14th Week, Ordinary Time, Monday, 06-07-2026

Hosea 2:16-18, 21-22 / Matthew 9:18-26   

There can be many ways to solve a problem.

But the interesting point is the ingenious ways to look for solutions.

That also brings about the ability to think of original, creative solutions to problems.

And usually it is in desperation that conventional procedures and even cautious measures are put aside.

In the gospel, an official came up to Jesus and even bowed low in front of Him.

The official’s daughter has just died, but he believed that Jesus can save her life.

So, regardless of status and everything else, the official humbled himself before Jesus.

While all this was happening, a woman who suffered from haemorrhage for twelve years came up from behind Jesus. 

She believed that even by touching the fringe of His cloak, she will be well again.

We may not know how the official or the woman came up with those ideas.

But we believe that God heard their prayers and prompted them to do something that was rather unconventional.

When we are in need and in desperation, let us pray to God for help.

And God may answer our prayers in a way that will even surprise us. 

14th Ordinary Sunday, Year A, 28.06.2026

Zechariah 9:9-10 / Romans 8:9, 11-13 / Matthew 11:25-30 

The future is a mysterious thing, and we are certainly quite curious about it. 

Because we want to know what the future is like. 

While some of us would like to know what the future is like, some people also want to know when the future will end. 

So, those end-time prophecies can still get people to be curious and nervous.

Nonetheless, predictions about the future can arouse our curiosity. 

We may just glance at the horoscopes for the day, just for fun, but we may end up thinking seriously about it. 

There is this story of a young man who was poor and single. 

He went to see a wise man for some advice to change his life. 

The wise man looked carefully at him and said, "You will be poor and single until you are 40." 

The young man was curious and asked, "Until 40? After that? After that?" 

The wise man replied, "After that, you will get used to it." 

But the curious and adventurous side in us makes us want to discover, to speculate, to imagine, and to dream about the future. 

While the motives can be noble and good, the objective may only be for self-gain. 

We use our intelligence and knowledge to see how we can grow our wealth and increase our possessions.

Because we think that to be wealthy would also mean that we could be happy. 

Well, it cannot be denied that wealth can buy some moments of happiness.

But what we are seeking for and longing for is peace in our hearts that will bear fruits of happiness in our lives. 

And Jesus wants to teach us about the mystery of life so that we can find true happiness and peace. 

In the Gospel, Jesus tells us to come to Him, we who are tired out and have many burdens in life. 

Maybe we overthink and try too hard to be happy, to succeed, to achieve, to accomplish, and to impress others. 

But Jesus tells us to shoulder the yoke and learn from Him, by taking the long road and entering by the narrow gate. 

He tells us that gentleness is strength, although the world tells us that power is might. 

There is this story about a bandit who threatened to kill a wise man because the wise man was discouraging others from joining the bandit. 

The bandit said, "To have a sword is to have power, power over life and death." 

So, the wise man told the bandit, "Cut off that branch from the tree." 

With one stroke of the sword, the branch fell to the ground. 

The wise man then told the bandit, "That is impressive. Now, join the branch back to the tree." 

The bandit laughed and said, "That's ridiculous." 

The wise man said, "So, your sword can only cut and bring about destruction and death. True strength is to restore and bring about life." 

So, it takes no effort to destroy, but it takes immense grace and gentleness to restore.

To understand humility, let us take a look at the tree. 

No matter how tall or how strong the tree grows, its leaves and its fruits will still fall down to the ground and to its roots. 

Similarly, no matter how successful or accomplished we become, humility reminds us of our roots and our dependence on God.

As we heed the call of Jesus to come to Him, we come before the Lord Jesus in prayer. 

With a gentle and a humble heart, we will know that prayer is the greatest power that the Lord has granted to us. 

With prayer, we will follow Jesus to restore and to heal. 

With prayer, we will listen to Jesus and to forgive others and be reconciled with them. 

With prayer, we will commend our lives into the hands of Jesus because the future is in His hands. 

With prayer, we will be like little children being loved by God the Father. 

That is true happiness. That is true peace. 

13th Week, Ordinary Time, Saturday, 04-07-2026

Amos 9:13-15 / Matthew 9:14-17  

To have pioustic practices to express our devotion to the Lord is certainly a good thing.

These religious practices also let others know how we pray and how we practice our faith.

So, it may be practices like going for Mass, praying the Rosary or other devotions, spending time with the Lord in the adoration chapel, almsgiving and fasting.

All these practices express our faith and also express our relationship with God.

While we may be devoted in our religious practices, it also needs to be said that not everyone must do what we do.

Some practices may appeal to some and we cannot and should not impose our religious practices on others.

In the gospel, John’s disciples asked Jesus why His disciples do not fast, while they and the Pharisees practice it.

It seems like John’s disciples and the Pharisee think that fasting is one of the best ways to practice the religion.

Not to do it might mean that one is not serious with the religion or taking it lightly.

But let us remember that God relates to us in a personal way and there are also many ways to express our relationship with God.

More that just religious and pioustic practices, it is the fruits of love that we bear with our faith.

And one of those fruits is when we understand that each person has his own way to relate with God and that we need to be less critical of how others practice their faith.

St. Thomas, Apostle, Friday, 03-07-2026

Ephesians 2:19-22 / John 20:24-29     

St. Thomas was one the the Twelve Apostles called by Jesus, although the gospels did not give details of how he was called.

At the Last Supper, Jesus told His Apostles that He was going to prepare a place for them to which they also might come because they knew both the place and the way.

