Weeks of Easter

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Monday, 18 April 2022 : Monday within Easter Octave (Psalm)

Liturgical Colour : White

Psalm 15 : 1-2a and 5, 7-8, 9-10, 11

Keep me safe, o God, for in You I take refuge. I say to the Lord, “O Lord, my inheritance and my cup, my chosen portion – hold secure my lot.”

I bless the Lord Who counsels me; even at night my inmost self instructs me. I keep the Lord always before me; for with Him at my right hand, I will never be shaken.

My heart, therefore, exults, my soul rejoices; my body too will rest assured. For You will not abandon my soul to the grave, nor will You suffer Your Holy One to see decay in the land of the dead.

You will show me the path of life, in Your presence the fullness of joy, at Your right hand happiness forever.

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Monday, 18 April 2022 : Monday within Easter Octave (First Reading)

Liturgical Colour : White

Acts 2 : 14, 22-33

Then Peter stood up with the Eleven and, with a loud voice, addressed them, “Fellow Jews and all foreigners now staying in Jerusalem, listen to what I have to say. Fellow Israelites, listen to what I am going to tell you about Jesus of Nazareth. God accredited Him and through Him did powerful deeds and wonders and signs in your midst, as you well know.”

“You delivered Him to sinners to be crucified and killed, and in this way the purpose of God from all times was fulfilled. But God raised Him to life and released Him from the pain of death, because it was impossible for Him to be held in the power of death. David spoke of Him when He said : I saw the Lord before me at all times; He is by my side, that I may not be shaken.”

“Therefore my heart was glad and my tongue rejoiced; my body too will live in hope. Because You will not forsake me in the abode of the dead, nor allow Your Holy One to experience corruption. You have made known to me the paths of life, and Your presence will fill me with joy.”

“Friends, I do not need to prove that the patriarch David died and was buried; his tomb is with us to this day. But he knew that God had sworn to him that One of his descendants would sit upon his throne and, as he was a prophet, he foresaw and spoke of the resurrection of the Messiah. So he said that He would not be left in the region of the dead, nor would His Body experience corruption.

This Messiah is Jesus and we are all witnesses that God raised Him to life. He has been exalted at God’s right side and the Father has entrusted the Holy Spirit to Him; this Spirit He has just poured upon us as you now see and hear.

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Sunday, 17 April 2022 : Easter Sunday of the Lord’s Resurrection (Homily and Scripture Reflections)

Liturgical Colour : White

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, this Sunday we mark the glorious occasion of Easter, that after the forty long days of our Lenten observance and the six Sundays of Lent, we have finally reached the glorious Easter time. We rejoice greatly this Sunday together because Our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ, has triumphed over sin and death, overcoming their hold and dominion over each and every one of us. All of us have seen the salvation of God in the flesh, appearing before us in Jesus Christ. And it is our core belief that we believe in the Lord Jesus, Who has suffered, died and then rose in glory from the dead for our salvation.

In our first reading today, we heard from the Acts of the Apostles about the testimony of faith that St. Peter, the leader of the Apostles and the Church spoke to the assembled people during the time when he paid a visit to Cornelius, a Roman centurion who came to believe in God with his family. At that time, St. Peter had been hesitant to visit Cornelius because visiting the house of a Gentile or non-Jew was frowned upon by the Jews and many of the early Christians had been Jewish in origin, and many of them still held strongly to their Jewish traditions, customs, as well as prejudices.

That was when the Lord showed St. Peter a vision of a great cloth coming down from heaven within which there were contained many animals deemed unclean by the laws of Moses. The Lord told St. Peter to eat of those animals, but he refused to do so citing that those animals were unclean and unfitting for him to eat. This was where the Lord then told St. Peter that whatever God had deemed to be clean and worthy, he must not deem to be unclean. As this was repeated three times, St. Peter finally realised the Lord’s intentions as he came to visit Cornelius and saw a large number of people gathering after he visited the house of Cornelius.

The assembled people were likely consisting of many Jewish people as well as non-Jews or Gentiles alike. Some of the Jews were wondering why St. Peter would go to visit the house of a foreigner, an act that would defile him and made him unclean himself in the sight of the Jews. Meanwhile, many among the Gentiles were likely curious with St. Peter and what he brought into their midst, with the teachings about this Jesus that the whole of Judea, Samaria and Galilee had been talking about, especially with the recent crucifixion, death and resurrection of the Lord.

