Wednesday

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Wednesday, 1 November 2023 : Solemnity of All Saints (Homily and Scripture Reflections)

Liturgical Colour : White

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, today the Church celebrates the great Solemnity of All Saints, commemorating and honouring all the glorious saints, holy men and women of God, whom the Church had declared to be truly worthy of God, and by whose lives and examples, they have indeed been worthy and merited the immediate reward of heavenly glory and bliss. Those whom the Church had declared to be saints are deemed to be worthy of universal veneration and honour, because of their great and exemplary works and lives, which have shown true faith and obedience to God. There are many virtuous, faithful and dedicated men and women throughout the history of the Church that have been honoured with such designation, that they may indeed become great role models and sources of inspiration for us all to follow, so that we may also follow in their footsteps.

Today, the Church celebrates the saints, the innumerable holy men and women that have gone before us to the bliss and glory of Heaven, and whose lives we should also emulate in our own, and who we should also follow and be inspired to be like them and to follow them in their footsteps. The saints are the ones who have answered the Lord’s call with faith and conviction, and chose to dedicate themselves in following the path that the Lord had called them to walk in, and showed us all their virtues and good deeds, through the lives of the saints whom we have known, learnt about and celebrated throughout the whole liturgical calendar every year. They are the ones mentioned in our first reading today from the Book of the Revelations or the Apocalypse of St. John the Apostle, as the righteous ones whom the Lord have called and chosen, and who had also lived their lives worthily.

In our first reading passage, we heard of the a hundred and forty-four thousand righteous ones gathered in the presence of God at His Throne, the victorious and triumphant Lamb of God. Those represent symbolically the saints of God, all those holy men and women that had triumphed together with God, and been freed from the bondage of sin and death, saved and redeemed by the Lord, and justified through their faith and actions throughout their lives. This does not mean that the saints numbers are limited by the absolute limit of a hundred and forty-four thousand as mentioned. Rather, that number was used to highlight a rather large number, to show that many people will end up being triumphant and victorious in the end with God, and there are already some who are already enjoying the bliss of Heaven even before the Final and Last Judgment.

They are all clothed in white in the vision of St. John, and according to one of the Elders who guided St. John in the vision, those saints had already washed their garments clean in the Blood of the Lamb, which also symbolically represent our baptism, in us accepting the grace of God brought to us through Christ, Who has shed His Most Precious Blood and died for us on His Cross. This same Precious Blood has washed away from us the taint of our original sin, and as a perfect and most worthy offering, the Lord Himself has delivered us all from the tyranny and dominion of sin. Then, at the same time, some of those saints were also martyrs who have shed their own blood for the sake of the Lord, while others have led a life of virtue and holiness, all of which actions and commitments allow them to enter into the great glory of Heaven.

This does not mean that the saints had always been perfect and immaculate in their lives. Rather, they were sinners just like us, and they have also committed sins, be it simple, venial, or even serious and mortal sins. Yet, what is important is the fact that, they all turned away from those paths of sin and disobedience against God, chose to embrace God’s mercy and love, and either by the virtues of their lives, and/or their courageous defence of their faith, even to the point of shedding their blood and dying for their faith in God, they have been deemed worthy by God and by His Church, to enjoy immediately at the point of death, to enter right away into the glory of Heaven. Some of the saints that we are all familiar with were great sinners earlier on in their lives, and many others were flawed in their character and actions, but they then chose the better path with God.

Now, brothers and sisters in Christ, this means that the same applies to all of us as well, each one of us who are still living in this world. And how do we make sure that one day we can also enjoy the glory of Heaven like that of the saints? It is by heeding what the Lord Himself had taught His disciples and all of us through the Eight Beatitudes, the series of blessings that the Lord pronounced in our Gospel passage today. He praised and blessed all those who are poor in spirit, meaning those who are humble and always seeking God, being aware of their sins and imperfections, as well as those who mourn and suffer because of their faith and commitment to God, and all those who are gentle and loving towards each other, in showing love and compassion to their fellow men and women, and those who show justice and righteousness in their lives, those who show mercy, work for peace and have been persecuted and insulted because of their faith in God.

