Weekday Homily

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Tuesday, 24 March 2026 : 5th Week of Lent (Homily and Scripture Reflections)

Liturgical Colour : Purple/Violet

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, today as we listened to the words of the Scriptures, all of us are reminded of the love that God has always patiently shown upon us that even though we have often sinned against Him, but that did not prevent Him from continuing to reach out towards us with love, as He continued to care for us and shower us with His kindness and love. He still looked upon us with forgiveness and the willingness to be reconciled with all of us. No one can be excluded from His love, and unless we ourselves have rejected God’s love and grace right to the very end, there is always a path for us towards redemption and reconciliation with Him. We shall gain justification and strength through Him, and will be forgiven our sins if only that we repent from them and sincerely desire to turn away from the wickedness of our  evils. But if we sin against God and continue to do so, we have to face the consequences for those sins, as the Scriptures had shown us today.

In our first reading today, we heard from the Book of Numbers how the people of Israel, those whom God had rescued and led out from the land of their misery and enslavement by the Egyptians, rebelled against the Lord and complained against Him, despite having been shown such great care and love from God. They committed vile deeds and hardened their hearts against God, and thus they have sinned against God. Then, for their stubborn attitude and behaviour, the Lord sent fiery serpents to strike at those who have persistently disobeyed against Him and refused to listen to Him. This is representative of what sin entails, that is because sin leads to separation from God and hence death, since without God, we can have no life. Those who disobeyed God and sinned against Him essentially had to suffer the consequences of their own sins and wickedness.

But it did not mean that God despised His people, as in truth, God still loved His people very much, and still cared for them regardless. That was why He showed them His mercy and compassion as He gave them the path out of their predicament when they showed repentance and regret over their sins, as He told Moses to make a great bronze serpent standard, lifted up high on a pole before the people, so that all those who were bitten and then saw the bronze serpent would not perish but live. This was a prefigurement of what the Lord Himself would do through His own Son, Whom He would send into the world so that He might save us all, that by looking upon Him Who has been crucified for us, we may all find forgiveness and true reconciliation with God. Yes, what we have heard in our first reading today, is a prefigurement for our Lord’s Passion, His suffering and death on the Cross for the salvation of the whole world.

In our Gospel passage today, we heard of the words of the Lord Jesus as He spoke to the Jewish people who assembled and gathered in order to listen to Him. He told them all more of the truth about Himself, proclaiming about what He Himself would do for the salvation of all and the whole world. He told them all how He would have to suffer and be raised up for everyone to see, the Son of Man, raised up like the way the bronze serpent of Moses was lifted up for everyone to witness. Thus, again, what we have heard today from the Gospel is one important moment when the Lord revealed that He was about to suffer for everyone’s sake, to gather all of the Lord’s scatted people and all those who loved Him to Himself. He went through all the humiliation and sufferings so that all of us may have the assurance of new life and existence with Him.

He has revealed God’s love in the flesh, that everyone may see the Love of God personified and made clear in this world. The Lord has given us His own Son to us as the clear sign of His love, just as He has given the bronze serpent to Moses as the means for the Israelites to escape from their predicament of being bitten by those terrible serpents. The Lord gave His Son to us so that by Him bearing upon Himself all the sins and faults that we have made, which bore down heavily on His shoulders as He lifted up His Cross, we may all be redeemed and freed from the bondage to sin, to the tyranny of evil and death. This is what we are all reminded of today, as we listened to these Scripture passages. We are reminded both of the dangers and threats posed to us by our sins, and how God has most generously provided us with the means to get away from all those threats.

That is why, brothers and sisters in Christ, as we continue to come ever closer to the beginning of Holy Week, and we progress ever deeper into the mysteries of Lent and of God’s love for us, let us all therefore spend some time to reflect on our own lives and actions, particularly in everything that we have said and done in the past year. Have we been truly good and faithful disciples of the Lord in all those things, in being good and exemplary, faithful and inspirational in showing our faith through our way of life? Or have we instead lapsed and fallen away from the path of righteousness, as we allowed ourselves to be swayed and tempted by the many temptations and allures of worldly glory and pleasures around us? Have we been stubborn and obstinate just like the Israelites who frequently and repeatedly rejected God’s most generous love and compassionate mercy?

This season and time of Lent, let us all make good use of the opportunities and time provided to us so that we may remind ourselves of our calling as Christians, that is to be holy and worthy of God, and to distance ourselves from the wickedness of worldly attachments and sins. Let us all be good role models, examples and inspiration for one another in how we live our lives, in everything we say and do, even in the smallest and the seemingly least significant matters, so that all of us may be the true and faithful beacons of God’s light and love, and be the faithful witnesses of Our Lord’s truth in the midst of our respective communities in our today’s world. This Lent should be a time for us to reexamine our focus in life so that we may turn away from the wickedness of the world and from the falsehoods of the devil, and instead, embrace wholeheartedly the loving and righteous ways of the Lord, our God and Saviour. We are also reminded and called to love one another ever more generously and lovingly, especially those whom we love the most.

May the Lord therefore be with us always and may He empower each and every one of us with the strength and the courage to be able to stand up for our faith, and to do what is right and just according to what He has shown and taught us to do. May God bless us all in our every endeavours and good efforts, in everything we do for His greater glory. May God bless our Lenten journey and perseverance through life. Amen.

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Monday, 23 March 2026 : 5th Week of Lent, Memorial of St. Turibius de Mogrovejo, Bishop (Homily and Scripture Reflections)

Liturgical Colour : Purple/Violet

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, today as we continue to progress through this time and season of Lent, we are reminded through the readings of the Sacred Scriptures, that the Lord loves each and every one of us and He does not discriminate between any one of us. All of us are equally beloved by Him despite of the sins we have committed against Him out of disobedience. He wants us all to find our way towards Him, journeying together with Him in love, in embracing His most generous mercy and compassion, knowing that He has infinite Love and mercy towards us, extending His loving Presence and embrace and reaching out to us sinners, and be ever willing to forgive us and be reconciled with us. This Lent we are reminded to seek the Lord ever more genuinely and intentionally, doing our best to grow in our connection and relationship with Him just as we ought to do the same to those around us as well.

In our first reading, taken from the Book of the prophet Daniel, we heard the rather long passage regarding the story of one woman named Susanna, a respected member of the community of the Israelite exiles in Babylon, who was known as being righteous and God-fearing, and at the same time was also charming and beautiful. And as we heard, this brought temptation upon two of the elders of the people of God who were there in the gardens of Susanna’s residence, lusting over her as she was bathing, despite knowing that she was married and was an upright woman, and despite the fact that they were the respected elders of the community of the Israelites. Not only that, but as we heard from the story, when they were foiled in their efforts as Susanna refused to follow them into sin, they were determined to silence her and to destroy her.

