Liturgical Colour : Red
Psalm 113A: 1-2, 3-4, 5-6
Alleluia! When Israel came out of Egypt, the family of Jacob, from a people of foreign language. Judah became His Sanctuary; Israel, His possession.
At His sight, the sea fled and the Jordan retreated; the mountains skipped like rams, the hills frolicked like lambs.
Why is it, sea, that you flee? Jordan, that you turn back? Mountains, that you skip like rams? Hills, that you frolic like lambs?
Liturgical Colour : Red
Joshua 3 : 7-10a, 11, 13-17
Then YHVH said to Joshua : “Today I will begin to make you great in the eyes of Israel and they shall known that I am with you as I was with Moses. Give this order to the priests who carry the Ark of the Covenant : As soon as you come to the banks of the Jordan, stand still in the river.”
And Joshua said to the Israelites : “Come nearer and listen to the words of YHVH, our God. Do you want a sign that YHVH, the living God, is in your midst? See, the Ark of the Covenant of the Lord of all the earth is going to cross the Jordan before you. When the priests who carry the Ark of the Lord of all the earth put their feet into the water of the Jordan, the water coming from the upstream shall stop flowing and stand in one single mass.”
When the people set out from their camp to cross the Jordan, the priests who carried the Ark of the Covenant went before them. There was much water in the Jordan, for it was overflowing its banks at this time of the barley harvest. Nevertheless, when those who carried the Ark went down to the river and their feet touched the edge of the water, the water from upstream stopped flowing.
The water stood still, forming something like a dam very far from that place, near Adam, the neighbouring city of Zarethan. The water flowing down to the Dead Sea was completely cut off, and so the people could cross opposite Jericho. The priests who carried the Ark of the Covenant remained in the middle of the river which dried up, until all the Israelites had crossed the Jordan.
Liturgical Colour : Green or Red (Martyrs)
Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, today as we all listened to the words of the Lord contained in the Sacred Scriptures, we are all reminded that we have to thank the Lord for everything that He has done for us, in showing His patient love and kindness towards us, in all that He has promised and reassured us all so that we can continue to follow Him faithfully and that we continue to live our lives in the manner that is worthy of Him, at all times and in all circumstances. We should live in the manner that God Himself has taught us, to be truly filled with love for Him and also for our fellow brothers and sisters around us, to be truly concerned for their well-being and for their good in all things, praying for each other and supporting one another.
In our first reading today, taken from the Book of Deuteronomy, we heard of the moment when the Israelites, the first chosen people of God finally arrived in the land promised to them by the Lord Himself, the land of Canaan, promised to their ancestors, Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. For forty years or so, the Israelites had been forced to wander off in the wilderness for their disobedience and sins, their lack of faith and trust in God, and finally the time of waiting had come to an end, with the whole generation which had willingly disobeyed the Lord perished in the desert, and the new generations, their descendants took over the journey, finally entering the land of promise by crossing the River Jordan.
And we also heard of the story of how Moses passed away, as he was also not allowed to enter into the promised land on the account of his own disobedience when he was overcome with frustration against the stubbornness of the Israelites. But God did not reject or punish Moses unnecessarily, as He still allowed Moses to witness for himself the beauty and the wonders of the lands that he had been leading the Israelites towards, just as we heard how Moses passed away at Mount Nebo in the land of Moab, from where he could see the breadth of the lands that the Israelites themselves would be dwelling in, and therefore witnessed for himself the fulfilment of everything that God had planned wonderfully for His beloved ones, those whom He had called and chosen.
Then, from our Gospel passage today, taken from the Gospel according to St. Matthew the Apostle and Evangelist, we heard of the Lord Jesus telling His disciples and all those gathered to listen to Him regarding the matter of how they all ought to settle disagreements and disputes in the Church, by bringing the matter up to the assembly of the faithful. He also highlighted the importance of fraternal correction, of how we should point out another’s mistake in a kind way, not because we want to criticise the other person but rather because we are genuinely caring about that person’s well-being and attunement with God, that we should point out if one has been unfaithful in one’s way of life and path, and in danger of falling away from the way towards salvation in God.
This is yet another reminder for all of us to show genuine care and concern for everyone around us, even when we may disagree and have disputes between us. Having disagreements and disputes is not an excuse for us to be mean to those whom we are disagreeing and disputing with, and as Christians we are challenged to be rich in forgiveness and kindness to one another, to be magnanimous and understanding, patient and caring in all things. That is why today we are reminded of this so that we may always be filled with true Christian virtues and attitudes in all the things that we say and do, and not to be easily divided one against another because of our refusal to understand each other and work or cooperate in fruitful discussions and engagements.
