Weekday Homily

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Wednesday, 24 April 2024 : 4th Week of Easter, Memorial of St. Fidelis of Sigmaringen, Priest and Martyr (Homily and Scripture Reflections)

Liturgical Colour : White or Red (Martyrs)

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, today all of us are reminded through the words of the Sacred Scriptures of our calling as Christians, that is as all those who have accepted and embraced the Lord’s call, and have faith in Him, to be truly committed to the missions and the vocation which the Lord had entrusted to each and every one of us, in every unique ministries and contributions that each one of us can give to help in the mission of the Church. God has entrusted to all of us the fate of our fellow brothers and sisters, many of whom had not yet known Him, and many of whom were still under the sway and power of sin, living in the darkness of sin and evil, not being aware of the Light, Hope and truth that God alone can bring into our midst. That is why we have to be the good and faithful bearers of Christ’s Light in our world today.

In our first reading today, we heard from the Acts of the Apostles in which the works of the Apostles and the other disciples in spreading the faith in the Lord were narrated and told to us, and we continue to hear how the Church kept on growing and the faith kept on spreading despite the challenges and persecutions that they faced along the way. The efforts made by the Apostles especially by those of St. Paul and St. Barnabas were crucial in extending the reach of the Church and welcoming many more converts from among the non-Jewish community, or the Gentiles. Their efforts and works among the Greeks and others led to many embracing the Lord Jesus as their Lord and Master, leaving behind their old pagan idols and ways.

The Apostles entrusted the mission of the conversion and evangelisation of the Gentiles to those of St. Paul and St. Barnabas, as well as their companions, and this was the foundation of the many missionary journeys that St. Paul would undertake for the spreading of the Good News of the Gospel. St. Paul went to many places, guided by the Holy Spirit, to proclaim the Risen Lord and managed to gain many new believers, who were convinced of the truth of Christ and who were also inspired by the great examples shown by the Apostles and the other disciples of the Lord, the early Christians who lived in great harmony and love for one another, showing the love of God manifested in their actions, words and deeds, in all of their interactions.

In our Gospel passage today, we then heard of the Lord Jesus speaking to His disciples and all the other people who were following Him regarding what He had been telling them, and how He is truly the Son of God Incarnate, referring to God as His own Father, the Father Who is in Heaven. This was something that was taboo and forbidden among the Jewish people and tradition at that time, as God was seen as Almighty and incomparable, one and without equal, and for One like Jesus to claim to be the Son of God and calling God as His Father was akin to proclaiming blasphemy against God. However, this was because those who thought this way refused to accept the fact that there can be new revelation that was not found in the books of the Law or the Prophets. It was precisely what the Lord did, in revealing to everyone the fullness of God’s truth.

In truth, the Lord was telling everyone that God’s promises had indeed come into this world, and all had been perfectly fulfilled and manifested in Himself, in the Son and Word of God incarnate in the flesh as the Son of Man, through Whom God’s will had been made clear to us and by Whose Presence the love of God had been made tangible and approachable by us. Through His Son, the Lord has made His salvation and love manifested and real before us, and He showed it all to us through the Passion of our Lord and Saviour, as He suffered most grievously and endured a most painful death on the Cross, all for the sake of our salvation. Through Him, we have seen the Light and Hope of the Lord and we are all called to follow Him, embracing His salvation and love, as we are all expected to do as Christians, as God’s holy and beloved people.

Today, the Church also celebrates the Feast of St. Fidelis of Sigmaringen, a great servant of God and one whose life and examples can serve as good inspiration for each and every one of us to follow, so that in looking upon what this man of God had done, we can then be more inspired and strengthened in our own efforts to glorify the Lord. St. Fidelis was born in what is today part of Germany and grew up to be an academic, learning about law and philosophy, becoming a lawyer and teacher of philosophy at the institute of his study. Eventually, disillusioned by the wickedness of worldly living and the corrupt nature of his work as a lawyer and the immoral behaviours of the other lawyers of his time made St. Fidelis to join his brother as a Capuchin religious.

St. Fidelis therefore became a priest and began his ministry in the time when the Church and Christendom was greatly ravager and affected by the blight of the Protestant reformation, where many people have fallen sway into the path of heresy and falsehoods. Through his works, St. Fidelis was successful in converting quite a few of the Calvinists in the region and this led to hostile reaction from the other Calvinists who began to threaten St. Fidelis. However St. Fidelis was not deterred or became fearful over those threats, and he began to prepare himself for martyrdom should it come to pass for him. It happened therefore on one day when a group of Calvinist soldiers and agitators went up against St. Fidelis, and when they failed to force him to renounce his true Christian faith, he was martyred at that place. The courage and faith of St. Fidelis nevertheless remained strong and became inspiration for many others, and some of his persecutors were even converted to the true faith.

Through the inspiration of St. Fidelis of Sigmaringen, his courage and dedication to God, may the Lord continue to help and guide us all in our journey so that by everything that He has provided unto us, we may continue to persevere in our journey and trials of faith, throughout all these moments in life. Let us all commit ourselves ever more thoroughly and courageously to be the worthy disciples and followers of Our Lord and God. May the Lord continue to bless us in our good efforts and endeavours, all for His greater glory, now and always, forevermore. Amen.

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Tuesday, 23 April 2024 : 4th Week of Easter, Memorial of St. George, Martyr, and St. Adalbert, Bishop and Martyr (Homily and Scripture Reflections)

Liturgical Colour : White or Red (Martyrs)

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, today as we listened to the words of the Scriptures, we are all reminded of the need for each one of us to continue to proclaim the truth of God in the midst of our community, to be truly committed and faithful to the calling and mission which the Lord had entrusted to each one of us as the ones whom He had called and chosen to be His disciples, followers and as His beloved people, whom He sent out into the world to proclaim His salvation to even more people out there who have not yet known about His works and salvation. Through our works and efforts, all the things done by the Church, we may lead many more towards the Lord and His truth.

In our first reading today, we heard from the Acts of the Apostles of the continued growth of the early Church which kept on spreading and growing rapidly despite the challenges, trials and difficulties that the early Christian community was facing from the Jewish authorities, the members of the Sanhedrin or the Jewish High Council and all other opposition and obstacles that they had to face, including the opposition and refusal from some among the non-Jewish communities, the Gentiles to accommodate the teachings of the Lord Jesus and to listen to His truth and all the words that the Apostles and the many other disciples and missionaries of the Lord had brought upon them. This resulted in plenty of persecutions and hardships for the faithful people of God, and yet, it did not dampen the spirit of all those who were committed to proclaim the truth of God to more and more people among the nations.

As we heard in that same passage, we heard how the Apostles sent St. Barnabas, who was also considered as one of the Apostles, while not being member of the Twelve, to the city and region of Antioch, which was then one of the largest cities in the entire Roman Empire and the world, and was the largest city in the immediate region of Syria. Antioch at that time was a truly cosmopolitan city where its people had diverse origins and came from all the various parts of the Roman Empire and beyond. It was significant therefore that the community of the believers in Antioch was where they were first known as Christians, referring obviously to the belief that they all had in the person of Jesus Christ, Our Lord and Saviour.

