Weeks of Ordinary Time

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Thursday, 11 January 2024 : 1st Week of Ordinary Time (First Reading)

Liturgical Colour : Green

1 Samuel 4 : 1-11

At that time Samuel was a prophet of Israel. The Israelites went out to battle against the Philistines. They encamped at Ebenezer, while the Philistines encamped at Aphek. The Philistines then drew up in battle formation. They attacked Israel and after a fierce fighting, Israel was defeated, leaving about four thousand men dead on the battlefield.

When the troops retreated to their camp, the elders of Israel asked, “Why has YHVH allowed us to be defeated by the Philistines? Let us take the Ark of God from Shiloh and bring it here so that YHVH may be with us and save us from our enemies.” So the people sent messengers to Shiloh to take the Ark of YHVH Who is seated on the Cherubim. Eli’s two sons, Hophni and Phinehas, accompanied the Ark.

As soon as the Ark of YHVH entered the camp, the Israelites began to cheer so loudly that the earth resounded. The Philistines heard the shouting and asked, “What does this loud shout in the camp of the Hebrews mean?” And they were told that the Ark of YHVH had been brought to the camp.

The Philistines were overcome with fear. They exclaimed, “A God has come into the camp. Woe to us! For nothing like this has happened before. Woe to us! Who can save us from the power of these mighty Gods? These are the Gods Who struck the Egyptians with all sorts of plagues – and in the desert. Take courage and conduct yourselves like men, o Philistines, lest you become slaves to the Hebrews in the same way they have been slaves to you. Be manly and fight.”

So the Philistines fought and Israel was defeated. Everyone fled to his home. It was a disastrous defeat; thirty thousand foot soldiers of Israel were killed. The Ark of God was captured and the two sons of Eli, Hophni and Phinehas, were slain.

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Wednesday, 10 January 2024 : 1st Week of Ordinary Time (Homily and Scripture Reflections)

Liturgical Colour : Green

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, this day we listened to the words of the Sacred Scriptures in which all of us are told and reminded to listen to the Lord when He calls upon us, for all of us to follow His path and to walk virtuously and righteously in His ways. Today’s Scripture readings clearly presented to us what it means for us to be called by God, and to be His disciples and followers. We are reminded from the examples of the calling of the young Samuel, as well as the ministry of the Lord Jesus, Our Lord and Saviour and His disciples, that to be Christian disciples and part of the Church, we must always heed the Lord’s call, and do whatever we can so that we may always be exemplary in each and every one of our actions in life.

In our first reading today, we heard from the Book of the prophet Samuel in which the Lord called the young Samuel while he was sleeping, and Samuel thought that his mentor, the Priest and Judge Eli was calling him. We heard how the Lord called Samuel three times until Eli recognised that it was actually God Who had called the young boy, and the priest told the young Samuel to respond to the Lord’s call and listen to Him. That was the beginning of Samuel’s calling, who had been set aside from the time of his conception and birth by his thankful mother Hannah, for the service of God.

At that time, the Judge and priest Eli had two sons, Hophni and Phinehas, who had been wicked according to the Scriptural accounts, who disregarded the Law and commandments of God, were corrupt and abused their position and authority as priests of the Lord. Contrast to this wickedness was the faith and purity of Samuel, who responded well to the Lord’s call, and with the guidance of Eli, he grew up to become a great and faithful prophet of God, succeeding Eli to become the Judge over all of Israel, the last of the Judges before the days of the Kings. If we were to read further in the rest of the accounts of the prophet Samuel, we can see just how much Samuel gave his all to the Lord and to the people, fulfilling the missions entrusted to him.

Then, in our Gospel passage today, we heard of the Lord Jesus healing the very sick mother-in-law of one of His disciples, Simon Peter, and how the people having heard of the miraculous healing, came to the Lord bringing all of their sick ones and those who were afflicted with all sorts of conditions and the Lord ministered to them, taking care of them and healing them from all of their troubles and complaints. He spent a long time with them, assisted by His disciples. And then we heard how the Lord then quietly moved away from that place, as He went away in the very early morning, likely before anyone had awoken, to pray, and He told His disciples that there were still many other people who needed His help, and He was sent to minister to all of them, and hence, they all should go and continue to go where the Lord has sent them to.

