Weekday Homily

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Tuesday, 10 March 2026 : 3rd Week of Lent (Homily and Scripture Reflections)

Liturgical Colour : Purple/Violet

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, today as we all listened to the words of the Sacred Scriptures, we are reminded of the power of God’s love and mercy for us all His beloved people, as we are constantly being reminded of the great love and compassion, mercy and kindness that He has always had for each and every one of us His beloved ones. We are never distant from God’s love and kindness, and He is always ever ready to welcome us back should we seek Him and His loving Presence. As our most loving Creator and our ever present Father, God has always been kind and patient towards us, in loving us all genuinely and sincerely, in generously extending His love and mercy to us, and in the same manner then, we too are expected to show that same love and mercy in our own lives, to one another.

In our first reading passage today, taken from the Book of the prophet Daniel, we heard of the prayer uttered by Azariah, one of the three friends of Daniel mentioned in that Book, where all of them, the four of them were members of the people from the former kingdom of Judah that had been sent into exile in the distant lands from their homeland in Judah, to the land of Babylon and beyond. They had faced a lot of trials and difficulties in those lands, uprooted from the lands of their ancestors and having to endure that shame, as well as being coerced, pressured and forced to abandon their customs and practices, and even their worship of the Lord their God, in favour of the pagan gods and idols of the Babylonians.

Yet, Daniel and his friends persevered on and remained faithful to God. And in this particular occasion, Azariah and his friends were being forced to worship the great golden statue and idol which King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon had built in his own likeness together with many others of his subjects. And among all those people only the three of them refused to bend the knee and worship the golden statue, resulting in them earning the king’s great wrath, who ordered them all to be put into a blazing furnace. Not only that, but their courageous rebuttal and refusal before the king himself incensed the king even more, who ordered the fire to be made even hotter than usual. And this was the context of what we heard in our first reading passage today, as Azariah prayed to the Lord from within the blazing furnace.

Azariah prayed to the Lord asking for His providence, protection and mercy for His people who were suffering and who faced trials and tribulations, reminding Him of His love for all of them despite their sinfulness and wickedness, knowing and having full faith and trust that God would never abandon them all to destruction and harm. Azariah presented the regret that the people had at their sins, having been humiliated at losing their homeland and having suffered greatly for their earlier faults, beseeching the Lord to show His mercy and kindness, to move on their behalf and to help His faithful ones in their hour and time of distress. They all trusted in God’s Providence and placed themselves completely in His mercy, and indeed God protected them from harm.

Then, from our Gospel passage today, we heard of the Lord Jesus telling His disciples and the people gathered to listen to Him using the well-known parable of the ungrateful and unforgiving servant, where there was a servant who was deeply indebted to his master and he had no means by which to pay off his debt, and yet, his master took pity on him and forgave him from all of his debts out of compassion. That very same servant then immediately launched himself on a fellow servant who owed him a much smaller debt as compared to what he himself had owed his master earlier on. We heard how that ungrateful servant refused to forgive that debt owed to him even after the other servant pleaded for mercy and patience from him.

This was then followed by the great anger of the master upon knowing how the ungrateful servant that he had forgiven refused to forgive his fellow servant a debt that was far smaller and lesser than what he owed the master himself, ending with the ungrateful servant having to pay again all the debts that he had been forgiven from earlier on. And thus the unforgiving and ungrateful servant had to endure the consequences of his lack of mercy, kindness and love towards his fellow brethren, and as was mentioned in the Gospel’s parable, it was implied that the master would have expected his servants, including the ungrateful servant to follow his example in mercy, love and kindness, in forgiving one another their debts just as he has forgiven them their debts.

Does this sound familiar, brothers and sisters in Christ? That is because it is prominently mentioned in what we all are very familiar with, The Lord’s Prayer that Our Lord Jesus Himself has taught His disciples and all of us to pray, at the latter part of the prayer where it says, ‘Forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us’ and through these words, whenever we pray it and as we continue living our lives, each and every one of us are called to be forgiving to each other for whatever faults and mistakes, hurt and hardships we have caused one another, whether intentionally or unintentionally, remembering that God Himself has always been so forgiving towards us, and He has always loved us all no matter what, despite our disobedience, sins and stubborn attitudes.

Brothers and sisters in Christ, that is why during this time and season of Lent, let us all pray for the grace to be more like God, our most loving and merciful Father in all things. We are all called to be more loving, more forgiving, kinder and be more generous with our love, not only for God, but also for everyone around us. It is easy for us to end up spending this Lent focusing so much on ourselves and our spiritual life, but if we neglect those who are around us, and especially those whom God has entrusted to us to love, those dearest and most beloved to us, then this is not what the Lord wants us to do, and we cannot truly call ourselves faithful Christians, servants of God Most High unless we ourselves also do the same as our Lord and Father has done.

May the Lord continue to guide and strengthen us all in our respective journeys in life, giving us the courage and strength to persevere through even the most difficult challenges and trials in life, remaining ever firm in our faith and trust in Him, at all times, and becoming great inspirations and role models to everyone around us. May God bless our endeavours and good efforts, now and always. Amen.

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Monday, 9 March 2026 : 3rd Week of Lent, Memorial of St. Frances of Rome, Religious (Homily and Scripture Reflections)

Liturgical Colour : Purple/Violet

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, we heard from our passages of the Sacred Scriptures the power of God’s healing and mercy, as He has shown to us all, in healing us from our physical sickness and maladies, and even more importantly, in healing us from the sickness of our souls, that is our sins. Through God’s most generous love and mercy, all of us have received from Him the wonderful gift of grace and mercy, forgiveness and healing from all the things that have held us back from embracing Him and His most generous love, His kindness and all that He has patiently given to us through His Son, manifesting His perfect love in the flesh, and extending to us all the powerful healing that can make us all whole again and be worthy of Him.

In our first reading today, we heard from the Book of Kings of Israel and Judah, of the story of the healing of Naaman, a powerful and renowned general of the army of the Aramaeans, the sworn enemies of the Israelites, who had been locked in bitter conflicts against the Aramaeans for many years and generations. Naaman was greatly respected and feared, but he faced a great predicament which was him contracting leprosy that disfigured him and made it very difficult for him. For the context, what the Scriptures referred here as leprosy might not necessarily be the same as what we now know as leprosy. Leprosy at that time referred to a rather diverse group of skin diseases, which was nonetheless contagious and hideous, making it difficult for the sufferer to carry on their usual daily life.

Amidst all that therefore, Naaman and the Aramaean king was desperate to find cure for the former, as leprosy was rather difficult to cure, and that was why Naaman went to the land of Israel seeking the help of the famous prophet Elisha, who was at that time ministering to the people of Israel and was well-known for his many miracles and wonders. Naaman eventually managed to find Elisha after some efforts and searching, and the prophet told him to do a simple task of immersing himself seven times in the River Jordan, and reassuring him that if he were to do that, then he would be made whole and well again.