This was a clear evidence that the Church was being universal and all-embracing in its nature, as it welcomed believers and followers of the Lord from all origins and backgrounds, and not being limited merely to just the people of Israel and their descendants. The Lord had called everyone to be His disciples and followers, and through the power and guidance, the wisdom and strength of the Holy Spirit, many people became convinced of the Lord’s truth and Good News, and therefore, embraced the Christian faith and dedicated themselves to be parts of the Church of God. We also heard how St. Barnabas went to nearby Tarsus and recruited Saul who had just been recently converted into the Christian faith, the future St. Paul the Apostle. It was through those works and actions that the Church greatly grew and flourished at that time.

In our Gospel passage today, we then heard of the Lord Jesus speaking to His disciples and followers, and the Jewish people, representing likely those who adhered to the Pharisees and the teachings of the teachers of the Law and the elders, They all pressured the Lord to tell them plainly whether He was the Messiah or not, although from all that the Lord Himself had said and done in their midst, it would have been really obvious that He must have indeed been the One Whom the Lord had promised, the Saviour that would come into the world. However, it was their stubborn refusal to listen to the words of the Lord and their prejudices which likely prevented them from accepting the fact that everything which they had heard, seen and witnessed, all had proven that the Lord Jesus is indeed the Saviour of all the whole world, and the Son of God as He had said.

The Lord first sent His Son to the people of Israel and their descendants, His first chosen people, to fulfil the promises He made to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob or Israel, calling on all of them to be His followers and His disciples. However, He ended up encountering a lot of difficulties, challenges and refusals from many of those people who hardened their hearts and minds, refusing to listen to God’s call and words. This problem continued on even after the Lord had suffered, died, risen from the dead and ascended into Heaven. While there were indeed quite a few successes in the process of conversion of some among the Jewish people to embrace the Christian faith and truth, but there were also many of those who opposed the efforts of the Lord and His disciples, oppressed them and persecuted them all. Yet, the Lord continued to guide and strengthen His disciples throughout the whole journey.

We are all reminded that each and every one of us as Christians are called to go forth and proclaim the truth of God to the people from all the nations, through our actions and way of life, from our words and all the things we do, in our every interactions with each other. We must always help others to come to know the Lord and to recognise Him through our own actions in life. It is through our own faith and actions that we can truly help everyone to come closer to the Lord and to find out more about Him, so that many more people may come to approach God’s Throne of Mercy, and embrace the fullness of His compassionate love. Each and every one of us are reminded that we have to be active in being part of the Church’s effort and outreach to the world.

Today, the Church also celebrates the feast of two great and holy servants of God, whose lives, examples and actions can indeed serve as inspiration and examples for all of us. St. George was a Roman military officer that went through martyrdom for the sake of his faith, renowned for his courage and commitment to the Lord, while St. Adalbert was a bishop and martyr who was known for his commitment to his faith and to the missionary works in the region now known as Czech Republic and the surrounding regions. Both of them dedicated themselves to follow the Lord in all things and to do His will, enduring difficulties and challenges, suffering and eventually martyrdom, giving up even their own lives for the glory of God in the midst of their obedience to God’s call and mission.

St. George, also known as St. George of Lydda, was renowned in Church tradition as a Roman soldier, but little was known beyond the fact that he lived and endured his martyrdom during the time of the Diocletianic persecution, the last great wave of persecutions against Christians in the Roman Empire about three centuries after the birth of Christ. According to tradition, he was arrested and tortured for his Christian faith, just like many others who were martyred during the same intense persecution. He was martyred by decapitation, but his legacy remained and endured for long, to this day, as a great symbol of courage and chivalry, and for his legendary slaying of a dragon. Many people and military institutions have St. George as their patron.

Meanwhile, St. Adalbert, also known as St. Adalbert of Prague was born in the region of Prague in today’s Czech Republic during the time when the lands then known as Bohemia had not long embraced the Christian faith. St. Adalbert eventually joined the priesthood and then became the Bishop of Prague at a rather young age succeeding his predecessor who died, and he became a courageous bishop and leader of his flock, against the often difficult political and social condition at the time, where rival families and groups bickered and struggled for power and glory, which St. Adalbert endured and struggled through. Then, later on, St. Adalbert chose to go forth in missionary work to the then still pagan land of Prussia, where he had some success, but facing great opposition from many of the pagans, he was eventually martyred by a pagan mob in the land of his mission.

Brothers and sisters in Christ, let us all be inspired by the good examples and inspirations which St. George and St. Adalbert, and many others of our holy and dedicated predecessors had shown us. Let us all continue to follow the Lord faithfully as they had done and realise the important missions and calling which the Lord had entrusted to us. May our lives continue to glorify God at all times, and may we be ever courageous to proclaim Him to the whole world. Amen.

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Monday, 22 April 2024 : 4th Week of Easter (Homily and Scripture Reflections)

Liturgical Colour : White

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, today as we all listened to the words of the Scriptures, we are all reminded that we must always follow the path and way set by the Lord, our loving God and Good Shepherd, and we must not allow ourselves to be easily swayed and tempted by all sorts of worldly temptations and evils, by those desires which may lead us astray into the wrong path, because we trusted more in our own intellect, power and abilities rather than to trust in the Lord and in what He has provided, revealed and explained to us, in all the guidance and path that He has shown us. As Christians, we should always be strongly rooted in faith, in our commitment and dedication to God, at all times.

In our first reading today, we heard from the Acts of the Apostles, where St. Peter the Apostle was speaking to the assembly of the faithful people of God, which included converts from various origins, from among the Jewish people and also from others, like the Gentiles or the non-Jewish peoples, the Greeks, Romans and many other nationalities who have come to embrace the Christian faith. At that time, the Church was increasingly being divided alongside the differences in practices that each converts from certain communities brought with them, including the linguistic differences and obstacles, as well as the misunderstandings between the Jewish and Gentile communities among the first Christians that almost tore the Church apart.

That was because some among the Jewish converts came from the group of the Pharisees who were well known for their very strict and rigid interpretation of the Law of God, and who continued to live in accordance with their Jewish customs and practices, especially in the manner how they lived as the Pharisees, in being extraordinarily rigorous on the application and enforcement of the Law. And this was extended to the point that even they made efforts to impose these practices, customs and rules upon the new converts to the Christian faith from among the non-Jewish people, or the Gentiles. Quite a number of those rules and practices were problematic and difficult to be practiced by the faithful, but even more so for those who hailed from the non-Jewish populations.

This was because certain practices such as circumcision which was mandatory according to the Jewish customs and practices, was seen as abhorrent and disgusting by the non-Jewish people, particularly by the Greeks and the Romans. Similarly, the strict dietary restrictions and rules practiced by the Jews, especially by the Pharisees might make it difficult for the non-Jewish converts to the faith to live their lives or carry out their livelihood. Therefore, enforcing the full Jewish customs and practices upon all the newly converted Christians from non-Jewish backgrounds is something that the Church decided from early on as something that should not be done. As St. Peter himself made it clear in his explanation, that God revealed to him through the vision he received and the experiences he had with the family of Cornelius, a convert Christian from non-Jewish origin, that the old Jewish customs should not be enforced anymore.

