22nd Week, Ordinary Time, Tuesday, 01-09-2026

1 Cor 2:10-16 / Luke 4:31-37     

Whenever something happens in the world, there will be numerous opinions and comments coming forth.

From wars to disasters, from scientific developments to technological advances, from social trends to sports, there will be many people saying many things.

So, experts and academicians, politicians and ordinary persons, all will have something to say about whatever is happening.

There is whole array of reasoning and philosophies, such that we are often left wondering what is right and true.

In the first reading, St. Paul says that we have received the Spirit that comes from God to teach us to understand the gifts that He has given us.

We have become spiritual persons who are able to judge what is good, what is right and what is true.

In the gospel, Jesus taught in the synagogue and He made a deep impression because He spoke with authority.

And right there in the synagogue, there was a man who was possessed by a devil and it caused a commotion because it knew who Jesus is.

But Jesus silenced it and cast it out of the man.

We have heard many voices from the world, and as we come to Church we may even echo those worldly and unspiritual voices.

Let us be aware of the worldly and unspiritual voices of resentment, pessimism, discouragement that are coming out from us.

Let us ask Jesus to silence those voices and cast them out of us.

Then we can speak the truth with love, and do what is right and just.

22nd Week, Ordinary Time, Monday, 31-08-2026

1 Corinthians 2:1-5 / Luke 4:16-30        (2026)

One of the primary tasks of the priest is to preach the Word of God. Preaching the homily at Mass is his duty and he is obligated to prepare for it.

Yet the task of preaching is indeed challenging because the people of God thirst for the Word to be made flesh in their lives. They yearn to experience scriptural teachings translating in their everyday life.

So priests and preachers will understand what St. Paul meant when he said: I came among you in great fear and trembling in the speeches and sermons that I gave.

But  he also quickly added that none of his preaching belonged to philosophy.

Rather it is a demonstration of the power of the Spirit.

It was with the power of the Spirit that Jesus went back to Nazareth, and at the synagogue, He read the passage from the prophet Isaiah.

And the people were astonished by the gracious words that came from His lips.

But it is so easy to let human thinking as well as criticism come into the way of the Word of God.

As we could see it from the gospel, the people started to make a judgment about Him and subsequently rejected Him.

Human beings may be endowed with knowledge and intelligence, but we must also remember that God's ways are not man's ways.

May our minds and hearts be opened to God's revelation as He speaks to us through His Word.

May our faith be not dependent on human philosophy but on the power of God.

22nd Ordinary Sunday, Year A, 30.08.2026

Jeremiah 20:7-9 / Romans 12:1-2 / Matthew 16:21-27  

We are quite familiar with the story of the race between the hare and the tortoise.

The hare was always making fun of the tortoise for being so slow and even mocked him by saying that the tortoise will never get anywhere.

The tortoise retorted by saying that he can get anywhere sooner or later, and even challenged the hare to a race.

The hare was much amused that the tortoise is challenging him to a race, and for the fun of it, he accepted.

On the day of the race, from the word “Go!”, the hare was off to a flying start and soon was out of sight.

Halfway through, the hare spotted a vegetable garden, and since he was way ahead and rather hungry, he decided to have a meal and a nap.

The hare slept so soundly that the tortoise caught up and continued towards the finish line.

When the hare woke up, he saw that the tortoise was reaching the finish line.

The hare ran as fast as he could, but it was the tortoise who crossed the finish line first and won the race.

The moral of the story is that slow and steady will win the race.

Other lessons are that persistence matters, and arrogance and bragging will result in failure. 

But let's say, if we had not heard of the story before, we will certainly think that the hare will win.

Because human logic and reasoning will tell us to be on the side of the top dog instead of the underdog.

In the Gospel, Jesus began to make it clear to His disciples that He was destined to go to Jerusalem and suffer grievously at the hands of the elders, the chief priests, and the scribes. 

He will be put to death, but will be raised up on the third day. 

While the disciples were trying to understand what Jesus was saying, Peter decided to do something. 

He took Jesus aside and started to remonstrate with Him and said, "Heaven preserve you, Lord! This must not happen to you." 

But Jesus turned round and said to Peter, "Get behind me, Satan! You are an obstacle in my path, because the way you think is not God's way but man's." 

We may be just as startled and even just as shocked as Peter was when Jesus said that. 

Jesus is not calling Peter “Satan”. Jesus is pointing out that what Peter suggested is not God's way but Satan's way. 

Satan's way is to tempt us to reject the cross and suffering, and to preserve one's life by being selfish and self-centred. 

As Jesus would ask His disciples, "What then will a man gain if he wins the whole world and ruins his life? Or what has a man to offer in exchange for his life?" 

Or as in the story of the hare and the tortoise, do we think that we can win the race of life with our confidence, our resources, and our abilities? 

Or would we choose the way of the tortoise, to be slow and steady, to persevere with faith, and to walk in the humble ways of God. 

We have God-given talents and gifts, but we must know what we really want in life and which way to go. 

That calls to mind Saint Thomas Aquinas, who was brilliantly gifted in writing. 

His greatest work was the Summa Theologica, or the Summary of Theology. 

One day, he had a vision while praying. A voice from the crucifix asked what he wanted as a reward for his many writings about God. 

Saint Thomas Aquinas replied, "Only You, Lord, only You." 

Saint Thomas Aquinas knew even if he has gained the whole world but does not have Jesus in his life, then he is ruined. 

There is nothing that he can exchange for his life. Jesus was all he wanted and all he needed. 

Let us be like the tortoise, to be slow and steady in our faith so that we will know the way towards God. 

Like Saint Thomas Aquinas, let us know that Jesus is all we want and all we need. 

The Passion of St. John the Baptist, Saturday, 29-08-2026

Jeremiah 1:17-19 / Mark 6:17-29  

We may wonder how Jesus felt when he heard about the death of his cousin, John the Baptist.

Not much is said about their relationship, but we can guess they knew each other from their earlier days, probably played together, talked about life.

Both knew they had a mission.

And both also know that the mission cannot be accomplished without putting their lives on the line.

John the Baptist was the first to do it and that line was drawn across his neck.