But as we heard, Naaman was proud and became angry at the prophet’s suggestion, thinking of why he had to do such menial tasks in immersing himself in the River Jordan when he could have done that in the river of his own home country. He likely had this expectation that after all the efforts that he made to look for the prophet, that Elisha would perform the miracle healing through signs and wonders directly to him. However, his servant begged him to reconsider and to think that it was indeed a very easy task for him to perform, and as we heard, Naaman eventually relented and did as he was asked, and he was indeed cured from his condition. From this passage, we can see that it was Naaman’s pride that became his stumbling block earlier on.

That is therefore the reminder for all of us that we ourselves must not allow our pride, ego and all those things from preventing us as our stumbling blocks in attaining the grace and mercy of God. Too many times, many people fail to repent from their sins and wickedness, and persist on in their mistakes and problems because they were too proud to admit that they were facing problems and have fallen in their ways and paths. What the Lord asked of us is for us to listen to Him and to allow Him to make us whole again, and to trust Him in whatever He told us and guided us to do in each and every moments of our lives. And unlike the maladies and sickness of this world, which can be cured and healed, none can heal us from the afflictions of our sins, save that by the Lord’s compassionate mercy and forgiveness. That is why we should seek Him to be forgiven from our many sins and to be reconciled with Him.

Then, from our Gospel passage today, taken from the Gospel according to St. Luke the Evangelist, we heard of the account of what happened at the time when the Lord Jesus came to His hometown of Nazareth to proclaim the Good News of God, and ended up facing rather cold and apathetic treatment and reception from those of His own hometown, as many among those people even doubted and refusing to accept the fact that one of their own could have received such great gift from God, and calling to be a great Teacher of the Faith, and less still what the Lord Himself had claimed, from their perspective, of being the One sent by God, the Messiah or Saviour promised by the Lord through His prophets.

And the Lord therefore lamented the lack of faith which was prevalent among those in His own hometown, which was partly due to their own prejudices and biases, as they all saw Him grew up and knowing and thinking that He was merely just the Son of the town carpenter, St. Joseph, the Lord’s foster-father, as no one but those within the Holy Family and perhaps very few others knew that the Lord was truly Incarnate in the flesh in Jesus, and He was not the biological son of St. Joseph. Hence, compounded with the fact that carpenter’s job was considered to be an honest and yet lowly job, this made the townspeople of Nazareth to look down on the Lord and hardened their hearts and minds against Him.

That was why the Lord mentioned the story of Naaman’s healing and the miracle that happened to him, and highlighted the irony of how it was an Aramaean who was not one of the twelve tribes of Israel who actually believed in God and put his faith in Him, while the Israelites themselves were unwilling to listen to the prophet Elisha and believing in God’s words that he bore towards them. It was then the same at the time of the Lord’s ministry among the people, where many among the Jewish people and their elders and elites of their community in particular, refused to listen to Him and believe in Him, and in fact they made it difficult for Him to carry out His mission. On the other hand, as highlighted in some parts of the Gospels, it was the Gentiles, the non-Jewish people who eagerly sought the Lord and had faith in Him.

Today perhaps we should then also look upon the good examples set by our holy predecessor, St. Frances of Rome, a holy woman and servant of God, who had dedicated her life to follow and serve the Lord. St. Frances of Rome was a wife and mother who was known in her role of caring for the poor and the sick in her community. St. Frances spent a lot of time and effort in reaching out to the less fortunate all around her, and when she became a widow, she even made part of her own family’s country estate into a hospital for the poor and the sick. She experienced a lot of hardships, challenges and difficulties throughout her life and ministry, but all those things did not discourage her from continuing to carry out her work and mission, and inspiring many others to follow her examples and doing what they could to care for the good of the people of God.

Brothers and sisters in Christ, therefore as we continue to progress through this time and season of Lent let us all reflect on our attitudes in life, in whether we have allowed our pride, ego and other obstacles in our path towards God to prevent us from truly being able to be reconciled with Him. We should reexamine our way of living our lives and do our very best so that we can truly find the Lord amidst all the hustle and bustle of the world around us. Let us all be humbler and realise that each and every one of us are imperfect, broken beings, who are in need of God’s love, compassion, mercy and forgiveness. May the Lord our God forgive us all our sins and bring us all into His most loving embrace, and help us to show the same love to our brethren around us, especially to those who are dearest and most beloved to us. Amen.

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Sunday, 8 March 2026 : Third Sunday of Lent (Homily and Scripture Reflections)

Liturgical Colour : Purple/Violet

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, this Third Sunday of the season of Lent all of us are reminded on the need for us to put our trust and faith in the Lord, to hold on to hope that we have in Him because regardless of how difficult our respective situations and conditions in this world may be, with God everything is possible and there is nothing too difficult or impossible for us all to overcome as long as we put our faith and trust in Him. We must remember that from the Lord we can receive the perfect assurance and support which will never fail. Anything of this world, all of our means and abilities can fail us, but if we hold on firmly in the Lord, He will provide for us, strengthening us with His Spirit and Wisdom against all the challenges facing us.

In our first reading this Sunday, we heard from the Book of Exodus in which the story of the rebelliousness of Israel and their stubborn attitude at the place known as Massah and Meribah was told to us. This place of Massah and Meribah was rather infamous in the history of God’s people because it was there that they openly rebelled against God, and it was at the latter place where even Moses himself, so frustrated at all the demands of the people, their stubborn attitudes and behaviours, disobeyed God by not following His instruction faithfully. And all of these highlighted to us the people’s lack of faith in their Lord and God, despite them having clearly seen everything which He had done for their sake.

Yes, brothers and sisters in Christ, even though they themselves had witnessed the great works that the Lord Himself had done for their sake in striking against their Egyptian slavemasters and in bringing them out with great miracles and signs from the land of Egypt, among other things He has done. In fact, God has also provided His people amply with lots of food, sustenance and drink throughout their time and sojourn in the desert. But the people as we heard in our first reading this Sunday complained against the Lord and alleged that the Lord Himself had led them to the desert to perish, and those ungrateful people compared themselves with what they used to have in the land of Egypt, and how they preferred their previous status despite being in slavery.

And yet, as we also heard, God was still so patient with His people, caring for them and providing for them what they needed, instructing Moses what he ought to do in order to give the people the food and drink to sustain them even despite their constant and annoying complaints and grumbling, their constant lack of faith and trust in Him. God still truly loved His people, and still provided for all of them nonetheless even as He chastised them for their sins and disobedience. We can see indeed how if we put our trust in the Lord, His love and ever present and generous kindness ever provided to us all, and we should really trust that He knows what is best for us in our respective lives.

Then, from our second reading this Sunday, taken from the Epistle of St. Paul the Apostle to the Church and the faithful people of God in Rome, we heard of the Apostle’s words to the people reminding them all that we have received true peace and hope from the Lord our God, from Him Who is the Source of all Hope and strength, courage and providence, and Who will not fail us no matter what. As St. Paul famously said, which was also the theme of our previous year’s Jubilee Year of Hope, ‘Hope does not disappoint’, linking this Hope to the trust which all of us ought to have in the Lord, because in God alone we will not be disappointed and we will be strengthened and empowered through the difficult challenges of life.