Essentially all of these are the qualities and signs of what sainthood is all about. These are the parameters, actions and characteristics that defined those who have been officially recognised and canonised to be saints, as great role models and inspirations for their fellow brothers and sisters. And each and every one of us can also be like them as well. As Christians, it is imperative and important for all of us to be ever more committed to God in all of our actions, works and way of life, to be like what the Eight Beatitudes have shown us, that we should be people who are with God’s love, with all the Christian virtues and righteousness, in obeying the Law and commandments of God, in doing God’s will and in showing forth His truth and Good News, revealing His love and kindness to more and more people throughout the world, in all of our every interactions and efforts.

Now, on this day, as we rejoice upon the glory and honour of the glorious saints of God, let us all remember that they are also part of the same Church like us all as well. While we are all still living in this world as the visible aspects and parts of the Church, as the Church Militant, called as such because we are still struggling daily and putting the effort to resist against the temptations and the threats of sin and evil all around us, the saints of God are part of the Church Triumphant, those who have triumphed in their faith, and have now gone to enjoy the beatific vision of Heaven, to rejoice in the joy and gladness, the comfort, peace and happiness that God has prepared for all those who have been faithful and committed to Him. We too can be part of the Church Triumphant one day, if we choose to do so, and do what the saints had themselves done when they were still living in this world just like us.

And more than just being examples and role models for us, the saints also constantly pray for each and every one of us in this world. They are our intercessors and they always pray for our sake, being closer to God, and hence, have the Lord’s listening ears on our behalf. This is where it is important that as Christians, all of us know well what our beliefs are about regarding the saints, as there are misconceptions and misunderstandings on what saints are and how they play a part in our faith and journey in life, both from within and outside the Church. Some misunderstood that the saints were like deities or gods that we pray to in order for them to do things for us, or for them to give us their blessings, but this is not what saints are. Saints pray and intercede for us, and since they are closer to God, their prayers are truly more effective for us, as they are already in a perfect state of grace.

We can definitely pray for ourselves as well, but there is definitely nothing wrong to ask someone else to pray for us as well. And if we can ask our fellow brothers and sisters around us to pray for us, then why don’t we also ask those who have gone before us, and whom we know that they are already in Heaven, to pray for us all as well? This is why we ask the saints to pray for us, on our behalf, and among all of them, the one who is the best to do it for us, is none other than Mary, the Mother of God herself, who is truly the greatest among all the saints. That is why many Catholics also have deep devotion to Mary, as she is always constantly praying for us, as our loving mother, entrusted to us by the Lord Himself, who made us all to be her children as well. Not only that, but just like that of the other saints, Mary is also a great role model and example for us all to follow in our lives, so that our own lives may be holy just like they are holy, and like how our Lord and God is holy.

Brothers and sisters in Christ, lastly, as we honour and glorify the saints today, let us also pray for one another, and ask the saints to pray for all those around us who need help. Let us all strive to live a holy and worthy life at all times, and be exemplary in our way of life, that one day, we too may be found and deemed worthy, to share in the glory of the saints. Let us also pray for the holy souls in Purgatory, all those who are also part of the Church, as the Church Suffering, as those who have already lived a life of faith, and yet, because of their residual venial sins, they have not yet been able to enjoy the bliss of Heaven, unlike the saints. Let us all pray for them, that God may show them His mercy and love, compassion and kindness, especially that we will remember them tomorrow on All Souls Day. May the glorious saints always pray for us all, and for our fellow brothers and sisters in Purgatory, and may the Lord bless us all and our lives, that we may continue to emulate His saints, and lead lives that are truly holy and worthy of Him. Amen.

