Weekday Homily

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Friday, 1 December 2023 : 34th Week of Ordinary Time (Homily and Scripture Reflections)

Liturgical Colour : Green

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, today as we listened to the words of the Scriptures, we are all reminded that the coming of the kingdom of God and the end times is something that will happen with certainty, as we are constantly being told these past few days as we approach the end of this current liturgical year cycle and as we are about to enter into the season of Advent. We are all called to be good and faithful Christians, in obeying God’s will, doing His Law and commandments, and in adhering ourselves to His path, to everything that He has shown and taught us all to do in our respective lives. We must always hold fast to our faith in the Lord despite the challenges, trials and difficulties that we may encounter in our lives.

In our first reading today, we heard of the apocalyptic account of the end times in the vision which the prophet Daniel had received from the Lord, a revelation which would be clarified and affirmed many centuries later by the similar apocalyptic visions received by St. John the Apostle. In that vision, Daniel saw the rise of the great and terrible beasts rising upon the world, with its power and might subjugating many nations and the world, only for all those wicked beasts to be eventually subjugated, overthrown and destroyed by the Lord when He comes again in the end of time, through the Son of Man Whom Daniel had witnessed, the One to Whom, the One of Great Age had passed and entrusted dominion, power and glory forevermore.

This vision of the prophet Daniel was indeed prophetic and revolutionary, as it showed the people of God that God has always remembered His people despite the trials, tribulations and the many challenges and trials that they might have to face amidst their lives in this world. Those wicked beasts, which later on St. John the Apostle would also see in his visions, represented the forces of Satan, the great enemy, the Devil, and all of his allies, which had been manifested in this world, and in all the forces of evils and destruction present all around us, in those tyrants and warmongers, exploiters and all those who sought worldly glory, power, fame and satisfaction at the expense of many others all around them.

Yet, as we have heard in that same reading, God revealed Himself and showed that He is greater than any one of those wicked beasts and the powers of evil. He showed that He is indeed the true Master and Lord of all, with might and glory surpassing anything that the devil and all the whole world could muster, and through His coming into this world, which Daniel foretold through these visions, by the way of the Son of Man, He has brought unto us the promise and the assurance of our liberation and salvation, which Our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ, that same Son of Man shown to the prophet Daniel, has revealed to us, shown us and affirmed to us, through His works, His ministry, His death and ultimately His Resurrection.

Yes, brothers and sisters in Christ, by His coming into this world, Christ Himself has conquered and destroyed death, and broke free the chains of original sin and the tyranny of evil over us. He has shown us the direct and sure path towards eternal life and redemption through Him, and His Light has pierced through the veil of darkness and sin which has long kept us from realising and understanding God’s love and truth, and delivering unto us the warmth of God’s love and kindness, mercy and grace, manifested in the flesh. Through Christ, all of us have seen the perfect manifestation of God’s love and truth, which has become tangible and approachable to us, and we have been given the direct assurance that God is truly with us, by our side, at all times.

In our Gospel passage today, the Lord Jesus told His disciples to be vigilant, reminding them that the signs of the times and the things happening around them are proofs and evidences that everything will happen just as He has revealed it, through the prophets like Daniel and through what He Himself has delivered and proclaimed unto their midst. That is yet another reminder and calling for each and every one of us as God’s followers and disciples, that we are all called to be genuine and faithful Christians at all times, so that in everything that we say and do, we will never be idle, ignorant or fail to recognise and understand the importance of obeying God and His commandments and Law, His precepts and ways, in all the things we say and do in our lives.

We cannot call ourselves as Christians unless we truly commit ourselves in not just words and formality, but also in genuine actions, and even in the smallest and least significant things that we do, in our daily lives, showing that we truly embody our faith in the Lord and not merely just having external faith and expressions of piety, but also a thorough and wholehearted desire to love and serve the Lord our God with all of our strength and might, as we all should have done. Each and every one of us as Christians have been called and entrusted with the mission to follow the path that the Lord Himself has shown and taught us, to walk in the path of His truth, righteousness and love. All of us should always be truly committed to the Lord therefore in all of our whole lives, in our every moments.

Let us all therefore do our best, brothers and sisters in Christ, so that in all and everything that we say and do in our lives, we will always be exemplary and be inspirational, so that everyone who witness our works and deeds, our words and everything, we will be truly faithful, committed and good. Let us strive that in each and every moments of our lives, we will always be truly worthy of the Lord, in all of our dealings, works and efforts, in all things. Amen.

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Thursday, 30 November 2023 : 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, the brother of St. Peter the Apostle, a truly great man of God and a most faithful servant of our Lord and Saviour. St. Andrew the Apostle is also known as St. Andrew the First-Called or Protocletos, because he was among the first of the Lord’s disciples, and was the one to introduce the Lord to his brother St. Peter the Apostle, then named Simon, and the two sons of Zebedee, St. James the Greater and St. John the Evangelist, both of whom are also part of the Twelve Apostles. On this day we recall the memory of this great saint, whose life, works and actions should serve as great inspiration for all of us Christians.

St. Andrew was a fisherman working by the Lake of Galilee, where he worked alongside his brother Simon, later known as St. Peter, and the two aforementioned sons of Zebedee. They were most likely poor and illiterate, and their profession was not exactly well-respected at that time. Yet, it was to them that the Lord first reached out to, in calling out His disciples and followers. According to tradition, St. Andrew was a disciple of St. John the Baptist, and he was one of the two disciples of St. John the Baptist mentioned in the Gospels, who followed the Lord Jesus after He was baptised by St. John the Baptist at the River Jordan. Hence, St. Andrew then introduced the Lord to his fellow fishermen, and the Lord began His ministry with those first disciples including St. Andrew.

As highlighted in parts of the Gospels, such as the feeding of the five thousand men, St. Andrew took part closely in many of the works and ministries of the Lord. He helped the Lord and His other Apostles in serving the people of God, and eventually, after His Resurrection and Ascension into Heaven, St. Andrew travelled from places to places in proclaiming the Good News of God just like the other Apostles. Various Apostolic and Church traditions highlighted that St. Andrew ministered in many places such as what is today Russia, Ukraine, Romania, Asia Minor, Greece and many others. He spread the Gospels and the truth about Jesus Christ, and the salvation of God that has come into this world, to the many people and communities who have not yet heard and known of Him.