That was how the two elders ended up conjuring up false evidences and false accusations against Susanna, accusing her of having committed what they themselves sought to impose on her with another man. And amidst all that, Susanna, powerless in all the accusations brought up against her, with the two most respected figures of her own community plotting against her, could only pray to the Lord, surrendering everything to God’s will, protection and providence. That was precisely the very moment when the Lord chose to act, to intervene for the sake of those who have trusted wholeheartedly in Him. He spoke through the Holy Spirit that He aroused in Daniel, who acted and spoke with Wisdom, trapping the two elders in their own lies and exposing their deceitful actions before all, saving the life of the righteous.

Then, from our Gospel passage today, taken from the Gospel according to St. John the Apostle and Evangelist, we heard of the well-known story of the contention between the Lord Jesus and the teachers of the Law and the Pharisees who brought unto Him a woman who had been caught in the act of adultery. In that well-known story we heard how the Pharisees and the teachers of the Law were all trying very hard to trap the Lord with the case of the adulterous woman, as through their inquiry on what the Lord would do, they hope to get something out of what He would respond to them, be it that He supported the choice of actions of the Pharisees and the teachers of the Law in stoning the woman according to the Law of Moses, or whether the Lord opposed them and wanted them to free the woman.

If the Lord supported the course of actions of the Pharisees and the teachers of the Law, then they could have used that to their advantage, by saying that the Lord was after all no different from the Pharisees and the teachers of the Law themselves, and use that to further support their position and their way of doing things regarding the Law and its application. On the other hand, if the Lord opposed the actions of the Pharisees and the teachers of the Law, they would have then been able to accuse Him of wrongdoing, of trying to defend sinner and therefore going against the Law of Moses. Either way, if the Lord responded, that would have led to Him suffering losses against those Pharisees and teachers of the Law.

However, the Lord calmly waited for all of them to state their arguments, and patiently waited it out until then He wisely spoke the truth and reality, that every single one of them there were sinners, just like the adulterous woman, and none of them in truth had the right to condemn or to strike against the woman when they themselves had their own baggage of sins and disobedience against God. And that’s how we heard that one by one, starting from the oldest ones, who likely had committed the most sins, began to leave and soon there were nobody left to condemn the woman. In this then, we are all reminded that as Christians, we should not act in haughty and prideful manner, thinking that we are better than any others, even against those who do not believe in God. We are reminded to be always humble and to trust in God’s love and mercy, such as what He has shown to the woman.

That is why during this time of Lent, all of us are reminded to refocus our lives and our attention on the Lord. We should not allow the many distractions all around us from pulling us away from the path of the Lord. We should therefore also follow the good examples set by one of our holy predecessors, whose feast we are celebrating today, with the hope that we all may be inspired by his life and good examples. St. Turibius de Mogrovejo was a Spanish priest that eventually became a missionary and appointed as Archbishop of Lima in the then New World, what is today Peru. St. Turibius de Mogrovejo was truly a humble and committed servant of God, whose personal piety and obedience to God, love for Him and love for his fellow men inspired many who followed in his footsteps and examples. St. Turibius de Mogrovejo spent a lot of time reaching to his flock, teaching them about the faith and catechising them, and according to history and records, baptised no less than half a million of them, including the saints St. Rose of Lima and St. Martin de Porres.

St. Turibius de Mogrovejo was also very staunch in his dedication to the reforms of the Church, and launched a campaign of reform and reorganisation of his Archdiocese, to ensure that the clergy and the members of the faithful lived their lives in accordance to what the Lord has taught them, to the Church teachings and Apostolic traditions. He spent a lot of time in prayer and reflection, and dedicated himself to the betterment and help for his flock, to his fellow brothers and sisters, especially to those who were less fortunate and who were suffering. The dedication of St. Turibius de Mogrovejo, his faith and love both for God and for his fellow men should inspire us all that we may also live our lives well and in righteous manner, that we may truly be found worthy and good by the Lord our God, and worthy indeed to inherit the great things that God has prepared for us.

May the Lord hence guide and help us in our journey of faith through life, particularly during this blessed season and time of Lent. May He continue to strengthen our faith in us and encourage us all to continue carrying out our lives with great sincerity and desire to walk in the path that the Lord Himself has shown us. Let us all be reminded that our actions, our words and deeds, our every moments in life may be either good or negative examples for everyone around us, and if we truly consider ourselves as Christians, then we ought to live our lives sincerely and genuinely as how Susanna and St. Turibius de Mogrovejo had lived theirs. May all of us be good role models and exemplary Christians, bearers of God’s truth and Good News to all, now and always. Amen.

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Sunday, 22 March 2026 : Fifth Sunday of Lent (Homily and Scripture Reflections)

Liturgical Colour : Purple/Violet

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, on this Fifth and last Sunday of Lent before the beginning of Holy Week, all of us are reminded that each and every one of us are ultimately bound for the eternal existence in perfect grace in Heaven with God, the Lord and Master over all life and death. In Him is the authority to give us life and to take, and to restore us even from death should He will it to be, according to His Divine plan and all that He has desired. This Sunday is also the beginning of the Passiontide, the more intense phase of this time of Lent which lasts all through the Holy Week right up to the moment of Our Lord’s Passion, His suffering and death, and finally culminating in His glorious Resurrection. Therefore, we are invited on this Sunday to spend more time reflecting on Our Lord’s Passion, reminding ourselves of everything that He had done for our sake, out of pure and unconditional Love.

In our first reading this Sunday, we heard from the Book of the prophet Ezekiel, in which the Lord spoke to His people, the Israelites living in exile in the land of Babylon, to whom Ezekiel was sent to minister, the words of encouragement and reminder from their Lord and Master to keep the courage and strength within their hearts and minds, as they all had experienced lots of hardships, trials and struggles, having been forced to endure the shame of losing not only their homeland and cities, but also to see the destruction of their great and much revered Temple, the Temple and House of God which King Solomon once built for the Lord, and yet their ancestors had desecrated through their many years living in wickedness and sins, in disobedience against God.

God reassured His people that their sufferings and ordeals would be temporary and none of those hardships would be permanent. He would also remain with them, supporting and strengthening them throughout their journey, and one day, He would erase from them the shame of their exile and their homelessness, their sojourn in the distant and foreign lands. And the Lord promised that He would lead them back to the lands of their ancestors, to the land of Israel, a promise that He Himself would fulfil in due time. In the end, indeed, the Israelite exiles would be allowed to return to their homeland, to reestablish their lives there, their homes and their cities amidst the ruins of the old kingdoms of Israel and Judah.

And within this same prophecy, there was also an underlying prophecy and revelation of how God would also eventually lead all of us, His beloved people, not just the Israelites, but all of mankind, who have been forced to wander in exile in suffering in this world, in reference to what happened in the beginning of the Book of Genesis, back to Himself. Why is this so, brothers and sisters in Christ? This is because just like the Israelites who have been forced to wander in exile away from their homeland by their disobedience and sins, it was also by the sins and disobedience of our ancestors that we have been sundered and separated from God. God Who created each and every one of us out of His infinite Love for us never intended for this fate to befall us, and the same God therefore wanted us all to realise that we are truly Beloved, and that He is always with us, by our side, journeying with us.