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Wednesday, 1 November 2023 : Solemnity of All Saints (Gospel Reading)

Liturgical Colour : White

Matthew 5 : 1-12a

At that time, when Jesus saw the crowds, He went up the mountain. He sat down and His disciples gathered around Him. Then He spoke and began to teach them :

“Fortunate are those who are poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of Heaven. Fortunate are those who mourn; they shall be comforted. Fortunate are the gentle; they shall possess the land.”

“Fortunate are those who hunger and thirst for justice, for they shall be satisfied. Fortunate are the merciful, for they shall find mercy. Fortunate are those with pure hearts, for they shall see God.”

“Fortunate are those who work for peace; they shall be called children of God. Fortunate are those who are persecuted for the cause of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of Heaven.”

“Fortunate are you, when people insult you and persecute you and speak all kinds of evil against you because you are My followers. Be glad and joyful, for a great reward is kept for you in God.”

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Wednesday, 1 November 2023 : Solemnity of All Saints (Second Reading)

Liturgical Colour : White

1 John 3 : 1-3

See what singular love the Father has for us : we are called children of God, and we really are. This is why the world does not know us, because it did not know Him.

Beloved, we are God’s children, and what we shall be has not, yet, been shown. Yet, when He appears in His glory, we know, that we shall be like Him, for, then, we shall see Him as He is. All who have such a hope, try to be pure, as He is pure.

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Wednesday, 1 November 2023 : Solemnity of All Saints (Psalm)

Liturgical Colour : White

Psalm 23 : 1-2, 3-4ab, 5-6

The earth and its fullness belong to YHVH, the world and all that dwell in it. He has founded it upon the ocean and set it firmly upon the waters.

Who will ascend the mountain of YHVH? Who will stand in His holy place? Those with clean hands and pure heart, who desire not what is vain.

They will receive blessings from YHVH, a reward from God, their Saviour. Such are the people who seek Him, who seek the face of Jacob’s God.

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Wednesday, 1 November 2023 : Solemnity of All Saints (First Reading)

Liturgical Colour : White

Revelations 7 : 2-4, 9-14

I saw another Angel, ascending from the sunrise, carrying the seal of the living God, and he cried out with a loud voice, to the four Angels empowered to harm the earth and the sea, “Do not harm the earth or the sea or the trees, until we have sealed the servants of our God upon their foreheads.”

Then, I heard the number of those marked with the seal : a hundred and forty-four thousand, from all the tribes of the people of Israel. After this, I saw a great crowd, impossible to count, from every nation, race, people and tongue, standing before the Throne, and the Lamb, clothed in white, with palm branches in their hands, and they cried out with a loud voice, “Who saves, but our God, Who sits on the Throne, and the Lamb?”

All the Angels were around the Throne, the elders and the four living creatures; they, then, bowed before the Throne, with their faces to the ground, to worship God. They said, “Amen, Praise, glory, wisdom, thanks, honour, power and strength to our God forever and ever. Amen!”

At that moment, one of the elders spoke up, and said to me, “Who are these people clothed in white, and where did they come from?” I answered, “Sir, it is you who know this.” The elder replied, “They, are those who have come out of the great persecution, they have washed, and made their clothes white, in the Blood of the Lamb.”

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Wednesday, 25 October 2023 : 29th Week of Ordinary Time (Homily and Scripture Reflections)

Liturgical Colour : Green

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, today as we listened to the words of the Scriptures, each and every one of us are reminded that we are all the ones to whom God has entrusted His creations and all of this world, for us all to govern and take care of them. This also includes our responsibilities and our areas of involvement in various parts of this world, as we carry out our actions, works and interactions with one another, with our fellow brothers and sisters, our loved ones, family members, relatives and friends, and even with acquaintances and strangers in our midst. All of us are expected as Christians to be ever worthy of God, by doing what we have been shown and taught to do, by our Lord Himself, and through the Law and commandments, and all the guidance which He has imparted upon us through His Church.

