Weeks of Easter

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Wednesday, 28 May 2025 : 6th Week of Easter (Psalm)

Liturgical Colour : White

Psalm 148 : 1-2, 11-12, 13, 14

Alleluia! Praise the Lord from the heavens; praise Him in the heavenly heights. Praise Him, all His Angels; praise Him, all His heavenly hosts.

Kings of the earth and nations, princes and all rulers of the world, young men and maidens, old and young together.

Let them praise the Name of the Lord. For His Name alone is exalted; His majesty is above earth and heaven.

He has given His people glory; He has a praise to His faithful, to Israel, the people close to Him. Alleluia.

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Wednesday, 28 May 2025 : 6th Week of Easter (First Reading)

Liturgical Colour : White

Acts 17 : 15, 22 – Acts 18 : 1

Paul was taken as far as Athens by his escort, who then returned to Beroea with instructions for Silas and Timothy to come to him as soon as possible. Then Paul stood up in the Areopagus hall and said, “Athenian citizens, I note that in every way you are very religious. As I walked around looking at your shrines, I even discovered an altar with this inscription : To an unknown God. Now, what you worship as unknown, I intend to make known to you.”

“God, Who made the world and all that is in it, does not dwell in sanctuaries made by human hands, being as He is Lord of heaven and earth. Nor does His worship depend on anything made by human hands, as if He were in need. Rather it is He Who gives life and breath and everything else to everyone.”

“From one stock He created the whole human race to live throughout all the earth, and He fixed the time and the boundaries of each nation. He wanted them to seek Him by themselves, even if it were only by groping for Him, succeed in finding Him. Yet He is not far from any one of us. For in Him we live and move and have our being, as some of your poets have said : for we too are His offspring.”

“If we are indeed God’s offspring, we ought not to think of divinity as something like a statue of gold or silver or stone, a product of human art and imagination. But now God prefers to overlook this time of ignorance and He calls on all people to change their ways. He has already set a day on which He will judge the world with justice through a Man He has appointed. And, so that all may believe it, He has just given a sign by raising this Man from the dead.”

When they heard Paul speak of a resurrection from death, some made fun of him, while others said, “We must hear you on this topic some other time.” At that point Paul left. But a few did join him, and believed. Among them were Dionysius, a member of the Areopagus court, a woman named Damaris, and some others. After this, Paul left Athens and went to Corinth.

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Tuesday, 27 May 2025 : 6th Week of Easter, Memorial of St. Augustine of Canterbury, Bishop (Homily and Scripture Reflections)

Liturgical Colour : White

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, today as we listened to the words of the Lord contained within the passages of the Sacred Scriptures, we are reminded that we should continue to have hope in the Lord, believing that in His Providence, His presence and help, we will always find hope and strength, as well as the sure path out of our predicaments and sufferings, all the hardships and challenges that we have had to endure in our lives. We must never allow ourselves to be easily swayed and pressured by fear, indecision and doubt. We must continue to hold up firmly that faith in the Lord, that we should always have in our hearts and minds. That is why we are all called to reflect upon this hope which He has placed in us, so that we may continue to faithfully serve Him at all times.

In our first reading today, we heard from the Acts of the Apostles of the continuation of the account of the works of the Apostles in the ministry of the proclaiming of the Good News of God among the people, calling more and more towards the Lord and to His salvation. And even in the midst of their predicament and hardships, the Apostles continued to receive guidance, strength and encouragement from the Lord. God did not abandon those whom He had called and chosen to be His own, and He heard the prayers of those who have fervently prayed to Him and kept their faith in Him. We heard how a great earthquake struck when St. Paul and the other faithful disciples of the Lord were put in incarceration, and they were miraculously freed.

But what was even more wonderful was the fact that the Lord did not in fact just free St. Paul and the other disciples from their bondage and imprisonment, but He also made it such that the jailor and his family were also freed from their own bondage and slavery to sin, as St. Paul convinced the jailor not to take his own life out of guilt, but rather to put his trust in the Lord, and which led therefore to his conversion together with that of his own family members. Therefore, God did not just bring His servants to their safety, but was even adding to their numbers in such moments of darkness and suffering. All of these serve to remind us ever more of God’s greatness and His wonderful grace towards us, in how He has constantly and patiently guided us in our journey through faith and life.