As Christians, it is important that we should all seek to work with one another, to be harmonious and peaceful in our relationship with our fellow brothers and sisters, with everyone whom we encounter daily in life. We should not allow ourselves to be divided by our conflicting desires, ambitions and all the worldly attachments which may end up leading us to go against each other. And if we are divided against each other, it is easy for the evil ones to come and strike at us, which is the very reason why they are always very active in leading us one against another. That was what had caused strife and divisions among the Israelites during the time of their Exodus from Egypt and their journey in the desert, when their constant bickering, complaining and rebelliousness led even to Moses being frustrated and committing sin against God.
Today, the Church also celebrates the Feast of Pope St. Pontian and St. Hippolytus, two renowned Roman martyrs during the intense persecutions of the Church in the turbulent years of the third century. Pope St. Pontian was leading the Church of God during difficult and turbulent times of the early middle third century when persecutions and divisions within the Church were facing the faithful. There was at that time also a serious division within the Church between those who took a rigid approach against those Christian faithful who had offered sacrifices to the pagan idols and gods, refusing them from returning back to the Church and to the Sacraments, and then those who were more lenient and willing to allow these lapsed Christians or those who have offered sacrifices to the pagan gods due to coercion to return after repentance.
St. Hippolytus were among those who were more rigid in their attitude in refusing to welcome back and reintegrate all those who have lapsed from the faith or offered sacrifices to the pagan gods, whether willingly or unwillingly. He was elected as an Antipope, or a rival Pope by the faction that champion this more rigid attitude, which was not in fact the true way and attitude that the Lord and His Apostles had taught and shown. Meanwhile, Pope St. Pontian was the leader of those who advocated a more lenient approach to welcoming those who have lapsed from their faith or committed grievous sins against God. Both factions bickered and were divided against each other even amidst those difficult moments when the Church and the Christian faithful were facing harsh persecutions from the Roman state.
Eventually, both Pope St. Pontian and St. Hippolytus were reconciled with each other, as they resolved their differences and worked for the good of the Church, and when they were both arrested and exiled by the Roman government, Pope St. Pontian was the first Pope to voluntarily resign his position as Pope to allow the election of a new Pope to continue leading the Church through the turbulent times of persecutions and hardships, and with the cooperation from St. Hippolytus, that marked the beginning of the reconciliation and the healing of the rupture and divisions of the Church caused by the disagreements and disputes mentioned earlier. Pope St. Pontian and St. Hippolytus themselves were eventually martyred in their exile.
Brothers and sisters in Christ, as we have discussed earlier in our Scripture passages and as we have heard from the examples and inspirations of the actions of Pope St. Pontian and St. Hippolytus, we are reminded that we should always seek harmony and peace amongst ourselves, to be always full of love, care and concern for everyone around us so that we may always seek unity and harmony among us, and not allowing ourselves to be divided by our worldly desires and ambitions, and by all sorts of things that can lead us further apart and divided from each other. May the Lord, our most loving God, continue to be with us and bless us and the Church, and strengthen our unity as one united body of believers, the Church of God. Amen.
Liturgical Colour : Green or Red (Martyrs)
Matthew 18 : 15-20
At that time, Jesus said to His disciples, “If your brother has sinned against you, go and point out the fault to him, when the two of you are alone; and if he listens to you, you have won back your brother. If he does not listen to you, take with you one or two others, so that the case may be decided by the evidence of two or three witnesses.”
“And if he refuses to listen to them, tell it to the assembled Church. But if he does not listen to the Church, then regard him as a pagan, or a tax collector. I say to you : whatever you bind on earth, heaven will keep bound; and whatever you unbind on earth, heaven will keep unbound.”
“In like manner, I say to you, if, on earth, two of you agree in asking for anything, it will be granted to you by My heavenly Father; for where two or there are gathered in My Name, I am there, among them.”
Liturgical Colour : Green or Red (Martyrs)
Psalm 65 : 1-3a, 5 and 16-17
Shout with joy to God, all you on earth; sing to the glory of His Name; proclaim His glorious praise. Say to God, “How great are Your deeds!”
Come, and see God’s wonders; His deeds, awesome for humans. All you, who fear God, come, and listen; let me tell you what He has done. I cried aloud to Him, extolling Him with my tongue.
