way of the Lord

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Tuesday, 19 July 2016 : 16th Week of Ordinary Time (First Reading)

Liturgical Colour : Green

Micah 7 : 14-15, 18-20

Shepherd Your people with Your staff, shepherd the flock of Your inheritance that dwells alone in the scrub, in the midst of a fertile land. Let them feed in Bashan and Gilead as in the days of old, in the days when You went out of Egypt. Show us Your wonders.

Who is a God like You, Who takes away guilt and pardons crime for the remnant of His inheritance? Who is like You Whose anger does not last? For You delight in merciful forgiveness. Once again You will show us Your loving kindness and trample on our wrongs, casting all our sins into the depths of the sea. Show faithfulness to Jacob, mercy to Abraham, as You have sworn to our ancestors from the days of old.

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Monday, 18 July 2016 : 16th Week of Ordinary Time (Homily and Scripture Reflections)

Liturgical Colour : Green

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, on this day we heard about how unfaithful the people of God had been, beginning from the time when they were brought out of Egypt, as written in the book of the prophet Micah, who wrote about how Israel had not always been obedient to God as what they should have been. They have sold themselves to the pagan gods and idols, and they have forgotten about the Law of God.

They offered to Him sacrifices and offerings as was prescribed of them, but they have not remembered why they were doing so, and their prayers were empty, addressed to fulfilling their desires and wants instead. They have been told by God, either directly or through His messengers, the prophets and heralds whom He had sent to His people to remind them of His ways and He had revealed the way which leads to Him.

But they still refused to believe, and it was very often that these people persecuted the faithful and devoted servants of God just because they refused to listen to the revelation of truth from these prophets that they did not like. They refused to obey the laws and commandments, as well as what were required of them as those who have made the covenant with the Lord their God.

And similarly, at the time of Jesus, they continued in their lack of faith and obedience. Even though ever since the time of the prophets, God had shown His might to His people, even ranging back all the way from the time of Moses, they would not believe. They have seen all the wonders and the miracles of God, and yet they would still turn their backs against Him.

They have become proud with their ways and they thought of themselves as the chosen ones and righteous in their deeds, and they became self-centred and self-enamoured in their own selves. And that is why they have faltered, while the people of Nineveh, the Assyrians, repented from their sins and were saved from the destruction that was threatened upon them.

The Assyrians were a proud people, a people filled with pride and greed, a warlike people, a people who went about destroying other nations and conquering them, carting off the defeated ones into exile, and then they also came up to the city of God, besieging it under their king Sennacherib, boasting that they would destroy it and its Temple, and not even God would be able to save His people from their wrath.

And yet, even with all that, when the prophet Jonah came to their city and declared that their city would be destroyed by God for their sins, they changed their ways, listened to the warnings of Jonah, and repented. Everyone from the king to the lowest slave and animals all submitted to the Lord and begged for His mercy, and God saw the sincerity of their repentance and forgave them.

All of these showed us that no one is beyond redemption, and no one is guaranteed salvation unless they placed their whole trust and complete faith in the Lord their God. Faith cannot be merely made with words and obeisance on paper alone, but must be made with true and complete devotion from oneself through the heart.

Brothers and sisters in Christ, thus all of us are asked this question. Are we all ready to embrace the Lord our God with all of our heart? Are we all committed and able to change our ways to be better, by looking at the examples of the Assyrians and those others who have sinned, and yet, they had a change of heart and had committed themselves to the way of righteousness?

Let us all seek to be forgiven from our sins, and let us all renew our faith in God, by deepening our relationships with Him, showing effort to love Him all the more and devote our time to love one another, all the children of the same loving God. Let us all be ever more faithful and be more committed to Him in all things. God bless us all. Amen.