Then, from our second reading this Sunday, we heard from the Epistle of St. Paul the Apostle to the Church and the faithful people of God in Rome. In that occasion we heard how St. Paul mentioned that those who walked in accordance to the flesh cannot please God, referring to how many people at that time lived in a worldly manner, refusing to follow the path of the Lord. He reminded the faithful people of God there in Rome that amidst their largely pagan and immoral surroundings, they, as Christians, as the ones whom God had called and chosen, and who have embraced God as their Lord and Saviour, ought to act, behave and live their lives as those who truly believe in God and not merely paying lip service to their faith.

This of course must not be understood as St. Paul requiring the faithful people of God to reject all sorts of worldliness and all kinds of worldly way of life. After all, each and every one of us living in our world today, in our respective communities and among our circles of family, friends and more, all of us are not required, expected or demanded to abandon our way of life in this world altogether. Rather, what St. Paul truly meant especially in the context of our world today is that, we should always be genuine in what we believe in, and practice them actively in our lives, in how we carry ourselves, in our interactions with one another, in how we love each other genuinely and sincerely just as much as we love God and ourselves.

There is indeed so many hurts, sufferings and troubles happening in this world today, and even scandals and problems facing the faithful people of God. And we may be surprised to know that it is often our fellow Catholics who caused many among us the greatest hurts and sufferings. Why is that so? That is because they are the ones we least expected to behave in the manner as they had done, and it is especially scandalising and unbecoming of our identity as Catholics that on one side, outwardly, we may appear to be pious, following the rules and commandments of the Church and the Lord, and yet, in how we treat one another, and even more so, those who are dear and closest to us, we caused hurt and sufferings instead. This is what St. Paul is warning us all about, that as Christians, we should not behave in the manner that bring scandal to our faith.

Finally, from our Gospel passage this Sunday from the Gospel according to St. John the Apostle and Evangelist, we heard of the well-known story of the resurrection of Lazarus from the dead by the Lord Jesus. In that well-known story, we heard how Lazarus, who was one of the Lord’s good friends, the brother of the sisters Mary and Martha, became very sick and was dying, and then we heard how the Lord purposefully went late and reached only after Lazarus had died from his sickness. All these happened in order that everything would come to be within God’s plan, and for God to be glorified through what His Son would do before everyone, in raising Lazarus from the dead. And in this occasion, this was where one of the occasions where we heard the Lord showed His great love for us manifested, as He wept for Lazarus.

Yes, brothers and sisters in Christ, while the Lord knew that He has the power to raise Lazarus from the dead, seeing one of His close friends passing from sickness and all the sorrows showed by his sisters and all the mourners who were there mourning Lazarus certainly struck the Lord Who loved us all dearly. His weeping for Lazarus, the tears that He shed for Lazarus were real tears, tears that He shed out of His pure and ever enduring Love for him and for all of us. We can see here how God manifested His Love for us so wonderfully, just as He reminded us all through raising Lazarus afterwards, that He has power over life and death, how each and every one of us are precious to Him, and He wants us all to share in the everlasting Love He has for us, in how we should love all those around us, and especially so those who are dearest and most beloved to us.

Brothers and sisters in Christ, therefore, having been reminded of God’s ever present and patient Love for each and every one of us, His promise of new life and resurrection, and everything He had done for us, for our good and for our salvation, let us all therefore be thankful and grateful for all the opportunities, patient Love, kindness and mercy that we have been shown by the Lord. Let us all strive to do our best to emulate His examples in loving us, in being merciful and forgiving in our own attitudes, actions and way of life each day, and in every moments. Let us all be good role models, inspirations and examples for one another, and be the faithful and worthy bearers of God’s Light and truth at all times, called to be full of God’s love in all things, in how we treat others around us, those whom we have been entrusted to love, and also those strangers we encounter.

May the Lord continue to strengthen our faith and teach us all to love generously and patiently as He Himself had done. May He continue to guide us through this time and season of Lent as we spend this time to deepen our spirituality and relationship with God, but at the same time we must also remember to deepen our relationship with one another as well. May God bless our every efforts and endeavours, and continue to accompany us lovingly as He has always done. Amen.

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Saturday, 21 March 2026 : 4th Week of Lent (Homily and Scripture Reflections)

Liturgical Colour : Purple/Violet

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, today as we continue to progress through the season and time of Lent, and as we are approaching the last two weeks of this Lenten season, we are reminded ever more through our Scripture readings of the things that happened around the Passion of Our Lord, building up towards the climax at the events we commemorate at the Easter or Paschal Triduum. We are reminded of all the plotting, hardships, trials and oppositions that the Lord encountered throughout His ministry and works, all of which came about because of the pride, ego and ambition of many among the people of God at that time, especially the leaders and elders of the people, all of whom sought to silence and destroy the Lord, seeing Him as a great threat to them and their status in the community.

In our first reading today, we heard from the Book of the prophet Jeremiah in which we heard the conversation between Jeremiah and God, where the prophet confided to God everything that the people had carried out against him, in their plots and designs to destroy him and to silence him despite everything that he had done for the good of the people of God, in bringing to them the warning from the Lord and also telling them at the same time of God’s continued patience and love for each and every one of them. And instead of appreciating what God had done for them through the labours of His prophet Jeremiah, they all tried to crush him and strike at him with all sorts of oppositions.

But God is a Just and Mighty God, Who is always kind, compassionate and caring towards those who are faithful to Him. He does not abandon His faithful ones to destruction and ruin, and He was certainly not silent when those who have held on to hope in Him faced challenges, trials and difficulties. He was always with each and every one of them, guiding and strengthening them all throughout their journey and struggles, carrying them and supporting them, providing them with the necessary courage and inspiration throughout those difficult moments. There were indeed times when the prophet Jeremiah almost lost it amidst all the plots and challenges facing him, and yet, in the end, he still trusted fully in the Lord and His Providence.

Then, from our Gospel passage today, we heard from the Gospel according to St. John the Apostle and Evangelist in which the continuation of the debates and the disagreements among the leaders and elders of the people, the elders and important persona of the Jewish community, were heard by us, as they gathered and debated about what the Lord Jesus had told them in their confrontation if we recall what it was as highlighted in our readings yesterday. The Lord rebuked those people for lacking faith and for not believing in Him despite everything that He has shown them and done before them all, all the miracles and wonders He had done, all the Wisdom that He had delivered to them, which they refused to believe out of pride and ego.

And they all debated as we heard in today’s Gospel passage, doubting and refuting Christ’s claim simply because they thought that it was impossible for someone like Him to have been the Messiah, thinking that they knew His background and identity, as a mere Son of a carpenter from Nazareth in Galilee, a region from which no prophet or Messiah was prophesied to come or originate from, but little did they know that the Lord was truly born in Bethlehem in Judea, and His foster-father was none other than the Heir of David himself, the King of Israel, and therefore, fulfilling perfectly all that God Himself had proclaimed and repeatedly reassured to all of His people through His many prophets and messengers.