He founded the beginnings of the Church and its communities in many of the places he had visited during his missionary travels and works. Thus this is why he is highly regarded and respected, venerated and honoured in the places mentioned above, and especially amongst our brethren in the Eastern Orthodox Communion, many of whose bishops can trace the origin of their dioceses and sees to St. Andrew and to the churches and communities that he had established all throughout his missionary journeys. St. Andrew eventually was arrested, tortured and martyred in Patras, in what is today parts of modern Greece, where he was persecuted for his faith and then crucified on an X-shaped cross, which henceforth became known as the ‘St. Andrew’s Cross’.

Brothers and sisters in Christ, today as we listened to the story of the life and the works of St. Andrew the Apostle, let us all reflect on our own lives and works as well, on whether we have been faithful to the Lord in the same way as St. Andrew the Apostle and other saints and holy men and women of God had done in their own lives. It is important that each and every one of us are aware that we all should also live our lives and commit ourselves to the Lord in each and every moments with great faith and trust in the Lord. We should do our part in living our lives worthily as Christians, in doing what the Lord has shown and taught us, so that by our examples and good words, deeds and actions, we may truly exemplify our faith in God, and be the true and genuine missionaries that we have all been called to be.

Yes, brothers and sisters in Christ, as parts and members of the Church of God, it is part of our responsibilities and calling for all of us to be missionary and evangelistic in all things. We cannot be idle in how we live our lives, but we must always reach out to others all around us, spreading the truth and love of God, His Good News and salvation to more and more people. And how we do this, is not always by merely proclaiming and preaching to others, and we also should not think that just because we seemingly did not have the opportunities, the means and the wisdom or tools to do what the Apostles, the saints and other great men and women of the Church had done, then we cannot do what they had done for the greater glory of God.

Rather, in our own ordinary and unique ways, in every circumstances, and in all that we have in our lives, we should always strive to do what the Lord has shown and taught us, in His Law and commandments, in all of the things that He has asked us to carry out in accordance with His will. It means that in even the smallest and the seemingly least significant things that we do, we should always strive to be ever more faithful and committed, in doing what is right and just in God’s presence, and in proclaiming His truth amidst our every words, actions and deeds. We should always remember that in everything we say and do, we must truly be honest and genuine Christians, or else we will be like hypocrites who profess or claim to believe in something and yet, his or her way of life show completely otherwise.

Let us all be reminded that St. Andrew himself was also a poor and illiterate fisherman of the Lake of Galilee, who was not expected to do great things in life. Yet, God made him to be a great servant and man, whose contributions and works led to the salvation of so many souls. We must always be reminded that each and every one of us, be it rich or poor, strong or weak, famous or not, all of us are called to be disciples and followers of the Lord, and in each and every opportunities that God has given us, we must always make good use of all the graces and blessings which God has granted to us. We must never take what we have been blessed for granted, and we must do our part as Christians, so that by our lives, the Lord may be glorified at all times. Let us allow the Lord to lead our path in life, and transform our works to be truly worthy of those whom He has called and chosen.

Brothers and sisters in Christ, let us all ask St. Andrew the Apostle, whom the Lord had called to be His disciple and Apostle to intercede for us always, and may all of us continue to be inspired by his good and worthy examples in life, and also those of the other innumerable other saints and martyrs, holy men and women, whose examples and lives have been great beacons of inspiration and help for us. Let us all be encouraged, strengthened and be empowered to do our best in living a most worthy, genuine and committed Christian life at all times. May God bless our every good works, efforts and endeavours, now and always. Amen.

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Wednesday, 29 November 2023 : 34th Week of Ordinary Time (Homily and Scripture Reflections)

Liturgical Colour : Green

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, today we are all reminded by our reading passages from the Sacred Scriptures that each and every one of us must always hold fast to our faith in the Lord, and we must not be easily swayed and tempted to do otherwise just because it seemed that things are going against us, or that we may have to suffer in the midst of our obedience and following of the Lord. It is a fact and reality that to be true and genuine Christians, often times we may have to encounter difficulties and challenges, trials and tribulations in life. There are many things that we may have to suffer from in life as we continue to walk faithfully in God’s path, but as long as we remain firmly faithful in Him, we will be strengthened and empowered in our efforts and works, and in our perseverance in faith.

In our first reading today, we heard from the Book of the prophet Daniel of the account of what happened during the end of the kingdom of Babylon, which was then under the rule of Belshazzar, few decades after the destruction of Jerusalem and its Temple. And we heard how at that time, the king was having a grand banquet with his nobles and officials, where he disrespected the Lord and did great profanity by using the golden and silver vessels that had been taken from the Temple of Jerusalem, consecrated and sanctified for divine worship, for his hedonistic banquet and worldly pleasures. According to history, this same King Belshazzar was also hated by the people because he often disrespected local customs and even his own Babylonian deities.

Therefore, we then heard how there appeared writings on the wall, ‘Mene’, ‘Tekel’ and ‘Pharsin’, which were in fact God’s warnings and reminders to Belshazzar of the imminent end of his reign because of his wickedness and evils. His attitudes and wickedness had sealed his fate because not only that he had not glorified the Lord but he also even profaned what the Lord and His people had held to be sacred. His pride and ego became his downfall and doom, his pride and ego becoming his defeat. Everything that the Lord proclaimed and predicted would happen did indeed happen, as the forces of the Persians under King Cyrus the Great conquered Babylon and overthrew Belshazzar, who was defeated and killed.

This was the moment when the sufferings and humiliations of the people of God came to an end, as the coming to power of Cyrus the Great over the land of Babylon brought with it the emancipation and liberation of the people of God from the tyranny and dominion of the Babylonians. The Israelites have been brought low and punished for their disobedience against God, and they had been scattered among the nations by first the Assyrians and then the Babylonians, who have destroyed their cities and uprooted many of the people from the lands that they had possessed from the time of their ancestors. They had been humbled and brought low by the Lord, Who has therefore also brought low the pride of king Belshazzar and the Babylonians, who had also committed great sins against God.

This is a reminder for all of us that God is always good and just in all of His actions, and He always remembers those who are dear and beloved to Him. Those who have committed evils and wickedness, acted with pride, arrogance and ego shall be punished and put down, while those who have persevered in faith like the Israelites and their descendants during their exile in Babylon, like that of Daniel and his friends, would be rewarded and blessed for their faith and commitment to God. The Lord never forgets and never abandons those who have kept His Law and commandments, even when we have often been delinquent and ignorant of His Law and commandments, and even when we have fallen again and again into sin.

