31st Week, Ordinary Time, Saturday, 07-11-2026

Philippians 4:10-19 / Luke 16:9-15

One of the lessons in life is to be contented when we have enough.

Yet, it is a lesson that we may not have fully learnt, or that we don’t quite understand when or what is enough.

Because there is this recurring sense of inadequacy, which is the state or quality of not being enough, sufficient, or good enough for a particular purpose, or a personal sense of lacking the required skills, confidence, or qualities to cope with a situation.

Also when we begin to compare ourselves with those who have more than us or are better than us, then we begin to feel anxious and want to keep up with them.

In the first reading, St. Paul gives us a reflection about his state of life.

He had learnt to manage on whatever he had, he knew how to be poor and he knew how to be rich too, with full stomach or empty stomach, in poverty or plenty.

And he tells us why – because there is nothing he cannot master with the help of the One who gives him strength.

In the gospel, Jesus taught us this: “No servant can be the slave of two masters: he will either hate the first and love the second, or treat the first with respect and the second with scorn. You cannot be the slave both of God and of money.”

Surely, we need money to get the basic necessities of life. But we also know that we cannot get enough of it. We gradually become the slaves of money.

To let God be our Master will certainly mean that we must put our faith and trust in Him.

God will provide for our needs and He will also just give us enough of what we need.

As we keep learning the lessons of life, may we also learn that God is all we need, and with God as our Master, that will be more than enough.

31st Week, Ordinary Time, Friday, 06-11-2026

Philippians 3:17 - 4:1 / Luke 16:1-8 

The world that we live in, despite the distress and turmoil of the times, is still a beautiful world.

And the beauty of this world can be so captivating that we desire to enjoy as much of the goodness of this world.

So much so that we can get obsessed with the things of this world.

In the first reading, St. Paul describes some of these obsessions: There are many who are behaving as the enemies of the cross of Christ; they are destined to be lost. They make foods into their god and they are proudest of something they ought to think shameful; the things they think important are earthly things.

And then St. Paul reminds us that our homeland is in heaven, and from heaven comes the Saviour we are waiting for, the Lord Jesus Christ.

But our eyes are often looking at the good things of this world, and we desire to possess as much of the good things as possible.

But that also reveals our deep sense of insecurity.

Like that dishonest steward in the gospel parable, we want to secure our future so that we can continue to enjoy the good things of life.

But life is not just here on earth. Beyond the life on earth is also the life in heaven.

Heaven is our true homeland, and our life on earth is to see that the good things of this earth are given by our loving Father in heaven.

To see and even to enjoy the good things of this earth is to also see the eternal glory and goodness of heaven.

So let us not give in too much to our earthly desires, but to remain faithful and continue to believe that God has much more better things for us in heaven.

31st Week, Ordinary Time, Thursday, 05-11-2026

Philippians 3:3-8 / Luke 15:1-10   

There are two phrases that say a lot about human attitudes and human behaviour.

One is “look up” and the other is “look down”.

More than just a physical movement of the eyes, it says a lot of how we look at people and what we think of them.

The world looks up to those with credentials, with status, with wealth, with influence, as well as good looks and appearances.

In other words, the world looks up to those who are impressive by the world’s expectations.

But those who do not meet the world’s expectations will be looked down upon.

In the first reading, St. Paul recalls his life before his conversion.

He was better and even fully qualified as a Pharisee, he was perfect and faultless, and everyone looked up to him.

But after he came to know Jesus Christ as his Lord, whatever he thought was an advantage is now a disadvantage.

But because Jesus Christ looked for him, and found him, that was all that mattered to him.

In the gospel, the Pharisees and the scribes looked down on Jesus because He was in the company of sinners and eats with them.

The two parables that Jesus told were not about looking up to others or looking down on others.

Rather it pointed to God who looked for the lost, the least and the last.

May we always look at God and may God lead us to look for those who are searching for God.

31st Week, Ordinary Time, Wednesday, 04-11-2026

Philippians 2:12-18 / Luke 14:25-33  

We would like to think that life would be so comfortable if we are free and easy.

We would think that life would be so enjoyable if there is no stress, no commitments and no responsibilities.

But life is not as such, and even if it is really so, we will feel stagnated and that we are wasting away.

We are created to be active, to work and to have goals and directions in life.

And as Christians, more is required of us and we also cannot expect faith to be free and easy.

In the first reading, St. Paul tells the Philippians to work for their salvation with “fear and trembling” as it is so easy to want to enjoy life and be free of commitments and responsibilities.

And even when we face challenges and difficulties, struggles and troubles, then we still have to do all that has to be done without complaining or arguing.

Only then we will be innocent and genuine, perfect children of God among a deceitful and underhand brood, and we will shine in the world like bright stars because we are offering it the word of life.

And that essentially means that we accept the cross and carry it as we follow Jesus.

The Cross is a blessing and we carry it because we believe in the peace and joy that Jesus gives us as His disciples.

Discipleship comes with price of the Cross, but we believe that the blessings from the Cross are more than we can imagine.

31st Week, Ordinary Time, Tuesday, 03-11-2026

Philippians 2:5-11 / Luke 14:15-24   

There is this famous saying that opportunity only knocks once; or that opportunity never knocks twice.

That saying means that major, or valuable, or life-changing chances may not come around a second time.

In such cases, it is often about timing. 

When the timing is right, then the opportunity or the chance is clear for us to take it.

But when the timing is wrong, then we will not be able to see that opportunity or that chance.

But how do we know when is the right time?

Or, in Christian terms, how do we know when is the appointed time?

The first reading says this about Jesus Christ: His state was divine, yet He did not cling to His equality with God but emptied Himself to assume the condition of a slave.

And in doing so, He was humble to accepting death when the time came.

But in doing so, God raised Him high and gave him the name which is above all other names

So, like Jesus Christ, when we empty our minds and hearts of our desires, urges and longings in life, we will know the appointed time.

For the invited guests in the gospel parable, they were invited to the banquet, but they were not interested and made excuses.

May we empty ourselves of our desires, urges and excuses so that we will see the wonderful blessings of God for us when the appointed time comes.

All Souls, Monday, 02-11-2026

Isaiah 25:6-9 / Romans 5:5-11 / Matthew 11:25-30 (Year A)

As we gather on this special day of prayer for our departed loved ones and for all the faithful departed, our thoughts go back to the past.

It is in this past that memories of our departed loved ones are recalled, the moments that we shared with them, and the mark that they left in our lives.

They have departed and are no more with us now. But we remember them in our hearts and in our prayer.

And our faith tells us that they exist in another spiritual realm, and that if they are in Purgatory and undergoing purification, we are able to help them by our prayers, and that is why we offer Masses for the departed.

We commend them into the hands of God who will lead them to His holy mountain where He will remove the mourning veil and the shroud of death and wipe away the tears from every cheek, as we heard in the 1st reading.

Yes, that is our God in whom we hope for salvation. And that is also the God that the departed hope for salvation.

And it is a living hope for us and for the departed, because the 2nd reading tells us that Christ died for us while we were still sinners, and that is the proof that God loves us.

So whether in life or in death, our hope is in the God of love who saves us from eternal death.

And Jesus tells us in the gospel to come to Him, we who labour and are overburdened.

One of our greatest burdens is the question of death and the afterlife, and the question is for our departed loved ones and also for ourselves.

But in Jesus, the question of life and death is in His hands, and we must put our faith and hope in Jesus.

It is with faith and hope that we pray for our departed loved ones, the faithful departed, as well as the departed forgotten ones.

In the mystery of life and death, we commend the departed into the hands of God as we remember them in prayer.

And the God of love, who is the God of the living, will grant eternal rest to those who put their hope and trust in Him.

All Saints, 01.11.2026

Apocalypse 7:2-4, 9-14 / 1 John 3:1-3 / Matthew 5:1-12                  

To wear white colour clothing, we need to be careful, and it can be challenging.

Because it is white, then any little stain or dirt is immediately visible. 

In contrast, stains or dirt on a dark coloured garment would not be that visible obvious. 

In a wedding, the bride would traditionally wear a white wedding gown. 

We can imagine how much care has to be taken to keep that wedding gown white and clean. 

Also in Church, the most basic liturgical garment is the alb, which must be white. 

It follows the biblical tradition, especially in the Old Testament, where priests wear a clean white linen garment in performing worship services. 

Also at Baptism, the newly baptized will be clothed in a white baptismal garment. 

It is to symbolize the purity and holiness of the new life that the newly baptized has put on in Jesus Christ. 

So, white colored garments is a symbol of purity and also holiness. 

It also symbolizes a belonging to God. 

It is an outward sign of an inward grace and blessing. 

But to keep a white garment clean and spotless is indeed very difficult.

Because the evil one would go all out to make us stain and soil our garment of purity and holiness. 

It is by our own sin that we will stain and soil our garment of purity and holiness. 

And we might also get used to a garment of that is stained and dirty, forgetting that we are called to be pure and holy. 

