29th Week, Ordinary Time, Tuesday, 21-10-2025

Romans 5:12, 15, 17-21 /  Luke 12:35-38   

No matter how sinful, or wicked, or evil the world may be, there is one thing for certain.

Because no matter what, evil can never be greater than the good that God has created the world with.

In other words, the world and all its goodness belong to God and evil can never overcome good.

The 1st reading acknowledges that sin entered the world through one man, and through sin, death, and thus death has spread through the whole human race because everyone has sinned.

But the 1st reading also says this: But however great the number of sins committed, grace was even greater. And so, just as sin reigned whenever there was death, so grace will reign to bring eternal life.

In other words, the grace of God is much greater than the sin of man.

And that grace of God was expressed in its fullness in Jesus Christ our Lord, who came into the world to save us from our sins.

But the salvation that Jesus Christ is offering also needs a response from us sinners.

We respond by turning away from sin and, as Jesus says in the gospel, to be dressed for action and have our lamps lit.

When we are tempted to sin, let us also know that Jesus is knocking at the door of our hearts.

Let us be awake and listen to the knock of His voice and we will see the power of God’s saving love for us.

29th Week, Ordinary Time, Monday, 20-10-2025

Romans 4:20-25 / Luke 12:13-21   

To consider is usually understood as to think carefully about something, usually before making a decision.

So we will consider situations, circumstances and other factors before deciding on the next step.

But another deeper and more personal meaning would be to consider persons.

Again it would usually be about whether a person is suitable or capable for a task or a job.

In the 1st reading, it said that it was faith that was considered as justifying Abraham.

But the consideration here is not about whether Abraham is suitable or capable for a task or a job.

Abraham had faith in God and that faith led him to have a relationship with God.

And that faith also led Abraham to consider God in all his decisions and directions in life.

But in the gospel parable, the rich man did not consider God at all when deciding what to do with the good harvest.

For that, God calls him a “Fool” because that rich man thought only about himself and not about God at all.

Let us be wise and think about God first when considering situations, circumstances, factors and even about people.

May our faith lead us into a love relationship with God and may our faith also lead us to love others.

29th Ordinary Sunday, Year C, 19.10.2025

Exodus 17:8-13 / 2 Tim 3:14 – 4:2 / Luke 18:1-8

There is a particular sport that will put every muscle and bone in the body to the test. 

And because it is such a challenging sport, not many people take it up at the competitive level. 

But it was in that sport that Singapore won her first Olympic medal. 

That sport is weightlifting. In the 1960 Olympics, Tan Howe Liang won the silver medal in the lightweight category in weightlifting. 

Whatever we may think of that sport, not many of us would be that keen to take it up. 

But more practical than weightlifting would be weight training. 

Weight training helps to build up muscle mass, and will also strengthen the body to lift heavy objects. 

But, whether weightlifting or weight training, it is about weights, something that is heavy and bulky, something to be careful with. 

If we lift up something, maybe a book, and keep holding it there, we can manage it for a while, but not for too long. 

Similarly, raising our hands above our heads may not take much effort or strength. 

But if we keep our hands raised above our heads, then fatigue will begin to set in, and we will feel the weight of our hands. 

In the 1st reading, the enemy attacked Israel, and Moses sent Joshua and his men to fight them. 

Meanwhile, Moses went to the hilltop and stood there with the staff of God in his hands. 

For as long as Moses kept his arms raised, Joshua and his men had the advantage over the enemy. 

But when Moses let his arms fall, the enemy had the advantage. 

So, Aaron and Hur helped Moses, and he sat on a stone, and Aaron and Hur supported his raised arms. 

With that, Joshua and his men overcame the enemy. 

This passage teaches us that while God will protect and defend us against our enemies, our efforts are also needed. 

Moses raised his arms in prayer to invoke God’s help, and the assistance of Aaron and Hur helped Joshua to overcome the enemy. 

The teaching is simple, and that is, to persevere in prayer when we are invoking God's help to overcome our enemies and our difficulties. 

The reality is that fatigue wears down the raised hands of prayer and perseverance is eroded. 

The spirit is willing but the flesh is weak, but the combined efforts of Moses, Aaron, Hur and Joshua brought about God's help in that critical moment. 

Yes, perseverance is needed and the raised hands of prayer will bring about God's justice and judgment. 

And that is also the message of the parable in the gospel passage. 

Jesus promises that God will see justice done to His chosen ones who cry out to Him day and night, even if the justice does not come immediately. 

For those who persevere in their trials and tribulations, God promises that He will protect their dignity. 

There is this story that a police station received a call that an elderly woman with mild dementia was missing. 

So, a team was sent out to look for that elderly lady. 

After about an hour or so, they managed to find that lady. 

But instead of getting straight into the matter, they walked along with her and chatted with her. 

