2nd Sunday of Advent, Year A, 07.12.2025

 Isaiah 11:1-10 / Romans 15:4-9 / Matthew 3:1-12

It is said that life is like a toilet paper roll. As it comes closer to the end, it runs out faster and faster. 

The same can be said about time. We are already one week into December, and in less than three weeks’ time, it will be Christmas. 

It seems that as we come to the last month of the year, time is really rolling and flying. 

Time is not only rolling and flying, there are also many things happening. 

People are going off for holidays, schedules are changed here in there. Christmas decorations must be put up quickly at home, in the office and also in church. 

Of course, when it comes to Christmas decorations, the must-have item is the Nativity Scene, because that is what Christmas is about. 

Then the rest are things like the Christmas tree, fairy lights, Santa Claus and reindeers and whatever. 

But no Christmas decoration would ever have a figure or a picture of John the Baptist. 

Anyway, why should John the Baptist appear in the Nativity Scene or in any Christmas decorations. 

With that kind of attire, and that kind of diet, John the Baptist is just so out of place in this festive season. 

But on this 2nd Sunday of Advent, the gospel brings in John the Baptist. 

He preached in the wilderness of Judaea, and this was his message: Repent, for the Kingdom of heaven is close at hand. 

His message is straight and direct, and the prophet Isaiah spoke of him as a voice crying out in the wilderness, “Prepare a way for the Lord, make his paths straight.” 

His message was also accompanied by a baptism for the forgiveness of sins.

But John the Baptist had tough words for those who take repentance and the baptism lightly. 

John the Baptist says this: Even now, the axe is laid to the roots of the trees, so that any tree that fails to produce good fruit will be cut down and thrown on the fire. 

Yes, tough words that are accompanied by an uncomfortable image of the axe at the roots. 

If John the Baptists were to come and take a look around, he might take that axe and cut down a few things. 

We like our Christmas decorations to be nice and pretty. 

But John the Baptist will remind us that this is still the season of Advent, and he will take down those things that will distract us from the spirit of preparation and repentance. 

And going down to the root of the matter, John the Baptist wants us to remember this:

Our lives are rooted in Jesus Christ, and when we are rooted in Christ, then we will bear fruits for Christ. 

But along the way, our roots have gone to look for the waters of worldly pleasure and sensual desires. 

Slowly we begin to drink in the contaminated waters of addiction to porn and immorality, and living by the ways of the world. 

We slowly forget about the clean waters of our baptism, and walking in the straight ways of the Lord.

John the Baptist wants to give us an Advent present, and that present is an axe.

With that axe, we need to look at the roots of our lives that have gone the wrong way. 

Let us start by looking at those roots that have made us produce bad and rotten fruits. 

Let us get down to looking at the behaviours and the attitudes of our lives. 

Behaviours and attitudes like: jumping to conclusion, passing the buck, throwing our weight around, making mountains out of molehills, blowing our own trumpet, adding fuel to fire, pushing the blame. 

Let us cut off all the crooked and twisted attitudes and behaviours of our lives. 

Then the roots of our lives will thirst for the living water of Jesus Christ, and we will bear fruits of love for Jesus and for others. 

Then we will learn how to swallow our pride, , walk away from gossips and bickering, speak the truth, pick up the pieces of our disappointments and frustrations and giving them to Jesus, take responsibility, live with honesty and sincerity.

When we are rooted in Jesus Christ, we will see the straight path and walk towards Jesus Christ, from this Advent to Christmas, and always. 

1st Sunday of Advent, Year A, 30.11.2025

 Isaiah 2:1-5 / Romans 13:11-14 / Matthew 24:37-44

Last week was a busy time for our parish. 

The feast of Christ the King is also our parish feast day, and prior to that there was the triduum. 

So, there was the preparation, and three days of prayer, and then the feast day celebrations. 

Yes, we were busy preparing, praying and then celebrating. 

And we think that with the feast day over, we can take a break and relax for a while. 

But no, there is another up and coming feast to prepare, and that is the celebration of Christmas. 

So, it seems like there is no end to the activities and the busyness of life. 

There were instances that we have been so busy that we wish we could have more time. 

But the irony is that with more time, we may find more things to do and get busier. 

On the other hand, with more time, we may end up wasting time and then leave a lot of work undone. 

But this is nothing new in the lifestyle of human beings.

In the gospel, Jesus recalls the time in Noah’s day before the flood. 

The people then were eating and drinking and busy with the cares of life. 

Even when they saw Noah building the ark, they suspected nothing till the flood came and swept all away. 

It seems that the people were so busy and interested only in the cares and concerns of life, that they have lost their spiritual sense. 

They could not sense the promptings from the Lord. 

They could not see the signs from God, nor could they hear what the Lord was saying. 

Yes, they suspected nothing, they sensed nothing, until it was too late. 