The Lord has not withhold anything from us, and He gave us only the best of the best, none other than His own Beloved and Begotten Son, Whom He has sent into our midst to bring unto us the healing and reconciliation that is necessary so that we may find our way back to Him and His loving embrace. Having been separated from Him due to our disobedience and sins, we should have deserved death and destruction. And yet, God Who is always loving, kind and compassionate towards us always show us all His love, His ever present grace and His patient care, ever always reaching out to us all despite our stubborn attitudes and refusals to follow Him or listen to His words and reminders, as our ancestors had done to the prophets and to the Lord Himself.

Brothers and sisters in Christ, let us all therefore continue to journey through this time and season of Lent, with the spirit and fervour in our hearts, doing our best in every time and moment, seeking to strengthen our connection and relationship with God once again, if we have not been doing so regularly so far. Let us all continue to strive to spend more good and quality time with the Lord and to reorientate our lives so that we may truly walk faithfully and courageously with the Lord, be it in good times or bad times, in times of plenty and in times of suffering. Let us all continue to be good role models and examples in our every actions, words and deeds, in our every efforts and endeavours in life.

May the Lord, our most loving, compassionate and merciful God continue to show us all His most generous mercy, love and kindness at all times, strengthening each one of us with the necessary courage and inspiration, the patience and perseverance necessary to continue pushing on regardless of the challenges and trials that we may be facing in life. Let us not lose hope and be overcome by fear whenever we encounter difficult moments and struggles, remembering that the Lord Himself has suffered the worst of sufferings and punishments for our sake. Even as we journey patiently through all these challenges, let us remember that God is always with us, and there are those whom He has placed to help and journey with us too. Therefore, let us all continue to trust in the Lord and follow Him wholeheartedly, now and always. Amen.

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Friday, 20 March 2026 : 4th Week of Lent (Homily and Scripture Reflections)

Liturgical Colour : Purple/Violet

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, in today’s Scripture readings, we are reminded that as we progress through this time and season of Lent, each and every one of us as Christians, as those whom God had called and chosen may have to encounter difficult trials, oppositions and challenges in our paths and in our ways, but we must not give up hope and we must not be afraid or fearful because ultimately, God is always with us and He will always guide us and provide for us everything that we need in our paths and journeys, in doing whatever it is that He has entrusted to us to do. Let us all remember that whatever hardships and difficulties we have to endure, the Lord Himself has also experienced it as well, in His loving sacrifice through His Son, Jesus Christ, Our Lord and Saviour.

In our first reading today, taken from the Book of Wisdom, we heard of the account of the persecution of God’s prophets and servants by the people to whom they had been sent to minister to, highlighting just how stubborn and unreasonable the people had often been in their refusal to obey the words of the Lord, despite all that the Lord Himself had done for them, and everything that He has told them and given to them in reassurance of His constant love and care. Instead of appreciating the works of the Lord made through His prophets, they hardened their hearts and minds against those words and reminders, plotting the suffering and destruction of those prophets and messengers of God that had been sent for their own good.

This passage from the Book of Wisdom was also in fact also a prophecy about the Lord’s salvation itself, as it spoke clearly about the coming of the One Whom God would send into this world and Who would claim to be the Son of God, having God Himself as His Father in Heaven. All these were indeed what the Lord Jesus Himself had done, everything that the author of the Book of Wisdom had said and recorded, as reminders for all of us that everything which God had promised to us He would do, He would indeed accomplish and fulfil perfectly without exception. That is why we are reminded of God’s Providence and Love, and how He had shown this Love so perfectly and wonderfully to us through His Son, Who manifested to us the perfect Love of God.

And as we heard in how those people were to treat this same manifestation of God’s Perfect Love, by plotting against Him, persecuting and rejecting Him as they had done to the prophets in the past, and eventually as it would all be accomplished through Christ, that He would suffer and die the worst of sufferings, humiliations and punishments, all of which He did willingly and lovingly as He took up and bore His Cross, upon His own bleeding shoulders, so that by His wounds and hurts, His outpoured Blood and broken Body, He might show unto us all the perfect fulfilment of God’s promises and assurances to us, in His consistent and ever enduring Love, one which He bore even unto the Cross and unto His death at Calvary.

Then, from our Gospel passage today, taken from the Gospel according to St. John the Apostle and Evangelist, we heard of the confrontation between the Lord and His opponents, some of the Jewish people in Jerusalem, where the latter wanted to see the Lord arrested, silenced and destroyed. The Lord pointed out against the complaints and doubts which those who opposed Him had in Him, how they thought they knew where He came from and therefore judged and being biased against Him prematurely, telling them all that they all thought they knew it better and that they knew Him, as a mere carpenter’s Son from a small and unassuming town in Galilee, from where no prophet or Saviour was predicted or prophesied to come from.

And yet, God’s truth was hidden from them, and even if any of them did know the truth, their pride and ego, their hubris and ambition became their undoing as all those things prevented them from truly embracing God’s truth and Good News, and accepting His fully free and generous gift of Love through His Son, Our Lord and Saviour. Despite everything that the Lord Himself had done, all the miracles and wonders that He had performed before the people and before even those naysayers and opponents of His, they still refused to believe nonetheless, no matter how many amazing things and great Wisdom they themselves had heard. Some of them even accused the Lord of colluding with the forces of evil and the prince of demons.

That was why, as we come ever closer to the celebration and commemoration of the events of the Holy Week in just over a week’s time, we are reminded of the events that would transpire in Jerusalem regarding the Passion of Our Lord Jesus Christ, the sufferings and hardships that He would undergo for the salvation of the whole world. We are reminded of how God’s love has been manifested so wonderfully and perfectly for us all, and that is why we are called to reflect upon all the love and grace that the Lord our God has shown us so patiently and willingly for our salvation, and this Lent, let us all see in what way and manner that we can live our lives better and more devotedly as Christians, in our attitudes in our respective communities and in our various areas in life.

Brothers and sisters in Christ, let us all therefore strive to do our best in glorifying God at all times. Let us all be the good role models, inspirations and examples for everyone around us in how we continue to put our trust and faith in God despite the challenges and trials that we may have to face in life. Each and every one of us are the bearers of God’s Light, His truth, Good News and Love to our world today. Let us hence this Lent make the effort to be ever more loving in our every actions, in loving both God and our neighbours, and showing genuine care and kindness to everyone whom we encounter in life, now and always. Amen.

