Weeks of Easter

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Wednesday, 21 May 2025 : 5th Week of Easter, Memorial of St. Christopher Magallanes, Priest and Martyr, and Companions, Martyrs (First Reading)

Liturgical Colour : White or Red (Martyrs)

Acts 15 : 1-6

Some persons who had come from Judea to Antioch were teaching the brothers in this way, “Unless you are circumcised according to the law of Moses, you cannot be saved.”

Because of this there was trouble, and Paul and Barnabas had fierce arguments with them. For Paul told the people to remain as they were when they became believers. Finally those who had come from Jerusalem suggested that Paul and Barnabas and some others go up to Jerusalem to discuss the matter with the Apostles and elders.

They were sent on their way by the Church. As they passed through Phoenicia and Samaria they reported how the non-Jews had turned to God, and there was great joy among all the brothers and sisters. On their arrival in Jerusalem, they were welcomed by the Church, the Apostles and the elders, to whom they told all that God had done through them.

Some believers, however, who belonged to the party of the Pharisees, stood up and said that non-Jewish men must be circumcised and instructed to keep the law of Moses. So the Apostles and elders met together to consider the matter.

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Tuesday, 20 May 2025 : 5th Week of Easter, Memorial of St. Bernardine of Siena, Priest (Homily and Scripture Reflections)

Liturgical Colour : White

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, today as we all listened to the words of the Sacred Scriptures, we are reminded of the reality of becoming disciples and followers of the Lord, which will likely involve some sorts of challenges and difficulties in our paths, and we must always be prepared that we may not have it easy and smooth in our journey, but we may encounter twists and turns in our way towards the Lord. As our predecessors in faith, the many Christians throughout the history of the Church had shown us, and the innumerable saints and martyrs had testified to us, there will likely be a lot of opposition to our commitment and faith in God, and to our works and efforts as the Lord’s disciples in this world. But this does not mean that we should easily give up on our faith in the Lord and our efforts to glorify Him by our actions in life. Instead, we should be even more resolute in committing ourselves to love and serve the Lord at all times, in whatever opportunities that He had provided to us.

In our first reading today, we heard from the Acts of the Apostles of what St. Paul and St. Barnabas encountered during their missionary journey in Asia Minor, in what is now part of Turkey, where they faced obstacles and hardships in proclaiming the words and Good News of God to both the Jewish diaspora communities and the Gentiles alike. They were attacked by the conspiracy of some of the Jewish people who opposed them in Lystra, causing the people who mistakenly worshipped St. Paul and St. Barnabas as the manifestations of their gods to go violent against the two of them and causing them to almost lose their lives after being stoned. Yet, all these did not dampen the spirits of the Apostles who picked up from where they were and then continuing their journey and ministry to other people in the other places.

St. Paul and St. Barnabas used all those experiences and sufferings to strengthen the other disciples and followers of the Lord, reminding them that they were not alone in suffering for the sake of the Lord. They also helped to establish the strong foundation of the Church in those areas they had visited appointing elders and leaders to guide the faithful, so that the Church and the body of the Christian faithful and community could continue to grow despite the many hardships and challenges that they had to face at that time. The Lord guided and strengthened the Apostles, and the other disciples and followers of the Lord such that they would not lose their faith amidst the trials and challenges that they had to face in their mission and journey.

In our Gospel passage today, taken from the Gospel according to St. John the Apostle and Evangelist, we then heard of the moment not long before the Lord was to go and face His Passion, where He had to endure the worst of persecutions and sufferings for our sake, betrayed by one of His own closest disciples and abandoned by the rest, and condemned to death for sins that He did not commit. Hence, knowing all of these that were to happen to Him, the Lord reassured His disciples that despite everything that would happen to Him, they all should not lose hope but instead they should remain firm in their commitment to serve Him, because while He would be taken away from them, He would not truly go away, as He would still remain with them and would always guide them in each and every steps of their journeys.

Linking this to what we have heard in our first reading passage today, we can see indeed how true it would be, that the sufferings and hardships that Christ suffered would also be shared by many of His own Apostles, disciples and followers. And yet, the reassurances from the Lord Himself of His Presence and guidance strengthened many of these disciples and made them to joyfully and courageously continue their efforts and struggles in proclaiming the Good News of God despite the many challenges and hardships that they had to endure and go through, all the oppositions and persecutions that they faced, but at the same time also all the good things that they had done and the opportunities and successes that they had achieved in their respective missions and works.

