Wednesday

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Wednesday, 13 September 2023 : 23rd Week of Ordinary Time, Memorial of St. John Chrysostom, Bishop and Doctor of the Church (Gospel Reading)

Liturgical Colour : White

Luke 6 : 20-26

At that time, looking at His disciples, Jesus said, “Fortunate are you who are poor, for the kingdom of God is yours. Fortunate are you, who are hungry now, for you will be filled. Fortunate are you, who weep now, for you will laugh.”

“Fortunate are you, when people hate you, when they reject you and insult you and number you among criminals, because of the Son of Man. Rejoice in that day, and leap for joy, for a great reward is kept for you in heaven. Remember, that is how the ancestors of the people treated the prophets.”

“But alas for you, who have wealth, for you have been comforted now. Alas for you, who are full, for you will go hungry. Alas for you, who laugh now, for you will mourn and weep. Alas for you, when people speak well of you, for that is how the ancestors of the people treated the false prophets.”

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Wednesday, 13 September 2023 : 23rd Week of Ordinary Time, Memorial of St. John Chrysostom, Bishop and Doctor of the Church (Psalm)

Liturgical Colour : White

Psalm 144 : 2-3, 10-11, 12-13ab

I will praise You, day after day; and exalt Your Name forever. Great is YHVH, most worthy of praise; and His deeds are beyond measure.

All Your works will give You thanks; all Your saints, o YHVH, will praise You. They will tell of the glory of Your kingdom; and speak of Your power.

That all may know of Your mighty deeds, Your reign, and its glorious splendour. Your reign is from age to age; Your dominion endures, from generation to generation.

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Wednesday, 13 September 2023 : 23rd Week of Ordinary Time, Memorial of St. John Chrysostom, Bishop and Doctor of the Church (First Reading)

Liturgical Colour : White

Colossians 3 : 1-11

So then, if you are risen with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God. Set your mind on the things that are above, not on earthly things. For you have died and your life is now hidden with Christ in God. When Christ, Who is your life, reveals Himself, you also will be revealed with Him in glory.

Therefore, put to death what is earthly in your life, that is immorality, impurity, inordinate passions, wicked desires and greed, which is a way of worshipping idols. These are the things that arouse the wrath of God. For a time, you followed this way and lived in such disorders. Well then, reject all that : anger, evil intentions, malice; and let no abusive words be heard from your lips.

Do not lie to one another. You have been stripped of the old self and its way of thinking; to put on the new, which is being renewed, and is to reach perfect knowledge, and the likeness of its Creator. There is no room for distinction between Greek or Jew, circumcised or uncircumcised, barbarian, foreigner, slave or free, but Christ is all, and in all.

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Wednesday, 6 September 2023 : 22nd 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, we are all presented with the reminders of our Christian faith and mission, which we should be doing at all times, throughout our lives, in our every capacities, responsibilities and in every moments and opportunities that had been presented to us. In the Scripture passages that we have heard from today, all of us are reminded that as Christians, we truly should embody our faith in God in our lives, and be fruitful in the living of that faith, and we should do what we can so that God’s love and truth may be known more and better among many people all around us. We are the ones through whom God’s works and truth can be made evident and manifest in our world today.

In our first reading today, we are all presented with the beginning of the Epistle of St. Paul to the Church and the faithful in the city of Corinth, in which the Apostle greeted the Christians in that city and thanked God for having blessed them and for having guided them in the right path. St. Paul reminded all of the faithful there to remain strong in their faith and to keep their commitment to God because the Lord has assured all those who are faithful to Him of His blessings and graces, and He has promised the glorious inheritance and wonders that will be theirs, and ours, in the end of times, when we shall be glorified with Him, and when we shall rejoice forevermore with God in His Presence, enjoying what the saints had been enjoying in the beatific vision and glory of Heaven. In order to do that, we have to be faithful and committed to God.