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Thursday, 19 March 2026 : Solemnity of St. Joseph, Spouse of the Blessed Virgin Mary (Homily and Scripture Reflections)

Liturgical Colour : White

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, this day we celebrate the great Solemnity of St. Joseph, the Spouse of the Blessed Virgin Mary. On this great St. Joseph’s day, we celebrate this wonderful man of God who had so faithfully dedicated his whole life to God’s service, and who had shown us what it means for us to be disciples and followers of the Lord, by our faith and actions. As the Spouse of Mary, the Mother of God, St. Joseph was also the Foster-Father of the Lord, as although he was not the biological father of the Lord, but he was His legal father, through his marriage to Mary, our Lord’s Mother. And it is this courageous and righteous man of God whose memory we venerate and celebrate today on this great Solemnity.

St. Joseph dedicated his life to the Lord and to do His will. He has always lived virtuously and honourably, a model Christian in all things. Although he was just merely a humble carpenter of a small village at the periphery of the Jewish world at that time, St. Joseph was indeed a great man, one whom God had chosen to be the instrument through whom He would enter into the world and perform His works. St. Joseph was also the upright and courageous man who have always shown love for both God and for his fellow men, a truly great example and role model for everyone, even though he was a relative nobody in his world at that time, but his righteousness truly shone forth, and his identity as the Heir of David also made him the perfect guardian and foster-father for Our Lord Himself.

St. Joseph whose feast we celebrate today is the great Protector of the Church and all of us Christians just as he is the loyal, committed and faithful Protector of the Holy Family. And we remember all that he had done in caring for the Holy Family, that is first and foremost in how he laboured hard to protect the vulnerable Child Jesus from the hands of His enemies, all those who sought for His death. He protected Jesus and Mary from harm even before Jesus was born, caring for Mary and helping her to find a lodging as she and St. Joseph made their way down to Bethlehem for the census of the Emperor Augustus. It was certainly a difficult journey, but they all courageously and patiently bore through the journey.

And later on St. Joseph brought Mary and Jesus to Egypt fleeing from the hands of King Herod, who wanted the Child Jesus to be killed, as the former saw the Lord as a threat and rival to his power. St. Joseph followed the word and advice of the Angel of God who told him to bring his family out to Egypt. He cared for them there and brought Mary and Jesus back to Nazareth after the enemies of the Lord had passed on. He was truly a great father and a righteous man, dedicating himself and his life to the mission that has been entrusted to him. He might be just a mere lowly carpenter often looked down by everyone else, but his virtues and greatness far surpassed anything else, a great inspiration to each and every one of us.

Through St. Joseph, Our Lord Jesus was born legally as the Heir and Son of David, as according to the genealogy that we heard today from the Gospel of St. Matthew, Joseph was the rightful heir of David, born of his line and house, and therefore, just as the Lord promised to David that his rule, house and kingdom would be forever firm, these all were fulfilled in Christ. Through Jesus Christ, God has come into this world, to reign as our King, claiming the Kingship of His forefather David, and reestablish the true Kingdom of God in this world. But His Kingdom is not of this world and is not like of this world, and that was why, He was not born into great wealth and splendour, but into simplicity and humility.

But as I have mentioned just earlier, we celebrate the glorious memory of St. Joseph more than just because he was the foster-father of Our Lord and Saviour. It was because of his great virtues and righteousness that we rejoice to have such a great role model and inspiration in our own lives. St. Joseph is that great example whom we can follow in our own lives, as we look upon him as our guide in our own journey of faith through life towards God. We are constantly reminded that we too have to be righteous, good and committed in our lives, walking with God and helping to guide one another in faith towards Him.

That is why, in this season of Lent, all of us are called to look upon the good examples set by St. Joseph and we are called to emulate him in our own lives, reminding ourselves to be more righteous and just, more committed to follow the Lord by following the examples of St. Joseph, who laboured hard in life with honesty and justice, not minding his own personal desires, ambition, ego or greed. He placed God above all else and the mission that He has entrusted to him, he has carried out with patience and virtue all the same. That is what each and every one of us as Christians ought to be doing as well, in being devoted to the Lord and in following His path courageously and faithfully at all times.

All of us must remember that as Christians we have to exhibit these virtues in life, in our every moments and actions, in whatever we say and do. Let us really make good use of the time and opportunity afforded to us this Lent for us to rediscover our faith in God, reconnect our lives to Him, reorientate our ways, thoughts and all the things we say and do, that all those may come harmoniously along with God and His path. Let us all do our very best and come ever closer to God and His salvation, that we may be filled with His grace and love, at all times. And through this faithful commitment to God, let us all be good and shining examples to one another like how St. Joseph had been good role model to us.

May God be with us all, and may He empower each and every one of us that we may always walk faithfully in His presence, and may He bless all of our actions and works, and may St. Joseph, the Protector of the Holy Family and the Protector of the Church, intercede for us always, and help us through his inspirations and his prayers, that we may always walk courageously as he himself had done, in the path of his foster Son, Our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ. St. Joseph, holy saint of God, pray for us! Amen.

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Wednesday, 18 March 2026 : 4th Week of Lent, Memorial of St. Cyril of Jerusalem, Bishop and Doctor of the Church (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, each and every one of us are reminded that we should always believe in the Lord, trusting in His words and guidance, and remembering all the love which He has constantly provided for us, in having manifested towards us His perfect love through none other than His own Most Beloved Son, Our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ. And therefore, having been reminded of this great Love and all the constant providence that He has always provided to us, we must never give up in our struggles and commitment, in our drive and efforts to follow the path that the Lord has set before us all.

In our first reading today, taken from the Book of the prophet Isaiah, we heard of the words of the Lord’s continued reassurance and promises made to His people, all the words of comfort and encouragement, reminding them all that despite their sufferings and hardships, all of which were due to their own lack of faith and trust in the Lord, the Lord would always provide for them all, and that they would always still be precious and beloved people of God no matter what. The Lord would never abandon them all to destruction, and that was why He constantly reached out to them nonetheless, sending them all His messengers and servants, the prophets in order to help them in their way.

And God also reassured them all that He would send unto them His salvation, manifested in the Saviour that He would reveal to them in due time, the same Saviour Whom He had been promising to them again and again, reminding them all that they were never forgotten, but that they were always first and foremost in God’s thoughts. And therefore, they all should hold on to their faith in the Lord, trust in Him and follow Him, regardless of the challenges, trials, and whatever other options and alternatives that they might have on their hands. God is always with us all, His beloved ones and He will always be by our side, and that is what we really ought to appreciate, as He will lead us all to the path of righteousness that ends up with true joy and satisfaction.

Then, from our Gospel passage today, taken from the Gospel according to St. John the Apostle and Evangelist, we heard of the words of the Lord Jesus highlighting to His disciples about His relationship with His heavenly Father, as the Son sent into this world to fulfil and accomplish everything that the Father has planned and has then therefore executed by sending the long promised salvation into our midst. In Jesus Himself, we have all seen the perfect manifestation of God’s love, all that He has promised us all, the Word of God Himself made flesh, taking up our nature and appearance, as the Son of Man, Who is also the Son of God, made tangible and approachable to us, showing and teaching us all what God Himself has always intended to reveal to us.