And the Lord Jesus reminded His disciples as we heard in our Gospel passage today that He gave them His peace, and that His peace would be with them as they carried on with the missions and works that He had entrusted to them. This is a reminder for us that we should not be afraid or worried in doing what we have been tasked by the Lord through His Church, in contributing our efforts and works for the good of the Church and the faithful people of God. We must always trust in God in guiding and strengthening us in our journey and mission as Christians, in all the things that we do, even in the smallest and the seemingly least significant efforts and works that we do. With God, nothing is impossible, and He will grant us the strength, courage and power to carry out our works, missions and efforts and bring us to success, all for His greater glory.

Today, the Church also celebrates the Feast of St. Bernardine of Siena, a holy man and priest of God whose faith and examples in how he had committed his life and efforts should inspire all of us to be more committed towards God and be more righteous in our actions and ways of life. St. Bernardine of Siena was born into a noble Italian family, but was orphaned at a young age and was raised by his pious aunt, who eventually led to him joining the Franciscan order, firstly as a member and then eventually becoming a priest. He was a renowned preacher and missionary who spent a lot of effort working with the sick and the poor, as well as preaching against the corruption and worldly excesses practiced during that time among many of the people, especially among the nobility and even within the Church and the clergy.

He preached effectively as he used examples and connections to the daily lives and sufferings of the people, which could be easily related to many of them, and therefore, he drew many people who came to seek his preaching and works. People flocked to his sermons and he spent many hours in these sermons and works, touching the hearts and souls of countless people, and calling many to the conversion of their lives. Through his faith and dedication, St. Bernardine of Siena had indeed shown us all what it truly means for us to carry on our own mission with faith in God, and in being committed to live our lives worthily as Christians, to the best of our abilities, in our respective areas and vocations in life, each and every moments and each day.

Let us all therefore do our best from now on to live our lives as good and faithful Christians in all things, and do our best to be good role models and inspirations for one another in faith. May the Lord be with us always, and may He continue to inspire us all to live our lives most worthily in His Presence, now and always, forevermore. Amen.

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Tuesday, 20 May 2025 : 5th Week of Easter, Memorial of St. Bernardine of Siena, Priest (Gospel Reading)

Liturgical Colour : White

John 14 : 27-31a

At that time, Jesus said to His disciples, “Peace be with you! I give you My peace; not as the world gives peace do I give it to you. Do not be troubled; do not be afraid. You heard Me say, ‘I am going away, but I am coming to you.’ If you loved Me, you would be glad that I go to the Father, for the Father is greater than I.”

“I have told you this now before it takes place, so that when it does happen you may believe. It is very little what I may still tell you, for the prince of this world is at hand, although there is nothing in Me that he can claim. But see, the world must know that I love the Father, and that I do what the Father has taught Me to do.”

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Tuesday, 20 May 2025 : 5th Week of Easter, Memorial of St. Bernardine of Siena, Priest (Psalm)

Liturgical Colour : White

Psalm 144 : 10-11, 12-13ab, 21

All Your works will give You thanks; all Your saints, o Lord, will praise You. They will tell of the glory of Your kingdom and speak of Your power.

That all may know of Your mighty deeds, Your reign and its glorious splendour. Your reign is from age to age; Your dominion endures from generation to generation.

Let my mouth speak in praise of the Lord, let every creature bless His holy Name, forever and ever.

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Tuesday, 20 May 2025 : 5th Week of Easter, Memorial of St. Bernardine of Siena, Priest (First Reading)

Liturgical Colour : White

Acts 14 : 19-28

Then some Jews arrived from Antioch and Iconium and turned the people against Paul and Barnabas. They stoned Paul and dragged him out of the town, leaving him for dead. But when his disciples gathered around him, he stood up and returned to the town. And the next day he left for Derbe with Barnabas.

After proclaiming the Gospel in that town and making many disciples, they returned to Lystra and Iconium and on to Antioch. They were strengthening the disciples and encouraging them to remain firm in the faith, for they said, “We must go through many trials to enter the Kingdom of God.”

In each Church they appointed elders and, after praying and fasting, they commended them to the Lord in Whom they had placed their faith. Then they travelled through Pisidia, and came to Pamphylia. They preached the Word in Perga and went down to Attalia. From there they sailed back to Antioch, where they had first been commended to God’s grace for the task they had now completed.