In our Gospel passage today, we heard of the Lord telling His disciples about the coming of hardships and persecutions which they would have to face amidst their lives as they lived their lives with faith in Him. The Lord reminded and warned them of the challenges, trials and difficulties which they might have to endure amidst all the persecutions, oppressions and rejections from the world. But the Lord encouraged His disciples and followers, reminding them and reassuring them of the guidance, strength and the Wisdom that He would grant them, and bestow upon them through the gift of the Holy Spirit, Who would come down upon the Church and all the faithful people of God. That is why we really have to put our faith and trust in God, at all times.

The faithful people of God have indeed faced a lot of challenges and trials just as the Lord Himself had forewarned and predicted. They had to face a lot of persecutions and oppressions, especially in the early Church where first of all the Jewish authorities, and then later on the Roman state, were against the propagation of the faith and the growth of the Church. Yet, many of them persevered firmly in their faith despite all those difficulties and challenges. They did not let their fears from affecting them or allow those obstacles and distractions from dissuading them in walking down the path of virtue, the path of obedience and faith in God. Many saints and martyrs of the Church throughout history have shown us examples of great courage and faith, and have become great role models to us.

Brothers and sisters in Christ, let us all therefore do our best so that in our daily lives and at every moments, we will always strive to do what is right, just and worthy in the presence of God. Let us all keep our faith in the Lord strong and alive, encouraging one another, supporting our fellow brothers and sisters, so that despite the trials and challenges that we may face in life, we may always be resolute in our commitment and dedication to follow the Lord at all times throughout our lives. May God bless us all, our every good efforts and endeavours, for His greater glory, now and always. Amen.

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Tuesday, 28 November 2023 : 34th Week of Ordinary Time (Homily and Scripture Reflections)

Liturgical Colour : Green

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, today after we have listened to the words of the Scriptures, we are reminded that all kinds of worldly glory and earthly fame, possessions and all the attachments we have to this world’s bounties and good things, all those things are temporary. We should always keep our faith and trust in the Lord, and be always careful and vigilant, not to allow ourselves to be easily swayed and tempted to follow the many temptations and distractions present all around us in this world. We have to avoid the temptations of following the false paths provided by the false prophets and others who may try to subvert the messages of God’s truth and Good News for their own personal benefits.

In our first reading today, we heard of the interactions between king Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon and Daniel, the servant of God hailing from the land of Judea, who was brought to Babylon with many other young men, and made to be one of the servants of the king of Babylon. King Nebuchadnezzar, who had conquered much of the old empire of the Assyrians, subjugated many kingdoms and countries, and having made Babylon to be the greatest among the regional powers back then, received a dream from the Lord, in which he saw a great statue made of several different parts and materials. No one could interpret the king’s dream save for that of Daniel, to whom the Lord has bestowed great knowledge and wisdom, and we heard today of both the dream and the interpretation by Daniel.

Daniel’s explanation of the details of the dream to king Nebuchadnezzar essentially highlighted the fact that no matter how great his kingdom and dominion were, the glory and power of Nebuchadnezzar were things that would be merely a footnote in the history of the world, as kingdoms would come and go, rise and fall. He also predicted the kingdoms that would come after the kingdom of Babylon, namely that of Persia, the kingdom of Alexander the Great, and potentially that of Rome, which came to power around the same time as the time of the coming of Christ. Then, as we heard in the explanation of the dream, Daniel was actually also predicting the coming of God’s Kingdom, which had been foretold by the prophets, and which would overturn the order of the world.

This is why, we are all reminded that regardless of all the glory and the wonders of the world, all those things are fleeting and not permanent. Eventually, kingdoms that rise will fall and new kingdoms and states would rise in their place. However, just as the Lord Himself had said, the kingdom of God is something that will last forever, and He will reign over all of us, for all eternity, just as He has always intended. We should always focus our attention and focus on the Lord, and strive to do what we can in order to follow HIs ways, His Law and commandments. The Lord has taught us and revealed to us His intentions, teachings and love, His kindness and grace. We are truly very blessed to have been beloved as such by the Lord, but unfortunately, more often than not, we allow ourselves to be distracted by the many temptations of the world.

In our Gospel passage today, we heard of the Lord telling the people of the folly of admiring earthly beauty and wonders, as He foretold the downfall and destruction of the great and amazing Temple which king Herod the Great had built in Jerusalem, in vastly expanding and rebuilding the Second Temple into a large worship complex and establishment, which unfortunately became the epicentre of the religious elitism that was prevalent at that time. The Sadducees and the Pharisees, two main powerful groups of religious and societal elites at the time were centred upon the great Temple, and they were swayed by the worldly power, glory, fame and the influence that they held over the people. Unfortunately, this made them to be corrupt and proud, arrogant and failing to carry out their duties and obligations.

They placed themselves above that of their mission, and made it difficult for many people to return to the Lord. They imposed rules and ways that made it tough for many of the people to come and approach the Lord, while they paraded their piety and way of living their faith, to gain fame and praise from the people of God. All of these made it difficult for all those who have been separated from God to return to Him, as they ended up being ostracised and persecuted against. But the Lord made it clear through His Son, Our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ, that this is not the way that things should be like. He called all of His people, all of us to turn away from our various worldly attachments and to restore our focus and attention towards the Lord.

That is why, brothers and sisters in Christ, each and every one of us should keep in mind that our lives are meant to glorify God and we ought to do His will, and not be swayed by the temptations of our worldly desires, our attachments to worldly matters and our desires for comfort and pleasures present all around us. We should not allow all those things from preventing us in our path towards the Lord, in our striving towards sanctification and salvation in the Lord. We should always do our best in rejecting and resisting those temptations and desires, and instead, help one another in remaining faithful to the Lord and everything that He has shown and taught us to do. As Christians, it is imperative for all of us to be good examples, role models and inspirations to everyone around us, in showing God’s truth to all.

May the Lord continue to empower and strengthen each and every one of us, so that in everything that we say and do, we will always be truly worthy and good, in being inspirational and exemplary in our Christian living, being constantly reminded that we live for the Lord and everything we say and do, are for His greater glory. May all of us be ever more committed and dedicated to the Lord in all things, and may He bless us all in our every good efforts, works and endeavours, now and always. Amen.

