Weeks of Lent

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Monday, 31 March 2025 : 4th Week of Lent (Gospel Reading)

Liturgical Colour : Purple/Violet

John 4 : 43-54

At that time, when the two days Jesus spent with the Samaritans were over, He left for Galilee. Jesus Himself said that no prophet is recognised in his own country. Yet the Galileans welcomed Him when He arrived, because of all the things which He had done in Jerusalem during the Festival, and which they had seen. For they, too, had gone to the feast.

Jesus went back to Cana of Galilee, where He had changed the water into wine. At Capernaum there was an official, whose son was ill, and when he heard that Jesus had come from Judea to Galilee, he went and asked Him to come and heal his son, for he was at the point of death. Jesus said, “Unless you see signs and wonders, you will not believe!” The official said, “Sir, come down before my child dies.” And Jesus replied, “Go, your son lives!”

The man had faith in the word that Jesus spoke to him, and went his way. As he was approaching his house, his servants met Him, and gave him the good news, “Your son has recovered!” So he asked them at what hour the child began to recover, and they said to him, “The fever left him yesterday, at about one o’clock in the afternoon.”

And the father realised that was the time when Jesus had told him, “Your son lives!” And he became a believer, he and all his family. Jesus performed this second miraculous sign when He returned from Judea to Galilee.

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Monday, 31 March 2025 : 4th Week of Lent (Psalm)

Liturgical Colour : Purple/Violet

Psalm 29 : 2 and 4, 5-6, 11-12a and 13b

I extol You, o Lord, for You have rescued me; my enemies will not gloat over me. O Lord, You have brought me up from the grave, You gave me life when I was going to the pit.

Sing to the Lord, o you His saints, give thanks and praise to His holy Name. For His anger lasts but a little while, and His kindness all through life. Weeping may tarry for the night, but rejoicing comes with the dawn.

Hear, o Lord, and have mercy on me; o Lord, be my Protector. But now, You have turned my mourning into rejoicing; O Lord, my God, forever will I give You thanks.

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Monday, 31 March 2025 : 4th Week of Lent (First Reading)

Liturgical Colour : Purple/Violet

Isaiah 65 : 17-21

I now create new heavens and a new earth, and the former things will not be remembered, nor will they come to mind again. Be glad forever and rejoice in what I create; for I create Jerusalem to be a joy and its people to be a delight. I will rejoice over Jerusalem and take delight in My people.

The sound of distress and the voice of weeping will not be heard in it any more. You will no longer know of dead children or of adults who do not live out a lifetime. One who reaches a hundred years will have died a mere youth, but the one who fails to reach a hundred will be considered accursed.

They will build houses and dwell in them; they will plant crops and eat their fruit.

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Sunday, 30 March 2025 : Fourth Sunday of Lent, Laetare Sunday (Homily and Scripture Reflections)

Liturgical Colour : Rose or Purple/Violet

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, this Sunday being the Fourth Sunday in the season of Lent, we celebrate the occasion of Laetare Sunday, which in parallel to the Gaudete Sunday during the Advent season, marked the moment when we temporarily pause the penitential nature of our Lenten observance and focus ourselves for a while on the expectation of the great joy that we are going to celebrate in a short moment from now. And if Gaudete Sunday marks the moment when we focus on the joy of Christmas and Christmas season to come, therefore today on this Laetare Sunday, we rejoice and anticipate the great joy that is to come with the fulfilment of God’s plan of salvation for all of us mankind, which He fulfilled through His Passion and what we commemorate through the Paschal Triduum and the glorious Easter season.

This word ‘Laetare’ means joy, and it came from the first part of the Introit sung or chanted today during the liturgical celebration this Laetare Sunday, namely, ‘Laetare, Jerusalem, et conventum facite omnes qui diligitis eam.’ which means, ‘Rejoice, O Jerusalem, and gather round, all you who love her.’, representing the joy which is anticipated for all of God’s holy people, that despite the sufferings and persecutions which they had faced, but they would all see the glorious salvation of their Lord and Master, which He has fulfilled and accomplished through the sending of His own only Begotten Son, Jesus Christ, the Son of God, made flesh and having manifested the perfect love of God, gave Himself to all of us to be our Saviour and Liberator, delivering us all from the clutches of sin.