Instead, from then on, based on what the Lord Himself had taught the disciples and revealed to His Church through the Holy Spirit and other revelations, new set of rules that were attuned to the true intention and purpose of God’s Law that Christ Himself had purified and reemphasised, have been given to us all, through the One, Holy, Catholic and Apostolic Church, which we are all members and parts of. The Lord wanted all of us to follow these instead of the unnecessarily rigorous and strict observances of the Jewish laws and customs, which led to a lot of hardships and difficulties by the people of God when they were burdened greatly by those rules and laws which made it especially difficult for the non-Jewish people to come towards the Lord and His salvation.

In our Gospel passage today, we then heard of the continuation from the Gospel of St. John of the discourse on the Good Shepherd by the Lord Jesus to His disciples and followers. In that discourse we heard today, we are reminded by the Lord Himself that He, as the Good Shepherd, is the One to Whom all the sheep should go towards, just as He also compared to Himself as the Gate of the sheep. He mentioned that how the thieves and robbers would use other means rather than the gate to enter into the sheep’s compound and place, to cause harm to them and to take the sheep away from the flock. Meanwhile, the sheep also would not hearken or respond to the call of the thieves and the robbers, or the false shepherds, as the sheep of the flock respond only to their one true shepherd.

This is actually an important reminder for all of us that Christ, Our Lord, the Good Shepherd of all the faithful, is the One and only One Whom all the Lord’s flock, that is all of us, should be following and focusing our attention upon. Unfortunately, in this world, there are many of those who claim to know better and spread false teachings and ways, which are contrary to the way that the Lord, our Good Shepherd had shown and taught us. This can be compared to the actions of some of the Pharisees among the early Christians who attempted to spread and enforce the full, strict and extra-rigorous Jewish customs, practices and rules upon all the Christians. But the Lord helped to guide His Church through those shepherds He had appointed, the Apostles and their successors, that just as St. Peter had done, he helped to steer the Church, the flock of the Lord down the right path.

Brothers and sisters in Christ, through today’s Scripture readings, we are all therefore reminded to focus our attention once again towards our Good Shepherd, our Lord and Saviour. We should heed His call and embrace His path, and we should be vigilant and careful lest the temptations and the allures of worldly glory, fame and all the falsehoods and lies around us, the paths shown by false leaders and false shepherds may end up leading us down the path of ruin and destruction. Let us all therefore seek to follow the Lord, our Good Shepherd ever more faithfully at all times, doing what He has called and entrusted to all to do in our respective parts and areas in life. May He continue to bless us all and guide us in our every good works, efforts and endeavours. Amen.

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Sunday, 21 April 2024 : Fourth Sunday of Easter, Good Shepherd and Vocation Sunday (Homily and Scripture Reflections)

Liturgical Colour : White

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, this Sunday being the fourth Sunday in the season of Easter, we are celebrating the occasion of Good Shepherd Sunday, because of the Scripture readings which highlighted the actions of the Lord in being our Good Shepherd, in everything that He had done in gathering all of us to Himself, and helping us all to find our way back to His loving Presence and embrace. This Sunday we are constantly reminded again that Our Lord’s love for each and every one of us is truly great and ever enduring, and we really should consider ourselves as being really fortunate for having been loved in such a way. Our Lord and Good Shepherd is truly the One that we should be rejoicing about this glorious and most joyful Easter season, because by His love, He has shown us the sure path to eternal life.

In our first reading this Sunday, we heard from the Acts of the Apostles of the testimony of faith which St. Peter the Apostle mentioned how the healing of a man that had been healed from his affliction came about from the power and authority of the Risen Lord, the One Whom the Jewish authorities had opposed and rejected, persecuted and handed over to the Romans to be judged, sentenced and condemned to death on the Cross, in the most humiliating and painful way possible. And yet, all the proofs, evidences and events of that time pointed out how the Lord Jesus did not remain dead but rose from the dead just as He Himself had predicted it, appearing before many people and from which the belief in His Resurrection and His works began to propagate, as those disciples of the Lord who had witnessed His death and resurrection all went forth to proclaim His truth to more and more people.

St. Peter told everyone of the salvation in this same Messiah, the One through Whom everyone shall receive justification and liberation from the tyranny of sin, evil and death, because of everything that He had done out of love for us, truly our Good Shepherd, Who knows us all and loves each one of us, and Who does not want any one of us to be lost to Him or to be separated from Him. That is why He went out all the way to seek us, His lost sheep, calling upon us, the ones who have been lost to the darkness of this world and sin, so that we may find our way back to Him, and His light may help lead us on the way back to the right path towards salvation and eternal life. As our Lord and Good Shepherd, He wants us to listen to His call, that we may not wander off anymore in this world, and be found by Him.

In our second reading this Sunday, we then heard of the words of the St. John the Apostle in his Epistle or letter to the Church and the faithful in which he reminded and encouraged everyone that God has truly loved and cared for all of them because He has considered all of us to be His own children, whom He truly loved, because we share in the humanity of Jesus Christ, Our Lord and Saviour, Who is both the Son of God and Son of Man. Therefore, we are all considered to be sons and daughters of God, and having been loved as such, naturally He wants us all to be like Him and to follow Him, in doing His will and living our lives worthily as Christians, that is as all those whom the Lord had called and chosen from this world. By our membership in the Church, we have been made partakers of God’s love and made to be His own adopted children.

And to gather all of us, He sent us His Son, Our Lord and Saviour, as mentioned. He is our Good Shepherd and Guide, the One through Whom we can find the one and only way to our Heavenly Father, helping us to reconcile ourselves with the Lord, so that despite our rebelliousness and sins, we may be gathered once again to live with Him, through the patient and loving hands of Our Lord and Good Shepherd, Who has reached out to us sinners, the lost sheep of the Lord, to find us and to help us reunite with God, our loving Father, Master and Creator. He knows all of us, and He has given us all His love and compassion, that even the greatest of sinners are not beyond the reach of His generous offer of mercy and redemption. As long as one is willing to commit himself or herself to repent from his or her sins, there is a path forward and an assurance of a new life in God.

In that same passage, the Lord Jesus also highlighted how He would do this, as He hinted that He would lay down His life for His sheep. In another account of this parable of the Good Shepherd, the Lord clearly mentioned that ‘The Good Shepherd lays down His life for His sheep’, referring to any good shepherds out there in general, who have cared for their flock even at the cost of their own sufferings and even lives, and specifically at His own case and example, as He would lay down His own life on the Cross, suffering and dying for the sake of all the beloved people of God, for all mankind without exception. He suffered and died for all, even for all those who have persecuted, oppressed and condemned Him to death, asking His Father to forgive them from their mistakes and sins.