And we are reminded by St. Paul how the Lord has given His love to us so generously and wonderfully, through the Incarnation of His Son, the Divine Word of God, the Logos, incarnate in the flesh and showing us all the infinite and most amazing love of God manifested in the flesh. Through Jesus Christ, Our Lord and Saviour, we have seen the perfect manifestation of God’s love made tangible for us, that God Himself has indeed walked in our midst, and we can behold His loving gaze and the reality of His love being made approachable to us. And because of this, each and every one of us can now have sure hope and assurance in God’s many promises, because God has indeed delivered everything that He has promised to us, even if it may take some time to happen.

Lastly, from our Gospel reading this Sunday, we heard from the Gospel according to St. John the Apostle and Evangelist, in which the story of the interactions between the Lord Jesus and a Samaritan woman was told to us. In that occasion, as the Lord and His disciples were passing through the region of Samaria between Judea and Galilee, the lands of the former northern kingdom of Israel, He was stopping by a spring and while His disciples left Him for errands, He encountered a Samaritan woman who came by the spring to take water. That spring was also known as Jacob’s well, because the Samaritans believed that their forefather Jacob was the one who found and established that spring, which provided water to the people living around the region.

For the context, we must first understand who the Samaritans were, the Samaritans were descended from the people living in the areas that was once the central parts of the northern kingdom of Israel, the lands of the former tribes of Ephraim and Manasseh, and where the capital of the northern kingdom of Israel, Samaria once stood. When the Assyrians defeated and conquered the northern kingdom of Israel, they also supplanted its people partly with the people they brought in from various parts of their empire, while bringing quite a significant number of the Israelites to exile in distant lands, in Assyria and beyond. Then, those people who lived in the land of Samaria, both some of the Israelites and the people brought in to dwell in the land, likely intermingled and from their descendants came about the Samaritans.

The Samaritans and the Jews in Judea and Galilee were often very suspicious at each other, and they were locked in bitter rivalry and even hatred for each other, especially because each of them accused the other of having corrupted and changed the Law to suit their own agenda, and with each group having different places that they considered as sacred, which was mentioned in our Gospel passage today in the conversation between the Lord and the Samaritan woman. To the Samaritans, Mount Gerizim in Samaria was the sacred mountain of God where they ought to be worshipping Him as opposed to Mount Zion where the Temple of God stood since the time of King Solomon, the place considered sacred by the Jewish people.

And the Samaritans also considered themselves as the true descendants of Jacob, while the Jews themselves also took great pride in their identity as those mainly descended from the people of the southern kingdom of Judah and some of their northern Israelite neighbours, and because of this, and historical frictions, conflicts and misunderstandings, eventually led to both groups becoming very hostile at each other. And that was why the Samaritan woman was surprised, even shocked when the Lord initiated conversation with her, which was something that no Jew or Samaritan would likely do to each other, given their extensive animosities.

The Lord however approached her with great patience, kindness and love, and with genuine intentions, revealing the truth about what God Himself has planned for all of His people, and not limited only to the Jews or the Samaritans, but to all of mankind. The Lord told her that if she listened to Him and kept His words, then His Word would become the Spring of living water which would far surpass the spring of Jacob which she had been taking her water regularly from. And the Lord also revealed truth about the woman which convinced her that He was indeed the One that God had promised to all of His people through the prophets, and that was how she then went to proclaim about Him to the Samaritans and many more people came to believe in the Lord.

Brothers and sisters in Christ, through what we have received in this Sunday’s Scripture readings, we are reminded that God’s love for His people has indeed been so great and He has shown and manifested it throughout all of history, even when the people bickered, grumbled and complained against Him and even as they became divided and bitterly set against each other, He still patiently loved them and wanted them to be reconciled not just with one another but also with Himself. And that is why, brothers and sisters in Christ, as we all continue to progress through this time and season of Lent, let us all continue to embrace the love of God, His mercy and compassion, doing our very best to live our lives faithfully in accordance to His ways, His Law and commandments.

May the Lord continue to guide us all in our journey of life, in our perseverance in faith at all times, and may our Hope in Him continue to flourish, as we recall what St. Paul had said, that Hope in God does not disappoint, because God will surely provide for all of us what we require and need, and He will vindicate us all, and bring us all to the ultimate triumph, joy and satisfaction with Him if we remain truly faithful and committed to Him even through our greatest challenges and trials in life. May God bless us always and bless our Lenten journey moving forward, and help us all to continue to persevere in faith, now and always. Amen.

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Saturday, 7 March 2026 : 2nd Week of Lent, Memorial of St. Perpetua and St. Felicity, Martyrs (Homily and Scripture Reflections)

Liturgical Colour : Purple/Violet

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, today as we all continue to progress through this time and season of Lent, and as we all listened to the words of the Sacred Scriptures, we are all reminded of the great mercy and compassion which God has always shown us all, His beloved people. God is our Father Who has always been loving towards each and every one of us, despite our rebelliousness and refusals to obey His commandments and Law, and despite our stubborn attitudes, to which He has always shown patience and kindness, in His great perseverance in reaching out to all of us His people, to lead us all patiently back towards Him and to embrace us all once again with His ever generous and infinite love.

In our first reading today, taken from the Book of the prophet Micah, we heard of the words of the Lord as passed through the prophet Micah to the people of God in the southern kingdom of Judah, to which the prophet had been ministering in, in calling all those people to repentance from their sins and wickedness. For the context, like their northern neighbours, those living in the kingdom of Israel, which kingdom had been recently destroyed by the Assyrians, the people of Judah had also disobeyed the Lord and committed sins against Him through their worship of pagan idols and gods, and their stubborn attitudes in refusing to listen to the words of the prophets who had been sent to them to remind them.

And yet, as we have heard from the prophet Micah, God is truly a loving and forgiving God, Who like a Shepherd and loving Father, has always wanted nothing but the best for His beloved ones, His people, the Israelites, who had erred and fallen away from their paths, and seeking for all of them to return to Him with contrite and sorrowful hearts, regretting their sins and mistakes. As the loving Father and Shepherd of the people of God, Micah was also praying to Him asking for the Lord to show mercy and compassion on His beloved people, that despite of their sins and wickedness, He would still forgive them and help them out, just as how He has helped them out and provided for them all from their time of the Exodus from Egypt, before that and henceforth, throughout all history.

Then, from our Gospel passage today, taken from the Gospel according to St. Luke the Evangelist, we heard of the famous parable of the prodigal son, in which we heard the story of the prodigal and rebellious younger son of a rich father, who had two sons. That younger son chose to take the portion of his inheritance and leave his family behind, to enjoy a hedonistic and wicked lifestyle in distant, foreign lands, and eventually as we all know, that prodigal son ran out of money and possessions, and ended up as a penniless man in that distant and foreign country, with no one to care for him, and with all of his former friends and associates caring only about the wealth and possessions that he had, and not truly loving him, unlike his father back at home, whom the prodigal son had chosen to leave behind.