In our first reading today, from the continuation of the passages from the Epistle of St. Paul to the Romans which we have heard for much of these past two weeks, we heard of the important reminders from the Apostle St. Paul to all of us the faithful people of God that we should not allow ourselves to be easily tempted and swayed by sin and all of its dangerous allures, all of which may end up leading us down into the wrong path, into our downfall and destruction. God has brought us out of our slavery and subjugation to sin, freed and delivered us from sin’s dangerous threats and control. But this does not mean that we are not going to face any trouble from sin anymore, as there are always those who wait all around us, seeking our destruction and downfall at all times.

Yes, brothers and sisters in Christ, the devil and all of his fellow wicked forces of evil, all of them are always ready at any moment to strike at us and to bring upon us the temptations and allures so that we may end up disobeying God and falling into those temptations, hence committing sin once again, and be corrupted by the sins and the evils we have done. We must not allow sin and evil to have any control over us, and therefore, it is imperative that we attune ourselves well to the Lord, to know Him better and to find out what He truly wants from each and every one of us, that we may always live our lives in the manner that is truly worthy of God, in obeying His Law and commandments, just as the Lord Jesus Himself has shown us, through the perfect obedience that He has shown to us in fulfilling the mission that His heavenly Father has entrusted to Him.

The Lord has come into our midst, bearing His truth and Good News, and brought upon us deliverance and freedom from the tyranny and domination by sin, which have plagued and affected us for so long all these time. He obeyed His Father and showed us all the grace of God, His love and compassionate mercy, all manifested through the ultimate expression of love that Christ has shown us, by His willing endurance and suffering for our sake, by putting our sins and the punishments and consequences due for those sins upon His own shoulders, so that by His wounds and pains, all of us may be healed from our hurts and sins, and be reconciled completely and fully to God, being forgiven and absolved from all of our past wrongdoings, mistakes, evils and failures. Through the Lord, His love and kindness, and the kind of faith that He has shown us and expected us to have, we are all reminded that we should always strive to live lives that are truly holy and worthy of God.

Then, in our Gospel passage today, we heard the Lord speaking to His disciples and followers, and all those who have been there to listen to Him, using the parable of the diligent and lazy stewards to highlight to them why it is really very important for all of them, and hence, all of us as well, to be ever vigilant and to do what we have been expected to do as God’s disciples, followers, as His beloved people. Each and every one of us are truly the stewards that God has entrusted with various aspects of His creations, this world and all that are in them, and we are all entrusted with various talents, abilities and opportunities, that are distinct and unique to each one of us so that hopefully we may indeed make good use of them for the good purposes and for the benefits of all those whom we encounter in our daily lives and at every moments.

The lazy steward is truly representing all those who have been idle and ignorant of their calling and mission in life, to do what God has entrusted each and every one of them to do, in making use of their gifts, talents and abilities for everyone’s benefits. Instead, they wasted their potential, their time and effort on seeking for their own personal ambitions, worldly pleasures and all those things which brought them further and further away from the path of God. Meanwhile, the diligent steward represents those among us who have responded positively to the Lord’s call and commit themselves wholeheartedly to the mission and works which God has entrusted to each and every one of us. In the end, as we heard, when the master came back, the diligent steward was rewarded greatly while the lazy steward received his just punishment.

Brothers and sisters in Christ, this is why each and every one of us must always be reminded that we should never allow the allures of worldly pleasures, attachments, the glory of worldly fame and other forms of worldliness, its vices and evils to tempt and lead us astray from the right path. We must not allow sin and evil to enter into our hearts and minds, corrupting them and perverting them away from the path of righteousness and justice. Instead, as Christians, we must always be filled with genuine faith and commitment to God, and we must always strive to do His will, at all times, throughout our whole lives. The Lord has given us many opportunities, means and the various ways for us to contribute our parts and to do what we can in order to glorify Him by our lives, and we should do so, at all times.

