Weekday Homily

by

Saturday, 10 September 2022 : 23rd Week of Ordinary Time (Homily and Scripture Reflections)

Liturgical Colour : Green or White (Saturday Mass of Our Lady)

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, today as we listened to the words of the Sacred Scriptures, we are all reminded of the communion of the faithful together with the Lord and with one another. The communion of the faithful refers to the union that every Christian believers have through the gift of the Holy Eucharist. Through the Eucharist, the Lord has united us all to Himself, and through that unity, He made us all part of His one Body and one Church. Through this tangible and spiritual union, we are all brought together as one people, sharing in the same gift of the Spirit, and the same assurance of eternal life and salvation.

In our first reading today, taken from the Epistle of St. Paul to the Church and the faithful in the city of Corinth, we heard of how St. Paul elaborated to them on the matter of the partaking of the Holy Eucharist, the Holy Communion of the faithful, and how each and every Christians should take it seriously as they should not partake the offerings that had been offered in the pagan ceremonies and worship, as was common at that time in the Greco-Roman state paganism. There were likely moments when Christians still partake in the goods and items that had been offered to the pagan idols and deities.

Not only that, but it was likely that there were also those who actively participated in the pagan ceremonies and other events that might scandalise the faithful and others in the community. Why is that so, brothers and sisters in Christ? That is because while there might be various reasons why the members of the Christian community partook in the pagan offerings and ceremonies, be it on their own volition or due to coercion or force, but if other members of the community were to witness these, that would then jeopardise the Communion within the Church, that visible and tangible unity between the members of the Church with one another, as well as with their Lord and Saviour.

Essentially doing so would also count towards the violation of the First Commandment in the Ten Commandments, namely, ‘You shall not have any other gods before Me, and you shall not have or make any graven images…’ which essentially highlighted that our practices and way of life as members of the Church and as one the Christian faithful cannot be contradictory between our obedience and faith in God, and our apparent obeisance and worship of the pagan and false gods and idols as what the Church members and the faithful in Corinth had done, which led to St. Paul exhorting them not to do so.

Then in our Gospel passage today, we heard of the Lord speaking to His disciples and to the people with a parable, highlighting how no good tree can produce bad fruit and vice versa, and how all of us will be good or bad, righteous or wicked depending on what our hearts, minds and interior disposition are like. And He also then used another parable immediately afterwards, describing those who have truly obeyed the Lord and loved Him, as those who had built their houses upon the firm foundation of stone, while those who have not truly had faith in Him, listened to Him but did not act on what He had taught them to do as those who had built their houses without any foundations, and therefore, they would fall in no time.

What do all these mean for us, brothers and sisters in Christ? The Lord essentially called on all of us to put ourselves in His path, dedicating and committing ourselves to His cause, and remaining steady in our faith in Him, and not merely just paying lip service, professing to believe in Him and yet, we offer ourselves to serve the pagan idols and gods, and the many other idols and other distractions that can be found aplenty all around us. And we also must realise that these idols and distractions are not merely those pagan idols and statues which the faithful in Corinth once dabbled with, and which caused a scandal among the faithful and the Church.

Instead, just as St. Paul mentioned in another occasion in his Epistle to the Colossians, the idols that are present all around us, and even to this day, is the idol of our own human pride and ego, our greed and ambition, our worldly desires and all the many other things that often become serious obstacles and barriers in the path of our journey towards God, His salvation and grace. And if we continue to indulge in these idols and temptations all around us, then we may end up being dragged deeper and deeper into the path towards sin and wickedness, towards our downfall and destruction. We are reminded today that we should not allow those idols from ruining our lives and misleading us down the wrong paths.

Instead, we should endeavour and strive our best to resist the temptations to sin, and to keep ourselves in good faith and in obedience to God, His Law and commandments. As Christians, each and every one of us, while also called to be good and law-abiding citizens of this world, we are expected to put the Lord and our faith in Him first and foremost above all else. It means that we have to be genuine in our faith and dedication to God, and we cannot be lukewarm in our faith, and neither can we be hypocrites who profess to believe in God and yet being two-faced in our way of life and actions, which can bring about scandal to our faith. We have to stand up for our beliefs and remain true to the Lord despite the many trials and challenges present in this world.

Brothers and sisters in Christ, let us all therefore renew our commitment to the Lord, dedicating our time and effort to glorify Him by our lives. Let us all turn towards Him with all of our strength and might, and endeavour to be good role models and examples, through which we can be good inspiration for many others that they too may come to believe in God through us and our many good, righteous and wonderful examples in life. May God bless us all in all our good efforts, our works and efforts, now and always, forevermore. Amen.

by

Friday, 9 September 2022 : 23rd Week of Ordinary Time, Memorial of St. Peter Claver, Priest (Homily and Scripture Reflections)

Liturgical Colour : Green or White (Priests)

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, today as we listened to the words of the Scriptures we are presented with the reminder that as Christians we should not live our lives with arrogance, pride and ambition in our minds and hearts, and we should instead constantly place the Lord and His truth as the centre and focus of our lives, our works and our every efforts. We should allow the Lord to guide us in our works and journey, while at the same time we should also be fully attuned with Him and recognising our own frailty and vulnerability, our sinful and wicked state which had separated us from the fullness of God’s love and grace.

In our first reading today, we continue to hear from the Epistle of St. Paul to the Church and the faithful in Corinth, in which the Apostle spoke regarding the importance of serving God faithfully and putting Him above all of our own personal agendas and desires, that we may always prioritise Him above all else. All of us should do what we can to make good use of our talents, abilities and gifts in order to glorify God, and we ought to do so because we are inspired to live lives that are worthy of God and are full of commitment and love for Him, so that in everything we say and do, we will always prioritise Him, and be good role models and examples for others to witness so that they may also come to believe in God.

