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

1st Reading                      Isaiah 2:1-5 Psalm                                 122:1-2, 4-5, 6-7, 8-9 (R. cf. 1) R:// "We shall go rejoicing to the house of the Lord" 2nd Reading                  Romans 13: 11-14a Gospel                            Matthew 24: 37-44 COME, LET US GATHER Dear friends, Peace and Goodness, and a Happy New Liturgical Year. Today is not only a Sunday, but the last Sunday of November. We thank God for his graciousness and also for ushering us into a new Liturgical Year (Year A) and a new season (Advent). In the season of Advent, we anticipate the coming of Christ. First, we look forward to the second coming of Christ at the end of time, and the second is his coming at Christmas. All these expectations demand pr...

1st Reading                  2 Samuel 5:1-3 Psalm                            122:1-2, 4-5 (R. cf. 1) R:// "Let us go rejoicing to the house of the Lord" 2nd Reading              Colossians 1:12-20 Gospel                         Luke 23:35-43 YIELD TO HIS RULE Peace and Goodness, Friends! Today we arrive at the grand conclusion of the Church's calendar, the Solemnity of Christ the King. This magnificent feast, positioned at the 34th and final Sunday in Ordinary Time (Year C), asks us to step back and reflect on the true nature of the sovereignty we profess. We close the Liturgical Year by examining how the ancient expectation of a royal ruler, established in the Old Testament, finds its fulfilment in the New. We shall then tailor our thoughts from the readings of today on the issue...

1st Reading                  Malachi 4:1-2a Psalm                            98:5-6,7-9ab,9bc (R. cf. 9cd) R:// "The Lord comes to judge the peoples with fairness" 2nd Reading              2 Thessalonians 3:7-12 Gospel                         Luke 21:5-19 STAND UNSHAKEN AT THE FINAL HOUR Peace and Goodness, Friends! Today is the 33rd Sunday in Ordinary Time (Year C). We should remind ourselves that there are 34 Sundays in the Liturgical Year. Arriving on the 33rd Sunday means that next Sunday is the end of the liturgical year, the Solemnity of Christ the King. Today is the penultimate Sunday of the Church's year. From all dimensions, we are near the end of the year. We shall then tailor our thoughts from the readings of today on the issue of the end.  The first reading is fro...

1st Reading           Ezekiel 47: 1-2, 8-9, 12 Psalm                     46: 2-3, 5-6, 8-9 (R. 5) R://"The waters of a river give joy to God's city, the holy place, the dwelling of the Most High" 2nd Reading        1 Corinthians 3:9c-11, 16-17 Gospel                    John 2:13-22 THE WATERS OF HOPE FLOW TO US Friends, Peace and Goodness! Today, we were to celebrate the 32nd Sunday in Ordinary Time (Year C). However, today is the Feast of the Dedication of the Lateran Basilica. The Lateran Basilica was built by Emperor Constantine in 324AD. It is the "Mother Church," the first of Rome's Constantinian basilicas, the seat of the Bishop of Rome (the Pope). We celebrate not only the Lateran Basilica as a Church but what the Church as a building stands for and what significance each individual Church holds for the building up of our faith. Interes...

1st Reading                   2 Maccabees 12:42-45 Psalm                             63:2-6, 8-9 2nd Reading               Philippians 3:20-21 Gospel                          Luke 7:11-17 DO NOT WEEP Friends, Peace and Goodness! Today, we commemorate the faithful departed, which is called All Souls' Day. It is quite unusual to celebrate it today because today is a Sunday. In fact, it is supposed to be the 31st Sunday in Ordinary Time (Year C). This only becomes a very interesting incident because Sunday is regarded as the day of the Resurrection (Matt. 28:1; Lk. 24:1). The commemoration of all the faithful departed on a Sunday only deepens our belief in the resurrection of the dead. This is a sign of hope. Added to that is the fact that today is the first Sunday of November. ...

1st Reading                Sirach 35:12c-14, 16-18b Psalm                           34:2-3, 17-18, 9 & 23 (R. cf. 7a) R:// "The lowly one called, and the Lord heard him " 2nd Reading             2 Timothy 4:6-8, 16-18 Gospel                        Luke 18: 9-14 ONLY THE LOWLY RISE Friends, Peace and Goodness! Today is the 30th Sunday in Ordinary Time (Year C), and the last Sunday of October. We shall soon be bringing the praying of the Rosary to a close. We need to continue praying it even outside October to deepen our relationship with Mary. We also have to notice that arrival on the 30th Sunday points to the fact that we are close to the end of the liturgical year. Let us keep that in mind.  Let us turn to the Word of God for this Sunday and say a few words about the Gospel passage (L...

1st Reading              Exodus 17:8-13 Psalm                        121:1-2, 3-4, 5-6, 7-8 (R. 2) R:// "Our help comes from the Lord, who made heaven and earth" 2nd Reading              2 Timothy 3:14-4:2 Gospel                         Luke 18:1-8 YOUR FAITH SHOULD REFUSE TO GIVE UP Friends, Peace and Goodness! Today, the 29th Sunday in Ordinary Time (Year C) is also the 3rd Sunday of October. Recalling October, we should remember to join the Universal Church in seeking Mary's intercession through the praying of the Holy Rosary. For this Sunday also, I suggest we limit ourselves to the Gospel passage, Luke 18:1-8. The Gospel passage for today is semi-continuation from last Sunday's Gospel. The series of Luke's Gospel only skipped vv. 20-37. Today, Jesus tells his disciples a parable about a woman an...