Universal Church

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Monday, 8 September 2025 : Feast of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary (Gospel Reading)

Liturgical Colour : White

Matthew 1 : 1-16, 18-23

This is the account of the genealogy of Jesus Christ, Son of David, Son of Abraham. Abraham was the father of Isaac, Isaac the father of Jacob, Jacob the father of Judah and his brothers. Judah was the father of Perez and Zerah (their mother was Tamar), Perez was the father of Hezron, and Hezron of Aram. Aram was the father of Aminadab, Aminadab of Nahshon, Nahshon of Salmon.

Salmon was the father of Boaz. His mother was Rahab. Boaz was the father of Obed. His mother was Ruth. Obed was the father of Jesse. Jesse was the father of David, the king. David was the father of Solomon. His mother had been Uriah’s wife. Solomon was the father of Rehoboam. Then came the kings : Abijah, Asaph, Jehoshaphat, Joram, Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz, Hezekiah, Manasseh, Amon, Josiah.

Josiah was the father of Jechoniah and his brothers at the time of the deportation to Babylon. After the deportation to Babylon, Jechoniah was the father of Salathiel and Salathiel of Zerubbabel. Zerubbabel was the father of Abiud, Abiud of Eliakim, and Eliakim of Azor. Azor was the father of Zadok, Zadok the father of Akim, and Akim the father of Eliud. Eliud was the father of Eleazar, Eleazar of Matthan, and Matthan of Jacob.

Jacob was the father of Joseph, the husband of Mary, and from her came Jesus Who is called the Christ – the Messiah. This is how Jesus Christ was born : Mary His mother had been given to Joseph in marriage, but before they lived together, she was found to be pregnant through the Holy Spirit. Then Joseph, her husband, made plans to divorce her in all secrecy. He was an upright man, and in no way did he want to discredit her.

While he was pondering over this, an Angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, “Joseph, descendant of David, do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife. She has conceived by the Holy Spirit, and now she will bear a Son. You shall call Him ‘Jesus’ for He will save His people from their sins.”

All this happened in order to fulfil what the Lord had said through the prophet : The Virgin will conceive and bear a Son, and He will be called Emmanuel, which means God-with-us.

Alternative reading (shorter version)

Matthew 1 : 18-23

This is how Jesus Christ was born : Mary His mother had been given to Joseph in marriage, but before they lived together, she was found to be pregnant through the Holy Spirit. Then Joseph, her husband, made plans to divorce her in all secrecy. He was an upright man, and in no way did he want to discredit her.

While he was pondering over this, an Angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, “Joseph, descendant of David, do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife. She has conceived by the Holy Spirit, and now she will bear a Son. You shall call Him ‘Jesus’ for He will save His people from their sins.”

All this happened in order to fulfil what the Lord had said through the prophet : The Virgin will conceive and bear a Son, and He will be called Emmanuel, which means God-with-us.

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Monday, 8 September 2025 : Feast of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary (Psalm)

Liturgical Colour : White

Psalm 12 : 6ab, 6cd

But I put my trust in Your unfailing love, my heart will rejoice on seeing Your salvation.

I will sing to YHVH, for He has been good to me!

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Monday, 8 September 2025 : Feast of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary (First Reading)

Liturgical Colour : White

Micah 5 : 1-4a

But you, Bethlehem Ephrata, so small that you are hardly named among the clans of Judah; from you shall I raise the One Who is to rule over Israel. For He comes forth from of old, from the ancient times.

YHVH, therefore, will abandon Israel until such time as she, who is to give birth, has given birth. Then the rest of His deported brothers will return to the people of Israel. He will stand, and shepherd His flock with the strength of YHVH, in the glorious Name of YHVH, His God.

They will live safely, while He wins renown to the ends of the earth. He shall be peace.

Alternative reading (Second Reading if this Feast is celebrated as a Solemnity)

Romans 8 : 28-30

We know that in everything, God works for the good of those who love Him, whom He has called, according to His plan. Those whom He knew beforehand, He has also predestined, to be like His Son, similar to Him, so, that, He may be the Firstborn among many brothers and sisters.

And so, those whom God predestined, He called, and those whom He called, He makes righteous, and to those whom He makes righteous, He will give His glory.