In our Gospel passage today, we heard from the Lord Jesus speaking to the people and to His disciples regarding the faith of those who were hypocrites, using the parable of the splinter and the plank, in which the Lord criticised those hypocrites who liked to condemn others and present themselves as better and more righteous than everyone else. The Lord condemned them for their attitude and haughtiness, their pride and arrogance, all of which had led and contributed to the scandal among the people, as those same people who claimed themselves to be righteous and good, and oppressed others for their beliefs and ways, were themselves flawed and wicked in other ways.

The problem is that those people did not realise that they themselves were flawed or wrong, and they thought that they were better than others, and that others deserved to be corrected and it was rightful for them to correct others for their supposed errors without realising and understanding that they themselves were in need of correction as well. They prided themselves in their ways and their misguided observances of the Law of God, and all these had clouded their judgment and blinded them, preventing them from being able to see the truth. They were misguided by their pride and ego, their ambitions and desires, and by the worldly praise and glory.

Brothers and sisters in Christ, all of these serve to remind us that we should not let pride, ambition, worldly glory, fame, our many desires and greed, all these from distracting us off the path towards God and His righteousness. Each one of us should do our best to prioritise God and His ways above all else, and learn to recognise our own shortcomings and what we need in order to come closer to the Lord. All of us are reminded to distance from evil and wicked ways, and to turn away from those things that can mislead us down the wrong path towards disobedience against God, the wrong path of selfishness and manipulation of others for our own self-benefits and more. Instead, we should do our best to follow the Lord by looking upon the examples of those who have lived their lives worthily before us, the saints, the holy men and women of God.

Today, the Church celebrates the feast of St. Peter Claver, a holy and faithful servant of God whose examples hopefully can serve as a good inspiration for us to follow in how we ought to be good and faithful servants of God in our lives from now on. He was renowned for his extensive works among the poor and the slaves, in the areas where he ministered in the then what was known as the New World, in the Americas. He was a Spanish Jesuit priest and missionary who dedicated himself to a life of service to God and His people, spending his whole life in particular for the care of the African slaves, when slavery was truly rampant back then.

He cared for the needs of the African slaves who were mistreated and mismanaged back then, treated horribly and unfairly by their masters and employers throughout the areas of his ministry, and despite the many challenges and trials he had to face, St. Peter Claver never let all those to discourage or prevent him from continuing to struggle for the sake of those slaves. He showed them the love of God and the path towards His salvation, and was credited for the baptism of over three hundred thousand people throughout his lifetime of service, and he heard numerous confessions while also helping to lead many of them to the path of Christ.

Brothers and sisters in Christ, all that St. Peter Claver had done for the sake of these marginalised and least in the society, all that he had shown for the love of God and His people alike, all these should inspire all of us to live our lives in a similar manner, that we may dedicate ourselves to love the Lord and to reach out to our brethren in need in the same way. St. Peter Claver has shown us that as Christians we have to be caring and loving towards one another and be filled with concern not for ourselves and our selfish desires, but rather to reach out to others who are in need all around us, recognising that there are many of those who need our care and love.

Let us all hence do whatever we can to follow the Lord ever more wholeheartedly from now on, and committing ourselves to love one another more than we love ourselves. May God continue to strengthen us in faith and may He continue to bless us in all of our good efforts and endeavours, and empower us all to walk ever faithfully in His presence. May God bless us in all things, and may the intercession of St. Peter Claver be with us always. Amen.

by

Thursday, 8 September 2022 : Feast of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary (Homily and Scripture Reflections)

Liturgical Colour : White

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, today the Church celebrates together the Feast of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary, which marks the birthday of Mary, the Mother of God, the moment when she came into this world, as the future Mother of the Saviour of the world. Today the whole Church rejoices in this anniversary of the birthday of this most blessed Woman through whom the salvation of this world has come from. The Lord has fulfilled His long-awaited promise to His people through Mary, the simple young woman living in the unassuming small town of Nazareth in Galilee, and who would become the great Mother of our Saviour and also the greatest among all the saints. That is what we are celebrating today, the memorial of our blessed Mother Mary on her birthday.

In our first reading today, taken from the Book of the prophet Micah, we heard the Lord’s reassurance for His people that His salvation would come to them just as He has promised previously through the other prophets. We heard how the Lord proclaimed that Bethlehem, the city of David, would be the place where His Saviour and Deliverance came from, and although that city might have been a small and insignificant one among the other cities of Israel and Judah, but it was through this place that the Lord’s great plan of salvation would be accomplished, through the Woman whom the Lord Himself proclaimed to be the bearer of the Messiah or Saviour.

That was how the Lord brought His salvation into this world, through a humble woman from a small little town at the periphery of the Jewish community at that time, someone utterly unremarkable in the eyes of the world. And yet, it was through Mary that God willed to bring His salvation into this world, Christ, His own Begotten and Beloved Son, the Divine Word Incarnate, born of the House of David through Mary’s marriage to St. Joseph, the one who was descended and also the rightful heir of David. According to Scriptural evidence and Apostolic traditions, Mary herself also belonged to the House of David as well.

Through Mary and her motherhood, the Lord made manifest His love for each and every one of us mankind in the flesh, as He embraced us all through Jesus Christ His Son, the Divine Word of God Incarnate. Mary has been prepared by God’s will and grace, made Immaculate and conceived without the taint of sin, and throughout her life, she has always been full of grace, free from the taint of sin because she has been full of love for her Son, and for the Lord, obeying Him and following Him in whatever He has told her to do, and she followed her Son throughout His later ministry and even to the foot of His Cross and beyond.