Then, from our Gospel passage today, we heard from the Gospel according to St. John the Apostle and Evangelist, in which the Lord Jesus continued to speak to His disciples about what would happen to Him at the moment surrounding His Passion, His suffering and death on the Cross, all of which would soon happen, and He told these all to the disciples so that they would not fall into despair and fear, and that they would continue to put their trust and faith in Him even in difficult times. And as He had shared with the disciples in today’s passage, that everything had to happen as according to the will of the Father in Heaven, Who would send to them all the Helper or the Advocate, which refers to the Holy Spirit, the Spirit of God that would strengthen all of the followers of the Lord.

And the Lord told them all that everything had to happen as it had been planned by God, or else, the Holy Spirit would not come into this world as He should have. Through the Holy Spirit that eventually came upon all the disciples, guiding the Church of God, the Lord would do wonderful things for His people, growing the reach of His works to the whole world through the works of evangelisation and mission, as the disciples of the Lord courageously went forth to proclaim the Good News and the truth about God and His salvation, strengthened and encouraged by the Holy Spirit, sent unto them by the Lord Himself, dwelling in their hearts. Through the tireless effoorts and works of these dedicated missionaries and many other holy and faithful people of God, countless people and souls have been saved from eternal damnation and brought into the light of God’s salvation.

Today, the Church also marks the occasion of the Feast of St. Augustine of Canterbu ry, the very first bishop of the restored Church hierarchy and structure in England, after the turmoil and destruction of the previous two centuries when civil upheavals and problems led to the loss of contact between the Church in England and that in the rest of the Christendom at the time. After the downfall of the Roman Empire in the Western Europe, as well as the invasion of England by the pagan Anglo-Saxons, the state of the Church in the formerly Christian England was dire, but this did not lead to total destruction of the Christian faith in the region as many still held onto their faith in God despite being separated from the hierarchy and administration of the Church.

And most importantly, at that time, Pope St. Gregory the Great initiated important efforts to reevangelise the many areas that had fallen back to paganism and where the faith had floundered, sending among others, St. Augustine of Canterbury to be the Papal representative and missionary in England. It was at Canterbury in southeastern England where he ministered and worked patiently for the Lord’s sake, eventually leading to the conversion of many to the Lord, and beginning a great period of rejuvenation of the Christian faith there, that in the end brought back the whole England to the faith, as the Anglo-Saxons eventually completely and entirely adopted the Christian faith and were baptised in the Lord. Thanks to the courageous and tireless efforts of St. Augustine of Canterbury and the many other missionaries, all these good things happened.

Brothers and sisters in Christ, as we have heard today from our Scripture passages and also from the life and works of St. Augustine of Canterbury among others, let us all therefore be evangelising and missionary in our own actions, words and all the things that we do in our respective lives daily, in each and every moments, and in all of our encounters with those whom we meet in our lives. Let us all therefore be the faithful and worthy beacons of God’s light and truth, His Good News, love and hope to everyone around us. May the Lord bless our every good efforts, works and endeavours, and bring us all to be the great examples to all the people, now and always. Amen.

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Tuesday, 27 May 2025 : 6th Week of Easter, Memorial of St. Augustine of Canterbury, Bishop (Gospel Reading)

Liturgical Colour : White

John 16 : 5-11

At that time, Jesus said to His disciples, “But now I am going to the One Who sent Me, and none of you asks Me where I am going; instead you are overcome with grief, because of what I have said.”

“Believe Me, it is better for you that I go away, because as long as I do not leave, the Helper will not come to you. But if I go away, it is to send Him to you, and when He comes, He will vindicate the truth before a sinful world; and He will vindicate the paths of righteousness and justice.”

“What is the world’s sin, in regard to Me? Disbelief. What is the path of righteousness? It is the path I walk, by which I go to the Father; and you shall see Me no more. What is the path of justice? It is the path on which the prince of this world will always stand condemned.”

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Tuesday, 27 May 2025 : 6th Week of Easter, Memorial of St. Augustine of Canterbury, Bishop (Psalm)

Liturgical Colour : White

Psalm 137 : 1-2a, 2bc-3, 7c-8

I thank You, o Lord with all my heart, for You have heard the word of my lips. I sing Your praise in the presence of the gods. I bow down towards Your holy Temple and give thanks to Your Name.