Jesus also gave another example of a householder keeping watch over his house. 

That householder would have stayed awake if he had known at what time of the night the burglar would come. 

This weekend, we enter into the season of Advent. 

The season of Advent calls us to slow down, or even to stop and look at the signs and to sense the promptings from God. 

We already noticed the signs of the celebration of Christmas. 

But let us enter into the season of Advent, which is a time of quiet, a time of stillness, a time of waiting, a time of praying. 

But the season of Advent comes at an inconvenient time, a busy time, a time where there are so many things to do. 

But Jesus tells us not to be like the people in Noah’s day when they suspected nothing. 

Or what if that householder did not know when the burglar would come. 

Whatever it is, the consequences will be terrible, if we see nothing, and know nothing of what the Lord God is showing us and saying to us. 

As we begin the season of Advent let us take time to be still and to be quiet. 

And let us embark on some spiritual exercises that may not burn calories but will make us ready. 

The 2nd reading tells us to arm ourselves and to appear in the light. 

And the 1st reading tells us to walk in the light of the Lord. 

So, let us begin with walking, which may sound easy, but wait till we hear how we should walk, and we begin with walking away.

At times, walking away has nothing to do with weakness and everything to do with strength. 

We walk away not because we want others to see our worth and our value, but because we see our own worth and value in God’s love for us. 

We walk away from disputes and quarrels that cannot be resolved without love. 

We walk away from pleasing people to pleasing God. 

Let us walk away from the busyness of life into the stillness of the light of the Holy Spirit. 

And let us walk with the Holy Spirit in this season of Advent to see the signs and the wonders that God is showing us.

Christ the King. Year C, 23.11.2025

2 Samuel 5:1-3 / Colossians 1:11-20 / Luke 23:35-43  

The need for attention is a need of every person. 

Every person needs attention for various reasons. 

Basically, we will call for attention because of some need. 

For example, when we are in a restaurant and we are ready to order our food, we will call for the attention of the waiter. 

For babies, when they are in need, whether they are hungry or the diapers need to be changed, they will cry out for attention. 

Even a seemingly ordinary action like pressing the bell in the bus, calls for the attention of the bus captain to let him know that we need to alight at the next bus stop. 

So, everyone calls out for attention because of a need. 

Children will try to get the attention of their parents by doing something or saying something because they need to know that their parents care for them. 

Workers will try to get the attention of their boss or superiors by being impressive in every possible way for job security and stability.

And in the competition for love, boy will try to impress the girl and get her attention, or it can also be the other way around. 

Whatever it is, the reality is that as human beings, we need the attention from others. 

We need attention to impress others and to prove ourselves. 

On the higher and noble levels of life, we call for attention to direct others to safety or away from danger, or to make an important announcement. 

Today, as we celebrate the feast of Christ the King, the gospel passage brings us back to the scene of the crucifixion. 

We may wonder, why is it that on such a grand and joyous feast, the gospel passage is about pain, suffering and death. 

The gospel passage states that fact. 

But not all facts tell the truth. 

The people stood there, but they were looking at Jesus as if they were watching a spectacle, and no response were required from them. 

The leaders jeered at Jesus saying, “He saved others, let him save himself if he is the Christ of God.”

The soldiers also mocked Jesus as they said, “If you are the king of the Jews, save yourself.” 

And above Jesus there was an inscription: This is the King of the Jews. 

Even one of the condemned criminals hanging there abused Jesus saying, “Are you not the Christ? Save yourself, and us as well.” 

Those were the facts at the scene of the crucifixion. 

But the irony is that those facts point to the truth, a rather mysterious truth. 

Because, all that was said by the leaders, by the soldiers, by that condemned criminal, all that pointed to the truth. 

And that truth was stated silently but profoundly in that inscription: This is the King of the Jews. 

And the King of the Jews didn’t need to prove Himself, or call for the people’s attention to acknowledge Him as the king.

By the fact that Jesus was on the Cross, He was already above the rest and they were looking up at Him. 

At the foot of the Cross, there was so much noise – the noise of jeering, insulting and mocking. 

All were trying to call attention to themselves by trying to put down Jesus.

There was so much of jeering and mocking, but only one person was praying. 

And his prayer is simply this: Jesus, remember Me when you come into your Kingdom.” 

And that simple and humble prayer brought out the divine promise of salvation. 

Although nailed to the Cross, Jesus made this divine promise: Indeed, I promise you, today you will be with me in paradise. 

That is the promise of the King of kings and the Lord of lords. 

It is the promise made to that repentant criminal, and it is a promise made to all of us who believe in Jesus as our Lord and our King. 

That promise is renewed whenever we pray the prayer that is on the prayer card, which is also our parish prayer. 

That promise is renewed when we write our prayers and petitions in the petition forms, as we put our trust in Jesus, our Lord and our King. 