It was through Mary and her full and active participation in the Lord’s work of salvation which allowed us to see the light of God’s hope as revealed to us through His Son, Jesus Christ, born into this world through Mary’s womb. Thus, today as we celebrate the birthday of Mary, the Mother of God, it is also a celebration of the hope of our Light and Salvation in Christ. And today all of us are also reminded that Mary is truly the surest path for us towards God and His salvation, as she is the one closest to her Son, and she is also truly close to us, as she has never forgotten to think about us all daily, all the time.

Why is that so, brothers and sisters in Christ? That is because the Lord Himself has entrusted Mary, His mother to us, from His Cross just as He has also entrusted us all to her, that we may be her children just as He is her Son, and that she may also be our mother just as she is His Mother. And that is why we celebrate all the more joyfully because we remember our own beloved mother’s birthday today, as we remember the love she has for us, all the intercessions she had made on our behalf, whether we realise it or not. Yes, brothers and sisters in Christ, as our mother, Mary has always gazed upon us and wanted us all to be saved through her Son, and she certainly never ceased reaching out to us with love.

She has appeared to many throughout the past centuries, most famously at Guadalupe, Lourdes and Fatima, and there were many more approved apparitions of Mary throughout history, highlighting just how much beloved we are to her, and how concerned she has been regarding us. Mary our mother often made her appearances especially after a period and time of strife and chaos, during a time of crisis and spiritual troubles in our human history, and she wanted to help us all find our way to return back to her Son, Jesus Christ, our Lord and Saviour. That is why today, just as we commemorate and celebrate her birthday or Nativity, we ought to remind ourselves to follow her examples in faith.

Yes, brothers and sisters in Christ, each one of us should remember to dedicate ourselves to the Lord through following His mother’s examples, her dedication and faith, the great obedience and love she has shown throughout her love for the Lord and His precepts, her humble nature and submission to God’s will and willingness to allow herself be led to the path that God wants her to go through, showed us that Mary is truly a prime role model and example for all of us in how each one of us should live our own lives with faith and dedication, with humility and the desire to serve the Lord and to glorify Him by our every actions, words and deeds throughout our lives.

May the Lord continue to guide us and strengthen us in our journey, and may He empower each one of us that we may continue to walk ever more faithfully in His path, guided through the patient love of His mother Mary, who is our loving mother too, and may her constant intercession and care for us continue to inspire us to persevere in faith in each and every moments of our lives. May God bless us all in our every good efforts and endeavours. Amen.

by

Wednesday, 7 September 2022 : 23rd 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 us to be ever vigilant and to commit ourselves to the path that the Lord has set before us all. As Christians, each and every one of us have been called to seek the Lord in all things, and to walk in His path, resisting the many temptations for worldly pleasures and sins. We are all expected to be exemplary in our lives so that through us we may be inspiration for one another in faith, and that we may inspire many more people to come and follow the Lord as well.

In our first reading today, we heard from the Epistle of St. Paul to the Church and the faithful in Corinth on the matter of how the faithful ought to live their lives, in obeying the Law of God and living worthily in the presence of God. St. Paul exhorted the faithful to live to the best of their ability in remaining upright and distancing themselves from sinful things and actions. Back then, St. Paul mentioned how the coming of the Lord was seemingly imminent, and that is because no one then knew when the Lord would come again just as He has promised, and some had the thought that the Lord would come again very soon, even within their lifetime, or within mere years.

Such was the prevailing view back then, and man’s judgment could err as well. For it is only the Lord Himself Who knows the exact moment of His return into this world and no one else. The Lord alone knows all of these and to no one ever so far, has He revealed this, because it is meant to serve as a good reminder to all of us that this can happen just at any moment. It can be next year, next month, next week, next day, or even the next hour, minute or second! That is why all of us have to be ever prepared and ready to welcome the Lord when He comes again, and to account for our actions in life, and make sure that we will be found worthy and just.

In our Gospel passage today, we heard from the part taken from the Beatitudes or the Sermon on the Mount in which the Lord spoke to the people who were gathered there and His disciples on what the people of God should be like in their lives and what they should be doing, listing out all the good qualities and traits that the faithful people of God should have, while also highlighting the vices and the predicaments that those who have done otherwise will suffer. The Lord spoke of this as a rebuke for the Pharisees and the teachers of the Law whose actions thus far had been great hindrance in the path of the Lord’s actions and works, and who had not done as they had been expected to do as the guardians of the Law and guides for God’s people.

The people of God have been reminded to follow the path and the precepts of the Lord in all things and at all times throughout their lives. They are reminded to put the Lord as their focus and priority that they will not end up losing their path in life. And all these had been clearly presented to them as something which they ought to follow and do, and not to follow the misguided examples of the Pharisees, the elders and the teachers of the Law who misused the Law of God for their own selfish purposes and desires. It is a reminder for all those who wish to follow the Lord that they have to adopt a way of life that is compatible with God’s path.

Brothers and sisters in Christ, as we heard these words of the Scriptures, we are all reminded that each one of us as Christians, as those who profess to be faithful to God are also called and expected to be righteous and just in our way of life. All of us should live our lives worthily and do our best to be good role models and sources of inspiration for everyone, so that it does not matter when the Lord will come again, or when our earthly existence will end, but we will always be ever ready to welcome the Lord when He comes or to account to Him our lives, our every actions and deeds because we have always been faithful and obedient to Him.

We should be more vigilant and prepared and not be easily brought into a lull or swayed by temptations all aplenty around us in this world. Unless we make the conscious effort to remain true to our faith, we may end up easily distracted and tempted into the wrong paths in life, and may end up falling into the path of sin and evil. We should support one another and the whole effort of the Church of God in reaching out to the world, in the effort of evangelisation and mission, and also in being true and faithful witnesses of the truth of the Lord. All of us should devote our time and attention, our effort and works in doing the will of God at all times.