Now, the significance of the events which we have heard is such that we are reminded that first of all, we must do what the Lord had entrusted to us to do, in carrying out His will and the mission given to us, just like how the prophet Samuel carried out his missions and works, and how the Lord Jesus did His ministry, in showing God’s love, compassion, mercy and healing to all of the people who needed them. But, as we have seen in the Gospel passage today, it is easy for us to be tempted and swayed by the force of pride, ego and popularity, that we may end up losing focus on what it is that we are doing in our actions in life, and end up serving our own selfish desires and greed, our ambitions and prideful wants and attachments to glory, fame and more.

The Lord and His disciples were truly and wildly popular there, where He performed the miraculous deeds and works. They did not have to go to other places, and they could easily gain a large following there, as how some of the others, the false Messiahs had done at that time. This is where the Lord Jesus therefore reminded His disciples and followers, that everything that He had done, and all that they had committed in ministering to the people of God were ultimately not about themselves and not about doing what was convenient and good for them. Instead, they were following God’s will, and the focus was, and must always be on God and His path, and not on oneself, and one’s personal glory and ambitions.

Brothers and sisters in Christ, as Christians, all of us today are called and reminded to follow the paths that God has given each and every one of us, as all of us have our own distinct paths and vocations in life. As members of the Church of God, the Body of Christ, all of us have distinct and unique missions, in spreading more and further the Good News and the salvation in Our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, through our own exemplary lives and actions, through every things that we do and our every words and interactions in life with one another. We must always do what we can so that our lives may always shine brightly with the light of Christ, His truth and Good News.

Let us all hence do our part in each and every moments of our lives so that we will always be open to listen to God calling us in our hearts and minds, and keep ourselves attuned to His will, and not to be swayed by worldly temptations, or be corrupted by the various worldly evils and wickedness. Let us all turn our attention towards the Lord once again, and be confident in living our lives with faith, in every moments, by good examples and actions we have, so that through us, many more people may come ever closer towards the Lord and His salvation, and that we are truly the shiing beacons of God’s Light and truth to all the whole world. May God bless us always, now and forevermore. Amen.strive to be good and worthy even in the smallest things that we do in our lives.

Let us all therefore renew our commitment and faith in the Lord, and remind ourselves of the calling and the vocations that we have, be it as members of the clergy and all those who have given ourselves to the service of God and His Church, or as the members of the laity, as those who are married and in family life, and as parts of the families themselves, and as any one of us, living our own daily living in this world today. Let us all be ever more committed to follow the path of Christ, now and always, that we may illuminate the path for others towards God and His salvation. Amen.

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Wednesday, 10 January 2024 : 1st Week of Ordinary Time (Gospel Reading)

Liturgical Colour : Green

Mark 1 : 29-39

At that time, on leaving the synagogue, Jesus went to the home of Simon and Andrew, with James and John. As Simon’s mother-in-law was sick in bed with fever, they immediately told him about her. Jesus went to her and, taking her by the hand, raised her up. The fever left her and she began to wait on them.

That evening, at sundown, people brought to Jesus all the sick and those who had evil spirits : the whole town was pressing around the door. Jesus healed many who had various diseases, and drove out many demons; but He did not let them speak, for they knew Who He was.

Very early in the morning, before daylight, Jesus went off to a lonely place where He prayed. Simon and the others went out also, searching for Him; and when they found Him, they said, “Everyone is looking for You.” Then Jesus answered, “Let us go to the nearby villages so that I may preach there too; for that is why I came.”

So Jesus set out to preach in all the synagogues throughout Galilee; He also cast out demons.

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Wednesday, 10 January 2024 : 1st Week of Ordinary Time (Psalm)

Liturgical Colour : Green

Psalm 39 : 2 and 5, 7-8a, 8b-9, 10

With resolve I waited for YHVH; He listened and heard me beg. Blessed is the one who relies on YHVH and does not look to the proud, nor go astray after false gods.

Sacrifice and oblation You did not desire; this, You had me understand. Burnt offering and sin offering You do not require. Then I said, “Here I come!”

As the scroll says of me. To do Your will is my delight, o God, for Your Law is within my heart.

In the great assembly I have proclaimed Your saving help. My lips, o YHVH, I did not seal – You know that very well.

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Wednesday, 10 January 2024 : 1st Week of Ordinary Time (First Reading)

Liturgical Colour : Green

1 Samuel 3 : 1-10, 19-20

The boy Samuel ministered to YHVH under Eli’s care in a time in which the word of YHVH was rarely heard. Visions were not seen. One night Eli was lying down in his room, half blind as he was. The lamp of God was still lighted and Samuel also lay in the house of YHVH near the Ark of God.

