Novena Preaching @ Novena Church

Who do we consider our neighbor today? Is it only those who share our culture or speak our languages? In the parable of the Good Samaritan, Jesus taught us that our neighbors extend beyond the familiar circles we are comfortable with. In Singapore, more than two million migrants live among us, each with their own stories, struggles, hopes, and dreams. This nation was built by migrants, and many of...

If we look at missionaries like Hudson Taylor and even St Paul the apostle, the purpose of their lives is the Mission. In fact, the reason for the existence of the Catholic Church (which includes all of us) is the mission of Jesus Christ-spreading the good news far and wide. Mary as the first missionary and model for missionaries After the annunciation, Mary, with Jesus in her womb, went to visit...

Fr Simon has been reading petitions placed at Novena and listening to the problems of churchgoers for years. He acknowledges the helplessness he faces in not knowing what to say at times. These problems range from marriages on the brink of divorce, children who are critically ill, joblessness, to parents coming to terms with their children coming out as LGBT -- to whom he says, go and love them. N...

The modern challenges of scams, fraud, and phishing highlight the persistence of sin and deception throughout history. So how do we counter this battle against deception? By staying rooted in truth, as with Jesus' statement to Pilate - "Everyone who is on the side of truth listens to me." Fr. Peter Wee's homily serves as a powerful reminder to align ourselves with the teachings o...

In life, are we led astray by distractions or are we focused on Jesus? Distractions pose a significant challenge in maintaining a life following Christ. We have to be aware of how these distractions lead us away from our vocations. Are we like Martha, preoccupied with conflicting priorities, missing out on the more important presence of our Lord? Let us take the example of our blessed mother Mary...

Fr. Terence beautifully intertwines his childhood fascination with fantasy stories like “The Chronicles of Narnia” with his spiritual journey as a Redemptorist. He reflects on how as a child, he longed to discover magical portals to another world, only to realize later in life that such portals exist in the spiritual realm through Catholic icons. Through ‘icon gazing,’ he suggests, we can transcen...

The Gospel today tells the story of how Mary and Joseph lost Jesus in Jerusalem before finding him in the temple three days later. When was the last time we lost Jesus? Even in Church, we may be with Jesus at the beginning of the Mass. But as it progresses, especially with a long homily, do we wander off and lose Jesus? And what's our life like going out of the door of the Church? Do we forget...

In today's homily, Br. Celestine shares the story of a miracle associated with the icon of Our Mother of Perpetual Help in Rome 50years ago. This story underscores Mary's role as a model of Hope for Christians. Christian hope is not passive but an active trust in God's plan. Mary teaches us to wait patiently for God's timings, surrendering our difficulties and trusting in God's...

What will your response be when someone asks, “Who is Mother Mary to you?”. Whilst we can pray to Jesus directly, we can also approach Jesus through Mother Mary because Jesus has given us His Blessed Mother as our spiritual mother. Mary is not only the Mother of God, Mary is also our Mother. Fr Antony sheds light on what the Bible says about Mother Mary’s role in our lives. May we find great convi...

Instead of merely asking for our needs, we should embrace the truth that God is always with us. It is easy to succumb to temptations and focus on the faults of others. But if we truly believe in God's ability to help, we should acknowledge the need to change our hearts amidst our struggles or sufferings and adopt an attitude of adoration and praise. We should ask ourselves honestly, 'Do we...

Mothers raise their children, shape their characters, and so influence the types of society the next generation will create. Mary, who was pregnant before her marriage to Joseph, faced the threat of stoning in those times. She also witnessed her son crucified on the cross like a criminal. Motherhood is never easy, but we have Mary, a mother who empathizes with the hardships faced by mothers and al...

In Saint John’s Gospel, Jesus’ command for us is to love one another. God is love and love is God. We see this love with the death of Jesus dying for us on the cross, and also in all the petitions and thanksgiving letters read for the Novena. We are invited to continue to learn and exemplify God's love in our daily lives. -Novena Devotion by Fr. Vincent Low, C.Ss. R. (4 May 2024)

From a mother who's dealing with tragedy in her family to an inmate on death row, we all face moments when we crash and lose our way. Some of us no longer want to go to church, others simply give up. Even those with great faith face moments when the human spirit goes into a paralysis, like a cat watching a truck approaching with bright lights. It's those moments that we have to look at the...