Brothers and sisters in Christ, let us all therefore heed the message from the Scriptures today, that all of us may always remember to live our lives faithfully, dedicating every single moments of our lives to glorify the Lord. Let us all do our best to serve the Lord and glorify Him by our every actions, words and deeds, by our whole lives, now, always and evermore. May God bless us always and be with us in our every good efforts and endeavours. Amen.

by

Tuesday, 6 September 2022 : 23rd 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 on the calling that each one of us as Christians have received as God’s beloved people and followers to be exemplary in our lives and actions, that our every words, deeds and actions may be life-giving, virtuous and worthy of God, and that those may serve as good sources of inspiration for many others that they may also believe in the Lord and that they may also be called and strengthened to walk faithfully in the path that God has set before each one of us. That is our calling as Christians, brothers and sisters in Christ.

In our first reading today from the Epistle of St. Paul to the Church and the faithful in Corinth, the Apostle lamented the state of what happened to the Church and the faithful community there. At that time there were serious divisions and conflicts among the members of the Christian community there at Corinth as well as in other places. They were divided on who they wanted to follow, whether St. Paul or another famous preacher named Apollos, or any other leaders of the faithful, and presumably those divisions were quite terrible that they ended up dividing the community and made them to be bitterly against each other.

This was highlighted by St. Paul himself in our first reading passage today, as we heard him mentioning about the lawsuits and litigations which the members of the faithful were bringing against each other, and not only that, but they made even such accusations and lawsuits before the pagan judges, which were truly unbecoming of their identity as Christians. First of all, as Christians, all of them should be charitable and welcoming, filled with love both for God and for one another, and to be loving and forgiving just as God Himself has been loving and forgiving towards us all. We should not live our lives otherwise, or else, as what the faithful in Corinth had done, it would scandalise both the Lord and His Church.

The people of God in Corinth were not acting the way that they should and have been expected of as Christians. They were living in the ways of the world, succumbing to their pride and ego, and refusing to follow the path that the Lord had set before them. Instead, they gave in to their desires and their ambitions, as they sued and went against each other out of their personal disagreements. They wanted themselves to gain recognition and achievements for their way of life and beliefs, and saw their fellow Christians as rivals rather than fellow brothers and sisters in the same Lord. St. Paul reminded them all that being Christians, they and all of us cannot behave in this manner.

Then, in our Gospel passage today, we heard of the story of the moment when the Lord began His ministry after calling His disciples and after He had chosen the Twelve to be His closest confidants and assistants. The Lord ministered to the people, showing them His love, care and compassion, reaching out to them, healing their sick ones and casting out evil spirits and demons from those who were possessed among them. He taught them and revealed to them the wisdom and truth of God. The Lord devoted His time and effort to care for those who have come to seek Him, and He reached out to those who are desperate for the love and mercy of God.

Brothers and sisters in Christ, the Lord Himself showed by His examples and dedication, the hard work and efforts He put into His mission, the example of true Christian discipleship, love and way of life. He has shown us how each one of us can be good and faithful witnesses of God’s love and truth, in the midst of our community and among others in the world. Just as He has lived His life in obedience to His Father’s will and just as He has devoted Himself to the betterment of those entrusted to Him, all of us should also show our faith through our concrete actions of love, charity and care for those who are around us, caring for the need of those who are less privileged than us.

And that, brothers and sisters in Christ, is exactly how we live our Christian lives, inspired by our Lord and His saints, all those who have lived their lives in accordance to Christian charity and ways. Each and every one of us have been called to live our lives in a most Christian manner, resisting the temptations of worldly glory and pleasures and instead embracing the path of God’s righteousness and humbly seeking to serve the Lord faithfully and worthily through our lives. All of us should rid ourselves from the temptations of our pride and ego, our greed and all those things which often keep us away from being able to follow the Lord wholeheartedly and worthily.

Let us all also not be divided against each other but always keep in mind that we are all called to be united as one Church, one Body of Christ, sharing together the same faith in God, and treating one another as loving brothers and sisters at all times. May our lives and actions be exemplary, and serve as inspiration to one another that we may proclaim the truth and love of God by our lives as we should, and not to scandalise Him and our faith by our disagreements, conflicts and divisions instead. May God be with us always and may He strengthen each one of us, and help us to persevere through the many challenges and hardships of life. Amen.

by

Monday, 5 September 2022 : 23rd Week of Ordinary Time, Memorial of St. Teresa of Kolkata, Religious (Homily and Scripture Reflections)

Liturgical Colour : Green or White (Religious)

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, today as we listened to the words of the Scriptures, we are all reminded to get rid from ourselves all the taints of evil and sin, all the corruptions that came together with the actions and immorality of this world. All of us should not allow those things to distract us from the Lord and our focus on Him. We must resist the temptations of pride and ego and be more humble in our way of life and actions so that we may listen to the Lord and follow Him rather to insist on our own way. We should not harden our hearts and minds but instead be more willing to listen to the Lord and to allow Him to lead us and guide us to the path of truth and grace.

In our first reading today, we heard from the Epistle of St. Paul to the Church and the faithful in Corinth speaking to us regarding the matter of the attitudes of the faithful people of God, which ought to be free from the evil ways and sins, and how Christians everywhere are called to be holy just as the Lord is holy. We are all called to get rid from ourselves the ‘leaven’ of sin, and purify ourselves in the way of the Lord, dedicating our lives anew in the manner that we have been taught to do through God’s Church. We live in a world that is full of temptations and persuasions, coercions and pressures to acquiesce to the worldly matters and ways just as it was during the time of the Lord and His Apostles.

