Last weekend, we celebrated the Feast of the Epiphany of the Lord, which left me completely immersed in the profound messages of the Responsorial Psalms, the readings of the day, and Church Prayers. They say, "All nations shall prostrate before the Lord; all the kings will adore Him; all nations will praise Him; every knee shall bow before Him; every tongue shall confess His name; and all the peoples will serve Him.”
These sacred verses resonate with the Lord Jesus’ manifestation and a wonderful vision of everyone coming together to honour Him! They highlight how everyone, regardless of status and race, culture and language, will acknowledge His sovereignty and greatness, and every nation will raise its voice in praise of Him. It also illustrates that every knee shall bend in submission and humility, every tongue will openly confess His name, and all peoples will commit themselves to His service. It is a powerful reminder to live out our mission to make Him known and glorified among all people.
As we conclude the Christmas season with the Baptism of the Lord, we transit into Ordinary Time from 13 January to 4 March 2025. This season invites us to live our faith and reflect on Jesus’ teachings. Over the next eight weeks, we will live our faith as we reflect deeply on the daily readings, celebrate Jesus in the Eucharist, and embrace our discipleship with renewed commitment and joy.
This month of January, we will unite as a Parish to make the first three Jubilee-themed events a vibrant start to this special year:
The wonderful Tamil-speaking community of St. Thomas Kuantan is all geared up and excited to celebrate the cultural festival of the Jubilee of Pongal! Join us for Mass on Saturday, 18 January 2025, at 5.30 pm, as we express our gratitude to God. At the same time, let us not forget our Chinese-speaking community, who will welcome the Chinese New Year on Wednesday, 29 January, with a Eucharistic celebration at 9.00 am. It is a lovely time for everyone to come together and celebrate!
On 19 January 2025, during the 8.30 am Mass, Archbishop Julian Leow will officially announce and appoint our Parish as a Pilgrim Centre for the Jubilee Year of Hope for the East Coast Churches. We will also hold our Parish Pastoral Assembly (PPA) on the same day. We warmly invite everyone to come together for this gathering.
We will celebrate the Jubilee of the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity on 25 January. This special occasion encourages us to come together and strengthen our connections with all Christian Churches in Kuantan. Let us come together in prayer, fostering unity and love as we work towards the common goal of living as one Body of Christ!
The Jubilee Year of Hope offers us a profound grace to renew ourselves, forgive one another, and courageously live as people of hope. Let us open our hearts to the blessings of this year, allowing them to inspire us to grow in faith, unity and service.
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