Novena Preaching @ Novena Church

"Magnifica Humanitas" - The Greatness of the Human Person," explores how Catholics should approach artificial intelligence. Fr. Prabhu frames Pope Leo VIV's first encyclical as a modern echo of Leo XIII's Rerum Novarum, addressing today's technological revolution just as Leo XIII once addressed the industrial one. AI can inform and even write beautifully, but Fr. Prabhu...

Mothers somehow always sense when something is wrong with their children because we were literally part our mother. That is why God also uses the image of a mother to describe His love for us. Today is the feast day of Our Mother of Perpetual Help. In Mary’s heart, we experience the tenderness of a mother and the mercy of God. If we look at the icon, we see Mother Mary embracing the frightened chi...

In this homily, Fr. Simon reminds us that Mother Mary's deepest desire is to lead us to her Son, Jesus. Prayer is not just about petitions. It's about worshipping God with trust and gratitude. Reflecting on the Eucharistic Adoration during Novena, Fr Simon encourages us to use those precious moments to simply gaze upon Jesus and say, “Lord, I believe in You. I trust in You.” Even amid pain...

Today we reflect on Romans12:2: ‘Do not be conformed to this world but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that you may prove what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.’ Stephen Covey talks about a paradigm shift where we change our thinking and approach to life, a shift from self-focus to compassion for others. We see that in our lady, who had no answer for her impo...

Fr. Glenn reflected on Jesus' mission in Luke's Gospel: "The Spirit of the Lord is upon me...to bring good news to the poor." He illustrated this with a moving story of a nine-year-old boy named Pedro, though hungry himself, catches a fallen banana, and gives it whole to an elderly church cleaner, eating only the peel. A watching nun was struck by what she called "the face o...

Love has many meanings and perspectives but Mother Mary‘s love is always unwavering. She cares for us, guides us and loves us. She is a mother who never abandons us even when we stray. What is so unique about Mother Mary’s love? Mother Mary has a very natural desire to help everyone. At the wedding at Cana, she noticed that they had ran out of wine and simply went to Jesus and said, “They have no...

In this homily, Fr. Peter reflects on the Feast of Pentecost as "not locked in time or space or history, but...an event that continues to unfold" in the lives of believers today. Pentecost marks the powerful outpouring of the Holy Spirit to empower believers. Fr. Peter emphasizes that the Holy Spirit's primary role is to constantly remind us of Jesus' teachings, requiring us to m...

Br. Albert reflects on Jesus' words, “Do not judge.” He clarifies that this does not mean ignoring wrongdoing, but to avoid pride, harshness, and self-righteousness. People often judge quickly, unaware of others' hidden struggles like grief, fear, or exhaustion. Instead of condemnation, we are called to emulate Jesus, who welcomed sinners with mercy and compassion. Bro Albert also points t...

Tomorrow being Mother’s Day brings to mind a reflection on the symbolism of a flower gift on this special day. The gift of a flower reminds us of: 1. Thanksgiving - A symbolic way to represent our thankfulness. 2. A way of life - like how we are able to take random stalks of flowers and reconfigure it into a bouquet. Similarly, our random acts of thanksgiving can be collected and reconfigured into...

"Never was it known that anyone who fled to your protection, implored your help, or sought your intercession was left unaided..." are not poetic lines, but lived realities of countless faithful. Fr. Prabhu invites us into the heart of May - the Church's Marian month - not as a duty, but as a relationship of love. He reminds us that this tradition, rooted since the 13th century, flows...

Action speaks louder than words. To be a witness, we have to live our life as a Christian. People trust experiences over words. Let us Love through actions. The mass has to be celebrated in our life, the sharing and the communion that we celebrate in the mass has to overflow into our daily life, as Fr. Ino reminds. Communion is not only when I receive the body of Christ, but communion is when I go...

In this homily, Fr. Peter Wee reflects on the Gospel scene of Jesus walking on water, where the disciples are caught in fear amid the storm. He draws our attention to Jesus’ simple yet powerful invitation: “It is I. Do not be afraid.” Fear, he reminds us, is a natural response to the uncertainties and storms of life—whether personal struggles, family challenges, or even global tensions. Yet Jesus...