Thus, many of the people must have been curious to learn more about the Lord, both among the Jews and the Gentiles alike, and it was at that occasion, St. Peter spoke courageously proclaiming His Lord and Master before all the assembled people, and how God had sent Christ into this world to be its Saviour, to bring salvation to all the peoples, to all of mankind. The Lord has shown His great love, compassion and mercy through Christ, Who has endured the worst of sufferings and pain, trials, humiliation and torture, all for our sake. Through His wounds we have been healed and by sharing in His death we have died to our old way of life and sinful past, and by sharing in His resurrection, we have been called to a new life and existence with Him, a new life blessed by God.

That was exactly what St. Paul spoke about in his Epistle to the Church and the faithful in the city of Corinth which makes up our second reading passage today. All of us Christians through baptism have shared in Our Lord’s death and resurrection. We have passed through the waters of baptism, the water that cleansed our past sins and destroyed our old way of life, and the water of rebirth that brought into us a new life, a life blessed by God. That is essentially what the joy of Easter is all about, brothers and sisters in Christ. The joy of Easter is the joy of knowing that we are no longer shackled and enslaved by the power of sin and death, because the Lord Himself has come into our midst and freed us.

However, as we rejoice and celebrate this Easter with great festivities and exultation, at the same time we also need to reflect carefully on our own attitudes and actions. As Christians, have we truly believed in the Resurrection and in all the truth that the Lord has revealed and taught to us through His Church? Or have we instead been lukewarm and end up only resorting to attending Mass on Sundays but without any further activities as actually required by our Christian faith? How many of us did not even spend quality time with the Lord, and only looked for Him when we needed Him? And while it is good that many of us attend the Holy Week and Easter celebrations, how many of us only willingly came to take part in those celebrations and nothing else?

Brothers and sisters in Christ, today on this great Easter Sunday, the glorious Sunday of the Resurrection of Our Lord, we are all reminded that just as the Lord’s Resurrection has been celebrated every year as a reminder of all that the Lord had done for our sake, each and every one of us are also reminded of the obligations and calling we have received as Christians, to be fellow disciples and followers of Our Lord. We cannot be idle in living our lives but we have to be ready to proclaim our faith in the Risen Lord much as how St. Peter had done in the midst of many people who questioned him and some even doubting him.

Then we may be worried or are concerned that we will not be able to carry out great works at evangelisation and in reaching out to others. But this should be the least of our concern, brothers and sisters. Do not forget that St. Peter and many among the Apostles were illiterate, and by the many standards of the world, they were way less than ‘worthy’ to do the great works that were required of them as Apostles and the chief disciples of the Lord. Yet, they persevered and let the Lord to lead them and guide them in whatever they were called to do, and wherever they had been sent to work the good works of the Lord.

The Lord does not only call the qualified but instead He qualifies those whom He has called and chosen, and then answered His call. That was how the Apostles were able to carry out so many great and wonderful works that brought so many people closer to God and to His path, introducing Him and revealing Him to many people who have not yet known Him. They listened to the Lord, opened their hearts and minds to Him, and did their best to contribute their works and efforts to glorify the Lord at all possible opportunities. They were willing to labour hard, and even suffer and die for the sake of the Lord and His people, which all of them except for St. John did. St. John himself while dying of a natural old age, had seen a lot of persecution in his long life.

In the Gospel reading that is used for the Easter Sunday evening Mass, the reading of the two disciples of the Lord who went on their way to the village of Emmaus and encountering the Lord on their way, we are reminded through it that many of us are perhaps like those two disciples, who were unsure and uncertain, doubtful and had not given ourselves wholeheartedly to the Lord just yet. We are like the two disciples who went away with fear in their hearts, with uncertainties and unwillingness to commit to the Lord, and they were also unable to recognise the Lord being present in their midst. Yet, we heard how the Lord patiently opened their eyes and minds by explaining to them the Scriptures and all that He had done in saving the whole world, and they eventually recognised Him, returning to the Apostles and the other disciples and proclaiming the truth about the Risen Lord.

Brothers and sisters in Christ, we have to open our hearts and minds to the Lord as well. Just as we rejoice in this glorious Resurrection of Our Lord, we have to remember to bring this Easter joy to our own various communities and to the different people whom we encounter in life. As Pope St. John Paul II famously mentioned, ‘We are all Easter people and Alleluia is our song!’, this serves as a reminder to us that we have to proclaim the Lord joyfully through our lives, through our actions and attitudes in life. In our interactions with one another, we have to show the love of God, the love of the Risen Lord and Saviour, that whoever whose lives we touch, they may come to know our Risen Lord through us.

