“Now I have seen and testified that he is the Son of God.” We are fingers pointing out the way to Jesus for others. “Look, there is the lamb of God!” John the Baptist pointed to Jesus as the Lamb of God, as the Chosen One of God. This was his mission: A finger pointing to Jesus. His finger is [...]
“This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased.” -Mattthew 3:47 The readings from the prophet Isaiah prophesied the coming of one who would bring justice to the nations - One whom God will make as a covenant to His people, and as a light to the nations; To open eyes that do not see, to free captives [...]
I have a bucket list which I will go through and tick off every now and then. When I converted to Catholicism in 2016, my bucket list included going to somewhere in Europe. Indeed, I went to Poland but on a holy pilgrimage with 100 others from OYP (Office of Young People) for World Youth Day. It was also though [...]
I was having a casual chat with a youth whom I work with, when he revealed in honesty, “Brian, I just went for confession, but I cannot. I wank every day. Really, porn is life!” There were sniggers around, then a younger youth, “Yah, I watch also. How ah?” Access to pornography is ubiquitous today, in comparison to the days [...]
“They were overjoyed at seeing the star, and on entering the house they saw the child with Mary his mother. They prostrated themselves and did him homage.” -Matthew 2:10-11 While the Magi were traditionally numbered and named as three, the Bible does not in fact say how many there actually were, or whether they were kings. The number 3 is [...]
“You are my witnesses —oracle of the LORD— my servant whom I have chosen. To know and believe in me and understand that I am he. Before me no god was formed, and after me there shall be none.” Isaiah 43:10 As a decade comes to a close and the new begins, what will be giving thanks to the Lord [...]
“So Joseph got up, took the child and his mother, and went to the land of Israel.” -Matthew 2: 21 “Put on, as God's chosen ones, holy and beloved, heartfelt compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience, bearing with one another and forgiving one another, if one has a grievance against another; as the Lord has forgiven you, so must you [...]
‘They will call him Emmanuel,… which means ‘God-is-with-us.” -Matthew 1: 23 Today’s Gospel from Matthew 1:18-24 highlights the conception and birth of Jesus. This is the last Sunday of our preparation for Christmas, before the birth of Christ, Our Saviour. The faithfulness of God our Father, through the announcement of the birth of the Messiah, through His prophet Isaiah, reveals [...]
Today is called “Gaudete Sunday” because today’s entrance antiphon begins: “Gaudete in Domino semper” --“Rejoice in the Lord always.” In the past, when Advent was a season of penance, the celebrant of the liturgy used to wear vestments with the penitential color of purple or violet. In order to remind the people that they were preparing for the very [...]
“So too, you also must be prepared, for at an hour you do not expect, the Son of Man will come.” Matthew 24: 44 Be watchful. Be prepared. Be ready. These are instructions for us as we prepare for the coming of Christ. Stay awake so that you may be ready. Matthew 24:37 tells us, “As it was in Noah’s [...]