Let us all be exemplary in our every words, actions and deeds, and let us do our very best so that we may always be worthy of the Lord in all things. May the Lord continue to help and strengthen us in our journey of faith and life, in each and every moments of our lives, so that we may draw ever closer to God and so that we may continue to serve Him ever more wholeheartedly, and be filled with God’s grace and love, His strength, wisdom and courage. May God bless our efforts, good works and endeavours for His greater glory, now and always. Amen.

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Wednesday, 25 October 2023 : 29th Week of Ordinary Time (Gospel Reading)

Liturgical Colour : Green

Luke 12 : 39-48

At that time, Jesus said to His disciples, “Pay attention to this : If the master of the house had known at what time the thief would come, he would not have let his house be broken into. You also must be ready, for the Son of Man will come at an hour you do not expect.”

Peter said, “Lord, did You tell this parable only for us, or for everyone?” And the Lord replied, “Imagine, then, the wise and faithful steward, whom the master sets over his other servants, to give them wheat at the proper time. Fortunate is this servant if his master, on coming home, finds him doing his work. Truly, I say to you, the master will put him in charge of all his property.”

“But it may be that the steward thinks, ‘My lord delays in coming,’ and he begins to abuse the male servants and the servant girls, eating and drinking and getting drunk. Then the master will come on a day he does not expect, and at an hour he does not know. He will cut him off, and send him to the same fate as the unfaithful.”

“The servant who knew his master’s will, but did not prepare and do what his master wanted, will be soundly beaten; but the one who does unconsciously what deserves punishment, shall receive fewer blows. Much will be required of the one who has been given much, and more will be asked of the one who has been entrusted with more.”

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Wednesday, 25 October 2023 : 29th Week of Ordinary Time (Psalm)

Liturgical Colour : Green

Psalm 123 : 1-3, 4-6, 7-8

Had not YHVH been on our side – let Israel say – had not YHVH been on our side, when people rose up against us, then, they would have swallowed us alive; such was their anger against us.

A bit more, and the flood would have engulfed us; the torrent would have swept over us; the raging waters would have swept us away. Blessed be YHVH, Who did not let us be devoured.

Like a bird, our soul escaped from the snare of the fowler; the snare was broken and we were freed. Our help is in the Name of YHVH, Who made heaven and earth.

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Wednesday, 25 October 2023 : 29th Week of Ordinary Time (First Reading)

Liturgical Colour : Green

Romans 6 : 12-18

Do not allow sin any control over your mortal bodies; do not submit yourselves to its evil inclinations, and do not give your members over to sin, as instruments to do evil. On the contrary, offer yourselves, as persons returned from death to life, and let the members of your body be as holy instruments, at the service of God. Sin will not lord it over you again, for you are not under the Law, but under grace.

I ask again : are we to sin because we are not under the Law, but under grace? Certainly not. If you have given yourselves up to someone as his slave, you are to obey the one who commands you, are you not? Now, with sin, you go to death, and by accepting faith, you go the right way.

Let us give thanks to God, for, after having sin as your master, you have been given to another, that is, to the doctrine of faith, to which you listen willingly. And being free from sin, you began to serve true righteousness.

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Wednesday, 18 October 2023 : Feast of St. Luke, Evangelist (Homily and Scripture Reflections)

Liturgical Colour : Red

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, today the Church celebrates the Feast of St. Luke the Evangelist, one of the Four Evangelists who wrote the Holy Gospels detailing the life and works of the Lord Jesus Christ, Our Lord and Saviour. Evangelists are important parts of the Church’s efforts and history because they detailed the actions, works and the words that the Lord Jesus spoke of throughout His ministry, giving us the Good News of God, revealed directly through our Lord and Saviour Himself. The word Evangelist itself came from the Latin for the Gospels, that is Evangelium, which also means ‘Good News’, reminding us that the Four Gospels of St. Matthew, St. Mark, St. Luke and St. John, collectively showed us the Good News that God Himself has brought upon us in this world.