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Monday, 27 November 2023 : 34th Week of Ordinary Time (Homily and Scripture Reflections)

Liturgical Colour : Green

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, today as we listened to the words of the Scriptures, we are all reminded that all of us should continue to commit ourselves to the Lord, be faithful to Him, obey His Law and commandments as we all should have done, despite and regardless of the circumstances, challenges, trials and difficulties that we may be facing in our respective lives. We must always be steadfast in faith, and do not easily succumb to temptations, pressures and coercions to abandon our faith in God, or to seek alternative sources of satisfaction.

In our first reading today, taken from the Book of the prophet Daniel, we heard of the beginning of the story of Daniel and his friends, Hananiah, Mishael and Azariah, the Israelite exiles in Babylon, who became famed wise men in the court of the then king of Babylon, Nebuchadnezzar. Contextually, at that time, the Babylonians had just subdued the kingdom of Judah, and conquered it, bringing many of its people, especially the younger ones to the land of Babylon, as exiles and slaves. Daniel and his friends were uprooted from the lands of their forefathers and brought to the distant land of Babylon, where they were chosen to be the servants of the king of Babylon.

They were, according to the account of the Scriptures, under the pressure to conform to the ways of the Babylonians, which was likely meaning that they were told to eat ritually unclean food and also follow the practices that were contrary to their beliefs. But as we heard, Daniel and his friends remained steadfast and courageous in remaining firm and committed in their faith, in doing what is right and just according to their beliefs in God. They did so, and God was with them, and in the end, God provided for them and protected them from harm, making them wise beyond their years, and such that even the king respected and honoured them greatly. In this and later occasions, Daniel and his friends remained resolute in faith despite the odds and challenges against them, and they showed us all that we must remain firm in our faith in God as well.

In our Gospel passage today, we heard of the account of the moment when the Lord Jesus and His disciples were at the Temple of Jerusalem, and saw how the rich people were giving their donations and offerings, and how a poor widow who was also there, also offered two small copper coins. The Lord praised the deep faith of the old widow, and how she had entrusted so much to the Lord, that she gave even from her own poverty. This is a reminder for each and every one of us that we all should truly be filled with faith in God, and persevere as always in the path that God has shown us. Like those of Daniel and his friends, the poor old widow trusted in the Lord and entrusted herself completely to Him despite the challenges that she must have faced in life.

Then, the Lord was also not against the rich or being biased against those who have been blessed with more, lest we misunderstand His intentions. He wanted to highlight that regardless how much we have been blessed with, we should always put our focus and emphasis on the Lord, and the more we have been given and blessed with, we should be even more generous in giving and sharing with others all around us the blessings and joys that we have enjoyed and received. However, more often than not, we end up spending much of our time in trying to gain more for ourselves the comforts, pleasures and the wonders of this world, as we become attached to many temptations and pursuits present in this world.

Brothers and sisters in Christ, as we continue to live our lives each day as Christians, in our world today, we are all reminded by what we have listened from the Scripture passages today, of the importance and the need for us all to redirect once again our focus and attention on the Lord, rather than being distracted and tempted by the many temptations, comforts and misdirections from the world. There are plenty of distractions and temptations present all over us, and unless we are careful and vigilant, we may easily be swayed and tempted by them, and in the end, we may end up falling down into the wrong paths in life.

This is why, all of us should remind ourselves and help one another in our journey of seeking the Lord, His love and truth. Let us all do our best so that in each and every moments of our lives, we will always strive to do what is good, worthy and just in accordance with the Lord’s ways, with what He has shown and taught us all. Let us all not be turned and swayed by the many evils and wickedness which the devil, our great enemy and all of his fellow evil and fallen forces are constantly trying to tempt and mislead us with. We have to be more vigilant and committed in our faith, and we can only do so if we make the conscious effort to deepen our relationship and connection with God.

May the Lord our loving God and Master continue to help and guide us in our journey throughout our lives, so that by His strength and encouragement, all of us may continue to do our best to be great examples and role models, in how we should live our daily living, at every moment, to be great inspirations and shining beacons of God’s light, truth and salvation to all the whole world. Amen.

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Sunday, 26 November 2023 : Solemnity of Our Lord Jesus Christ, King of the Universe, Thirty-Fourth Sunday of Ordinary Time (Homily and Scripture Reflections)

Liturgical Colour : White

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, this Sunday is the last Sunday in our current liturgical year, which therefore marks the occasion of the Solemnity of Our Lord Jesus Christ, King of the Universe. On this day, we celebrate the Kingship of Jesus Christ, Who is the Son of God and Our Lord, and hence, is also our King. He is the Lord and Master of all Creation, of the whole Universe and everything that we can see and perceive, and even things that are supernatural and beyond our comprehension. He is the Lord of Lords and King of Kings, and no one is greater than Him. On this day, we celebrate and rejoice in the Lord Jesus, our Lord and King, and we honour Him greatly today, as we remind ourselves of what our Lord and King has done for us, and how we should therefore live our lives to be truly worthy of Him, for all the love and kindness that He has always shown us.

In our first reading passage today, we heard from the Book of the prophet Ezekiel in which the Lord told all of His people, the Israelites and their descendants that He is their Lord and Shepherd, and He would guide and lead them all through to the right path, gathering all of them, scattered throughout the world, finding out and reaching to the lost ones, so that every one of them would once again be gathered in His loving presence. These words came to the people of God at the time when many of them were indeed scattered, away from the lands promised to them and their ancestors. At that time, many of the people of the former northern kingdom of Israel had been uprooted from their homeland and exiled to the far regions of Assyria and Mesopotamia, when the Assyrians destroyed that kingdom and their cities.

Similarly for the people of the former southern kingdom of Judah, which was destroyed just around the time of the ministry of Ezekiel, many of them had been exiled to Babylon and other places too. Some of them fled to Egypt, while others went to other areas, beginning the period of the extensive diaspora of the Jewish people and their relatives. All of these words that the Lord sent to them through His prophet, Ezekiel, were reminders to all of them that ultimately, He is their Lord and King, the One true Master that they all had, and not the lords and kings that had once ruled over them and misled them into the path of corruption and downfall, destruction and humiliation. He is a just and loving God and Master to all of His beloved people, not a tyrant or autocrat who oppressed and extorted the weak and the feeble for His own benefits.