At that time, St. Paul was exhorting the Church and the faithful in the city of Corinth after having heard of the troubles that they were facing, the divisions that they encountered and experienced, the immorality and wickedness that they had indulged in which were scandalous in nature and unbecoming of them as Christians, as those who believe in the Lord and as those who called themselves as His disciples and followers. St. Paul reminded them all to turn away from that path of sin and immorality, and instead embrace the path of God’s truth and love, and His righteousness and grace.

In our Gospel passage today, we heard of the words of the Lord speaking to the people who were listening to Him teaching in the synagogue and also to those Pharisees who were opposed to Him and who were hounding Him, attempting to discredit and to persecute Him for His constant works and efforts during the Sabbath to perform healing miracles and other deeds. The Lord criticised the Pharisees and the teachers of the Law who refused to believe in Him, who hardened their hearts against His teachings and words simply because they were dead set on their beliefs and prejudices, and not only that, but they even plotted against Him and did whatever they could to undermine His efforts and works.

That was what made the Lord pointed out the folly of their argument and preferences, their way of observing the Law, and reminded them all that the Law of the Sabbath that God had revealed to His people through Moses was not meant to restrain mankind and not to be understood merely in the letter, but it has to be appreciated and understood wholly in its spirit, which is meant to lead mankind back towards the Lord, that they may all find their way to Him, and be reconciled with Him. Instead, those Pharisees and teachers of the Law indulged in their own preoccupations and prejudices regarding the Law, and made use of them to advance their own interests and wants, their ambitions and desires.

They made it difficult for the people to come towards the Lord and made it seem that following the Lord was something that was hard and impossible. They had forgotten that their role as the shepherds and guides of the people of God was to bring God closer to His people and the people closer to Him, which was exactly what the Lord had done, in reaching out for the suffering and the marginalised, and in putting others’ needs ahead of oneself, rather than what the Pharisees and the teachers of the Law themselves often did, in promoting themselves and their positions, their achievements and glory ahead of their responsibilities in leading the people of God towards Him.

Today therefore as Christians, all of us should be inspired by the examples of the Lord Himself, and also of the faith and dedication showed by the renowned St. Teresa of Kolkata, also known as Mother Teresa, who was a religious nun and the founder of the religious order of the Missionaries of Charity. St. Teresa of Kolkata was an Albanian who decided to join religious life and became a missionary sister, sent to India and experienced firsthand the hardships of life and the terrible nature of extreme poverty which happened all around her back then in Calcutta, where slums were aplenty and many people lived in great suffering and many were sick, died without any respect or honour on the streets.

Hence, it was then that St. Teresa of Kolkata was inspired to make a difference to the lives of those who were the least privileged, those who were sick and dying, and all those who had been despised by all others. Beginning with herself, she began to minister to many of the poor in the streets of Kolkata, and despite facing many challenges, doubts and disagreements, both from within and outside the Church, St. Teresa of Kolkata began seeing several impacts and successes, as there were others who followed her examples, and soon, it became the foundation of the Missionaries of Charity. And despite the challenges and trials that St. Teresa of Kolkata and her fellow sisters had to face, she continued to dedicate herself to the Lord and her mission tirelessly.

St. Teresa of Kolkata showed us what true Christian charism and mission is all about, that we ought to put the Lord and others ahead of ourselves, and in reaching out towards our fellow brethren with love and compassion, providing help and assistance whenever and wherever possible. St. Teresa of Kolkata reminded us that as Christians we are all called to be full of love and charity, and that we should show God’s love to our fellow brothers and sisters regardless of who they are, their background or origins. We should love all equally just as the Lord Himself has loved us all equally all these times.

Brothers and sisters in Christ, let us therefore commit ourselves to the Lord and devote ourselves completely to Him from now on, inspired by the examples, the great love, compassion and charity which St. Teresa of Kolkata had shown her fellow brethren. Let us do our best to do what the Lord has commanded us to do, and may the Lord continue to guide and strengthen us, and may He continue to encourage us that we will always remember to do what is worthy in the eyes of the Lord, living our lives full of virtue and grace, and distancing ourselves from the path of pride and ego, of human ambition and worldly desires. May God bless us in our every works and efforts, now and always. Amen.

by

Sunday, 4 September 2022 : Twenty-Third Sunday of Ordinary Time (Homily and Scripture Reflections)

Liturgical Colour : Green

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, on this Sunday all of us are reminded and called to recognise the nature of the shortness, fickleness and impermanence of life, as each one of us know and should be aware that our lives whether they be short or long, but in the timescales and span of this world history, it is but a tiny drop amidst the great ocean of time. All of us must be aware that we exist but for just a moment, and yet, in that relatively short existence, each one of us can do so many great and wonderful things should we allow the Lord to lead and guide our path in life.

In our first reading today, we heard from the author of the Book of Wisdom speaking of how the wisdom and truth of God are far beyond the ability of man to fully comprehend, even with their greatest abilities, intellect or wisdom. No one can truly understand the Lord unless they entrust themselves to Him, and allow Him to lead and guide them in their journey, allowing His Holy Spirit to enter into us and dwell within us, inspiring us with His love and truth, and allowing us to understand better the true way of the Lord, as it is only by opening ourselves, our hearts and minds to the Lord that we can know Him more and therefore serve Him better in our lives.

In our Gospel passage today, we heard of the Lord speaking to His disciples and the people on the matter of following Him and how He also mentioned the parable of a man who wanted to build a house and a king who wanted to wage a war with another kingdom. Through what we heard in that Gospel passage today, we can clearly see that the Lord told all of us how each and every actions we take, all of them should be well thought of and carefully discerned, so that we may take the correct course of actions and not be hasty in making decisions which may end up causing us to take the wrong decisions and doing the wrong things that lead us into troubles.

