Weekday Homily

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Thursday, 5 December 2024 : 1st Week of Advent (Homily and Scripture Reflections)

Liturgical Colour : Purple/Violet

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, today as we listened to the words of the Lord contained in the Scriptures, we are all reminded of the need for each and every one of us to have a strong faith that is truly rooted and anchored in the Lord, and not to have the kind of empty and superficial faith that will not be of use to us at all and which will not justify us on the Day of Judgment. All of us must nurture in us the strong love and devotion to God, and build in us the strong and lasting foundation by our enduring faith and commitment to God. This is what we are being reminded of today by listening to the words of the Scriptures presented to us, that there is only firm and sure hope in God alone and that if we depend on worldly means and provisions we are likely to be disappointed in the end.

In our first reading today, we heard from the Book of the prophet Isaiah in which God spoke to His people, the people of the kingdom of Judah about His promises and reassurance to them that He would protect and guard them against their enemies, and He would make their cities and towns secure again, setting up His strong wall against all those who would rise against them. The prophet Isaiah also spoke of the firm foundation in God, the firm and steady foundation Rock for all the people of God. This assurance indeed came at the right time for the people of God in Judah and they themselves at that time had likely witnessed in person what God had done for those who were faithful and beloved to Him against their enemies who tried to strike them down and destroy them.

We can understand this better by referring to the historical and Scriptural evidence of the time when the Assyrians came up to Jerusalem under their King Sennacherib, with his mighty army in the hundreds of thousands, after the Assyrians earlier on had destroyed and conquered the northern half of the kingdom of the people of God, the kingdom of Israel. At that time, during the reign of King Hezekiah of Judah, the people of God and their king must have been fearful of the might of the Assyrians who were very powerful and undefeated those days, conquering many states and territories around the kingdom of Judah itself, and eventually they also came for Judah and Jerusalem. If we read the story contained in the Book of Kings, that Assyrian king Sennacherib even boasted against the Lord and ridiculed the faith of the people of Judah.

It was there and then that, having kept their trust and faith in God, the prayers of the people of Judah and their king, Hezekiah, who was faithful and obedient to God, led to the Lord sending His mighty Angels to strike upon the vast hordes of the Assyrian army, leading to the death of a hundred and eighty-five thousand men among them, a truly colossal devastation that God had brought upon the Assyrians and their proud and haughty king. Certainly, the people of Judah had witnessed all these happening before their very own eyes, and believed in God. In the same manner therefore, I decided to bring up this history and evidence to help us all to realise for ourselves just how great God’s providence and love for us are. We must not forget how blessed we are to have God Who has always been so loving and so patient in caring for us.

Then, from our Gospel passage today taken from the Gospel according to St. Matthew the Evangelist, we heard of the words of the Lord telling and in fact warning His disciples and the people listening to Him that not everyone who claim to know Him and who says, ‘Lord! Lord!’ will be saved or worthy for eternal life. This was immediately followed by the parable of the foundations in which the Lord compared between the ones who built the foundations for their houses on the loose sand against those who have built their houses on the solid foundation from strong and firm rocks. This parable is meant to highlight to us all what it means to put our faith and trust in God as opposed to putting our trust in the many worldly means and alternatives that we have all around us, our wealth, property, abilities and all the worldly attachments we have.

The loose foundation is a reference to the trust that we have in our worldly means and abilities, as all those things while they may provide us temporary help, assurance and means to survive and prosper, but they will not last forever. Eventually none of those things will last and even the greatest of wealth and worldly property, belongings and treasures can be destroyed in the blink of an eye, no matter how careful we have taken care of them. And ultimately, none of us can bring any of these to the life that is to come. No amount of wealth, worldly possessions, fame, glory, worldly achievements and talents, all the things we have amassed in this world can be brought with us past the gates of death. Even the mightiest and richest ones among us go to the afterlife with the same things that the poorest and the weakest among us bring with them, that is no other than their bodies and their souls.

Before God all of us are equals and we are all equally beloved by Him. And in Him alone we can find true assurance and perfectly lasting happiness and joy. For it is in Him alone we can truly depend on and will not be disappointed. And while we may have to face difficulties, struggles and challenges in this life, but as long as we keep our faith in God and continue to love Him, anchoring ourselves and our lives very deeply in His love and providence, then everything will be well for us in the end. Just as the Lord has repeatedly promised, reassured us all and shown to His beloved ones throughout time, He is always ever faithful to the Covenant which He has made with us, and all of us who are faithful to Him, without exception, shall share in the eternal and true glory and joy with Him.

Brothers and sisters in Christ, let us all therefore reflect upon these words of the Scriptures and what we have just discussed with regards to what we can do going forward in life, and especially in the short term for our Advent preparations and observances. Let us all continue to commit ourselves ever more strongly to the Lord, doing whatever we can so that by our good examples and commitments, by our faithful obedience and continued trust in God, we will always have that firm foundation in Him that will be unshakeable no matter what challenges and hardships we may be currently facing in our lives and whatever we may encounter from now on. Let us all inspire one another and encourage ourselves to be always faithful as well. May God be with us all and may He bless our every good efforts and endeavours, now and always. Amen.

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Wednesday, 4 December 2024 : 1st Week of Advent, Memorial of St. John Damascene, Priest and Doctor of the Church (Homily and Scripture Reflections)

Liturgical Colour : Purple/Violet or White (Priests)

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, today as we all continue to progress through this blessed time and season of Advent, and as we listened to the words of the Lord in the Scriptures, we are reminded of God’s providence and love for each and every one of us, how He has always been truly generous towards us, providing us all that we needed and guiding us all patiently and lovingly despite our constant stubborn attitude against Him, our refusal to follow His path faithfully and our waywardness in embracing the temptations, evils and sins of this world rather than to trust in Him. God has always shown us all His love, and He has given us all many opportunities and means for us to reach out to Him. What is left for us to do is to answer His call and to turn away from our sinful ways.

In our first reading today, we heard from the Book of the prophet Isaiah in which God spoke to His people in the southern kingdom of Judah giving them His reassurance and promises, reminding them of the love and faithfulness which He has always had for them all despite their constant rebelliousness and disobedience against Him. At that time, as I have mentioned earlier this week the people of Judah wre already in dire straits, surrounded by hostile neighbours and enemies, and having their fellow brethren from the northern kingdom of Israel having been defeated, conquered and exiled by the mighty Assyrians. And during that period, the same Assyrians were also threatening Judah and Jerusalem itself, which truly did not bring about any good prospects for the people in Judah and Jerusalem for sure.