That is why, He presented Himself as a loving Shepherd to all of them, which is why, the famous Psalm of David, Psalm 22 that is used today, is a reminder for us of the Lord our God, Who is our Good Shepherd. He is always loving towards each and every one of us, caring for us and providing for us all of our needs, just like that of a shepherd who loves all of his sheep. He will not spare any efforts to try to find any of the sheep that has been lost to Him, and that was exactly what the Lord had done for our sake. God has always been insistent in sending His guidance, help and providence to us, and in patiently leading and guiding us down the right path. He has sent numerous prophets, messengers, servants and guides in order to help His beloved people, His flock, to come back to Him.

Now, then as we heard from our Gospel passage today, we heard about the Lord Jesus explained and detailing to His disciples about the Last Judgment, the moment when the Lord, as the King of Kings and the Lord and Master of all will judge all the living and the dead, and everyone shall be judged based on their actions and deeds, with those who are righteous and good rewarded and blessed, as those who are considered worthy to be enjoying forever the fullness of God’s grace and love. We also heard of how the wicked and those who have committed evil deeds, or failed to do what the Lord had told them to do, will be condemned and punished for their wickedness and failures. It is a reminder therefore for all of us that just as the Lord is loving and kind towards us, but He is also a God Who is just and expecting.

What does this mean, brothers and sisters in Christ? It means that while our Lord and King loves each and every one of us and while He has done everything that He could in order to reach out to us and to be reconciled with us, there are also many obligations and requirements that we have to fulfil as the subjects and parts of this Kingdom ruled by our Lord and King. Just as how the states and kingdoms of this world work, we cannot be good and worthy citizens unless we obey the laws and the rules of the realm, and do what we are supposed to do in obeying those rules and following the demands and expectations that are required of us to be good and law-abiding citizens of our respective states and countries. Thus, the same logic applies to how we live our lives in following our Lord and King, Jesus Christ, as well.

To be true and genuine Christians, and to be good, worthy and beloved flock of our Lord, our Good Shepherd and our King, each and every one of us must always remind ourselves to do what the Lord has commanded us to do, in fulfilling our Christian obligations and in living our lives in the manner that truly shows our true and genuine faith in God. We cannot be true and genuine Christians unless we follow the Law of God and obey the rules and the ways which His Church has set before us. But even more importantly, we also cannot just merely be blind followers of the Law and commandments of God, as it is indeed possible for us to do what is required of us by the Church and the Law of God, but we do not truly and genuinely do them because of the faith and love we have for God.

That is why, brothers and sisters in Christ, as we approach the end of this current liturgical year with this glorious and most joyful celebration of Jesus Christ, Our Lord and King, King of the whole Universe, let us all remind ourselves of what we can and should do in our lives, in each and every moments to glorify Him by our good, worthy and exemplary lives. Then we must also truly enthrone the Lord as the King over our lives, over our families and our whole existence. This means that He should be at the centre and as the focus of our lives, and not our many preoccupations in life, our career, ambitions, desire for worldly glory and fame, worldly pleasures and possessions, and other things that we often put as our focus instead of the Lord, our God and King.

Brothers and sisters in Christ, are we therefore able to commit ourselves anew to the Lord Jesus Christ, our Saviour, our Good Shepherd and our King? Are we able to do our best in doing what is right and just in our lives, in accordance with what He Himself had told us in our Gospel passage today? That in His own words He told us to feed those who are hungry, serve those who are thirsty and seeking for a drink, in welcoming strangers and those who need our help, love and attention into our care, for those who are sick and ostracised by the society, and those who have been neglected and oppressed, among others. Are we able to do what the Lord had told and taught us to do, and in following His own examples, and the examples of the many other holy men and women that had gone before us? Let us be loving, compassionate and merciful, just as the Lord Himself has shown us such great love, compassion and mercy, all these while.

Let us all therefore do our best, in every way we can, to do what the Lord has told and commanded us to do, so that we may truly be faithful and worthy followers and disciples of His, in all circumstances and opportunities that He has provided us with. Let us all renew our commitment to do our best in being exemplary and faithful Christians, in everything that we say and do, and strive to be the inspirations and role models for our fellow Christians, and even also to any others, strangers and acquaintances, all those whom we encounter and interact with, at each and every moments of our lives. May the Lord continue to bless us all in our every good efforts and deeds, and may He, Our Lord and King, the King of all Creation and Universe, be with us always throughout this journey of life, so that in the end, when our lives in this world are over, we may come to Him worthily, to enjoy forever the fullness of His love and grace. Amen.

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Saturday, 25 November 2023 : 33rd Week of Ordinary Time, Memorial of St. Catherine of Alexandria, Virgin and Martyr (Homily and Scripture Reflections)

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

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, today as we listened to the words of the Scriptures, we are all reminded that each and every one of us are destined to a life and existence that is beyond this world, to be with the Lord our God, Master and Creator, in an eternity of bliss and joy, free from sufferings and hardships. This is why, despite of the challenges and trials we may have to face in our lives, it is important that we must remain firm in our faith and trust in the Lord, and we must not be easily swayed by the pressures, coercions, temptations and all the things which are laid in our path, attempting to derail our journey towards the Lord and preventing us from attaining true grace and salvation in God.

In our first reading today, we heard from the Book of the Maccabees about the campaigns and efforts which the Seleucid King, Antiochus IV Epiphanes, had done in trying to restore the kingdom of his ancestors, and how he failed in doing that, and hearing all the failures of the policies he had implemented and enforced in Judea, where the Jewish people rose up in great rebellion against his rule. At that time, King Antiochus IV Epiphanes, as highlighted in most of this previous week or so of readings from the Book of the Maccabees, enforced Greek ways and customs, religious practices and beliefs on all the people throughout his vast empire. This was likely done in order to enforce unity and in trying to regain the power and glory of his predecessors, considering that the Seleucid Empire was made up of many very different groups of peoples with great variation in their cultures and beliefs.

However, on top of that, King Antiochus IV Epiphanes was also known in history for his megalomania and great desire for power and glory, as prior to his enforcement of Greek ways and customs on his subjects, he invaded Egypt and was almost successful in conquering that kingdom if not for intervention from the Romans, who opposed the efforts of the Seleucid king. This same king in our first reading passage today went on another campaign to the eastern reaches of his empire and dominion, trying to exert his control and power there, in what was ultimately a failed effort and venture, and we heard how he received the bad news about his failed policies and how the Jewish people had overthrown whatever idols and corruptions he had placed in Jerusalem, reversing his efforts, and all those crushed him and made him to lie dying.