On their arrival they gathered the Church together and told them all that God had done through them and how He had opened the door of faith to the non-Jews. They spent a fairly long time there with the disciples.

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Monday, 19 May 2025 : 5th 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 Sacred Scriptures, we are reminded of the fact that we serve the Lord not for our own glory but for the greater glory of God, and we should always listen to the Lord and keep His commandments and words. We should always strive to proclaim the Lord’s truth, His love and Good News together, to glorify Him with all of our hearts and might at every opportunities provided to us. We must not be easily swayed by the temptations of worldly glory, ambition and all the other things that may easily mislead us down the wrong path in life. We must always be focused on the Lord and do our very best in our every moments in life so that we will always be firmly rooted in our faith and commitment to Him, to live our lives as Christians each day and every moments to the best of our abilities.

In our first reading today, we heard from the Acts of the Apostles of the time when St. Paul and St. Barnabas was cast out from the place they were in because of the machinations of their opponents, some of the Jews and pagans  who were hostile to their efforts at evangelisation and mission, and how they then ended up in Lystra, where they performed more works and miracles, healing a crippled man in the Name of the Lord Jesus. And as we heard, there in that place the deed quickly became known to all the people, many if not most of whom were pagans, who believe in the Greek pantheon, and hence why the people considered the two Apostles as their gods that had come down in human forms, appearing before them.

For the context, for those who are not familiar with the Greek mythology and gods, this was what the Greek gods were commonly believed to do, as they regularly walked among the people in human form, taking up avatars and forms familiar to mankind, and interacting withthem, the mortals in various ways and means. That was why the miracle performed by St. Paul and St. Barnabas was easily mistaken by those people in Lystra as the actions of their pagan gods, and as we heard, they began treating both of the Apostles like as if they were their gods manifesting themselves in human forms, bringing sacrifices and offerings to them. The two Apostles were trying hard but mostly in vain in trying to persuade the people with the truth, that they were bringing unto them the revelation from the true God and Master of all.

St. Paul and St. Barnabas could have also been swayed by the temptations of power and glory, as those two Apostles were treated literally like kings and gods, and with all the adoration and praise from everyone in that place, it was easy for anyone with weak or no faith to succumb to the temptations of worldly power and glory. But they remained firm in their faith and in their commitment to the Lord, and did not let any temptations or pressures to affect them, as they continued to proclaim the Lord and His truth to the people, no matter how they were unwilling to listen to them and acting as if they were really their gods. To do such an action required great amount of faith and dedication, as well as humility and the strong desire to serve the Lord, and not doing things for one’s own glory and personal ambitions.

Then, as we listened from our Gospel passage today, we heard from the Gospel according to St. John the Apostle and Evangelist, the Lord Jesus told His disciples that He and the Father are really one and the same, and that all of them who obey Him also obey the Father, and those who listen to His commandments, the commandments that He revealed and presented to the disciples and all those whom He had taught, have also listened to the same commandments that the Lord has revealed from the time of Moses. Essentially, the Lord Jesus was highlighting that He is indeed the true Messiah, the One Whom the prophets since the ancient days had been prophesying and proclaiming about, and which the people had long awaited for, and yet, when He finally came into this world, many among the people, particularly among the leaders were skeptical and even hostile against Him.

Thus, the Lord reassured His disciples that everything that He had told them all were indeed true, and they were the witnesses of everything that He had done before them, all that He had taught and told them about the truth about Himself and His relationship with the Father, of which He as the Son and the Father are One and the same. Back then, in the Jewish community, there was no understanding and knowledge of the true nature of God that is in fact a Holy Trinity, of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit, and therefore, what the Lord Jesus presented to the disciples must also have been something that was quite difficult for the disciples to understand the words and revelations of the Lord to them, but the Lord kept on slowly and gradually teaching and enlightening their minds about His truth.

Brothers and sisters in Christ, let us all therefore continue to put our trust and focus on the Lord, doing our very best to let Him be known to everyone we meet and encounter in life, not just through words but also through our actions in being good role models as faithful disciples and followers of Christ. In everything that we say and do, in all of our interactions, let us all be good and worthy bearers of our Christian faith and examples at all times, being the beacons of God’s light to everyone whom we encounter in our lives, to our communities and in our world today. That is what all of us have been entrusted by God to do as Christians, as those whom He has called and chosen, and entrusted with the truth and commandments that He has given us all through His Son, Our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ.