And yet, while God often chastised His people and warned them of the impending destruction and ruin if they continued to disobey Him and if they kept on following the false gods and pagan idols instead of obeying His Law and commandments through HIs prophet including that of Isaiah, God also reminded all of the people that ultimately, He still loved them all and cared for them, and wanted them all to be reconciled and reunited with Him. And there is nothing that He spared from the details just as we have heard in our first reading passage today, how God truly reassured His people that everything will be truly good and wonderful when the Lord comes to gather all of His beloved ones, to bless them and to bring them all into His Holy Presence once again, truly a great light and hope amidst all the darkness of the world.

Then, from our Gospel passage today taken from the Gospel according to St. Matthew the Apostle and Evangelist, we heard of the account of the famous miracle of the Lord in feeding the multitude of many thousands who were assembled there to listen to His teachings and were hungry. The Lord as mentioned in that Gospel passage showed compassion and care for His people, those who have come flocking to Him to listen to His words, as they all still had physical needs for food and sustenance, and He did not want them to go hungry just as they all came to Him seeking His wisdom and truth. Hence, He asked His disciples about the way how they could feed all those multitudes of people despite having known of what He would do for the sake of all those people.

The Lord took the seven loaves of bread and some small fishes that were available there, and prayed over them, and miraculously, He multiplied all of that small quantities of food so that there was enough food for all the thousands of people to share and have until they were all full, and even still with seven wicker baskets full worth of extra food were gathered by the disciples and the people. Through this miraculous occasion, the Lord wanted to remind us all, His beloved people that His love for us is so great that it surpasses even our disobedience and sins. Nothing can truly separate us from the love and mercy of God unless it is we ourselves who have consciously and repeatedly rejected His love and mercy, compassion and kindness. It is by our sins that we have been condemned, and not God Who desires our destruction and damnation.

This is why we are all reminded today as we continue to progress through this blessed time and season of Advent that we should not lose hope in the Lord because He has indeed been truly kind and compassionate towards us, ever always doing all that He can in order to save us all and to lead us into His light and grace once again. We must remind ourselves to keep our focus and attention in life to the Lord, so that we do not end up falling again and again into the path of evil, corruption and sin. Hence, we should spend this time and opportunity provided for us this Advent well so that we may always come ever closer to the Lord and His salvation. We must remind each other of the wonderful grace and mercy of God, and allow ourselves to be guided by Him in our journey towards righteousness and God’s grace.

Today, the Church also celebrates the Feast of St. John Damascene, also known as St. John of Damascus, a great and renowned servant of God who was a monk and priest living in what is today Syria and then the Holy Land, where he spent many years of his life as a monk in a monastery near Jerusalem. He was born into a family of prominent Roman or Byzantine official, during the time when the region came under the rule of the Arab Muslim rulers. However, the family of St. John Damascene remained prominent even in the service of the new rulers and the young St. John grew well-educated and prepared for the world. Eventually he decided on joining the religious life and priesthood, becoming a monk and priest, devoting himself to the Lord henceforth.

At that time, the Christian world was also being divided among themselves especially with regards to the heresy of iconoclasm that was then promoted even by the Roman Emperors and the powerful nobles of the Empire, which affected many parts of Christendom. This false teaching and heresy believed that the veneration of holy icons and images were idolatrous and hence many of those who supported the iconoclastic heresy destroyed the holy icons, images and others they encountered. St. John of Damascus was one of the Church fathers that opposed strongly this false teaching and courageously wrote theses and other works supporting the veneration of icons, as well as on many other topics about the Christian faith. He remained firm in his faith and dedication to God to the end of his life, but his legacy and works continue to inspire many others even afterwards.

Brothers and sisters in Christ, let us all therefore be inspired by the great faith and dedication showed by our holy predecessor, St. John Damascene, so that we ourselves may live our lives ever more faithfully as Christians in each and every moments of our lives. And let us all continue to hold strongly to the hope that we have in the Lord, our God and Saviour, Whose love for us has endured all these while. May the Lord also continue to help and guide us all in our journey throughout our lives so that by our commitment to Him and by our own exemplary lives and faith, we may be truly worthy of the Lord and His saving grace, now and always, forevermore. Amen.

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Tuesday, 3 December 2024 : Feast of St. Francis Xavier, Priest and Patron of Missions and Missionaries (Homily and Scripture Reflections)

Liturgical Colour : White

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, today the Church marks the Feast of the great patron saint of all missions and missionaries, namely that of St. Francis Xavier, a well-known Jesuit saint and missionary who had worked and laboured for many years to spread the Good News of the Lord in the Gospels and Scriptures to the far ends of the world as was known then. Thanks to his efforts and works, the foundation and groundwork for many more evangelising missions and efforts had been laid down, and many more would follow this great and faithful saint in their own missions and efforts to evangelise the world. That is why today, we remember his memory and actions, works and commitment to God, while at the same time reflecting and pondering upon our own mission in life.

In our first reading today, we heard from the Epistle of St. Paul to the Church and the faithful throughout the city and region of Corinth, where St. Paul spoke about the matter of his missionary works and efforts, everything that he had done for the sake of God and His people, how he could not and ought not to boast about all of his works and achievements, as everything that he had done, all were done for the glory of God and for the salvation of the people that he had been sent to. The Corinthians like many other people throughout the world at the time, had received the news and words of God’s salvation through the Apostles and many other missionaries, but they all served the Lord humbly, and while performing the miraculous signs and proclaiming the words of wisdom and wonders, all these they dedicated to God and not to themselves.

This is a very important reminder to each and every one of us as servants and followers of God in our respective missions and evangelising efforts that we should not take credit for our efforts and works, and we must always put God at the very centre of our lives and existence. Otherwise, it is easy for many of us to fall into the temptations of power, glory, fame and ambition, which had indeed happened to some among our predecessors, allowing the evil one to tempt them with the false glory and worldly achievements and ambitions. We must not walk down that path, and we have to resist all the pressures, coercions and temptations to enter into the falsehoods of evil, of the many desires and attachments of this world. We have to keep our faith and trust strongly in the Lord.