The Lord highlighted how following Him will mean that we have to endure sufferings and trials at times, and we have to face rejection and opposition, and hence, carrying our crosses just in the same way that the Lord Himself had to carry His Cross and suffer for the sake of all of us. Just as our Lord Himself has been rejected, oppressed and persecuted, many of us may also therefore face the same persecution and oppression by the world and by all those who disagree with the Lord and His ways, and by all those who refused and still refuse to believe in Him. Such is the reality for us being Christians, as we have to dare to be different from the world, to stand by our faith and the path of the Lord against the often corrupt and immoral ways of this world.

In our second reading today, St. Paul in his Epistle to Philemon highlighted how he was returning one called Onesimus to him and the other faithful, and mentioning himself as a prisoner for Christ, and this Onesimus was like a godson to St. Paul. Through this seemingly short passage and message from St. Paul, again we can see the reality of our faith, that we may often face trials and struggles, persecutions and hardships just as St. Paul himself had endured, being in prison and treated badly by many for so many years of his ministry as a great missionary of the Christian faith. And yet, at the same time we can also see the great dedication which this Apostle has shown us as well.

In this, brothers and sisters in Christ, after hearing the words of the Scriptures, we are presented with a clear message and reminder from the Lord, that we have to trust in Him in guiding us throughout our lives in following the right path. We should not depend only on our own human strength, judgment and abilities, or else, very soon we will realise that we face such seemingly insurmountable odds and challenges, and we then quickly tend to withdraw from the trials and choose instead to conform to what is acceptable by the world and by everyone, and essentially therefore abandoning our faith and bringing scandal both to the Lord and to His Church.

Instead, the Lord has called on all of us to carry our crosses in life together with Him. Let us remember how Christ our Lord has suffered for us, and how He willingly endured all of that so that we may be saved and may receive new hope and life, freed from the shackles and bonds of sin and evil. We must remember that while we may carry heavy burdens that is our crosses in life, the difficulties in our Christian journey, our crosses that we carry, but the Lord has done it all earlier on, and He did so for the sake of every single one of us. We have to also realise that our lives in this world, as I mentioned earlier, are short, and we should do whatever we can in this life, to glorify God through them.

The Lord as mentioned also did not leave us alone. He is carrying His Cross with us, suffering with us and strengthening us along the way. He has given to us His Holy Spirit through His Apostles and His Church that the Holy Spirit may show us the way and the wisdom of God. This means that as Christians we should truly entrust ourselves to the Lord, entrusting ourselves in His wisdom and guidance so that in all the things we say and do we will always do what is right and worthy as those called as God’s beloved people and children, namely Christians. We are called and expected to glorify God by our lives and to proclaim Him through everything we say and do, at all times.

Brothers and sisters in Christ, now that the Lord has shown us what the path forward for us look like, all of us are reminded to be like the man and the king in the parable mentioned in the Gospel passage today. Knowing what is expected of us and what hardships and trials we may have to endure based on the examples of the past and the history of the Church, we should discern well and carefully on what course of action and path that we want to take. We should resist the temptations to abandon the Lord’s path and to conform to the world and its corruptions. Instead, we should strive to remain ever more faithful in God and allow the Lord to continue to guide our lives and our actions.

Let us all renew our faith and commitment in God, brothers and sisters in Christ, that our every words, actions and deeds may be true testimony of our faith. May all of us always put ourselves in the hands of the Lord, recalling how He has always ever patiently guided us and showed us the way forward. May all of us be motivated and inspired to allow God to lead us down the path of virtue and righteousness, that through Him we may perform ever more wonderful deeds, and be filled with virtuous examples through which many more people may come to believe in the Lord as well, through our faithful testimony of our faith by our lives and actions. May God bless us always in all things, and in all of our good efforts and endeavours, now and always. Amen.

by

Saturday, 3 September 2022 : 22nd Week of Ordinary Time, Memorial of Pope St. Gregory the Great, Pope and Doctor of the Church (Homily and Scripture Reflections)

Liturgical Colour : White

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, today as we listened to the words of the Scriptures, we are all constantly being reminded as we have been this whole week, to entrust ourselves to God’s wisdom and not to human wisdom and ways, to put our faith in God and His providence and not to depend on human ingenuity, power and strength. The Lord has shown us the path forward in life, and we should believe in Him and commit ourselves to His cause, allowing Him to lead and guide us down the right path, and not to allow ourselves to be distracted by worldly temptations and persuasions, all those that are able to cause us to be drawn away from the path towards God and His truth.

In our first reading today, we heard from the Epistle of St. Paul to the Church and the faithful in Corinth regarding the importance of remaining vigilant against the temptations of pride and desire, of hubris, ego and ambition that can easily mislead them away from the path towards the Lord. The Apostle spoke against those who were divided against each other, being prejudiced against their fellow brothers and sisters simply because they had differences in opinions and thoughts. At that time, the community of the faithful in Corinth were divided among several groups due to the different preferences they had between following the different missionaries and leaders like St. Paul himself, as well as Apollos, the famous Jewish Christian preacher, and others.

In our Gospel passage today, we heard from the Lord Himself speaking to the Pharisees and others regarding the matter of the Law of the Sabbath which the Pharisees found issue with Him and His disciples when the latter were picking the grains of the field to be eaten as they were very hungry. The Pharisees adopted a very strict and rigid view of the Law and they imposed this view and version of the Law on the people, looking down on those who did not obey the Lord the way that they had done it. They criticised others whom they deemed to be unworthy while praising and looking highly on themselves, considering them as the only ones worthy of God.

