Wishing one and all a Happy “Niu” Year. May this year be an ox-picious year as well an an ox-cellent year for all of us.
As we begin the Lunar New Year, which in the Chinese zodiac, is the Year of the Ox, we have come to church to pray for two essential aspects of our lives – protection and blessings.
Oh yes, we know what the current situation is all over the world, and we pray for God’s protection over us as well as to keep us safe.
Having done as much as we could to keep ourselves safe and healthy, yet we also know that in God alone is our protection and security.
We ask the Lord our God to give us the strength like that of a young strong ox, so that we will persist and persevere in our faith as we put our trust in God who is our guard and our shield.
As how the 2nd reading puts it, the most we could ever say is that if it is the Lord’s will, we shall be able to do this or that.
And Jesus tells us in the gospel: Do not worry about tomorrow; tomorrow will take care of itself.
But in order not to be over-worried and anxious about the future, we need to ask God for His blessings.
Like the response in the Responsorial Psalm, we too must say: Lord, give success to the work of our hands.
Oh yes, if the Lord does not build the house, in vain do the builders labour. If the Lord does not watch over the city, in vain does the watchman keep vigil. (Ps 127)
The 1st reading tells us that the Lord will bless us. As long as we turn to the Lord, He will let His face shine upon us and be gracious to us.
So let us look forward with hope as the Lord will grant us the strength of the ox to build the Church with love and to produce a harvest of joy.
May the “Niu” year “moo”-ve us closer to the Lord as we “moo”-ve together towards the future.