For Jesus, it was drawn at the cross.

And for us, that line will also be drawn for us.

A line that will cut across the various aspects of our lives when we have to decide between whose side to stand on.

To stand on God's side, will result in some scars and wounds.

But it is through those scars and wounds that God will continue to save the world.

For it is by Christ's wounds that we ourselves have been healed and saved.

21st Week, Ordinary Time, Friday, 28-08-2026

1 Cor 17-25 / Matthew 25:1-13   

It is not surprising that we are greatly influenced by the thinking of the world.

Not only are we led to follow how the world thinks, we also follow how the world talks.

As a result, we think in terms of immediate results, clear signs, high energy performance and impressive returns on efficiency, productivity and achievement.

So, we begin to imitate what works for the world and how the world talks.

And we also presume that what works for the world would also work for the Church.

And we also think that how the world talks is also how the Church should talk.

But St. Paul reminds us in the first reading that the thinking and the language of Christianity is very much different from that of the world.

The Good News of salvation is not to be preached in the terms of philosophy in which the crucifixion of Christ cannot be expressed.

The language of the Cross may be illogical to those who are not on the way to salvation, but those of us who are on the way see it as God’s power to save.

So the world looks for impressive and attractive signs, and thinking is based on logic and reason.

But Christianity preaches a crucified Christ, which is unacceptable and unreasonable to the world.

But for Christians who are called by God to have faith, the Cross and the crucified Christ is the power and wisdom of God.

Christians are called to bring the Cross and the crucified Christ into the world, and not to bring the world’s thinking and language into the Church.

May the Lord our God give us lighted lamps of faith to bring the Good News of salvation into the world.

21st Week, Ordinary Time, Thursday, 27-08-2026

1 Cor 1:1-4 / Matthew 24:42-51   

It cannot be denied that we tend to look for excitement in life.

Excitement makes us alive and we go holidaying, shopping, eating and socializing.

And we may also want to create some excitement to express ourselves and what we can do.

So, to sit around and do nothing may not seem useful and productive.

And it can be dull and boring to be doing nothing, or doing what is mundane and ordinary.

But in the gospel, Jesus says that the faithful and wise servant is one who is faithful to his duties like giving the master’s household their food at the proper time.

A faithful and wise servant is not one who looks for excitement or goes around creating excitement.

Rather he stays awake, waiting and listening for the master’s instructions, while doing the mundane and the ordinary.

Jesus is our Master and we are His disciples and His servants.

We may not be called to do great and exciting things, but we are to do ordinary things with great love for Jesus.

We stay awake, waiting and listening for our Master’s instructions.

And when Jesus calls us to a task, let us be obedient and faithful in carrying our His will.

21st Week, Ordinary Time, Wednesday, 26-08-2026

2 Thess 3:6-10, 16-18 / Matthew 23:27-32  

In life, we are exposed to many external influences.

We are shaped and formed by what we read, from what we hear and from what we see.

And we are also influenced by the people around us.

So if the people around us live good and upright lives, then we tend to live likewise.

But if the people around us are bad examples of life, then we may tend to be like them.

In other words, proximity leads to conformity.

In the first reading, St. Paul urged the Thessalonians to keep away from those who refuse to work or live according to the Christian teachings.

He even goes on to say that who refuse to do any work should not be given any food.

Those people are bad examples of Christian living and so it is better to keep away from them so as not to follow their bad examples.

Because the danger is that it is easier to copy bad examples than to live virtuous and holy lives.

In the gospel, Jesus warns against hypocrisy, which is the act of pretending to have moral standards, beliefs, or virtues.

The truth is that hypocrisy will eventually be exposed and then others will avoid and stay away from us.

Jesus is the Way, the Truth and the Life. 

When we follow Jesus and be faithful to His teachings, we will grow in holiness and be witnesses to Jesus for others to follow.

21st Week, Ordinary Time, Tuesday, 25-08-2026

2 Thess 2:1-3, 14-17 / Matthew 23:23-26  

Sitting in a car that is travelling at a high speed, we won’t be able to notice or observe much of the surroundings.

We will be too thrilled and distracted by how fast the car is going and also fearing for our safety.

Similarly when life is moving fast, we won’t notice or observe what is happening to ourselves or to others.

That may also lead us to only think for ourselves and whatever is coming up next.

And we also won’t have time to stop and think about where we are going and what we are doing.

In the first reading, St. Paul warns the Thessalonians not to get excited or alarmed by any predictions or rumour or any letter claiming that the Day of the Lord has arrived.

Instead he tells them to stand firm and keep the traditions that they were taught.

To do that would mean that they have to stop, think and reflect about who they are and what God is saying to them.

In the gospel, Jesus says that the Pharisees are caught up with paying tithes on the weight of the herbs but forgetting about the weightier of the Law, like justice, mercy and good faith.

It is like washing cups and dishes quickly, but only washing them on the outside and not cleaning the inside.

So, it is about slowing down and even being still, so that we know what we are doing and also listening and seeing what God is saying and showing us.

To pray is to stop and be still and to reflect about what is happening to us and what God is saying to us.

When we listen to the voice of God in prayer, our souls will be cleansed and we will know what God wants us to do.

St. Bartholomew, Apostle, Monday, 24-08-2026

Apocalypse 21:9-14 / John1:45-51  

St Bartholomew was from Cana in Galilee, and he was often identified as Nathaniel in the gospel of John but the other gospels listed him together with Philip as one of the first apostles chosen by Christ.

From the gospel, we can make a presumption of what kind of character he was.

For one, he was a straight-forward and a straight-talking person, who says what he means and means what he says.

We can make that presumption when he made that statement: Can anything good come from Nazareth? That was indeed a raw and cutting frankness.

Nonetheless, he was an open-minded person because he followed Philip to see who that person Jesus was.

He was also a person of prayer, as attested to by Jesus, because to sit under a fig tree means to be under its shade of coolness and to pray and meditate on God's righteousness and a longing for the coming of God's kingdom.

So in effect, Jesus was affirming Bartholomew about his character. It was like He knew what kind of a person Bartholomew really was.

Similarly, Jesus also knows each of us through and through and He also wants to affirm our goodness.