In our first reading this Sunday, we heard from the Book of Joshua in which the story of the time when Israel, the people of God finally reached the Promised Land after forty years long of sojourning in the desert during their journey from Egypt to the land of promise. The people of Israel had been punished and forced to endure the consequences of their rebellions and disobedience, their lack of faith and trust in God, when they constantly rebelled against God and refused to follow His path, and ultimately, when they, lacking trust and faith in God, grumbled and complained in fear of their lives when scouts sent to observe the Promised Land of Canaan told them of the mighty people who lived there. Despite the assurances from God and Moses, and the other faithful members of the people, many of the Israelites rebelled against God and therefore, God made them to wander in the desert for the whole period of forty years long, until almost the whole rebellious generation had perished.

Brothers and sisters in Christ, this number ‘forty’ truly has a very important and symbolic meaning throughout the Scriptures and the history of mankind, as this number was used frequently to show a relatively long period of time, and is also commonly associated with a period of waiting, preparation and penance, a period of purification and renewal, such as what happened when Noah was in the Ark with his family, and the Great Flood came forth over a period of forty days, and also with the forty years that Israel spent wandering in the desert, which then related also to the forty days which the prophet Elijah went through in the journey from the land of Israel to the Mountain of God in seeking God, and lastly with the forty days that the Lord Jesus had spent in preparation for His ministry as He went to the desert to fast and where He was tempted thrice by the devil.

This passage is a reminder for all of us that in the end of our own ‘forty days’ of preparation during this time and season of Lent, we will enter into the glorious season of Easter, remembering the Resurrection of Our Lord and the triumph He had won against sin and all the forces of evil and darkness. The joy that the people of Israel experienced and the celebration which they went through in performing the first Passover feast in the land of Canaan is the kind of joy that we also experience and remember today on this Laetare Sunday, as we remember the joy of Our Lord’s coming and all that He had done for our sake, in delivering us all from the darkness into the light, and in bringing us all the assurance of salvation and eternal life from God Himself. This day, our focus are ever more directed towards the coming of Easter, and we should be reflecting ever more on what we truly believe in as Christians.

In our second reading, taken from the second Epistle of St. Paul the Apostle to the Church and the faithful people of God in the city and region of Corinth, we are all reminded yet again that through Christ, that is Jesus Christ, the Son of God manifested in this world as Man, and by everything that He had done, in bearing our sins and all the punishments and pain associated with all those sins, He has won for all of us the greatest triumph and victory, and showed us all that sin and death do not have the final say over us and our fates. Instead, through Him, and by our faith in Him, Christ, Our Lord and Saviour has opened for us the way to reconciliation and reunion with our most loving God and Father. And therefore, all of us should appreciate just how beloved and fortunate all of us are, to have received such a great grace from God, and we should truly be sincere in repenting from our many sins and faults.

From our Gospel passage this Sunday, taken from the Gospel according to St. Luke the Evangelist, each and every one of us are reminded through the well-known story of the prodigal son, where the younger son of a rich man’s family sought to get his inheritance earlier on and enjoy them in his life, and after having received his part of the inheritance from his loving father, he went off quickly to the distant lands to enjoy all the riches and fruits of his possessions, the inheritance that he had received without any care, and lived a hedonistic and pleasure-filled life, full of debauchery with all the people whom he encountered during his time in that distant land. This is a representation of us mankind having been tempted and deceived by sin.

That younger, prodigal son eventually realised his mistake and foolishness when he had run out of his money, wealth and inheritance, and all of his so-called friends and all those who were around him disappeared and left him when he had nothing else left on him. He tried to survive for a while in a very despondent state, working in a pig farm, and as we heard, no one would give him even the pig food to eat. That was when the prodigal younger son realised and decided to return back to his father, to beg him to make him one of his servants instead, as he could choose to remain there in the distant lands and die of hunger, or to swallow his pride and seek the father’s mercy and forgiveness instead, and remain alive, as those servants of his father were all living in plenty and happiness.