Today's feast of All Saints reminds us of our Christian identity and of our garment of purity and holiness. 

The Saints in heaven have gone through the difficult journey of keeping the garment of their Christian identity pure and holy. 

The devil had tempted them and tried to make them take off and discard their garment of their Christian identity. 

For example, St. Peter denied Jesus three times, but he repented and his garment became clean enough to be the first Pope of the Church. 

St. Paul was violently persecuting Christians, but on the road to Damascus, he fell off the horse and heard the Lord's voice. 

He took off the garment of persecution and put on the garment of salvation, and went on to become the Apostle to the Gentiles. 

St. Augustine of Hippo, who lived during the 5th century, wore a garment of sin and immorality, but by the prayers of his mother, St. Monica, he put on the garment of Christianity and led people to Christ. 

But these Saints had to keep the garment of their Christian identity pure and holy by resisting temptation and sin.

And they relied on the grace and blessing of Jesus Christ to remain faithful. 

Today's Gospel tells us the blessings that the Lord Jesus wants to bestow on us. 

To believe in those blessings is to be happy, and to be happy is to be holy.

But the world would not want to believe in those heavenly blessings. 

We believe in God's providence, and hence we being poor in spirit is our faith, but the world looks up to those who have plenty. 

In the eyes of the world, to be gentle and humble would mean being weak and being trampled upon. 

For the world, might is right. There is no place for the merciful and those who work for peace. 

And the lure of desires and luxuries often tempts us to give in to sin and immorality. 

On the garments of the Saints are their blood, sweat, and tears. 

They have fought the good fight and finished the race and kept the faith. 

The first reading tells us that their garments are washed by the blood of the Lamb and become white again. 

We also have our sweat and tears on our garments. But let us listen to this reflection often accredited to St. Mother Teresa, and it goes like this:

People are often unreasonable, 

illogical, and self-centred.

Forgive them anyway.

If you are kind,

people may accuse you of selfish ulterior motives.

Be kind anyway.

If you are successful,

you will win some false friends and some true enemies.

Succeed anyway.

If you are honest and frank,

people may cheat you.

Be honest and frank anyway.

What you spend years building,

someone could destroy overnight.

Build anyway.

If you find serenity and happiness,

they may be jealous.

Be happy anyway.

The good you do today,

people will often forget tomorrow.

Do good anyway.

Give the world the best you have,

and it may never be enough.

Give the best you've got anyway.

You see, in the final analysis 

it is between you and God ;

it was never between you and them anyway.

So, we follow the Saints to keep our garments pure and holy by being faithful to Jesus Chirst.

And we look forward with hope to the prayers of the Saints, and to join them in heaven when our garments are washed by the blood of the Lamb and become clean and white again.

30th Week, Ordinary Time, Saturday, 31-10-2026

Philippians 1:18-26 / Luke 14:7-11   

By and large, we have the etiquette and the decorum to be shown our seats in a function or at a dinner reception.

We certainly don't want to be embarrassed to take a seat we assumed to be ours only to be told otherwise.

Nonetheless the parable of Jesus tells us that we have this human desire to be honoured and maybe even exalted.

Because it cannot be denied that we liked to be looked up too. For some it may even be an obsession.

But for all the adulation and limelight that we might get, what and how will it matter in eternity?

In the 1st reading, we hear of St. Paul's dilemma.

He wants to be with Christ but yet he knows he had to stay on for a while in order to help the early Christians progress in their faith.

Yet St. Paul also knew that all praise and honour is to be given to God alone.

So let us be aware of our tendency to be in the limelight and receive the applause.

Yet all this does not matter in eternity. What matters then is that we continue to praise and glorify the Lord.

30th Week, Ordinary Time, Friday, 30-10-2026

Philippians 1:1-11 / Luke 14:1-6   

When it comes to thinking about people, our minds have a particular orientation.

Somehow, we are more likely to remember those who have done wrong to us, those who have cheated us, those who owe us money and yet to pay it back.

Yes, these people caused us pain and anger, and the wounds are not yet healed.

And because the bitterness and the resentment against these people are still there, they are probably the people that come to our minds often, and it is not for a good reason.

But in the first reading, the people that St. Paul thinks about often are the elders and the Christian community in Philippi.

He gives thanks to God for them and he prays for them as he remembers how they have helped to spread the Good News.

But of course, St. Paul would have remembered those who had persecuted him and harmed him.

Still, the people that he thinks about are those who spread the Good News, and if he ever thinks about those who did bad things to him, he would probably pray that they will eventually hear the Good News and repent.

In the gospel, Jesus healed a man with dropsy, which is a kind of fluid retention that causes swelling in the various parts of the body.

Thoughts about those people who did wrong to us would only cause anger retention in us and cause our minds and hearts to have painful swellings.

Let us ask Jesus to heal us so that filled with His love, we will always remember the blessings of the good people around us.

And with praise and thanksgiving, we can then pray for those who have done wrong to us.

30th Week, Ordinary Time, Thursday, 29-10-2026

Ephesians 6:10-20 / Luke 13:31-35  

If we know it is going to rain heavily, we will bring along an umbrella or even wear a raincoat when we need to go out.

And if we know it is going to be cold, then we will wear our winter jackets and other warm clothing.

If we don’t do what is necessary, then we only have ourselves to blame for not protecting ourselves.

As we go out into the world, we are faced with many dangers as well as temptations.

The first reading tells us to grow strong in the Lord, with the strength that comes from Him.

The reading also reminds us that it is not against human enemies that we have to struggle, but in fact, it is against the devil’s tactics and the spiritual army of evil and darkness.

We must put on the armour of God by praying all the time and praying in the Spirit and staying alert and awake to put out the burning arrows of the evil one.

In the gospel, Herod is like a fox out to kill Jesus, while Jesus is like a mother hen who gathers her children under her wings.

Jesus wants to gather us in His arms to protect us but we must want to do so.

We cannot rely on our own strength and defenses against the foxes of the world.

If we don’t stand by Jesus, we will not stand at all.

And we also need to stand united with each other, for when two or three are united in prayer, Jesus will be there to protect us.

Saints Simon and Jude, Apostles, Wednesday, 28-10-2026

Ephesians 2:19-22 / Luke 6:12-19   

Not much is known about the two saints whose feast we celebrate today.

Simon was called Zealot probably because of his zeal for the Jewish independence before he was called by Jesus.

Jude or Thaddeus is the author of the letter in the New Testament in which he warned Christian converts against false teaching and immorality.

He is also venerated as the patron of "impossible cases"

Traditional sources had it that both of them were together in their missionary work in Persia and they were martyred.

Both of them also tell us something about the people Jesus chose to be His disciples.

Both of them, as well as the rest of the apostles, were insignificant people from insignificant backgrounds.

But both of them had  a purpose in God's plan of salvation.

Both of them became zealous for Christ and for the Kingdom and they also became channels of God's grace for those who were seeking God's love and forgiveness, or when they seek God's help when their problems in life seemed hopeless or impossible even.

We may think that we are insignificant persons and hence we think we have no purpose in God's plan of salvation.

But let us ask for the prayers of St. Simon and St. Jude that we will discover our purpose in life and also our purpose in God's plan of salvation.

We may be insignificant but it does not mean that we are impossible. Because with God, everything and everyone is possible.

30th Week, Ordinary Time, Tuesday, 27-10-2026

Ephesians 5:21-33 / Luke 13:18-21    

In this world, the bright lights and big sounds often get the attention.

When the world wants to announce that something is happening, it will use all means to attract attention.

And indeed, bright lights and big sounds do get people’s attention.

But nature tells us something else.

Nature tells us that thunder and lighting don’t bring about growth.

Rather it is the gentle shower and warm sunlight that brings about growth for the plants and the trees.

In the gospel, Jesus tells us what is the kingdom of God is like.

It is like the little mustard seed that slowly grows into a tree.

It is also like that bit of leaven that raises the dough.

The kingdom of God is about silent and slow growth.

So is the love between husband and wife. It is a gentle and faithful love that keeps the marriage stable.

And so too is our love for God. It is in faithful and constant prayer that we express our love for God.

And it is in gentle and quiet ways that we express our love for others.

30th Week, Ordinary Time, Monday, 26-10-2026

Ephesians 4:32 - 5:8 / Luke 13:10-17    

If we want to see how bright the sky is on a sunny day, we have to look up.

And when we look up, we not only see the sky, we are also awed by the beauty of the white clouds in the blue sky.

And we often point to the skies and look up there when we want to indicate the dwelling place of God.

Yes, looking up is like an expression of our faith in God and that He will shower His blessings on us from the heavens.

In the gospel, there was a woman who was bent double and quite unable to stand upright, and she was in this state for eighteen years.

It was a long time to be looking at the ground with all that dirt and dust.

Jesus saw her he called her over and said, “Woman, you are rid of your infirmity” and He laid His hands on her. And at once she straightened up, and she glorified God.

So at last, that woman can look up and see the hope of heaven and the love of God.