Liturgical Colour : Green or Red (Martyrs)
Deuteronomy 34 : 1-12
From the barren plain of Moab, Moses went up to Mount Nebo, to the summit of Pisgah, opposite Jericho. And YHVH showed him all the Land : from Gilead to Dan, the whole of Naphtali, the land of Ephraim, and of Manasseh, the whole land of Judah, as far as the Western Sea, the Negeb, the Plains, the valley of Jericho, the city of palm trees, as far as Zoar.
And YHVH said to him : “This is the land about which I swore to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, promising it to their descendants. I have let you see it with your own eyes, but you shall not enter it.”
Moses, the servant of God, died there in the land of Moab, according to the will of YHVH. They buried him in the valley in the land of Moab opposite Beth-peor; but to this very day, no one knows where his tomb is. Moses was a hundred and twenty years old when he died. He did not lose his vigour and his eyes still saw clearly.
The children of Israel mourned for him in the plains of Moab for thirty days. But Joshua, son of Nun, was full of the spirit of wisdom because Moses had laid his hands upon him. The children of Israel obeyed him and did as YHVH had commanded Moses.
No prophet like Moses has appeared again. YHVH conversed with him face to face. What signs and wonders he worked in Egypt against Pharaoh, against his people and all his land! He displayed great power and awesome might in view of all Israel!
Liturgical Colour : Green or White (Religious)
Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, today as we all listened to the words of the Sacred Scriptures, we are reminded that we should continue to be faithful to the Lord as we have been reminded these past few weekdays, with reassurances and reminders that God is always faithful and committed to the Covenant that He has made with each and every one of us, His beloved people. He will not abandon any of us to the darkness and destruction, and we are all always precious to Him and beloved by Him in all things and at all circumstances. We have to put our faith and trust in the Lord and be good examples of faith and commitment to Him, our Lord and Master, so that many more people may also come to believe in Him as well.
In our first reading today, we heard of the conclusion of the exhortation and reminders which Moses gave in a speech to the people of Israel, as some sorts of a farewell speech towards the end of the Israelites’ forty years of journey through the desert towards their Promised Land of Canaan. Moses had already spent those forty years guiding, leading and shepherding the people of God and including the time that he spent earlier on in Egypt in liberating God’s people from the hands of the Egyptians and their Pharaoh. And throughout all those challenging years, Moses had to face a lot of hardships and grievances, from all the stubborn attitudes of the Israelites and their constant rebelliousness and disobedience against God, their constant complaints and refusals to obey God’s Law, and even to personal betrayals such as those by his own siblings, Aaron and Miriam, who openly contested the leadership of the Israelites with him before God.
Moses had remained firm in his conviction and commitment to lead the people of God, and even though he himself also committed mistakes that prevented him from entering the Promised Land of Canaan, but he lived to see the moment when the people of God finally was about to enter to the lands promised to them. And it was at that very time and moment that Moses made this speech before the whole assembly of the Israelites, telling and reminding them to keep in mind everything that God had done for their sake, with all of His love and kindness, compassion and mercy, and all that God had done in protecting them from their enemies and providing them with all their needs. That is what we heard being mentioned by Moses in our first reading passage today.
God had cleared the path for His beloved ones, and prepared everything just as He has planned it, and the people of Israel should indeed appreciate and be thankful of the great blessings and graces which they had indeed received from God, and which they had often taken for granted. Like the Israelites, who had been instructed to pass on their knowledge of God and everything that God had done for them to their next generations, so that even with the passage of time, God’s works and deeds might still be known, hence, this is also something which we ourselves ought to be doing in our own lives today. We should be good role models and inspirations for everyone around us so that in everything that we say and do, we will inspire many more to believe in God as well.
Then, from our Gospel passage today, we heard of the story from the Gospel according to St. Matthew the Apostle and Evangelist reminding each and every one of us that we should be truly faithful to the Lord and be truly committed to His paths and ways in each and every things that we do in life. All of us as Christians have been called to have a genuine faith and strong relationship with God beyond what is superficial and mere formality. This is highlighted by the Lord when He first mentioned how all of His disciples and followers ought to be like the little children in their faith and trust in Him, and this is significant because if we truly understand what the Lord meant, it means that He was calling on all of them to have a faith that is truly genuine and heartfelt, and not one that is conditional and burdened by our many desires and temptations.