As we renew our baptismal promises this Easter Sunday, we are called again to remember what we need to do as Christians, to be filled with God’s love and to do our best in whatever even little things we do, to be exemplary in our faith and way of life that our lives may inspire many others to follow us in the path that the Lord has shown us. We must not forget that we too are witnesses of Our Lord’s truth and love, His resurrection and the salvation that He has promised all those who are faithful to Him. We are the beacons of Christ’s light in this world, that through us the Light of Christ may penetrate the darkness in the heart of many of our fellow brothers and sisters.

May our Risen Lord and Saviour, Our Lord Jesus Christ, be with us all and may He bless all of our works, actions and good deeds, all for the greater glory of His Name. May God strengthen us with the courage to persevere, no matter what trials and challenges we may encounter, now and always. Amen.

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Sunday, 17 April 2022 : Easter Sunday of the Lord’s Resurrection (Gospel Reading)

Liturgical Colour : White

John 20 : 1-9

At that time, on the first day after the Sabbath, Mary of Magdala came to the tomb early in the morning while it was still dark, and she saw that the stone blocking the tomb had been moved away. She ran to Peter, and the other disciple whom Jesus loved, and she said to them, “They have taken the Lord out of the tomb and we do not know where they have laid Him.”

Peter then set out with the other disciple to go to the tomb. They ran together, but the other disciple outran Peter and reached the tomb first. He bent down and saw the linen cloths lying flat, but he did not enter. Then Simon Peter came, following him, and entered the tomb; he, too, saw the linen cloths lying flat.

The napkin, which had been around his head, was not lying flat like the other linen cloths, but lay rolled up in its place. Then the other disciple, who had reached the tomb first, also went in; he saw and believed. Scripture clearly said that He must rise from the dead, but they had not yet understood that.

Alternative reading

Luke 24 : 1-12

At that time, on the Sabbath the women rested according to the commandment, but the first day of the week, at dawn, the women went to the tomb with the perfumes and ointments they had prepared. Seeing the stone rolled away from the opening of the tomb, they entered, and were amazed to find that the Body of the Lord Jesus was not there.

As they stood there wondering about this, two men in dazzling garments suddenly stood before them. In fright the women bowed to the ground. But the men said, “Why look for the living among the dead? You will not find Him here. He is risen. Remember what He told you in Galilee, that the Son of Man had to be given into the hands of sinners, to be crucified, and to rise on the third day.” And they remembered Jesus’ words.

Returning from the tomb, they told the Eleven and all the others about these things. Among the women, who brought the news, were Mary Magdalene, Joanna, and Mary the mother of James. But however much they insisted, those who heard did not believe the seemingly nonsensical story. Then Peter got up and ran to the tomb. All he saw, when he bent down and looked into the tomb, were the linen cloths, laid by themselves. He went home wondering.

Alternative reading (Easter Sunday Evening Mass)

Luke 24 : 13-35

At that time, on the same day Jesus rose from the dead, two followers of Jesus were going to Emmaus, a village seven miles from Jerusalem, and they talked about what had happened. While they were talking and arguing about what had happened, Jesus came up and walked with them. But their eyes were not able to recognise Him.

He asked, “What is it you are talking about?” The two stood still, looking sad. Then the one named Cleophas answered, “Why, it seems You are the only traveller to Jerusalem who does not know what haw happened there these past few days.” And He asked, “What is it?”

They replied, “It is about Jesus of Nazareth. He was a Prophet, You know, mighty in word and deed before God and the people. But the chief priests and our rulers sentenced Him to death. They handed Him over to be crucified. We had hoped that He would redeem Israel. It is now the third day since all this took place.”

“It is also true that some women of our group have disturbed us. When they went to the tomb at dawn, they did not find His Body; and they came and told us that they had had a vision of Angels, who said that Jesus was alive. Some of our people went to the tomb and found everything just as the women had said, but they did not find a Body in the tomb.”

He said to them, “How dull you are, how slow of understanding! Is the message of the prophets too difficult for you to understand? Is it not written that the Christ should suffer all this, and then enter His glory?” Then starting with Moses, and going through the prophets, He explained to them everything in the Scriptures concerning Himself.

As they drew near the village they were heading for, Jesus made as if to go farther. But they prevailed upon Him, “Stay with us, for night comes quickly. The day is now almost over.” So He went in to stay with them. When they were at table, He took the bread, said a blessing, broke it, and gave each a piece.