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Sunday, 7 September 2025 : Twenty-Third Sunday of Ordinary Time (Homily and Scripture Reflections)

Liturgical Colour : Green

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, this Sunday all of us are reminded through the readings of the Sacred Scriptures of the need for all of us to prepare ourselves for the eternity that we are to experience after our existence in this world. Each and every one of us are reminded that we should continue to live our lives worthily in the Lord, following His Law and commandments faithfully, doing our very best so that we will always be in God’s grace and we will continue to be good role models and inspirations for our fellow brothers and sisters around us, in each and every moments of our lives. Such indeed is what we have been called to do as those whom the Lord has called and chosen, and we should indeed be responsible in embracing what the Lord has entrusted to us to do faithfully, now and always.

In our first reading passage today, taken from the Book of Wisdom, we heard the author of that Book speaking about the many limitations of our human existence, understanding, knowledge, power and capabilities. And the author wanted to highlight how impermanent and limited our human and mortal existence is, and we must realise that we should not try to grasp what is beyond our understanding and instead of worrying about what we are to face in life, and about our various considerations and concerns, we should instead put our faith and trust in the Lord, the One in Whom we should be putting our faith and trust in, doing our very best to follow Him faithfully and to allow Him to lead us into the path which He has designed for us.

That is what each and every one of us as Christians are called to do, to be those who have faith, trust and commitment to the Lord in all things, to be full of the Wisdom of God and entrusting ourselves to the guidance and inspiration of the Holy Spirit that God Himself has given and entrusted to me. The Lord has not left us all without any help or guidance, as He has given us all everything that we ever needed through His gifts to us, the Holy Spirit, the Wisdom, strength and encouragement, the love and grace which He has given to us, all the encouragement and strength that He has provided for us in our journey, allowing us all to carry on the mission which He has entrusted and given to us to do.

Then, in our second reading today, taken from the Epistle of St. Paul to Philemon, we heard of the words of the Apostle St. Paul who at that time was already in the last years of his ministry, as an old man, suffering persecutions and prisons for the Lord during his missionary journeys and ministries. He was writing to Philemon, a fellow Christian, to entrust one named Onesimus to him, and this Onesimus was once Philemon’s slave, who ran away from Philemon and went to Rome, becoming a Christian in the process. Hence, St. Paul asked Philemon to take Onesimus back, but not as a slave, rather as a fellow Christian, while forgiving Onesimus from his past trespasses and mistakes. That is what St. Paul wanted to do as a legacy of his last ministry, as at that time, he was about to be martyred and he probably knew about it.

In what we have heard regarding St. Paul, Philemon and Onesimus, we are all reminded of the power of Christian love, forgiveness and compassion, in showing love and mercy to others around us, even those who have caused us hurt, difficulties and challenges. As Christians, we are always called and challenged to be magnanimous, loving, patient and caring even when we ourselves have been shown attitudes and actions that hurt us, all the wickedness and vile deeds which we may have to endure and encounter in life. Are we willing and able to forgive those who have hurt us then? Are we capable of loving others even those who have made our lives difficult? To be able to do so is the true mark of what a Christian is called to be, to be truly unconditional in our love, in all circumstances.

Lastly, from our Gospel passage this Sunday, taken from the Gospel according to St. Luke the Evangelist, we heard of the account of the Lord Jesus speaking to His disciples, telling them all that those who follow Him ought to follow Him wholeheartedly, and should not be divided in their intention, prioritising everything else other than Him, and therefore became distracted and losing sight on what truly mattered in their lives. He also then told them a parable regarding someone who was planning to build a house, as well as a king who was planning and waging a war with another king, and in both of these occasions, the Lord highlighted how both of them would have weighed the options and considerations carefully before going ahead with whatever plans they might have, or else they would have suffered greatly from the lack of planning.

This is a reminder for each and every one of us that we are all obliged to live in the manner that Christ our Lord Himself has shown and taught us, to be ever more faithful and committed in all things, knowing well what is coming up for all of us, as we have to account for all of our actions in the end, at the time of the reckoning of our lives. In the end we will have to account for our actions and for our failures before the Lord, in what we have said, done and acted before those whom we encountered in life, especially more so to those whom the Lord had entrusted to us. That is why we need to show love constantly to our loved ones and also to all those whom we encounter in life, to be truly exemplary in all of our lives and in our every actions, even in the smallest things.

Brothers and sisters in Christ, having been reminded of these words from the Sacred Scriptures, let us all therefore continue to do our best to live our lives as faithful and exemplary disciples and followers of the Lord, showing our faith not just through mere words but also real actions in even the smallest things we do in life. Let us all be the shining beacons of God’s light and truth in our society and world today, and let us be the faithful bearers of God’s truth and Good News to all those whom we encounter in life. May the Lord be with us always, and may He continue to strengthen each and every one of us in our resolve to be ever more faithful and loving towards Him, and in doing His will, now and always, forevermore. Amen.