Through what we have heard in our Scripture readings today, therefore we are all presented with the Lord in His Aspect as our Good Shepherd, reminding us first of all of how fortunate we are having been beloved in such a way by our Lord, as we receive this most generous and constant offer of love and kindness from Him. And then we are also reminded of how we have been wayward in our way of life, not following and obeying Him as we all should. Like lost sheep, we have chosen to do everything other than what our Lord and Good Shepherd had told us to do. We sought for the pleasures of worldly glory, fame and satisfaction that we have ended up being misguided and misled down the path of darkness and sin. And yet, the Lord still continued to love us all regardless, and made all the efforts to save us and to bring us back to Himself.

That was why He, as our Good Shepherd, chose to come into our midst, in seeking all of us, the ones who had been lost to Him, so that we will not end up being lost forever from Him. He has called us all by name, calling on all of us to embrace His love, mercy and forgiveness. Our Lord and Good Shepherd wanted to show us that we are truly precious to Him, and He did not mind to bear the grievous sufferings, hardships and trials for our sake. It is through His loving sacrifice for us, out of His ever enduring love that He stood between us and the power of death. Through Him, His wounds and His Body and Blood, which had been broken and outpoured upon us, we have been brought to the assurance of this new life and existence, reconciliation and reunion with God.

Now, brothers and sisters in Christ, are we going to respond to the call that Our Lord and Good Shepherd had made to us, as He called upon us to follow Him? Or are we going to continue to ignore Him and walking down our own path, which may lead us into the wrong path in life? Are we going to embrace the Light and Hope shown by our Lord and good Shepherd, or are we going to continue to seek the pleasures and the darkness of this world, and all the temptations and pleasures of life? We have all been given the freedom to choose and to decide for ourselves what we want to do with our lives and the path we are to choose. It is thus really up to us if we want to embrace God’s love and guidance, or whether we want to continue to go down the path of rebellion and sin agaist God.

This Sunday, we also celebrate the occasion of Vocation Sunday, as we remember and especially pray for all those people who had answered God’s call to be His servants and disciples, to be the ones who live their lives and carry out their actions as the shepherds of the flock of the Lord, in the model of the Good Shepherd Himself, namely our priests and bishops, and of course, our Pope Francis. Each and every one of them had committed themselves to the good works of the Lord, dedicating themselves wholly to the ministry of priesthood, by which they truly showed the same love and care that our Lord and Good Shepherd had shown us, and this Sunday in particular we pray for all of them that the Lord will continue to guide them and strengthen them all in all their works.

However we must not forget that each and every one of us as Christians also have our own unique vocations in life. Vocation in the Church is not just the vocation to priesthood only, as there are also those who continue to live in the world and living our own respective and diverse ways of life as members of the laity, as people who build up faithful Christian families and societies, as well as all those who also give themselves into consecrated life to God, or those who commit themselves to a life of singlehood and purity, all in the service of God. Each and every one of these vocations are truly important, and we are hence reminded that as Christians we must always be active in living our Christian faith and life at all times.

As Christians, we too should also be good role models and inspirations for one another, that we can truly live our lives and faith being just like Our Lord, the Good Shepherd Himself. As Christians, we should help one another to come ever closer to God, and hence, we should live our lives worthily and in accordance to God’s will, and in the way that He has taught and shown us so that by our own good examples we may truly inspire and help more and more people to come ever closer to the Lord and to His salvation. We should be the beacons of Christ’s light, hope and truth to the whole world, in all of our whole lives, actions and deeds, so that more and more people may come to believe in God through us. Let us all go forth in faith, and commit ourselves wholeheartedly to serve the Lord, now and always. Amen.

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Saturday, 20 April 2024 : 3rd Week of Easter (Homily and Scripture Reflections)

Liturgical Colour : White

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, on this day we are all reminded that as the disciples and followers of Our Lord Jesus Christ, Saviour of all, each and every one of us must always be ready to stand by our faith in Him and to do whatever it is that He has entrusted to all of us. As those whom the Lord had entrusted with His truth, Good News and revelation, and as the ones that He had called and chosen from this world, we are all expected to live our lives truly worthily of Him, and to do our part as the members of this same Body of Christ, the One, Holy, Catholic and Apostolic Church. To His Church, the Lord had given the mission to proclaim this salvation and liberation which He Himself had brought into our midst, so that more and more people may come to know Him and seek to embrace His love and mercy, that everyone may be gathered together in His Presence.

In our first reading today, we heard from the Acts of the Apostles in which the Apostles continued their ministry and works, as the persecutions and hardships, trials and challenges against the Church abated at that time with the conversion of Saul the Pharisee, and with the end of his so-called ‘witch hunt’ and efforts to eradicate the early Christians and the Church, the Sanhedrin or the Jewish High Council lost their greatest champion. As mentioned, the Church had a moment of peace and reprieve from the persecutions and challenges it faced, and the growth of the Church continued just as it had been during the times of troubles. The Lord continued to guide His disciples to go forth and proclaim His truth and Good News to more and more people. The Apostles were going round to minister to the faithful in various places.

And it was during some of these mission trips that we heard in today’s passage, how St. Peter performed a great miracle by the power of God when he visited the faithful community in the city of Lydda, where he healed a man named Aeneas who was paralysed, and upon seeing the miraculous healing of the man from his illness, many more people came to believe in the Lord and embraced the Christian faith. Then, we heard after that of the illness and death that claimed a certain Tabitha, a good and faithful woman, who had been well-known in the community for her righteousness and virtues. St. Peter came to her place, prayed over her and raised her up from the dead, by the Name and authority of the Risen Lord Himself, showing to everyone how the Lord truly is the Lord and Master over life and death, and has authority over all things. Even more people came to believe in the Lord by these miracles and events, and the Church continued to grow rapidly.

This is a reminder that God has always been with His Church, and while many of its members might have to suffer because of the opposition that many in the world held stubbornly against the Lord, and just as the Lord Himself had faced bitter persecutions and hardships, thus the Church would have to face sufferings and difficulties, challenges and trials as part of its journey. God has always guided all the faithful towards Himself, and as they all carried their crosses in life, they were carrying their crosses with the Lord. And with every actions and deeds which they had done, those disciples of the Lord had proclaimed the truth and the revelation of His salvation, and more people came to be part of the Church, just as the popular saying goes, that the ‘blood of martyrs is the seed of Christians’, with more and more people being convinced to follow the Lord by the exemplary courage of the Apostles and the other disciples of the Lord.

In our Gospel passage today, we heard the conclusion of the discourse of the Bread of Life by the Lord to the people which we have heard in the past week or so. In that discourse, we heard how the Lord highlighted His role as the Bread of Life, the Heavenly Bread Who would share His own Most Precious Body and Blood with everyone, so that they all may have eternal and new life, new existence full of grace with Him. But as we heard, the people refused to listen to the Lord and hardened their hearts and minds, saying to the Lord that how can He, as a mere Man, could give to them His own Body and Blood for them to eat and drink. In fact some of them if not many among them were likely disgusted at those words, but they failed to understand what the Lord meant, and they did not have faith in Him, choosing to use their own limited understanding and appreciation of the matter for them to judge Him instead.

