24th Week, Ordinary Time, Tuesday, 16-09-2025

1 Tim 3:1-13 / Luke 7:11-17   

We live in a modern world that has progressed rapidly over the last century.

This progress is primarily in the areas of science and technology, as well as industry and even in the military.

So humanity has progressed but has humanity become more civilized?

The bad and sad news that we see and hear everyday may even make us wonder if humanity has gone mad.

The 1st reading begins with St. Paul quoting this saying: To want to be a presiding elder is to want to do a noble work.

He then states the requirements for someone who wanted to serve in the community.

By the same token, in this modern world, to be a Christian is to want to do a noble work.

Christians have this mission of restoring the world to a civilized humanity.

In the gospel, as much as the raising of the dead man was a miracle, it was the humanness that must also be noted.

Jesus felt sorry for the widow as it was her only son, and that emotion showed the humanness of all characters in that gospel account.

And since God became man in Jesus Christ and He lived among humanity, let us also be truly human to each other.

Let us be compassionate, gentle, kind, forgiving and understanding towards each other.

Then we will know what love is when God became a human being and lived on earth.

Our Lady of Sorrows, Monday, 15-09-2025

Hebrews 5:7-9 / John 19:25-27 or Luke 2:33-35 

We may wonder why the Church picks those moments of grief and sorrow and suffering and turns it into a celebration.

Yesterday we celebrated the Exaltation of the Holy Cross.

Today we bring our hearts back to the foot of the Cross and enter into the grief and sorrow of our Lady.

Maybe there are certain things in life that can be learnt through sorrow and suffering.

The Cross, which was an instrument of suffering and death is turned by Christ into a symbol of life and glory.

As Mary stood by the cross in sorrow and pain, she was also changed and transformed.

In that moment of her greatest sorrow, Christ proclaimed Mary to be the Mother of the Church.

By dying on the cross, Christ gave life to us and gave Mary to be our Mother.

So when sorrow and suffering are put into the hands of God, something beautiful happens, something glorious happens.

When we meet with troubles or distress, or sorrow and suffering, let us go to Mary and stand with her at the foot of the cross.

Even when we sink into the depths of sorrow and suffering, God assures us this: a beautiful moment is about to happen, a glorious moment is about to begin.

Let us stay close to Mary and we will share in the glory of the cross.

The Exaltation of the Holy Cross, 14.09.2025

Numbers 21:4-9 / Philippians 2:6-11 / John 3:13-17

Two pieces of wooden sticks may not have much meaning, other than resembling like chopsticks. 

But two pieces of wooden sticks placed at right angles to each other, may mean something, especially to Christians. 

When two pieces of wooden sticks are placed at right angles to each other, it may look like a “plus” sign. 

But for Christians, it will look like the easily identifiable Christian symbol of the Cross. 

The symbol of the Cross is the most common, as well as the most profound symbol of Christianity. 

It is also a sacred symbol, and it can be found on items and objects used for worship and for prayer. 

The symbol of the Cross is sacred primarily because Jesus Christ died on it. 

By His suffering and death on the Cross, Jesus saved us from our sins and conquered sin and death. 

The Cross which was meant to be an instrument of pain and death has become a sign of salvation because of Jesus Christ. 

Today, we the Church celebrates the triumph and exaltation of the Holy Cross. 

We proclaim Jesus is our Saviour, and we also obey His command to take up our cross and follow Him as His disciples. 

But the 1st reading gives a rather puzzling account of a bronze serpent on a standard. 

Preceding that, the people had spoken against God and Moses, and so as punishment, fiery serpents appeared and their bite caused suffering and death. 

The people repented, and asked Moses to intercede for them to the Lord to save them. 

The Lord instructed Moses to make a bronze serpent and put it on a standard. 

Anyone who was bitten by a fiery serpent would just have to look at the bronze serpent on the standard and be saved. 

It is rather puzzling because the very thing that caused death has now become a means of salvation. 

That account in the 1st reading can be rather puzzling, but in it is the hidden mystery of the ways of God. 

Because in the gospel, when Jesus said that He must be lifted up just as Moses lifted up that bronze serpent, then that mystery is revealed. 

Jesus was lifted up on the Cross, and He fulfilled His mission as the Saviour, and the Cross has now become a symbol of salvation. 

A priest was sharing this story about the saving power of the Cross. 

A young man was disillusioned about his Christian faith, and so he went to a priest to say that he wanted to renounce his faith, and to have his baptism records revoked. 

The priest looked at the young man and told him that he will do as requested, on one condition. 

He asked the young man to follow him to the church, and there was a big crucifix behind the altar. 

The priest said to a young man, “Look at Jesus on the Cross and say this: You died for me and I don't care. 

The young man looked at the priest, and then looked at the Crucifix, and so he said, “You died for me and I don't care.”

The priest said to him, “Say that again with more conviction.” 

So, the young man said that again, “You died for me and I don't care.” 

The priest said, “Look straight at Jesus and say that again.” 

The young man said that again, but his voice began to quiver, and he lowered his eyes. 