May the Risen Lord continue to help and guide us all in our journey in life, and may He continue to strengthen us all in our every good efforts, works and endeavours, doing them for the greater glory of God and for the salvation of more souls. May all of us continue to be blessed with the strength and courage to carry out the missions entrusted to each one of us in our various and unique circumstances and opportunities, now and always. Amen.

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Monday, 19 May 2025 : 5th Week of Easter (Gospel Reading)

Liturgical Colour : White

John 14 : 21-26

At that time, Jesus said to His disciples, “Whoever keeps My commandments is the one who loves Me. If he loves Me, he will also be loved by My Father; I too shall love him and show Myself clearly to him.”

Judas – not Judas Iscariot – asked Jesus, “Lord, how can it be that You will show Yourself clearly to us and not to the world!” Jesus answered him, “If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word and My Father will love him; and We will come to him and make a room in his home.”

“But if anyone does not love Me, he will not keep My words; and these words that you hear are not Mine, but the Father’s Who sent Me. I told you all this while I was still with you. From now on the Helper, the Holy Spirit Whom the Father will send in My Name, will teach you all things, and remind you of all that I have told you.”

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Monday, 19 May 2025 : 5th Week of Easter (Psalm)

Liturgical Colour : White

Psalm 113B : 1-2, 3-4, 15-16

Not to us, o Lord, not to us, but to Your Name be the glory, for the sake of Your love and faithfulness. Why should the pagans say, “Where is their God?”

There in heaven is our God; whatever He wishes, He does. Not so the hand-made idols, crafted in silver and gold.

May you be blessed by the Lord, Maker of heaven and earth. Heaven belongs to the Lord, but the earth He has given to humans.

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Monday, 19 May 2025 : 5th Week of Easter (First Reading)

Liturgical Colour : White

Acts 14 : 5-18

A move was made by pagans and Jews, together with their leaders, to harm the Apostles and to stone them. But Paul and Barnabas learnt of this and fled to Lycaonian towns of Lystra and Derbe and to the surrounding countryside, where they continued preaching the Good News.

Paul and Barnabas spent a fairly long time at Lystra. There was a crippled man in Lystra who had never been able to stand or walk. One day, as he was listening to the preaching, Paul looked intently at him and saw that he had the faith to be saved. So he spoke to him in a loud voice, “In the Name of the Lord Jesus Christ, I command you to stand up on your feet!” And the man stood up and began to walk around.

When the people saw what Paul had done, they cried out in the language of Lycaonia, “The gods have come to us in human likeness!” They named Barnabas Zeus, and Paul they called Hermes, since he was the chief speaker. Even the priest of the Temple of Zeus, which stood outside the town, brought oxen and garlands to the gate; together with the people, he wanted to offer sacrifice to them.

When Barnabas and Paul heard this, they tore their garment to show their indignation and rushed into the crowd, shouting, “Friends, why are you doing this? We are human beings with the same weakness you have and we are now telling you to turn away from these useless things to the living God Who made the heavens, the earth, the sea and all that is in them.”

“In past generations He allowed each nation to go its own way, though He never stopped making Himself known; for He is continually doing good, giving you rain from heaven and fruitful seasons, providing you with food and filling your hearts with gladness.”

Even these words could hardly keep the crowd from offering sacrifice to them.

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Sunday, 18 May 2025 : Fifth Sunday of Easter (Homily and Scripture Reflections)

Liturgical Colour : White

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, this Sunday is the Fifth Sunday of Easter and all of us are reminded through what we have heard from the Sacred Scriptures, of the great love of God for each and every one of us mankind, how He has willingly shown us this love to us through everything that He had done for us, in revealing to us His beloved Son, His only Begotten One, the One through Whom He has made His love manifested in this world, becoming tangible and real for us. And in His glorious Resurrection that we have been celebrating throughout this time and season of Easter, we have seen the hope which the Lord has brought upon us, the hope of life beyond death, life that is everlasting and bringing us true happiness and joy, one that no one and nothing else can provide to us.

