7th Week, Ordinary Time, Thursday, 27-02-2025

Ecclesiasticus 5:1-8 / Mark 9:41-50  

There are many ways to say or describe a reality.

We can use examples, imagery or figurative speech.

Whichever way it is, the meaning should be clear enough to be understood.

In the gospel, Jesus used an image to describe punishment for sin.

He said that if anyone who is an obstacle to bring down one of these little ones who have faith, it would be better that a millstone tied round his neck and thrown into the sea.

The meaning is clear in that the punishment is very severe.

The message is also clear enough for us not to take sin too lightly.

As the 1st reading says, let us not assume that God is compassionate and that He will always forgive.

The reading warns us that with God are both mercy and wrath, and that His rage bears heavy on sinners.

So, the 1st reading urges us not to delay our return to the Lord, or to put it off day after day.

Jesus is calling out to us to turn away from sin and to live a life that is pleasing to God.

The reward is peace in our hearts, and that is what we really want and that is also what we really need.

7th Week, Ordinary Time, Wednesday, 26-02-2025

Ecclesiasticus 4:11-19 / Mark 9:38-40  

It is an undeniable human tendency to look with favour on those who are similar to us.

And it is also an undeniable human tendency that we dislike those who think and act differently from us.

In short, we tend to focus on what divides, rather than on what unites.

And that is usually the tension in relationships and in understanding others.

In the gospel, John told Jesus that they tried to stop a man who was casting out devils in Jesus’ name because he was not one of them.

But the reply of Jesus probably took John by surprise.

If that man did what he did in the name of Jesus, then he is for Jesus and not against Jesus.

It would take some time for John to understand that.

And it would also take some time for us to understand that Jesus came to unite and not to divide.

We Christians would be powerful witnesses to the saving love of Jesus when we are united in mind and heart to serve God.

Because when we are united by the Spirit of love, we will focus on what unites rather on what divides.

7th Week, Ordinary Time, Tuesday, 25-02-2025

Ecclesiasticus 2:1-11 / Mark 9:30-37 

One of the expectations of a leader is to be an inspiration for others and to give them hope.

He is expected to show directions and to lead the way.

And the followers would also like to hear nice words from the leader.

The followers would like to hear of prosperity and of good and happy times to come.

But when Jesus was instructing His disciples, He talked about suffering and death.

He said that He Himself will be delivered into the hands of men and be put to death, but He will rise again after three days.

Obviously His disciples didn’t know what to make out of that.

Because if that is to happen to their leader, then what would happen to them. 

But they were afraid to ask Jesus, maybe because they also don’t want to know what lies in store for them in the future.

But the 1st reading made it clear that if one aspires to serve the Lord, then be prepared for an ordeal.

And just as gold is tested in the fire, those who are chosen by the Lord will be tested in the furnace of humiliation.

But in all the trials and tribulations, a person who is chosen by God will put his trust in the Lord.

And those chosen by God will also be able to show others how to follow God and lead them in the ways of God.

Let us pray for Christian leaders that they follow Jesus and to show others the way to God.

7th Week, Ordinary Time, Monday, 24-02-2025

Ecclesiasticus 1:1-10 / Mark 9:14-29  

We know that common saying: Look before you leap.

Not only should we look before we leap, we also have to look carefully.

It may take a while longer to look carefully, but it will save us from trouble and even danger.

If we have to look before we leap, then we also need to think before we act.

But we also need some time to think it through before acting.

Yes, we need some time to look at things and think about it.

And then there must come a time to act, and to act wisely.

The 1st reading tells us that all wisdom is from the Lord.

And the Lord grants wisdom to those who love Him.

In the gospel, Jesus emphasized the need for prayer.

With prayer, God will grant us the wisdom to see, to judge and to act according to His ways.

7th Ordinary Sunday, Year C, 23.02.2025

1 Sam 26:2, 7-9, 12-13, 22-23 / 1 Cor 15:45-49 / Luke 6:27-38

In the Bible, the book of Genesis described the story of creation. 

God created the world and everything in it in six days. With each day of creation, the world was getting more and more beautiful. 

Finally, on the 6th day, when God created man in His image, God saw that His creation was very good. 

Indeed, all creation is very good as it reflects the beauty and the goodness of God. 

But when man sinned against God, the image of man became disfigured and distorted. 

And man's relationship with God and the rest of creation also became disfigured and distorted. 

Though disfigured and distorted, mankind and creation still retained the beauty and the goodness of God. 

When we look at nature, it shows us what life is about and also who we are. 

For example, life is like a river that is long and winding. And so is life; life is also not a straight and clear journey. 

