2nd Week of Easter, Saturday, 30-04-2022

Acts 6:1-7 / John 6:16-21

There is a famous poem called "Footprints in the sand" which we have probably come across before.

It is about a person who had a dream and was walking along a beach with the Lord.

Suddenly, across the sky, scenes appear from the person's life.

For most of the scenes, there were two sets of footprints in the sand - one belonging to the Lord and the other to the person.

What confused the person was that during the most trying times of life, there was only one set of footprints.

The person then asked the Lord why was he alone during the most trying times in life, since there was only one set of footprints.

The Lord replied : I would never never leave you alone during your times of trials and sufferings.

When you saw only one set of footprints, that was when I was carrying you.

In the gospel, when the wind was strong and the sea was rough, Jesus appeared to His disciples and said : It is I, do not be afraid.

When life gets too stormy, let us remember this gospel passage and remember those words : It is I, do not be afraid.

And let us also believe that in those dark moments, the Lord is carrying us.

2nd Week of Easter, Friday, 29-04-2022

Acts 5:34-42 / John 6:1-15    

It is understandable that in our human weakness, we tend to be dissatisfied about some things and some people.

So we get irritated and annoyed and we slide into complaining and criticising.

But when we complain and criticise, then we won't be able to understand and sympathise.

In the 1st reading, the members of the Sanhedrin didn't want to understand what the disciples were saying nor did they want to know why they were proclaiming that message.

But the wise Gamaliel gave the Sanhedrin some good advice about the difference in the ways of God and the ways of man.

He wanted to understand and he wanted the members of the Sanhedrin to understand so that they won't end up fighting against God.

In the gospel, Jesus showed how important it is to understand and to sympathise with people.

He attended to their needs and He fed them, and taught His disciples with His actions.

Let us remember that when we complain and criticise, we won't be able to understand and sympathise with people.

But when we want to understand and sympathise, then we will also realise that there is nothing to complain or criticise about.

2nd Week of Easter, Thursday, 28-04-2022

Acts 5:27-33 / John 3:31-36   

Whenever it is said that God speaks to us, it is usually meant in a figurative way.

We don't hear the voice of God as in the way we hear the voices of those who are speaking to us.

But as the Church, as the People of God, it can be said that the voice of the People of God is the voice of God.

As the Church reflects and discerns the will of God, she will speak as the People of God so that the world will know what God is saying through the Church.

In the 1st reading, Peter and the apostles spoke as one to the Sanhedrin.

What they said was in obedience to what God wanted them to say.

Let us also listen to what the Church is teaching and saying through the Pope and the Councils.

Let us obey the voice of the Church so that we will also be able to obey and follow the will of God.

Let us believe that the voice of the Church is an echo of the voice of God.

2nd Week of Easter, Wednesday, 27-04-2022

Acts 5:17-26 / John 3:16-21

The word love may not have that many letters.

But love is certainly more than just a word or a concept.

It has many expressions, from the most profound to the most profane.

In its most profound expressions, it is about of sacrifice, compassion, kindness, forgiveness and the beauty of humanity

In its profane expressions, it is down to lust and erotic pleasure.

When Jesus said that God loved the world so much, that He gave His only Son, we see the most profound expression of what love is.

It is a love that forgives and saves, and those who have experienced that kind of love will not forget what true love is about.

Let us remember that God gave each of us that love, and it is expressed by Jesus on the Cross.

May we experience that love of God and may we love others with the love that God has for us.

2nd Week of Easter, Tuesday, 26-04-2022

Acts 4:32-37 / John 3:7-15  

When God created this world, He saw it as beautiful and good.

When God finally created man, He saw man as the most beautiful and very good because man was created in the image of God.

So we ought to see this world, as well as ourselves, as beautiful and good, because that was how God created it to be.

But when we look at this world, and the people around us, we may think it is rather messy and and in a rather sorry state.

But what the 1st reading tells us about the early Christian community is about a group of believers who were united in heart and soul, with no one claiming anything for themselves and no one was ever in need, and sharing everything in common.

So it is possible to live in a beautiful world with beautiful people,

But as Jesus said to Nicodemus in the gospel: You must be born from above.

To be "born from above" means that we believe in God who is all good and created all things beautiful.

With that faith in God, we will want to make this world a beautiful place and see people as beautiful persons created in God's image.