And as the Son of Man, the Lord showed us all the perfect example for all of us mankind to follow, in trusting in the Lord, in listening to Him and in obeying His will. Today’s Gospel passage was full of the Lord highlighting how He as the Son, He obeyed His Father’s will perfectly, listening to Him and communicating regularly with Him. Therefore this is also showing each and every one of us how we too should follow the Lord’s good examples in living our own lives, especially more so during this time and season of Lent. We are reminded that we should have a good and thriving, genuine and organic relationship with the Lord our God, and that is why, we should also spend more time with Him, if we have not done so, such that we are always constantly attuned to what the Lord wants from us.

We are reminded during this time of Lent to turn away from our sinfulness and wicked past, and let us all look upon the good examples set by our holy predecessors, who have lived their lives faithfully and with love and devotion to God, especially that of St. Cyril of Jerusalem, whose feast we are celebrating today. St. Cyril of Jerusalem was the Bishop of Jerusalem who was remembered for his dedication to God and his flock, as well as for his courageous efforts and works in defending the true and orthodox faith against those who espoused the false and heretical teachings, especially that of the Arian heresy. Back then, many among the heretics enjoyed the protection of the Imperial court and the support of the powerful members of the community, and swayed by greed and worldly glory, those heretics continued to work in dividing the Church and bringing about the downfall of many into the wrong paths.

St. Cyril of Jerusalem dedicated himself to resist the efforts of those wicked heretics and committed his life and ministry to care for the spiritual well-being of his flock and that of the wider Universal Church, spending a lot of time writing various treatises on the faith, as well as other theological matters, and resisting the various efforts of the false teachers and guides in misleading the people of God down the wrong path. He faced a lot of hardships and trials throughout his ministry, being deposed and exiled on several occasions due to the intrigues and the resistance from the Arian bishops and heretics, but all these did not dampen the spirit and the dedication of St. Cyril of Jerusalem, who continued to commit himself wholeheartedly for the work intended for the salvation of souls and for the glory of God.

Brothers and sisters in Christ, let us all therefore be inspired by the good examples set by St. Cyril of Jerusalem, and do whatever we can so that we may commit ourselves more wholeheartedly to the path that God has set before us. Let us all seek Him with humble and contrite hearts, loving God with all of our hearts and focusing our attention on Him. Let us all be good role models and inspirations for one another in faith and in how we live our lives so that we may help each other in our constant efforts and struggles in the faith, and that we may indeed live our lives worthily as those whom God has called and chosen, now and always. Amen.

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Tuesday, 17 March 2026 : 4th Week of Lent, Memorial of St. Patrick, Bishop (Homily and Scripture Reflections)

Liturgical Colour : Purple/Violet

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, today’s Scripture readings are important reminders for all of us that we should continue to trust in God’s power of healing and restoration for each and every one of us, that no matter how long we have to struggle, endure challenges and wait, and no matter how tough our situations and our trials may be for us, but in the end, if we trust in the Lord, everything will ultimately be fine for us, and we will be vindicated, liberated, strengthened and encouraged throughout whatever challenges, hardships and trials that we may be facing in our journey of life. We should continue to keep this in mind and never lose our hope, continuing to go forth confidently with God as our guide.

In our first reading today, taken from the Book of the prophet Ezekiel in which we heard the vision of Ezekiel of the heavenly Temple of God, where the Lord’s Presence resided, and how from this grand and wonderful Temple, a great stream of lifegiving water was seen and coming forth, flooding out of the Temple into a great stream of lifegiving water, which brought forth many trees with bountiful fruits. In that great vision is an important reminder for all of us that with God lies the wonderful hope of renewal and restoration, because God indeed is the Lord and Master of life, and the One in Whom we can find true joy and hope that sustains us through even through the most difficult moments.

That is why through what we have heard from the vision of the prophet Ezekiel, we are reminded that no matter how bleak our situation in this world may be, we must never lose hope and we must always remain positive no matter what, and we have to put our trust in God because it is in Him alone that we can find true satisfaction, joy and fulfilment. We should seek the Lord from Whom we can receive the assurance of eternal life and contentment, because in the Lord there is the Spring of lifegiving water, which fills us all up and nourishes us, strengthening and empowering us all through the most difficult challenges and moments in life.

Now, from our Gospel passage today, taken from the Gospel according to St. John the Apostle and Evangelist, we heard of the miraculous healing of a paralysed man who was lying for many years, a total of thirty-eight years at the Pool of Bethzatha around Jerusalem. In that occasion, the poor man had been waiting for so many years without end, in trying to get the miraculous healing associated with that Pool, as according to what we heard, an Angel of God would descend periodically on the water of the Pool, and the moment that happened, the first person to come into the water would be miraculously healed. Unfortunately, as we heard, no one was willing to help the paralysed man to get into the pool.

And that was how he was lying there for so many years without any progress, until the day when the Lord Jesus Himself came to the Pool and saw the paralysed man, knowing that this man had been suffering for so many years without any hope of healing and redemption, and that was why, He offered to him the healing that he had been long waiting for, and by the man’s faith, he was hence healed and made whole again to the astonishment of everyone who had known him being paralysed and lying at the pool for all of his life. This reminds us all that if we put our faith and trust in the Lord, ultimately, we will be vindicated, all of our hope and waiting will be worthwhile in the end, no matter how long our waiting may be. Trust in the Lord always and be faithful to Him, and believe always in His Providence.

Today, the Church also celebrates the feast of the renowned missionary and saint who is the patron of all the Irish people all around the world, namely St. Patrick, who is remembered for his great missionary works and zeal, in his efforts to bring the Christian faith to the land of Ireland among other things. St. Patrick was a well-known missionary of the faith, who was born in the area of Britain in the fifth century, and it was told that he was captured and enslaved by Irish pirates in his youth, before he managed to flee and eventually made his way back to his homeland, where he studied to become a missionary and a priest.

St. Patrick went to the mainland Europe and was then appointed as a priest and missionary by the Pope himself, as one of those whom the Church sent to bring forth the Good News of God to more and more people around the world, sent to the region of Ireland, and became the first bishop of the land, where there were still mainly pagan populations throughout the whole island. St. Patrick ministered faithfully and patiently to the people of Ireland, spending many years reaching out to them, to the kings, the nobles and the commoners alike, and managed to touch many hearts and many lives, convincing quite a lot of people to turn away from sins and their old idols, and became followers of Christ.

Brothers and sisters in Christ, let us all take the good examples of the life and the works of St. Patrick to inspire us in how we should live our own lives as Christians, loving God first and foremost, and dedicating ourselves to Him and His cause, and also loving one another in the same manner, remembering the patient love that both God and St. Patrick had shown to those who were beloved to them. Let us all ask the Lord for the strength and grace that we may follow Him with great faith and commitment, from now on, and walk always ever in His path, trusting that in Him there is healing and redemption from all of our afflictions and problems. May God continue to guide us and bless us in our journey of faith throughout this life. May God bless us always, in all of our good efforts and endeavours. Amen.