This was why as mentioned in that same Gospel passage, many of the Lord’s disciples stopped following Him and abandoned Him. They refused to accept those teachings which they found difficult to follow or to understand using their understanding and appreciation. But those who were closest to Him, like the Twelve and some others stayed by His side and continued to follow Him despite the reservations and the questions that they themselves might have also had in their hearts and minds. It was these same truths which they later on proclaimed courageously and fearlessly among the people of God, like what St. Peter the Apostles, the other Apostles and disciples had done as they ministered to the people, performing the same miracles and wonders that the Lord had done in their midst. They trusted in the Lord and allowed Him to lead them in their mission and calling, to glorify the Lord by their lives and works.

Brothers and sisters in Christ, therefore this is why all of us are also called and reminded to put our faith and trust completely in the Lord. Each and every one of us should continue to embrace Him and His love, and strive to do whatever we can such that by our commitment and dedication, we may truly be the good role models and examples for one another, and be the shining beacons and light of God’s truth, illuminating the path for many around us, so that they may come to believe in the Lord as well. This is why each and every one of us must always be truly sincere and genuine in how we follow the Lord, in each and every moments of our lives, in our every actions so that by all of those we may help many more people to come to the Lord. It is through our actions, words and deeds that the light of God, His truth and Good News are made manifest and real to many, who experienced God through us and our lives.

May the Risen Lord continue to help and lead us in our journey of faith and life, so that as we continue to persevere and endure amidst all the challenges and trials that we may face, and that we may continue to obey Him and do His will in our world today, being active part of the Church’s mission in proclaiming the Good News and Christ’s salvation in our world today. May the Lord continue to bless our every efforts and endeavours, our every actions and works, our interactions and all that we do to proclaim His Name and His truth to all the people around us. May He remain with us always, now and forevermore. Amen.

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Friday, 19 April 2024 : 3rd Week of Easter (Homily and Scripture Reflections)

Liturgical Colour : White

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, today we heard from the passages of the Sacred Scriptures the story of the moment when Saul the Pharisee, a great enemy and persecutor of the Church and the early Christians, was completely turned upside-down in his life as he experienced a dramatic encounter with the Lord Himself on his way to persecute Christians in Damascus, and henceforth, he embraced Christ as his Lord and Saviour, and not only that, but ever since, he became one of the greatest champions and defenders of the Church and the Christian faith, as known from his works later on as St. Paul the Apostle, Apostle to the Gentiles and the author of many Epistles recorded in the New Testament. At the same time, we also continue to hear the discourse of the Bread of Life by the Lord to the assembly of people in our Gospel passage today.

In our first reading, as mentioned earlier, we heard of the moment when St. Paul the Apostle in his earlier life as he was known by the name of Saul, a young and overzealous Pharisee, how he had persecuted the early Church and the Christian community in his ill-guided efforts and actions in rounding up and arresting everyone who believed in the Lord Jesus and in His teachings. Saul was thoroughly convinced, likely by his education and upbringing, that what he had done was righteous and good for the people of God, and that he was uprooting a heresy and blasphemy from the recently crucified Messiah, whom the Pharisees and many among the other members of the Sanhedrin like the Sadducees and the elders considered as a False Messiah, blasphemer and traitor to their nation and people.

But the Lord Himself appeared to Saul as he made his way to Damascus, in his zeal and effort to lead his so-called ‘Crusade’ against the Christian communities even beyond the traditional land of Judea and Galilee. That the Lord chose this man, who was a great enemy of the Church and one of its most ardent and hardened opponent to be the instrument of His will and works, is truly significant as it showed to us all that even the greatest of sinners, and all those who have opposed the Lord and made it difficult for Him and His works, all were not beyond His forgiveness, mercy and calling. Just as He Himself has forgiven all those who persecuted and condemned Him to death from His Cross, thus the Lord called even Saul from the depth of his crimes against the holy people of God, to walk into His Light.

Thus, we heard how this great enemy of the Church, the champion of those who were against the Lord and His works, was instantly experiencing a turnaround in his life and path, from being a stubborn enemy of the Lord to be among His greatest defenders. This is a story which would happen yet again and again, as throughout the history of the Church, there were indeed many of those who had turned from the path of sin and evil into the path of righteousness and virtue in God, and many of the Church’s great saints were once themselves great sinners and rebels who committed grievous sins and errors against God. Yet, what they all had in common is that each and every one of them like St. Paul embraced the Lord and turned away from their path of sin and evil, committing themselves to a new path and life in God, resolving not to sin any more and to be the good and worthy servants of God henceforth.

This is an important reminder for each and every one of us that no one is truly beyond the power and scope of God’s forgiveness, mercy and redemption. As long as one is willing to embrace the Lord’s love and forgiveness, His path and light, one can find his and her path towards reconciliation with God, Who has been ever full of love and compassion towards each one of us, all of us who are beloved and holy people of God, those whom He had called and chosen from among all in this world. Through Him and by sharing in His love and mercy, all of us will receive justification and grace, the freedom and liberation from all the bondage of the evils and sins that have kept us bound all these while. Through His ever enduring and present love for each and every one of us, we have been truly so fortunate because God has never given up on us, no matter how we have turned away from Him and rebelled against Him. We are all reminded indeed that there is a path towards His salvation and grace, and the choice is ours to make, whether we want to follow Him or not.

In our Gospel passage today, we heard the continuation of the discourse of the Bread of Life by the Lord, in which the Lord Jesus continued to tell the people who were listening to Him about the Bread of Life, Who is truly Himself, the One Who has come down from Heaven, from the Father, to show us all the eternal and ever enduring love of God, made evident and tangible to us, in the person of His own beloved Son, Jesus Christ, the Saviour of the whole world. Through Him, all of us have received the gift of forgiveness and redemption, liberation from the threat of unending and eternal death. By our partaking of the Most Precious and Holy Body and Blood of Our Lord, all of us have received the gift of the Bread of Life, the new life and existence which Our Lord Himself has provided to all of us. He has given us all the path to a new life with Him, just as He has called St. Paul to be His disciple and follower.

Brothers and sisters in Christ, let us all therefore remind ourselves of the Lord’s calling and His efforts in reaching out to us, as He embraced all of us sinners and gathering us all to His Presence. Let us all seek the Lord to thank Him for all the love which He has granted to us, and let us all hence renew our commitment to Him, to do His will and to embrace everything that He has prepared for us, out of His enduring love for us. Let us all answer His call as what St. Paul had once done, turning away from our sinful and wicked way of life, and embracing instead the fullness of God’s love and grace, knowing that it is in Him alone that we shall find lasting peace, justification and the path to salvation and eternal life. May the Risen Lord continue to guide us in our path and journey throughout life, and may He empower each and every one of us so that we may always be ever faithful in our journey towards the Lord, His salvation and grace. Amen.