The first reading says this: You were darkness once, but now you are light in the Lord; be like children of light.

When we sin, we are dragged and bent over, and we see only darkness and hopelessness.

But Jesus saved us and lifted us to see light and hope.

May we in turn lift others from their burdens and darkness, and lead them to look up and see the light of God’s love.

30th Ordinary Sunday, Year A, 25.10.2026

Exodus 22:20-26 / 1 Thessalonians 1:5-10 / Matthew 22:34-40                  

When we think about life, we may wonder what are the most basic truths about life. 

Christianity teaches us this truth about life, and that is we are created by God. 

With that, the purpose of life is to know God and to love Him and to serve Him. 

When we truly understand this, then we will be happy. 

And the expression for happiness in life will be like this: 

We will expect nothing and appreciate everything. 

We will speak beautiful things. 

We will believe that things will work out and there is no need to be too anxious. 

We will smile and help others to smile. 

We will keep life simple and sweet. 

We may be imperfect, but we are not missing anything either. 

These are the simple truths of life that express our happiness. 

But the simple things of life can become complicated when we expect too much. 

In the Gospel, the Pharisees got together and to disconcert Jesus, they asked him, “Master, what is the greatest commandment of the Law?” 

In the traditional Jewish teaching at that time, there were a total of 613 commandments for the precepts, the laws, and the prohibitions found in the Torah, which is the first five books of the Jewish scriptures. 

The first reading has some of these commandments. 

The Pharisees wanted to disconcert and to unsettle Jesus by asking Him which of the 613 commandments was the most important. 

And whichever one Jesus chose, they will then question Him further and try to catch Him on what He said to trap Him. 

But instead of picking one, Jesus summarized the 613 commandments into the following. 

He said, “You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind. This is the greatest and the first commandment. The second resembles it. You must love your neighbor as Yourself. On these two commandments hang the whole Law and the Prophets also.” 

That is as most fundamental as it can get, love God and love neighbor. 

Using a tree as an imagery, the love of God is the roots, and the love of neighbor is the fruits. 

Love of God is expressed in adoration and reverence, while love of neighbor is expressed in respect and compassion. 

There is this story of a journalist who once spent a week following Saint Teresa of Calcutta (Mother Teresa) around the slums of Kolkata. 

He watched her endlessly bandage infected wounds, bathe dying men, and comfort desperate mothers under intense heat. 

Amazed, the journalist asked, "Mother Teresa, how do you keep doing this day after day without burning out?" 

Mother Teresa took him by the hand and led him into the convent chapel. She pointed to the monstrance on the altar and then out the window toward the slums, saying: 

"Every morning, we spend an hour in Adoration looking at the Host. In the Host, under the appearance of bread, we see Jesus. Then we walk out these doors, and under the distressing disguise of the poor, we see the exact same Jesus." 

That is love and compassion in action.

Another story is that on a cold evening, a priest noticed a homeless man sitting outside the church steps every morning, shivering in a thin jacket. 

Rather than simply giving him food and money, the priest went into his own closet, pulled out a winter coat, and walked outside. Instead of throwing it at him, the priest sat down on the cold concrete beside the man, handed him the coat, and stayed to talk with him for twenty minutes, learning his name—which is Joseph—and his sad story. 

Years later, after getting off the streets and finding employment, Joseph returned to the parish. 

He handed the pastor a donation and said, "It wasn't just that you gave me a coat to keep warm that morning. It was that you sat beside me on the concrete and treated me like a human being. Your coat kept my body warm, but your respect saved my soul." 

True Christian charity is never just about transactions; it is about recognizing the dignity of every person as a child of God. 

We have come into the house of God, and in the House of prayer, we are drawn closer to God to be deeply rooted in Him. 

After Mass, we go forth as the People of God to bear fruits of love for our neighbor. 

So, life is essentially, fundamentally, and simply about knowing that God loves us and we are called to love Him in return. 

And that response to God's love is in loving our neighbour. 

On these two commandments are the source of our meaning and direction in life, as well as our happiness and our eternal destiny.

29th Week, Ordinary Time, Saturday, 24-10-2026

Ephesians 4:7-16 / Luke 13:1-9    

When something bad happens, the first thing to do might be to blame something or someone.

The second thing to do might be to ask why did such a bad thing happen, so as to find a reason to come to terms with it.

In the gospel, some people told Jesus about the tragic deaths of some Galileans whose blood Pilate had mingled with their sacrifices.

It seems that the cause of the deaths of those Galileans were pinned on Pilate.

But the question that was not asked was why those Galileans and not others.

Jesus also brought up that incident when the tower of Siloam fell and killed 18 people.

The question that might be on the minds of the people could be that those people who died tragically had committed some wrong doing, and thus they died tragically.

But Jesus dispelled that thinking. Instead, He emphasized on repentance so as to be prepared for any situation in life.

To repent is to turn towards God and fix our minds and hearts on Him.

So whether we are in the sunshine of confidence or in the depths of distress, we focus on God.

We place our lives in God’s hands and let Him hold us and keep us safe.

29th Week, Ordinary Time, Friday, 23-10-2026

Ephesians 4:1-6 / Luke 12:54-59  

In this world, there are many sights and sounds.

But we don’t need to see everything in detail, nor do we need to listen to every sound.

We only need to see what we have to see, and listen to what we have to listen to.

In the first reading, St. Paul implores us to lead a life worthy of our vocation.

The word vocation comes from the Latin word “vocare” which means “to call” or “to summon”.

It means that God is calling us to be His people and to live the life that Jesus Christ has shown us.

Our response is to bear with one another charitably, in complete selflessness, gentleness and patience.

And in listening to the call of God, we also look at the signs that He is showing us.

There are many things to look at, so what is it that God wants us to see.

It is in prayer and listening to promptings from the Holy Spirit that we will look at what God is showing us.

We will look at people and how we are relating with them.

It is only when we listen to God and look at what He is showing us, then we will listen to what others are saying and what they are showing us.

29th Week, Ordinary Time, Thursday, 22-10-2026

Ephesians 3:14-21 / Luke 12:49-53  

To grow a plant or a tree, it is not so simple as throwing a seed on the ground and let nature take over.

There are many considerations, like the soil, the weather, the type of plant or tree.

And then there is also a lot of work to be done, like preparing the ground, clearing the weeds, putting fertilizers.

So, there is much preparation, and also much work to be done, before the seed is sown in the ground and when it starts to germinate.

The first reading reminds us that God has given us the power through the Holy Spirit to grow strong.

We are the seeds that the Divine Sower plants in the world to grow and bear the fruits of His saving love.

God has prepared the ground, and so we are planted in love and built on love.

All this is the work of God, and we just have to be obedient and faithful in carrying out the mission that He has given us.

But there will be struggles and troubles, there will be division and violence.

But let us be firmly rooted in Jesus Christ, and we will bear the fruits of salvation for ourselves and for the world.

29th Week, Ordinary Time, Wednesday, 21-10-2026

Ephesians 3:2-12 / Luke 12:39-48   

We all know how unpleasant and frustrating it is to wait for someone or for something.

We just have to remember the last time we missed the bus or the train, and we have to spend the unproductive time waiting for the next one to come.

Or if the delivery person or the repair-man tells us that he will come between a certain time.

We may have no other choice than to just sit around and wait.

Not only can it be boring, the time is like wasted away.

Yet as much as we don't like to wait, let us also realize that the Lord is waiting for us.

He is waiting for us to respond to His promptings and to use the gifts and talents that He has bestowed upon us to reach out and serve others.

There is always someone waiting for us to help them in their troubles, to show love and care, to listen and to share.

The 1st reading says why St. Paul was so zealous and fervent about his mission.

Because he knew that what was entrusted to him was a gift of grace from God.

He knew that much was entrusted to him and much was also expected from him.

The Lord has entrusted us with His love. May we not wait any longer to put His love into action.

29th Week, Ordinary Time, Tuesday, 20-10-2026

Ephesians 2:12-22 / Luke 12:13-21

Many modern devices run on battery power.

The batteries power up ordinary devices like clocks and watches, torchlights and mobile phones, as well as laptops.

Batteries also power up medical devices that measure blood pressure, as well as other instruments.

Battery powered devices enable free movement without being attached to an electrical power source.

But that means that there must be battery power level indicators, without which there is the anxiety of the battery being flat.

In the gospel, Jesus told His disciples to be dressed for action and have their lamps lit, and to be like men waiting for their master to return from the wedding feast, ready to open the door as soon as he comes and knocks.

It is like having the battery of a device at optimum level of charge and to be ready for use at any time.

In the first reading, St. Paul reminded the Ephesians that once upon a time they had no Christ, and were without hope and without God.

Now that they have Christ in them, they must be ready to do God’s will at any time.

We too have Christ in us. Let us be dressed for action and with lamps lit and with our hearts fully charged with the Holy Spirit.

And when our Master Jesus Christ comes knocking at the door, we will open the door and be ready to do whatever He asks of us. 