We heard how the prodigal son returned to the father with shame and humility, humbling himself and begging himself to be taken back to his house, even if he were to be like one of the servants, as he told his own father that he no longer deserved to call him as his father for everything that he had done. Yet, the father welcomed back the prodigal, rebellious and wicked younger son with great pomp, as he has found him once again, and he saw how this son had repented and regretted his past sins and faults, and hence, by coming back all the way to him, instead of staying on in that distant lands, that son had once again gained the favour of the father, and there was indeed a great joy as the prodigal son was once again part of the father’s family, and this represents just the way that all of us should act in reaching out to God, our most loving Father, Creator and Master.

First of all, just as the prodigal son had a choice of staying on in the distant lands instead of humbling himself and swallowing his pride to return to his home, thus, we also have the option to remain stubborn in our path and way of sin, instead of humbling ourselves to seek God’s forgiveness and compassionate mercy. Yes, brothers and sisters in Christ, that is why pride is such a dangerous thing for us, as pride often becomes a great obstacle in our path of seeking God’s forgiveness and grace. Pride has led so many people to their downfall, including Satan himself, and many other of our predecessors, as pride led us to separate ourselves from the love of God, and often prevented us to admit that we have been wrong and are in need of healing and forgiveness from God. Many people steadfastly continued to walk in their wrong paths because they rejected the fact that they were in need of help from God.

Then, if we heard and recalled the action of the elder son, who was angry at the father for welcoming the younger son back, it is also a reminder to all of us not to be judgmental on others just because we think that we are better than them. Like the actions of the Pharisees and the teachers of the Law back then during the time of the Lord Jesus, who often thought of themselves as holier and better than everyone else, condemning and being judgmental on those whom they deemed as sinners, unworthy and hopeless in their path towards God, they had closed the door of God’s mercy and kindness to so many of these people whom they could have helped if not for their own pride and arrogance. Again, here we can see how pride can even be the downfall of the righteous, if we allow pride to take over our actions and judgments in life.

Today, we all can also be inspired and strengthened by the good examples set by our holy predecessors, the holy martyrs and saints, St. Perpetua and St. Felicity, who were renowned martyrs of the Church, honoured and venerated for their righteousness, holiness and dedication to God, even in the face of suffering and martyrdom. According to the Church traditions and hagiography, St. Perpetua was a young noblewoman who was recently married and was a mother to a young infant son, while St. Felicity was a slave who were arrested with St. Perpetua for their Christian faith during the reign of the Roman Emperor Septimius Severus. It was told that this happened because St. Perpetua had a conflict with her father because he wanted her to abandon her Christian faith, and St. Perpetua refused to do so. It was likely that St. Perpetua met with St. Felicity and other fellow martyrs in prison, and they all endured the trials and hardships, resisting the temptations and pressures to abandon their faith in God.

The courage and dedication that those martyrs showed us all ought to remind us of the love and commitment that we ourselves ought to have for the Lord, and we are all reminded of how many of our predecessors have given their lives for the sake of the Lord. Brothers and sisters in Christ, as we reflect upon the story of the repentant prodigal son which we heard earlier on, and also the reminders of God’s love and mercy which He has generously provided us, let us all walk in great faith and trust in the Lord, in His mercy and compassion following the examples of the saints, like those of St. Perpetua and St. Felicity among others. May the Lord be with us always in our journey of faith and life, and help us to be good and worthy role models for another, now and always. Amen.

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Friday, 6 March 2026 : 2nd Week of Lent (Homily and Scripture Reflections)

Liturgical Colour : Purple/Violet

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, today as we all listened to the words of the Sacred Scriptures, we are reminded of the harm and dangers that our greed, desires and ambitions, as well as jealousy and other negative traits which can lead us into our downfall and destruction if we continue to follow them, as what the Scripture passages today highlighted with the story of Joseph and his brothers, where jealousy almost led to those brothers committing fratricide, as well as the story of the parable of the evil tenants which the Lord Jesus told to His disciples, to remind them all of how our greed and personal ambitions can lead us into committing untold harm and evil deeds.

In our first reading today, taken from the Book of Genesis, we heard of the beginning of the story surrounding Joseph, one of the many sons of Jacob or Israel, whom we may all know as the one who was brought to Egypt and becoming regent there in that land, and ultimately rescuing his whole family from danger due to the great famine raging over the whole world at the time, making the Israelites, the descendants of Jacob or Israel, prosper greatly in Egypt and in the lands that God had brought them all to stay in. Through this story we can see how God was with His people, protecting them and providing for them, and even turning things that were meant for evil into good things.

First of all, Joseph as mentioned was one of the favourite sons of Jacob, and this was due to him being one of the two sons of Rachel, the woman whom Jacob truly loved wholeheartedly, more than his sister, Leah, who had also married Jacob and gave him the other children. Joseph and Benjamin were the sons borne to him by Rachel, and as his youngest sons, naturally it would have made them their father’s favourites. Joseph in particular received the ire of his other elder brothers because Benjamin was likely still very young, and therefore did not end up in their brothers’ crosshairs. Joseph himself also received many preferential treatments from his father, and his dreams which he shared with his brothers and family, highlighting how they all would be bowing down before him, brought about even more of his brothers’ jealousy.

And that was how Joseph eventually ended up being plotted against by his own brothers, and almost lost his life because many among his brothers wanted to kill him. Instead, by the intervention of some of his elder brothers, Joseph was instead sold off to the slavers of Midian who were on their way to the land fo Egypt, and was spared death. All of these were indeed part of God’s grand design, who influenced the brothers and prevented them from committing such a heinous sin of killing their own brother. He turned the misfortunes of Joseph into great plans for the future, which at that time no one could have seen yet, but it was in fact Joseph’s visions slowly coming to fruition and accomplishment.

Then, from our Gospel passage today, taken from the Gospel according to St. Matthew the Apostle and Evangelist, we heard of the moment when the Lord Jesus told His disciples and followers using a parable to teach them about the dangers of worldly glory, ambitions and desires, which He highlighted with the story of the wicked and evil tenants who were given the plots of land by the landowner to work on, and yet, they all refused to pay their dues and the parts of the proceed just as they had certainly agreed on with the landowner. Those wicked tenants became greedy and wanted to keep all of their proceeds and profits, reneging on their earlier agreement, refusing to listen to the reminders sent to them by the landowner through his servants.

And not only that, just like the story of Joseph earlier in our first reading today, those evil tenants were affected by their greed and jealousy of the great wealth of the landowner, which led them to commit heinous crimes, persecuting and even murdering those servants sent to them to remind them of their obligations and works. We heard then how last of all, the evil tenants ganged up and plotted against the landowner’s son, whom he sent to those wicked tenants with the same purpose, thinking that they would have at least respected his son. This was in fact a premonition and prefigurement of what Christ Himself, represented by that landowner’s son, would go through as He would be persecuted and killed by those who opposed Him, those represented by the evil tenants.