Like St. Bartholomew, let us continue to follow Jesus as He reveals Himself to us.

May we also come to know ourselves deeper and be strengthened in our goodness.

May we also always meditate on God's righteousness and on God's kingdom and proclaim it in our lives.

21st Ordinary Sunday, Year A, 23.08.2026

Isaiah 22:19-23 / Romans 11:33-35 / Matthew 16:13-20  

There are many reasons why people come to church.

For some, it is a place for social interaction as there are friends in church.

For some, it is because they are in a ministry and so they come to church to serve.

For some, it is a religious obligation to be observed.

And for others, it is a religious ritual or habit.

But with the COVID pandemic in 2020, that brought about drastic changes.

One of the most glaring was the drop in church attendance, meaning that people stopped coming to church.

At the height of it, the drop in attendance was between 30 to 40%.

But for those of us who are still coming to church week after week, there is a deeper reason.

We come to church because we have experienced the trials and tribulations of life.

We have tried to save ourselves with our abilities and resources, but we have failed.

And when we are down to nothing, we turn to God as our last resort, and then there came up something.

The long and short of it is that in our nothingness, we experience God in His goodness.

So it can be said that we have experienced who God is.

In the Gospel, Jesus asked His disciples, "Who do people say I am?"

And then He also asked them, "Who do you say I am?"

Jesus asked them that question when they came to the region of Caesarea Philippi.

The significance of the region of Caesarea Philippi is that it was heavily saturated with idolatry with shrines dedicated to the Greek gods Pan and Zeus, as well as a marble temple dedicated to Caesar Augustus. 

There was also a deep cave spring which was viewed as a literal gateway to the underworld, or nicknamed the “Gates of Hell”. 

So, standing in the midst of the physical stronghold of idol worship and imperial power, there were two divine revelations. 

The first revelation was to Peter, and he declared Jesus to be the Christ, the Son of the living God. 

The second revelation was from Jesus, when He said to Peter, "You are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of the underworld can never hold out against it." 

In short, Jesus declared that His church and His kingdom will overcome the powers of death and darkness and evil. 

And there is also another revelation with regards to the name Peter. 

The name Peter in Greek is “Petros”, which means a single stone or a pebble or a small detached rock. 

So, it is contrary to what we would have imagined to be a huge, immovable rock. 

Jesus built His church and kingdom on that small stone or pebble to tell us the mysterious power of God.

That God can build His church and kingdom on the lowly, the little, and the humble. 

So, the strength and power is from God and not from man. 

And that is what we have experienced from God in church. 

In our weakness and frailty, God raises up the lowly from the dust heap. 

So, it is in the lowly, the little, and the humble that God reveals His glory and power. 

And it is in our weakness and failures that God gives us strength. 

As Jesus declared, the gates of the underworld and the powers of darkness can never hold out against God's church and His kingdom. 

Yes, God protects us from evil, but we also need to be aware and beware.

Because the most dangerous enemy is not out there, but from within. 

We can become the tools of the devil when we give in to sin and cause division from within.

By our pride and ego, our resentment and anger, our jealousy and envy, our unforgiveness and urge for revenge, we bring darkness and division into the church. 

But let us remember what binds us and unites us as church. 

Jesus binds us together and unites us with His love so that we too can bind ourselves with one another. 

And let us also cast aside what is not pleasing to God. 

With humility and charity, we will receive the blessings from God to be a church that is a sign of salvation to the world. 

Queenship of the BVM, Saturday, 22-08-2026

Isaiah 9:1-6 / Lk 1:26-38     

Eight days ago, the Church celebrated the Solemnity of the Assumption of Mary into heaven.

In the course of these eight days, the Church meditates deeper on the mystery of the Assumption, and on the Octave of the Assumption (8 days later) the Church concludes the reflection with the  celebration of the Queenship of Mary.

In short, it could be said that God assumed Mary into heaven to share the victory of Christ and to reign with Him in glory as Queen of Heaven.

So the proclamation and celebration of Mary's queenship in essence points to the Kingship of Christ.

In celebrating the queenship of Mary, we are also reminded that we are the Chosen people of God and we are also His royal children.

So as God's Chosen and royal people, all that we do and say must be geared towards giving glory to God.

Mary showed us how to do that in the gospel when she responded to God's call by accepting God's will.

In doing so, Mary gave us the concrete example of obedience in the form of servanthood.

We are not just the Chosen and royal people of God. We are also the Chosen and royal servants of Christ the King.

With Mary as our queen, let us offer ourselves in service to the Church, so that in all that we do and say, God will be glorified and exalted.

20th Week, Ordinary Time, Friday, 21-08-2026

Ezekiel 37:1-4 / Matthew 22:34-40  

Whatever we may want to think or say about this world, it is still a beautiful world.

We live in this world and we would like to live happily and peacefully in this world.

Yet, we can't deny that there are many contradictions that make us wonder if this beautiful world is coming to an end.

There are wars, violence and bloodshed. There are wicked people who are bent on committing evil as if it is their right.

We see injustice and oppression, with scammers cheating the seniors out of their life savings.

At times, we see this world like the image given in the first reading, a valley of dry bones with no life.

But the Lord God told Ezekiel to prophesy over those bones by saying: Dry bones, hear the Word of the Lord. The Lord says this to these bones: I am now going to make the breath enter you, and you will live.

And eventually the breath entered them, and they came to life, with sinews, flesh and skin, and they stood up on their feet, a great and immense army.

With the Lord’s breath of life and love, the bones came alive and became a people, a sign that God will restore His people again.

In the gospel, Jesus was asked which is the greatest commandment of the Law.

He replied with the commandment of love, to love God and to love neighbour.

When we love God and love neighbour, God will give us that breath of life and love to bring into the world that is cluttered with dry bones.

With God’s breath of life and love in us, we will also be God’s workers who will bring hope that will bring beauty into our world.

20th Week, Ordinary Time, Thursday, 20-08-2026

Ezekiel 36:23-28 / Matthew 22:1-14  

New things always give us a sense of excitement and make us want to discover more about it.

So it may be a new car, or a new device or gadget, a new job or a new location.