That is what Good New and salvation is about.

St. Mark, Evangelist, Monday, 25-04-2022

1 Peter 5:5-14 / Mark 16:15-20

St. Mark, whose feast we celebrate today, was not one of the apostles.

Nonetheless, he was one of the disciples of St. Peter, and he was mentioned in the 1st reading as a "spiritual son" of St. Peter.

He could also possibly be one of the followers of Jesus and later on became a disciple of St. Peter and he eventually wrote the account of the life and ministry of Jesus, which became one of the gospels of the Church.

In his gospel, St. Mark captured the core and essence of the ministry and message of Jesus.

As we heard it in the gospel, and what is often called the "Great Commissioning", the way St. Mark puts it across straight and sharp in just a few words.

"Go out, proclaim the Good News, believe or be condemned, cast out devils, work signs and miracles, heal the sick".

To understand and accept the Good News and the commissioning of Jesus, we need to "Go out" like St. Mark did.

Because when we are out there, and there is no dependency and certainty but Jesus Himself, then we will truly experience the power of the Good News and become true disciples of Jesus Christ.

2nd Sunday of Easter, Year C, 24.04.2022

Acts 5:12-16 / Apocalypse 1:9-13, 17-19 / John 20:19-31

The ability to see is indeed a wonderful gift that we must not take for granted. 

Some may need reading glasses, some may need spectacles of different specifications, some may use contact lens, some may have embedded visual aids. 

Whatever it is, to be able to see would mean that we can admire the beauty of this world, be able to perceive unspoken body language, be able to communicate by visual means and to interact in a visual world. 

As it is usually said, seeing is believing, although not absolutely. Our eyes can be tricked by illusions, or hampered by unclarity, whether it is the lack of light or when the light is too bright. 

So, visual clarity has its limitations, but still, our eyes are a great help in knowing what is around us. 

As Christians, we walk by faith and not just by sight. But that does not mean that we can walk around with our eyes closed. 

In fact, we need to use our eyes to look at what God is showing us, to judge with the eyes of faith and to act with love. 

But there are things that we do not see and yet we say we believe in it. We have not seen God and yet we say that we believe in him. 

In the Easter celebrations, we say that we believe in Jesus who rose from the dead, and yet we have not seen the Risen Jesus. 

In the gospel, Jesus appeared to His disciples after His Resurrection. The disciples were filled with joy, but whether they really believed in what they were seeing is another matter. 

They told Thomas, who was not with them that day, that they had seen the Lord. They didn't seem that convincing to Thomas, and he said that he would not believe unless he could physically touch the wounds of Jesus. 

Thomas may be called “Doubting Thomas”, but it was he who proclaimed his faith in Jesus when he said “My Lord and my God”. 

And it was through Thomas, that Jesus gave us a blessing when He said, “You believe because you can see me. Happy are those who have not seen and yet believe”. 

And indeed, we are blessed because though we have not seen the Risen Lord, yet by faith we believe in the Resurrection. 

If it is said that seeing is believing, then for us Christians, in believing we will see, and we will see what God wants to show us. 

It had been a rough two years, but we have kept the faith and held on with hope. 

Now we are beginning to see God's blessings as we joyfully prepare for the celebration of the ordination of a Deacon Simon Ho in this church on the Feast of the Sacred Heart. 

We see God's blessings as the faithful come back to church and fill the pews in the Eucharist. 

We see God's blessings on our efforts to hold the faith of the community through the online initiatives during the past two years. 

Yes, let us believe, and we will see the signs and wonders that God wants to show us.

Saturday Within Octave of Easter, 23-04-2022

Acts 4:13-21 / Marl 16:9-15   

One of the attitudes that can creep in and make us take things for granted is complacency.

It may not necessarily be a case of "familiarity breeds contempt".

But it can be quite certain that familiarity can have the consequence of complacency.

And when that happens, a "wake-up call" may be necessary.

In the gospel, Jesus reproached His disciples for their incredulity and obstinacy, because they had refused to believe those who had seen Him after He had risen.

He had to wake them up from their disbelief in order to send them out to the whole world and proclaim the Good News to all creation.

As for us, we need to guard against the complacency that can stifle our faith and make us mediocre Christians.