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Thursday, 18 April 2024 : 3rd Week of Easter (Homily and Scripture Reflections)

Liturgical Colour : White

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, today as we listened to the words of the Scriptures, we are all presented with the reminders that each and every one of us as Christians should continue to heed the Lord’s call as He sent us forth in our respective lives to go and proclaim His salvation and Good News to all the nations. Each and every one of us have been entrusted and empowered, in unique and diverse opportunities, blessings and gifts, by the Lord in our respective areas of responsibility and in our circles of relationships and friendships, so that through us and our every actions, words and deeds we may truly proclaim our Lord and His great and wonderful works among the whole world. In every small little things that we do, we should always seek to glorify the Lord at all times.

In our first reading today, we heard from the Acts of the Apostles of the moment when St. Philip the Apostle, one of the Twelve Apostles, went to the region between Jerusalem and Gaza, where he encountered the travelling party of an Ethiopian official who came to Jerusalem on a pilgrimage. Based on the Biblical and historical connections between Ethiopia and the land of Israel, it was likely that the Ethiopian official was a believer of God as a convert, or was a member of the Jewish diaspora in Ethiopia appointed by the Queen of Ethiopia as one of her officials. It was common at that time for the people in the Jewish diaspora to return back to Jerusalem especially for important festivals and celebrations, at which moment they reconnected with their ancestral roots and faith in God.

It was there then St. Philip the Apostle enlightened the Ethiopian official, as at the Divinely appointed time the latter was reading from the Book of the prophet Isaiah detailing about the sufferings and the works of the Messiah, the Holy One of God, all of which had been fulfilled completely and perfectly by the Lord Jesus Christ, the One Whom St. Philip was proclaiming and revealing about to the Ethiopian official. Through the wisdom and guidance of the Holy Spirit, St. Philip explained everything that had happened and how the Scriptures and the words of the Prophets were all directing towards the Lord Jesus, Who had suffered, died and rose again just as the prophets like the prophet Isaiah had spoken and proclaimed. St. Philip convinced the Ethiopian official that the One he ought to put his faith and believe in is none other than the Risen Lord, the Saviour of all.

With the baptism of the Ethiopian official by St. Philip the Apostle and how that official likely brought the Christian faith and teachings back to his homeland in Ethiopia, this was one of the occasions highlighted in the Acts of the Apostles showing how although the Church and the early Christian community at that time had been facing great trials, sufferings and persecutions at the hands of their enemies, like the Jewish authorities, the Sanhedrin and the chief priests, and also from the actions of the overzealous and misguided Saul the Pharisee, the future St. Paul the Apostle, who at that time persecuted the Christian faithful quite brutally, leading to the deaths of many among the people of God. But this did not stop the growth and spread of the Church which continued on despite the persecutions and hardships facing the people of God.

In our Gospel passage today, we then heard of the continuation of the discourse on the Bread of Life by the Lord to the assembled people, as He taught them all that He is indeed the Bread of Life that He Himself mentioned, having come down from Heaven itself, as the Son of God incarnate in the flesh, revealing to everyone the love of God manifested and made accessible to us. Through Him everyone shall receive new life and rejuvenation, the promise of everlasting life unlike those who have eaten the heavenly bread or manna, also known as the bread of the Angels, which the Israelites had once eaten during their forty years sojourn in the desert on their way towards the Promised Land of Canaan. This gift of new life that Christ has revealed, has indeed been fulfilled through our baptism, by which we have been welcomed into the Church, and then later on becoming partakers of His Body and Blood in the Eucharist.

This is related to what we have heard in our first reading today, in which the story of the conversion of the Ethiopian official had been told to us. The Ethiopian official received the truth and Good News of God through the actions and words of St. Philip the Apostle, who shared with him the truth of God, His teachings and truth, and ultimately, opening his heart and mind to welcome the Lord Himself to come into them, transforming him through the gift of the Sacrament of Baptism, by which he received the Holy Spirit, and thus, becoming part of the same Body of Christ, the Church of God. All of us as Christians during this time and season of Easter, we are all reminded of our own baptism and membership in this same Body of Christ, as we have all partaken in the Holy Eucharist and received the Holy Spirit.

Now, brothers and sisters in Christ, what we are all then reminded to do is that of our missions and calling as Christians, just as we have been shown the examples of the labour of the Apostles through what St. Philip himself had done. Each and every one of us as Christians have to be truly committed in our various areas of responsibilities and in the many opportunities that God had given us, so that by everything that we say and do, we may help to bring more and more people ever closer to the Lord. Likewise, our actions and words, our deeds and interactions cannot and should not lead to scandal that can make others to be prevented from coming towards the Lord, as we have all well heard and seen happening in the Church and in our world today, within our own Christian communities and all.

This is why today we are all reminded that we should renew our focus and commitment to the Lord, to follow Him ever more wholeheartedly, rejecting the temptations and the pressures of sin and evil. We should strive to keep ourselves truly holy and worthy, in all things so that we may truly be good and holy people of God, His faithful disciples and followers, showcasing His light, hope and truth to our world, illuminating all those who are still living in the darkness of sin and in the ignorance of God’s love and compassionate mercy. Let us all continue to do our best so that our lives and our every efforts and endeavours will continue to glorify God and proclaim Him to our world today. Amen.

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Wednesday, 17 April 2024 : 3rd Week of Easter (Homily and Scripture Reflections)

Liturgical Colour : White

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, today as we listened to the words of the Scriptures, we are all reminded again that as we rejoice and celebrate Our Lord’s glorious Resurrection this season and time of Easter, we must always keep our focus in the Lord and trust in Him, regardless of whatever trials, challenges and hardships that we may have to encounter in our journey of faith and life as Christians. Our holy predecessors have shown us both the sufferings that they had to endure amidst their faithful lives of service to God, and at the same time, also the dedication and actions which they had undertaken in living their lives and missions throughout their lives, in fulfilling what the Lord had entrusted to each and every one of them. We should do well to heed their examples and learn from them.

In our first reading today, we heard from the Acts of the Apostles of the moment after the martyrdom of St. Stephen, the very first martyr of the Church, which story we heard for the past few days. At that time, persecutions and hardships began to build up against the early Christian community and faithful, led by a particular Saul of Tarsus, a young Pharisee and member of the Jewish community who was overzealous and misled in his efforts and drive to destroy the Church and the Christian faith. We heard how this young man persecuted the early Christians with often brutal and wicked methods, seeking the destruction of lives of Christians, and all those suspected of having sympathy or belief in the Risen Lord. They were persecuted by the actions of Saul, who made it really difficult for all those Christian believers. This is the same person who would later on be known as Paul, the Apostle to the Gentiles, prior to his conversion.

But at the same time, in the same passage we heard how the disciples of the Lord still continued their works and mission regardless. St. Philip, one of the Twelve Apostles went to the region of Samaria, proclaiming the Good News of God and His salvation, performing miracles and wonders, which resulted in continuous growth of the Church and the community of believers in various places despite the trials and challenges facing the Church at that time. The Lord was with His Church and those who were faithful to Him, guiding and strengthening them with His guidance and Holy Spirit. Through this, the Lord had helped the Apostles and the other disciples in showing the truth and revelation about His salvation to many more people.