St. Luke was a physician and a disciple and follower of St. Paul the Apostle, and was mentioned in the Acts of the Apostles, which was widely considered as St. Luke’s own work as well. St. Luke was likely born of a Greek family in the then Hellenistic city of Antioch in Syria, where he encountered early Christians and became a convert to the Faith. Some tradition held that he was a local Syrian or a Hellenised Jew living in Antioch, but regardless of his origins and background, St. Luke was notable for his educated background and capabilities, and often followed St. Paul in his travels, as well as keeping track of the works and actions of the other Apostles, which allowed him therefore to write the accounts on the works and actions of the Apostles and their companions as recorded in the Acts of the Apostles.

St. Luke was also a close collaborator of the faith, and was sometimes even included among the Apostles as he was considered by some Church fathers to have been part and member of the seventy or seventy-two disciples or Apostles highlighted in the Gospel passage today, those whom the Lord had chosen in the Gospels to be the ones that He sent out before Him to carry out His missions and works. He followed some of the other disciples and Apostles in their ministry, particularly that of St. Paul, whom he accompanied even in Rome, as St. Paul himself said that he was only accompanied by St. Luke in his time there. St. Luke therefore had in depth knowledge, understanding and appreciation of the works of the Lord’s disciples and the Church, as well as the events that happened back then, and his prodigious writing skills and talents contributed greatly to the Church.

According to the Church traditions and well-attested history, St. Luke continued to minister to the faithful in various ways, and went all around various places in supporting the works of the Church, as a missionary as well as a physician, caring for the spiritual and physical needs of God’s people. Eventually, he would live on to an old age of approximately eighty-four years old and passed away in Boeotia in what is parts of Central Greece today. Despite his passing, his enormous contributions in various areas, especially his detailed recollection and record of the Lord’s ministry in his Gospel, and also those of the Apostles in the Acts of the Apostles and other works influenced many others immensely, right up to our own time.

Today, as we celebrate this Feast of St. Luke the Evangelist, let us all therefore strive to do God’s will and deepen our understanding of His will and commandments, devoting ourselves, our time and efforts to follow the Lord ever more faithfully in each and every moments of our lives. Like St. Luke, we should do our best to commit ourselves to follow God and His Law, His commandments and carry out whatever missions and works that He has entrusted to each one of us as Christians. Each and every one of us have been given and entrusted with unique and amazing gifts, talents and opportunities so that in our own special way, we may indeed contribute to the works of the Lord and His Church, in our own capacity and areas of responsibility.

It means that in each and every parts of the community and in whatever opportunities that God has given us, we are just like the seventy-two disciples that the Lord had appointed and chosen to go forth before Him, carrying out His mission. To be missionary and to spread the Good News of God does not always mean that we have to preach the words of the Lord before others. On the contrary, it is often good and faithful actions that will lead to people coming to believe in us, in our words and in the Good News that God has entrusted to us. If our actions and way of life do not correspond to what we have said and spoken, or preached, then who will believe in us, brothers and sisters in Christ? We are no better than hypocrites and unbelievers in that case.

Like that of St. Luke, who had spent so much of his efforts and so many years of his life to do God’s works and to obey His will, therefore all of us should also do our best, in whatever capacity and opportunities that we have in our lives so that each and every one of us can truly be the good and worthy bearers of God’s truth, His Good News, love and hope to our world today, to everyone whom we encounter in life, to our own family members, brothers and sisters, our parents and children, our various relatives and circles of friends, and even to our acquaintances and strangers, and also to those who despise and hate us. If our actions, words and deeds truly embody our Christian faith, the truth and love, the Good News of God, then surely many will come to believe in God through us.

Brothers and sisters in Christ, let us therefore do our very best to commit ourselves to follow God in all things. Let us always be filled with faith in each and every one of our actions so that by our dedication and commitment to God, we will always be faithful and dedicated to Him, in our every works and efforts, in our words and deeds. May the Lord continue to guide us in our good works and bless our every efforts and endeavours, in glorifying His Name by our lives. St. Luke, Holy Evangelist and servant of God, pray for all of us. Amen.