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Monday, 16 March 2026 : 4th Week of Lent (Homily and Scripture Reflections)

Liturgical Colour : Purple/Violet

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, as we all listened to the words of the Sacred Scriptures today and continue to progress through this time and season of Lent, each and every one of us are called to renew our trust and faith in the Lord our God because the reality is such that our Lord is truly a God of miracles, Who is capable of doing things that we may deem to be impossible and difficult. There is indeed nothing that God cannot do for us, and everything that God has planned for us, and if we trust in Him to lead us through the journey He has put us through, all will happen precisely just as He has willed it to be. This is why, this Lent, all of us are reminded of these so that amidst our busy and hectic lives, we must always trust in God at all times.

In our first reading today, taken from the Book of the prophet Isaiah, we heard of the words of the Lord to His people in the kingdom of Judah promising and reassuring them of the promised eternal life of joy, the promise of a new Heaven and a new Earth that are devoid of any more sorrow, hardships and trials, where all of them as God’s people can enjoy fully the fullness of God’s grace, love and comfort. This message of hope and deliverance came to the people of God at the time when they had been facing a lot of hardships, trials and struggles because they had not truly trusted the Lord their God, and instead chose to put their faith in the pagan idols and gods of their neighbours, in worldly matters and means.

That was why they faltered and crumbled against the many challenges facing them in the world, being crushed from all sides by their powerful neighbours, particularly at that time the Assyrians that were being ascendant. But God promised all of His people that even though they had not been truly faithful to Him, and even though they had frequently refused to listen to Him and His reminders through His many prophets, this would not diminish the love and care which He has always had for them. On the contrary, in fact, this only strengthened the resolve that God had in reaching out to His wayward people, in calling on them all to return to Him once again with hearts full of repentance and desire to follow Him.

God assured them all, and hence also all of us here living in our world today, that despite the uncertainties, fears, all the difficulties and challenges that we may now be facing, in our workplaces, in our families and circles of friends, and in our society and communities, and in the broader world, with all the conflicts and wars raging all around us, the economic crisis and difficulties, all of these will not prevail against us if we continue to put our trust in God. We must always hold firmly to our faith in the Lord and we should not be easily swayed and tempted to do otherwise, or choosing instead to put our trust and faith in other means and methods which more likely than not will disappoint us in the end. We must have faith that with God we will eventually prevail and triumph together with Him.

Then from our Gospel passage today, taken from the Gospel according to St. John the Apostle and Evangelist, we heard of the miraculous healing of the son of a man who was an official in Capernaum, likely early during the Lord’s ministry as it was mentioned that He performed the miracle of the turning of water into wine at Cana which was the first public miracle performed by the Lord. We heard how the Lord ministered to the people in the region of Galilee, healing their sick and performing other miracles, and there were quite a number of those who became believers because of what they had witnessed and seen in the Lord’s signs and works. Of course there were also those who doubted and refused to believe in Him.

Now, for the official mentioned earlier, whose son was very sick and on the verge of dying, he sought the Lord for help and he had faith in the Lord when He told him that his son would live and would be well again. And very importantly, the man believed even when he did not see the Lord directly performing His miracle on his son, unlike what many others would probably had demanded. Like for example, many among the people doubted the Lord and demanded Him to show them all signs and wonders even though He has shown them plenty of these miracles and signs. Yet, the man showed us what true and genuine faith is all about, that he still trusted and fully believed in the Lord even when he was yet able to see the fulfilment of what God had reassured him with.

Brothers and sisters in Christ, today as we listened to these words of the Sacred Scriptures, we are hence reminded that we should all put our trust once again in the Lord, knowing that in Him alone that we can gain true joy and satisfaction, having the support and providence that will never run out or fail us, unlike any other worldly means and alternatives which will eventually be exhausted or will fail us in the end. Let us all as Christians continue to be good examples and inspirations to one another in our faith, trust and hope in the Lord, in putting ourselves firmly in the love and care of God, knowing that by His wonderful providence, we will continue to persevere and be blessed and strengthened in our journey no matter how tough it may be for us.

May the Lord, our most loving God and Father, continue to bless and guide us all in our respective journeys in life, and help us all in our Lenten journey and observance, in this time of rediscovery and reorientation of our lives so that we may truly walk courageously with the Lord in the path that He is leading us through, ever trusting in Him and ever committed to glorifying Him by our lives, in each one of our words, actions and deeds. May God bless us always in our every good efforts and endeavours, and continue to encourage us even in the most difficult moments and trials we may encounter. Amen.

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Sunday, 15 March 2026 : Fourth Sunday of Lent, Laetare Sunday (Homily and Scripture Reflections)

Liturgical Colour : Rose or Purple/Violet

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, this Sunday as we mark the Fourth Sunday of Lent, all of us notice that today we have a somewhat more festive and joyful atmosphere in our celebration of the Holy Mass, as we mark the occasion of Laetare Sunday, one of the only two days in the whole liturgical year that the colour rose is used as the colour of the day. Together with Gaudete Sunday during the season of Advent, this Laetare Sunday marks the moment when amidst the more penitential and sombre nature of both Advent and Lent, we remind ourselves of the great joy and the exultation that we are expecting and looking ahead towards in Christmas and Easter respectively. Thus, as we continue to progress ever closer to the coming of the Holy Week and the Easter season, all of us ought to remember what we have been preparing ourselves for in this upcoming celebration and festivities, and remind ourselves of our penitential practices this Lent which are meant to prepare ourselves wholly for the great celebrations to come.

In our first reading this Sunday, we heard from the Book of the prophet Samuel regarding the story of the time when God told Samuel to visit Jesse the Bethlehemite, a man of Judah whom we know as the father of the then future King of Israel, the famous King David. Back then, Saul was the king of Israel, the first one to rule over the people of God, but he has fallen into disobedience and sin against God by not following the instructions and the commands that God had given him and instead following his own desires and whims. Thus, God chose David to be the new king to rule over His people, and sent the prophet Samuel to anoint him with the holy oil. We heard how Jesse presented his seven sons before Samuel, and none of them except David pleased the Lord. When Samuel saw the eldest son of Jesse and thought that he was good in appearance and stature, the Lord told Samuel that He did not judge by appearance but by what is in the heart of man.

David truly loved God, and was a righteous, good and faithful man, who led the people of God faithfully and with great wisdom in his reign as King over them, leading them down the path of faith in God. And despite him failing in some occasions later on throughout his reign, by far and large he remained firm in his faith in following God, and he was also a humble man at heart, who was always ready to humble himself before God and man alike. Compared to other kings and rulers who have been swayed by the temptations of worldly pride and glory, or by their own success and greatness, including that of David’s own son and successor, Solomon, the Lord’s choice of David as King of Israel was indeed reflective of how God chose the best not by their appearances or their outward facade, but by their interior disposition and real self, which God knows all about.