Then YHVH called, “Samuel! Samuel!” Samuel answered, “I am here!” and ran to Eli saying, “I am here, did you not call me?” But Eli said, “I did not call. Go back to sleep.” So he went and lay down. Then YHVH called again, “Samuel!” and Samuel stood up and went to Eli saying, “You called me; I am here.” But Eli answered, “I did not call you, my son. Go back to sleep.”

Samuel did not yet know YHVH; and the word of YHVH had not yet been revealed to him. But YHVH called Samuel for the third time; and he went again to Eli saying, “I am here for you have called me.” Eli realised that it was YHVH calling the boy. So he said to Samuel, “Go, lie down, and if He calls you again, answer : ‘Speak, YHVH, Your servant listens.’”

Then YHVH came and stood there calling “Samuel! Samuel!” as He did before. And Samuel answered, “Speak, for Your servant listens.” Samuel grew. YHVH was with him and made all his words become true. All Israel, from Dan to Beersheba, knew that Samuel was really YHVH’s prophet.

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Tuesday, 9 January 2024 : 1st Week of Ordinary Time (Homily and Scripture Reflections)

Liturgical Colour : Green

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, today we all begin the time of the Ordinary Season, the first of the two Ordinary Times of this current liturgical year, which will continue on towards the Season of Lent. And then, as we listened to the words of the Scriptures, we are all reminded of the need for all of us as Christians to put our faith and trust in the Lord, because through Him all of us will be safe and taken care of, and we have to trust in Him as no matter what trials and challenges may befall us, or whatever troubles and hardships that we may have to endure, in the end, we shall be triumphant with God, and the Lord will guide us all and give us His strength and power, so that we will be strong throughout our journey and we will be able to persevere through those challenges as long as we keep onto that faith in the Lord.

In our first reading today, taken from the Book of the prophet Samuel, we heard of the beginning of the story of Samuel, the one whom the Lord sent to the Israelites to be their Prophet and Judge, as the one to lead and guide them through their lives, to keep them faithful to the Law and commandments which God had revealed and passed to them through their ancestors. Samuel was conceived and born miraculously after God has answered the prayers of his mother Hannah. At that time, Hannah was married to a man named Elkanah, who also had another wife named Penninah. Penninah had bore many children for Elkanah while Hannah could not have any child and was barren, and yet, Elkanah loved Hannah more, and this led to the jealousy of Penninah who often bullied Hannah and ridiculed her for her barren state.

As we heard in our first reading today, Hannah went to seek the Lord at His Holy Tent in Shiloh, asking for God’s help because she was already desperate and out of options, and at that time, it was indeed considered disgraceful and unbecoming for a woman to be barren and unable to bear any child at all. That was why Hannah sought the Lord, promising to Him that she would entrust her firstborn son to Him as His servant, if He would answer her prayers. The High Priest and Judge Eli was there and thought that Hannah was drunk, but Hannah told her everything that she had hoped to achieve in seeking the Lord earnestly in prayer. Thus, Eli understood her predicament and gave Hannah his blessing, and hoped that the Lord would grant her what she has asked for.

And God did indeed answer Hannah’s prayer, listening to what she has asked for, and gave her a son, which was miraculously conceived between Elkanah and Hannah, and was therefore born and named as Samuel. As Hannah has promised the Lord, she fulfilled her promise by offering her firstborn son to the Lord, to be His servant, and God made Samuel to be a great Prophet and Judge, the last one to guide and rule over the Israelites. Through Samuel, God would perform many great things among His people, and eventually He gave them kings to rule and lead them, to continue shepherding and guiding them throughout their lives, from Saul and then to David, the virtuous king who led Israel into its golden age. Throughout all these, God kept on guiding and helping His people through Samuel, His prophet and servant.

Then, in our Gospel passage today, we heard of the account of the actions of the Lord Jesus in the synagogue on a Sabbath day, when He miraculously healed an afflicted man by casting out evil spirit from him. The Lord sternly rebuked the evil spirit who was disturbing Him and His teaching, and He healed the man, freeing him from the affliction and bondage to the evil spirit. He also taught with power and authority such as have never been seen, heard or witnessed before. All these amazed everyone who witnessed the event and many believed in the Lord through what He Himself had done, through His Son, Our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ, Who has come into our midst to show unto us all the love of God, manifested in the flesh.