For Your love and faithfulness, for Your word which exceeds everything. You answered me when I called; You restored my soul and made me strong.

You save me from the wrath of my foes, with Your right hand You deliver me. How the Lord cares for me! Your kindness, o Lord, endures forever. Forsake not the work of Your hands.

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Tuesday, 27 May 2025 : 6th Week of Easter, Memorial of St. Augustine of Canterbury, Bishop (First Reading)

Liturgical Colour : White

Acts 16 : 22-34

So the slave owners of Philippi set the crowd against Paul and Silas and the officials tore the clothes of them and ordered them to be flogged. And after inflicting many blows on them, they threw them into prison, charging the jailer to guard them safely. Upon receiving these instructions, he threw them into the inner cell and fastened their feet in the stocks.

About midnight, Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the other prisoners were listening. Suddenly a severe earthquake shook the place, rocking the prison to its foundations. Immediately all the doors flew open and the chains of all the prisoners fell off.

The jailer woke up to see the prison gates wide open. Thinking that the prisoners had escaped, he drew his sword to kill himself, but Paul shouted to him, “Do not harm yourself! We are all still here.” The jailer asked for a light, then rushed in, and fell at the feet of Paul and Silas. After he had secured the other prisoners, he led them out and asked, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?”

They answered, “Believe in the Lord Jesus Christ and you and your household will be saved.” Then they spoke the word of God to him and to all his household. Even at that hour of the night, the jailer took care of them and washed their wounds; and he and his whole household were baptised at once. He led them to his house, spread a meal before them and joyfully celebrated with his whole household his newfound faith in God.

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Monday, 26 May 2025 : 6th Week of Easter, Memorial of St. Philip Neri, Priest (Homily and Scripture Reflections)

Liturgical Colour : White

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, today all of us as Christians, as God’s disciples and followers are reminded through these passages of the Sacred Scriptures that we have received today of the calling and missions which each and every one of us have as Christians, as God’s holy people, to proclaim the Good News to the whole world. That is what the Lord Himself has entrusted to us all, as the Church’s primary mission which is evangelisation, ‘To go forth to the world and to make the Lord known to all the people of all the nations, and to baptise them all in the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.’ And as we are reminded of this mission which we have as parts and members of the same Church of God, we are called to discern carefully our actions and works in our lives going forward, so that we may do our best to glorify God by our lives and actions.

In our first reading today, taken from the Acts of the Apostles we heard of the continuation of the great works of the Apostles, in which St. Paul went from cities and towns, going to different places to proclaim the Good News of God and His works among His people. It was told in that account how a particular God-fearing woman named Lydia who chose to believe in the Lord, accepting the grace of baptism and hence becoming a member of the Church. While it was not truly known whether she was a Jew or a Gentile, or a non-Jewish woman, but what matters here is how the works of the Apostles and the Lord’s missionaries continue to bear rich fruits for the Lord and His people, growing the Church ever more in its reach and size, as more and more came to be baptised.

In those early days of the Church, the Church grew rapidly due to the tireless efforts of those disciples and followers of the Lord, some of whom were the Apostles that went to the different parts of the known world then to proclaim the Good News of the Lord both to the Jewish diaspora community and to the Gentiles in the region. As what we had heard in the Acts of the Apostles throughout the season of Easter, the works of the Apostles and their companions in mission continued to gain many wonderful fruits and results as more and more came to believe in the Lord as they listened to the words and teachings of those disciples of the Lord, or that they were inspired by the way and manner in which they lived and cared for one another.

Therefore, all of us living in this world today should also be inspired by the examples showed by those missionaries who have spent a lot of time and effort to proclaim the truth and Good News of God. We do not have to do exactly what they had done, but rather, we should live our lives to the fullest as those whom the Lord had called and chosen, to live in the manner as Christians, in our genuine faith and dedication to the Lord at all times. We should not easily be swayed and shaken by the trials, hardships and challenges that we may have to face in our journey and in the path of our mission. If we are courageous and trusting in the Lord, in His guidance, providence and help, eventually, no matter what we may encounter in our path, we will be strengthened and empowered, and through our efforts we shall bring about lots of wonderful things for others around us, bringing them closer to God.

