Sts. Simon and Jude, Apostles, Tuesday, 28-10-2025

Ephesians 2:19-22 / Luke 6:12-19   

The feast of St. Simon and St. Jude is celebrated on the same day probably because they both preached the Gospel in Mesopotamia and Persia where it is said they had both been sent.

But nothing certain is known about them besides the fact that they were called as Apostles by Jesus.

The letter of Jude which forms part of the New Testament is accredited to St. Jude, in which he encouraged the early Christian community to be firm in the faith.

Like most of the other apostles, St. Simon and St. Jude were literally unknowns and could be said to be very ordinary and simple people.

Yet God chose them to be instruments of the proclamation of the Good News and to be the foundations of His Church.

Both also suffered martyrdom. St. Simon is often represented in art with a saw, the instrument of his martyrdom.

As for St. Jude, nearly every image depicts him wearing either a medallion or a portrait with an image of Jesus.

St. Jude is also the patron saint for those in a desperate and urgent need, and many have benefitted from his intercession.

As we celebrate the feast of St. Simon and St. Jude, let us also ask for their prayers that we live out the Good News of salvation in our simple and ordinary lives.

And may we always carry the image of Jesus in our hearts and be a witness to His love in our lives.

30th Week, Ordinary Time, Monday, 27-10-2025

Romans 8:12-17 / Luke 13:10-17    

The importance of physical appearance cannot be denied.

With that being said, then image grooming is a big business.

But does the external appearance reflect the internal spiritual state of the heart?

In the gospel, the woman was double bent for eighteen years and that left her enfeebled and unable to stand upright.

Jesus saw that woman, He also saw more than just her state of infirmity.

Jesus saw the state of her heart, her heart that is calling out for healing and freedom.

And when Jesus healed that woman of her infirmity, she straightened up at once and she glorified God.

God created us and He also sent the Holy Spirit into our hearts to make us the temples of God’s glory.

As the 1st reading says, it is by the Spirit that we put an end to the misdeeds of our bodies.

And everyone moved by the Spirit is a child of God, and the Spirit also makes us cry out “Abba, Father”.

When we live and move with the Spirit, then our external appearance will also reflect the love and the glory of God.

30th Ordinary Sunday, Year C, 26.10.2025

Ecclesiasticus 35:12-14, 16-19 / 2 Tim 4:6-8, 16-18 / Luke 18:9-14

The phrase “fair and square” is a common phrase and we know what it means. 

Generally, it means that there is no biasness, no dishonesty and there is no cheating.

Whenever that phrase is used, it is expected that all parties are happy and satisfied with the final result or outcome.

So, it seems that it is a win-win situation for all involved parties because all is fair and square.

But, is the world really that fair and square? 

Is life really that fair and square?

Because the fact is that there is a disparity or a difference in all aspects of life. 

And we have accepted these disparities and differences as a fact of life. 

Some people are richer, while some are poorer. 

Some live in private property, others in flats. Some are talented and gifted, while others are just ordinary or even less than ordinary. 

So, the reality is that not all is fair and square.

But we have accepted this reality of life and we don’t make a fuss out of it. 

But we are also obligated to keep the gap as close as possible between these disparities and differences, and not to widen it.

In the gospel, Jesus told a parable to address the pride of some people. 

In their pride, those people thought they were virtuous and even despised everyone else.

In a parable, Jesus used the Temple as the setting, and there was a Pharisee and a tax-collector in the Temple. 

The Pharisee stood there and said this so-called prayer to himself. 

In that prayer which he addressed to God, he was actually bragging, that he was not grasping, unjust and adulterous like the rest of mankind. 

As if that was not enough, he even compared himself to the tax-collector, so as to put him down. 

But the tax-collector did not retaliate. 

Rather with lowered eyes and beating his breast, he said: God, be merciful to me, a sinner. 

Although it is only a parable, yet Jesus brought out the reality and the disparity of life, that all is not that fair and square. 

In terms of status and religious standing, the Pharisee and tax-collector are like from two different worlds. 

Yet in the Temple, they are equal in the eyes of God. 

As the 1st reading tells us, God is no respecter of personages. 

And God shows no respect to personages to the detriment of a poor man. 

God listens to the plea of the injured party. 

He does not ignore the orphan’s supplication, nor the widow as she pours out her story. 

Yes, with God, all is equal, all is fair and square. 

And the 1st reading also tells us that God listens to the prayer of a humble person. 