Through this parable, the Lord wanted to show us all the love that He has for each and every one of us, the constant and persistent love and compassionate care which He has given generously to us, with the father in the story representing the Lord Himself, the elder son being those who have followed the commandments of the Lord and His Law, and was also in a way a representation of the Pharisees and the teachers of the Law at that time, while the prodigal younger son represents those sinners who have decided to come back to the Lord, seeking the mercy of their Heavenly Father just like the prodigal son seeking the reconciliation with his father after having committed such a grievous mistake and error of living in debauchery and squandering his inheritance. They may also represent us who have received the truth of God earlier on, as compared to others who have not yet received it.

We heard of how the father in the parable was so joyful upon hearing that his younger son has finally returned to him, that he had returned despite probably being thought of having been lost or dead. And thus, the father threw a great feast and celebration to welcome his return, only for the elder brother to be angered by such a reception. And we heard the Lord Himself explaining how what happened to the prodigal son is something that we ourselves ought to be experiencing in our own lives. This is because each and every one of us are also sinners who are seeking God’s forgiveness and mercy. And through the figure of the elder brother, the Lord was also criticising the actions of those Pharisees and teachers of the Law who often prided themselves for their righteousness and being biased, judgmental and prejudiced against their own fellow brothers and sisters.

This means that those people behaved just like the elder brother who thought that he was more worthy of the father’s love just because he seemed to be the more righteous one and the one who had been by the side of the father all the while. But the father’s love is given to both of his sons equally, and both of them were equally precious to him, just as the Lord loves each and every one of us equally, all His beloved children, though sinners. Even the greatest sinners, should they be willing to embrace God’s mercy and forgiveness, will be given the fullness of His grace and kindness. And this is why we should never lose hope in the mercy, compassion and kindness of God. If we allow ourselves to be misguided in thinking that we are unworthy of God’s love, or if we are too proud to admit that we are sinners in need of healing, then we will never receive the forgiveness of God.

That prodigal, younger son could have perished in the distant lands, all alone and in poverty if he did not swallow his pride and chose to be humble, begging and seeking his father’s forgiveness and mercy. It was his conscious choice to return to his father with a regretful and contrite heart that the prodigal son has been forgiven and received once again the fullness of the father’s generous love. Therefore, in the same manner, all of us, who are sinners, will receive the fullness of the Lord, our Heavenly Father’s most generous love and kindness, mercy and compassion if we choose to obey Him and come back to Him with sorrowful and repentant hearts. Are we then willing to make the commitment to this path, brothers and sisters in Christ? Are we willing to acknowledge our sinfulness and our imperfections, flaws and mistakes that had kept us away from God?

Brothers and sisters in Christ, as we continue to journey through this blessed time and opportunity this Lenten season, let us all realise how fortunate we are to have been given such a wonderful opportunity for reconciliation with our loving God and Father, and make good use of the great opportunity given to us to seek His love and mercy once again. Let us all not harden our hearts and close our minds anymore to Him, but do our best instead to glorify Him by our lives, by our humble obedience and desire to be forgiven and to be fully loved again by God, our loving Father, Who loves each and every one of us equally without exception. And as those who have received this faith and blessing from God, we, as the elder children, should also be welcoming to our fellow brethren, especially all those who have not known God and His mercy, reaching out to them and sharing God’s love with them instead of judging them and being prejudiced against them, or being jealous of God’s love and mercy which have been shown to them too.

That is why let us all pray fervently today, on this occasion of Laetare Sunday, that God may continue to show us all His mercy and kindness, His compassion and love. Let us remind ourselves of the great joy that we are expecting and coming soon with the glorious season of Easter to come. Let us rejoice because God’s salvation has been shown to us, and He has been willing to welcome us all, His beloved though prodigal children so that by His compassion and love, all of us may be forgiven our sins and be reunited with Him. May the Lord our most loving Father continue to be with us throughout this season of Lent, and help us to remain firm and steadfast in our faith in Him, now and always. Amen.

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Sunday, 30 March 2025 : Fourth Sunday of Lent, Laetare Sunday (Gospel Reading)

Liturgical Colour : Rose or Purple/Violet

Luke 15 : 1-3, 11-32

At that time, tax collectors and sinners were seeking the company of Jesus, all of them eager to hear what He had to say. But the Pharisees and the scribes frowned at this, muttering, ‘This Man welcomes sinners and eats with them.”

So Jesus told them this parable : “There was a man with two sons. The younger said to his father, ‘Give me my share of the estate.’ So the father divided his property between them. Some days later, the younger son gathered all his belongings and started off for a distant land, where he squandered his wealth in loose living.”