As we call out to Jesus, He turns His attention to each of us, and He says: Indeed, I promise you, today you will be with Me, because I love you, and I want you to be with Me forever. 

That is the promise of Jesus to us, and let us believe in that promise. 

Because it is the truth and the promise made by Jesus Christ, our Lord and our King.    

33rd Sunday, OT, Year C, 16.11.2025

Malachi 3:19-20 / 2 Thess 3:7-12 / Luke 21:5-19

In almost every kind of sport, strength and stamina are required. 

Strength and stamina can only be achieved in one way, and that is by pushing the body, and the mind, when tiredness and fatigue set in. 

Strength and stamina cannot be developed if we were to stop the moment we feel tired. 

Of course, we need to stop when we feel exhausted, otherwise we might injure the body. 

So, strength and stamina can be built and developed progressively and gradually. 

In a way, it is like boiling water. The fire isn’t turned off just when the water is getting warm. 

The fire is kept burning as the water gets warmer and warmer until the water reaches boiling point. 

So it is with strength and stamina. We keep going when we are tired in order to increase strength and stamina, but at the same time being careful not to over-exert. 

But all this requires time, because nothing happens quickly or instantly. 

In fact, nature teaches us that growth and development requires time. 

And nature also teaches us that growth and development comes about through challenges and difficulties. 

Listening to the gospel passage can be rather challenging, difficult and even disturbing. 

At first, Jesus predicted the destruction of the Temple, which was the most holy place for the People of God. 

Then, He talks about the chaos of war and calamities. 

And then, He talks about violence and persecution, but He also assures His protection to those who are faithful to Him. 

And finally, Jesus urges us to have endurance so as to overcome the turmoil and tribulation. 

But what Jesus said about the destruction of the Temple will leave a graphic image in our minds: Not a single stone will be left on another; everything will be destroyed. 

The Temple was like a fortified city with high and thick walls. To breach a fortified city, the walls must first be broken through and then the destruction will begin. 

The walls of the Temple brings to mind the tale of two walls. 

The first is the walls of Jericho, the first city that blocked the Israelites when they entered into the Promised Land. 

The fortified walls of Jericho were high and mighty, almost impossible to breach and break-through. 

The Israelites turned to God for help, and they were told to march around the city for seven days. 

Then on the seventh day, they were to blow trumpets and horns and God will make the way. 

As much as it sounded nothing like a battle plan, the people obeyed. 

And on the 7th day when the trumpets and horns were sounded, the mighty walls of Jericho simply crumbled and the city of Jericho was taken. 

So, it can be said that the walls of Jericho fell by faith and not by force. 

Marching on in faith and prayer requires endurance, but that will bring about the awesome power of God.

That is the first of the tale of the two walls.

The second is the Western Wall, or the Wailing Wall, which is a surviving remnant of the Temple of Jerusalem, that was destroyed by the Romans in 70AD.

A Jewish legend has it that when the Temple was being built, the work was divided among different sectors of the population. 

The building of the Western Wall fell to the poor, and they worked hard to construct it, as they could not afford to hire labourers to do their work for them.

When the enemy destroyed the Temple, the angels descended from on high and spread their wings over the Wall, because God said: "This Wall, the work of the poor, shall never be destroyed."

The tale of these two walls tells us this. In the case of the walls of Jericho, it was by the simple act of faith and not by might of force that brought down the walls of Jericho. 

As for the Western Wall, or Wailing Wall, it can be said that the simple and humble prayer of the poor will endure. 

In life, there will be chaos, but with faith in God, out of chaos will come forth creation. 

In life, there will be tribulation, but every tribulation has a revelation. 

That revelation for us is that endurance will prevail over the chaos and turmoil. 

The walls of pride and might will be broken down. 

But the simple and humble prayer of those who endure in their faith in God will go up to heaven and bring forth God’s salvation.

Dedication of Lateran Basilica, 09.11.2025

 Ezekiel 47:1-2, 8-9, 12 / 1 Cor 3:9-11, 16-17 / John 2:13-22

Today, the Church celebrates the dedication of the Lateran Basilica. 

Officially it is called the Archbasilica of St. John Lateran, and it is dedicated to St. John the Baptist and St. John the Evangelist. 

It is the cathedral of the diocese of Rome, and so it is the official Church of the Pope, who is the Bishop of Rome. 

Built in the year 324AD, it is the oldest church in the West, and it is considered the mother and the head of all the churches of Rome and of the world. 

In celebrating the dedication, we also celebrate the deep spiritual aspects of our faith. 

We celebrate unity, that we belong to the One Holy, Catholic and Apostolic Church. 

We believe that through the Church, God is offering the world the gift of forgiveness and salvation. 

We also profess that the Church is human and divine. 

We are the living members of the Church, the Body of Christ, and Jesus Christ is the Head of the Church. 