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Monday, 18 July 2016 : 16th Week of Ordinary Time (Gospel Reading)

Liturgical Colour : Green

Matthew 12 : 38-42

At that time, some teachers of the Law and some Pharisees spoke up, “Teacher, we want to see a sign from You.” Jesus answered them, “An evil and unfaithful people want a sign, but no sign will be given them except the sign of the prophet Jonah. In the same way that Jonah spent three days and three nights in the belly of the whale, so will the Son of Man spend three days and three nights in the depths of the earth.”

“At the judgment, the people of Nineveh will rise with this generation and condemn it, because they reformed their lives at the preaching of Jonah, and here there is greater than Jonah. At the judgment, the Queen of the South will stand up and condemn you. She came from the ends of the earth to listen to the wisdom of Solomon, and here there is greater than Solomon.”

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Monday, 18 July 2016 : 16th Week of Ordinary Time (First Reading)

Liturgical Colour : Green

Micah 6 : 1-4, 6-8

Listen to what YHVH said to me, “Stand up, let the mountains hear your claim, and the hills listen to your plea.” Hear, o mountains, YHVH’s complaint! Foundations of the earth, pay attention! For YHVH has a case against His people, and will argue it with Israel.

“O My people, what have I done to you? In what way have I been burden to you? Answer Me. I brought you out of Egypt; I rescued you from the land of bondage; I sent Moses, Aaron and Miriam to lead you.”

“What shall I bring when I come to YHVH and bow down before God the Most High? Shall I come with the burnt offerings, with sacrifices of yearling calves? Will YHVH be pleased with thousands of rams, with an overabundance of oil libations? Should I offer my firstborn for my sins, the fruit of my body for my wrongdoing?”

“You have been told, o man, what is good and what YHVH requires of you : to do justice, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God.”

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Sunday, 17 July 2016 : 16th Sunday of Ordinary Time (Homily and Scripture Reflections)

Liturgical Colour : Green

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, on this day we heard the message from the Holy Scriptures, about firstly how God appeared to Abraham and his wife Sarah, to reveal to them the promise of His covenant with Abraham, that is the coming of the promised son, which both Abraham and Sarah had awaited for a very long time, for they were barren and without child.

In the psalm today we heard about the virtues and qualities of those who obey the Lord, walking in His ways and listening to all of His will and commandments. We heard how those who have been blameless and true to the Lord shall be blessed and they shall receive great rewards for that faith. Abraham himself was an example of this, and he has been blessed beyond mankind’s reckoning, becoming the father of many nations as God had promised him.

In the second reading, we heard from St. Paul who told the faithful in the city of Colossae in Greece, about the Lord Who have revealed His will to the faithful ones, and those to whom He has been willing to show His grace, He shall bring them to the place which He had reserved for them. But at the same time, St. Paul also spoke to the people of Colossae about the suffering which he had endured and would have to endure even more for their sake.

And finally we should link all of these to what Jesus said to His Apostles James and John when they asked for Him for a great favour, the favour of being granted the place of honour at the sides of the Lord Himself. The Lord rebuked them for not knowing what it was they were asking for when they asked Him for such a favour. And God revealed to them that just as St. Paul had mentioned that suffering is part of his faith and mission, the Apostles too would endure suffering, the same suffering which Christ Himself had suffered.

Brothers and sisters in Christ, what does all the Scripture readings today seem to convey to us about? They seem to have numerous messages intended for us. But in fact all of them had one key core message in common. That those who are faithful to God, who are faithful and true in their actions, words and deeds shall be blessed and they shall receive the rich graces and blessings from God, while those who are not faithful and who prefer wickedness shall be cursed and be cast out from God’s presence and fall into the damnation of hell.

And the way and the path of the Lord is not going to be an easy one, as those who have gone before us and persevered in that path before us can show us. Abraham had to endure many sufferings and trials, and he left behind his families, his relatives, all those whom he knew, his nation and his homeland behind to follow the Lord, and he braved through all the difficult times, famines and even refuge in Egypt, conflict between his family members and others. And yet, to the end, Abraham remained truly faithful.