In our first reading this Sunday, taken from the Acts of the Apostles, we heard of the actions of St. Paul and St. Barnabas who were returning to Antioch after the missionary journey in Asia Minor, where they encountered both successes and obstacles. St. Paul and St. Barnabas encouraged and strengthened the faithful there in Antioch with their stories and testimonies, reminding all of them that to be a missionary and disciple of the Lord, one must be prepared and ready to endure challenges, difficulties and trials, to suffer for the sake of the kingdom of God, just as St. Paul and St. Barnabas had experienced. But at the same time, they strengthened and encouraged the other disciples and members of the faithful by reminding them of God’s guidance and providence throughout their ministry.

We heard more of the exploits and works of the two faithful and courageous servants of God, who continued to work for the greater glory of God, going from places to places proclaiming the word of God and His Good News to more and more people while strengthening the faith of those who have believed in God. Through all these tireless and ceaseless efforts we can see how the Apostles became important parts of the Church’s missions and works, and they were indeed the pillars of the Church of God. But we must also realise that they did not do their work alone, and in fact, they had many collaborators and fellow missionaries, and many others who assisted and helped throughout their ministries, journeys and other efforts. We too, therefore, as Christians should be active in taking part in and in supporting the works of the Church.

We also heard of how the works of God’s salvation and His Good News were also intended for the Gentiles or the non-Jewish people, as much as they had been intended also for the Jewish people. This is yet another reminder for all of us of the universality of the Church and the salvation that God has promised and offered to us. The Lord has offered His salvation to each and every one of us, His beloved children and people, and not just being limited to a certain group of people like the Israelites and their descendants. While it was indeed true that they were God’s first chosen people, but through them, God revealed His true intention, that the chosen people He really wanted to gather together includes all of mankind, the entire world and its people. All of us living today in this world are also part of this God’s plan of salvation.

Then, from our second reading this Sunday, we heard of the passage from the Book of Revelations of St. John, in which we heard the powerful words of reassurance from God for His people, revealing to them the great joy and happiness that He will bring about to us, at the end of time, after the reckoning for everything. The Lord showed the vision of the new Heaven and the new Earth to St. John the Apostle as part of the visions that he received while he was exiled at the island of Patmos. This vision of the new Heaven and Earth came after the vision of the times of tribulations, hardships and trials that would come against all those who continue to be faithful to God. And yet, God does not abandon or neglect His people, as even throughout the greatest persecutions and difficulties, He is and will still be with us, journeying with us.

This encouragement is truly very important especially to those to whom St. John the Apostle recounted his visions as they were all suffering then from persecutions by the Romans, who were causing great hardships and sorrows among the Christians, especially during the reign of the Roman Emperor Domitian, who wanted to be worshipped as god, and found the refusal by Christians to do so as a reason for persecuting them. Therefore, amidst such great trials and tribulations, the message of hope that God had shown through St. John the Apostle must have been very encouraging and uplifting, that despite the hardships and trials they were facing, in the end, the Lord would provide for His people and would not abandon them to the darkness and evil.

From our Gospel passage this Sunday, the Lord then reminds all of His disciples and followers of how God’s love has been given to them, and therefore just as they have been beloved by God, they should all love one another as well. The commandments of love that the Lord gave to them all highlight that there are two most important among the many commandments and laws of God, principally being the fact that one is called to love God first and foremost above all else, and then to show that same love to their brothers and sisters around them. One cannot be a true Christian and disciple of the Lord unless one show this love, which we all therefore ought to show as well in our own lives. And the Lord also reminded the disciples that He would soon go away from them, but they would have to continue to do what He has taught them to do.

Therefore, as we have heard from our earlier Scripture passages this Sunday, all of us as Christians are reminded that God’s love for us is truly very generous and beyond comparison, and His love for us have been given to everyone, without any exceptions. Each and every one of us are precious and important to God, and all of us are equally beloved by Him. And this same love we have to show to everyone around us, not just those whom we love and hold precious, but also to those whom we encounter in life. It is by our actions filled with love that everyone will come to know that we truly belong to God, and that God is really present in us all. Through us, God’s love will become manifest in this world, in how we love our loved ones, our family and everyone else we encounter in life.

Brothers and sisters in Christ, let us all therefore strive to love the Lord our God and to show this love in each and every one of our actions and deeds, in our words and interactions with each other. Let us all continue to be good and worthy bearers of our faith to everyone whom we encounter in life, and let us all do our very best so that we can commit ourselves ever more wholeheartedly to whatever missions and callings that He has entrusted to us in our respective areas in life. May the Lord be with us always, and may He strengthen each and every one of us so that we may always be faithful and strong in our living of our Christian life, in each and every moments. Amen.