29th Week, Ordinary Time, Monday, 19-10-2026

Ephesians 2:1-10 / Luke 12:13-21   

There are many famous paintings by famous artists.

These famous works of art are also expensive and they go by millions of dollars.

For example, the painting “Sunflowers” by Vincent van Gogh is priced at around US$100 million.

For those who appreciate these art pieces, they will understand the value.

For those who have little understanding and appreciation of those art pieces, they may wonder about the price.

In any case, no one would think of adding some other details to those paintings.

The first reading tells us this: We are God’s work of art, created in Christ Jesus to live the good life as from the beginning he had meant us to live it.

Yes, each of us is a unique and a special work of art, created by God Himself.

No one can add or subtract anything from us.

But we may think that we are not good enough, and so we begin to add things to make us more special and valuable.

It is like that rich man in the gospel parable who wanted to store up all his goods to feel secure.

Jesus taught us this: Watch, and be on your guard against avarice of any kind, for a man’s life is not made secure by what he owns, even when he has more than he needs.

What we have or may not have does not enhance or reduce our dignity as God’s work of art.

What matters is that God loves us and that is all that really matters.

29th Ordinary Sunday, Year A, 18.10.2026

Isaiah 45:1, 4-6 / 1 Thessalonians 1:1-5 / Matthew 22:15-21                  

There are two basic and common ingredients that we consume, and they are sugar and salt. 

These two ingredients are not found on food menus, but we will notice it when they are missing. 

For those with a sweet tooth, the taste of sweet foods will make them smile. So for them, sweetness is happiness, but of course in moderate amounts. 

But there are people who can do without sugar, or has cut out sugar in their diets, and it is primarily for health reasons. 

But when it comes to food, we will know it when salt is missing. 

As the story goes, the wife asked the husband, "How is the dinner?" I tried a new recipe where I substituted salt with love." 

The husband replied, "My dear, the love tastes like warm paper towels." 

So, if there is no salt, then there will be no taste. But too much salt, then the taste buds will protest. 

So as much as sugar and salt are basic and common ingredients, they are to be used moderately and sparingly. 

The Bible does not mention of sugar as we know it, because it does not exist in that region at that time.

The natural sources of sweetness are honey and the natural sugars that come from fruits. 

But salt is mentioned in the Bible, and Jesus used it in His teachings when He said, "You are the salt of the earth, and the light of the world." 

In today's gospel passage, there is no mention of salt and sugar, but there is the mention of money and the question of taxes. 

The Pharisees, who were anti-Romans, and the Herodians, who were pro-Romans, had put aside their differences in order to trap Jesus in what He would say.

About the question of paying taxes, if Jesus said, "Yes, pay the tax," He would look like a traitor to God's people. 

And if He said, "No," then He could be arrested for inciting rebellion against the Romans. 

His brilliant response was to let Him see the money that was used to pay the tax. 

He was handed a denarius, and He asked whose name and whose image was on it. 

When they replied that it was Caesar's, Jesus gave them this profound reply, "Give back to Caesar what belongs to Caesar, and to God what belongs to God." 

That makes us reflect again at that coin, that denarius, with the image and the name of Caesar. 

The powerful people of this world make their authority felt by stamping their image and their name on what matters most to them, and that is money. 

Yes, money can make a lot of things taste sweet, and money can also make our lives taste sweet. 

But that may mean we have to put on the image of the world, and we put on a money face. 

Of course, we are in this world, but we are not of this world. 

So, we give back to the world what belongs to the world, and to God what belongs to God. 

We go back to God because we are created in His image, and our lives are under God's authority. 

There is this story about the famous sculptor Michelangelo and the block of marble. 

Michelangelo was asked how he created his masterpiece, the statue of David, from a huge, flawed block of marble that other sculptors had rejected. 

His reply was, "I did not create David. David was already in the marble. I just chipped away everything that was not David." 

In this Eucharist, we are restored and renewed in the image of God, when we come into communion with Jesus. 

We are restored back into our essence and our mission, which is to be the salt of the earth. 

Let us also be the light of the world so that our lives will give glory to God and lead others back to God.

28th Week, Ordinary Time, Saturday, 17-10-2026

Ephesians 1:15-23 / Luke 12:8-12  

The term blasphemy may be generally defined as anything from defiant irreverence to intentional sacrilegious acts .

Hence it can mean acts like cursing God or willfully degrading things relating to God.

It can also be attributing some evil to God, or denying Him some good that should attributed to Him.

Yet we believe that God is love and forgiveness and He will forgive us even if we had committed the most heinous sin.

So what did Jesus mean when He said that "he who blasphemes against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven"?

The purpose of this phrase was to strengthen the disciples in the face of persecution and to deter them from falling into apostasy (giving up the faith) out of cowardice or doubt.

It was also meant as an admonition - a sin can only be unforgivable if repentance is impossible.

So in other words, it is not whether God will forgive; it is a question of whether we want to repent or not.

Because along with repentance is also the trust in God's love and mercy and forgiveness.

To be able to declare that is to stand before others and witness to God and all the wonderful and beautiful things that He has done for us.

28th Week, Ordinary Time, Friday, 16-10-2026

Ephesians 1:11-14 / Luke 12:1-7   

There is a Chinese saying that "Though the sparrow is small, it has all five vital organs" (heart, liver, spleen, lungs, and kidneys)

It means that something small or compact can still be completely functional and contain all the necessary parts or features.

It is used to describe small apartments, compact businesses, tiny teams, or small cities that pack in everything a larger version would offer.

In the gospel, Jesus used the example of a sparrow to show God’s loving providence.

God feeds the sparrows even though the sparrows are among the smallest of the birds of the air.

Yet, in the Bible, sparrows are bought cheaply as a source of food for the poor people.

Still, God cares for the sparrows and does not forget them.

So, if God does not forget the sparrows and even cares for them, how much more will He care for us who are worth so much more than sparrows.

And since God cares for us and loves us, then we should not let hypocrisy creep into our lives and pretend that we don’t have enough.

And there is also no need to impress others or pretend that we have more than others

Like the sparrow, God provides for all our needs.

God holds us in His hands and feed us. Knowing that is enough for us to give thanks to God and praise Him for His love for us.

28th Week, Ordinary Time, Thursday, 15-10-2026

Ephesians 1:1-10 / Luke 11:47-54  

The celebration of a birthday is a celebration of life and love.

We celebrate that day when a new life came into the world.

And we welcomed that new life with love.

As we reflect on life and love we also turn to God who is the Giver of life and love.

Our birthdays mark that particular day when we came into this world.

Before that we were already conceived in our mother’s womb and our life has already started there.

But the first reading brings us even further back.

The first reading says this: Blessed be God the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ,

who has blessed us with all the spiritual blessings of heaven in Christ.

Before the world was made, he chose us, chose us in Christ.

That makes us realise that we already existed in God’s plan right from the beginning.

God chose us for His own kind purpose, to make us praise the glory of His grace.

And in Christ, we gain our freedom and the forgiveness of our sins.

So, God chose us to proclaim His saving love to all peoples.

In the face of wickedness and evil, in the face of killings and murders, let us be proclaimers and witnesses of God’s gift of life and saving love.

God’s love will always prevail, and in the end Jesus Christ will gather all of us who are faithful to His kingdom.

There we will praise God forever for His gift of life and love to us.

28th Week, Ordinary Time, Wednesday, 14-10-2026

Galatians 5:18-25 / Luke 11:42-46    

When it comes to following procedures, written instructions are useful and helpful.

With written instructions, then there is a procedure or a process to follow.

And when there is a procedure or a process to follow, then there will be results.

With a procedure or a process to follow, things will be stable and predictable.

In the first reading, St. Paul gave a way of life for the Galatians to follow.

He told them about the way of the Holy Spirit, and their lives are to be directed by the Holy Spirit.

Then they will bear the fruits of the Spirit, fruits of love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, trustfulness, gentleness and self-control.

But when their lives are not directed by the Holy Spirit, then they will give in to self-indulgence, and what follows will be rotten fruits.

So we will know the spiritual state of our lives by looking at what kind of fruits we are producing.

The way of the Spirit is not just about following procedures or processes.

The way of the Spirit is not a burden but a blessing.

Let us follow the way of the Spirit and bear fruits of blessings for the glory of God and for the good of others.

28th Week, Ordinary Time, Tuesday, 13-10-2026

Galatians 5:1-6 / Luke 11:37-41  

We came into this world with nothing, literally with nothing.

But along the way, we begin to desire and to possess things.

Some things are for basic needs, but it also cannot be denied that there are a lot of other things that we want to possess.

And so we get bloated with worldly possessions.

In the first reading, we are reminded that Christ saved us from our sins and freed us from our worldly desires.

But desires for worldly possessions come from within, from the heart.

We may lose all our worldly possessions overnight but the desire will still be there.

In the gospel, Jesus taught about cleaning the external as well as the internal.

And He said this, “Instead, give alms from what you have and then indeed everything will be clean for you.”