Then, in our Gospel passage today, we heard of the moment when the Lord performed His many wonderful miracles and works, in healing the sick and all those who sought for His help, beginning with the very sick mother-in-law of St. Peter, one of His own Apostles. Words spread quickly and many came to the Lord with various troubles, and the Lord healed them all from their sickness and maladies. But then, we heard of the Lord then quietly moving away from the place, and telling His disciples to follow Him, despite the persuasions by them and the others in that place for Him to stay on there. The Lord told them that He has the mission to proclaim the Good News of God and to bring forth the same healing to more of the people of Israel, and in order to do so, He would have to go forth and continue to carry out His missions and works.

In order to understand the significance of that Gospel passage and events, we have to understand that it must have been much easier for the Lord to stay there in that place where everyone was so welcoming towards Him, and to continue carrying on doing His miracles and works. But that was not what the Lord was sent into this world for. He was sent also to those who hardened their hearts and minds against God, against the religious leaders and elites like the chief priests and the Pharisees, many of whom refused to believe in Him and His truth, opposed Him and made His ministry difficult. He was also sent to those who have been abandoned and rejected by others, such as the tax collectors, the prostitutes, those suffering from terrible diseases and those who were possessed by the evil spirits and demons, with the latter having to live in the wilderness away from the community.

Thus, just as the Lord has told His disciples, we are all reminded to be the instruments of God, in reaching out to others, especially to those who are less fortunate than us, and to those who have not yet known the love of God. And what are supposed to do? We should be the ones to show them the love of God manifested through our words and actions. Each and every one of us should be the beacons of His light, hope and love in our world today, darkened with sin and evil, with lots of hatred and vices of worldliness. We should be the bearers of the Good News of God, in everywhere we have been called to do the works of God, in our families, among friends and relatives, in our circles of friends, and also at our schools and workplaces, and among all those whom we encounter daily in our lives.

That is why we should truly embody our Christian faith in our actions and commitments to God, and we should do whatever we can so that what we believe is reflected in whatever we do in life, even in the smallest and seemingly least significant things so that we may inspire others by our dedication and works, our every actions and deeds. Otherwise, if we do not do so, and if we do not practice what we believe in, how can we expect others to believe in us or in the Lord then? Worse still, if we do things that are contrary or against our faith, our Christian truths and teachings, then are we not being hypocrites and will we not end up causing confusion and end up turning people away from God instead? It is important that we should be truly committed to God in all things, and not just externally only.

Brothers and sisters in Christ, let us all therefore strive to do what we can in order to proclaim the Lord and be true to our Christian faith and beliefs by doing God’s will in our every actions and in our every small works and interactions throughout life. Let us all not be ignorant any longer of our Christian mission and calling, in faithfully embracing whatever missions and responsibilities that the Lord our God has placed on our shoulders. We do not have to do great and wonderful things, but we just have to do our best in every possible opportunities and places we have been working at, sent to, and dwelling in, so that through us and our works, our words and actions, our interactions and more, we may lead others to come ever closer to God, and that more and more may come to know the Lord and His salvation.

May the Lord be with us always, and may He empower each and every one of us so that we may always be strong and be able to persevere and endure despite the many challenges and hardships, the trials and opposition that we may encounter in our journey towards God. May God bless us all in our every good works, efforts and endeavours, and may He bring us all into His embrace and loving Presence, and help us in our lives, now and always. Amen.

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Wednesday, 6 September 2023 : 22nd Week of Ordinary Time (Gospel Reading)

Liturgical Colour : Green

Luke 4 : 38-44

At that time, leaving the synagogue, Jesus went to the house of Simon. His mother-in-law was suffering from high fever, and they asked Him to do something for her. Bending over her, He rebuked the fever, and it left her. Immediately, she got up and waited on them.

At sunset, people suffering from many kinds of sickness were brought to Jesus. Laying His hands on each one, He healed them. Demons were driven out, howling as they departed from their victims, “You are the Son of God!” He rebuked them and would not allow them to speak, for they knew He was the Messiah.