Then their eyes were opened, and they recognised Him; but He vanished out of their sight. And they said to one another, “Were not our hearts filled with ardent yearning when He was talking to us on the road and explaining the Scriptures?” They immediately set out and returned to Jerusalem.

There they found the Eleven and their companions gathered together. They were greeted by these words : “Yes, it is true, the Lord is risen! He has appeared to Simon!” Then the two told what had happened on the road to Emmaus, and how Jesus had made Himself known, when He broke bread with them.

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Sunday, 17 April 2022 : Easter Sunday of the Lord’s Resurrection (Second Reading)

Liturgical Colour : White

Colossians 3 : 1-4

So then, if you are risen with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God. Set your mind on the things that are above, not on earthly things. For you have died and your life is now hidden with Christ in God. When Christ, Who is your life, reveals Himself, you also will be revealed with Him in Glory.

Alternative reading

1 Corinthians 5 : 6b-8

Do you not know that a little yeast makes the whole mass of dough rise? Throw out, then, the old yeast and be new dough. If Christ became our Passover, you should be unleavened bread. Let us celebrate, therefore, the Passover, no longer with old yeast, which is sin and perversity; let us have unleavened bread, that is purity and sincerity.

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Sunday, 17 April 2022 : Easter Sunday of the Lord’s Resurrection (Psalm)

Liturgical Colour : White

Psalm 117 : 1-2, 16ab-17, 22-23

Alleluia! Give thanks to the Lord, for He is good, His loving kindness endures forever. Let Israel say, “His loving kindness endures forever.”

The right hand of the Lord is lifted high, the right hand of the Lord strikes mightily! I shall not die, but live to proclaim what the Lord has done.

The stone rejected by the builders has become the cornerstone. This was the Lord’s doing and we marvel at it.

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Sunday, 17 April 2022 : Easter Sunday of the Lord’s Resurrection (First Reading)

Liturgical Colour : White

Acts 10 : 34a, 37-43

Peter then spoke to them, “No doubt you have heard of the event that occurred throughout the whole country of the Jews, beginning from Galilee, after the baptism John preached. You know how God anointed Jesus the Nazarean with Holy Spirit and power.”

“He went about doing good and healing all who were under the devil’s power, because God was with Him; we are witnesses of all that He did throughout the country of the Jews and in Jerusalem itself. Yet they put Him to death by hanging Him on a wooden cross.”

But God raised Him to life on the third day and let Him manifest Himself, not to all the people, but to the witnesses that were chosen beforehand by God – to us who ate and drank with Him after His resurrection from death. And He commanded us to preach to the people and to bear witness that He is the One appointed by God to judge the living and the dead. All the prophets say of Him, that everyone who believes in Him has forgiveness of sins through His Name.”

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Sunday, 23 May 2021 : Solemnity of Pentecost Sunday (Homily and Scripture Reflections)

Liturgical Colour : Red

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, this Sunday we celebrate the great Solemnity of Pentecost Sunday marking the moment when the Holy Spirit came down upon the disciples of the Lord, descending from the Heavens like great tongues of fire that rested on each of them. The Holy Spirit gave the disciples great strength and courage, and they went forth out of their hiding place in Jerusalem, and openly preached the truth about the salvation in the Lord Jesus Christ to all the people assembled in Jerusalem at that time.

The people assembled there coming from very diverse places as far as Ethiopia, Parthia and even Rome and the distant provinces came from many different backgrounds, both those from the Jewish diaspora and Gentiles alike. They all spoke various different and intelligible languages. Yet, the moment the disciples spoke to them and give testimony of truth about Christ, they all could understand what these disciples were speaking about, and they seemed to hear them speaking in their own diverse languages.

The Holy Spirit gave the disciples the gift of speaking in tongues, and to some they have also been given the gift of miracles and power over evil spirits, allowing them to heal the sick and perform various other miracles. And through their testimony, sincerity and faith, it was told that the very day of the Pentecost itself, three thousand people gave themselves to be baptised by the Lord, and from then on, the Church began to grow and flourish. This is also why the celebration of the Pentecost marked the beginning of the Church, and we mark and celebrate it as the Anniversary of this Church that we all belong to.

From that day onwards, the disciples were no longer afraid and in hiding, and they finally went forth to fulfil the commandments and the mission that the Lord had entrusted to them. The Church was no longer something hidden but went forth into the world actively proclaiming the Lord and His Good News that still remain true even to this very day. The Holy Spirit has guided the path of the Church and its leaders from then on, leading the Apostles and their successors, the Popes, bishops and priests throughout the many centuries and ages past to the present day.