It is an important reminder for all of us that we should not allow ourselves to be swayed or dissuaded by the many temptations and hardships we may face amidst our journey of faith and life as Christians. The Lord will always be by our side and He will always give us the guidance and strength so that whatever difficulties and hardships we face, we may be able to endure them, and like those Apostles, the other disciples such as St. Stephen, even in suffering and martyrdom, they would glorify the Lord by their lives and examples. As such, through them, we may hopefully be more encouraged to live our lives ever more worthily in the manner that Our Lord Himself and His disciples and followers themselves have shown us. Through us and our works, we can bring God’s salvation to more and more people.

Then, in our Gospel passage today, we heard the continuation of the moment when the Lord told the assembled people of the truth of Himself as the Bread of Life, the One Who has brought new life and existence to everyone in this world by His coming, His entry into this world. This was also a foreshadowing and revelation of what He Himself would experience in the midst of fulfilling and completing the plans which the Lord had prepared for our salvation. Through His Crucifixion, His suffering of the Cross and His sacrifice, as He allowed Himself to be emptied of all glory and power, and was subjected to the ultimate punishment and humiliation, He has made Himself available to everyone, by the giving and sharing of His Most Precious Body, as well as His Most Precious Blood, shared to us through the Sacrament of the Most Holy Eucharist in the Church, through the Holy Mass.

This is why all of us as Christians truly believe in the Real Presence of God in the Holy Eucharist, of the Lord Himself Who has given us all His Body to eat and His Blood to drink, and just as the Lord has told all the people there, that all who partake of the Body and Blood of Christ, the Bread of Life, they shall live forever, and shall receive the fullness of God’s grace at the appointed time. This is what we are assured of, brothers and sisters in Christ, as long as we receive Him, in His Body and Blood, worthily and properly, we shall receive the fullness of God’s grace, love and blessings, as He comes into us, dwelling within us, and through Him we shall be strengthened and empowered to do all the things which He had entrusted to us, like how the Apostles and the many other disciples of the Lord had continued carrying out His missions faithfully.

However, we must also be wary, as if we do not receive Him worthily, then we shall be judged by that, and this happens if we do not treat our own bodies, our souls and our whole beings, the Temples of God’s Holy Presence, His dwelling place and the Temple of the Holy Spirit with proper respect and honour that they deserve. This is why we are all reminded that we should distance ourselves from the corruptions of worldly desires, greed and ambitions, all the vile things and wickedness present all around us, which can lead us into our downfall, if we allow them to corrupt and turn us away from the path of the Lord. We should always focus our attention and gaze always upon the Lord, through Whom we shall receive justification and liberation from all the darkness and the stranglehold of sin and evil. Regardless of the trials and challenges that we may have to face, we should always keep our focus on the Lord, as always.

May the Risen Lord be with us always, and may He continue to strengthen and guide us in our journey of faith and life, so that by His blessings and power, we may continue the good works which the Apostles and disciples of the Lord, and His whole Church throughout time and history had done, for the benefit and salvation of countless souls. Let us all be the good role models and inspirations for one another, in helping everyone to come ever closer to the light of God, His truth and grace, by our exemplary living, our every words, actions and deeds that are filled with true faith and dedication to the Lord. May He continue to bless our Easter journey and our struggles, in showing His truth and light to the world. Amen.

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Tuesday, 16 April 2024 : 3rd Week of Easter (Homily and Scripture Reflections)

Liturgical Colour : White

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, today as we listened to the words of the Scriptures, we are all presented with the continuation of the story of the martyrdom of the very first martyr of the Church, namely that of St. Stephen the protomartyr, and we heard how this faithful man of God had to endure the persecutions, stubborn rejection and refusal by all the enemies of the Lord in hardening their hearts and in stubbornly refusing to embrace God’s truth and Good News in the person of Jesus Christ, Our Lord and Saviour. We also heard the reminders of the Lord Who is our Bread of Life, the One and only Source of our Hope and Life, the One Whom we should focus our attention and efforts upon. This reminds us that as long as we centre our lives upon the Lord, then we shall have nothing to worry about, and we should not be concerned about how we will turn out to be, because the Lord Himself is with us, guiding us and strengthening us.

In our first reading today, as mentioned, we heard the continuation of the martyrdom of St. Stephen, after he had spoken courageously and fearlessly before all the assembled people who were all against him. Those people had hardened and closed their hearts and minds against the Lord and His words, and even though St. Stephen had spoken with great wisdom and eloquence, explaining to them in vain about the works of the Lord in His salvation of the whole world. St. Stephen spoke at length about how God had been with His people, guiding and empowering them, despite their many rebellions and refusals to follow Him faithfully. God continued to patiently lead them by hand through His many prophets, messengers and appointed leaders, who helped them all to remain faithful to Him, and which culminated in the sending and arrival of His own Beloved Son, the One to be the Saviour of all.

Yet, as St. Stephen pointed out, the people had rejected the great grace of God, His patient love and salvation, persecuting the very One Whom God had sent to help and save them. They crucified the Lord, persecuted His servants and disciples, and tried to stop the works of God being done, harassing the disciples at every turn of the way, like what they had done with St. Stephen himself. Yet, the Lord was still being patient with the people, and through St. Stephen, despite seemingly futile, He was still trying to reach out to them and convince them to believe in Him. This did not happen though, and those people persecuted St. Stephen, whom they punished and stoned to death, a punishment that was reserved for blasphemers and sinners. Yet, despite being the righteous one, St. Stephen, like that of the Lord Himself before him, forgave all of his persecutors and murderers.

In our Gospel passage today, we then heard of the beginning of the Lord’s discourse of the Bread of Life, as He described how the ancestors of the people to whom He had been sent to, the Israelites of the time of the Exodus, received the heavenly bread, known as the manna, that God provided to the Israelites for the entirety of the forty years period when they were journeying from Egypt to the Promised Land, including the entire time that they were sojourning in the desert as a chastisement and consequence of their rebelliousness and lack of faith. Yet, despite all the evils and wickedness that the people had done, God still ultimately loved them and cared for them, and hence, He still fed them and gave them the bread from Heaven itself. This came up after the miracle of the feeding of the five thousand men, in which the Lord miraculously fed the many multitudes of people with unending supply of food.

Thus, yet again, we can see the great and enduring love of God, in His perseverance and persistence to love each and every one of us, reaching out to us sinners, despite us having repeatedly disobeyed Him, disregarded His Law and commandments, refusing to believe in His truth and love. He still sent to us His only begotten Son, the One and only Jesus Christ, Son of God and Son of Man, Who has come into our midst, manifesting perfectly the love of God in the flesh, becoming approachable and accessible to us, bridging the gap between God and all of us, a gap created by our disobedience and sins. Through His loving sacrifice on the Cross, Christ has not only bridged the gap that once existed between us and God, but through the breaking of His Body and the outpouring of His Blood, He has shared with us the Bread of Life and the Blood that sanctifies us, sealing the New and Eternal Covenant between us and God.