This is why all of us are reminded as Christians, we should not allow these things to influence us negatively and leading us down the slippery slope towards wickedness and sin. We must realise that first and foremost we should focus our lives and attention on the Lord, and keep in mind that our every actions, words and deeds should always be rooted in our belief in the Lord, and not be rooted in our worldly ambitions, desires and greed. We must remember that nothing we have and gained in this world will last forever, and none of them will endure through difficulties and challenges we may encounter in our path. But if we put our faith and trust in the Lord, everything that we go through, all the challenges and difficulties, we will eventually be able to overcome it, and we will gain true eternal glory with Him.

Brothers and sisters in Christ, let us all therefore reflect upon all these which we have heard from the Lord, from the words He has spoken to us and reminded us all with. Let us all no longer hesitate to walk ever more courageously with Him, going forward with great faith that does not dim even amidst the most challenging and difficult moments. All of us should always do our best to live up to our Christian beliefs, particularly in our great love for God and in our generous love for one another, not putting ourselves and our selfish desires ahead of what we should do in loving God and His people, as we have been called to do.

May the Lord our God continue to strengthen us all and empower each and every one of us in our every efforts and endeavours especially throughout this time and season of Lent, so that all of us may continue to walk faithfully in the path which the Lord has shown us. Let us all remain firm in faith and trust in Him, and resist the temptations of worldly ambitions, glory and desires, all of which can drag us down the path of ruin and destruction. This Lent, let us all continue to strive to be ever more faithful and committed people of God, now and always. Amen.

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Thursday, 5 March 2026 : 2nd Week of Lent (Homily and Scripture Reflections)

Liturgical Colour : Purple/Violet

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, today as we all reminded that as the followers and disciples of the Lord, each and every one of us must always strive to live our lives faithfully in accordance to what He Himself has shown and taught us, in showing great love to one another, especially to those whom we love and those whom the Lord has placed in our lives to love, our beloved ones, and then also all those who are marginalised and less fortunate around us, the poor and the needy, and these are not limited only to those who are having financial and material difficulties, but also those who are ostracised, unloved and forgotten by the community.

In our first reading today, taken from the Book of the prophet Jeremiah, we heard of the words of the Lord which had been delivered by Him to His people through Jeremiah, calling on all of them to repent from their sinful and wicked ways, turning back from their worldly ways and returning once again to follow the path of the Lord. Back then, the prophet Jeremiah was sent to the people of God in the kingdom of Judah, at the last days of its existence to tell them all of the terrible fate that they would soon endure because of their lack of faith in the Lord from the time of their ancestors and predecessors, and their dependance on worldly powers and means rather than on the Lord their God, in Whom they should put their faith and trust in.

The people of Judah, the kingdom and the whole body of nobles, according to the Scriptural accounts, chose to depend on the backing and support of the Egyptians and their Pharaoh, in the struggle between the regional powers, just as the Babylonians were gaining strength and growing in power at that time. And this choice of depending on worldly means instead of trusting in the Lord was the very reason for their downfall, and there were also false prophets who went against the words of the prophet Jeremiah, convincing the king and his nobles to follow their preferred course of action instead, claiming that the Lord would crush the Babylonians with the help of the Egyptians and their forces.

All of that eventually led to the ruin and destruction of Judah as the Babylonians came with their armies and forces, defeating the armies of the Egyptians and leaving Judah without means of protection. And as the Babylonians came upon them and besieged Jerusalem, destroying other cities and eventually conquering the kingdom, destroying the great Temple in Jerusalem and bringing many of the people of Judah to exile in distant lands, everything that Jeremiah had spoken finally came true. And to all of us listening to these words from the Scriptures, we are reminded that we should not put our faith and trust in the power of man and in worldly devices alone, but we must put our faith in the Lord together with all of our efforts.

Then, from our Gospel pasasge today, taken from the Gospel according to St. Luke the Evangelist, we heard of the moment when the Lord told His disciples and followers, of the parable of Lazarus and the rich man, using the example of Lazarus, a poor man who was always sitting by the doorway of the house or mansion of a rich man. We heard in this well-known story of how the rich man ignored the sufferings of the poor man Lazarus at his very own doorstep, refusing to allow him to even have the crumbs of bread from his table, even when there were a lot of opportunities for him to help the poor man. And we heard of how when both Lazarus and the rich man passed away, they ended up in different places.

From what we heard of the great joy and vindication of Lazarus, who was finally enjoying relief and happiness together with Abraham and the other righteous people of God, and in contrast how the rich man was suffering in the fires of hell. Through this example and parable which the Lord had used to highlight His points and ideas to the disciples, we ourselves are also being reminded that we should not ignore the plight of the poor and the needy all around us, or else, we will end up facing the same predicament as the rich man. It was not about his wealth or possessions that made him wrong, but the rich man’s apathy and lack of action had caused him to commit the sin of omission in not helping out his fellow man, Lazarus, when he could have done so, many times.

Brothers and sisters in Christ, as we all continue to progress through this time and season of Lent, let us all remember that all of us as Christians are called to do good in our daily living, to live up to our Christian calling and mission in whatever way we can, in each and every moments of our lives. We should always remember to put God at the centre of our lives and do our very best in our every actions, words and deeds so that by our everyday efforts and works, even in the smallest things that we do, we will always help more and more people all around us. As Christians, we are called to be active in reaching out to our fellow brothers and sisters around us, to our fellow men and women who need our help and company, among other things.

May the Lord, our most loving God and Father continue to help and guide us all in our lives, remembering that in each and every moments we should continue to live our lives virtuously, in loving God and in loving one another around us, especially those whom God has given us all to love, and also those whom we encounter in our lives, in our everyday moments that we have been given the opportunities to show care, love and concern for those who have been placed in our paths. Let us all continue to show them the generous love that we can give them, in whatever way we can, so that by our generous love and compassion, we may truly be worthy of God and His love, and show forth God’s love to all those whom we encounter, now and always. Amen.

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Wednesday, 4 March 2026 : 2nd Week of Lent, Memorial of St. Casimir (Homily and Scripture Reflections)

Liturgical Colour : Purple/Violet

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, today as we all listened to the words of the Sacred Scriptures, each and every one of us are reminded that as Christians, that is as those who follow and commit ourselves to walk in the path of the Lord, it is inevitable that somewhere along our paths and journeys in following God, that we will encounter difficulties and challenges, hardships and trials, and yet, we should never lose faith in the Lord. Instead, we should be ever more steady and strong in our commitment and dedication, in everything that we say and do, in each and every moments of our lives. We must always trust that the Lord will guide and provide us in all things.

