Homily: October 18, 2024, Feast of St. Luke the Evangelist (Harvest).

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 “The harvest is abundant, but the laborers are few; so ask the master of the harvest to send out laborers for his harvest.”

We are the in the harvesting season. 

Back in my homeland, the harvesting season was always a super busy period, because we had to work very fast to take in the harvest within a few days. so that we don’t lose the crops. We would look for extra laborers during that season to help us get the job done on time. More laborers meant a bigger harvest.

Here in this land, harvesting is done in quick time without the need for extra laborers. On a few occasions, my farmer friends have invited me to ride with them in their combine to go around their farms. I saw how with technology, hundreds of acres of crops can be harvested within just a few hours.

Jesus sees this world like a huge farm. With the effective planting of seeds by His apostles and the church, and the nurture of the Holy Spirit, it can yield plentiful fruits. When it is time for harvesting, He will need many of us to bring in the harvest before the evil one destroys the crop.

Heaven has room for everyone. However, many do not know the way, they need direction, guidance, and help to get there. 

They need laborers to bring them into the Kingdom of God. This is the role of discipleship, to draw people to God, to show the way to heaven. This is the duty of all baptized Catholics.

We need everyone, lay people, priests and religious to work together for a plentiful harvest. Our diocese now does not have any new seminarian, and there will be no priestly ordination next year. This is a cause for concern. So Jesus tells us to “Ask the master of the harvest…”

So let us pray and ask, for more men and women to respond to the priestly and religious vocations, to dedicate their lives fully in service to God. Ask and we will receive.

Amen.

 


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Homily: August 11, 2025 Monday of the Nineteenth Week in Ordinary Time (Greatness of God)

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 “If a kingdom is divided against itself, that kingdom cannot stand. And if a house is divided against itself, that house will not be able to stand.” This is applicable to any kingdom, any organisation, any group, and of course, it applies to church, the kingdom of God here on earth as well. We see decline and weakening of organisations where divisions exist. Is the church, the kingdom of God here on earth divided or united? In this so-called modern society, it is not difficult to see many divisive opinions and views. Many people strongly advocate abortion, same-sex marriage, and other behaviour which the church has explicitly identified as unacceptable. Yet these people claim to be catholic. They justify their arguments based on their own ideologies and political principles, not on the church’s teachings. And there are church leaderships who keep silent regarding these issues for fear of losing popularity. Yes, God forgives but we cannot take God’s mercy for granted and live like ...
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 ‘The Lord God called to the man and asked him, “Where are you?”’ This is the first question God asked man after he committed sin. God surely knew what happened. He gave Adam and Eve all freedom to do as they please, requesting only one restriction, yet they failed Him. He should be upset, He is justified to be furious, He has every right to question and reprimand them, instead he asked, “where are you?” Through this we can see that although God disapproves of sin, His bigger concern is when we hide from Him and persist in darkness. He calls us our from hiding, into His light. Human beings are the crown of God’s creation.  He yearns for us to be in His light, in His presence, always. And all through history, God does not change His position, He does not run away, He remains always available, reachable and near. We are the ones turning away and increasing the distance from God. Fulton Sheen rightly said, “Ever since the days of Adam man has been hiding from God and saying ‘God ...
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"Then he said, 'Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.' He replied to him, 'Amen, I say to you, today you will be with me in Paradise.'"  The good thief asked only to be remembered, but Jesus, always faithful to His promises, responded with the gift of eternal life. Jesus was nailed to a cross, like a criminal, with two real criminals by His side. He had once been surrounded by thousands who needed His healing, followed by many who wanted to hear Him, and accompanied by friends who loved Him. But now at the final hour of His suffering and dying, they had all left Him. This is what many of us fear, to be forgotten and left alone at our dying moment. Let us look at the situation of the two thieves crucified beside Jesus. As thieves, they probably lived in poverty, anxiety and constantly hiding. They might not have family or friends since they work in darkness. Now caught and condemned, they too are in the last hour of their lives, about to die. Yet,...
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