Then from our Gospel passage today taken from the Gospel according to St. Mark the Evangelist, we heard the Lord speaking to His disciples and followers of the commandment which He gave and entrusted to them, in evangelising the people all around the world, proclaiming the Good News of God’s salvation and grace to everyone. The Lord reassured and reminded them that He would always be with them, and He would guide them in all things that no permanent harm shall come to them. Indeed, they might have to suffer and endure a lot of persecutions, oppressions and hardships in their paths, such as what the Lord Himself had predicted for them. But He would not leave them to struggle all alone, as He would send them the strength, courage and wisdom through His Holy Spirit and Presence, guiding and assisting them all the way.

That is why each and every one of us as Christians must not hesitate or be discouraged from following the Lord faithfully and doing what He has entrusted to us to do, in our various missions in life, in whatever area we are in, whether we are member of the ordained ministry like the bishops and priests, or whether we are members of the religious orders and those who have given themselves to a life of prayer and consecrated life to God, or whether we are parts and members of the laypeople, as married couples and family members, as single persons living our lives with holiness and efforts to proclaim the Lord’s truth and Good News through each and every one of our own exemplary living. All of us must always be courageous and trust in God’s Providence, making good use of the opportunities which He has provided to us.

St. Francis Xavier himself was called by the Lord to his great endeavour in being a missionary, devoting himself and his whole life to the mission that God had entrusted to him. He was born in the town of Xavier in the kingdom of Navarre, in what is now part of Spain, which was how he got the name St. Francis Xavier. He was born into an influential noble family and was raised at a time of great turmoil and conflict, around the same time as St. Ignatius of Loyola, who was also born around the same area, the one who founded the Society of Jesus or the Jesuits. St. Francis Xavier studied in Paris for his education and during that time, he encountered both St. Peter Faber and St. Ignatius of Loyola, which eventually led to the former becoming one of the founders of the Jesuits.

The Jesuits became instrumental in the efforts of Counter Reformation throughout Europe at the time, and they also became part of the missionary activities and journeys sponsored early on by the Kingdom of Portugal, which at that time was launching many exploratory efforts to the Far East. St. Francis Xavier was one of those appointed as a missionary, dedicating himself to the missions in India, in the Southeast Asia region, Macau and Japan. He travelled extensively during those years, visiting places after places, teaching the people whom he encountered about the Lord and His Good News, journeying by foot and by boat to visit those various communities, teaching to them about Christ and His salvation.

St. Francis Xavier never wavered in his conviction and efforts to glorify the Lord and to proclaim His truth to many more people, and to the very last moments of his life, he remained adamant in his desire to evangelise to the people who have not yet known the Lord, dying at the Shangguan Island on his time while waiting to enter into the great country of China. It would be another Jesuit, Fr. Matteo Ricci who would begin the work of evangelisation in China. St. Francis Xavier was also known for his miraculous deeds, much as what the Lord Jesus had said to His disciples in our Gospel passage today, as a popular story attributed to the saint spoke of him calming a great storm during one of his missionary trips in Southeast Asia. St. Francis Xavier prayed and threw his crucifix into th waves in the hope of calming the storm, and it subsided. Later on, by the shore, a crab appeared to St. Francis Xavier and his fellow missionaries, holding up the crucifix that was lost to the waves. St. Francis Xavier blessed the crab and henceforth, that crab is known as St. Francis’ crab, having a crucifix on its back.

Brothers and sisters in Christ, let us all therefore be inspired by the missionary zeal and the courageous efforts shown by St. Francis Xavier throughout all his years of ministry in the distant lands, showing no fear and great courage throughout all of his efforts in proclaiming the Good News of God to many more people throughout the whole world. Let us all also realise our own missions in life, and dedicate ourselves to do our best to proclaim God’s Good News to all through our own exemplary living, and then also at the same time, supporting the good efforts and works of the Church and its many missionaries. May the Lord bless us all and empower us with the courage, strength and wisdom to do His will, now and always. Amen.

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Monday, 2 December 2024 : 1st Week of Advent (Homily and Scripture Reflections)

Liturgical Colour : Purple/Violet

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, today as we all listened to the words of the Scriptures, we are all reminded of the need for each and every one of us as Christians, as God’s holy and beloved people to continue to keep up our faith in Him, to trust Him in all things and to overcome our doubts and fears, putting our Hope ever on Him, Our Lord and Saviour, as we enter and continue to progress through this blessed time and season of Advent, the time of preparation for the joyful celebration of Christmas. And that is why we should use this time and opportunity given to us to reflect and to grow ever stronger in our faith and hope in God, so that amidst our darkened world by sin and evil, the light and truth of God may pierce through this veil of darkness and bring hope back into our hearts.

In our first reading today, taken from the Book of the prophet Isaiah, we heard of the words of assurances of the Lord to His people in the kingdom of Judah, the southern half of the once glorious and mighty kingdom of God’s people during the days of King David and King Solomon. At that time, as I have also mentioned in the First Sunday of Advent homily yesterday, the people of God had fallen into a dire strait, falling deeper and deeper into their sinful ways, and falling into temptations one after another, siding with the false gods and pagan idols instead of obeying and following the Law and commandments of the Lord, their God and Master. They have been harassed and under threat by their many neighbours and enemies, just as their northern brethren had been conquered and exiled decades prior by the Assyrians.

That was why the Lord gave His assurance and promises to them through His servant, the prophet Isaiah, to encourage and to strengthen them in faith, to remind them that despite everything which they had done, in disobeying the Law and the commandments, and in refusing to love Him as they should have done, the Lord has always been patient and kind to His people, and He would forgive them their sins and embrace them with His generous love and compassion once again if only they would turn away from their sinful and wicked ways, and listening once again to the words that the Lord their God had spoken to them, all the love which He has poured out on them, calling on all of them to return to Him.

We have also heard the words of Hope in that same passage, listening to the words of the Lord telling the people about how He would restore the glory of Zion, of Jerusalem and His people, restoring the grace and blessings to them all, after they had been bought down low. He would gather all of His beloved ones to Himself, and at the same time, purify them and all Jerusalem from all the taints and corruptions of sin and evil. And that is what we are all also called to do during this time and period of Advent, to cast away all the corruptions and wickedness from our hearts and minds. We are all called to come back to our Lord and Father, our Creator and Master with contrite and sorrowful hearts, regretting our sins and corruptions, our faults and mistakes.