Jesus left at daybreak and looked for a solitary place. People went out in search of Him, and finding Him, they tried to dissuade Him from leaving. But He said, “I have to go to other towns, to announce the good news of the kingdom of God. That is what I was sent to do.” And Jesus continued to preach in the synagogues of Galilee.

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Wednesday, 6 September 2023 : 22nd Week of Ordinary Time (Psalm)

Liturgical Colour : Green

Psalm 51 : 10, 11

But I am as a green olive tree that thrives in the house of God : I trust in God’s unfailing love forever and ever.

I will praise You forever, for all You have done; and proclaim Your good Name before the faithful ones.

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Wednesday, 6 September 2023 : 22nd Week of Ordinary Time (First Reading)

Liturgical Colour : Green

Colossians 1 : 1-8

Paul, Apostle of Christ Jesus, by the will of God, and Timothy, our brother, to the saints in Colossae, our faithful brothers and sisters in Christ : Receive grace and peace from God, our Father, and Christ Jesus, our Lord. Thanks be to God, the Father of Christ Jesus, our Lord!

We constantly pray for you, for we have known of your faith in Christ Jesus, and of your love for all the saints. Indeed, you await in hope the inheritance reserved for you in heaven, of which, you have heard through the word of truth. This Gospel, already present among you, is bearing fruit, and growing throughout the world, as it did among you, from the day you accepted it, and understood the gift of God, in all its truth.

He who taught you, Epaphras, our dear companion in the service of Christ, faithful minister of Christ on our behalf, has reminded me of the love you have for me, in the Spirit.

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Wednesday, 30 August 2023 : 21st 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, we are all reminded of the need for all of us to truly be faithful and be obedient to God in all things, as well as having the proper understanding, appreciation and knowledge of the Law and commandments of God, so that we may indeed be fully and completely attuned to the ways of the Lord, walking ever more faithfully in His path and obeying His Law and commandments with all our heart and with all of our abilities, and not merely just having an outward expression of the faith and being merely focused on doing what we are expected to do as a member of the Church, as one of the Christian faithful, but without properly understanding and appreciating our faith as all of us should have done. Unless we live in such a manner, we cannot truly call ourselves as Christians.

In our first reading today, taken from the Epistle of St. Paul to the Church and the faithful in Thessalonica, St. Paul the Apostle spoke to the people of God there and reminded all of them, of the need for all of them to remain faithful to God and to follow Him in all of His ways. He also gave thanks to God for the faith and the commitment which the faithful Thessalonians had shown and their willingness to accept the truth of God, in listening and embracing openly the words of God’s truth and Good News, and in following the examples that St. Paul and the other Apostles and missionaries had shown them. The faithful in Thessalonica had therefore lived their lives worthily of the Lord and truly worthy of being called as Christians, as the people that God had called and chosen to be His own beloved people.

Therefore, by extension, these are the attitudes that all of us as Christians, as God’s chosen people will have to show in our own lives as well. And in fact, as mentioned, we should not merely show it through our external observances and actions, but in all of our whole lives and disposition, our whole beings and our entire existence, we should really show this faith in God and the love that we have for Him, by genuinely carrying out ourselves and our way of life, filled with the desire to serve the Lord and to follow Him at all times, undeterred by the many temptations and distractions present all around us. As long as we remain truly focused on the Lord and have the right attitude and disposition in life, like what the Thessalonians had done, it is likely that our actions, words and deeds all will truly be worthy and good, righteous and exemplary.

Then, contrast this with the behaviour and attitude of many of the Pharisees and the teachers of the Law which the Lord Jesus continued to highlight and criticise in our Gospel passage today. Those Pharisees and the teachers of the Law were often swayed by the temptations of worldly glory and ambitions, by their privileges and fame, the glory and honour which they received from their positions and respected place among the Jewish community, among the people of God. However, many of them allowed those worldly attachments, temptations and allures to distract and mislead them down the path of corruption and evil, pride, ego and ambition, in which they forgot the true significance and importance of their faith and commitment to God.

