23rd Ordinary Sunday, Year A, 06.09.2026

 Ezekiel 33:7-9 / Romans 13:8-10 / Matthew 18:15-20      

God created this world and it is a beautiful creation.

This world is beautiful because God created it with His love.

And God's best and most beautiful creation is human beings.

God created human beings with the best and in the best of His love, because God created human beings in His image.

So, the world and all creation point to the creative power of God who makes all things beautiful.

But it is in human beings that God's image is reflected.

And that image is expressed in love, holiness, kindness, goodness, gentleness, compassion, forgiveness, peace, wisdom, and truth.

In other words, that image expresses all the attributes of God.

And because human beings are created in the image of God, each person has a dignity that is to be respected.

A person's dignity cannot be taken away by others because it is a God-given dignity.

But the surprising thing is that a person can disrespect and disregard his own dignity.

He does that when he commits wrongdoing and sinful acts against others.

In doing so, he also disregards and disrespects the dignity of others.

In the Gospel, Jesus said, "If your brother does something wrong, go and have it out with him alone, between your two selves."

Jesus continues, "If he listens to you, you have won back your brother."

The purpose of addressing the wrongdoing is to win back the other person.

It is to win him back to God so that he could see himself as being made in the image of God.

But we also have to be aware that our human nature has been disfigured and distorted by sin.

And this is where “having it out” or addressing the wrongdoing may end in accusation and confrontation.

And here is where we have to pay attention to what Jesus says at the end of the gospel passage. 

Jesus said, "I tell you solemnly, if two of you on earth agree to ask anything at all, it will be granted to you by my Father in heaven. For when two or three meet in my name, I shall be there with them." 

That is a solemn promise of Jesus to us, and that promise is fulfilled when we gather in prayer. 

In prayer, God renews His image in us, the image of love, holiness, kindness, gentleness, goodness, forgiveness, compassion, patience, wisdom, and truth. 

In prayer, our human nature is recreated into the image of God, so that we can listen to the voice of God and know what His will is. 

And when we agree to ask for anything in prayer, it is not about what we want, but about what the Lord our God wants. 

Because the word "agree" in the original language has the meaning of symphony and harmony. 

So, it is not that two or three people happen to pray for the same thing. 

It is about being gathered in Christ to understand His will, and to be united in prayer so as to carry out God's will. 

In other words, we pray so that we will know what to do and to do it in God's way. 

When we address a wrongdoing in God's way, there will be love, there will be peace, there will be reconciliation. 

So, where two or three meet, Jesus will be there, and their prayer will be heard and answered. 

It is not about the power of numbers, but the power of the presence of Jesus. 

A pilgrim shared a beautiful example of this at the World Youth Day in Lisbon in 2023.

About 1.5 million young people gathered for the final celebration. 

Imagine the noise! Young people were singing, talking, eating, laughing and walking around.

The scene as chaotic and full of activity.

And then the Blessed Sacrament was exposed.

And something extraordinary happened.

1.5 million young people became silent.

The enormous crowd became calm. Many knelt down in adoration. Why?

Because they knew that the One who was in their midst was more important than the one million people around them.

They had not gathered just to see the Pope.

They had not gathered just to meet other young Catholics.

They had gathered for Christ.

And when Christ became the focus, the crowd became a community of worship.

That is the power of gathering in the name Jesus.

But whether it is 1.5 million people, or 15 people, or 5 people or less, let us remember what Jesus promised.

Jesus promised that where two or three are gathered in His name in prayer, He will be there.

And when the Church, the Body of Christ, is united in prayer, then beautiful things will happen. 

Because united in prayer in the presence of Christ, there will be conversion and repentance, there will be forgiveness and healing.

And the world will be beautiful, and humanity (people) will also be beautiful.

So, let us be united in prayer, and Jesus will show us how beautiful and how powerful prayer can be.

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. 

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. 

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 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 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. 

17th Ordinary Sunday, Year A, 26.07.2026

 1 Kings 3:5, 7-12 / Romans 8:28-30 / Matthew 13:44-52

To go shopping can be a relaxing experience.

It is a form of retail therapy from the stress of life.

To do that, we would usually go to the shopping centres or shopping malls where it is more comfortable and more organized.

We will take our time to walk around and do window shopping.

Along the way, there may be something that will catch our attention and we might consider buying it.

But we don't usually have much time for casual window shopping.

Often, it is shopping with a purpose and with a limited time, and we may already have a shopping list in our minds or in our hands.

But that does not mean that we will always get whatever we want.

On a good shopping day, we will be able to find what we are looking for.

So, we will be able to get our favourite drinks, our favourite snacks, and maybe even get it at a discounted price.

But there are days when we can go from shop to shop and whatever we want is not available or out of stock.

We get this frustrated feeling that we have wasted our time and energy.

Even with online shopping, we may not get what we want and have to settle for a substitute or an alternative.

So, shopping can be relaxing and even enjoyable, but it can also be tiring and frustrating when we cannot get what we are looking for. 

In the Gospel, Jesus told two parables that give an idea of what the Kingdom of God is like. 

One is about a treasure hidden in a field which someone has found. 

He hides it again, goes off happy, sells everything he owns, and buys the field. 

Another is about a merchant looking for fine pearls. 

When he finds one of great value, he goes and sells everything he owns and buys it. 

So, it can be said that for those two characters in the parables, it was a good shopping experience of finding what they are looking for. 

But as with every parable, there is also a spiritual dimension, as well as a mystery that reveals who God is. 

The parables did not say how that person found the treasure in the field. 

And neither does it say how the merchant found that pearl of great value. 

Here is where we go back to the first reading and recall the dialogue between God and king Solomon. 

The Lord God asked king Solomon what he wanted, and king Solomon asked for this. 

King Solomon knew that he was young and unskilled in leadership, and he had to govern God's people. 

So, king Solomon asked for this: He asked for a heart of understanding. 

He asked for a heart to understand how to discern between good and evil. 

In other words, king Solomon asked God to grant him wisdom. 

It is a wisdom that understands the ways of God and to discern the revelations of God. 

It is wisdom that enables a person to pray and discern before getting into action. 

And it is with wisdom that we can understand the meaning of the parables. 

It is through the revelation of God that the man found the treasure hidden in the field. 

It is through discernment that the merchant found the pearl of great value. 

It is with the Spirit of wisdom that we will understand what God is revealing to us and how to walk in His ways. 

And this Spirit of wisdom will show us how God is speaking to us. 

God speaks to us in many ways and especially through nature. 

And one example is the trees. The trees don't talk, but they tell us this. 

Their roots teach us what holding on looks like, and their leaves teach us how to let go. 

May the Spirit of wisdom help us to let go of the things of earth and hold on to God above. 

When we hold on to God alone, then we already have what we are looking and longing for.