficiently and most worthily to many more people around us. How can we expect others to believe in the Lord if we have not truly believed in Him ourselves and if we have not acted or lived our lives in the manner that we are all expected to? Let us all ponder and reflect on these things as we continue carrying out our mission as Christians.
May the Lord continue to guide each and every one of us, and help us to live our lives as Christians, as His disciples and followers with zeal and commitment, in each and every moments of our lives, from now on and always. May He bless our every good works, efforts and endeavours, in all things. Amen.
Liturgical Colour : Green
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.”
Liturgical Colour : Green
Psalm 49 : 5-6, 7-8, 14 and 23
Gather before Me My faithful ones, who made a covenant with Me by sacrifice. The heavens will proclaim His sentence, for God Himself is the Judge.
Hear, o My people, for I am speaking. I will accuse You, o Israel, I am God, your God! Not for your sacrifices do I reprove you, for your burnt offerings are ever before Me.
Yet offer to God a sacrifice of thanks, and fulfil your vows to the Most High. Those who give with thanks offerings honour Me, but the one who walks blamelessly, I will show him the salvation of God.
Liturgical Colour : Green
Sirach 35 : 1-15
Keeping the Law is worthy many offerings. Being faithful to the commandments is like a peace offering. Returning kindness is an offering of fine flour; giving alms is a sacrifice of praise. Renouncing sin pleases the Lord, and shunning injustice is a sacrifice of atonement.
Do not appear before the Lord with empty hands. The commandment requires that you bring an offering. When the offering of the righteous is burnt on the altar, the fat drips down and a fragrant aroma rises to the Most High. The sacrifice of the just man pleases God and will not be forgotten. Honour the Lord with a generous heart and do not be stingy with the first fruits of your harvest.
Offer your gifts with a smiling face and when you pay your tithes do it gladly. Give to the Most High as He has given to you; give generously to the Lord according to what you have; the Lord will repay, He will reward you sevenfold. If you attempt to bribe Him with gifts He will not accept them; do not rely on offerings from dishonest gain.
The Lord is Judge and shows no partiality. He will not disadvantage the poor, He Who hears the prayer of the oppressed. He does not disdain the plea of the orphan, nor the complaint of the widow. When tears flow down her cheeks, is she not crying out against the one who caused her to weep?
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. Amen.
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.”
Liturgical Colour : White
Psalm 67 : 10-11, 20-21
Then You gave a rain of blessings to comfort Your weary children. Your people found a dwelling and in Your mercy, o God, You provided for the needy.
Blessed be the Lord, God our Saviour, Who daily bears our burdens! Ours is a God Who saves; our Lord lets us escape from death.
Liturgical Colour : White
Acts 20 : 17-27
From Miletus Paul sent word to Ephesus, summoning the elders of the Church. When they came to him, he addressed them, “You know how I lived among you from the first day I set foot in the province of Asia, how I served the Lord in humility through the sorrows and trials that the Jews caused me.”
“You know that I never held back from doing anything that could be useful for you; I spoke publicly and in your homes, and I urged Jews and non-Jews alike to turn to God and believe in our Lord Jesus.”
“But now I am going to Jerusalem, chained by the Spirit, without knowing what will happen to me there. Yet in every city the Holy Spirit warns me that imprisonment and troubles await me. Indeed I put no value on my life, if only I can finish my race and complete the service to which I have been assigned by the Lord Jesus, to announce the Good News of God’s grace.”
“I now feel sure that none of you among whom I have gone about proclaiming the kingdom of God will ever see me again. Therefore I declare to you this day that my conscience is clear with regard to all of you. For I have spared no effort in fully declaring to you God’s will.”
petercanisiusmichaeldavidkang 