Brothers and sisters in Christ, through what we have heard in our Scripture passages today, we are all reminded that God is always on our side, and we are all always beloved by Him, in all circumstances. All those who have put their faith and trust in Him shall not be disappointed, for in His time, He will move to assist and help us in His own mysterious ways, such as how He assisted Hannah, by giving her a son, and according to the Scriptures, she would go on to bear many more children, erasing the stain of shame of barrenness from her. In other different ways, thus God also helped His other faithful ones throughout history, including that possessed man, whom He Himself had liberated from the power of the evil ones, and brought back into His loving care and grace, into the community of God’s people.

What does this mean for all of us? It means that we should always strive to remain firm in our faith in the Lord, and we should always put our trust in Him, even when challenges and trials are facing us, and even when hope and prospects seem to be really dim and dark. We must not easily be swayed by other paths and temptations of worldly means, which may end up causing us to fall astray from the path that the Lord has shown us. We must resist the temptations to embrace those false paths, the allures of worldly matters and attachments, or other things that may seem to be promising and good for us, but in fact may lead us into even greater hardships and regret later on. The path of the Lord is certainly not the easiest and the smoothest one, but it is the one and only one leading to true joy and fulfilment for us.

Let us all hence renew our faith in the Lord today, and affirm our trust in Him, and let us all do our very best so that we may always endeavour to put ourselves in the hands of the Lord, and believe that in Him, we can be strengthened and made firm, amidst all the trials and challenges of the world. May the Lord continue to guide us through this life, so that our every day moments, our whole lives, and how we live them, will always ever be inspirational and be great role models for others in our Christian virtues and ways. May God bless us, now and forevermore. Amen.

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Tuesday, 9 January 2024 : 1st Week of Ordinary Time (Gospel Reading)

Liturgical Colour : Green

Mark 1 : 21b-28

At that time, Jesus taught in the synagogue on the Sabbath day. The people were astonished at the way He taught, for He spoke as One having authority, and not like the teachers of the Law. It happened that, a man with an evil spirit was in their synagogue, and he shouted, “What do You want with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have You come to destroy us? I know who You are : You are the Holy One of God.”

Then Jesus faced him and said with authority, “Be silent, and come out of this man!” The evil spirit shook the man violently and, with a loud shriek, came out of him. All the people were astonished, and they wondered, “What is this? With what authority He preaches! He even gives orders to evil spirits and they obey Him!”

And Jesus’ fame spread throughout all the country of Galilee.

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Tuesday, 9 January 2024 : 1st Week of Ordinary Time (Psalm)

Liturgical Colour : Green

1 Samuel 2 : 1, 4-5, 6-7, 8abcd

My heart exults in YHVH, I feel strong in my God. I rejoice and laugh at my enemies for You came with power to save me.

The bow of the mighty is broken, but the weak are girded with strength. The well-fed must labour for bread, but the hungry need work no more. The childless wife has borne seven children, but the proud mother is left alone.

YHVH is Lord of life and death. He brings down to the grave and raises up. YHVH makes poor and makes rich, He brings low and He exalts.

He lifts up the lowly from the dust, and raises the poor from the ash heap; they will be called to the company of princes, and inherit a seat of honour.

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Tuesday, 9 January 2024 : 1st Week of Ordinary Time (First Reading)

Liturgical Colour : Green

1 Samuel 1 : 9-20

After they had eaten and drunk in Shiloh, Hannah stood up not far from Eli, the priest whose seat was beside the doorpost of YHVH’s House. Deeply distressed she wept and prayed to YHVH and made this vow : “O YHVH of Hosts, if You will have compassion on Your maidservant and give me a son, I will put him in Your service for as long as he lives and no razor shall touch his head.”

As she prayed before YHVH, Eli observed the movement of her lips. Hannah was praying silently; she moved her lips but uttered no sound and Eli thought Hannah was drunk. He, therefore, said to her : “For how long will you be drunk? Let your drunkenness pass.”

But Hannah answered : “No, my lord, I am a woman in great distress, not drunk. I have not drunk wine or strong drink, but I am pouring out my soul before YHVH. Do not take me for a bad woman. I was so afflicted that my prayer flowed continuously.”

Then Eli said, “Go in peace and may the God of Israel grant you what you asked for.” Hannah answered, “Let Your maidservant deserve Your kindness.” Then she left the Temple; and when she was at table she seemed a different woman. Elkanah rose early in the morning and worshipped before YHVH with his wives. Then they went back home to Ramah.

When Elkanah slept with his wife, Hannah, YHVH took compassion on her, and she became pregnant. She gave birth to a son and called him Samuel because she said : “I have asked YHVH to give him to me.”