In our first reading today, taken from the Book of the prophet Jeremiah, we heard of the account of the plots and the attempts against the life of Jeremiah, the prophet whom the Lord sent as the last prophet to guide the people of the southern kingdom of Judah, and how Jeremiah truly suffered greatly in many occasions because of those plots and attempts, from all those who were opposed to hios ministry and works among the people of God. He was falsely accuswed of treason and being disobedient against the King, betraying the people and the country. But God was always with Jeremiah and did not leave or abandon him especially during the times of his greatest trials and difficulties.

God was with Jeremiah when he stood up against the false prophets and messengers, all those who plotted against him, speaking lies and untruths before the king and the people. Jeremiah brought God’s words to His people, words of warning and reminders for them all that their cities and the Temple of God in Jerusalem would be destroyed, and their kingdom crushed and conquered by the Babylonians for the many sins and wickedness which they had committed against the Lord. For this courageous deliverance of the truth of God and for revealing what the people would face and endure, Jeremiah was persecuted and had to face a lot of struggles, and if not God’s providence and intervention, he would have perished.

Then, from our Gospel passage today, taken from the Gospel according to St. Matthew the Apostle and Evangelist, where we heard the account of the moment when the two disciples, members of the Twelve, St. James and St. John, who came with their mother to the Lord and asked Him for positions of special favour, to sit by His left and right when He comes into His Kingdom, and reestablish the Kingdom of Israel, as was commonly believed at that time. The significance of such a request is that they expected to be made very important individuals in the Lord’s Kingdom, thinking that the Lord came to restore the Kingdom of Israel in the literal sense, such as how it was during the days and time of David and Solomon. Therefore, it was at least part of their expectation to receive wealth, glory, prestige and power.

But they did not realise that the Kingdom of Christ, the Kingdom of God is not like that of this world, and is not the same as how the world operates. To follow Christ is not about gaining glory, majesty, power or fame, wealth or satisfaction of the world. Following Christ is about doing what He has entrusted to us to do, to walk in His path despite the opposition and challenges from the world, and often we may have to face rejection and stubborn refusals from those around us, and sometimes even those who are near us and closest to us just like how the Lord Himself was betrayed by Judas Iscariot, one of His own closest inner circle member. Yet, we must not lose faith and we must not be disillusioned or disheartened by all these challenges and difficulties because God is and will always be with us.

It is an important reminder for all of us that becoming disciples and followers of the Lord require from us a commitment and dedication that is not easily maintained if we lack the determination and faith in God. To be disciples and followers of Christ truly does not mean that we will gain material or joyful benefits from it, although this may indeed be part of our journey. Our primary focus and intention should be directed towards the Lord our God, our Heavenly Father Who has always blessed us wonderfully, in each and every moments of our lives. We must not be easily distracted by the temptations of worldly glory, fame and ambitions, which had led so many astray in their paths towards the Lord. Instead, we should show good example by our faithful commitment to the Lord, in following Him despite the challenges we may have to encounter in our respective paths in life.

Brothers and sisters in Christ, as we continue to progress through this season of Lent, let us all continue to discern our way of life and see in what way we can be better and more committed disciples and followers of His, and we can do this by following the good examples set by our holy predecessors, one of which, whose feast we are celebrating today, is St. Casimir of Poland. St. Casimir was a Royal Prince of the Kingdom of Poland and Lithuania, who was known for his great piety and devotion to God, as well as charity and care for the needy and the poor in the kingdom from his early age. He was remembered for his exemplary faith and actions, his chaste and holy lifestyle at a time when it was common for someone in his status to embrace a debauched and hedonistic way of life. St. Casimir dedicated his life to the end to the glory of God, and despite dying in a relatively early age due to tuberculosis, the example of his holiness and dedication to God continue to inspire many people right up to this day.

Therefore, brothers and sisters in Christ, can we follow the good examples of St. Casimir and many other of our holy predecessors in how we ought to live our lives? In this season and time of Lent, let us all reorientate our lives and redirect our focus in life back towards the Lord, Whom we should put right at the very centre of our lives. Let us all turn towards Him with faith, and do whatever we can to serve Him faithfully each day and at every moments given to us. May the Lord continue to guide and strengthen us all and may He empower each and every one of us to be ever better and stronger in our desire to serve Him, and to do His will, at all times. May God bless us always, in our every actions, deeds and efforts, to glorify Him by our lives, now and always. Amen.

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Tuesday, 3 March 2026 : 2nd Week of Lent (Homily and Scripture Reflections)

Liturgical Colour : Purple/Violet

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, today as we all listened to the words of the Sacred Scriptures and as we all ponder upon their message and importance in our lives, particularly as we progress through this time and season of Lent, let us all continue to reflect carefully on how each of these words can impact us in our lives and in how we live our lives. We must be mindful that our every words, actions and deeds reflect our identity as Christians and our part in the works of the Lord through His Church in this world. If our actions, words and deeds are contrary to what He has shown us all in love and compassion, then in the end, we may end up bringing about scandals that can hurt the whole Church and the efforts of evangelisation.

In our first reading today, taken from the Book of the prophet Isaiah, we heard of the Lord’s call to His people, the people of Israel while referring to the historical ancient cities of Sodom and Gomorrah, calling on all of them to repent from their many sins and faults, from their wickedness and disobedience, their refusal to obey the Law of God and their persistent rebellion against the commandments of the Lord and the path that God has set before them. The reference to Sodom and Gomorrah was a reference to the destruction which God had wrought against those two cities that had been committing great sins against God and others alike.

However, lest we may end up misunderstanding the sin of Sodom and Gomorrah, unlike the prejudices that had happened in the past history of the Church, it has been long misinterpreted that the sin of Sodom and Gomorrah referred to certain kind of sexual sin and perversion. Instead, the actual sin of Sodom and Gomorrah was in fact one of the lack of hospitality shown to guests and strangers in one’s midst, their lack of social justice and care for the needy and the poor, as well as morally corrupt actions which in no way prejudiced or make wrong any particular sexual preference or identity, as what was commonly misinterpreted by many throughout history.

And that was why God punished Sodom and Gomorrah, as they showed severe lack of hospitality against Lot and his family, whom they saw as strangers and foreigners that did not belong in their community, and their attempted assault on the two guests, the disguised Angels of God, more as a way to discredit and as contempt against Lot and his family, whom they had never welcomed into their midst. It was this same attitude which the Israelites had also exhibited during the time of the ministry of the prophet Isaiah. They persecuted the prophets and messengers of God sent into their midst in order to remind and guide them in their paths, and treated them as strangers and foreigners in their own land, much like the people of Sodom and Gomorrah.

But God was kind and loving to His people nonetheless, and He kept on offering them path to redemption, opening the floodgates of His ever generous mercy and compassion to all. He sent His prophets again and again, like Isaiah and his many predecessors and successors to help lead and guide those wayward yet beloved people of His back to His loving Presence. This kind of patient love is the Lord has always offered His people, and as long as they wanted to come back to Him, He will always welcome them, care for them and nurture them. However, if they so choose to completely reject Him and abandon Him, then in the end, it will be their own stubbornness and rejection which will be the reason judging against them.