But the newness will slowly wear off and the excitement becomes casual, and the feeling becomes routine and ordinary.

And such can happen in the spiritual life too.

The people of God had become too casual in their relationship with God.

They even profaned God’s name by their unfaithfulness and sinfulness.

This led to their enemies conquering them, and subsequently the enemies also profaned God’s name.

And when God had enough of it, He decided to display the holiness of His great name again to His people and also to their enemies.

God forgave His people and cleansed them and made them a new people again, so that they will keep the laws and sincerely respect the observances.

So with a new heart and a new spirit, they will again be God’s people who will display God’s holiness to the other nations.

In the gospel parable, the king gave a feast for his son’s wedding and he called those who were invited.

But those who were invited were indifferent to the invitation and went about doing their ordinary business.

The first reading and the gospel parable remind us that routine can be the death of reverence.

Let us not be indifferent to who God is and take His love for us too casually.

Let us always remember that God is holy and He has called us to be holy.

20th Week, Ordinary Time, Wednesday, 19-08-2026

Ezekiel 34:1-11 / Matthew 20:1-16  

It is a fact that religion brings about comfort and confidence for those who seek God and want to walk in the ways of God.

People find comfort in God who protects and provides for them.

And to know that God loves them will give them the confidence and the hope to journey on in life despite the difficulties and struggles.

So, religious leaders have a great responsibility to show God’s love and care for the people.

They are like shepherds looking after the flock that belongs to God.

But in the first reading, the shepherds of Israel have neglected the flock that was entrusted to them.

And not only that, they have ruled the people cruelly and violently, and the people were scattered, strayed and lost.

So trouble will be coming for the shepherds of Israel, and God will send the true Shepherd to look after His people.

In the gospel parable, the landowner went around looking for workers for his vineyard.

Even at the last hour, he hired workers that were overlooked and were going to be left rejected and dejected.

Jesus is the Good Shepherd who came to look for the lost, the rejected and the dejected.

He came to save us and to give us hope.

May those whom Jesus appointed as shepherds of His flock be faithful to their calling.

And may we, the sheep of God’s flock always listen to the voice of Jesus, our Good Shepherd.

20th Week, Ordinary Time, Tuesday, 18-08-2026

Ezekiel 28:1-10 / Matthew 19:23-30  

If we had all our savings drawn out in cash, would our pockets be able to contain it all?

Or, let’s say that our cash are to be filled in bags, how many bags would that be, and would we be able to carry it around?

When we think about it, then the rather absurd image that Jesus gave in the gospel may give us something to think about.

Jesus says that it would be easier for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the Kingdom of heaven.

Already, for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle is impossible.

It would neither be possible for a man to pass through the eye of a needle.

But if we were to imagine a rich man carrying all his wealth in whatever bags he could carry, he wouldn’t be able to enter any door.

In the first reading, the ruler of Tyre falls because his financial success and sharp intellect lead him to think that he was invincible, and he even thinks he is a god.

It was his pride in his piles of gold and silver that dragged him down to the pit and to die a violent death surrounded by the seas.

So while wealth and riches are not evil by themselves, the attachment to them can lead pride and clutter the heart.

As disciples of Jesus, we are called to enter by the narrow gate.

It would only be possible to do so when we only carry the love of God and the love for others in our hearts.

20th Week, Ordinary Time, Monday, 17-08-2026

Ezekiel 24:15-24 / Matthew 19:16-22   

As we journey along in life, there is one thing that keeps happening.

We may notice it, but we may also not think too much about it.

That one thing that keeps happening is none other than change.

Some changes are for the better, but there are also other changes that makes us wonder.

In the first reading, God prepared Ezekiel for a drastic change in his life.

God is going to deprive Ezekiel the delight of his eyes, and it can be presumed that it is his wife.

But he is not to lament, or weep, or mourn for the dead and even not to cry. He is just to groan in silence.

God is going to use Ezekiel as a sign for the people, in that the Temple, the delight of their eyes, will be destroyed.

The people thought that they were safe and secure as long as the Temple, the dwelling place of God, is standing firm.

So as long as the Temple is standing, then God is with them, and they thought that God would not let His Temple be destroyed.

But all that is going to change, and the false hopes of the people will be shattered.

In the gospel, the rich young man was proud of his religious piety, and yet he knows that he does not have possession of eternal life.

Jesus told him that if he wanted to have eternal life, then he would have to give up the delight of his eyes, which is his wealth.

That change was too much for him and he went away sad.

As we experience changes in our life, let us also remember that every change is a step closer to God.

May we accept changes with hopeful hearts, and our hope will be fulfilled in the reward of eternal life.

Assumption of the BVM, 16.08.2026

Apocalypse 11:19; 12:1-6, 10 / 1 Cor 15:20-26 / Luke 1:39-56  

Between the Catholic Church and the other Christian churches, there are many similarities as well as quite a few differences.

At least in terms of identification, we call ourselves the Catholic Church, and maybe more specifically, the Roman Catholic Church.

In the Chinese language, the Roman Catholic Church is called 天主教, whereas the other Christian churches are called 基督教.

But for the ordinary people who may not be that familiar with such terms, they have their own way of identifying Catholic and Christian churches.

One day, I was at the Mandai Crematorium to do a funeral service. I was early, and so I sat on the bench.

A cleaner came along, and we greeted each other, and he sat down and we had a short chit-chat.

He asked me which church am I from, because I was wearing a cassock.

So, I told him that I was from the church in Ang Mo Kio Avenue 8, the church next to the petrol station.

We were speaking in Chinese, and before I could tell him that it is a Roman Catholic Church, (天主教), he said in Chinese, "啊, 耶稣妈妈的教堂," meaning “Jesus' mother's church”.

For a moment, I was somewhere between amazed and astounded, and then I said, “Ahh …, correct, correct."

So, for some people, they know the Catholic Church as “Jesus' mother's church”, maybe because we have a deep devotion to Mary.

Whatever it may be, we should not be too amazed or astounded by that term, “Jesus' mother's church”. 

Because in the Gospel passage, Elizabeth, who was filled with the Holy Spirit, exclaimed this:

"Of all women, you are the most blessed, and blessed is the fruit of your womb. Why should I be honored with a visit from the mother of my Lord?" 