The priest then said to the young man, “I would like to leave you alone for now. You can come to see me again anytime.” 

The priest who was sharing that story concluded with this: By the way, I was that young man. 

The saving power of the Cross is a deep and profound mystery. 

Because the Cross is the symbol of the love of God for us. 

God loved us so much that He gave us His only Son, so that we can be saved from our sins and have eternal life. 

So, let us take up the Cross, let us look at Jesus on the Cross.

Let us hold the Cross, for we are holding the hand of our Saviour Jesus Christ.

Let us hold the Cross, in our pain, in our suffering and in our distress, for we are holding the hand of our Healer Jesus Christ.

Let us hold the Cross, and look at Jesus on the Cross and say:

Thank you, Jesus, for saving me. Help me to love You.

23rd Week, Ordinary Time, Saturday, 13-09-2025

1 Tim 1:15-17 / Luke 6:43-49  

If we had to show something as a testimony of who we are and what our life is all about, what would that be?

Probably we would think of our achievements and show our certificates and photos of our illustrious moments.

There is no doubt that St. Paul was a great figure in the New Testament.

But his testimony to us is not some great achievement or illustrious missionary zeal, but rather a humble admittance that he is the greatest of sinners.

His testimony is that Jesus made him the greatest evidence of His inexhaustible patience for all the other people who would later have to trust in Jesus to come to eternal life.

So it was not what he did for Jesus but rather what Jesus did for him.

And that is so with us. The fruits that we bear will be the testimony of our lives.

As much as good fruits are a sign of the goodness of our lives, yet we must be humble enough to acknowledge that the goodness in us is not of our own achievement.

Like St. Paul, it is because Jesus has shown us His mercy and cleansed us and filled our hearts with His love.

So from what fills our hearts may our mouths proclaim the inexhaustible mercy and patience of Jesus and continue to bear the good fruits of love.

23rd Week, Ordinary Time, Friday, 12-09-2025

1 Tim 1:1-2, 12-14 / Luke 6:39-42   

Whenever we feel pain, it is usually a sign of a problem that needs our attention.

If it is a physical pain, then we will have to go consult a doctor to see what is the problem.

But there can be pains that are not physical and they affect us, if we take notice of them.

In the gospel, Jesus told a parable about seeing the faults in ourselves first before looking at the faults of others.

Jesus gave the imagery of having a plank in our own eye and yet we divert our attention to the splinter in the eyes of others.

The imagery of a plank in the eye is obviously to make the point of the parable.

But it can be unimaginable for such an object in the eye and not notice it or feel a piercing pain from it.

Yet, we rather distract ourselves with the problems of others than to look at our own problems.

In the 1st reading, St. Paul was humble to admit that he used to blaspheme and did all he could to injure and discredit the faith.

But God showed him mercy, he saw that mercy, and he is now filled with faith and love that is in Christ Jesus.

May we see the plank in our eyes, but may we also see the mercy of God.

And filled with faith and love, may we also guide others to Jesus Christ, our Saviour and our hope.

23rd Week, Ordinary Time, Thursday, 11-09-2025

Colossians 3:12-17 / Luke 6:27-38   

It is often presumed that people like it easy and convenient.

That is quite true because we are always looking for ways to do things easy and fast.

When it comes to religion, we may not think that building a church in some obscure and far away place is a good idea.

The presumption is that people like it easy and convenient, so no one would really consider going to a church that is difficult to have access to.

But it also cannot be denied that there are people who want to be challenged.

For them, it is like no pain then no gain, and the challenge makes them stronger and better persons.

In the gospel, the message of Jesus seems to be difficult and even illogical.

But to those who are listening, to those who are searching for the truth of life, they will understand what Jesus meant when He said this:

“Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who treat you badly.”

It may not make much sense initially, but when we are listening to a deeper calling in life, we will understand.

As the 1st reading puts it: Let the message of Christ, in all its richness, find a home with you. And never say or do anything except in the name of the Lord Jesus.

Let us pray that God will bless us with His love and accept the truth of the message of Christ, so that we will live our lives truly as children of God.

23rd Week, Ordinary Time, Wednesday, 10-09-2025

Colossians 3:1-11 / Luke 6:20-26   

We know that we should avoid anything that is not good for us.

And depending on the degree of the severity, then we will adopt the corresponding attitudes.

So for foods that we will react to with allergies, we will avoid, no matter how delicious or tempting they are.

But for the curiosity or addiction to substances, drugs or alcohol, we will have to resist and fight it.

In the 1st reading, St. Paul used a strong word when it comes to temptations to sin.

He used the word “kill”, as he says this: You must kill everything in you that belongs only to earthly life – fornication, impurity, guilty passion, evil desires, greed.

That word obviously is used in the metaphorical sense, but it also shows the severity of sins.

It is either we kill the sin, or the sin will kill us.

And when sin kills us, we die a spiritual death in darkness and decay.

But when we follow the teachings of Jesus and walk in His ways, then we will find our strength in Him.

By His death on the Cross, Jesus was victorious over sin and death.

We will share in the victory of Jesus when we are obedient and faithful to Him.