It was there that the Lord made the same reminder to all of us, that we must not fall into this temptation of pride and desire, the temptation of our ego and greed which can become the source of our downfall into sin. For through their preoccupation and obsession with their rigorous observation of the Law, that had led to them idolising themselves and being self-centred instead of focusing their attention on God. The Lord and His truth no longer became the focal point of their actions and lives, and as such, they became further and further away from God’s path, and dragged many others into the wrong paths in life.

That is why each and every one of us have been constantly reminded throughout this week to guard ourselves against all sorts of temptations found in our world. We should not easily succumb to the pressures and the temptations found all around us, all of which can drag us deep into the trap of sin and evil. We must constantly be vigilant and ready to resist the pleasures and e allures of wickedness, and strive to do our best to be ever faithful to God at all times and in all things. We are all reminded today that each and every one of us have been called to a new, holy existence through God and His Son. And we can do so by looking upon the examples set by the Lord Himself, His Apostles and our holy predecessors, the saints and martyrs.

Today the Church also celebrates the Feast of Pope St. Gregory the Great, one of the great Popes, a great servant of God and reformer, who dedicated himself to the greater glory of God. Pope St. Gregory the Great reformed the Church in many different ways, reformed the Roman clergy and also influenced the greater Church community, purifying them from the excesses and corruptions of the world, enforcing a new and more rigorous practice and discipline in the Christian community. Pope St. Gregory the Great also spent his time and effort in expanding the reach of the Church and the Christian faith, sending out many missionaries to spread the Good News of God to more and more people all around the world.

Pope St. Gregory the Great spent a lot of time reforming the way the Church worshipped as well, laying the foundations of what would later be known as the Gregorian Chant, and also regulated the liturgy into a more synchronous form, and also brought the Church liturgy both in the West and the East to be more coordinated and laid the foundations of what today would become the Holy Mass as well as the Divine Liturgy in the Eastern Church. He wrote extensively in various letters and also other works, in opposing the various heresies of the day and in helping to guide the members of the faithful to turn back towards the Lord with faith.

Brothers and sisters in Christ, today as we listened to and remember the words of the Scripture and as we remember the great deeds and works, the faith and dedication with which Pope St. Gregory the Great had committed himself, each and every one of us are reminded to live our lives to the fullest, in the path that God has shown us, obeying Him and focusing our attention on Him and not to ourselves, distancing ourselves from the temptations of worldly glory and greatness, and turning away from the allures of worldly excesses and ambitions, of pride and immorality, of hubris and human greed. All of us should guard ourselves against all those temptations and do our best to inspire one another to remain true in faith in God in the way that Pope St. Gregory the Great himself had inspired us.

Let us all therefore seek the Lord with all our heart, committing ourselves at all times to glorify Him by our lives. Let us all renew our commitment to serve Him with zeal and dedication, that we will always put God as the priority and focus of our lives. May the Lord be with us always and may He empower each one of us to live ever more faithfully in His presence, now and always, forevermore. Amen.

by

Friday, 2 September 2022 : 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 Lord in the Scriptures, we are reminded first of all to be wise and thoughtful servants and followers of God, and to treat one another with respect and kindness, not to judge one another with malicious intention and desire, but instead to show true love and concern for one another. We have to heed the Lord’s words and remember to turn towards Him with renewed faith and way of life, committing ourselves to lead each other on the right path instead of trying to bring each other down and in being judgmental in our attitudes and actions.

In our first reading today, we heard from the Epistle of St. Paul to the Church and the faithful in Corinth, we heard of the words of the Apostle reminding the faithful people of God there to be faithful and put their faith in God and not be judgmental towards one another. This came at a time when there were significant divisions and conflicts among the faithful in Corinth, as was elsewhere due to the differences in opinions among the faithful who were divided between the various missionaries and leaders of the faithful as we have heard in the past few days of readings, between those who followed St. Paul himself, and Apollos, another famous preacher and others who sided with the other Apostles among others.

St. Paul reminded the faithful people of God not to be divided or hostile against each other because of their differences, and instead of judging one another, being hostile and angry against each other, they should work towards resolving their differences, reminding them that after all in the end, all of them are God’s people, the members and parts of His same one Church. There should not be prejudice or distinction henceforth amongst the people of God just because they preferred certain ways of teaching or ideas, unless those ideas were indeed against the truth of God, which in the case of St. Paul, Apollos or the other Apostles were not such, as each one of them were faithful to the Lord and delivered His truth in their own different ways.

In our Gospel passage today, we then heard the Lord speaking to the people who compared Him and His disciples with the disciples of St. John the Baptist and the Pharisees, in terms of how they fasted and followed the laws as according to the common laws observed among the people at that time, the Law of Moses. The people wondered why Jesus and His disciples did not fast the way that the Pharisees and the teachers of the Law, as well as the disciples of St. John had done. Worse still was that the Pharisees and the teachers of the Law themselves often criticised and even were hostile against the Lord and His ways, His teachings and truths simply because they did not conform to the ways that were endorsed or supported by the Pharisees and the teachers of the Law.

Contextually, we also have to understand that the Pharisees and the teachers of the Law were the religious and intellectual elites of their time, and they liked to look down on those who disagreed with them, and also those whom they deemed to be inferior, sinful and wicked, worthless or hopeless, treating those people like the tax collectors and prostitutes, the poor and the sick, those who were afflicted with diseases and disabilities, possessed by evil spirits and demons as those who were beyond hope and salvation, and were unworthy of God’s love and grace. They kept the gates of God’s salvation shut for those who came to seek the Lord, and made it difficult for many to approach the Lord by their overly strict and stringent laws and customs.