The faith of a child is truly pure, brothers and sisters in Christ. When a child believes in something, he or she truly believes from all of his or her heart. This is exactly what the Lord wants us all to do, that we ought to have genuine faith and true, enduring love for God, with all of our strength, with all of our hearts and with all of our might, or else our faith is one that is merely superficial and meaningless. Therefore, unless we have this strong, enduring and vibrant faith in God, it will be difficult for us to continue to follow the Lord faithfully and in a genuine manner. Unfortunately for many of us, our faith are often intermingled with all sorts of veiled interests and desires, as we have allowed these worldly corruptions to affect us and distort our faith in the Lord.
Today, the Church also celebrates the Feast of St. Jane Frances de Chantal, who was born in France in the late sixteenth century, and eventually married Baron de Chantal, from whom she got her surname, becoming a dedicated wife and mother of the household, caring for her husband and for her father-in-law, while at the same time also spent a lot of time and effort in caring for her neighbours and those who were needy in her community and surroundings. When her husband was killed in a hunting incident almost a decade after their marriage, St. Jane Frances de Chantal continued to dedicate herself to her family and caring for her children. Eventually, she felt the calling to religious life, and despite rejections and discouraging remarks due to her widow status and age, she kept on persevering.
Eventually, she founded the Congregation of the Visitation, gathering together women of similar conditions as hers, those who have been rejected by the other religious orders on grounds of health and age. They all were unlike most other religious orders for women that tended to remain sequestered in cloisters and monasteries, but they openly went out to the public spaces and the community to minister to the people of God, which is their charism and calling. The great generosity and sanctity shown by St. Jane Frances de Chantal inspired many people both from within her congregation and from outside, showing the kind of faith, love and dedication that each and every one of us as Christians ought to have for the Lord.
Brothers and sisters in Christ, having heard of the life examples of St. Jane Frances de Chantal, and having also discerned what we have just discussed from today’s Scripture readings, let us therefore develop a strong, genuine and vibrant faith in the Lord, doing all that we can so that in everything that we say and do, we will always be ready to proclaim the Lord and His Good News to all, through even the smallest things that we do daily in our lives. May our actions, words and deeds truly show our Christian faith, and that we may always be genuine in our belief in the Lord, in all circumstances and in all things. May God bless our every good works, efforts and endeavours, now and always. Amen.
Liturgical Colour : Green or White (Religious)
Matthew 18 : 1-5, 10, 12-14
At that time, the disciples came to Jesus and asked Him, “Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?” Then Jesus called a little child, set the child in the midst of the disciples, and said, “I assure you, that, unless you change, and become like little children, you cannot enter the kingdom of heaven. Whoever becomes humble, like this child, is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven, and whoever receives such a child, in My Name, receives Me.”
“See that you do not despise any of these little ones; for I tell you, their Angels in heaven continually see the face of My heavenly Father. What do you think of this? If someone has a hundred sheep and one of them strays, will he not leave the ninety-nine on the hillside, and go to look for the stray one? And I tell you, when he finally finds it, he is more pleased about it, than about the ninety-nine that did not go astray.”
“It is the same with your Father in heaven. Your Father in heaven does not want even one of these little ones to perish.”
Liturgical Colour : Green or White (Religious)
Deuteronomy 32 : 3-4a, 7, 8, 9 and 12
For I will proclaim the Name of the Lord and declare the greatness of our God. He is the Rock, and perfect are all His works, just are all His ways.
Recall the days of old, think of the years gone by; your father will teach you about them, your elders will enlighten you.
When the Most High divided humankind and gave the nations their inheritance, He set up boundaries for the people after the number of the sons of God.
But the Lord keeps for Himself His portion Jacob, His chosen one. The Lord alone led them, without the aid of a foreign god.
Liturgical Colour : Green or White (Religious)
Deuteronomy 31 : 1-8
When Moses finished telling all Israel these words, he said, “I am now a hundred and twenty years old and I can no longer deal with anything – Remember that YHVH told me that I shall not cross the Jordan River. Now Joshua shall be at your head, as YHVH has said. He, your God, will go before you to destroy these nations before you, and you will drive them away.”
“YHVH shall deal with these cities as He dealt with Sihon and Og, the Amorite kings, and their land, which He destroyed. So when He has given these nations over to you, you shall do the same, according to what I have commanded you. Be valiant and strong, do not fear or tremble before them for YHVH, your God, is with you; He will not leave you or abandon you.”
After this, Moses called Joshua and said to him in the presence of all Israel : “Be valiant and strong, you shall go with this people into the land which YHVH swore to their ancestors He would give them and you shall give it to them as their possession. YHVH shall go before you. He shall be with you; He shall not leave you or abandon you. Do not fear, then, or be discouraged.”
petercanisiusmichaeldavidkang 