Many other faithful servants of God endured great challenges and suffering. Moses endured rejection and ridicule by the people of Israel, while the Pharaoh and the Egyptians would have sought for his death. He had to endure the countless complaints and unfaithfulness of the Israelites, who went to the pagan gods and rebelled when they faltered in their faith and chose rather to follow the way of the world.

The prophets like Elijah and Elisha also faced many difficulties, as were Isaiah, Jeremiah and Ezekiel. All of them faced those who refused to listen to them, and these also persecuted them, as they saw them either as nuisance or as a threat to their own worldly power and influence. And therefore, these people also rejected the Lord when He came to them, willing to help them and to absolve them from their sins.

All these had to do with the fact that it is difficult for us to resist the temptations of the world. There are many good things in this world, and there are many of these that will threaten to sway us and to pull us away from our way towards the Lord. But there are things which we can do in order to resist that pull, and to turn back towards the Lord, being obedient once again to His laws and ways.

We have to learn to listen to the Lord and be obedient to Him in all things, so that if we are faithful to Him, we will not suffer the consequences of the disobedience caused by sin. And all of these require sacrifice and commitment. It is not a simple matter of just claiming that we are faithful in word alone, but in all that we do, in how we interact with our fellow men and women, we must show that genuine love and commitment to love and be caring towards one another, just as God has loved us.

Let us all devote ourselves anew and let us change our ways. If we once have hated and filled ourselves with wickedness, let us all now change these to righteousness and grace, doing what is good and doing what we can to help one another, especially those who are weak, downtrodden, hungry and rejected by others. May God help us in our journey and strengthen us all in our faith. God bless us all. Amen.

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Sunday, 17 July 2016 : 16th Sunday of Ordinary Time (Gospel Reading)

Liturgical Colour : Green

Mark 10 : 38-42

At that time, Jesus said to James and John, “You do not know what you are asking. Can you drink the cup that I drink, or be baptised in the way I am baptised?”

They answered, “We can.” And Jesus told them, “The cup that I drink you will drink, and you will be baptised in the way that I am baptised; but to sit at My right hand or at My left is not Mine to grant. It has been prepare for others.”

On hearing this, the other ten were angry with James and John. Jesus then called them to Him and said, “As you know, the so-called rulers of the nations act as tyrants, and their great ones oppress you.”

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Saturday, 16 July 2016 : 15th Week of Ordinary Time, Memorial of Our Lady of Mount Carmel (Homily and Scripture Reflections)

Liturgical Colour : Green or White (Our Lady of Mount Carmel)

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, on this day we all celebrate one of the many great celebrations of the venerable and most blessed mother of our Lord and God, Mary, the mother of Jesus, who in her persona as the protector of the holy Mount Carmel in the Holy Land, has watched over all of us the children of God for many ages and years, interceding for our sake constantly.

The devotion to our Lady of Mount Carmel has begun since many centuries ago, from the time when our Blessed Mother Mary appeared to St. Simon Stock. St. Simon Stock was a member of the Carmelite order, which had its headquarters once at Mount Carmel in the Holy Land. Thus has our Lady of Mount Carmel been the protector and guide to the holy order of the Carmelites ever since.

Our Lady of Mount Carmel spoke to St. Simon Stock and promised us all through him that those who would wear the brown scapular as she had revealed to the holy saint. Thus was how the popular devotion to the Lady of Mount Carmel and the habit of wearing of the brown scapular began, and the Carmelite order itself played a great role in its propagation.

Mary promised St. Simon Stock and all those who wear the brown scapular with faith and devotion to God, that they will not suffer the punishment and the anger of God, and the forces of evil shall not prevail against them, for the mother of the Lord Himself, our greatest intercessor before Him is in front of us, interceding for us and guiding us to her Son.