That term, that phrase, "the mother of my Lord," already says who Mary is, that she is the mother of Jesus and that she is also the Mother of God. 

But we are also clear that Mary is not a goddess or deity. 

Mary is the mother of Jesus, and she is also our mother because on the Cross, Jesus said this: "Behold, your mother." 

Jesus said that in the imperative, meaning that it is a command and not an option or suggestion. 

And we would also gladly call Mary our mother. 

We have experienced her powerful intercession for us, which says much about her motherly love and care for us. 

And we also honour and venerate her with the prayer of the Rosary, which is by far, the most recognizable form of prayer in the Catholic Church. 

It is a simple and humble prayer, and it also expresses the spirituality of Mary. 

In her praise of God, she acknowledged that God has looked upon her in her lowly state, and hence all generations will call her blessed. 

And Mary is using the Rosary prayer and also the Rosary beads to show how God is doing a great thing for her and through her. 

Well, at least from the Hail Mary prayer, there is this unofficial but often prayed car-park prayer, and it goes like this: "Hail Mary, full of grace, help me find a parking space." 

We will be amazed at how quickly we will find a parking lot. 

And if there are non-Catholic friends in the car, they will be amazed too. This is called evangelization on wheels. 

A friend was sharing with me that on National Day, as she was watching the parade, her niece came over to join her. 

After a while, the niece asked her, "What is the Hail Mary?" because her classmate, who is a Catholic, prayed the Hail Mary while preparing for exams. 

So, my friend brought out the Rosary beads and told her about Mary's intercessory role and that she prays for all of us. 

A few days later, her niece called her to say that she was in a taxi, and she saw the driver wearing a rosary bracelet. 

When she asked him what it was, he simply told her, in Chinese, that it was “耶 稣 妈 妈 的 念 珠”, meaning “Jesus' mother's prayer beads”, which is, the Rosary. 

So, whether it is “Jesus' mother's church” or “Jesus' mother's prayer beads”, as we celebrate the Feast of the Assumption, we thank God for Mary, our mother.

And from heaven, Mary continues to pray for us as we continue our earthly journey. 

Mary believed that God will fulfil His promises to her, and indeed He did. 

God will also fulfil His promises to us. 

May Mary pray for us that we will continue to be faithful to God and believe in His promises, whether we are having a chit-chat with someone, or looking for a parking lot, or preparing exams, or sitting in taxi.

God is fulfilling His promises during these moments and at every moment of our lives.

19th Week, Ordinary Time, Saturday, 15-08-2026

Ezekiel 18:1-10, 13, 30-32 / Matthew 19:13-15   

It has always been said that children are our future. Of course, that is true. 

The children and the youth that we see now will eventually become the generation of the forefront in the future.

But if the children are our future, that does not mean that we put them aside and only let them out in the future.

If the children are our future, now is the time to teach and instruct them on the values and principles of life.

Now is the time to form them in the faith and to teach them to love God and to love neighbour.

In the first reading, there is this proverb in the land of Israel: The fathers have eaten sour grapes, and the children’s teeth are set on edge.

That proverb means that the father sinned and so the children suffer the consequences.

But the Lord God overturned this by saying that each one will have to suffer the consequences of their own sin.

That also tells us that if we eat sour grapes, our teeth will be set on edge. We will have to bear the consequences of our own sins.

But if we feed our children with sour grapes, and their teeth are set on edge, then we will be responsible for that sin.

Since the children and the youth are the future, let us bring them to Jesus and feed them with the Word of God.

Let them learn about the Kingdom of God, and in the future they will show us the Kingdom of God.

19th Week, Ordinary Time, Friday, 14-08-2026

Ezekiel 16:1-15, 60, 63 / Matthew 19:3-12    

There are many ways to describe the power of love.

In the Bible, the power of love is described as this: "For love is as strong as death, its jealousy unyielding as the grave. It burns like blazing fire, like a mighty flame. Many waters cannot quench love; rivers cannot sweep it away.”

As much as there is the power of love, there is also the power of unrequited love, or love that is not reciprocated, or love that is not returned, or simply, love that is rejected.

In the first reading, the Lord God describes His deep love for Israel, and how He had blessed His people abundantly.

Yet, the people became vain; they became infatuated with their own beauty and glory, and they became unfaithful and turned away from God.

So Israel rejected God’s love, but God remembered His covenant with them, forgave them and offered to love them again.

God could have given in to His anger and unleashed the power of unrequited love on His people.

But the power of His love for His people was much much stronger that His anger at His people.

In the gospel, the Pharisees questioned Jesus about marriage and divorce.

Essentially, Jesus reiterated that husband and wife are no longer two but one body, and what God has united, man must not divide.

So whether in marriage, or in any relationship, the power of love unites, but the power of rejected love will divide.

When we know that God is the source of love, then the power of His love will keep married couples united, families united, and communities united.

For where there is love, there is God.

19th Week, Ordinary Time, Thursday, 13-08-2026

Ezekiel 12:1-12 / Matthew 18:21 - 19:1    

To be able to see and hear are wonderful abilities, and can even said to be necessary faculties.

It is necessary to be able to see and hear in order to interact with our surroundings as well as with other people.

But as we have often heard in the Bible, there are people who have eyes that look and look but they do not see.

They have ears that hear and hear but do not listen.

In the first reading, the Lord God instructed the prophet Ezekiel to act like an exile for the people to see.

Ezekiel did as he was instructed and the people saw what he did.

And the Lord God told Ezekiel to say this to the people: “I am a symbol of you. The thing I have done will be done to them. They will go into exile, into banishment.”

So the people saw what Ezekiel did and heard the message.

But what they saw and what they heard did not seem to awaken them to the impending tragedy that will fall upon them.

In other words, what they saw and what they heard did not lead them to repentance.

In the gospel, Peter thought he was being generous by offering to forgive seven times, when the teaching at that time usually suggested that three is enough.

But what Jesus said about forgiving seventy-seven times was startling and astounding.

But it is meant to awaken Peter and us as well, that forgiveness is so fundamental and necessary in the religious and spiritual life.