“Having spent everything, he was hard pressed when a severe famine broke out in that land. So he hired himself out to a well-to-do citizen of that place, and was sent to work on a pig farm. So famished was he, that he longed to fill his stomach even with the food given to the pigs, but no one offered him anything.”

“Finally coming to his senses, he said, ‘How many of my father’s hired workers have food to spare, and here I am starving to death! I will get up and go back to my father, and say to him, Father, I have sinned against God, and before you. I no longer deserve to be called your son. Treat me then as one of your hired servants.’ With that thought in mind, he set off for his father’s house.”

“He was still a long way off, when his father caught sight of him. His father was so deeply moved with compassion that he ran out to meet him, threw his arms around his neck and kissed him. The son said, ‘Father, I have sinned against Heaven and before you. I no longer deserve to be called your son.'”

“But the father turned to his servants : ‘Quick!’ he said. ‘Bring out the finest robe and put it on him! Put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet! Take the fattened calf and kill it! We shall celebrate and have a feast, for this son of mine was dead, and has come back to life; he was lost, and is found!’ And the celebration began.”

“Meanwhile, the elder son had been working in the fields. As he returned and approached the house, he heard the sound of music and dancing. He called one of the servants and asked what it was all about. The servant answered, ‘Your brother has come home safe and sound, and your father is so happy about it that he has ordered this celebration, and killed the fattened calf.'”

“The elder son became angry, and refused to go in. His father came out and pleaded with him. The son, very indignant, said, ‘Look, I have slaved for you all these years. Never have I disobeyed your orders. Yet you have never given me even a young goat to celebrate with my friends. Then when this son of yours returns, after squandering your property with loose women, you kill the fattened calf for him.'”

“The father said, ‘My son, you are always with me, and everything I have is yours. But this brother of yours was dead, and has come back to life; he was lost, and is found. And for that we had to rejoice and be glad.'”

Alternative reading (Reading from Year A)

John 9 : 1-41

At that time, as Jesus walked along, He saw a man who had been blind from birth. His disciples asked Him, “Master, was he born blind because of a sin of his, or of his parents?”

Jesus answered, “Neither was it for his own sin nor for his parents’ sin. He was born blind so that God’s power might be shown in him. While it is day we must do the work of the One Who sent Me; for the night will come when no one can work. As long as I am in the world, I am the Light of the world.”

As Jesus said this, He made paste with spittle and clay, and rubbed it on the eyes of the blind man. Then He said, “Go and wash in the Pool of Siloam.” (This word means sent.) So the blind man went and washed and came back able to see. His neighbours, and all the people who used to see him begging, wondered. They said, “Is this not the beggar who used to sit here?” Some said, “He is the one.” Others said, “No, but he looks like him.” But the man himself said, “I am he.”

Then they asked him, “How is it that your eyes were opened?” And he answered, “The Man called Jesus made a mud paste, put it on my eyes and said to me, ‘Go to Siloam and wash.’ So I went, and washed, and I could see.” They asked, “Where is He?” And the man answered, “I do not know.”

The people brought the man who had been born blind to the Pharisees. Now it was a sabbath day when Jesus made mud paste and opened his eyes. The Pharisees asked him again, “How did you recover your sight?” And he said, “He put paste on my eyes, and I washed, and now I see.”

Some of the Pharisees said, “This Man is not from God, for He works on the Sabbath”; but others wondered, “How can a sinner perform such miraculous signs?” They were divided, and they questioned the blind man again, “What do you think of this Man who opened your eyes?” And he answered, “He is a Prophet!”

After all this, the Jews refused to believe that the man had been blind and had recovered his sight; so they called his parents and asked them, “Is this your son? You say that he was born blind, but how is it that he now sees?” The parents answered, “He really is our son and he was born blind; but how it is that he now sees, we do not know, neither do we know Who opened his eyes. Ask him, he is old enough. Let him speak for himself.”

The parents said this because they feared the Jews, who had already agreed that whoever confessed Jesus to be the Christ was to be expelled from the synagogue. Because of that his parents said, “He is old enough, ask him.” So a second time the Pharisees called the man who had been blind, and they said to him, “Tell us the truth; we know that this Man is a sinner.”