Then, in our Gospel passage today taken from the Gospel according to St. Matthew the Apostle and Evangelist, we are reminded of the great faith of the army centurion who came to the Lord and asked Him sincerely and faithfully to heal his servant who was very sick at that time. The army centurion was so faithful to the Lord that he refused to allow the Lord to come to his house, but instead, he told the Lord that it is sufficient for Him just to say that his servant would get well, and it would be done according to God’s will. And in order to understand this better, we ought to know that at that time, it was taboo for a Gentile or pagan to come to the house of a Jew or for a Jew to visit the house of a Gentile or pagan, as it would have made the Jew to be considered as unclean.

This army centurion, being such a high-ranking officer was likely to be a Roman, and according to Church history and tradition was a Gentile who had faith in the Lord. The Lord was impressed by the great faith which the army centurion had in Him, which was indeed contrasted to the lack of faith shown by many of the Jewish people to whom He had been sent to, including those spiritual leaders and elites like the chief priests, the Pharisees and the teachers of the Law, many of whom had doubted and questioned the Lord, opposed Him and refused to believe in Him despite the many miracles, wonders and signs that He had performed before their very own eyes and presence. And then, there was this army centurion, a pagan and Gentile who truly believed in God and who did not require the Lord to perform signs and wonders before him in order for him to believe, unlike those Jewish leaders.

The words that the army centurion had spoken are the same as what we ourselves mention at every moment shortly before we are to receive the Lord Himself in the Holy Eucharist. As the celebrant presents to us the Lord Himself truly present in His Most Precious Body and Blood with the words, ‘This is the Lamb of God, Who takes away the sins of the world. Blessed are those who are called to the supper of the Lamb., and we respond with, ‘Lord, I am not worthy that You should enter under my roof, but only say the word, and my soul shall be healed.’ This is a reminder for us of the great faith of the army centurion, and our own strong profession of faith in the Lord, that although we may not see Him directly in the form that the army centurion and the disciples had seen, but we truly believe in Him, and uphold the faith we have in His Real Presence in the Holy Eucharist.

That is why, today we are all reminded that we must continue to have faith and hope in the Lord, entrusting ourselves to His Providence, love and care at all times. We are reminded that we must not easily give up our faith in Him even if we encounter challenges, trials, hardships and difficulties in our journey, path and life. All of us must always hold this strong and enduring faith in the Lord, just as the Lord Himself has always been patient in loving and caring for us, in wanting us all to come back to Him with repentance and sorrow for our many sins and faults. May the Lord continue to guide us in our journey of faith and life, and may He empower each one of us to live ever more faithfully in our every efforts and deeds, now and always. Amen.

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Sunday, 1 December 2024 : First Sunday of Advent (Homily and Scripture Reflections)

Liturgical Colour : Purple/Violet

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, this Sunday we mark the occasion of the First Sunday of Advent, the beginning of the Season of Advent, which is the time of preparation for the coming joyful and glorious Christmas Season. This day also marks the very first day in the new liturgical year in our liturgical calendar, in which the First Sunday of Advent marks the beginning of the new liturgical year. And hence, as we all gather together this Sunday in the Lord’s Presence, we ought to commit ourselves anew to the Lord as we enter into this time of spiritual preparation and renewal, so that we may truly be ready to celebrate the upcoming Christmas in a few weeks’ time. And this Sunday, we focus on the first aspect of Advent that we commemorate, which is Hope.

In our first reading this Sunday, we heard from the Book of the prophet Jeremiah in which the prophet spoke of the Lord’s words to the people of God living in the kingdom of Judah, the southern half of the divided old Kingdom of Israel, which at that time was merely a shadow of the once glorious and mighty kingdom during the heyday of King David and King Solomon centuries earlier. At that time, the people of God in Judah had been facing a lot of hardships and misfortune, being surrounded by powerful enemies and humbled by them, and at the same time, their northern neighbours, the people of the kingdom of Israel, had been conquered and scattered into exile by the mighty Assyrians. The same fate would eventually befall the people of Judah as well.

And all those things happened because of the lack of faith that the people of God had shown, their disobedience and frequent refusals to follow the path which they had been taught and shown through their ancestors, and the Law and commandments which God has presented to them. All of these happened even after the Lord had sent them His messengers, prophets and servants to help and remind them of their true path and dedication to God. Instead, they had chosen to follow the path of sin and wickedness, leaving behind the truth of God and His love for the comforts and pleasures of the world, and the false paths shown by the false gods and idols of their neighbours, the Canaanites. But God still loved all of His people even if they had been rebellious and unfaithful.

That was why He gave them His message of reassurance through His prophets, so that they would remember His love, His most patient kindness and desire to welcome them all back to His embrace. Despite all that the people had done, God was still willing to forgive them all, and this is what we are reminded of today, that is the Hope which God has given us all through His Son, and how by this Hope we can gain sure entry into the kingdom of God, into the eternal life and true joy which the Lord has promised us and reassured everyone. We must not give up on this hope, and in fact, we should devote ourselves ever more strongly to the Lord by this renewal and reminder of God’s promise and reassurance as we celebrate annually this time of Advent to prepare for the joy of Christmas.

From our second reading passage today, taken from the Epistle of St. Paul to the Church and the faithful in the city and region of Thessalonica in Greece, we are reminded that the Lord’s salvation has been given to us through His Son, Our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ, and as He has generously given us all this perfect and most tangible manifestation of His love and compassion, His mercy and kindness through His Son. As such, all of us who believe in Him, in the salvation offered by the Son of God for us, we must truly follow Him in all of our ways, and truly believe in Him wholeheartedly, embracing His teachings and truth with all of our hearts and minds, with all of our strength and might. And this is our calling and mission as Christians, as God’s holy and beloved people.

Then in our Gospel passage this Sunday, taken from the Gospel according to St. Luke the Evangelist, we heard of the Lord Jesus Himself telling His disciples about the signs of the time and events to come, that is especially about the return of the Son of God and Son of Man into this world. This is a promise which Our Lord Himself had made, showing that just as He has predicted His own suffering, persecution and death, and then glorious Resurrection from the dead, hence, He will one day return in glory to complete all that the Lord our God had planned for us and for our eternal salvation and life with Him. He reassured us all that He will return in triumph and we will all share in His glory and joy if we remain firm in our faith and trust in Him.

This is why as we enter into this Advent season, this time of reflection and renewal of our faith and life, we are all called to refocus our attention and efforts to the Lord, turning away from all the hustle and bustle of the world, and we are all reminded to prepare ourselves well and properly so that we may truly be able to celebrate Christmas with true understanding, appreciation and knowledge of what it is that we truly celebrate and are rejoicing about. We are reminded that this season is a time to look upon the Lord with renewed Hope in Him, Hope that only God Himself can provide us, not the false hope and promises of the world, or all the other distractions and temptations present all around us.