In all these, we are all called to reflect on the role which Mary has played in the history of the salvation of all mankind, and how we too can share in what she has done for our sake. Mary is the mother of us all, just as she is also the mother of Jesus Christ our Lord. Jesus our Lord has entrusted her to us by entrusting her to John, His beloved disciple. And in the same manner, He has also entrusted him to her, and thus all of us have also been entrusted to the same love which our Lord Himself had received from His loving mother.

Mary is our role model, for all and every moment of her life has been dedicated to God and to the righteousness of His ways. She was ever faithful and committed, even though there were times when she was unsure of what God’s plan was for her. She placed her trust in God and obeyed Him. She showed tender love and care, and committed herself fully in the path and the plan God had placed her in.

And she had followed her Son faithfully, devoting her entire time and attention to Him, even through difficult and challenging moments, when she had to endure the pain of seeing her own Son being humiliated and rejected before her eyes, having to endure great suffering and bearing the burden of the cross for our sake. And she followed Him all the way to the end.

And just as her Son was committed to the salvation of all the people of God, therefore, she is also committed to help us to find our way to the salvation which her Son has promised us even as He laid dying up on the cross. And thus she appeared many times to us, including the giving of the brown scapular, as a reminder that all of us have a lot of things to do in order to reach out to the Lord and His salvation.

All of us have to rediscover that spiritual devotion inside each one of us. We have to realise that in this world we cannot remain passive and uncommitted in how we live our lives. To be a genuine and true follower of Christ we must show it through real commitment and courage to do what may be frowned upon by the world, but approved by the Lord.

Let us all therefore, on this feast of our Lady of Mount Carmel, make a new dedication to the Lord our God with the help of His ever loving mother, Mary, the Lady of Mount Carmel, our intercessor and protector, our loving mother who cares for us all just as much as she had cared for Jesus her Son. Let us all renew our commitment to do what is right and just in the presence of our God, and thus draw ever closer to the salvation which He promised us all. God bless us all. Amen.

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Saturday, 16 July 2016 : 15th Week of Ordinary Time, Memorial of Our Lady of Mount Carmel (Gospel Reading)

Liturgical Colour : Green or White (Our Lady of Mount Carmel)

Matthew 12 : 14-21

At that time, the Pharisees went out, and made plans to get rid of Jesus. As Jesus was aware of their plans, He left that place. Many people followed Him, and He cured all who were sick. Then He gave them strict orders not to make Him known.

In this way Isaiah’s prophecy was fulfilled : ‘Here is My servant Whom I have chosen, the One I love, and with Whom I am pleased. I will put My Spirit upon Him and He will announce My judgment to the nations. He will not argue or shout, nor will His voice be heard in the streets. The bruised reed He will not crush, nor snuff out the smouldering wick. He will persist until justice is made victorious, and in Him, all the nations will put their hope.’
Alternative reading (Mass of the Blessed Virgin Mary)

Matthew 12 : 46-50

At that time, while Jesus was still talking to the people, His mother and His brothers wanted to speak to Him, and they waited outside. So someone said to Him, “Your mother and Your brothers are standing outside; they want to speak with You.”

Jesus answered, “Who is My mother? Who are My brothers?” Then He pointed to His disciples and said, “Look! Here are My mother and My brothers. Whoever does the will of My Father in heaven is for Me brother, sister or mother.”

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Friday, 15 July 2016 : 15th Week of Ordinary Time, Memorial of St. Bonaventure, Bishop and Doctor of the Church (Homily and Scripture Reflections)

Liturgical Colour : White

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, on this day we heard about the Lord Who reminded all of us that He is the Lord over all things, over the matters of life and death, and that we live at His behest and pleasure. But yet, at the same time, God Who is loving and merciful towards us has given us so much in this life, that especially this very life is the boon and the grace He has granted to all of us.

In the first reading today from the book of the prophet Isaiah, we heard how the faithful king Hezekiah of Judah laid in pain and dying from his ailment, and he begged the Lord to remember all the good and faithful things which he had done before Him, all the efforts he had put into place to return the people of God back to the ways of the Lord, after many generations of unfaithful people and kings.