To give alms means to share our possessions and resources with those in need.

Genuine charity breaks the grip of greed, because what we desire to possess will eventually possess us.

Let us give alms to the needy, and Jesus will clean our hearts of sin and greed.

28th Week, Ordinary Time, Monday, 12-10-2026

Galatians 4:22-24, 26-27, 31 - 5:1 / Luke 11:29-32   

There are many lessons we can learn from the events of history and from the peoples of the past.

These events also help us to create a greater awareness of our current situation and we also see that we have many advantages over the peoples of the past.

We may feel anything from feeling sorry to being critical of the people in the gospel passage.

They were asking Jesus for a sign when THE sign was standing right before them.

Jesus could only ask them to reflect upon the events of their own history and upon the lessons of their past, and He quoted two figures of the past for their reflection - Jonah and the Queen of the South.

Similarly Jesus is also asking us to reflect on the events of our history so as to be more aware of our present spiritual state.

Events like our baptism and our experiences of God all point to God's love for us and His mercy and forgiveness of our sins.

We don't need more signs from God. We only need to remember and reflect upon the marvelous deeds He has done for us.

May we also respond to the call of Jesus for repentance and conversion.

28th Ordinary Sunday, Year A, 11.10.2026

Isaiah 25:6-10 / Philippians 4:12-14, 19-20 / Matthew 22:1-14                  

Whenever we go for holidays or tours, we would certainly like to visit scenic places.

In those scenic places, we would like to see, among other things, high mountains.

Mountains express the majesty of nature, and we are often awed by their beauty and majesty.

Mountains also have a spiritual significance.

In the Bible, it was on mountains that God revealed His majesty and glory.

It was on a mountain that God gave Moses the Ten Commandments.

It was on a mountain that God came to help of the prophet Elijah.

It was on a mountain that Jesus was transfigured in glory.

It was also on mountains that places of worship are built for God to meet His people.

It is in those high sacred places that God manifests His presence and people come to worship God.

In the first reading, the prophet Isaiah also speaks about a mountain.

On that mountain, the Lord of hosts will prepare for all peoples a banquet of rich foods and fine wines.

On that mountain, He will remove the morning veil covering all peoples.

He will wipe away the tears from every cheek and take away the people's shame.

From that mountain, the Lord God calls out to all peoples to come up to the mountain of the Lord for that grand banquet.

Certainly, upon hearing that call, we would want to go up to that mountain.

The only thing that we have to do is to climb it.

In the Gospel, Jesus told a parable about a king who gave a feast for his son's wedding.

The surprising thing is that the invited guests were not interested in going for the wedding feast.

Some made excuses, while others seized the king's servants, maltreated them, and even killed them.

It is difficult to understand the attitude of the invited guests, other than they were not interested.

But the gospel parable may have some connection to the first reading in that there was mention of a feast and a banquet.

In the first reading, the Lord God prepared a grand banquet on His mountain.

It was a joyful feast, a celebration, a time of healing and rejoicing.

The response of the people is to climb up to that mountain in order to partake of the banquet.

But some may not want to go. They are just not interested.

They would rather remain at the foothills and to live a mundane and monotonous life, and maybe even a life without much meaning.

No change is needed, nor is it wanted.

It may also seem that God is not needed, nor is He wanted.

But for us, we know that we need God and we want Him.

We hear His call to the banquet and we want to be there.

But we need to do some climbing to get to the banquet on the mountain of the Lord.

The act of climbing is like a part of our human nature.

Little children love to climb.

They climb up chairs and sofas, and they are always amused by steps.

Whenever there are steps, they would go and start climbing up and down.

That may also tell us something about our spiritual life.

There is this innate desire to reach out and climb towards God.

We need God and we want to be at His grand banquet to celebrate and rejoice in His love.

And Jesus has made it easier for us.

The Mass is where Jesus sacrificed and offered Himself for us and to be united with us.

So, we don't need to climb high mountains.

We just have to come for Mass, especially when we are burdened and troubled in life.

Here at Mass, Jesus will wipe away the tears from our cheeks, console us in our sorrow, and heal us with His love and forgiveness.

We just have to be present, and God will bless us.

Let us also bring others to this grand feast, so that they too will experience the love and the blessings from God.

27th Week, Ordinary Time, Saturday, 10-10-2026

Galatians 3:22-29 / Luke 11:27-28   

In the Mass as well as in devotions, there are always hymns of praise.

These hymns are sung to praise and thank the Lord and they are usually sung with feeling and emotion.

Also dynamic and emotive hymns are preferred in order to appeal to the emotions of the people and also to elicit a more fervent response from them.

But where the emotions and the feeling fade off, that is where the fruits of faith begin.

Our hymns of praise  must be translated into acts of love for God and neighbour.

That was why in response to the acclamation of praise, Jesus sobered down the emotions to focus on doing the will of God.

As we offer this Mass in honour of our Lady, let us remember that she heard the Word of God, pondered on it and did the will of God in her life.

May we who honour her also learn from her and do God's will in our lives.

27th Week, Ordinary Time, Friday, 09-10-2026

Galatians 3:7-14 / Luke 11:15-26   

When it comes to making a choice between two options, the question to ask is what are the two options.

If one option is blessings and the other is suffering, then the choice would be obvious.

It would be crazy to choose suffering over blessings.

The first reading says that Jesus Christ redeemed us from the curse of the Law by being cursed for our sake.

To be crucified on the Cross is seen as a curse, but Jesus willingly took on the curse of our sins and saved us.

So in the choice of Jesus between blessings and suffering, He took on suffering.

And yet in that suffering, in that curse of being crucified on the Cross, He turned it into a blessing of salvation for us.

In life, we are often faced with choices, and we have to decide on only one choice.

Let that choice be always for Jesus, because He says this, “He who is not with Me is against Me; he who does not gather with me scatters.”

When our choice is for Jesus, it also means we choose the Cross.

It is the Cross of suffering, but with Jesus, it will be the Cross of salvation and blessing for us.

27th Week, Ordinary Time, Thursday, 08-10-2026

Galatians 3:1-5 / Luke 11:5-13  

In life, we are always inclined to take the path of least resistance and find the easy way out.

We will want to avoid difficulty, we see it as a problem and we get frustrated by it.

After all, we like life to be easy and comfortable, and nothing much can be gained from facing and enduring difficulty.

In the first reading, St. Paul called the Christians of Galatia mad, and he wondered if someone had cast a spell on them.

They had been taught about the crucifixion of Christ, and how they were saved by the Cross of Christ.

But they had deviated from that teaching because the way of the Cross was too difficult and demanding.

They would rather just follow rules and regulations that they were used to and familiar with.

The Cross was too difficult to understand and too difficult to carry.

In the gospel, Jesus teaches us about persistence in the face of challenges and difficulties.

And when we feel that life is getting too rough and tough, then we must remember what Jesus taught us.

He taught us to turn to God and to ask, to search and to knock.

And if we give good things to our children, then how much more will God our Father give us the Holy Spirit.

Yes, the Holy Spirit is our Helper and our Guide.

With the Holy Spirit, we will be able to carry our cross and overcome adversity.

Our Lady of the Rosary, Wednesday, 07-10-2026

Acts 1:12-14 / Luke 1:26-38 

The feast of the Holy Rosary was established by Saint Pius V on the anniversary of the naval victory won by the Christian fleet at Lepanto, October 7, 1571. The victory was attributed to the intercession of the holy Mother of God whose aid was invoked through praying the Rosary.

The celebration of this day invites all to mediate upon the mysteries of Christ, following the example of the Blessed Virgin Mary who was so deeply associated with the incarnation, passion and glorious resurrection of the Son of God.

It is believed that God has on many occasions rewarded the faith of those who had recourse to this devotion in times of grave danger.

So besides the naval victory at Lepanto in 1571, there were many other occasions like plagues, disasters, disunity and schisms, where the Church has recourse to the prayer of the Rosary.

The original title was "Our Lady of Victory" but it was changed to the present title to give the devotion and the prayers a wider scope and appeal.

Still we are assured that when we stand by God we need have no fear because God will always be victorious.

And if God is for us, then who and what can be against us. For nothing can ever separate us from the love of God.

Excerpt from Pope Benedict XVI – Angelus Message 10/2/05 …“The month of October is dedicated to the Holy Rosary, the unique contemplative prayer through which, guided by the Lord’s Heavenly Mother, we fix our gaze on the face of the Redeemer in order to be conformed to his joyful, light-filled, sorrowful and glorious mysteries."

So despite its repetitive form, the Rosary invites us to join our Blessed Mother to look at Jesus and to pour out our love for Him.

We can also be assured that like Mary, we too will be filled with grace and that God will work marvels for us and through us.

Let us always remember that with God, nothing is impossible.

27th Week, Ordinary Time, Tuesday, 06-10-2026

Galatians 1:13-24 / Luke 10:38-42

It is said that practice makes perfect.

But that sentence may need some clarification.

As much as practice makes perfect, it also depends on what is being practised.