He replied, “I do not know whether He is a sinner or not; I only know that I was blind and now I see.” They said to him, “What did He do to you? How did He open your eyes?” He replied, “I have told you already and you would not listen. Why do you want to hear it again? Do you also want to become His disciples?”

Then they started to insult him. “Become His disciple yourself! We are disciples of Moses. We know that God spoke to Moses; but as for this Man, we do not know where He comes from.” The man replied, “It is amazing that you do not know where the Man comes from, and yet He opened my eyes! We know that God does not listen to sinners, but if anyone honours God and does His will, Hod listens to him. Never, since the world began, has it been heard that anyone opened the eyes of a person who was born blind. If this Man were not from God, He could do nothing.”

They answered him, “You were born a sinner and now you teach us!” And they expelled him. Jesus heard that they had expelled him. He found him and said, “Do you believe in the Son of Man?” He answered, “Who is He, that I may believe in Him?” Jesus said, “You have seen Him and He is speaking to you.” He said, “Lord, I believe”; and worshipped Him.

Jesus said, “I came into this world to carry out a judgment : Those who do not see shall see, and those who see shall become blind.” Some Pharisees stood by and asked Him, “So we are blind?” And Jesus answered, “If you were blind, you would not be guilty. But you say, ‘We see’; this is the proof of your sin.”

Alternative reading (shorter version of Reading from Year A)

John 9 : 1, 6-9, 13-17, 34-38

At that time, as Jesus walked along, He saw a man who had been blind from birth.

As Jesus said this, He made paste with spittle and clay, and rubbed it on the eyes of the blind man. Then He said, “Go and wash in the Pool of Siloam.” (This word means sent.) So the blind man went and washed and came back able to see. His neighbours, and all the people who used to see him begging, wondered. They said, “Is this not the beggar who used to sit here?” Some said, “He is the one.” Others said, “No, but he looks like him.” But the man himself said, “I am he.”

The people brought the man who had been born blind to the Pharisees. Now it was a sabbath day when Jesus made mud paste and opened his eyes. The Pharisees asked him again, “How did you recover your sight?” And he said, “He put paste on my eyes, and I washed, and now I see.”

Some of the Pharisees said, “This Man is not from God, for He works on the Sabbath”; but others wondered, “How can a sinner perform such miraculous signs?” They were divided, and they questioned the blind man again, “What do you think of this Man who opened your eyes?” And he answered, “He is a Prophet!”

They answered him, “You were born a sinner and now you teach us!” And they expelled him. Jesus heard that they had expelled him. He found him and said, “Do you believe in the Son of Man?” He answered, “Who is He, that I may believe in Him?” Jesus said, “You have seen Him and He is speaking to you.” He said, “Lord, I believe”; and worshipped Him.

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Sunday, 30 March 2025 : Fourth Sunday of Lent, Laetare Sunday (Second Reading)

Liturgical Colour : Rose or Purple/Violet

2 Corinthians 5 : 17-21

For that same reason, the one who is in Christ is a new creature. For him, the old things have passed away; a new world has come. All this is the work of God, Who, in Christ, reconciled us to Himself, and Who entrusted to us the ministry of reconciliation.

Because, in Christ, God reconciled the world with Himself, no longer taking into account their trespasses, and entrusting to us the message of reconciliation. So we present ourselves as ambassadors, in the Name of Christ, as if God, Himself, makes an appeal to you, through us. Let God reconcile you; this, we ask you, in the Name of Christ. He had no sin, but God made Him bear our sin, that, in Him, we might share in the holiness of God.

Alternative reading (Reading from Year A)

Ephesians 5 : 8-14

You were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Behave as children of light; the fruits of light are kindness, justice and truth in every form. You yourselves search out what pleases the Lord, and take no part in works of darkness that are of no benefit; expose them instead.

Indeed it is a shame even to speak of what those people do in secret, but as soon as it is exposed to the light, everything becomes clear; and what is unmasked, becomes clear through light.

Therefore it is said, “Awake, you who sleep; arise from the dead that the light of Christ may shine on you.”

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Sunday, 30 March 2025 : Fourth Sunday of Lent, Laetare Sunday (Psalm)

Liturgical Colour : Rose or Purple/Violet

Psalm 33 : 2-3, 4-5, 6-7

I will bless the Lord all my days; His praise will be ever on my lips. My soul makes its boast in the Lord; let the lowly hear and rejoice.