Therefore, as we enter into this blessed Advent season and continue to prepare ourselves well to welcome the Lord into our midst this Christmas, let us all centre all of our preparation, especially in our spiritual preparation that we are all celebrating the Hope that we can find in God alone, and the Hope in the eternal life, the salvation from sin, evil and darkness which we all have been suffering from. May the Lord, our most loving, compassionate and patient God and Father continue to love us all most generously and grant us all His strength and wisdom so that we may make very good use of this time of Advent that we have received, to prepare ourselves and to make ourselves ever more worthy of Him, now and always. Amen.

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Saturday, 30 November 2024 : Feast of St. Andrew, Apostle (Homily and Scripture Reflections)

Liturgical Colour : Red

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, today the Church celebrates the Feast of St. Andrew the Apostle, one of the Twelve Apostles of the Lord and the brother of St. Peter the Apostle, and was the very first one of the Lord’s disciples and followers, hence why he is also sometimes known as St. Andrew the First-Called. On this day we honour this great man of God, who has devoted himself thoroughly to the service of God, and given himself to the ministry of the proclamation of the Good News of God to the many people and communities he encountered. St. Andrew the Apostle is truly a great inspiration to all of us in how he has lived his life with fervent desire to glorify God in his many missionary works and actions.

Now, first let us all begin with a revisiting of the passages from the Scriptures which we had received and heard earlier. In our first reading today, we heard from the Epistle of St. Paul the Apostle to the Church and the faithful people of God in Rome, where where the Apostle was very clear in his words and reminders to the people of God regarding who it is that they believe in and worshipping, namely the Lord God, our Saviour, Jesus Christ, the Son of God Who has brought into this world the assurance of His salvation, the promise of eternal life, true joy and glory with God, offered to all of mankind, everyone without any exception, bias or prejudice, whether they were Jews or Gentiles. And this message truly brought great hope to everyone who heard it.

This is because at that time, the belief among the Jewish people, the descendants of the original chosen people of God, the Israelites was that the Jews were the only ones deserving of God’s favour and salvation, while the Gentiles, who were mostly pagans and unbelievers were seen as defiled, corrupt, wicked and unworthy, and would be condemned unless they adopted wholly the ways and practices of the Jews, such as the strict laws and rules according to the Law of God as revealed to Moses including all the subsequent additions, modifications and changes. The problem is that the requirements were so stringent that even the Jews themselves have great difficulty obeying them, and all the more difficult for the Gentiles to do so.

In addition to this, based on historical evidence and Church records, the practices and customs of the Jews such as circumcision and the dietary preferences among other things were abhorrent and considered as alien and undesirable by many of the Gentiles, and forcing the Gentiles to adopt such practices would indeed have made their lives extra difficult, on top of the challenges that they would already have to face by being a follower of Christ. That was why St. Paul made it clear that the belief in the salvation in Jesus Christ, the Saviour of all is universal, and not reserved only for any particular group of people. Anyone who truly believe in Him and obey Him, following His teachings and ways will be saved, and they shall all share in the fullness of grace and glory of God.

Then, in our Gospel passage today taken from the Gospel according to St. Matthew the Apostle, we heard of the moment when the Lord called His disciples, the first ones that He had, from among the fishermen of the lake of Galilee. St. Andrew was among these fishermen, and he was likely the one to introduce the Lord to his brother, then known as Simon, the future St. Peter the Apostle, as well as to the two sons of Zebedee, namely St. James the Apostle and St. John the Apostle. According to Apostolic and Church tradition, St. Andrew was also a disciple of St. John the Baptist, and was one of the two disciples of St. John the Baptist who went to follow the Lord after He was baptised by the former. This is why St. Andrew is also known as St. Andrew the First-Called as mentioned earlier.

The Lord then called him and the other fishermen, the other disciples to be the ‘fishers of men’, to be the ones to gather all mankind to the Lord, to lead them all to His salvation, just as they had gathered fish in their earlier work and livelihood. Through them, the Lord would reach out to many more people and bring them all towards His loving embrace and compassionate mercy, and that is the very important role which the Lord has entrusted and called the Apostles like St. Andrew to do. They would be the ones proclaiming the Good News of God, bringing hope and light of Christ to those who have suffered and waited in the darkness of this world, separated and sundered from God’s love and grace.

And now, let us revisit the life and examples of St. Andrew the Apostle especially after what was written in the Scriptures. According to Apostolic tradition, St. Andrew would go on to various places to proclaim the Gospels, the Good News of the Lord, including places such as Georgia, Greece and Asia Minor, parts of southern Russia and Ukraine around the Black Sea region, Romania, Cyprus, Malta and other places where he touched the hearts and minds of many with the Good News of the Lord, with His love and kindness, which have been freely and generously given to us. He established many churches and the foundations of the Christian communities in all those places, and was eventually martyred in Patras in southern Greece, being crucified on an X-shaped cross, which henceforth is known as ‘St. Andrew’s Cross’.

Brothers and sisters in Christ, let us all therefore learn and be inspired from the good and worthy life, examples and commitment which St. Andrew has shown to the Lord and to the people he had been sent to. All of us should also have the same vigour and courage in proclaiming the Good News of God like that of St. Andrew and that of the other Apostles because they have shown us what it truly means to be good and faithful Christians, not just in name and formality only, but also through real actions, words and deeds based upon that living and genuine faith in God. We must embody our faith in our daily living and in how we interact with one another, with those whom we encounter, even acquaintances and strangers.

May the Lord, our ever loving and compassionate God continue to bless and guide us all in our journey in life so that by His blessings and providence, by His encouragement and strength we may continue to do our best in our respective lives, continuing the good works which the Apostles such as St. Andrew had done in their lives. May our own lives and works be truly worthy of being Christians, and may we continue to be good role models and inspirations for each other, now and always. Amen.

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Friday, 29 November 2024 : 34th Week of Ordinary Time (Homily and Scripture Reflections)

Liturgical Colour : Green

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, on this day as we all listened to the words of the Sacred Scriptures, all of us are reminded of the need for us to remain firmly faithful in God and to continue to live our lives worthily as Christians, in not doing what is wicked in the eyes of the Lord. As Christians, all of us are always reminded to keep our faith in God and not to be easily swayed by the temptations and coercions of the world all around us. We have to keep in mind that all of us should be good and worthy role models for our fellow brothers and sisters, to inspire them all through our own good examples and actions in life, based upon the faithful obedience to God and genuine commitment to God and His ways. And we have to remember that if we are faithful to God, in the end, we shall share in His glory and triumph, while if we disobey Him and went astray from His path, there will be nothing for us but defeat and darkness.