As we move into the Easter octave, we reflect on the meaning of Easter and being Easter people. The corresponding readings of the Easter Octave show how various people respond to the reality of the passion, death and resurrection of Christ. The chief priests responded negatively by trying to cover up the resurrection as fake, the disciples didn’t understand and were confused, but later encountered...

Week 6: Embracing the cross, Redemption through Jesus’ sacrifice; Redemptive suffering - no cross, no resurrection. "Not I, Rabbi, surely?"- Judas’ response to Jesus serves as a reminder to all of us that we sometimes betray Jesus in many ways. Our repeated sins crucify Jesus over and over again. Judas separated himself from Jesus’ love. When we cut ourselves from the source of love, Jes...

In this homily, Fr. Terence reflects on the Gospel of the raising of Lazarus (John 11:1-45) during this Fifth Week of the Lenten Novena - "Jesus leads us to true choices." Reflecting on the Lazarus story, he emphasizes two key insights. First, God sometimes seems to delay. In moments when hope fades and prayer feels dry, we are challenged to hold onto faith. As he notes, "the opposite of faith is...

We reflect on this week’s gospel of the healing of the blind man by Jesus as well as last week’s gospel of Jesus’ encounter with Samaritan woman at the well. The healing of the blind man symbolizes the healing and transformative power of Jesus Christ. Born blind, sitting on roadside begging for alms before Jesus entered his life, and after Jesus heals him, he gains sight, follows Jesus and gives t...

In today's homily, Fr. Glenn reflects on the encounter between Jesus and the Samaritan woman at the well. Although Jews and Samaritans avoided each other, and men rarely spoke publicly with women, Jesus crosses these social boundaries and begins a conversation with her. Instead of accusing her of her past or her broken relationships, Jesus speaks first to the deeper thirst of her heart. He off...

Longing for Mystery, trusting in the unexplained presence of God We are still in the season of the lunar New Year, and this year is the year of the horse, the horse symbolizes strength and determination How can the horse inspire us in our Christian faith? One feature is its focus. The horse that wins the race actually wins not just by strength but by its focus. And just as blinkers keep a racehors...

In this homily, Fr Simon Tan reminds us that temptation is part of every human life — regardless of age or vocation. Even Jesus faced temptation during His 40 days in the desert. Temptation itself is not a sin, but giving in weakens our relationship with God. During this Lenten season, Fr Simon invites us to become more conscious of the spiritual struggles within our hearts. Through prayer, sacrif...

Today’s theme is ‘To God be the glory’. Ultimately the goal of Christian life is to glorify God eternally. How do we give glory to God? How do we glorify God when everything belongs to God. We can taste and experience God’s glory and take part in giving glory to God. We look to our blessed mother and St Irenaeus of Lyon who said, ‘The glory of God is when humanity is full alive.’ We are not fully...

Beginning with the story of a little girl drawing God, Fr. Glenn reminds us that although we cannot see God directly, we encounter Him in the love we show one another. Through the painful story associated with Holocaust and "Where is God?", Fr. Glenn points to the Cross, where God is present in love and sacrifices. Doubt is not the opposite of faith. Even Jesus experienced abandonment on...

Fr. Terence shares candidly about receiving both appreciation and complaint letters in the Church. While genuine feedback is always welcomed, a recent letter stirred something deeper in him — not because of the issue raised, but because of the spirit in which it was written. This experience led him to invite everyone to reflect on how we discern and challenge one another as a faith community. Do w...

The parable of the rich fool - Luke 12:16-21 Is faith still relevant in a world of modern technology and AI? Where is God’s place when resources are abundant and information readily available? Br. Celestine reflects that worldly wealth should not become idols. Pride and despair are the devil’s work. Prayer is an expression of our love and trust in God. We pray “that we may never grow so proud as t...

In today's homily, Fr. Vincent directs us to St John the Baptist who points us to Christ, the Lamb of God—gentle and sacrificial—who takes away the sins of the world. Fr. Vincent reminds us that God sent His Son not to condemn us, but to redeem us, offering hope, peace, and love. Life is filled with struggles—health, work, family, and studies—but God continues to love us as sinners and desires...

As we embark on this new year of 2026, we look towards the new year. We are optimistic and wish for a better year ahead, but is there such a thing as a better year? Instead of that, we ask - "will I become a better person this year?" or "someone freer, liberated, more trusting, joyful, more rooted in relationship with God and one another." A better year may not mean no setbacks...