Then, from our Gospel passage today, taken from the Gospel according to St. Matthew the Apostle and Evangelist, we heard of the words of the Lord Jesus telling His disciples and followers that all of them should not practice their faith in the manner that the Pharisees and the teachers of the Law had practiced theirs, in their hypocrisy and attitudes which were self-centred and selfish, focusing on their own status, privileges and special position in the community of the people of God, seeking attention and praise from everyone around them. It is this attitude which prevented them from truly being able to follow the Law and commandments of the Lord in the manner that is truly worthy and suitable of the Lord.

What the Lord told the disciples were often mistaken and misunderstood in the context of the Church, as some people criticised the Church for having titles like Pope, Cardinal, Bishop and Father, in referring to the priests of different ranks in the hierarchy of the Church. What the Lord meant was not that He was against all those titles, which were indeed necessary in the scheme of things, but rather, He does not want us to become so preoccupied by those titles and privileges, as the Pharisees had done at that time, that we become proud and self-centred, forgetting that our faith and what we believe in, and whatever we do and carry out in that faith are all not about ourselves, but about how we manage our relationship with God and with one another.

That is why, brothers and sisters in Christ, as Christians, as we continue to progress through this time and season of Lent, it is very important that all of us continue to live faithfully in the path the Lord has prepared for us, and loving generously in the manner that He has loved us all first. Let us all be grateful in whatever way He has created us all to be, in whatever He has called us all to do, in loving Him and in loving one another, especially to those whom He has entrusted to us all to love, so that by our every actions, words and deeds, people may indeed come to know that we truly belong to the Lord, and that we truly genuinely believe in whatever we profess to have faith in. May God bless us always, and may He strengthen us all in each and every moments of our lives, now and forevermore. Amen.

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Monday, 2 March 2026 : 2nd Week of Lent (Homily and Scripture Reflections)

Liturgical Colour : Purple/Violet

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, today as we all gather together to listen to the Sacred Scriptures and as we continue to journey together through this time and season of Lent, let us all ponder on what the words of the Lord had meant for us, for us to trust the Lord’s mercy, grace and forgiveness and to be merciful in our own way of living and actions. We must not forget the ever generous compassion and mercy which the Lord has always had for His people, that is all of us, just as He has once had mercy and compassion on the Israelites, His first chosen race and people.  We must always do our best to seek God’s mercy and forgiveness, trusting that our loving Father will pardon us our faults and mistakes if we sincerely keep on doing our best to live in accordance with His ways.

In our first reading today, taken from the Book of the prophet Daniel, we heard of the prayer that Daniel, a prophet of God’s people in exile in Babylon, offered as a collective prayer on behalf of the people of God, the Israelites and their descendants living in exile, seeking God’s mercy and forgiveness. At that time, the Israelites and their descendants had been living in exile for a few decades while others had been scattered longer from their homeland, both from the northern kingdom of Israel that had been destroyed by the Assyrians and also the southern kingdom of Judah that the Babylonians had also destroyed. Daniel was one of those whom the Babylonians had brought to the land of Babylon in exile, away and uprooted from their homeland.

And the reason for their misfortune was their wickedness and sins, their disobedience against God and refusals to obey His Law and commandments despite repeated reminders, help and guidance from the many prophets and servants He had sent into their midst. They had abandoned the Lord their God Who has always provided for them and guided them so patiently, and as a result, they had to face the consequences of their actions and lack of faith, which had led them all to be defeated and crushed by their enemies around them, and trampled upon by their neighbours and eventually having their cities destroyed, their homes overturned and burnt, and nothing was left in the end of what was once glorious kingdom of the golden age of David and Solomon.

Daniel gathered the prayers of the people, and prayed on their behalf, interceding for them and their elders who have lived in exile and in shame, in the loss of their homeland and the Temple of God in Jerusalem, which was once the centre of the whole community of the people of God. Daniel asked for the Lord to have mercy and compassion on all those scattered people, who were indeed like lost sheep without a Shepherd, without the guidance of God. He reminded the Lord of the love which He has always had for each one of His people, and how those people had come to regret their sins and those of their predecessors and ancestors, desiring once again to worship the Lord their God, and to gather once again as one people.

Then, from our Gospel passage today, taken from the Gospel according to St. Luke the Evangelist, we heard the Lord Jesus exhorting His disciples and followers to be merciful and compassionate in their actions and way of life so that they may truly embody their faith and everything that they believe in, and not to be contradicting what He and the disciples were preaching about. As those whom God had called and chosen, they ought to be like their Father, Creator and master in all things, and this includes being merciful and forgiving for all those who have wronged them. That is why we are reminded of this today as during this time of Lent, we are called to be more forgiving, kind and compassionate on each other.

Let us remember that before we despise others or be angry at those around us, and those who have hurt us, we have done the same to the Lord Himself through our actions and way of life. And yet, God still patiently loved us and He has always been kind, forgiving and merciful towards us, ever ready to welcome us back to His loving presence and embrace. And we should never take His love and kindness for granted, because God has always been considerate to us and gave us all so many opportunities again and again, for us to seek Him and to embrace His love wholeheartedly. We should remember that we are truly beloved, and therefore, we too should be loving, compassionate, considerate and caring for everyone around us, even those who have despised and hated us first.

Brothers and sisters in Christ, as Christians all of us are called to be the bearers of God’s love and truth in our world today. The question is then, are we truly able to embody His love in our world today? Are we able to live our lives full of love and compassion, generosity and mercy towards all those who have wronged and hurt us? Or do we rather seek revenge and show our anger and hatred towards those who hated us, and therefore perpetuating the cycle of hatred, vengeance and violence? Let us all break this cycle and chain, brothers and sisters, and start behaving and acting in the manner that is truly worthy for all of us as true and genuine Christians, so that everyone may know that we are indeed Christians and followers of the Lord by our lives.

May the Lord, our most loving, compassionate and forgiving God continue to show us His great love and mercy at all times, helping us all to seek Him and His forgiveness whenever we erred and made mistakes, and whenever we fell into the trap and temptations to sin. May God continue to show us all the path forward in life, in entrusting ourselves to His guidance and providence even when we face the greatest hurdles and obstacles in our journey of life and faith. Let us all continue to draw ever closer to God during this blessed time and season of Lent, now and always. Amen.

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Sunday, 1 March 2026 : Second Sunday of Lent (Homily and Scripture Reflections)

Liturgical Colour : Purple/Violet

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, this Sunday as we gather together to celebrate this Second Sunday in the season of Lent, all of us are reminded of this Sunday’s Scripture theme that is on the topic of calling and mission, which God has called each and every one of us to do, in following Him and entrusting ourselves to Him, to obey Him and listen to His words, as He guides us down the right path, one that is not necessarily the easiest and happiest path for us. But as long as we follow Him and remain faithful to Him, we shall find our satisfaction in the Lord, and we shall gain true joy in Him and with Him. Yet, we have to keep ourselves rooted firmly in faith in God, and focus our attention wholly on Him or else, we may find it easy to be distracted by worldly temptations and all the things which may mislead us down the wrong path in life.