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Sunday, 7 September 2025 : Twenty-Third Sunday of Ordinary Time (Gospel Reading)

Liturgical Colour : Green

Luke 14 : 25-33

At that time, when large crowds were walking along with Jesus, He turned and said to them, “If you come to Me, unwilling to sacrifice your love for your father and mother, your spouse and children, your brothers and sisters, and indeed yourself, you cannot be My disciple. Whoever does not follow Me, carrying his own cross, cannot be My disciple.”

“Do you build a house without first sitting down to count the cost, to see whether you have enough to complete it? Otherwise, if you, have laid the foundation and are not able to finish it, everyone will make fun of you : ‘This fellow began to build and was not able to finish.'”

“And when a king wages war against another king, does he go to fight without first sitting down to consider whether his ten thousand can stand against the twenty thousand of his opponent? And if not, while the other is still a long way off, he sends messengers for peace talks. In the same way, none of you may become My disciple, if he does not give up everything he has.”

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Sunday, 7 September 2025 : Twenty-Third Sunday of Ordinary Time (Second Reading)

Liturgical Colour : Green

Philemon 9b-10, 12-17

The one talking is Paul, the old man, now prisoner for Christ. And my request is on behalf of Onesimus, whose father I have become while I was in prison.

In returning him to you, I am sending you my own heart. I would have liked to keep him at my side, to serve me on your behalf while I am in prison for the Gospel, but I did not want to do anything without your agreement, nor impose a good deed upon you without your free consent.

Perhaps Onesimus has been parted from you for a while so that you may have him back forever, no longer as a slave, but better than a slave. For he is very dear brother to me, and he will be even dearer to you. And so, because of our friendship, receive him as if he were I myself.

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Sunday, 7 September 2025 : Twenty-Third Sunday of Ordinary Time (Psalm)

Liturgical Colour : Green

Psalm 89 : 3-4, 5-6, 12-13, 14 and 17

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.

You sow them in their time, a dawn they peep out. In the morning they blossom, but the flower fades and withers in the evening.

So make us know the shortness of our life, that we may gain wisdom of heart. How long will You be angry, o YHVH? Have mercy on Your servant.

Fill us at daybreak with Your goodness, that we may be glad all our days. May the sweetness of YHVH be upon us; may He prosper the work of our hands.

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Sunday, 7 September 2025 : Twenty-Third Sunday of Ordinary Time (First Reading)

Liturgical Colour : Green

Wisdom 9 : 13-18

Indeed, who can know the intentions of God? Who can discern the plan of the Lord? For human reasoning is timid, our notions misleading; a perishable body is a burden for the soul and our tent of clay weighs down the active mind.

We are barely able to know about the things of earth and it is a struggle to understand what is close to us; who then may hope to understand heavenly things? Who has ever known Your will unless You first gave Him Wisdom and sent down Your Holy Spirit to him? In this way You directed the human race on the right path; they learnt what pleases You and were saved by Wisdom.

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Saturday, 6 September 2025 : 22nd Week of Ordinary Time (Homily and Scripture Reflections)

Liturgical Colour : Green or White (Saturday Mass of Our Lady)

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, today all of us are reminded through the readings and passages of the Sacred Scriptures of what we all need to do as Christians, that is as the disciples and followers of the Lord, our God, in doing what the Lord Himself has told us all to do, in each and every moments of our lives. All of us are reminded that we should always have a genuine and steadfast faith in God in all the things that we say and do, and we should not be easily swayed by other concerns and temptations present all around us which may be trying to lead us away from the path towards God and His salvation. We should follow only what the Lord had told us to do through His Church, and not allowing our worldly concerns and ideologies from affecting how we are to live our lives and faith.

In our first reading today, taken from the Epistle of St. Paul to the Church and the faithful people of God in the city and region of Colossae, we heard of the words of the Apostle reminding the faithful people of God there of what the Lord had done for their sake, in liberating them from the path of wickedness and worldliness that they had followed earlier on in their lives. Contextually, the people of Colossae had also been quite faithful to the Lord in their way of life, in obeying the Lord and His commandments according to what St. Paul and the other Christian missionaries had delivered to them. They had listened to the words of those missionaries and lived their lives in a Christian manner, and that was praised by St. Paul himself, who encouraged them to continue to be faithful to God.

St. Paul encouraged the Christians in that place to continue to have faith in the Lord and to be always filled with hope in Him. He wanted each and every one of them to stay strong amidst the challenging nature of their lives and the environment all around them. If they remained strong and committed to the Lord, in the end, their faith and commitment to God shall be rewarded and they shall enjoy the fullness of God’s promised inheritance and everything that He has desired to give to all those who have been faithful to Him. There would indeed be trials and tribulations, hardships, obstacles and challenges, but all those things should not prevent the people of God from remaining true to their faith in Him, and from continuing to hold fast and strongly to the faith that they continue to have in Him, their Lord and Master.