Through what we have heard in our Scripture readings today, we are all reminded that each and every one of us should always first of all be grateful because God has always been so kind, patient and loving towards us despite our many disobedient actions and sins, and despite our frequent refusal to follow Him and His path. God has always patiently reached out to us and embraced us all, again and again, that while we may fall from time to time due to our faults, mistakes and frailty, our inability to resist the temptations of sin, but as our loving Father, God has continuously and persistently led us all to enter into His loving embrace, guiding us and showing the way for us to follow so that we may find the right path towards Him and His salvation, and that we may no longer be lost to Him.

And then, we are also reminded that we have to be ever courageous and committed as the holy people of God, not to be easily swayed by the temptations of the world, by the many pressures, trials and challenges present all around us. All those things may lead us to give up on our efforts and struggles to do God’s will, but as St. Stephen has shown us, through his fearless efforts and his perseverance despite the many trials and oppositions he faced, all of us should also be strengthened and encouraged in our own lives and dedication as Christians, as God’s holy and beloved people. We cannot be idle and ignorant of our calling and missions as those whom God had called and chosen. To each one of us God has entrusted the responsibilities and the missions to proclaim His truth and salvation to the nations.

The question now is, what are we then going to do in fulfilling our missions and calling in life? Are we going to embrace God’s call and follow Him in His path, doing what He has called on us to do, so that in each and every moments of our lives we will continue to live our lives with the right actions and convictions, with the strong and enduring desire to walk in God’s path without losing focus and hope on His promises and truth. Let us all ever be worthy of God in all things, and do our best so that our every actions, words and deeds, our whole lives may glorify the Lord, now and always. Amen.

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Monday, 15 April 2024 : 3rd Week of Easter (Homily and Scripture Reflections)

Liturgical Colour : White

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, today as we listened to the words of the Scriptures, we are all reminded through them of the important mission which we have as Christians, that is as God’s chosen and beloved people, as His disciples and followers, to proclaim Him in the midst of our communities and societies, in our various areas of commitment and lives, so that by our good and faithful living as well as by our dedication to the Lord, we may inspire more and more people to come to believe in the Lord as well. Each one of us have been entrusted with the unique mission and calling in our respective lives, so that by our lives we may truly proclaim the Risen Lord, His Good News and salvation to the whole world, and not to fear losing the glory and pleasures of the world.

In our first reading today, we heard from the Acts of the Apostles in which the story of the martyrdom of St. Stephen, the first martyr of the Church and one of the seven first deacons was told to us. St. Stephen had been appointed to minister to the people of God, the first and earliest Christian community as a deacon, one of the seven who were tasked with the distribution of the common communal goods and the care of the needs of the faithful. He proclaimed the Good News and salvation of God like those of the other Apostles and disciples of the Lord. St. Stephen was full of the Holy Spirit and wisdom of God, and through his works, he managed to convince many to follow the Lord and to turn towards the true faith. This brought about the ire and anger, jealousy and hatred from the Jewish authorities.

At that time, the Jewish authorities, many of the members of the Sanhedrin or the Jewish High Council opposed the Lord and His works, His teachings and truth, and they persecuted not just Him but also all of His disciples and followers who continued His works and proclaimed the truth in the many places all throughout the land. The Lord’s truth could not be silenced or kept on hold, and through His many disciples like that of St. Stephen, His works of salvation and the spreading of His truth continued quickly and unabated, with more and more becoming believers, embracing the truth of God, day after day. This led to desperate measures from the chief priests and the other members of the Sanhedrin who resorted to making and paying people to be false witnesses and utter lies and false accusations against St. Stephen.

Yet, as we heard in the despite their desperate efforts in trying to falsely accuse St. Stephen of blasphemy and sin against God, they could not stand against the truth and wisdom of God which St. Stephen brought against those who sought to slander and accuse him of misdeeds without firm evidence. The Holy Spirit guided and strengthened St. Stephen, gave him the strength, courage and wisdom to proclaim God’s truth and Good News, His revelation and truth against all those who were ganging up against him. The enemies of St. Stephen all were gathering up and trying very hard to discredit and defeat the arguments of St. Stephen, but they could not do so, no matter what they tried to do, and they still hardened their hearts and minds, refusing to believe in the truth and wisdom which St. Stephen had received from the Lord.

St. Stephen was eventually martyred by being stoned to death, but not before standing up firmly for his faith before the assembly of the members of the Sanhedrin, the powerful and influential members of the Jewish community. He remained adamant in his commitment, dedication and faith in God despite the challenges he faced, and the fact that everyone assembled was against him. He spoke with great vigour, empowered by the Holy Spirit, through which St. Stephen proclaimed the work of God’s salvation in the succeeding parts of this day’s passage from the Acts of the Apostles, showing how God had done His works among His people throughout all history from the very beginning, and culminating in the coming of the Saviour of the world, Jesus Christ, the Risen Lord Whom those same people persecuting St. Stephen had once persecuted and condemned to death. St. Stephen kept on proclaiming the truth of God right up to the very end.

In our Gospel passage today, we then heard of the moment when many people came flocking to find the Lord after He had miraculously fed a whole multitude of five thousand men and many thousands more of women and children. The Lord told all of them that they were looking for Him because they were mesmerised at the miracle that they had witnessed, and how they all had their fill from all the bread and fishes that they had eaten and partaken. They therefore might not have sought the Lord out of true faith and desire to commit themselves to Him and His teachings, but rather because they sought comfort and satisfaction in life, that is the desire to seek worldly glory, pleasures and attachments, all of which were not what the Lord wanted to have in all of them. He told all of them were meant to come seeking the Lord and His truth, and to do what the Lord had called them to do, much as what St. Stephen had done.

Essentially it is an important reminder for each and every one of us that as Christians we must not allow the temptations and desires of the world to mislead us down the wrong path and to distract us from doing what we are all supposed to do, in serving the Lord faithfully at all times, and in living our lives in a most Christian manner. The Lord has shown us the way and has taught us, given us the Holy Spirit and His Wisdom to strengthen and guide us in our journey. Each and every one of us have been entrusted with the various gifts, blessings and missions for us to proclaim ever more the salvation and Good News of the Lord to more and more people. This is why all of us should always strive to do God’s will, to be ever faithful in all the things we say and do in every moments of our lives, and place the Lord as the focus and emphasis of our whole lives.

Let us all therefore walk in the path that St. Stephen, holy deacon and protomartyr of the Church has shown us. Let us all strive to proclaim God’s truth and salvation to more and more people by living holy and worthy existence, in all that we say and do. Let us all be truly genuine in our desire to love and serve the Lord, and be the shining beacons of God’s Light and truth amidst the darkness surrounding all of us in our world today. May the Risen Lord continue to be with us and be our source of Hope, strength and power as we continue to navigate the trials and difficulties present in each and every moments of our lives. May the courage of His servant, St. Stephen, his dedication unto the very end, be our inspiration at all times, and help us to draw ever closer to Him. Amen.