In our Gospel passage today, we then heard of the encounter and disagreements that happened between the Lord Jesus and some of the Sadducees who were trying to question and test Him because of their diverging and incompatible beliefs with His teachings. Back then, the Sadducees represented one of the major and very influential segment of the Jewish community, consisting of the Temple authorities and members of the priesthood, and in this case, it represented those who were not adhering to the concept of spirituality and the afterlife, but preferring to hold onto the current life and to live life in the world the best they could. The Sadducees believed that there is no life after death, and that there is no resurrection of the dead, and hence, they were a truly worldly bunch of people.

The Lord then responded to their queries of who would be the wife of the seven brothers, after the woman married each and every one of them when the latter died one by one without having any child with the woman. The Lord told the Sadducees the folly of their worldly way of thinking, in focusing only on worldly desires, for money, wealth, partner in life, and other things. The Lord told them that in the end, what truly matters is for us to be with God and to enjoy forever the bliss in His presence, where nothing of this world, of all the worldly desires, ambitions and attachments we often have, will exist any longer. This is related to the futility of everything that King Antiochus IV Epiphanes had done, in trying to stabilise his realm and gaining more power and glory, only to have everything collapsing before him at the end of his life.

This is why, brothers and sisters in Christ, all of us are reminded of all these so that we do not end up being obsessed and attached too much to the worldly matters and pursuits, for worldly pleasures, fame, power, glory and all other things that we often look for in this world, and then ending up forgetting our purpose and intention in following and serving the Lord our God. We are all reminded that all the glory and power, wealth and possessions we have in this world are temporary and do not last forever. Hence, we should focus and redirect our attention to the Lord, turn towards Him and commit ourselves to His cause, instead of being distracted by the many temptations of the world that are usually present all around us.

Today, the Church celebrates the feast of a great martyr and servant of God, a great woman whose faith and dedication to Him served as great inspirations and strength for many Christians during and even long after her time. According to Church tradition, St. Catherine of Alexandria was the daughter of the Roman governor of Alexandria, who lived during the reign of the Roman Emperor Diocletian and his successors. At that time, Christians were treated with disdain and contempt, and a particularly intense and bitter persecution was carried out against them. Many Christians had to suffer and die amidst that brutal persecution, and many of them had to choose between remaining faithful in God and suffer, or to betray and abandon the Lord and live.

St. Catherine of Alexandria courageously went to the Emperor himself, the Emperor Maxentius who ruled in Rome and Italy, during one of these episodes of brutal persecutions, rebuking him for his actions and evil deeds. St. Catherine won over the fifty over philosophers that the Emperor set up against her to debate her on her faith and other matters, so much so that some of them converted to the Christian faith and were martyred. St. Catherine also convinced many others to become Christians, including even the Emperor’s own wife, when they visited her during her time in prison. The Lord Himself visited her, and Angels tended her wounds during her incarceration and period of suffering. The Emperor, who grew increasingly desperate in trying to subdue St. Catherine, tried to woo her by proposing marriage to her, which was also rejected by the saint. In the end, she was martyred by beheading, after other methods had failed.

Brothers and sisters in Christ, the examples of St. Catherine of Alexandria and what we heard from our Scripture readings earlier today should serve as good examples and inspirations for each and every one of us, in how we should live our lives, so that we may always be courageous in doing what we can, to glorify the Lord by our lives, and to put Him as the centre and the focus of our whole lives and existence. We should not allow ourselves to be easily swayed by the temptations of pleasures of the world, and all the other temptations and attachments that may mislead us down the path to our downfall and damnation. May the Lord continue to guide, help and strengthen us in our lives, that in each and every moments of our lives, we will always seek the Lord and live our lives faithfully and worthily of Him rather than following the whims of our worldly desires and temptations. Amen.

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Friday, 24 November 2023 : 33rd Week of Ordinary Time, Memorial of St. Andrew Dung-Lac, Priest and Martyr, and Companions, Martyrs (Homily and Scripture Reflections)

Liturgical Colour : Red

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 and every one of us to live our lives in manners that are truly worthy of God, in doing His will and obeying His Law and commandments. We must always keep in mind to keep ourselves pure and blameless, good, virtuous and just in all things before the Lord, as best as we are able to do, so that God may truly be glorified through us and everything that we say and do. Each and every one of us have been called to follow the Lord in all that we do, in the Law and commandments that He has entrusted to us, because if we are His people, and He has come down into our midst, it is imperative that we keep ourselves holy and worthy of Him, or otherwise, our sins and wickedness will lead us into damnation and destruction.

In today’s first reading and Gospel passage, there are both references to the Temple of God in Jerusalem, that in the first reading today was marked as the moment when the forces of the faithful Jewish people, led by Judas Maccabeus, during the Maccabean Revolt, managed to win victories against the forced of the Seleucid Greeks who tried to impose Greek customs and ways on the people. The Seleucids under King Antiochus IV Epiphanes had defiled the Temple of God in Jerusalem, also known as the Second Temple, and established pagan idols and false gods on its Altar, and in that passage we heard today, we heard of the moment when the old Altar and all the defilements and corruptions were torn down and destroyed, and new Altar dedicated to God was established anew.

We heard how everyone rejoiced as the Temple and its Altar was consecrated to God. That was a day of great triumph and rejoicing for a people that had been oppressed and put through a lot of hardships because they had remained faithful to the Lord despite the efforts put in place by those who tried to oppress and eliminate their worship of God and their faith in Him. This joyful moment of the consecration of the new Altar and the purified Temple of God is linked to what we have heard in our Gospel passage today, that is about the Lord Jesus and His actions in clearing the Temple of God in Jerusalem, the same Temple that the Maccabeans had purified. The Lord Jesus cast out all those wicked merchants and money changers who have corrupted the Temple with their wicked attitudes and behaviours.

At that time, contextually, many of the Jewish people were living in various places away far from Jerusalem and Judea. During certain festivals and periods in the year, many of them would come back and travel to Jerusalem, and they might need to buy the animals and offerings for the Temple sacrifices, and they would likely also need to exchange the currencies they used in their places of residence with the Temple silver shekels, as according to Jewish customs and practices at the time, pagan coins and goods should not be used in relation to the Temple and the worship of God. However, those merchants and money changers peddling their wares and services likely overcharged the pilgrims and other visitors greatly, for more profit for themselves. It is this wicked attitude and actions that the Lord detested very much. Thus, He angrily cast them all out of the Temple courtyard, to purify God’s House and restored it to its proper use.