Then, from our Gospel passage today, we heard of the account from the Gospel according to St. John the Apostle and Evangelist, in which the Lord Jesus told His disciples about the events that would soon happen to Him and to all of them as well, as His disciples and followers. He told them all about the time of His Passion, His suffering and all that He had to endure for the sake of the whole race of mankind, and how they all might be shaken, but they all should not lose faith because God would always be by their side, strengthening them all, and the Lord Jesus Himself would also not leave them, because in the end, He would be triumphant against all the trials and challenges Himself, and would gloriously rise from the dead in the Resurrection.

Then the Lord also told them all about how He is the True Vine and the Father is the Vinegrower. Through this, He wanted to tell all of His disciples and therefore all of us that we have to be faithful and committed to His teachings and ways, and we should not easily lose hope and faith in Him due to the many pressures and temptations of the world around us. We should always hold firmly to our faith in God, and help one another to remain firmly attached to the Lord’s Vine, that is His teachings, truth and Good News as preserved and proclaimed, contained and upheld by the Church of God, the One, Holy, Catholic and Apostolic Church. And as Christians, it is our duty and responsibility to proclaim this truth and Good News in each and every moments of our lives.

Today, the Church also celebrates the Feast of St. Philip Neri, a faithful and holy priest of God, whose life and examples can serve as great inspiration for all of us to follow. St. Philip Neri was an Italian priest and saint who had great dedication in ministering to the poor and the marginalised in the community, which he helped the founding of the Confraternity of the Most Holy Trinity of Pilgrims and Convalescents, gathering all those who sought to minister to the needs of pilgrims and those who were suffering in the community. He was also later known even more for founding the Congregation of the Oratory, spreading the Word of God and truth through missionary works among the people of God, and the works of St. Philip Neri amongst the people of Rome were so profound that he was also known as the Second Apostle to Rome.

Brothers and sisters in Christ, let us all therefore be inspired to proclaim the words and truth of the Lord to all those whom we encounter daily around us, and do our very best in living our lives faithfully as Christians, in each and every opportunities so that we may truly touch the lives and hearts of those whom we encounter and interact with, in making God known to more and more of the people of all the nations just as He had commanded us to do. Like St. Philip Neri before us, let us all be missionary and evangelising in our every actions and works, in our every good efforts and commitments in life. May God bless our every good efforts and works, and may He strengthen us always with the courage and wisdom, and with the desire to glorify Him at all times. Amen.

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Monday, 26 May 2025 : 6th Week of Easter, Memorial of St. Philip Neri, Priest (Gospel Reading)

Liturgical Colour : White

John 15 : 26 – John 16 : 4a

At that time, Jesus said to His disciples, “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.”

“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. Come now, let us go.”

“I am the True Vine and My Father is the Vinegrower. If any of My branches does not bear fruit, He breaks it off; and He prunes every branch that does bear fruit, that it may bear even more fruit. You are already made clean by the word I have spoken to you. Live in Me as I live in you.”

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Monday, 26 May 2025 : 6th Week of Easter, Memorial of St. Philip Neri, Priest (Psalm)

Liturgical Colour : White

Psalm 149 : 1-2, 3-4, 5-6a and 9b

Alleluia! Sing to the Lord a new song, sing His praise in the assembly of His saints! Let Israel rejoice in his Maker, let the people of Zion glory in their King!

Let them dance to praise of His Name and make music for Him with harp and timbrel. For the Lord delights in His people; He crowns the lowly with victory.

The saints will exult in triumph; even at night on their couches. Let the praise of God be on their lips; this is the glory of all His saints. Alleluia!

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Monday, 26 May 2025 : 6th Week of Easter, Memorial of St. Philip Neri, Priest (First Reading)

Liturgical Colour : White

Acts 16 : 11-15

So we put out to sea from Troas and sailed straight across to Samothrace Island, and the next day to Neapolis. From there we went inland to Philippi, the leading city of the district of Macedonia, and a Roman colony. We spent some days in that city.

On the sabbath we went outside the city gate to the bank of the river where we thought the Jews would gather to pray. We sat down and began speaking to the women who were gathering there. One of them was a God-fearing woman named Lydia from Thyatira City, a dealer in purple cloth.

As she listened, the Lord opened her heart to respond to what Paul was saying. After she had been baptised together with her household, she invited us to her house, “If you think I am faithful to the Lord, come and stay at my house.” And she persuaded us to accept her invitation.