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Saturday, 2 December 2023 : 34th Week of Ordinary Time (Homily and Scripture Reflections)

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

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, today as we conclude the current liturgical year and will be beginning the new liturgical year cycle with the season of Advent tomorrow on the First Sunday of Advent, let us all reflect upon all the words of the Sacred Scriptures that we have listened to on this day, reminding each and every one of us of our obligations as Christians to be truly faithful, committed and devoted to the Lord our God, at all times. We must always be vigilant and keep our lives worthy of the Lord, in doing His commandments and Law, and in walking down the path and following the things that He has shown and taught us to do. We should not be easily swayed by temptations and pressures from this world, the challenges, trials and difficulties that may be present in our path as we live our lives in Christian manner.

In our first reading passage today, we heard from the Book of the prophet Daniel in which we continue with the details of the apocalyptic vision that Daniel received from the Lord regarding the coming of the end of times and the salvation promised from God. In that reading, we heard of the coming of the four great beasts that will ravage the world, oppress the faithful and the people of God, and cause great destruction. These are the same beasts that a few centuries later, St. John the Apostle would also witness in his series of apocalyptic visions in the island of Patmos. Those beasts represent the forces of the Devil, the great enemy, who would try to crush all those who oppose him and those who are faithful to God.

We heard from that same passage how those beasts dominated over the world and persecuted the holy people of God, namely those who have held on firmly to their faith in God and remained virtuous and worthy of Him despite the struggles and challenges that they would have to face in the midst of their lives. Those beasts represent the dominion and power of Satan and all of his wicked allies, all the forces of evil who are always ready to strike upon us, bringing us to our downfall and destruction. And they manifested all their power and projections upon us, their efforts and strikes through the worldly domains and powers, by whom they persecuted and made lives difficult for those who continue to keep the commandments of the Lord faithfully and courageously.

But the Lord reassured us all, His beloved ones, that through Daniel, He showed us all that no matter how powerful and mighty those wicked forces may be, and how overpowering and dominating they all may seem to be to us, but in the end, even the mightiest of their forces, in their greatest triumphs and moments of pride, in the end, none of these shall remain and hold up against the might and power of the One true Lord and Master of all, Our King and Saviour, Jesus Christ, the One through Whom God has revealed His salvation and love, His truth and presence to all of us. In the end, even the devil and all of his mighty forces have to bend their knee and submit to the commands and the judgment of the one and only True God and King.

And as we heard from that same vision, the dominion of Satan and all of his forces, no matter how powerful and mighty they may be, ultimately all of them have been doomed from the start, for they rose up against the Lord, their Master, and they shall be utterly defeated and crushed in the end, never to harm any one of us ever again. There are of course those who have sided with them and chose to rebel against the Lord through sin and corruption of evil, but in the end, only those who are faithful to the Lord will be saved and will enjoy forever the rich bounties of God’s divine providence and inheritance, while those who did not keep their faith in Him will go to eternal damnation, suffering and destruction.

In our Gospel passage today, we heard the Lord Jesus reminding His disciples and followers, and hence all of us, that we should all be ever vigilant and prepared in each and every moments of our lives so that we do not end up being caught unprepared amidst the temptations, pressures, coercions and other things all around us that may cause us to lose our focus and attention on the Lord. Many of us have fallen into the temptations and corruptions of the worldly ways and wickedness present all around us. This is why many people have faltered and fallen into the wrong paths in life. This is why we are constantly being reminded by the Lord, especially as we are about to enter into the new liturgical year cycle, and the season of Advent, that we must not allow all those wickedness to affect and mislead us.

Brothers and sisters in Christ, let us all hence examine and reevaluate our paths in life. Let us all look into how we have lived our lives so far, and ask ourselves if we truly have devoted our lives to the Lord and been true to His path. Are we willing to walk ever more faithfully in the path that God has shown us? Or are we more interested in satisfying ourselves with the temptations and desires, pleasures and attachments of this world? The choice is ours to make, whether we want to allow the Lord to lead us down the right path and whether we want to walk on this path, or whether we allow our desires and attachments to drag us down the path towards our downfall and damnation. The choice is ours to make because God has given us all the freedom to choose our course of action.

May the Lord, our most loving God and Father, continue to guide and strengthen each and every one of us. Let us all continue to persevere in our struggle daily in faith, and do whatever we can, so that we may always ever be worthy and committed in our dedication and commitment to the Lord at all times. Let us all enter into this Season of Advent with renewed heart and faith, with greater commitment and love for the Lord. Let us all be true and faithful disciples and followers of the Lord, and strive to be the worthy beacons of God’s light, truth and love, now and always. Amen.