All of those readings presented to us a reminder for all of us that we are all also reminded to keep clean and pure our own Temples of the Lord’s Presence. What am I referring to, brothers and sisters in Christ? I am referring to our very own bodies, hearts, minds and souls. Each and every one of us have been blessed to have received the Lord Himself, Who has come down to us firstly in the flesh, and every one of us who have partaken in the Most Holy Eucharist, that is the Most Precious Body and Blood of Our Lord Himself, God Himself is present in us, physically and spiritually. On top of that, the Holy Spirit has also come down upon us through the Church, which we first receive at Baptism and then strengthened at Confirmation. Essentially, God Himself is present in us, and hence, we are ourselves the Temples of the Lord. This means that we have to keep ourselves pure and worthy of the Lord as well.

Today, the Church celebrates the feast of great saints, holy martyrs of the Faith, whose examples and determination should serve as great inspirations for all of us, in how we ourselves should live our lives with faith. St. Andrew Dung-Lac and his companions in martyrdom, the Holy Martyrs of Vietnam, are the ones who have devotedly committed themselves to God despite the many oppositions against them, from the state which was then very violently against the Christian faith, and from the community. At that time, Vietnam, which was ruled by an Emperor and his bureaucratic court, saw the burgeoning Christian mission in their country as a threat to themselves, and to their officially Confucian state religion. As such, the state persecuted Christians very severely, both the foreign missionaries and the local converts.

St. Andrew Dung-Lac was a convert to the faith, and became one of the first local priests to be ordained. According to the traditions and missionary accounts, he and many other Christian converts were persecuted and arrested, and having kept close to their faith and refusing to abandon the Lord, or betray their commitment to Him, they were put to death, and hence became great martyrs of the Church. Their examples, courage and devotion to God, despite the many trials, sufferings and challenges that they had to face amidst their ministry should be great sources of strength and encouragement for us, in how we ought to be ever strong and courageous in committing ourselves to the service of God, and in living our lives as genuine Christians in all things.

May the Lord be with us all, and may He encourage and strengthen each and every one of us in how we live our lives, with courage and commitment, and with the passion and the desire to give our best to glorify God by our examples and lives, so that we, as the Temples of the Lord’s Holy Presence, may be worthy, in our bodies, hearts, minds and souls, in our whole entire beings. May God bless our every good efforts, works and endeavours, now and always. Amen.

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Thursday, 23 November 2023 : 33rd Week of Ordinary Time, Memorial of Pope St. Clement I, Pope and Martyr, and St. Columban, Abbot (Homily and Scripture Reflections)

Liturgical Colour : Green or Red (Martyrs) or White (Abbots)

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, as we listened to the words of the Sacred Scriptures today, we are all reminded of the need for all of us to remain steadfast in our faith despite the challenges, trials and difficulties that we may have to face in the midst of us living up to the faith which we have in God. As the Scripture passages today ought to have highlighted to us, there may likely be circumstances and moments when we will end up being forced to choose between obeying God and His Law, and following the ways and customs of this world, and the frictions and challenges that happen may lead us to many sufferings and trials in our paths ahead in life.

In our first reading today from the Book of the Maccabees, we heard of the continuation of the discourse from the Maccabean Revolt moments, especially focusing on the moment when the revolution began, as the King of the Seleucid Empire, Antiochus IV Epiphanes tried to enforce all the people throughout his vast empire to follow the ways and customs of the Greeks, abandoning the customs, ways and practices of their ancestors. This was likely meant by the king to help unite his often fractious empire, which was then wrecked by repeated rebellions and civil wars. However, this was met with a particularly heated and vigorous opposition from the Jewish people that resided mostly in Judea, Samaria and Galilee, the regions that were then under the Seleucid dominion.

As we heard in that passage today, the king’s officials went around the whole region trying to impose the pagan worship and Greek customs and ways on all the people, and while some of the Jewish people followed the demands of the king and his officials, many of them resisted the king and refused to obey his commands, just as the priest Mattathias led the uprising and opposition against the king, killing the official who tried to impose pagan worship on the people. That event marked the origin and beginning of the Maccabean Revolt, in which the Jewish people and forces rose up against the Seleucids and eventually, after many years of struggles, hardships and trials, they managed to gain independence against their enemies and oppressors.

Then, in our Gospel passage today, we heard of the frustrations and sorrows which the Lord had uttered against Jerusalem, for all the wickedness and all the evils that the people there had done, represented by Jerusalem as a metaphor, in not obeying God’s Law and commandments, in committing sinful actions and worshipping pagan and evil gods, and in doing what was wicked in the sight of God and men alike. The Lord has come into this world to bring forth His Good News and truth, His salvation and grace, and yet, His people were being difficult, in stubbornly refusing to accept and embrace His generous love and compassionate kindness. This was why the Lord lamented over Jerusalem, in great anguish over just how ungrateful and wicked His beloved people had been in the way they treated Him.

This is why, through what we have heard in our Scripture passages today, we are all reminded that being Christians is often something that is not easy for us to do. There may be plenty of challenges and trials for us in our journey, as we may have to endure persecutions, rejections, betrayals and difficulties as we carry on living our lives faithfully in the way and path of the Lord. There may be those who are opposed to our choice and faith, and those who persecute and oppress us because of this, and hence, this may likely lead to difficulties and hardships for us, but this does not mean that we should give up our faith or betray our Lord for the false ways and idols that may mislead us down the wrong paths in life towards our downfall and destruction.

Today, the Church celebrates the feast of Pope St. Clement I and St. Columban, both being great men of God, who dedicated themselves to lives of great dedication to God, committing themselves to do God’s will and to obey Him amidst the many challenges, distractions and oppositions in this world. Pope St. Clement I was one of the early successors of St. Peter as the Pope and Vicar of Christ, as the leaders of the faithful people of God, in his efforts and works, leading the people of God through difficult and turbulent times, amidst persecutions and challenges they faced at the time. He wrote extensively to the various parts and communities of the Church, some of which letters and their excerpts survived to this day in various forms. He dedicated himself to the flock entrusted to him by the Lord, and died as a martyr amidst his ministry, in proclaiming God’s Good News and in remaining steadfast and faithful to Him.

Meanwhile, St. Columban was an abbot and a missionary who was remembered for his great dedication to his works and ministry, and for his establishments of many monasteries throughout several parts of Christendom. He encountered some difficulties from local figures and even some of the local Church hierarchy and members amidst his works, but this did not make St. Columban to give up on his works and efforts. Instead, it made him to commit himself all the more to his works and efforts, as he continued to do his best in glorifying God by his life at each and every moment. He continued to labour for the people of God, and many were inspired to follow his examples and to join the monasteries he had established throughout his ministry.