In our first reading today, taken from the continuation of the Revelation of St. John the Apostle about the final defeat and destruction of the power of the Devil, Satan, the Evil One, which St. John witnessed during the visions he received at the Island of Patmos, where he saw the series of events that will happen at the end of time, the time of reckoning and final struggle between good and evil. After series of great catastrophes and destructions coming upon the world, which at that time came under the dominion of the Evil One and all of his forces, the forces of Satan and the Antichrist, the Lord reassured His faithful ones that had been facing and enduring persecutions and hardships that eventually all of their struggles and endurance shall be vindicated and they shall be liberated from their struggles and sufferings.

This is also a reminder for us all that if we side with the devil and all of his false lies and temptations, then in the end we shall share his fate, defeated and crushed by God, overthrown and cast out into eternal darkness and suffering, cut off completely and totally from the grace and love of God. Meanwhile, all those who are faithful to God shall be part of the new Heaven and new Earth, which God had made to replace the original world and creation which had been defiled and corrupted by sin and evil. Essentially, He will restore everything to how all should be, making all things wonderful, good and perfect once again just as He has intended and just as He wants us to enjoy all the rich and great bounties of this world, made perfect and wonderful for all of us, God’s most beloved children and people.

At the end of time, the Lord will come once again to gather all of us to His Holy Presence, restoring us all in body and soul, delivering us from the darkness and evils that have afflicted us. He will free all those who have been persecuted and oppressed because of their faith in Him, and crush all those who have rejected Him and oppressed His faithful ones. We are reminded that we have to make a choice on which path we will follow in our own respective lives. Are we going to follow the path of rebellion and disobedience as advocated by the devil and all those seeking our ruin and destruction? Or are we going to follow the Lord and His path, even though it may be a more difficult and challenging path for us to follow? We have been given the freedom to choose our path in life, and we have also been reminded of the Final Judgment in the end.

Then, from our Gospel passage today, taken from the Gospel according to St. Luke the Evangelist, we heard of the Lord Jesus Who told His disciples about the sign of times, warning them of the upcoming changes and trials that they will have to encounter in their journey and path in their ministry and works. This is also a reference to the earlier parts of the Gospel passage that we have heard in the earlier days of this week where the Lord foretold of the coming of great upheavals, conflicts and destruction, a premonition of the great destruction which the first Jewish-Roman war would bring to Judea and Jerusalem a few decades after the Lord spoke of it and predicted everything that would be happening, the scattering of the people of God, the destruction of Jerusalem and the grand Temple of God in that city. It was a great disaster and many perished during the events that happened then at that time.

Throughout all those challenging moments, difficulties and trials, the Lord would not abandon His people and would grant them His strength and providence, leading them down the path of righteousness and grace, strengthening and empowering them all with the gift of His Holy Spirit. Just as St. John saw in the revelations and visions that he had received at the Island of Patmos, the Lord reassured His disciples and followers that they will not be disappointed if they continue to hold strongly and firmly in their faith in Him. They shall all be triumphant with Him, and regardless of everything that will happen, and even if Jerusalem and the Temple were to be destroyed, but the Lord and His words, His truth and power will remain and will be triumphant in the end, against all those who have risen up against His people and persecuted them.

Brothers and sisters in Christ, let us all therefore be strengthened in our own faith and be encouraged at all times, reminding ourselves that we should ourselves be good role models and inspirations to one another in faith, in how we live our own lives, in how we dedicate ourselves to God. We must always be good and worthy in our every actions, words and deeds so that all those who encounter us and interact with us may come to know the Lord and His truth, His love, and kindness through the manifestation in our lives and works. This is part of the mission which the Lord has entrusted to us, just as He has granted us many opportunities and chances, the means and the blessings for us all to share with each other, to brighten up this darkened world with the hope and light of God’s grace, and not to give in easily to fear and uncertainties, to the temptations to sin.

May the Lord, our most loving, compassionate and merciful God continue to strengthen us all in faith, helping us all to endure and persevere through the challenges and hardships in our path in life. May He continue to encourage us to walk ever more graciously and faithfully in His path, guiding us all through His light, truth and hope so that we may remain firmly committed to Him, and not be easily swayed and misguided by all the false leads and the lies and temptations of the evil ones around us. May God bless us all and our every good works and efforts for His greater glory, now and always. Amen.

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Thursday, 28 November 2024 : 34th Week of Ordinary Time (Homily and Scripture Reflections)

Liturgical Colour : Green

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, today as we all listened to the words of the Scriptures, we are reminded by the Lord through His Church yet again towards the end of this current liturgical year that as we continue to live on with our lives, in each and every moments, we will always keep in mind our relationship with God and our state of life in the world today. All of us are reminded that tribulations and hardships will likely be part of our journey towards the Lord, but if we remain firm in our faith towards Him, in the end, we will share in His ultimate triumph and victory against the forces of evil, sin and darkness. We must always have faith in the Lord and believe that no matter what obstacles and hardships we may encounter in our journey, we will be able to overcome them with God’s help and guidance.

In our first reading today, the continuation from the Book of Revelations to St. John the Apostle, we heard of the story of the great triumph, after all the tribulations, hardships and challenges facing all the faithful people of God by Satan, the great enemy, the Antichrist and all those forces of evil and wickedness arrayed against the faithful and holy ones of God. During those days in the final moments of the current world we are living in, Satan and all of his forces made a final attempt at us all, and in their attempts, they tried to bring us all down into damnation by striking at us, tempting us and coercing us into following their false and wicked paths, persecuting and oppressing all those who have been faithful to the Lord and His truth. But we are all reminded through this reading today that we should not easily give up the struggle or surrender to the demands of the evil ones, because ultimately we will be triumphant with God.

This Revelation received by St. John the Apostle came at the time when the Church and many of the faithful were encountering great hardships and persecutions for their faith in God, with the Apostle himself being persecuted and exiled at the island of Patmos when he received this series of visions and revelations from God. According to historical evidence and Sacred Tradition, this persecution which had begun under the Emperor Nero, became more intense under the succeeding Emperors, and this particular episode of persecution happened during the reign of the Emperor Domitian who ruled the Roman Empire about five and six decades after the death of Christ, His Resurrection and Ascension into Heaven. Many of the Apostles except for St. John had died as martyrs, and many more early Christians had become martyrs as well.

