"STAY WITH US, LORD" (Luke 24:29)

1st Reading                Jeremiah 33: 14-16 Psalm                          25: 4-5ab. 8-9. 10 and 14 (R. 1) R:// "To you, O Lord, I lift up my soul" 2nd Reading             1 Thessalonians 3: 12-4:2 Gospel                        Luke 21:25-28, 34-36 NEWNESS EVERYWHERE Beloved, Happy New Liturgical Year! With the start of the first Sunday of Advent, we begin a new Liturgical year, YEAR C. Today is also the first day of the new month of December. The foremost realization is Newness. Advent, the new Liturgical season, is a hopeful anticipation of Christ. The immediate anticipation is the coming of Christ as Saviour. The further anticipation is the coming of Christ as Judge at the end of time. We shall also align our readings today with newness, thus, "God is about to recreate us and our condition...

1st Reading                   Daniel 7: 13-14 Psalm                             93: 1ab. 1d-2. 5 (R. 1a) R:// "The Lord is king, with majesty enrobed" 2nd Reading                Revelation 1: 5-8 Gospel                           John 18: 33-37 ESTABLISHING THE REIGN OF TRUTH WITH CHRIST'S EVERLASTING KINGSHIP Dear friends, we have finally arrived at the 34th Sunday in Ordinary Time (Year B). This is the Last Sunday of the liturgical year, and the 34th week closes the YEAR B. We shall be ushered into YEAR C the following Sunday. The 34th Sunday has an added speciality because it is the Solemnity of Christ King of the Universe. At the end of the liturgical year, Mother Church centralises the kingship of Christ over the year. Regardless of whatever happened throughout the l...

1st Reading               Daniel 12: 1-3 Psalm                          16:5,8,9-10, 11 (R. 1) R:// "Preserve me, God, I take refuge in you" 2nd Reading            Hebrews 10: 11-14, 18 Gospel                       Mark 13: 24-32 STANDING FIRM IN THE FAITH Beloved, today is the 33rd Sunday in Ordinary Time (Year B). Today is the last but one Sunday of the liturgical year. Next Sunday is the Solemnity of Christ, King of the Universe (Christ the King). As we draw very close to the end of the liturgical year, our readings focus on the issue of ENDS . The Word of God for this Sunday deals with the issue of what happens at the end of life. Let us dive into the readings. The first reading is from Daniel 12: 1-3. The book of Daniel has a very high apocalyptic tone. We cannot talk about today's readings without l...

1st Reading                1 Kings 17: 10-16 Psalm                           146:7, 8-9, 9-10 (R. cf. 1b). R//: Praise the Lord, my soul! 2nd Reading             Hebrews 9:24-28 Gospel                        Mark 13: 38-44 CONFRONT INJUSTICE; SUPPORT THE MARGINALIZED Beloved, today is the 32nd Sunday in Ordinary Time (Year B). We are just two weeks away from the end of the liturgical year. Practically, we should begin to assess our journey through the year and see how well we can improve in the next. Let us take a quick look at the readings for today. The first reading is from 1 Kings 17: 10-16. Elijah is asked to go to SIDON (or Zarephath) at the command of the Lord. To understand why he is going there, we need only to go a little backwards to get the whole picture right. In 1 Kings 17: 1, Elij...

1st Reading                Deuteronomy 6: 2-6 Psalm                          18: 2-3a. 3bc-4. 47 and 51ab (R. 2) R//: "I love you, Lord, my strength"  2nd Reading             Hebrews 7: 23-28 Gospel                        Mark 12: 28b-34 MANAGE YOUR GIFTS WITH WISDOM TO ADVANCE THE KINGDOM  Beloved, today, the 31st Sunday in Ordinary Time (Year B) is also the first Sunday of November (2024). We ask the Lord to keep us under the shadow of his wings and continue to shield us from the darts of our salvation's enemies. Traditionally, in the Catholic Church, November is dedicated to praying for the faithful departed, especially souls in Purgatory. This is inspired by the Commemoration of All Souls on November 2. Our belief in the resurrection will be strengthened if we pay particular a...

1st Reading             Jeremiah 31: 7-9 Psalm                       126: 1-2, 2-3, 4-5, 6 (R. cf. 3) R//: The Lord has done great things for us; we are filled with joy 2nd Reading         Hebrews 5: 1-6 Gospel                    Mark 10: 46-52 THE LORD PREPARES A ROAD FOR YOU People of God, today is the 30th Sunday in Ordinary Time (Year B). We are just 3 weeks away from the end of the liturgical year. We shall realise that our readings will start focusing on the end of certain things. Today is also the last Sunday of October (2024). We shall bring our community and ecclesial praying of the Holy Rosary to an end. Let us, however, endeavour to continue praying it individually to deepen our Christian lives and continually unite ourselves to Mary, the Mother of our Blessed Lord. The first reading is from Jeremiah 31: 7-9. Let us ke...

1st Reading            Isaiah 53: 10-11 Psalm                       33: 4-5. 18-19. 20 and 22 (R. cf. 22) R//: May your merciful love be upon us, as we hope in you, O Lord 2nd Reading         Hebrews 4: 14-16 Gospel                    Mark 10: 35-45 BE PART OF THE 'MANY' Beloved, we usher ourselves into the 29th Week in Ordinary Time (Year B) with reflection on the existential problems regarding human suffering. We shall attempt to unpack the Word of God for this Sunday and shall realise that God takes delight in redeeming us from life's troubles and changing scenes. Indeed, the humiliated will be elevated and vindicated, and the weak will be made strong and great. The first reading is from Isaiah 53: 10-11. This is a very brief but condensed passage. We are reading from the part of Isaiah called Second Isaiah (or Deutero-Isaiah) (Isa...