Brothers and sisters in Christ, let the good examples and inspirations from Pope St. Clement I and St. Columban be sources of strength and inspiration for each and every one of us so that in all the things we say and do, in all things throughout our lives, we may always aspire to be fully and thoroughly committed to God, despite and regardless of any challenges and trials that we may have to face in life. May the Lord continue to guide and bless us in our lives of faith, and bless our many good works and efforts, now and always. Amen.

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Wednesday, 22 November 2023 : 33rd Week of Ordinary Time, Memorial of St. Cecilia, Virgin and Martyr (Homily and Scripture Reflections)

Liturgical Colour : Red

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, today we listened to the words of the Scriptures in which we are reminded of the challenges and difficulties that we may have to endure as we carry out our lives faithfully as Christians, that is as those who follow the Lord and walk in His ways. We are also presented with the reminders of what we all need to do in living our lives faithfully as followers of the Lord, that we have to be active and committed in living our lives sincerely and with devotion, in following God as best as we are all able to. Each and every one of us are reminded that without action and contribution in our lives, and without actively living our Christian faith, then we cannot truly be the followers and disciples of Christ.

In our first reading today, we heard from the Book of the Maccabees, in which the sufferings of the seven brothers, sons of the same mother, were recounted to us, the sufferings and persecution which they endured because of their adherence to the Law of God, the Jewish practices and customs that ran contrary to the desires and demands of the Greek King of the Seleucid Empire, at that time, King Antiochus IV Epiphanes, who imposed a wide-ranging ban on the local practices of the peoples throughout his vast Empire, demanding and enforcing his will that he wanted everyone to follow the ways and practices of the Greeks, abandoning their own faith, beliefs and practices, to become like the Greeks in all things.

And this king was truly ruthless and determined in his efforts to impose his will on the entire Empire. However, this came to direct conflict with many among the Jewish people, the descendants of the Israelites living in the regions of Judea, Galilee, Samaria and elsewhere, because they mostly believed in the Lord their God, the one and only true God, and hence, they could not bear themselves to worship other gods, or abandon their Lord and Master for those pagan gods and false idols. The Lord their God was their one and only Master, and remains so, to this very day. All of us also worship the same God, the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, the One Who had sent unto us, His Beloved Son, Our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ.

In that encounter and event described in our first reading today, it was detailed how the king persecuted greatly all those who chose willingly to remain faithful to God, and the seven brothers, each of whom were adamant in their commitment to God and in refusing each of the king’s efforts to sway and persuade, coerce and force them to abandon their faith in the Lord. They chose to suffer and die, one by one, from the oldest to the youngest, and the mother, who had to witness all of these, she also remained firmly faithful to the Lord, encouraging all of them and remaining steadfast with them. Despite everything that the king had tried to do to convince them to do otherwise, none of the seven brothers and the mother betrayed the Lord. They all died as martyrs of the faith.

In our Gospel passage today, we then heard of the parable which the Lord related and told to His disciples and followers, of a variation of the well-known parable of the silver talents. In this parable, we heard of how a man entrusted to his servants some sums of silver talents or pounds, for them to take care of while he went on his journey to a distant land to be crowned king there. Each of the first two servants mentioned invested their silver well, and made good gains from the silver, doubling what they had been entrusted with. Meanwhile, the third and last servant mentioned did not do anything to the silver, and returned it to his master intact as how it was entrusted to him. We heard how those who had done well in investing their silver were rewarded and entrusted with the care of many cities, while the one who had been lazy and did nothing, was punished and his silver taken away, ending up with nothing.

Brothers and sisters in Christ, this parable has a symbolic meaning in showing us that the Lord has entrusted each and every one of us with various talents, abilities, gifts and opportunities in life, and some of us did receive more than others. However, each one of us are also therefore expected to make good use of those gifts and opportunities, and we should not be idle or ignorant of what we can and should do in using the blessings that God had given to us. And how do we use these blessings and gifts, opportunities and other things that God had granted to us? It is by remaining steadfast and faithful in our lives, in living our lives honourably and worthily in accordance to the path that the Lord Himself has shown and taught to us. All of us have been reminded of this today, and the courage and faith of the seven brothers and their mother mentioned in our first reading today served as one good example of what it means for us to be truly faithful to God.

Today, the Church celebrates the feast of a great woman and servant of God, whose faith and devotion to God, and the dedication to Him, to the point of suffering and enduring grievous tribulations for His sake, should be a great inspiration for all of us Christians to follow. St. Cecilia was well-known as the patron saint of musicians, but she is also a great martyr of the Faith, as she had to bear great sufferings for the sake of the Lord, in her obedience to Him and in her steadfastness in refusing to abandon her faith in Him. She was born into Roman nobility and despite her vow of virginity before God, as a Christian, was forced by her family to marry a pagan nobleman named Valerian. St. Cecilia according to tradition, warned Valerian that an Angel of the Lord watched over her and if he tried to violate her sacred virginity, he would be struck down.

Hence, that was also how St. Cecilia managed to convince her husband to become a Christian himself, as when he asked to see the Angel mentioned by St. Cecilia, he did see the Angel of God after he was baptised by the Pope at that time, Pope St. Urban I. At that time, the Christians in Rome and elsewhere throughout the Roman Empire were persecuted for their faith, and this eventually led to the martyrdom of St. Cecilia and her husband, together with other Christians that had been arrested and made to suffer and die, when they refused to betray the Lord and abandon their faith in Him, just like those of the seven brothers mentioned in our first reading passage today. St. Cecilia was one of those great martyrs of the Church, whose courage and dedication to God, and whose commitment to virtue and holiness, and the purity of her sacred virginity, inspired countless Christians throughout history, right up to this day.

Brothers and sisters in Christ, having heard all of these courageous and faithful examples of our holy predecessors, let us all therefore as Christians living in our present day world be filled with faith and commitment to God, inspired and strengthened by the virtues and the courage of those who have gone before us. Let us all not be easily swayed or threatened to abandon our faith, and let us all commit ourselves anew to the Lord. May the Lord, our loving God and Master, continue to guide and strengthen us in our journey of faith, in our pursuit of His salvation and truth, now and always. May He inspire us all to become great role models and inspirations ourselves, in how we live our lives with great faith and charity. Amen.