It has
to happen sooner or later, and it has happened and we have lived through it.
Can we
remember when was the last time that Ash Wednesday fell on the eve of Chinese
New Year?
On
the eve of Chinese New Year (which was yesterday) the main feature is the
Reunion Dinner.
And with
the Reunion Dinner falling smack on Ash Wednesday, which is a day of obligatory
fast and abstinence, even the Bishops’ Conference has to issue a directive to
say that it was agreed that Masses are to be arranged with imposition of ashes
as usual.
However
fasting can take place on Ash Wednesday itself or on another day which is to be
decided by the individual.
Well,
we have celebrated Ash Wednesday yesterday and today we are gathered to
celebrate the Lunar New Year.
We toggle
between fasting and feasting, between faith and culture, between being Catholic
and being Chinese, that we feel that one competes with the other.
But faith
does not compete with culture, and being Catholic does not mean we cannot keep
to our Chinese traditions.
Faith
does not compete with culture; in fact faith completes culture.
Faith
helps us to see the presence of God in our cultural practices.
Most
of us would have observed the obligatory fasting of yesterday and we break fast
over the Reunion Dinner as we give thanks to God for keeping the family united
in love.
And
as we open the celebration of the first day of the Lunar New Year, we come to
the house of God to give thanks and to ask for blessings.
We ask
for God’s blessings so that as we visit our relatives and friends, we will
bring along that blessing.
In all
our well wishes, what we really wish for others is the blessing of peace in the
midst of anxiety and the uncertainties of tomorrow, and what to eat and what to
drink and what to wear.
This
year is the Year of the Goat, and goats are described as peace-loving and kind.
So may
this new year bring about God’s blessings on us so that we may be peace-loving
and be bring about peace where there are anxieties and uncertainties.
May
we also radiate the kindness and the graciousness of the Lord.
We give
thanks for the past year, and we look forward to a new year, the 1st
reading gives us a direction for our faith in our everyday lives.
We call
upon the name of the Lord for His blessings upon us, and we also call upon the
name of the Lord to bless those who are anxious and uncertain about their lives
so that they will be at peace and experience the kindness of the Lord.