Oh, let us magnify the Lord, together let us glorify His Name! I sought the Lord, and He answered me; from all my fears He delivered me.

They who look to Him are radiant with joy, their faces never clouded with shame. When the poor cry out, the Lord hears and saves them from distress.

Alternative Psalm (Psalm from Year A)

Psalm 22 : 1-3a, 3b-4, 5, 6

The Lord is my Shepherd, I shall not want. He makes me lie down in green pastures. He leads me beside the still waters. He restores my soul.

He guides me through the right paths for His Name’s sake. Although I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I fear no evil, for You are beside me : Your rod and Your staff comfort me.

You spread a table before me in the presence of my foes. You anoint my head with oil; my cup is overflowing.

Goodness and kindness will follow me all the days of my life. I shall dwell in the house of the Lord as long as I live.

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Sunday, 30 March 2025 : Fourth Sunday of Lent, Laetare Sunday (First Reading)

Liturgical Colour : Rose or Purple/Violet

Joshua 5 : 9a, 10-12

Then YHVH said to Joshua : “Today I have removed from you the shame of Egypt.”

The Israelites encamped in Gilgal where they celebrated the Passover on the evening of the fourteenth day of the month in the plains of Jericho. On the following day, they ate of the produce of the land : unleavened bread and roasted grain on that very day. And from that day on when they ate of the produce of the land, the manna ceased.

There was no more manna for the Israelites, and that year they ate of the fruit of the land of Canaan.

Alternative reading (Reading from Year A)

1 Samuel 16 : 1b, 6-7, 10-13a

YHVH asked Samuel, “Fill your horn with oil and be on your way to Jesse the Bethlehemite for I have chosen My king from among his sons.”

As Jesse and his sons came, Samuel looked at Eliab the older and thought, “This must be YHVH’s anointed.” But YHVH told Samuel, “Do not judge by his looks or his stature for I have rejected him. YHVH does not judge as man judges; humans see with the eyes; YHVH sees the heart.”

Jesse presented seven of his sons to Samuel who said, “YHVH has chosen none of them. But are all your sons here?” Jesse replied, “There is still the youngest, tending the flock just now.” Samuel said to him, “Send for him and bring him to me; we shall not sit down to eat until he arrives.”

So Jesse sent for his youngest son and brought him to Samuel. He was a handsome lad with ruddy complexion and beautiful eyes. And YHVH spoke, “Go, anoint him for he is the one.” Samuel then took the horn of oil and anointed him in his brothers’ presence.

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Saturday, 29 March 2025 : 3rd Week of Lent (Homily and Scripture Reflections)

Liturgical Colour : Purple/Violet

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, today as we all listened to the words of the Sacred Scriptures, we are reminded of the need for us to be humble and to seek God’s healing and mercy for all of our many sins and wickedness, all the things which had kept us all away from the fullness of God’s love and grace. If we are not humble and if we do not realise our shortcomings, faults and flaws, then we may not realise just how far we may be in the path towards our downfall and destruction, in getting further and further away from the Lord’s righteousness and compassion. We must not let ourselves to be tempted by pride, ego and ambition in our hearts, all of which can lead us further astray, away from what God had taught and shown us. And in this time and season of Lent, we are all reminded to return to the Lord with humble and contrite hearts, ridding ourselves of all sorts of pride and ego in our hearts.

In our first reading today, we heard from the Book of the prophet Hosea in which the Lord told His people through Hosea of His desire to see them all reconciled and reunited with Him, as He called on all of them to return to Him and to find their way back to Him. The Lord told them all of this hope because He wanted all of them to continue to put their faith and trust in Him, to follow His guidance and to walk in the path that He has shown them through His many prophets and messengers. All of these are due to the desire that God has in wanting us to be forgiven from our many sins, that we may be cleansed and purified from all the taints and corruptions of sin. But many of us like those Israelites before us failed to achieve this because many of us were distracted by our pride and ego, all of which presented serious obstacles to us in our way towards God and His redemption.