Then, from our Gospel passage today, taken from the Gospel according to St. Luke the Evangelist, we heard of the Lord Jesus debating with the Pharisees who were following Him and His disciples, and then criticised those disciples because they were picking on the grains of wheat on the field on the day of the Sabbath. For the context, the Sabbath day is the last day of the week in the Jewish calendar, the seventh day which is a day of rest, following the model of the Lord Himself Who rested on the seventh day after His labours in Creation. According to the Law of God revealed through Moses, the people of Israel ought to observe the Sabbath as a day of rest as well, dedicated to the Lord and not to be used for labour and work.

The Lord’s intentions when He made this Sabbath Law for the people was that He wanted them all to spare that time for their Lord and Master, and remembering that despite their busy schedules and activities, after all, they still have their obligation and responsibility to give their time and attention to the Lord their God. Otherwise, it is easy for them, especially when things are all good, or when they are too busy settling worldly matters for them to forget about God completely and to be ignorant of their roles and missions in life. That was why the Lord wanted all of His people to spare that day of the Sabbath to be focused on Him rather than on their various worldly dealings and concerns, their works and activities which could distract them from what they needed to do.

Unfortunately, over time, the intention and purpose of the Sabbath had been largely overlooked and forgotten. The people began to observe the Sabbath out of routine and fear of punishment rather than to truly spend quality time and to focus their attention on God. And in the case of what the Pharisees had highlighted and criticised the Lord’s disciples for, they were too focused on the fact that they broke the Law and disobeyed the commandment for anyone not to do work on that day, but overlooking the fact that they were themselves doing God’s works. And by the nature of their ministry, ever busy going from places to places and ministering to the people of God in many places, long hours and tedious works, they certainly had difficulties getting enough time to rest and eat food.

That was why the Lord quoted from the example of King David and his followers when they were in a journey fleeing and in exile because of the persecutions they faced from King Saul of Israel, and also the trials they faced in their journey. In that case, at the House of God, with the High Priest’s generosity and permission, the highly respected King David partook with his followers the Temple showbread that were supposed to be eaten only by the priests, and they had their fill and continued on their journey, which was what the Lord wanted them all to do, and because of this, we are reminded that what the Lord wanted us to know is that He does not demand blind obedience and attitudes that do not truly show genuine faith and trust in Him.

Instead, He wants each and every one of us to grow genuinely in faith in Him, and He is truly full of concern and care for each and every one of us, wanting us all to be well and happy in all things, and He wants us to love Him just in the same way that He has constantly loved us ceaselessly and consistently. And that is why God has given the best help to each and every one of us by providing His Law and commandments to help regulate and guide us in our journey through life, that we may truly find our way to Him, and that we may live our lives worthily, and be ever closer towards Him, our loving Father. He does not treat us like slaves, unlike what some people at the time of the Lord would have thought, but as His beloved children and people, and hence, we should not think that God’s Law are meant to constraint, restrict and make our lives difficult.

Brothers and sisters in Christ, let us all hence continue to put our faith and trust in the Lord, to follow in the path that He has shown to each and every one of us, becoming good role models and examples in faith to each other and to be truly and genuinely faithful to God in all things despite the challenges and trials that we may be facing in life. We should not allow ourselves to be swayed and turned from the Lord because we are deluded by the thoughts thinking that God wants to control us and make our lives difficult. Instead, we should do our best to work with God and embrace His love wholeheartedly, and we should always remember all the kindness and love that He has shown us all these while. May the Lord continue to strengthen us in faith, and may we do our very best to glorify Him each day and at every moments by our lives, now and forevermore. Amen.

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Saturday, 6 September 2025 : 22nd Week of Ordinary Time (Gospel Reading)

Liturgical Colour : Green or White (Saturday Mass of Our Lady)

Luke 6 : 1-5

At that time, one Sabbath Jesus was going through a field of grain, and His disciples began to pick heads of grain, crushing them in their hands for food. Some of the Pharisees asked them, “Why do you do what is forbidden on the Sabbath?”

Then Jesus spoke up and asked them, “Have you never read what David did when he and his men were hungry? He entered the house of God, took and ate the bread of the offering, and even gave some to his men, though only priests are allowed to eat that bread.”

And Jesus added, “The Son of Man is Lord and rules over the Sabbath.”