As we come to Church, we come before God who loves us and will listen to our prayers. 

We all have come to Church with a prayer in our hearts. 

We pray for healing from illnesses or diseases. We pray for peace and harmony in our families. 

We pray for reconciliation in our strained and broken relationships. 

And like St. Paul in the 2nd reading, we pray that we will also fight the good fight, to run the race to the finish and to keep the faith. 

So, we don’t stand around in Church and point out the faults and failings of others. 

Rather, we kneel with the tax collector and say: O God, be merciful to me, a sinner. 

In life, all may not be that fair and square. 

But let us be humble, and do what is right and just, and God will look on us with love, and He will listen to our prayer.

29th Week, Ordinary Time, Saturday, 25-10-2025

Romans 8:1-11 / Luke 13:1-9  

Human beings have a body and a soul.

So human beings are physical beings and because human beings have a soul, human beings are also spiritual beings.

But very often we are too absorbed in the physical and material aspects that we forget that we have a spiritual dimension.

Jesus Christ came into the world to save us from our sins.

He also showed us that besides our physical aspect, we also have a spiritual aspect.

Jesus also sent us the Holy Spirit to help us become aware of our spiritual dimension so that we can be in communion with God.

The 1st reading reminds us of the presence of the Holy Spirit in our lives, so that we can look beyond this world to the spiritual world.

So even though we may often forget about the spiritual world, the gospel parable tells us that God is patient with us.

May we always be aware of the Holy Spirit leading us to repentance so that even though we live in this world, our hearts are always aware of the presence of God so that we can live our lives in the Spirit.

29th Week, Ordinary Time, Friday, 24-10-2025

Romans 7:18-25 / Luke 12:54-59  

It is a good practice to have an annual medical checkup.

It is also a good practice to go to the dentist every six months or so to have our teeth examined.

These are good practices that help us to prevent any illness or toothache that might spring a surprise on us.

These checks will give us some signs or indication about the state of our health.

As for our spiritual health, it will be good to go for the Sacrament of Reconciliation, of Confession, regularly.

When we do an examination of conscience, we will become aware of the signs in our life where we are weak and prone to sin.

As Jesus said in the gospel, we know how to interpret the signs of nature. 

Then we should also know how to interpret the signs of our spiritual life.

In the 1st reading, St. Paul states clearly that he knows what is good and right, yet he slips easily in doing what is wrong and sinful.

And here, St. Paul tells us that we are not helpless in the face of temptation and sin.

Jesus Christ is our Saviour. When we heed the signs that He is showing us about our spiritual life, we will be healed and strengthened to live the life that He is showing us.

29th Week, Ordinary Time, Thursday, 23-10-2025

Romans 6:19-23 / Luke 12:49-53  

Although to blush is not a common experience, but when we blush we know the reason for it

We blush when we are shy, or when we are embarrassed.

But to become red and hot in the face because of shame would mean that what we had done had affected us greatly.

Thinking about it would make us hang down our heads.

And if others remind us about it, our faces would burn with shame.

In the 1st reading, St. Paul reminded the Romans about the sinful deeds of their past that would make them blush and burn with shame.

But now that they have come to believe in God, they are forgiven and have found life.

In the gospel, the fire that Jesus talked about is a fire that does not punish or destroys.

Rather it is fire that purifies, and it burns away sin and wicked deeds.

It is a fire that enlightens and warms the heart with God’s love.

Let us not burn with shame and sin.

Rather may the gentle fire of God’s love warm our hearts to accept forgiveness and healing.

29th Week, Ordinary Time, Wednesday, 22-10-2025

Romans 6:12-18 / Luke 12:39-48  

Every part of our body has a function and so every part of our body is important.

And when one part of our body hurts, then the whole body also feels the pain.

And it is not just the external parts of our body that need to be taken care of.

Internally, there are also organs that are equally important and have critical functions.

In the 1st reading, St. Paul used the human body in the spiritual sense to emphasise two points.

Either the human body can be used as an unholy weapon fighting on the side of sin.

Or it can be used as a weapon of righteousness fighting on the side of God.

And since we are freed from the slavery of sin, then we are to become soldiers of righteousness fighting on the side of God.

To be on the side of God also means that we are servants of God who will always be ready to obey and serve God.

God will always give us the grace to be ready to obey and serve Him.

Yes, a great blessing has been given to us.

Let us be ready to respond with love for God by serving others for their good and also lead them to God.