This is because their overly zealous and rigid attachments and emphasis on following and obeying the Law of God as revealed through Moses and passed down through the Jewish community over history, had led to them being misguided by their own short-sighted focus on obeying and observing the Law according to their strict criteria and overemphasis on the rituals and details. They ended up being empty in their faith and life, being only outwardly faithful and pious, and yet, losing the focus and sight on what truly matters, that is to be filled with true faith and love for God. Instead, they placed the emphasis and focus on their own preoccupation and obsession with the numerous steps, rituals, details and the unnecessary and excessively rigorous way of practicing their faith, which distracted them from their true obligation to love and serve the Lord.

Not only that, but they were also swayed by all those things and obsessions, leading to them becoming haughty, proud and ambitious, elitist and having the tendency to exclude and ostracise those whom they deemed to be less worthy than they were, and whom they looked down upon, thinking highly about themselves and having high regards for their own selves and actions, way of life and piety. It was all those things which led to the Lord criticising those to whom had been entrusted with the leadership of the people and the guardianship of the Law and the commandments of God, as instead of helping more and more people to come closer to God, they closed off the path to salvation to many people, who became discouraged and disillusioned by the actions carried out against them by those who were supposed to be entrusted with God’s Law and commandments.

That is why today, all of us are reminded yet again by the Scripture readings that each and every one of us have to be filled with genuine faith in God, and not one that seeks glory or human ambition, or in seeking the goal of worldly fame, satisfaction and other things, that are not compatible with the calling for us to be a truly holy and devoted people. We must not allow pride, ego, greed and ambition to fill up our hearts, minds and our whole being so much that there is no place for God and others inside us. Too many times, people had fallen into the temptations of sin and evil, and the allures of the various vices and wickedness in the world because they allowed themselves to be guided and misled by their own weakness in the flesh, by their own sense of self-righteousness and by their excessive attachments to worldly matters, and therefore, forgetting the true path that they have to follow in the Lord.

May the Lord therefore help each and every one of us so that we may find the right path in life, resisting and rejecting all the things which may hinder us from truly being able to follow Him wholeheartedly. May God be with us always and may He empower and strengthen us so that we may be able to remain ever true and faithful to His true path, the path of His love and justice. May He bless our every works, deeds, actions, words and interactions, so that every one of us will truly be worthy of Him, and be great examples and inspirations to one another, now and always. Amen.

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Wednesday, 30 August 2023 : 21st Week of Ordinary Time (Gospel Reading)

Liturgical Colour : Green

Matthew 23 : 27-32

At that time, Jesus said to the people and to His disciples, “Woe to you, teachers of the Law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You are like whitewashed tombs, beautiful in appearance; but, inside, there are only dead bones and uncleanness. In the same way, you appear religious to others, but you are full of hypocrisy and wickedness within.”

“Woe to you, teachers of the Law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You build tombs for the prophets, and decorate the monuments of the righteous. You say : Had we lived in the time of our ancestors, we would not have joined them in shedding thr blood of the prophets. So, you, yourselves, confess to be the descendants of those who murdered the prophets.”

“And now, finish off what your ancestors began!”

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Wednesday, 30 August 2023 : 21st Week of Ordinary Time (Psalm)

Liturgical Colour : Green

Psalm 138 : 7-8, 9-10, 11-12ab

Where else could I go from Your Spirit? Where could I flee from Your presence? You are there, if I ascend the heavens; You are there, if I descend to the depths.

If I ride on the wings of the dawn, and settle on the far side of the sea, even there, Your hand shall guide me, and Your right hand shall hold me safely.

Shall I say, “Let darkness hide me, I prefer the night as my light?” But darkness, for You, is not dark.