What Jesus said would also make us think about how much God has forgiven us.

When we realise that, then we too know that we must forgive others, just as God has forgiven us.

19th Week, Ordinary Time, Wednesday, 12-08-2026

Ezekiel 12:1-12 / Matthew 18:21 - 19:1  

No one can ever say that he has not done anything wrong.

No matter how good we try to be, we will slip and fall and commit some wrong doing.

To do something wrong is one thing, but to admit to the wrongdoing and to be sorry about it is another.

Because of our flawed human nature, we may try to deny our wrongdoing or if we can’t then we may try to justify it.

In the gospel, Jesus gives a process or procedure to address a wrongdoing by someone.

So, it goes from addressing the issue with someone personally, to bringing in two others, to reporting it to the community.

But the essential intention is to win the person back so that the person will realise his wrongdoing.

So, there is the need for the respect for the dignity for the person.

In the Christian context, we must begin by praying for that person.

Jesus says this, “I tell you solemnly once again, if two of you on earth agree to ask anything at all, it will be granted to you by my Father in heaven. For where two or three meet in my name, I shall be there with them.”

Let us remember this promise of Jesus before addressing any wrongdoing by another person.

With the power of prayer, God our Father will soften our hearts, and Jesus will be with us to work for reconciliation with the power of love.

19th Week, Ordinary Time, Tuesday, 11-08-2026

Ezekiel 2:8 - 3:4 / Matthew 18:1-5, 10, 12-14  

In this world, it is usually the loud sounds and the bright lights that catch the people’s attention.

After all, people are inclined to what is spectacular and impressive.

What is usually overlooked are the simple and the lowly as they are deemed to be insignificant and unimportant.

So when the disciples approached Jesus and asked who was the greatest in the kingdom of God, they had their own expectations.

But what they couldn’t quite comprehend was when Jesus called a little child to Him and set the child in front of them.

And they were also not prepared for what Jesus was going to tell them when He said, “I tell you solemnly, unless you change and become like little children you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.”

To become like a little child is not to be morally perfect or to be more pious than the rest.

To be like a little child is to be obedient to what Jesus is teaching, and essentially it is to be humble and to trust in God and depend on His providence.

Like Ezekiel in the first reading, it is to believe in the Word of God even if it is a difficult and challenging message.

When we are like little children, then our guardian angels will guide us to understand the Word of God and how to do the will of God.

St. Lawrence, Deacon and Martyr, Monday, 10-08-2026

2 Cor 9:6-10 / John 12:24-26    

Today the Church celebrates the feast of St. Lawrence, who was only a deacon at the time of his martyrdom in year 258.

In that year, on the 6th August, Pope Sixtus II and four other deacons was captured while celebrating Mass in the catacombs, and subsequently martyred.

The administration of the Church was left to St. Lawrence and he was ordered to surrender the riches and the wealth of the Church in three days time.

He quickly distributed as much Church property to the poor as possible, and on the third day, he gathered the poor, the crippled, the blind and the suffering and presented them to the authorities and he told them that these were the true treasures of the Church.

Needless to say he was immediately sentenced to death, and tradition has it that he was grilled or roasted to death, hence his association with the gridiron, which was the instrument of torture for grilling people to death.

What was remarkable was that it was a slow painful and horrible way to be tortured to death, and yet St. Lawrence persevered to the end.

His martyrdom portrays the reality of what Jesus said in the gospel: If a man serves me, he must follow me, wherever I am, my servant will be there too. If anyone serves me, my Father will honour him.

St. Lawrence served Christ with his life right up till the end. In doing so he gave us an example of giving up his life so that it will yield a rich harvest in the hands of the Lord.

May our lives also be like seeds of love in the hands of the Divine Sower, and wherever we are sown, may we also bear a rich harvest of love for the Lord.

19th Ordinary Sunday, Year A, 09.08.2026

1 Kings -19:9, 11-13 / Romans 9:1-5 / Matthew 14:22-33  

Today we celebrate National Day and our country's 61 years of independence.

The most obvious expression of this patriotic celebration is to put up the national flag.

As for our Church, we have put up 15 flags.

(That shows how Singaporean and how patriotic we are.)

So this evening at the National Day Parade, we will sing the national anthem and other National Day songs.

There will also be fireworks and other celebrations.

Yes, we want to celebrate nationhood and unity.

But we also know of the underlying stress, worry, and anxiety.

The cost of living is high, and some even say that Singapore is the most expensive city in Asia.

The students in school are stressed out by the exams and expectations to do well.

So, Singapore may be a rich country, but we also have worries and anxieties.

Because Singapore is like a small boat in the oceans of the world.

And whenever there is a storm somewhere, the small Singapore boat will rock and roll, literally.

In the gospel, Jesus made the disciples get into the boat and go on ahead while He would send the crowds away.

After sending the crowds away, Jesus went up into the hills by Himself to pray.

By then, the boat was far out on the lake and battling with a heavy sea.

So, the boat was rocking and rolling, and the disciples were also terrified and fearing for their lives.

Then, in the fourth watch of the night, which is the darkest hour that is just before dawn, Jesus went to the disciples walking on the water. 

In the Bible, to walk on the waves and to command the storms are acts attributed to God alone. 

So, in the darkest time of the night and in the chaos of the storm, Jesus comes to be with His disciples. 

But in that terrified state of fright, the disciples thought that they were seeing a ghost. 

So, in the darkness and in the chaos, it will be difficult to see where God is and what He is doing. 

And in that terror and fear, human imagination will be wild and dark. 

And so, instead of seeing God in something, people will see ghosts in everything. 

And in the darkness and chaos, in that terror and fright, human character and weakness will be revealed. 

Peter wanted to walk towards Jesus on the water, maybe because he was impulsive, but it could also be that he was selfish. 

In such a situation, each one will be for himself, and each one will want to save himself first. 

But out of an impulsive and selfish act came a lesson on emergency prayer. 

As he sank into the water, Peter cried out, "Lord, save me!" 

It was a short prayer, but it was enough for Jesus to stretch out His hand at once to Peter. 