It is this same attitude that St. Paul and also the Lord Himself had warned us against, the prideful attitude of man who indulged in their sense of superiority and their selfish nature, in seeking personal glory and satisfaction over that of the truth and love of God. The Pharisees and the teachers of the Law had not faithfully done what the Lord had entrusted them to do, and as such, the Lord pointed out that His way is the true way, and those who follow Him, His truth and way, have to commit themselves to the new path that He Himself will show, the path of God’s righteousness and grace, and renew themselves through listening to God’s words, always ever constantly reminding all of us, all of His people to follow Him.

Brothers and sisters in Christ, now that we have heard these words of the Sacred Scriptures, and kind reminders for us to follow the path that God has set and placed before us, let us all therefore commit ourselves thoroughly at all times, dedicating ourselves, our time and effort to draw ever closer to God, doing whatever we can to be inspiration to one another in the way we live our lives, in our every actions, words and deeds, all of which should be based and focused on the Lord, to show that we are truly God’s people in everything, so that we may help to show God’s truth by the testimony of our faith and lives, in each and every moments we have in this world.

May the Lord continue to be with us always, and may He empower each and every one of us that we may strive to live worthily at every opportunities possible, leading more and more people towards the Lord, and may through our good examples, we can help many others to find out more about the Lord, about His love and path, that more of them may eventually come closer to God, and share with us the joy of our faith in God as well. May God bless us in our every good efforts and endeavours, our every good works, now and always, forevermore. Amen.

by

Thursday, 1 September 2022 : 22nd Week of Ordinary Time, World Day of Prayer for the Care of Creation (Homily and Scripture Reflections)

Liturgical Colour : Green

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, today we listened to the words of the Scripture, we are all called to keep in mind that we should trust in the Lord’s wisdom and allow Him to guide us in our path and journey throughout life. We should not do things in the way that the world often told us to do, or to trust in the wisdom of the world because as Christians, many of the things we learnt through the truth and wisdom of God show us that what the world considers as folly and stupid, irrational or strange, is actually the best path, as God knows all things while we mankind, even in our best intellect and wisdom knew only a part of all things.

In our first reading today, taken from the Epistle of St. Paul to the Church and the faithful in Corinth, continuing from the discourse earlier this week, we heard of the Apostle mentioning how what is wise in the sight of the world is considered as foolish in the eyes of God. This, together with the reference that was made regarding the leaders of the faithful and evangelisers like St. Paul himself, Apollos, a popular Jewish Christian convert and preacher, Cephas, that is St. Peter, the leader of the Apostles and the Vicar of Christ, among others, all these were meant to remind the faithful in Corinth that they must keep their focus in the Lord and not in their own selfishness and divided nature.

For back then, there had been a rather bitter division amongst the members of the Church and the faithful people of God, as some of the faithful sided with St. Paul while others were siding with Apollos, having differences in their thoughts and preferences. While that would have been natural in any organisation and in our Church even today, but from what St. Paul had elaborated and shared in his Epistle to the Corinthians showed us that the divisions that happened among the faithful seemed to be rather bitter, where that led to the break in the unity of the Church of God, the Body of Christ.

That was why St. Paul appealed to the people of God in Corinth, to stay away from the temptations of their pride and ego, and to be willing to listen to God’s wisdom and truth, rather than to follow the whim of human and worldly wisdom and ways. Otherwise, that would have caused the divisions and disunity to continue even further, leading to further fracture in the unity within God’s Holy Church, the Christian community. Through the words of the Lord, God and His servants kept on reminding us the members of His Church to trust in His wisdom and love, His truth and grace, because in Him alone we can find the sure path to true happiness and salvation.

In our Gospel passage today, we heard of the Lord and His disciples, as He called on His first disciples by the Lake of Galilee or Gennesaret. There He encountered Simon, the future St. Peter, as well as the other fishermen, who had not been able to get any fishes all night long despite their efforts. The Lord told them to lower their nets according to His instruction, and while Simon told Him that they had done work all night and got nothing, but he still obeyed the Lord and did as He asked of him to do. According to conventional and worldly wisdom, this would have been foolish to do, as all the more that Simon Peter and the others must have been experienced fishermen, who must have known that it was pointless to try more.

Yet, as shown by the Lord’s instructions and what happened afterwards, Simon Peter and the other fishermen immediately got a catch so massive, with so many fishes trapped in their nets that their boats almost sank from the great weight of the fishes. This miracle showed us all that what the world considered foolish, is actually the truth and possible in the sight of God. We must not put our faith in the Lord and His truth on the backbench, but instead, put it at the forefront of our lives. We have to prioritise Him and not to forget that His way and truth is the better way forward. We have to learn to trust in Him more the way that Simon, St. Peter, trusted in Him and humbled himself before the Lord, in listening to and obeying the Lord’s words.

In the same way therefore, each and every one of us as Christians ought to be more trusting in God, putting our faith and trust in Him, and not to pride ourselves on our human achievements and greatness, our wisdom and glory. We have to learn to listen to the Lord and allow Him to lead and guide us down the right path. We should listen to the Lord calling us deep within our hearts and minds, and turn towards Him with full of faith and desire to obey Him and to do His will. And as we heard in our Gospel passage today, through the same event of the miraculous catching of fishes, we see how through God’s guidance, as the Church, all of us can gain so much more from our efforts.

There are still so many opportunities that we as the Church can and should do in our works of evangelisation, as well as in the matter of the caretaking of our world, particularly remembering that today is the World Day of Prayer for the Care of Creation. We are reminded that each and every one of us ought to be good and responsible stewards of creation, and in order to do so, we should be willing to allow God to guide us in our actions through His wisdom and grace. May the Lord continue to show us His wisdom, His truth and strengthen us with great faith, dedication and energy that we may always strive to do our best to glorify God in all things by our lives, now and always, evermore. Amen.