“Give back to Caesar what belongs to Caesar, and to God what belongs to God." (Matthew 22:21) In this Sunday’s Gospel reading, we see a futile attempt by the Pharisees and Herodians to trap Jesus with a politically charged question about paying taxes to Caesar. However, Jesus, in His wisdom, not only evaded their trap but delivered a profound [...]
In the Gospel this week, we are presented with a paradox in the story of the Prince’s wedding. First, the people who were invited, made excuses and did not turn up. They even went to the extent of mistreating the servants and the envoys who were sent. This incurred the king’s wrath who sent troops to destroy these towns. Second, [...]
Today’s Gospel at first glance seems bizarre. Why will anyone who receives an invitation from the King not come in haste, dressed in his/her best clothes? It doesn’t make sense. Or does it? In today’s parable, Jesus likened the kingdom of heaven to a king who gave a wedding feast for his son. There is parallelism between the King [...]
October has been quite a ride, filled with conflicts upon conflicts. The hot and humid weather in Singapore, coupled with the recent haze, hasn't exactly been uplifting my mood. But what really threw me for a loop was getting caught up in the drama of the Israel-Hammas war. And let me tell you, it wasn't just something I saw on [...]
By the providential hand of God, I managed to find a pocket of time to participate in a much needed time of retreat recently. It was in fact a wondrous gift of quietude as the month of September was incredulously hectic. I barely had time for a breather, and my body felt it. I was almost on the verge of [...]
On September 29th, our parish celebrated the feast day of St. Michael the Archangel with a week-long series of events, which brought the community together in joy. Throughout the week, our parish priests, Fr Terence and Fr Sam, delivered inspiring homilies that were centred around angels. By the end of the week, I was filled with indescribable happiness and [...]
It was not and still is not easy to be a community. The letter of St. Paul is an invitation to the community to live in harmony; to focus on Jesus Christ. During his time, many of the philosophers would exhort their listeners to live out the virtues to avoid the destructive forces of vices. It was easier to have [...]
A year ago, I embarked on a journey to understand the Catholic faith more deeply. Initially, I believed that faith was solely about my well-being, finding inner peace, and pursuing happiness. However, I soon discovered that there was much more to the faith than I had anticipated. It was not merely a yoga retreat, a self-healing rehabilitation center, or a [...]
As we celebrate our Patron’s feast, we are reminded to bring before the angels our offerings to the Lord. The angels accompanies us, as we approach the temple of the Lord, the altar of the Lord. No one is allowed into this temple as it is guarded by the angels of the Lord. To be worthy is to bring a [...]
Some of us can probably resonate with the Gospel reading for today, feeling unjust for the workers who were hired first as it does seem unfair to be paid the same wage as those who only worked for 1 hour, bearing the work under the terrible heat for the entire day. Why should they be paid the same as me, [...]