The prophet Hosea reminded the people of God in Judah and elsewhere of God’s wrath at the sins of the people, many of whom had faced sufferings and hardships because of their refusal to obey the Lord and their actions in adopting the wicked practices of their neighbours, worshipping the pagan idols and all the other practices that were not in accordance with the Law and commandments that God had given to all of them to follow and obey. That was why the Israelites were divided and scattered, and by the time of the ministry of the prophet Hosea, those Israelites who lived in the northern kingdom of Israel had been defeated, conquered and exiled by the Assyrians, bereft of their homeland and their homes. The same fate would also happen to the people of the southern kingdom of Judah as well, who would also have their cities destroyed and crushed, and their Temple destroyed in time to come.

However, the Lord still loved them all, His beloved children and people, and like a loving father, who while being angry at his children and chastising them, he did all that because he desired only what was good for them, to discipline and guide them all in the right path. The children of God were therefore reminded of the mercy and compassion of God by the prophets sent to them including Hosea, and this same reminder is also meant for all of us as well, who listened to those words of reassurance from the Scriptures. We are being reminded during this most appropriate time of Lent that we should not harden our hearts and minds any longer, striving instead to leave behind our old ways of sin and evil, and embrace wholeheartedly the love and compassion of God that He has shown us most generously.

In our Gospel passage today, we then heard of the words of the Lord Jesus to His disciples and those who followed Him of the parable of the Pharisee and the tax collector. In that parable we heard how both the Pharisee and the tax collector were praying at the Temple and House of the Lord. And as we heard, the Pharisee prayed with great pride, openly boasting of his many achievements and piety, and not only that but even looked down on the tax collector whom he deemed to be inferior and less worthy, a greater sinner than himself. Then we have also heard how the tax collector humbled himself greatly before God, not even daring to look up, keeping his sights low and beseeching the Lord to forgive him from his many sins.

The Lord praised the faith and humility of the tax collector in that parable, highlighting how the humility of the tax collector had made his desire to be forgiven to be heard by God. The Pharisee on the other hand, because he was so prideful and full of himself, was not forgiven because not only that he did not recognise his flaws and mistakes, but he allowed himself to be swayed such by his own ego and pride that he acted condescendingly on his own brethren, essentially committing more sins due to his own hubris and arrogance. And this depiction of the action of the Pharisee in fact was a criticism of how the Pharisees of the time of the Lord’s ministry actually behaved, as many of those Pharisees often paraded their faith and shown publicly their acts of piety before others in seeking for approval, recognition and praise for those things that they had done.

Brothers and sisters in Christ, as we have been reminded today by this passage from the Scriptures, let us all therefore remind ourselves that as Christians, as the holy and beloved people of God, all of us are called to turn away from our many sins, faults and wickedness, to embrace once again God’s most wonderful love and mercy, the compassion that God has for all of us, His beloved ones. He has called on us to embrace this generous mercy and love, and we should not squander the many opportunities which He has presented to us so that we may truly be reconciled to Him and find our way to His Presence, purified and made whole again, after having been corrupted, tainted and afflicted by sin. We should humble ourselves, realising the errors of our ways, and sincerely seeking the forgiveness from God.

May the Lord, our most loving, compassionate and merciful God continue to show us His love and mercy, guide and strengthen us all so that we may always persevere in following Him faithfully, and be good role models and inspirations for one another, in how we carry on living our lives, in this Lenten observances and practices, that many more may follow in our examples and lives, and be worthy and faithful to the Lord as well. May we all make good use of these opportunities which had been presented to us by the Lord, and come ever closer to Him and the salvation that He has promised us. Amen.

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Saturday, 29 March 2025 : 3rd Week of Lent (Gospel Reading)

Liturgical Colour : Purple/Violet

Luke 18 : 9-14

At that time, Jesus told another parable to some people, fully convinced of their own righteousness, who looked down on others : “Two men went up to the Temple to pray; one was a Pharisee, and the other a tax collector.”

“The Pharisee stood by himself, and said, ‘I thank You, God, that I am not like other people, grasping, crooked, adulterous, or even like this tax collector. I fast twice a week, and give a tenth of all my income to the Temple.’ In the meantime the tax collector, standing far off, would not even lift his eyes to heaven, but beat his breast, saying, ‘O God, be merciful to me, a sinner.’”

“I tell you, when this man went back to his house, he had been reconciled with God, but not the other. For whoever makes himself out to be great will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be raised up.”