Brothers and sisters in Christ, today as we reflect on the wondrous gift of the Holy Spirit by the Lord, we are all called to remember our baptismal Covenant with God, and the mission entrusted to each and every one of us, the same mission we all share because of our common baptism. The Holy Spirit has been given to us, and as St. Paul mentioned it in our second reading today, there are various gifts of the Holy Spirit, the wonders, the talents and abilities that have been entrusted to us and awaiting for us to make use of these for the good of all.

And because we have been given the Holy Spirit, all of us are then expected to be fruitful and be bountiful in the Holy Spirit, bearing plenty of rich outcomes as we live our lives in accordance with the will of God and making good use of the talents and gifts that we have received. What are these fruits of the Holy Spirit and how can we then make good use of these gifts to be dedicated as Christians? They are the nine fruits of love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. These are the great virtues that all of us Christians should have with us, and which we should cultivate in our lives.

First of all, love lies at the hearts of all Christians, as we cannot call ourselves as Christians unless we know love and unless we know how to love and love sincerely. St. Paul himself had written that even if he were to know the language of Angels and have various other talents and wonders, but without love, then all those things would be meaningless. It was God’s love that allowed Him to be patient with us and to seek us out constantly, even when we continue to disobey Him and distance ourselves from Him. And His love has been manifested completely and perfectly in Jesus Christ, the Son of God, born into this world and One Who died for us out of love, that by His suffering and death, He may bring all of us out of the darkness of sin and death, and lead us into eternal life.

And therefore, just as the Lord Himself has loved us so dearly and wonderfully, we too are called to follow in the footsteps of Our Lord, to love without condition and sincerely, to all those who are around us, to our friends and relatives, our family members and even those whom we encounter daily in life, acquaintances and even strangers. We are all challenged to show love not only for ourselves, but also for God, first and foremost, and then also for our fellow brothers and sisters, all those whom we meet in life, and we are challenged by the Lord to show love even to our enemies, as He Himself said, ‘Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you.’

The second fruit of the Holy Spirit is joy, and joy is something that is lacking in our community and in so many among us these days. I know that during this time with the pandemic still raging and flaring up again and again in various parts of the world, the numerous disruptions and negative effects it had on our communities and livelihood, it is very difficult for us to be joyful. Yet, as Christians, we should be the source of joy for one another even during this difficult time. And why should we be joyful when all these misfortunes and terrible things are happening to us? That is because we have faith in God and we believe that no matter what, God will always be by our side, and He shall always have our back at all times. We rejoice because no matter what happens and no matter how bad things can be, in the end, as long as we remain firmly faithful in God, we will triumph.

Then, the next fruit of the Holy Spirit is peace. As Christians we must believe in peace and we are all called to be the bearers of God’s peace in our community. There are also plenty of conflicts that had been happening this past few months alone as tensions rose up between countries and peoples, exacerbated by the current pandemic situation and all the instabilities it caused. Those conflicts also came to be as a result of mankind’s greed and unbridled desires, their pride and ego, and their pursuit for power and glory. That is why, as Christians we should show through action that we should uphold peace above conflict, and do our best to reconcile ourselves and also be intermediaries for others who disagree and are in conflict.

Then comes the fruit of patience. As Christians we have to know patience, much as Our Lord Himself has shown us so much patience all these while, despite our various infidelities and wickedness. God still cared for us and loved us, and He also patiently tried again and again to call us and to lead us to return to the right path. All of us are called to be patient in life as well, and if necessary to endure with faith all the challenges, trials and difficulties that we may have to endure as we continue to live our lives faithfully as Christians in each and every moments of our lives.

Then the fruits of kindness and goodness, which must have been self-explanatory, that as Christians, we ought to have empathy and concern for others, that in all the things we say and do, we will always have consideration for others, our fellow brothers and sisters, in our minds. We should always strive to be good as well, which means that we are all called to a life of virtue, a life of obedience to the will of God. We should always show kindness in our every actions and be as true Christians in all things, resisting the temptations to sin and to do what is against God’s teachings and against His will.

And as Christians, we are all called to have strong and genuine faith in the Lord, the fruit of faithfulness in the Holy Spirit. That means we should truly believe in all the things that we profess to have faith in, and not just merely paying lip service or being outwardly pious and yet inside, God has no true place within our hearts. To be truly faithful to the Lord is not an easy task, brothers and sisters in Christ, for it will require us to commit ourselves wholeheartedly and to dedicate our time, effort and more to serve the Lord through our lives.