As we think about the gospel passage, we also may think about how it is connected to our country as we celebrate National Day. 

Our country is like a small boat that can be easily tossed and turned by the storms of the world. 

As the Church in Singapore, it is our duty and our mission to pray for the stability of the country and for the government. 

It is our duty and our mission to pray for the well-being and the welfare of our fellow citizens. 

And God has given us the power of emergency prayer for our country when we are in danger. 

Yes, we cry out, "Lord, save us, save our country," when our country is going through darkness and chaos. 

We also cry out, "Lord, save me," when we are terrified, when we are tossed and turned by the waves, by the worries and by the anxieties of life. 

In the darkness and in the turmoil of life, let us listen for that sound of the gentle breeze in the first reading. 

Then, like Elijah, let us go forth to help our brothers and sisters to see God in everything and to see God in everyone.

18th Week, Ordinary Time, Saturday, 0-8-08-2026

Habakkuk 1:12 - 2:4 / Matthew 17:14-20  

One famous proverb is this: Patience is a virtue.

And so indeed it is. With patience, we will be able to stay calm, and not get angry during difficult and challenging times.

But to be patient is essentially to wait.

To wait for the person to come; to wait for the person to finish speaking; to wait for the situation to change.

And when it comes to faith, it means to wait for God to reveal His ways to us.

In the first reading, the Lord God answered the prophet Habakkuk’s prayer with this:

“Write the vision down, inscribe it on tablets to be easily read, since this vision is for its own time only. Eager for its own fulfilment, it does not deceive. If it comes slowly, wait, for come it will, without fail.”

So waiting in patience is an essential aspect of having faith.

In the gospel, the disciples were not able to cast out a boy who was possessed by a devil.

Jesus cast it out immediately, and so the disciples came privately to Jesus to ask why they were unable to cast it out.

As Jesus pointed out, it was essentially a faith issue, and the disciples need to let their faith grow and deepen before they can do the work of God.

Our faith is also like a mustard seed.

Let us have the patience to wait for our faith to grow and deepen before doing what God wants of us.

18th Week, Ordinary Time, Friday, 07-08-2026

Nahum 2:1, 3; 3:1-3, 6-7 / Matthew 16:24-28  

To want to become a Christian is a serious life-changing decision.

So all the requirements of being a Christian disciple must be made clear.

And a careful consideration is needed before making the decision.

In the gospel, Jesus says to His disciples, “If anyone wants to be a follower of mine, let him renounce himself and take up his cross and follow me.”

Why is Jesus saying this to His disciples when they were already following Him?

It could be that when those disciples initially followed Jesus, they were impressed by His teachings and the miracles that He worked.

Now that they had been following Him around, Jesus wants them to re-consider their intentions and motives in following Him.

Because they would be faced with a contradiction, if they had not faced it yet.

Because Jesus says, “For anyone who want to save his life will lose it, but anyone who loses his life for my sake will find it.”

Essentially, that is the cost of discipleship if they want to continue being the disciples of Jesus.

The human tendency is to ask “What is there for me to gain from it?” before making a decision or commitment.

But Jesus is asking, “What then will a man gain if he wins the whole world and ruins his life? Or what has a man to offer in exchange for his life?”

Jesus is also asking us those difficult questions, especially since we already call ourselves Christians.

But, we already have put our hands on the cross and there is no turning back.

Let us remember that whatever we give up or sacrifice for Jesus in this life can never be compared to the eternal glory that Jesus promised those who are faithful to Him.

The Transfiguration of the Lord, Thursday, 06-08-2026

Daniel 7:9-10, 13-14 / 2 Peter 1:16-19 / Matthew 17:1-9     

There is a story of a young man who somehow thinks he is a worm, and he would hide under the bed whenever he sees a chicken. (Because chicken eats worms).

So one day, he was hiding under the bed because he saw a chicken roaming around.

His best friend decided to help him overcome his problem by going under the bed and there he told him to repeat after him, “I am a man, not a worm.”

After a few repetitions, his best friend urged him to come out and prove himself a man.

So he came out and walked around confidently. Until he saw a chicken. Then he immediately hid under the bed again.

Hid best friend went under the bed and asked him, “Why didn't you believe you are a man, and not a worm?”

The young man replied，“ I believe I am a man, not a worm, but does the chicken believe that?!?”

Jesus believed that He is the Beloved Son of the Father. Even in His most painful and despairing moments He believed that.

The disciples also kind of believed that Jesus was the Son of God.

However when the trials and persecutions came along, they ran and "hid under the bed". But later on, they truly believed.

The feast of the Transfiguration, reminds us who Jesus is, and also reminds us of who we are.

May we slowly come out of our fears and weaknesses and sinfulness, and show others what we really believe in.

18th Week, Ordinary Time, Wednesday, 05-08-2026

Jeremiah 31:1-7 / Matthew 15:21-28  

To empathize is to have the ability to understand and share the feelings of another person. 

It means putting ourselves in someone else's shoes and seeing things from their point of view.

Empathy would lead to compassion which is a deep feeling of sadness or pity for another person's pain.

It means noticing someone who is hurting and taking action to support them.

In the gospel, a Canaanite woman came up to Jesus and pleaded, “Sir, Son of David, take pity on me. My daughter is tormented by a devil.”

Surprisingly, Jesus answered her not a word. 

Even His disciples pleaded with Jesus to give her what she wanted, but that was because she was shouting after them, and causing unnecessary attention.

Even though Jesus said that He was sent only to the lost sheep of Israel, the woman knelt at His feet and pleaded, “Lord, help me.”

And when Jesus said that it is not fair to take the children’s food and throw it to the house-dogs, the woman retorted by saying that the house-dogs can still eat the scraps that fall from their master’s table.

It may seem rather surprising that Jesus was making it so difficult for that poor woman who had a genuine need.

But it seems that Jesus is making her to be an example of persistent and persevering faith because in the end He affirmed her of her great faith and granted her request.

Even though she was a Canaanite woman and an outsider, yet she displayed her great faith in Jesus.

So, for us who believe and have faith, we should be even more persistent and persevering.

It will be by our faith, especially in times of despair and desperation that we bear witness to God’s everlasting love for us.