If what is practised is the wrong thing, then what is wrong only get done over and over again.

In the first reading, St. Paul recalls his days as a practising Jew, how mercilessly he was persecuting the Church of God, how much damage he did, how enthusiastic he was doing it, that he stood like a perfect example of his generation.

And then God came into his life and revealed Jesus Christ to him, and then his life turned around such that he began to preach the Good News to the pagans.

St. Paul began practising the right thing, which is also the good thing, and in doing so he gave glory to God.

In the gospel, Martha welcomed Jesus into her home.

She began to get busy with the serving, and then she got distracted with her sister who sat at the feet of Jesus to listen to Him.

So, Jesus had to correct her by telling her that she worry and fret about so many things and yet few are needed.

Let us reflect on what we are doing and bring them before the Lord Jesus.

May Jesus enlighten us so that we will do what is right and good and for the glory of God.

27th Week, Ordinary Time, Monday, 05-10-2026

Galatians 1:6-12 / Luke 10:25-37   

To differentiate between the truth and falsehood may seem to be simple and easy.

But in reality it is not that simple and easy.

Because the truth can be rather difficult to accept.

And falsehood can be attractive and convenient when looking at quick gains and shortcuts.

In the first reading, St. Paul was astonished at how quickly the Galatians had turned away from the original Good News that was preached to them.

Some troublemakers had changed the teaching of the Good News to suit their own motives and interests.

They seek to get others to follow them by offering an attractive but hollow message.

But the truth is the truth even if no one wants to believe it.

And a lie is a lie even if everyone believes it.

In the gospel, Jesus told a parable that made the lawyer rethink about his understanding of who his neighbour is.

But the truth is that compassion is a basic expression of humanness.

Whoever has love, compassion and kindness is a true neighbour.

May we live out that fundamental truth in our lives.

27th Ordinary Sunday, Year A, 04.10.2026

Isaiah 5:1-7 / Philippians 4:6-9 / Matthew 21:33-43                

It has often been said that money cannot buy happiness. 

That is true, because happiness is not a commodity or a thing that can be bought at a price. 

Nonetheless, money can also give us a sense of security so that the basic needs of life like food, shelter, clothing, and healthcare are met. 

But one thing that we need to think about with regards to money is this:

When it comes to money, is it the more the better? Is it the more the merrier? Is it the more the happier? 

Although we know that money cannot buy happiness, but somehow, we think that money is always not enough. 

Even though our financial assets tell us that we have enough, yet we desire for more. 

It stems from that sinful desire called greed, that makes us think that we don't have enough, and that we need more. 

So, in short, the desire and greed for money is our human weakness and failing. 

The lesson that keeps coming to us is that there is enough for everyone's need, but never enough for everyone's greed. And we are still learning that lesson. 

In the Gospel, Jesus told a parable that pointed out the human weakness and failing. 

It is a parable about a landowner who leased out his vineyard to some tenants. 

That landowner provided for everything. He fenced it round, dug a wine press in it, and built a tower. 

So, the tenants had everything done for them, and they just have to give the landowner what is rightfully his at vintage time. 

But those tenants became greedy. What they rented, they now wanted. 

When the landowner sent his servants to collect his produce, the tenants turned violent and wicked. 

They seized the servants, trashed them, stoned them, and even kill them. 

And when the landowner sent his son, the servants also killed him, thinking that they can now take over the inheritance. 

Even though it is a parable, it is a reality and a tragedy, that human greed knows no limits and can even resort to violence. 

So initially, the tenants were happy, then they got greedy, and what followed was a tragedy. 

But the parable is not just about human greed and its tragic consequences. 

It is also about God's blessings that is bestowed on His people. 

God's blessings on us is that He will always provide for our needs. 

As the second reading tells us, “there is no need to worry, but if there is anything you need, pray for it, asking God with prayer and thanksgiving, and that peace of God, which is much greater than we can understand, will guard your hearts and thoughts”. 

With God's blessing and with God's peace in our hearts, we are to live virtuous and noble lives, doing what is good and pure, and doing it with love and honour. 

That is the fruit that we are to produce in our lives. 

God has called us and chosen us to bear those fruits for His glory. 

It is in bearing those fruits of holiness that others will see God present in our lives, and that they will want to know God through us. 

And that is actually our mission, isn't it? 

There is a story of a conversation between Jesus and the archangel Gabriel, and though it is just a story, it illustrates a good point. 

After Jesus ascended to heaven, the archangel Gabriel approached Him and said, "Master, You must have suffered terribly for men down there." 

"I did," Jesus said. "And," continued Gabriel, "do they know all about how You loved them and what You did for them?" 

"Oh, no," said Jesus, "not yet. Right now only a small group of people in Jerusalem know about it." 

Gabriel was astonished. "Then what have You done, to let everyone know about Your love for them?" 

Jesus said, "I've asked Peter, James, John, and a few more friends to tell other people about Me. Those who are told will in turn tell other people about Me, and My story will be spread to the furthest ends of the world. Ultimately, all of mankind will have heard about My life and what I have done." 

Gabriel frowned and looked rather puzzled. He knew how weak and flawed men are. "But what if Peter and James and John grow weary? What if the people who come after them forget? What if way down in the twenty-first century, people just don't tell others about You? Haven't You made any other plans?" 

And Jesus answered, "I haven't made any other plans. I'm counting on them" 

Twenty centuries later, Jesus still has no other plan! 

So, there is no "plan B". Jesus counted on His early disciples, and they delivered.

Jesus is also counting on you and me.

Those early disciples prayed and Jesus helped them.

Let us also pray and trust that Jesus will provide for us, and we will bear the fruits for His glory and lead others to Him.

26th Week, Ordinary Time, Saturday, 03-10-2026

Job 42:1-3, 5-6, 12-17 / Luke 10:17-24  

We like things to have a happy ending. If it is a story book or a movie, a happy ending will earn our approval.

Even in life, whatever we undertake, be it projects or assignments or whatever tasks, we would like it to have a happy ending, so that we would earn the approval of others.

In the 1st reading, we have finally come to the last chapter of the book of Job. The book of Job has often been the assigned reading for those who have questions about innocent suffering.

Well, the book of Job closes with a happy ending with the fortunes of Job restored and he lived to a ripe old age and full of days.

Yet Job did not find the answers as to why he had been afflicted with sufferings and tragedies. His consolation, besides his restoration, was his realization of who God is as he says "but now I have seen You with my own eyes"

He realized that everything happens under the watchful eyes of God, and God's plan for us is always for our good and not otherwise.

In the gospel the 72 disciples came back to Jesus rejoicing that even devils submit to them when they use the authoritative name of Jesus.

But the time will come when the whole strength of the enemy will come at them, and they will be persecuted and they will even have to face death.

It may not be that kind of happy ending that people wish for, yet for whatever ending it will be, the disciples will accept it willingly.

Because the true happy ending will be that their names are written in heaven. 

May we willingly accept our difficulties and sufferings in life and realize who God is, so that our names will also be written in heaven.

Guardian Angels, Friday, 02-10-2026

Ex 23:20-23 / Mt 18:1-5, 10 

In one section of the Creed, we profess the existence of not only the seen but also the unseen, or what we call the spiritual world.

Yet somehow, whenever we talk about the spiritual world,  what may come to mind may be ghosts and haunted places.

Today as the Church celebrates the feast of Guardian Angels, we also acknowledge the existence of the spiritual world.

But it is a spiritual world of angels whom God has sent to protect and guard and guide us.

What God has assured His people Israel in the 1st reading, i.e. the protection of an angel, He also assures the Church and each of us.

This is also what Jesus is affirming in the gospel.

So let us pray daily to our guardian angels whom God has sent from above.

Let us always remember to pray this traditional prayer to our guardian angels:

Angel of God my guardian dear

To whom God's love, commits me here,

Ever this day be at my side,

To light and guard, to rule and guide.

Amen.

St. Therese of the Child Jesus, Patroness of the Missions, Thursday, 01-10-2026

Isaiah 66:10-14 / Matthew 18:1-5     

St. Thérèse of the Child Jesus is also known as the "Little Flower of Jesus".

St. Thérèse was declared co-patron of the missions with St. Francis Xavier in 1927.

This is quite astonishing because she was a nun in the enclosed Carmelite community of Lisieux, Normandy in France.

Unlike St. Francis Xavier who travelled far and wide to spread the Gospel and baptized many people, St. Thérèse spent all her religious life in the cloistered convent.

Though she had thoughts of going off to the mission lands, her ill health forbade her from doing so.

Nonetheless she offered prayers for the missions and also her every little act was offered to God in prayer.

In her memoir The Story of a Soul, she said that she was just a very little soul and so she could only offer God very little things.

But it was doing these very little things with great love that  that she offered it to God for the salvation of souls.

That is also precisely the message in today' s gospel - childlike humility is the way to the kingdom of God.

It is the small childlike humble heart, one that is like that of St. Thérèse, that is considered great in the eyes of God.