He was a mortal after all, even after all the great deeds which he had done, and after all the good things that he had committed in his life. In the fear and the despair which Hezekiah felt, the attachment which he has to life made him to beg the Lord and to humble himself before his God, trying to seek His mercy and the chance to life and enjoy more years of his earthly existence.

And God granted him that desire, and indeed, not only that he was healed from his afflictions, but he was granted several more years of blessed life on earth as the reward of God for the faith and dedication which he had shown. But if we are to read on, we should see the part where king Hezekiah after he had been blessed with new life and grace, he boasted about his wealth to the envoys of the Babylonian king, despite the warning given to him about what was to come by the prophets.

Hezekiah grew proud of his human and worldly achievements and he forgot that all that he has obtained he has gained because of the Lord and His kindness and love alone. The same is often what is happening to many of us who are unable to let go of our pride, our human greed and desires. And that is why we tend to put our trust in our own human achievements and sense of greatness, without acknowledging God Who is behind of all of them.

In the Gospel, we heard one of the common confrontations between Jesus and the Pharisees, as well as with the teachers of the Law. The Pharisees and the teachers of the Law were very particular in their observation of the Law, especially the laws and rules regarding the Sabbath day, when the people of God were not supposed to have any activities and keep that day holy for the Lord.

That Law was intended for a good purpose, that is to help the people of God in finding their way to Him, but in the implementation, it had been twisted beyond recognition by the wrong purposes of the leaders of the people who cared only for their own personal gain and for their own human pride, greed and desire, exactly what had also affected the king Hezekiah of Judah.

What does this mean brothers and sisters in Christ? It means that we mankind should learn to restrain ourselves and to forgo those pride, those greed and desires that are exactly what have become hindrances and obstacles on our way as we journey on towards the Lord our God. And indeed we should not fall victim to those things, or else that is why we will be like those whom God had condemned for their lack of faith.

Let us all look at the example of St. Bonaventure, the holy servant of God whose feast we are celebrating on this day. St. Bonaventure was an Italian Franciscan monk, who was renowned for his great piety and for his dedication to the Lord. He preached to the people and cared for them, leading them by the example of his piety. He was also involved in the process of the reform of the Church at the time, leading the Church as well as the Franciscan order whom he led, into a path of piety and commitment to God.

St. Bonaventure was eventually appointed to high positions in the Church, becoming a Cardinal of the Holy Roman Church, and the leader of the Cardinals himself. He was influential in the reforming of the Church and his initiatives helped to strengthen the Church and save many more souls. However, he remained humble and committed to the mission which had been entrusted to him. He did not allow ego or human greed to overcome him.

The disciplined life of St. Bonaventure is a great example and he is indeed a good role model for us all. St. Bonaventure has shown us how to be good in our deeds and actions, be examples for one another and yet remain humble and remain true to our calling. It is indeed not easy to resist those temptations of power, fame and glory, as our human frailty and imperfections have allowed us to seek all of them, and many have fallen along the way because of those things.

Let us all heed that good example, and let us hope that through whatever we have done, we may become ever closer to the Lord and become more and more like Him, that He Who loves us all may recognise us as His own when He comes again to bring all of His beloved ones to His eternal glory. God bless us all. Amen.

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Friday, 15 July 2016 : 15th Week of Ordinary Time, Memorial of St. Bonaventure, Bishop and Doctor of the Church (Psalm)

Liturgical Colour : White

Isaiah 38 : 10, 11, 12abcd, 16

Once I said : In the noontime of my life I go; I am sent to the land of the dead, for the rest of my years.

I said : Never again shall I see YHVH in the land of the living; never again shall I see the inhabitants of the earth.

Like a shepherd’s tent, my dwelling has been pulled down and thrown away; like a weaver, You rolled up my life and cut it from the loom.

O Lord, give me back my health and give me back my life!