She even thought that the police officers were out for stroll, and they stopped by for drinks and snacks. 

They walked on and finally the police officers brought the elderly lady to be reunited with her family. 

The important thing about life is not so much about the facts. 

Rather it is about respecting and protecting the dignity of people. 

The police officers did not bring up the reality of the situation to the elderly lady, because they did not want to disturb her peace of mind. 

Rather, they respected and protected her dignity as a person. 

And that is the dignity of the humanity that God wants us to respect and protect. 

Because God Himself will protect our dignity and He will see justice done to His children who cry out to Him day and night. 

Let us also persevere in prayer, and let us be united in prayer as we invoke the Lord for His blessing and protection.

St. Luke the Evangelist, Saturday, 18-10-2025

2 Tim 4:10-17 / Luke 10:1-9  

To serve God by proclaiming the Good News is never an easy task.

From the 1st reading, we get to see that St. Paul had to struggle and endure a difficult time.

His band of co-workers had split up and some had even gone against him.

His only consolation was that St. Luke was with him, and he made it a point to say it.

From the few occasions that St. Paul mentioned him as his beloved physician, and from what St. Luke wrote in the Gospel and in the book of the Acts of the Apostles, we get to see what the person of St. Luke was like.

He was a committed friend of St. Paul, and he paid special attention to those that were forgotten or pushed aside by society.

He wrote about Jesus reaching out to the poor, the lowly, the outcasts, the sinners and women.

What he knew about Jesus, he wrote it in his gospel, and he certainly carried out in his life.

His commitment to St. Paul in his time of need bore witness to that.

As we read the gospel according to St. Luke and meditate on it, a challenge is also awaiting us.

We too have to write another account of Jesus.

It is going to be an account that is not written in words but in actions for all to see.

From that gospel of our lives, others will be able to see who Jesus is.

28th Week, Ordinary Time, Friday, 17-10-2025

Romans 4:1-8 / Luke 12:1-7  

There are many things that stand the test of time.

Among them are virtues and values.

Virtues and values won’t go out of fashion.

Fashions and trends will come and go, and so will other current practices.

But if whatever is done that is firmly rooted in good virtues and values, then it will stand the test of time.

The 1st reading tells us about the faith of Abraham, our father in faith.

It was Abraham’s faith in God that justified him, it is his faith that made him righteous before God.

In the gospel, Jesus warned about and told us to be on guard against hypocrisy.

But hypocrisy will be exposed, because everything that is covered will be uncovered, and everything now hidden will be made clear.

But when our virtues and values and rooted in faith, then there is no need to fear or worry about.

And our faith, our virtues and our values will also stand the test of time.

28th Week, Ordinary Time, Thursday, 16-10-2025

Romans 3:21-30 / Luke 11:47-54  

One of the ways to threaten others and make others submit is to use power, might and force.

But obviously, if power, might and force are used on people, then it is for a wicked and harmful purpose.

Wicked and evil people use power, might and force to make others submit.

But they will not be able to convince others to think or believe that what they are doing is right.

On the other hand, the gentleness of love will move hearts and minds and people will know it is for a good purpose.

The 1st reading tells us that the justice of God is not about judgement and punishment.

Rather the justice of God is about the love of God that wins reconciliation through faith.

In the past, sins went unpunished because God held back His hand.

In the present age, it is God’s love that justifies everyone who believes in Jesus.

And Jesus shed His own blood and sacrificed His own life to show how much God loves us.

In the face of evil, people who resort to power, might and force, let us respond with the gentleness of God’s love.

God’s love is the answer to this generation and to generations to come.

28th Week, Ordinary Time, Wednesday, 15-10-2025

Romans 2:1-11 / Luke 11:42-46   

A common situation exists where there are leaders and followers, or superiors and subordinates, or teachers and students.

It may be in an organization, or workplace or classroom or even in church.

Whether the person up in the front is a superior or a manager or a teacher or a priest, he/she will treat those under his/her charge differently.

For whatever reason, some will be treated with favour, some will be treated indifferently, some will just be overlooked.

That is understandable when we look at it from the perspective of relational chemistry.

So we have to admit that we are partial and biased in varying degrees.

We often look at people with different and arbitrary standards.

This can be detrimental in situations where the "favoured" people get away with something that others will be severely punished for.

The last line of the 1st reading says that God has no favourites. That means God is impartial, that He loves everyone regardless of whether they are clever or attractive or influential or otherwise.

That does not mean that we cannot have close friends or talk more with people that we can easily relate with.

It means that with those whom we can't easily relate with or even dislike, we still must treat them with fairness and not to impose on them unendurable burdens of mind and heart.

Especially when we are the superiors, we are obligated to be fair and just to all.

This is what God wants of us, and when we do what God wants, He will also be fair and just to us.