Another image from nature is this: The branch that bears the most fruit bows the lowest. That reminds us of the need for humility in our time of prosperity. 

So, nature and creation are reminders of who God is and who we are. 

In the emphasis of the care for creation and the environment, it is also a reminder to care for each other. 

It is a reminder of who we are and in whose image we are created. 

In the gospel, Jesus, who is the True image of God, teaches us how to recover the beauty and the goodness of our humanity. 

He teaches us the way of love, but it is the way of a hard and tough love. 

Jesus teaches us to love our enemies, to do good to those who hate us, to bless those who curse us, and to pray for those who treat us badly. 

That is a hard and a tough love. It goes against our disfigured and distorted tendencies. 

But that way of love brings about healing and restores us to the beautiful image of God. 

And nature also keeps showing us to go that way of love, if we want to be healed, if we want to be restored. 

In the Chinese zodiac, this year is the “year of the snake”. 

So let us see what the snake can show us. Imagine being bitten by a snake. Instead of focusing on healing from the bite, we go after the snake to find out why it bit us, and even to teach the snake a lesson so that it won't bite us again. 

That may sound rather silly, but that is also how we react to those whom we don't like, or those who don't like us. 

It is the way of confrontation and retaliation, but that is not the way of love, because there is no restoration, there is no reconciliation. 

In the 1st reading, we hear of that moment when David had the opportunity to retaliate and to eliminate king Saul who was persecuting him. 

But David held back and made this memorable statement: I will not raise my hand against the Lord's anointed. 

To raise the hand, in this sense, is to harm someone. 

Although David could retaliate and eliminate king Saul, he submitted to the authority of God, and respected those whom God has anointed and appointed. 

We may not resort to raising our hands in violence and to harm those who dislike us or persecute us. 

So, we will raise our voice in confrontation and retaliation. But it will be futile, fruitless and frustrating. 

Instead of raising our voice, let us raise our minds and our hearts to God, and speak words of love. 

Nature tells us that it is the rain that grows the flowers, not the thunder or the lightning. 

May the flowers of God's love bloom in our lives, and bring us healing and restoration to God's image of love.

Chair of St Peter the Apostle, Saturday, 22-02-2025

1 Peter 5:1-4 / Matthew 16:13-19  

One of the prominent features of the Catholic Church is its unity.

This unity is seen in worship, in teachings and generally in practices.

This unity is also symbolized in the figure of the Pope, who is the head of the Catholic Church.

The feast of the Chair of St. Peter is an affirmation of the authority given to St. Peter by Jesus to lead the Church on earth.

Jesus said: You are Peter, and on this rock I will build my Church.

The Church in its 2000 years of history has seen glorious times, challenging times, turbulent times and dark moments.

But the very fact that the Church has survived those turbulent and dark moments only goes to show that the Pope draws his authority from Christ, and that the Spirit is guiding the Church.

Nonetheless, the authority and leadership of the Pope is always being challenged.

In the area of morality, issues like abortion, the sanctity of life, same-sex marriage have often been brought up to ridicule and criticize the Church and inevitably the Pope.

In the area of faith, heresies and schisms have undermined the authority of the Pope.

From within as well as from without, the Pope and the Church had suffered potshots from numerous quarters.

Yet in the midst of these criticisms and confusion, let us keep faith with the Church and in obedience to the Pope.

Let us remember what Jesus promised the Church: The gates of the underworld can never hold out against it.

Let us also remember to pray for the Pope and the leaders of the Church.

6th Week, Ordinary Time, Friday, 21-02-2025

Genesis 11:1-9 / Mark 8:34 - 9:1  

The progress and advancement of humanity in the last two centuries is truly impressive and amazing.

Science and technology have progressed in leaps and bounds.

What was only imagined in the recent past has become realities in the present.

There seems to be almost nothing that is impossible to man.

That also seemed to be what the people in the 1st reading were thinking.

They wanted to build a town with a tower that can reach heaven, so that they can make a name for themselves.

In their proud ambitions, they wanted to venture into God’s domain and so, wanted to be like gods and do things without limits.

But God showed them that they can be stopped by just confusing their language.

And with that, their proud ambitions came to a stop and counted as nothing.

In the gospel, Jesus reminds us that what can we gain if we win the whole world and yet ruin our lives?

Indeed, what can man offer in exchange for his life?

Our abilities, our talents, our resources are all given by God.

Let us be simple and humble and be charitable in all that we do.

And by carrying our cross and following Jesus, we will gain the greatest gift from God, and that is, our salvation and eternal life with Him.