Fr Eugene reveals a conversation he had with his mother about his vocation, and how she wanted him to deal with the conflict and tensions he would face in the Redemptorist community. In his homily for the Vocation Sunday weekend, he started with how prophets, saints, Pope Francis to Mother Teresa all go through a stage of struggle like us when we try find the identity within ourselves. It's of...

What does it mean to be Easter people? The Novena Lenten community project in aid of the Redemptorists seminary and mission church in Sri Lanka received an overwhelming response, where 91 boxes are now en-route to those in need. Some of the donations truly came from the heart, such as 10 school bags filled with brand new stationaries and exercise books. Others were at the other end, with clothing...

God and mercy are synonymous. In light of the resurrection in which God's mercy is fulfilled, we have to first be mindful of our sinful state. If we want to truly repent, the repentance must move us to a desire to change. At Easter, God is inviting us to come on board with him, to look at the merciful love of God for sinners. He's withholding His just punishment on us and replace it with m...

For Mary and the apostles, the Holy Spirit came in the form of a gush of wind, with tongues of fire above them. The Holy Spirit is the giver of life. The gifts and fruits of the Spirit need to be exercised and activated in our lives. Only we can do it with our free will. Once our prayers are answered, that's our own Pentecost -- our own personal blessings. When we receive the Holy Spirit, it n...

Jesus' resurrection signifies a truth and reality that all of us will one day rise from the dead. His resurrection is a prelude to what's to come for the rest of us -- a prelude to our own resurrection into a transformed life. The physical resurrection of Jesus happened only once, but the impact in our lives is enacted over and over again. It's celebrated in the eucharist as a perpetua...

The mystery of the empty tomb draws us to the contrast between the "Tomb" experience" and "Galilee" experience. The Tomb experience refers to the moments in our lives where we experience problems and hardship, and we turn our back on Jesus and walk down a path drawn by distractions, vices and worldly pleasures. With the Galilee experience, we see Jesus waiting for us, wher...

Being human, nobody wants to suffer. Unfortunately, the cross is very much a part of Christianity. Taking up the cross is not optional; it is part of our journey. Even Jesus, who's human and divine, didn't want the cross -- but almost immediately, he said, not my will but your will be done. As much as we don't want to carry the cross, the cross is part of life. Even for Mary, who was a...

Every time we gather for the Eucharist, or even visit the Blessed Sacrament, we are reminded of God's immense love for each of us. As we approach the Eucharist, we bring that hunger and longing for someone who can wipe our tears away, heal our sickness, comfort us in our brokenness. As the living bread, He gives us life and hope. This Lent, let us bring God's love to others through our act...

The week's theme is on the Washing of Feet on Holy Thursday. At that moment, Jesus shows his humility and servanthood. He shows us he practices what he preaches. The question is, how can we serve others? As his followers, we are called to emulate him by serving one another with lowliness of hearts and minds and build each other up with humility and love. In the mall or office, how often do we...

This week, we focus on what the Palm Fronds and Colt represent. The palms that we use on Palm Sunday is a symbol of victory, to remind us to be devoted to Jesus, who has claimed victory for all our trials. The palm, through the storms in our lives, is supposed to encourage us, to make us hopeful in times of sadness. Meanwhile, the colt, a young horse, was what Jesus rode on as he entered Jerusalem...

Colours bring with them a lot of symbolic meaning. The colour purple, once a symbol of royalty, has changed with Jesus when the Roman soldiers put a purple cloak on him, along with a crown of thorns to mock him. For us, the colour purple has become a celebration of the kingship of Jesus, one that's not associated with power and dominance but an exhibition of love, mercy, forgiveness, sacrifice...

With Ash Wednesday soon approaching, we look to what ashes symbolize in the Christian tradition -- repentance. While we may not like to think too much about it, ashes on our foreheads also remind us about our mortality. However, we also look to how Jesus conquered death. His resurrection made all things new. Death becomes life. It's not the end, but the beginning. -Novena Devotion 'LIVE&#3...