26th Week, Ordinary Time, Wednesday, 30-09-2026

Job 9:1-13, 14-16 / Luke 9:57-62    

To believe in God and to trust in Him is never an easy thing to do.

In fact, we tend to blame God when bad things happen to us and we get angry with Him when things don't go our way.

We treat God our way, and very often it is not a very nice way.

But what if God were to treat us the way we treat Him? Certainly we would shudder and tremble if God were to really do that.

That is what Job was saying in the 1st reading. He asked questions like "How can a man be in the right against God?" "Can anyone be so rash as to challenge Him for reasons?"

Job was suffering and afflicted even though he knew he had done nothing wrong. Yet he knew who he was and who God is, and hence he was almost resigned to the fact that he would have to suffer innocently.

And yet when God became man in Jesus, He did not force people to believe in Him and to trust Him unconditionally.

In fact, Jesus had to reason out with people and put across the reality of facing hardship in following Him.

Yes, believing in Jesus and trusting in Him is never an easy thing to do. We will surely get tired, disappointed, discouraged and grumble against Him and even get angry with Him.

Yet may we also persevere and persist, and keep our hand on the plough and keep going forward with Jesus. To look back may mean going nowhere.

The Holy Archangels Michael, Gabriel and Raphael, Tuesday, 29-09-2026

Dan 7:9-0,13-4 / Rev 12:7-12a / John 1:47-51

As human beings, we can't avoid being influenced and maybe even affected by spiritual happenings.

We are more inclined to believe that there are evil spirits roaming around to scare the wits out of us, than to believe in angels that look like cute chubby babies with wings.

But in the spiritual world of the unseen and the invisible, if we believe in the existence of evil spirits, then all the more we too must believe in the presence of angels.

Today we celebrate the feast of three archangels : Michael, Gabriel and Raphael.

All three names end with "el", which is the old Jewish word for "God".

The name Michael means "Who can be like God?" - it is a name that has the form of a rhetoric question.

Gabriel means "the power of God". He announced the Good News of salvation to Zechariah and Mary and manifested God's saving power.

Raphael means "the healing power of God". He brought about God's healing power in the book of Tobit.

Though God is unseen, yet through these three archangels, He manifested His power and presence.

Indeed, who can be like God, who is so loving that He saved us through His Son, and forgave and healed us.

We can only be thankful to God.

26th Week, Ordinary Time, Monday, 28-09-2026

Job 1:6-22 / Luke 9:46-50    

There are some things which we would certainly like to put on display.

Whether it is at home, or in school, or at the club-house, or even in the parish office, if we have any awards, or academic achievements, or medals, or trophies, we would certainly like to put them a special display.

In a way, all those items are mirrors. They show us how good we are and what we can do.

They are also indicators of how we fare with others, to see what we are and who we are in comparison with others.

In the gospel, the disciples were ranking themselves against each other, and that's when Jesus interjected.

The model of greatness which He gave them was a humble little child.

That was really a contradiction and a paradoxical model of what we are so used to when we talk about greatness.

Because we tend to associate greatness with power and might, and achievements and possessions.

But when these are taken away, is there anything else that we can be proud of or feel great about?

We can slowly understand a bit of what greatness is all about when Job in the 1st reading said this after all he had was taken away :

Naked I came from my mother's womb, naked I shall return. The Lord gave, the Lord has taken back. Blessed be the name of the Lord.

26th Ordinary Sunday, Year A, 27.09.2026

Ezekiel 18:25-28 / Philippians 2:1-11 / Matthew 21:28-32          

To get a good head start in life is certainly a privilege as well as an advantage. 

A good head start would probably mean having a stable family background and good upbringing. 

It would also probably mean having the intellectual capacity and ability to attain a good educational qualification. 

All these conditions would give a good head start in life. Or so it seems. 

Let us take a look at Thomas Edison, Beethoven, Albert Einstein, and Isaac Newton. 

They have renowned accomplishments and achievements in life, and we would presume that they have had a good head start. 

But that was not the case in their younger years. 

Thomas Edison was kind of deaf, and in school, his teacher called him unintelligent and unteachable. But he became a prolific inventor and the electric bulb is one of his many inventions. 

Beethoven, the great composer, had a childhood marked by severe emotional and physical abuse. 

Albert Einstein had speech delay and academic rejection, and yet he became a great scientist. 

Isaac Newton was considered a lazy and inattentive and was always at the bottom of his class. Yet, from him came the Newton's law of motion and gravity. 

These are enough examples of renowned people who didn't have a good head start, was disadvantaged, and lacking in many ways.

Yet they managed to overcome some of their early adversities, whether it was physical disabilities, poverty, trauma, or labeled as unintelligent. 

But it also cannot be denied that there are many others who could not overcome their adversities and disadvantages. 

In the Gospel, Jesus told the chief priests and the elders of the parable of the two sons. 

In answer to His question about who did the father's will, they said it was the first son. 

Then Jesus connected the parable to the conversion of the tax collectors and prostitutes, in contrast to the obstinate and stubborn attitude of the chief priests and the elders. 

The tax collectors, prostitutes, and sinners did not choose to be like that in life.

They probably didn't have a good head start, and they could not overcome the adversities and disadvantages in life. 

But they responded to the message of John the Baptist, the message of repentance, and they embarked on the road of conversion. 

The chief priests and the elders would have a good head start, and life was comfortable for them. 

But they have become complacent as they were not seeing and hearing what God is showing and saying to them. 

But regardless of whether it was a tax collector, a prostitute, a sinner, a high priest, or an elder, it is tragic when one does not see or hear what God is saying and showing. 

I remember that many years ago I was going for home communion visits to an elderly couple. 

The wife shared that they had four children. The first three were bright and intelligent. They were her pride and happiness. But the fourth child, a boy, was born with Down’s Syndrome. 

The couple felt sad and angry about that fourth child. The wife also questioned God about being burdened by that fourth child and saw it as a kind of punishment. 

So, while the other three children went on to achieve much in life, that fourth child was left without much in life and was like a burden for the family. 

Eventually, the other three children got married and moved out of the home, leaving the couple with that son. 

As the couple were getting on in years, it was that fourth child who was always with them to keep them company. 

In whatever capacity he could manage, he was a help and a comfort to his parents in their old age. 

As the wife shared all that, the son was sitting beside her, and I wondered if he could comprehend what his mother shared. 

Finally, the wife said that what she thought was a burden turned out to be a blessing. 

Today's gospel parable tells us that there are many who do not have a good head start, and they also do not have that many advantages and privileges in life. 

We can be God's sign of hope for them, just as how the message of John the Baptist gave hope to the tax collectors and prostitutes. 

Let us see these people as blessings and not as burdens, for through them God will show us what is love and humility.

25th Week, Ordinary Time, Saturday, 26-09-2026

Ecclesiastes 11:9 - 12:8 / Luke 9:43-45  

Each passing day has something to tell us, something to teach us, as well as something to reveal to us.

Each day passes into history and it will never come back again.

Whatever has happened cannot be changed, and so, regretting is futile. Still, the past is a good teacher.

And whatever is going to happen, whether for today, or for the future, is beyond our prediction or expectation.

But with each passing moment, there is a revelation.

It reveals who we are now, how we have learnt from the past, and how we are prepared for the future.

But there is also a deeper revelation. Each passing day reveals how aware are we of God’s presence.

As the first reading puts it: Yet youth, the age of dark hair, is vanity. And remember the creator in the days of your youth, before evil days come and the years approach when you say “These give me no pleasure”.

The first reading warns us that the attractions of the vanities of this world can draw us away from God and forget His goodness to us.

In the gospel, Jesus has these words to remind and prepare His disciples for what is to come: “For your part, you must have these words constantly in mind: The Son of Man is going to be handed over to the power of men.”

So, in our happy and bright moments, let us praise and thank the Lord.

In our sad and dark moments, let us stay close to the Lord.

The Lord is our hope for today and every day. May we remember this always.

25th Week, Ordinary Time, Friday, 25-09-2026

Ecclesiastes 3:1-11 / Luke 9:18-22 

Generally speaking, it takes about 20-21 days for chicken eggs to hatch under proper incubation conditions.

And it takes about 1 to 2 weeks for a butterfly to emerge from its pupa stage.

During that period of time, there is nothing that can be done to hasten the process.

If the egg is cracked or the pupa is broken before the time is up, then the new life is terminated.

So, nature has its own time, and its own way, to bring about new life.

That also tells us that life also goes by its own time for things to happen.

The first reading has the word “time” repeat a number of times.

But that time does not stand on its own. It is a time that is set by God.

It is in God’s time that things will come to life and grow.

It is in God’s time that things will happen and His plans to be revealed.

And it was in God’s time that Jesus came into the world and in Peter, His true identity is revealed as the Christ of God.

Let us know that we cannot speed up things or determine a time line for events to happen.

Let us live and move with God’s time and then there will be life and growth.