They all persevered in faith and refused to obey the Emperor’s command for them to worship him as a god. They refused to worship the pagan gods and offer sacrifices to these gods and false idols, and especially in the case of the Emperor Domitian, known in history for his megalomania and claim to divinity which was scandalous and controversial even to the Romans and the pagan believers at the time. But knowing this fact makes us realise just how dire the situation was for the Church and many of the early Christians who suffered greatly for their faith in God. But the Lord strengthened and encouraged them through His servants and all the reassurances that He has given them, including this Revelation of the ultimate triumph and victory the faithful shall all have in God, just as ultimately the Christian faith triumphed over the pagan idols and Emperor worship of Ancient Rome.

Then from our Gospel passage today, taken from the Gospel according to St. Luke the Evangelist, we heard of the Lord Who foretold the destruction of Jerusalem, its Temple and the entire city that would happen soon sometime in their lifetime. He told them all about the signs of things around them and for them all to be prepared for the time of tribulation and hardships. This prophecy would indeed come true a few decades later, when the Romans came to besiege Jerusalem and eventually conquered it from the Jewish rebels who had risen up in rebellion due to instigation from the extremist factions within the Jewish community who sought to liberate themselves from the rule and dominion of the Romans. But for all the efforts that they had made, they all came to nothing as they were defeated and their rebellion crushed, and Jerusalem itself and the Temple were destroyed and burnt to the ground, leaving only a small portion of the Temple complex wall remaining, which is now known as the Western Wall.

All these are clear reminders for us that there will be hardships and trials facing us, and there is no guarantee that can be found in the world, as our only source of Hope and strength can be found in God and in Him alone. Those Jewish people living during the time of the Lord and His disciples, the Apostles and the first Christians of the early Church, they all believed in the Temple and the priesthood, the Law and the commandments so much so that that adherence and attachment to the Temple made them to forget their true devotion and focus on the Lord, their God. And when the Temple of Jerusalem, the grand Temple rebuilt and expanded by King Herod the Great was torn down and destroyed, those people lost their faith and their focus in life, forgetting that God alone is their true focus and the source of all their hopes.

It is a clear reminder for all of us that we should not easily give in to the temptations of worldly glory and the falsehood of earthly treasures. Instead we must renew our commitment, faith and trust in God. We must always have faith that the Lord will be triumphant with us in the end, and the sufferings that we are facing now, are what He Himself has suffered even more, as He has suffered the worst of sufferings, humiliations and pains, the worst that this world can project upon anyone, and yet, He endured it all because of His love for us, and He triumphed in the end. It is also normal for us to struggle with those sufferings and pains, and our hardships are real sufferings, but we must always remember that we do not suffer alone, for the Lord Himself is journeying by our side, bearing our crosses with Him, as He will always support us all the way.

Brothers and sisters in Christ, as we have discussed and discerned earlier from the readings of the Scriptures and from what we have been reminded, of the need to have firm trust and strong faith in God, let us all therefore renew our faith in Him and do our very best to glorify God by our every actions, words and deeds that are truly worthy of Him. May the Lord continue to strengthen us all and encourage each one of us in our respective journeys in life, so that hopefully by our own good role model and inspirations, we may help each other in this difficult but ultimately rewarding journey towards God. May God bless us all and our every good works and endeavours, now and always. Amen.

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Wednesday, 27 November 2024 : 34th Week of Ordinary Time (Homily and Scripture Reflections)

Liturgical Colour : Green

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, as we listened to the words of the Scriptures today, we are all reminded again that our path as Christians, as those who follow the Lord and believe in His teachings and words will not be an easy one. There will definitely be plenty of challenges and obstacles in our path and journey, and the way forward may be very arduous for us, but we must not easily give up the struggle and perseverance regardless of the various oppositions and trials in our path. We must always remain firm in our faith and commitment to God, and we must never lose sight of the true happiness and joy that we shall enjoy forever with Him, as long as we remain true to Him regardless of the difficulties that we have encountered.

In our first reading today, we heard from the continuation from the Book of Revelations of St. John as we had in the earlier days, in which the Apostle related to us what he had witnessed in his vision of the end of time, with the seven great Angels of God bringing forth the seven bowls of plagues from God to the world, at the last moments before the Final and Last Judgment. In that vision, St. John saw the Angels of God bringing forth God’s punishment upon all the sinners and all those who have remained in the world and chose to side with the evil one, refusing to listen to His truth and repent from their sins. This is what the Lord has justly given to all those who have constantly rejected and refused His love and kindness, His compassion and mercy.

This does not mean that God desires any one of us to be destroyed and condemned to Hell. On the contrary, He wants all of us, every single one of us, children of mankind, His most beloved and the pinnacle of all of His creation, to share in His eternal joy and love, and to be with Him forevermore. He does not wish for any one of us to be lost to Him. Hence, He has given us so many means for us to reach out to Him and to find our way to His salvation and grace. But if by our own volition and conscious decision and choice we have made, in denying God and refusing His generous offer of love and mercy, then we have been condemned by our own sins and by our own stubbornness and desires, and this is what those people will suffer in the end times.

We are being reminded all these so that we can remain strong and vigilant in our faith and in our lives so that we do not end up falling into the slippery slope of sin. It does not mean that all of us who have been baptised as Christians can never fall again into sin. The fact is that this makes the evil one and all of his forces to be even more hardworking in trying to bring us down and to drag us into the path towards our downfall. We are all saved by our faith in God, but if that faith is not made alive and vibrant through our actions, words and deeds, then that faith is as good as empty, meaningless and dead. And such a faith will not avail us on the Day of Judgment and reckoning, when we will have to account for our lives.

Then, from our Gospel passage today, taken from the Gospel according to St. Luke the Evangelist, we heard of the words from the Lord Jesus to His disciples in which He foretold before them everything that they would have to endure as His disciples and followers, all the persecutions, hardships and obstacles that they would have to face in the midst of their ministry and works. This is a reality that all of us as Christians must realise, that as long as we remain faithful to the Lord and His ways, from the very beginning of the Church to the present day and even in the future, there will always be oppositions that we may face in various ways from the world, which is opposed to the path and the way of the Lord.