This sets the tone for what we have heard in our Scripture passages today, that is about our ability to see the truth and light of Christ, and seeing the path towards God’s salvation and grace, as well as being truly sincere and genuine in our faith and life. Today, as we remember the love of God and look forward to the joyful celebration of Easter, in our anticipation of that Joy to come, our Laetare Sunday celebration and Scripture passages remind us that each one of us are called to be truly filled by the light of God, His truth and His love. We are reminded that each and every one of us are the children of God, and as the children and people of His light. Therefore, it is important that all of us truly embody in all things, in our whole lives and existence, the true values and beliefs of the Lord’s teachings, His Law and commandments, and not be like those hypocrites who outwardly believed in God but inside, they are all rotten and wicked.

This is also what St. Paul told to the faithful people in Ephesus, calling on them all to arise from the darkness of the world and abandon that darkness for the light of Christ’s truth and love. The Apostle reminded the faithful that they are the children and people of God, and they belong to the Light, and therefore, their actions and way of life should indeed reflect this nature, and that they should be genuinely faithful in all things. They should not scandalise the faith, the Church and all the other faithful people of God because of their wickedness and sinful actions. That is why he has called on all of them to embrace the Lord fully and wholeheartedly, to truly love God with all of their hearts and minds, with all of their strength, and to love one another, especially those dearly beloved to them, in the same way as well. Unless they commit themselves wholly to God and to their beloved ones, and if they continue to allow the temptations and attachments to worldliness to sway and distract them, then the path towards God and His salvation will truly be a difficult one.

That is why in our Gospel passage today, we are reminded yet again about this by the story of the moment when the Lord healed a man born blind, who was blind since birth. The Lord performed that healing on the blind man, opening his eyes and allowed him finally to see the light of this world. Immediately, that brought about the attention of the people who remembered this man who had been blind all the time since his birth, and then suddenly could see clearly. As this happened on the Sabbath, some of the Pharisees and the teachers of the Law present there immediately questioned the formerly blind man, who it was that healed him, and how he was healed in the first place, with some even doubting that he had been blind in the first place. This was because those people cannot reconcile with the fact that someone had performed this miraculous healing on the Sabbath day, as it had happened.

The Pharisees and the teachers of the Law had often gotten in conflict and disagreements with the Lord because He often performed His healing on the Sabbath, which was to highlight the point that He wanted to bring across that it was truly foolishness that the Pharisees and the teachers of the Law were interpreting the Law in the way that brought about inconveniences and difficulties for the people of God to live their lives, not only in making it an offence to do anything on the Sabbath, but even forbidding and preventing anything good from being done on the Sabbath. Their way of obeying and observing the Law was based on external and ritualistic observance, on literal understanding of the precepts, but failing to understand the true intention and purpose of the Law, which was in truth meant to help the people of God to live their lives in accordance with His truth and love.

That is why, the Lord told them all that while they might be physically capable of seeing, unlike how the blind man was, but they were suffering from spiritual blindness. Their pride and ego, their arrogance and greed for power and worldly glory and praise led them to shut the doors of their hearts and minds, and also their spiritual eyes to the truth and the light of God. That is why although they could see perfectly well and had witnessed many of the miracles that the Lord had performed before them, but they consistently and stubbornly refused to believe, kept on asking the Lord for more signs when they had witnessed so many things and heard so many words of Wisdom and truth that the Lord had done before them. They even doubted Him and cast doubts in the hearts of others by openly challenging Him and accusing Him of colluding with the demons in the action of His miracles.

All those things happened because they allowed sin to cloud their minds and to make them blind to God’s truth and love. They had practiced their faith outwardly and were pious in the sight of others, showing all their ritual expertise and knowledge of the Law, but most if not all of those were superficial in nature. Below all of that, there was no true love for God. Yes, brothers and sisters in Christ, it is possible for one to be outwardly faithful to the Lord but in the inside, to have no real or genuine faith in Him. It means that they were just going through the motion as they practiced their faith, and they just carried on doing all their works without real understanding and appreciation of the true intentions of God’s Law and commandments. They were like a brilliant pot that is highly polished on the outside, but the inside is empty, or even ugly and dirty. That is what St. Paul had warned the faithful against, that they should not be bereft of the light of Christ in their hearts.

How do all these then relate to us, brothers and sisters in Christ? It means that as we continue to progress through this season of Lent, all of us are called to reflect deeply in our hearts, and look within us if Christ’s Light can be found within, and if His truth and love are the bedrock and strong foundation of our faith and lives. What the Pharisees and the teachers of the Law had been doing, are exactly what we ourselves had been doing as well. How many of us practiced our faith in the way that we were just going through the motion? How many of us went and attended the Holy Mass or other celebrations of our faith, and yet we were not spiritually or mentally present there. How many of us cannot wait until everything is over so that we can go back to our usual daily routines and pursuits in life? Some of us even have the bad habit of leaving before the Holy Mass had concluded, even when we did not have the legitimate reason to do so.

The list can go on and on for us, like how many of us prayed by reciting the prayers and devotions and yet did not mean what we were saying. That is why I call these recitations and utterances rather than true, genuine prayer. We may think that we have done what our faith has been asking us to do, but we forget that what the Lord wants from us is to build a genuine and living relationship with Him, that of course begins from us spending more quality time with Him and nurturing that relationship we have with God. We do that by refocusing our lives and our attention truly on the Lord, and by learning to listen to Him instead of us just keep on reciting, telling or demanding for Him to do something for us. And we can also spend more time to reflect on our way of life and actions as well, on whether they have been truly a reflection of what God’s holy people should be like.

In this season of Lent, all of us are called to spend more time in prayer so that we may deepen and build up a genuine relationship with God, and we are also called to practice fasting and abstinence, not so that others may see how pious or great we are in our faith, but so that we may restrain the allure of worldly pride, greed and desire. All those things are great obstacles and barriers that keep us separated from God, and which have also kept causing us to fall again and again into sin. That is why this Lent we are constantly being reminded to distance ourselves from those sinful way of life and from all the obstacles that have been making it difficult for us to reach out to God. We are also called to be more generous in sharing our love and blessings to others, by practicing more almsgiving, again not for fame or praise from others, but so that others who are less fortunate than us may also truly experience joy and relief in their lives.

Brothers and sisters in Christ, therefore as we look forward to the coming of our true Joy in Christ this Easter, let us all open the barred doors of our hearts and minds, and humble ourselves, seeking God for His forgiveness and compassionate mercy. Let us all remember the love and kindness that He has always shown us, and endeavour therefore to live our lives from now on in accordance with the path that He has shown us. Let us all be good examples and role models for each other, and inspire the people around us by our genuine faith and love-filled hearts in loving those beloved to us even more dearly and in loving those strangers that come into our paths, that also shine with the Light of Christ, so that more and more people may also come to believe in God through us. May God bless us all in the remaining time we have this Lent and help us to continue doing our best in living our lives and faith as good and truly devoted children of God. Amen.