25th Week, Ordinary Time, Thursday, 24-09-2026

Ecclesiastes 1:2-11, Luke 9:7-9   

When we reflect on our pride and ego, the one thing that we can say is that we struggle with them.

The obvious understanding is that we try to control our pride and ego so as not to let them get into the way of our character and personality.

So we try to be humble, so as to be a pleasant person and get along well with others, and we can even get rather anxious trying to be a pleasant person.

On the other hand, it cannot be denied that there are people who are fixated or engrossed in boosting their pride and ego.

So they will seek attention and want the limelight on them.

As the first reading puts it so profoundly, pride and ego are the vanity of vanities.

It is like the rivers all go into the sea, and yet the sea is never filled, and still the rivers continue to go into the sea.

The human pride and ego are nothing new under the sun.

And yet human beings succumb to this vanity of vanities.

We seek attention only to find rejection. We seek to impress but we get depressed.

In the gospel, Herod was curious and anxious to find out who Jesus is.

In his pride and ego, he had done away with John the Baptist. And he now wants to do the same with Jesus.

Anxiety, curiosity and vanity was his obsession and he forgot how to be human.

Let us control our pride and ego, and let go of our anxiety and vanity.

Let us look at the Lord Jesus and do what He wants of us and to be who He wants us to be.

Let us live simple and humble lives and be happy with the love of the Lord.

25th Week, Ordinary Time, Wednesday, 23-09-2026

Proverbs 30:5-9 / Luke 9:1-6      

The word “enough” needs further elaboration as it can have subjective meanings.

Like for example, we may say that we do not have enough of something like manpower or finance.

And when we say that enough is enough, it may mean that we have reached the limits of our tolerance and we are going to react.

And when we say that we have more than enough, it also needs elaboration about what is being referred to.

In the first reading, book of Proverbs states that every Word of God is unalloyed.

And that Word of God teaches that two truths that applies to every situation on life.

There is no need to fear poverty or desire for riches, only enough to live life happily and to trust in God for His providence.

In the gospel, Jesus sent out His disciples and gave them power and authority over devils and to cure diseases.

And He told them to take nothing for the journey, almost nothing except whatever they had on them.

God will provide for them and they must have faith in God’s providence.

May we also have faith and trust that God will provide for us.

God will give us just enough, and that will also be our witnessing to who we believe in.

25th Week, Ordinary Time, Tuesday, 22-09-2026

Proverbs 21:1-6, 10-13 / Luke 8:19-21  

When we reflect upon nature, we may be able to see the mystery of life and what it reveals to us.

For example, when water runs down a slope, it does not flow in one straight line.

Rather, the water separates and each stream flows in a direction of its own.

Even the water seems to have some kind of life.

The first reading says that like flowing water is the heart of the king in the hand of the Lord, who turns it where He pleases.

But our human tendency is to direct the flow of water to where we want it to flow.

So we will dig drains and build ducts to direct the flow of water.

Similarly we want to direct the flow of our lives according to our own wishes.

As the first reading says, we work hard for gain, but we also want to gain quickly, but it leaves us desiring for more.

It also reminds us that the Lord weighs the heart, and to act virtuously and with justice is more pleasing to the Lord than sacrifice.

Indeed, when we turn away from sin and put our lives in the hands of God, then our hearts will be like flowing water in the hand of the Lord who turns it where He pleases.

And the Lord will also make our hearts flowing with His love to hear the poor man’s cry.

And when we call upon the Lord, He will hear our cry and quench our thirst with His living water.

St. Matthew, Apostle and Evangelist, Monday, 21-09-2026

Ephesians 4:1-7, 11-13 / Matthew 9:9-13  

In a job application form, as well as other application forms, it is usually a requirement for applicants to disclose any prior criminal convictions or penal offenses.

The purpose is primarily for legal, practical, and risk-management reasons.

And if an applicant has a prior criminal conviction or committed a penal offence, then there will be challenges and difficulties.

For St. Matthew, it was public knowledge that he was a tax-collector who was working for the Romans.

Needless to say, he was labelled as a traitor who betrayed his own people, and hence he was cut-off, rejected, despised and hated.

Jesus would have His reasons for calling St. Matthew to follow him, but the other disciples would certainly be suspicious of him.

St. Matthew may had had a bad start, and he had to work hard at being faithful in following Jesus.

And he may also had to make it a point to remember and record down the teachings of Jesus.

And so for the feast of St. Matthew, the gospel passage was chosen from his gospel with the message that Jesus did not come to call the virtuous, but sinners.

It was a message for himself, and it is also a message for each of us.

St. Matthew started off rough and tough, but that formed him to be one of the Evangelists.

When we acknowledge that we are sinners, then God will call us to do great things for Him.

25th Ordinary Sunday, Year A, 20.09.2026

Isaiah 55:6-9 / Philippians 1:20-24, 27 / Matthew 20:1-16           

The term “last minute” often evokes sudden emotions.

Because the term “last minute” is usually followed by other words like “last minute problems” or “last minute interruptions” or “last minute disruptions”. 

Such situations are certainly unpleasant surprises that immediately give rise to tension, stress, anxiety or confusion. 

This often results in strained relationships, the blame-game, and quarrels.

Simply because something bad has happened or something bad is going to happen, and so no one is happy about it.

In fact, everyone will be angry because someone or some people were irresponsible or negligent or has overlooked an important matter. 

So “last minute-whatever” are not pleasant surprises, but they might also remind us to expect the unexpected. 

In the gospel parable, there were a couple of last-minute surprises. 

In the parable, the landowner sets out at daybreak to hire workers for his vineyard. 

There seems to be an abundance of workers as he kept hiring at the third hour, the sixth hour, and the ninth hour. 

Then at the 11th hour, the landowner found more workers standing around because no one had hired them. 

Yet, despite being the 11th hour, which means that there is only one hour of work left, the landowner still hired those workers. 

It seems like a last minute surprise, and for those workers, it was certainly a surprise. 

It was a pleasant surprise beyond their expectation. 

But for those workers who were hired at the start of the day, they grumbled because they had expected more but got the same wage as those hired at the 11th hour. 

This parable gives us an insight into the mind of God and His ways.

One of which is that length of time is irrelevant to God. 

It doesn't matter to God whether a person is a lifelong Catholic or a last-minute convert. 

God has no favourites, and He gives His blessings to those who ask for it, and to those who need it. 

And the parable also addresses our human weakness in the areas of jealousy and entitlement. 

The workers who were hired first got the same wage as those who were hired at the 11th hour. 

Instead of being thankful and grateful for their wages, they grumbled at the landowner. 

They were jealous of those last-minute workers, and they thought they should be entitled to more. 

But God's ways are not man's ways, and God's thoughts are not man's thoughts, as we heard in the first reading. 

God is truth and justice. So, all the workers were paid as agreed upon. 

The ways and the thoughts of God are not that difficult to understand, but it is man's selfish thoughts and greedy ways that cause confusion and frustration in life. 

So, while the 11th hour hiring of the workers was a pleasant surprise, the last-minute grumbling of the workers who were hired first was a sour taste of jealousy and entitlement. 

The second reading tells us this: Avoid anything in your everyday lives that would be unworthy of the Gospel of Christ. 

In other words, never do anything that we can't offer to God. 

Once upon a time, there was a selfish man. He liked everything to be his own. He could not share his belongings with anyone, not even his friends or the poor. 

One day, the man lost a bag of thirty gold coins. He went to his friend’s house and told him how he lost his gold coins. 

His friend was a kind man. As his friend’s daughter was coming from an errand, she found that bag of thirty gold coins.

When she arrived home, she told her father what she had found. The girl’s father told her that the bag of gold coins belong to his friend and he sent for him. 

When the selfish man arrived, the father told him how his daughter had found the bag of thirty gold coins and handed it to him. 

After counting the gold coins, the man said that ten of them was missing and had been taken by the girl, as he had forty gold coins in the bag. 

He further insisted that he will recover the remaining amount from the father. But the girl’s father refused. 

The man left the bag of gold coins and went to the court and informed the judge there about what had taken place between him and the girl’s father. 

The judge sent for the girl and her father, and when they arrived asked the girl how many gold coins did she find. She replied thirty gold coins. 

The judge then asked the selfish man how many gold coins did he lose and he answered forty gold coins. 

The judge then told the man that the gold coins did not belong to him because the girl found thirty and not forty as he claimed to have lost. The judge then told the girl to take the gold coins and that if anybody is looking for them he will send for the girl. 

The judge told the man that if anybody reports that they have found forty gold coins he will send for him. 

It was then that the man confessed that he lied and that he lost thirty gold coins, but the judge did not listen to him. 

So, the ways of man may be corrupted and dishonest, but the ways of God will prevail with justice and truth. 

The thoughts of man may be slanted in selfishness and greed, but the thoughts of God are towards love and mercy. 

Let us walk in the ways of the Lord and we will understand the thoughts of God. 

Let us never do anything that we cannot offer to God. 

And at the 11th hour, or even at the last minute, God will show us His wonderful blessings when we follow His ways.