That is the reality of becoming a Christian, brothers and sisters in Christ. Having believed in the Lord, we are all called to be prepared to face the same struggles and challenges that He Himself had faced, and all these are caused by the darkness and evils present in this world which refuse to obey the way and truth of God, and all those that present to us the divergent ways that are contrary to the Lord’s teachings and salvation. This is why we must not be easily swayed and fooled, to think that having become Christians and believers in the Lord, then our lives will be all good and smooth, blessed and without problems. Indeed, that will be our ultimate fate in the world that is to come, but at present, in our world still marred by sin and corruption of evil, we may still have to suffer persecutions and challenges.

Brothers and sisters in Christ, now what matters is what we are going to do about our own lives in this world. Are we going to commit ourselves anew to the Lord, to His path and to everything that He has entrusted to us? Or are we continue to be ignorant of our calling and mission in life? Or worse still, are we still going to allow the temptations of the world and sin to lead us astray and to bring us to our downfall? If we are not careful we may end up being dragged by the sins we commit and by our disobedience, and hence, risk falling ever deeper into the path towards damnation. That is why we should always keep in mind to follow the Lord ever more faithfully in each and every moments of our lives, doing whatever we can to serve Him at all times.

May the Lord, our ever patient, loving and compassionate God continue to strengthen us in faith so that we may ever draw strength and courage from Him as we endure various challenges and difficulties in life, so that we do not easily falter in our commitment to Him, and that we will not lose sight on the focus of our lives, that is God and Him alone. May the Lord bless us and guide us in our journey, in all the efforts and works that we make, fo the greater glory of His Holy Name, now and forevermore. Amen.

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Tuesday, 26 November 2024 : 34th Week of Ordinary Time (Homily and Scripture Reflections)

Liturgical Colour : Green

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, as we listened to the words of the Lord contained within the Sacred Scriptures we have heard today, we are all reminded that we must always be prepared and vigilant in our lives, in each and every moments of our daily living, in our every words, actions and deeds so that we may truly be prepared for the coming of the Lord and to be truly worthy of Him at all times, so that when He comes again and when we have to account for our lives, actions and deeds, all that we have carried out in this life and even things that we have not done or failed to do when we should have done them. As we come ever closer to the end of the current liturgical year we are being constantly reminded about this so that we will have the resolve and the desire to continue living our lives worthily of the Lord as we should have always done.

In our first reading today, we heard from the Book of Revelations the continuation of the account of the events that is to come at the end of time according to the vision which St. John the Apostle received at the Island of Patmos, who recounted to us what he saw in the Angel of God being sent into the world to reap the harvest at the appointed time, referring to the moment of reckoning, the end of times and the coming of the Final and Last Judgment. In that vision, St. John saw the Son of Man sending the Angels out to the world with a great sickle, to harvest the vines of the earth for it is already time for the harvest. Then, we heard how the Angels gathered the produces and put them in the winepress of the anger of God. This is a reminder for us all to cultivate a truly good and worthy life that the Lord will truly find worthy at the time of the great harvest, the end of times.

It is also a reminder for us that while God’s love and kindness, His compassion and mercy for each and every one of us are truly great and generous, wonderful and ever made available always for us, but we must not forget that we must embrace His generous offer of love and mercy, and not to reject Him and ignore His outreach of love and grace. Otherwise, by our own disobedience and wickedness, our own constant rejection of His love and generous mercy, in the end, there will be nothing left for us, no share in God’s grace and salvation. It is often that we have disregarded and abandoned Him for many of the temptations and other pursuits and desires in the world all around us. That is why, for our wickedness and constant refusal to listen to Him and embrace His love, God’s righteous anger will be against those who reject Him.

Then, in our Gospel passage today, taken from the Gospel according to St. Luke the Evangelist, we heard of the words of the Lord to the people gathered in the area of the Temple of Jerusalem to admire it, its magnificence and wonderful appearance. This great Temple complex was the second Temple built on the site after the first Temple originally built by King Solomon of Israel was destroyed by the Babylonians. The Temple was modest in size and appearance, but was greatly enlarged and expanded by King Herod the Great, the previous ruler of the land of Judea, who was obsessed with lots of large building works to cement his legacy, including that of the Temple of Jerusalem. But while the Temple was truly grand and mighty in appearance, but it was full of corruption and wicked things, due to the corrupt activities of the merchants and the money changers that were there.

Not only that but the beliefs and the practices of the Israelites and their descendants, the Jewish people were already astray and far from what God has intended for them, from what God had taught and shown them. The priests and those Pharisees and teachers of the Law put much greater emphasis and focus on the sacrifices at the Temple, and not truly understanding and appreciating the true meaning and purpose of the Law of God. They have grown proud and arrogant because they thought themselves as being superior and better than the others around them. They hardened their hearts and minds against the Lord, refusing to listen to the truth which the Lord Jesus Himself had brought to their midst and presented to them.

That was why the Lord told the people and everyone else assembled how no matter the greatness and the glory of the Temple and all of its appearances, everything would not last forever as they would be crushed and destroyed within a matter of decades, and this prophecy would indeed come true about thirty years or so after the Lord had said it, with the Romans destroying Jerusalem and its Temple during the first Roman-Jewish War caused by the rebellions led by the more extreme and hardline factions among the Jews at the time. It was a reminder to all of us that no matter what kind of greatness and glory in the world, ultimately all of those things are illusory and will not last forever, no matter what. That is why we must not allow ourselves to be easily swayed by all the temptations and pleasures of this world.

Brothers and sisters in Christ, let us remember that we are all weak and sinful people, who are in need of God’s great love and mercy, His healing and grace. Let us all remember to be humble and to desire this forgiveness and compassion, so that we may be truly reconciled with God, and be one day fully and completely reunited with Him. Let us all put our trust in the Lord instead on all worldly things and matters, so that by having this strong and genuine anchor in faith in God, we will not be easily shaken and swept by all the tides and waves around us, caused by all the temptations and challenges in our path. Let us all continue to walk ever more faithfully in God’s path, and do whatever we can to inspire many more people to come ever closer to God.

May the Lord, our ever loving and compassionate God, our merciful and just Creator and Master continue to help us to be ever stronger in our faith and commitment to Him. May He continue to give us the courage and strength to persevere through whatever challenges and trials, hardships and obstacles in our path so that we may not falter in our journey towards Him, and that we will continue to endure and be strong, and ever be committed in our desire to love Him and to follow Him at all times. May God bless our every good efforts, works and endeavours, all for His greater glory, now and always. Amen.