In our first reading today, we heard from the Book of Genesis, the story of how God called a man named Abram from the land of Ur in Mesopotamia, in the present day Iraq, to follow Him. Abram obeyed the Lord and listened to Him, chose to depart from his homeland, which he never saw again in his lifetime, and went first to the land and city of Harran just at the boundary between Syria and Mesopotamia, together with his father, before he embarked on his own journey with his wife, Sarai and his household and belongings to the land of Canaan, following God’s instructions and commands, and it was mentioned that Lot his nephew also followed Abram as well. This was how Abram went and follow the Lord’s calling wholeheartedly, even when he could have done otherwise and just enjoyed the riches and the comfort of where he used to live in. He instead entrusted himself to the Lord completely.

Abram listened to the Lord and trusted Him, even when there were so many uncertainties in the path that he embarked on. He had great faith in God and consequently, he was greatly blessed by God, who promised him that he would become the father of many nations, by the Covenant which God Himself established with Abram. Abram dedicated and committed himself to this Covenant, and changed his name to Abraham as a mark of his commitment. Back then, a name change often signified this commitment which one made, in establishing a pact, which in this case is the solemn Covenant that Abraham had made with God. Sarai, his wife also went through the same change, known as Sarah henceforth, as would be his grandson, later on, Jacob, who was known as Israel after he renewed the same Covenant with God.

From the examples made by our forefathers in faith, all of us can see how each and every one of us are called to do the same as well, reminded that God has always been faithful to His Covenant, in how He fulfilled everything that He has ever promised to man, to Adam and Eve, to Abraham and Sarah, and then to Jacob, also known as Israel, and his descendants, with whom God continued to renew and reestablish His Covenant. St. Paul in our second reading today in his Epistle to St. Timothy, his godson and protege has highlighted how the Lord has called us to Him, and how He has always renewed His Covenant and showing His love for us, especially through His Son, Our Lord Jesus Christ, the Saviour of the whole world, of all mankind. Christ has come into the world, into our midst so that by His coming, God might fulfil everything that He Himself has promised to us.

In our Gospel passage today, we heard the story of the Transfiguration of the Lord, detailing the moment when the Lord Jesus Christ was transfigured before three of His disciples, His inner circle, of St. Peter, St. James and St. John, who went up to Mount Tabor with Him. There, they witnessed how the Lord revealed the glimpse of the truth about His true nature, as the Divine Son of God, the Divine Word Incarnate in the flesh, God Himself, taking up our human nature and existence, coming down into our midst and walking among us, so that through His coming, He may reach out to us and embrace us truly, as His own. He came to us as God Who truly loves each and every one of us, gathering us from among the nations, and calling on us all to follow Him, turning away from our sins.

By His Transfiguration and appearance with Moses and Elijah at Mount Tabor, Christ our Lord also highlighted to us all yet again everything that He has done for our sake. Moses represented the Law of God, the Law and the Ten Commandments, and everything that God has provided to His people Israel, during the time of their Exodus from Egypt and journey to the land promised to them and their ancestors, while Elijah represented the Prophets of God, the many prophets through whom God had sent His reminders and assurances to His people, reminding them of His love and faithfulness, of the coming of His salvation, and the revelation of His love and truth. The appearance of Moses and Elijah together with the Transfigured Christ therefore affirmed us all that the Lord has truly been faithful to the Covenant that He has established with us, and He wants us all to put our complete trust and faith in Him, and follow Him.

Like Abraham in the past, and Sarah, and Jacob, who have all witnessed the Lord present in their midst and journeying with them, St. Peter, St. James and St. John who have all witnessed the Lord Transfigured before their very own eyes, have seen for themselves the love of God manifested in all of His glory. That was why, after the Lord had died, and risen in glory, and then ascended into Heaven, they together with the other Apostles and disciples of the Lord, having witnessed and received, shared and understood this same truth, they all went forth fearlessly and courageously, dedicating themselves completely to the Lord and His cause, following Him in much the same way as how Abraham trusted wholeheartedly in the Lord, and all of us have also received this same truth passed down to us through the Church of God.

Those three disciples obeyed and listened to the Lord, despite having initially wanted to stay on that mountain with the Lord, in that blissful glory, with Moses and Elijah. We must understand that this request as mentioned by St. Peter was likely made because if they were to stay there in that blissful place, then they could enjoy being there and away from the hardships of the struggles and trials that they had to endure in following the path of the Lord. But God reminded all of them to listen to His Son, and to follow Him. The Lord Himself could very well have stayed there, in a great moment of blissful glory, revealing for a moment, His true glorious nature. He did not need to endure sufferings and hardships, persecution, humiliation and pain, and if we recall the Gospel passage from the last Sunday, the First Sunday of Lent, that was exactly the intent of the devil too when he tried to tempt the Lord to give in to the many temptations he presented to Him.

Yet, all those things did not prevail as the Lord showed us all true obedience, and as the Son of Man, He shows us all mankind, how to be truly obedient to God, to listen to Him and follow Him wholeheartedly, as He Himself showed by His coming down from Mount Tabor, ready to go forth to His Passion, His suffering and death in Jerusalem, to be betrayed by one of His own disciples, to be rejected by His own people and the chief priests, condemned to death and blamed for mistakes and sins that were not His own. The Lord our Saviour obeyed His Father’s will so perfectly that He offered Himself for our own behalf, and from that, gained for all of us the promise and assurance of eternal life. He showed all of us the perfect example of perfect and most selfless love, and showed us that trusting in Him and putting our faith in Him is indeed something that we should do, because He Himself has given us His promises, not just in mere words, but He truly showed us all these in person.

That is why, brothers and sisters in Christ, as we listened to this Sunday’s Scripture passages and reflect upon them, let us all be truly touched by the Lord and be inspired by Him and His own examples, and also the examples of our holy predecessors, who had followed the Lord and answered His call. Let us also follow the Lord in our own way, and listen to Him calling on us to follow Him, and discern carefully our path in life so that, in whatever it is that the Lord had led us towards, we may indeed be able to commit ourselves fully to His path, and strive our best to walk in that path throughout our lives, so that our lives may truly be worthy of Him, and our deeds and actions may truly reflect who we are, that is God’s holy and beloved people, as Christians, called to be the disiples of the Lord and as the beacons of His light and truth in our communities today.

May this season of Lent be a time for us to recommit ourselves to the Lord once again, turning ourselves away from the many temptations of the world all around us, and spend more time with God in prayer and by other means, so that we may come to know fully what God truly wants us to do, and what He has called upon us to do as well. Let us do our best to make use of the time and opportunities that had been given to us to draw ever closer to God and to know Him more. May God bless us all and guide us through this season of Lent so that we may be able to resist the many temptations all around us, and be ever more faithful and better role models and inspirations in faith in all of our actions and deeds, throughout our lives. Amen.