18th Week, Ordinary Time, Tuesday, 04-08-2026 (memorial of St. John Vianney)

Jeremiah 30:1-2, 12-15, 18-22 / Matthew 15:1-2, 10-14 (Gospel for Year A)

If we were to look at some of the pictures of St John Vianney, we might come to think that as far as looks are concerned, he cannot make it.

But not just looks, as far as intellectual capacity and ability is concerned, St John Vianney also could not quite make it.

But he was eventually ordained as a priest, but initially on the condition that he did not preach at Mass or even teach catechism, for fear that he would end up teaching something heretical.

But how did a priest like St John Vianney eventually be proclaimed by the Church as the Patron Saint for Priests?

Firstly, it was in the confessional that he received the grace of spiritual insight and helped people in repentance and conversion.

Very often, St John Vianney spent as long as 17 hours everyday in the confessional, helping people see their sinfulness and experiencing the mercy and forgiveness of God.

Later when he was allowed to preach, he spoke in simplicity about the love of God, and he also spoke with passion.

He worked himself tirelessly to serve the people by bringing them closer to God, besides having to face temptations from the devil, and also persecutions from members of the clergy and others.

Indeed, St John Vianney was a model of dedication, of holiness, of prayer and of faithfulness.

As we celebrate this feast, let us pray for our priests that they too will remain dedicated to God, faithful to God, and strive for holiness and be models of prayer to us.

When priests serve the Lord like St John Vianney did, then the Church would indeed be a priestly and holy people.

Nothing spectacular or dramatic about him but all done in simplicity and humility. Yet St. John Vianney is the Patron Saint and model for all priests, because he was a sign and an instrument of the healing and saving mission of Jesus.

Jesus came to heal and save and to look for the lost. Let us pray for our priests that they will follow the example of St. John Vianney and be a sign and instrument of the healing and saving mission of Jesus.

18th Week, Ordinary Time, Monday, 03-08-2026

Jeremiah 28:1-17 / Matthew 14:22-36 (gospel for Year A)

The ability to imagine is really quite amazing.

It goes beyond the confines of logic to something abstract, but still could be possible.

When imagination runs wild, then it is like wild horses running everywhere.

But when the imagination looks at the reality, then imagination can become a possibility.

In the first reading, the prophet Hananiah imagined the liberation of Judah from the power of Babylon.

He even broke the yoke off the neck of the prophet Jeremiah and declared that in two years’ time, Judah would be freed from the yoke of Babylon.

The prophet Hananiah let his imagination run wild and did not listen to the prophet Jeremiah about the warnings of the prophets of the past.

In the end, the prophet Hananiah and Judah ended up in tragedy.

In the gospel, in the midst of a heavy sea and in fear, the imagination of the disciples in the boat ran wild as they thought that Jesus was a ghost.

Even Peter imagined that he could walk on water.

Yes, imagination can lead to creativity, but let us also imagine with faith and also by listening to the Word of God.

Then, led by the Spirit of God, our imagination will help us see the possibilities that God is showing us.

18th Ordinary Sunday, Year A, 02.08.2026

Isaiah 55:1-3 / Romans 8:35, 37-39 / Matthew 14:13-21  

It is often said that life is short.

But of course, it depends on how we look at it.

According to the data from the Department of Statistics, the average life expectancy for Singaporeans is 84 years.

84 years may seem like a long time, but the focus has shifted towards extending healthy years.

But regardless of whether life is long or short, one thing is certain, and that is life has its problems.

The problems in life can be generally divided into two categories: problems that are within, and external problems, or other people's problems.

The problems within are problems that we face with ourselves.

So, there are health problems like high blood pressure, diabetes, high cholesterol, overweight. These are just some of the health problems.

And then, there are emotional problems, problems in the family, in marriage, in school, at work, and even in retirement.

These problems wear us down and we feel drained out in life.

What we don't need, and don't want, is to be involved with other people's problems.

Our first reaction would be to say, "That is not my problem."

We may just want to push it away by bluntly saying to the other person, "Go and solve your own problem."

But life is not as clear-cut as that, because there is some kind of connection between our problems and other people's problems.

In the Gospel, Jesus received the news of the death of John the Baptist.

He then wanted to withdraw to a lonely place with His disciples where they could be alone by themselves. 

The life of John the Baptist ended abruptly when he was executed by Herod. 

Jesus was affected by that, and He wanted some time to think about life and its meaning. 

But when Jesus stepped ashore, He saw a large crowd, and He took pity on them and healed their sick. 

Jesus has His needs, and the people also had their needs. 

But when Jesus saw the crowds, what He saw were not problems; what He saw was people. 

Jesus saw people who needed God, people who had problems that they cannot solve, and they came to Jesus because they saw God in Jesus. 

In His own need, Jesus also understood the people, and so He went to them to heal their sick. 

Jesus wasn't just a problem solver or a miracle worker. 

Jesus is the Saviour, and He showed how God is saving the people by taking on their problems in life. 

In this, we can then understand that God solved our sinful human problem by sending us Jesus to be with us, and to be like us, in all things, except sin. 

But the disciples did not quite understand that. 

When evening came, the disciples saw a problem coming up. 

There was a crowd of 5,000, not counting women and children. 

They were hungry, there was not enough food, and it was getting dark. 

The disciples saw a problem, and they didn't want it to be their problem. 

So, they said to Jesus, “Send the people away.” 

Yes, send them away and let them solve their own problem. 

But Jesus said, "There is no need for them to go. Give them something to eat yourselves." 

The disciples tried to protest, "All we have with us is five loaves and two fish." 

And Jesus said this, "Bring them here to me." 

Whenever we face the problems of life, whether it is our own problems or other people's problems, let us remember those five words of Jesus, "Bring them here to me." 

Our human tendency is to say, "That is not my problem." 

But, let us not say that because we might just end up with a bigger problem. 

Rather, let us listen to Jesus telling us, "Bring them here to me." 

In the hands of Jesus, problems become possibilities, and possibilities will turn into realities. 

So, whether it is our problem or other people's problems, let us bring them to Jesus.

In the hands of Jesus, miracles are realities. We just need to believe.