In the gospel, Jesus drove out all those merchants and money changers and said: Take all these out of here and stop turning my Father's house into a market. 

When the people challenged Him to justify what He did, Jesus said: Destroy this sanctuary and in three days I will raise it up. 

The people didn’t understand that Jesus was referring to the sanctuary that is His Body. 

So, the Church, the living Body of Christ, is holy, and the Church building is also holy.

The Church is the House of God, and a House of prayer. 

So, the building is sacred and it stands on holy ground. 

In this sacred building, worship is offered, prayer is heard and answered, and God’s love flows like the healing waters described in the 1st reading. 

The Church, the House of God, is like the Temple described in the 1st reading, where the waters of God’s healing love flow into the hearts of all believers. 

It is the waters of God’s love that brings about life, that brings about healing and forgiveness, that makes us bear fruits of love for others and for the glory of God. 

The celebration of the dedication of the Lateran Basilica also reminds us that we all have a spiritual home. 

So, the Church is the House of God, as well as our spiritual home, and we have come home to be with God. 

So, if Pope Leo XIV is asked where is his spiritual home, he will say that it is the Lateran Basilica. 

And if we were asked where is our spiritual home, we will say that it is the Church of Christ the King. 

Yes, here we are at home with our King and our Lord Jesus Christ. 

Here at home, we receive blessings from Jesus, we receive forgiveness for our sins, we are healed and strengthened with Holy Communion. 

Here at home, in the House of God, we offer worship and prayer, and we believe that our prayers will be heard and answered. 

And we go forth from the House of God with the mission of calling others to come back home. 

No matter how far they have gone, no matter what they have done wrong, no matter how angry or disappointed they are with the Church, God is calling them to come back home and to talk to God. 

And we are to be the voice of God to call them home. 

The feast of Christ the King will be in two weeks’ time. 

Before that, there will be a triduum, the three days of prayer in preparation for the feast day. 

Let us take some prayer cards and petition forms and ask others to come to the triduum to offer up their prayers to God. 

Everyone, whether young or old, everyone has a need, everyone has a prayer, and everyone needs to come home and to know that their prayers are heard. 

Let these prayer cards and petition forms be like God’s invitation. 

Regardless of how near or how far we are from God, let us come home to the House of God.

Let us come home and receive love, forgiveness, healing, and to let God make His home in our hearts.

All Souls 02.05.2025

 Isaiah 25:6-9 / Romans 5:5-11 / John 7:11-17

There are two important days in our life. 

One is, of course, our birthday, the day that we came into this world. 

That day appears in all our personal documents, and we also celebrate that day in various ways. 

The other day that is important is the day that we leave this world. 

For all of us here, we do not know when that day will be. 

And because we don’t know when that day will be, it leaves us rather curious and also anxious. 

Today we remember and we also pray for the faithful departed. 

We also remember especially our departed loved ones, and we pray that they will rest in peace. 

When we visit them at the cemetery or in the columbium, we see the date of their birth, as well as the date that they left this world. 

Between those two dates, they were with us, and they have left fond and warm memories in our hearts. 

We remember what they said to us, what they did for us, how they have loved us, and how they have helped us become better persons. 

Yes, on this day, we remember our departed loved ones and we pray for them. 

And on this day, our faith also leads us to think about the other world. 

Those who have died have left us and left this world. 

They have passed on from this world to the next world, or, to the other world. 

For them, life is changed, not ended. 

For them, life is changed and changed forever because they have gone back to the Lord. 

And God has prepared for them an eternal home so that they can rest eternally in His presence. 

The 1st reading gives this image of a mountain where the Lord has prepared a banquet of rich food. 

The departed have gone up to that mountain of the Lord, where He will wipe away the tears from every cheek. 

So, we believe that the departed have gone back home to be with God forever. 

It is with this belief that we remember our departed loved ones with love. 

Our faith and our hope tells us that God has prepared a place for each of us in our eternal home. 

So, although we do not know when will be the day that we will have to leave this world, let us not be too curious or be too anxious about it. 

When that day comes for us to leave this world, let us believe that we will pass on from this world to the next world, where God is waiting for us. 

As for the departed, we remember them and we also miss them, and we will also grieve as we mourn for them. 

The deeper the relationship we had with them, the deeper will be the grief and with tears. 

But the Lord Jesus will console us just as He consoled the widow who lost her son. 

The departed will not come back to life in this world. 

But the goodness of their lives will continue in our lives as we remember them. 

And our hope is that we will meet them again in the homeland in heaven.

In that heavenly homeland, we will see the God in whom we hoped for salvation. 

Yes, we will be reunited with our departed loved ones, and we will exalt and rejoice in God who saves us. 

That is our faith, that is our hope, as we remember and pray for the departed on this All Souls Day.

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.