Lastly, the two fruits of gentleness and self-control are important reminders for all of us to live a life of virtue and faith, not controlled by our own desires and the allures of worldly pleasures. This is why we should not be quick-tempered or easy to give in to anger and pride, and we have to overcome the temptations of our flesh, which could derail our path towards God and His salvation. We are all called to focus our attention instead on the Lord and always contemplate on His ways and truth, rather than listening to the temptations of our pride and desire.

Brothers and sisters in Christ, as we celebrate the Solemnity of the Pentecost today, let us all remember that Pentecost is not merely just the end of the season of Easter. On the contrary, it marks a new beginning for the Church, which as mentioned, back then, the disciples were strengthened and encouraged by the gift of the Holy Spirit descending on them. Then are we going to follow in their footsteps, brothers and sisters? Are we also going to proclaim our faith courageously and dedicate ourselves and our time to the best of our abilities from now on?

This is our calling and mission as Christians, and we should embrace them wholeheartedly, if we have not done so yet. Let us all be part of the Church’s mission to reach out to more and more people, and to call on more to follow the Lord, to be His faithful witnesses, guided by the Holy Spirit with our various and diverse gifts and abilities, that we may indeed bear rich fruits of the Holy Spirit and become great inspirations to one another in faith. Come, o Holy Spirit, fill the hearts of the faithful and enkindle in us the fire of Your love. Amen.

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Sunday, 23 May 2021 : Solemnity of Pentecost Sunday (Gospel Reading)

Liturgical Colour : Red

John 20 : 19-23

At that time, on the evening of the day when Jesus rose from the dead, the first day after the Sabbath, the doors were locked where the disciples were, because of their fear of the Jews. But Jesus came, and stood among them, and said to them, “Peace be with you!” Then He showed them His hands and His side. The disciples kept looking at the Lord and were full of joy.

Again Jesus said to them, “Peace be with you! As the Father has sent Me, so I send you.” After saying this, He breathed on them, and said to them, “Receive the Holy Spirit! Those whose sins you forgive, they are forgiven; those whose sins you retain, they are retained.”

Alternative reading

John 15 : 26-27 and John 16 : 12-15

At that time, Jesus said to His disciples, “From the Father, I will send you the Spirit of truth. When this Helper has come from the Father, He will be My witness, and you, too, will be My witnesses, for you have been with Me from the beginning. I still have many things to tell you, but you cannot bear them now. When He, the Spirit of truth comes, He will guide you into the whole truth.”

“For He will not speak of His own authority, but will speak what He hears, and He will tell you about the things which are to come. He will take what is Mine and make it known to you; in doing this, He will glorify Me. All that the Father has is Mine; for this reason, I told you that the Spirit will take what is Mine, and make it known to you.”

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Sunday, 23 May 2021 : Solemnity of Pentecost Sunday (Second Reading)

Liturgical Colour : Red

1 Corinthians 12 : 3b-7, 12-13

No one can say, “Jesus is the Lord,” except by the Holy Spirit. There is diversity of gifts, but the Spirit is the same. There is diversity of ministries, but the Lord is the same. There is diversity of works, but the same God works in all.

The Spirit reveals His presence in each one with a gift that is also a service. As the body is one, having many members, and all the members, while being many, form one body, so it is with Christ. All of us, whether Jews or Greeks, slaves or free, have been baptised in one Spirit to form one body and all of us have been given to drink from the one Spirit.

Alternative reading

Galatians 5 : 16-25

Therefore, I say to you : walk according to the Spirit and do not give way to the desires of the flesh! For the desires of the flesh war against the Spirit, and the desires of the Spirit are opposed to the flesh. Both are in conflict with each other, so that you cannot do everything you would like. But when you are led by the Spirit you are not under the Law.

You know what comes from the flesh : fornication, impurity and shamelessness, idol worship and sorcery, hatred, jealousy and violence, anger, ambition, division, factions, and envy, drunkenness, orgies and the like. I again say to you what I have already said : those who do these things shall not inherit the kingdom of God.

But the fruit of the Spirit is charity, joy and peace, patience, understanding of others, kindness and fidelity, gentleness and self-control. For such things there is no law or punishment. Those who belong to Christ have crucified the flesh with its vices and desires. If we live by the Spirit, let us live in a spiritual way.