But when St. Thomas said that they did not know the way, Jesus had to plainly and clearly say that He is the Way, the Truth, and the Life.

Yet St. Thomas was best known for questioning the resurrection of Jesus when the rest of the Apostles testified to it.

He even demanded to touch the wounds of Jesus before he would be convinced.

And because of that he was often called "Doubting Thomas". Yet when the Risen Christ appeared before him, it was St. Thomas who proclaimed the truth of the Resurrection when he addressed Jesus as "My Lord and my God".

St. Thomas was chosen as the instrument to make the first proclamation of the truth of the Resurrection and the Lordship of the Risen Christ.

He may have been skeptical and cynical and labelled as "Doubting Thomas", but we also must acknowledge that he was the first among the apostles to proclaim Jesus as Lord and God.

From St. Thomas we can see that out of a great doubt comes a deep faith.

So if we come across people who are skeptical or cynical about who Jesus is, let us also know that these very same people can be great witnesses of Jesus.

And even from our own doubts and darkness, we will also proclaim Jesus as Lord and God when we see the light.

Annual Priests Retreat 2026

My Dear Brothers and Sisters,

The priests of the Archdiocese of Singapore will be having their annual retreat from 29th June, Monday to 3rd July, Friday.

I will also be at this retreat and I am really looking forward to it for a time of silence and prayer.

As such, the next homily post will be for 14th Ordinary Sunday, 5th July 2026.

Requesting prayers for myself and my brother priests that we will be renewed and re-focused so that we will continue to faithfully serve the Lord and His holy people.

Thank you. May God bless you!

Msgr. Stephen Yim

13th Ordinary Sunday, Year A, 28.06.2026

2 Kings 4:8-11, 14-16 / Romans 6:3-4, 8-11 / Matthew 10:37-42 

Whenever there is a job opening or a project at hand, the qualifications and requirements of the applicants will be stated.

Applicants for the job or the project will not only know what it is about, they will also know whether to send in their applications or not.

So, the job description or project requirements should be clear and specific.

And the qualifications and suitability of the applicants should also be stated so that not anyone and everyone can apply.

And if there is only one opening, then only someone will get it.

But if no one applies for it, then either it is a bad joke or that something is really wrong.

Broadly speaking, people can be generalized as anyone, everyone, someone, or no one.

How it is used depends on the situation, the requirements, and the qualifications.

In the gospel, the word that is repeated a number of times is "anyone."

Jesus made six statements which began with that indefinite pronoun, "anyone."

In those six sentences, Jesus stated His requirements for those who want to follow Him.

And it is quite clear that "anyone" does not mean that no requirements are needed.

In short, it is about choosing between following Jesus or following our preferences.

So, if we prefer the comfort of human relationships, or if we prefer to live life our way, then we would rather not hear about what Jesus is requiring of those who are to follow Him.

Especially when Jesus said that anyone who does not take up his cross and follow Him is not worthy of Him.

That is challenging enough for us to consider.

And needless to say, there is no need to think about that part when Jesus said that anyone who finds his life will lose it, and anyone who loses his life for the sake of Jesus will find it.

It seems like the requirements of discipleship are too much and the bar is too high.

Yet when we look around at the others present here in this Church, then how many of us actually met the requirements of Jesus?

The Church is the House of God, and anyone can come in.

The House of God is also the House of prayer.

Anyone coming into the House of God would want to pray.

In fact, that is the only requirement.

In the House of God and in the House of prayer, sinners seek forgiveness and salvation.

In the House of God and in the House of prayer, the sick ask for a cure and pray for healing.

In the House of God and in the House of prayer, we remember the promises of God as we present our problems and petitions.

It is in the House of God and in the House of prayer that the prophecy of Isaiah about Jesus is fulfilled: "He took away our sicknesses and carried our diseases for us."

So, anyone who admits that he or she is a sinner and unworthy to follow Jesus, then that person is most welcome into the house of God.

Because it is in the House of prayer that repentance and conversion can begin.

And we know that we are changing to be disciples of Jesus when we become gentle and kind enough to let people be.

We will not criticize them when they mispronounce a word or sing a wrong note.

We will understand when they look burdened and disheartened and did not notice our greeting and smiling at them.

We will bear with those who are rude and selfish and not to fan their anger into a fire.

Anything is possible for anyone to be a disciple of Jesus in the House of God.

Because in the House of prayer, Jesus can change sinners into disciples.

12th Week, Ordinary Time, Saturday, 27-06-2026

Lamentations 2:2, 10-14, 18-19 / Matthew 8:5-17   

No one would want to defy those in authority or those who have earthly power.

To dare to defy or challenge or resist authority or earthly powers would mean two things.

Either it is because the defiance or challenge or resistance comes from someone or a group of a great power.

Or that they are taking a risk and think that they can match the other authority or power.

But the price of defeat is none other than punishment.

The people of God had known the authority and power of God.

Yet, they dared to disobey and disregard the Lord their God.

The first reading is about the lamentations of a people who had gone against their God, and they had to bear the consequences.

But in the gospel, it was a military commander, a centurion, who acknowledges the power and the authority of God.

His servant was paralysed and in great pain.

The centurion knew that no earthly power or authority can cure his servant and bring him back to health.

And so with a humility that even astonished Jesus, the centurion pleaded with Jesus for his servant.

Let us plead with Jesus when we have sinned and gone astray and away from God.

With God’s mercy, forgiveness and healing, let us always be obedient and faithful to God so that we will always rejoice in His love for us.