Let us keep our focus on Jesus our Risen Lord and He will keep our hearts burning with love for Him and the zeal to be witnesses of the Good News of salvation for the world.

 

Friday Within Octave of Easter, 22-04-2022

Acts 4:1-12 / John 21:1-14    

To have an ambition in life can be a good thing.

It would make us think how to achieve immediate objectives as well as plan for future ones.

Having an ambition would also help us in our human development to acquire knowledge and skills.

In the gospel, it is quite puzzling to see that Peter and some of the disciples were just sitting around by the Sea of Tiberias. 

The Risen Lord Jesus had appeared to them after His Resurrection, but it seems that they were still dazed by the experience.

So they decided to go back to something familiar, which was fishing, and even at that, they caught nothing.

It is coming to a week since we celebrated the Resurrection of Jesus.

If we feel that nothing much has changed for us, we can be consoled that the disciples felt likewise.

But just as Jesus appeared to His disciples again to get them moving, Jesus will also reveal Himself to us along the way so that we will know what God wants of us.

When the Lord Jesus reveals Himself to us, may we also recognise Him as that disciple did when he said, "It is the Lord".

Thursday Within Easter Octave, 21-04-2022

Acts 3:11-26 / Luke 24:35-48     

Names of people, places or organisations are proper nouns. 

Your name and my name are proper nouns, and proper nouns are capitalised.

A name refers to the identity of the person and it is often assumed that we know which person is referred to.

The name Jesus was a common name in the Bible and in the time of Jesus.

But when the early Church called upon that name, it refers to Jesus Christ, or Jesus the Anointed One (that is what Christ means)

It was not just a name for identification. It was a name that refers to the person of Jesus Christ.

In calling upon the name of Jesus, it is calling upon His presence, and Jesus will be present with His saving love and power.

That is what Peter meant when he said in the 1st reading: It is faith in that name (Jesus) that has restored this man to health, as you can all see.

May we too see the saving love and power of Jesus as we call upon His Name.

May we make His Name known so that others too will experience the saving love and power of God in their time of need.
  

Wednesday Within Easter Octave, 20-04-2022

Acts 3:1-10 / Luke 24:13-35     

When God created man, He named him Adam and gave him mastery over all the earth.

But Adam was alone and God said that it was not good for man to be alone and hence God created Eve.

So in happiness and gladness, we celebrate with one another and in each other's company.

But in disappointment and sadness, we would certainly need someone's presence and company.

In the gospel, the two disciples were walking away from Jerusalem toward Emmaus, and they were sad and disappointed over what had happened to Jesus.

But they had each other for company and Jesus came up and walked along with them though they did not recognise Him at first.

But when they recognised Him at the breaking of bread, they hurried back to Jerusalem to share their joy with the rest of the disciples.

In the 1st reading, as Peter and John were going up to the Temple to pray, they saw the crippled man who were begging.

Both Peter and John looked straight at him and Peter then said, "I have neither silver nor gold, but I give you what I have: in the name of Jesus Christ the Nazarene, walk!"

We will remember that Jesus promised when two or three are gathered in His name, He will be there.

Let us treasure and cherish each other's company, and let us share the love of Jesus with each other.

That will be how we will share the Good News of salvation with the world.

Tuesday within Easter Octave, 19-04-2022

Acts 2:36-41 / John 20:11-18 

Whatever race or whatever dialect group we belong to, we all have learnt a language from our earliest days.

That language we call the mother-tongue.

We may have learned other languages along the way, but we will not forget our mother-tongue.

Because the mother-tongue creates a very intimate resonance within us.

It is used to tell us that we are loved; we use it to express love.

When Mary Magdalene addressed Jesus as "Rabbuni" the gospel makes it a special note that she said it in Hebrew.

In such an intimate moment, she used Hebrew, which was probably her mother-tongue, to express her love for Jesus.

Because more than just being the mother-tongue, it is also the language of the heart.

In the 1st reading, when Peter spoke to the Jews, he also spoke from the heart, and that was why they were convinced.

From his heart, Peter addressed Jesus as Lord and Christ.

For us, over and above our devotional practices and beliefs, we too must have an intimate relationship with Jesus.

We too, like Mary Magdalene and Peter, must address Jesus by an intimate name with a language which is from the heart.

Because it was God who first called us by a special name, even when we were in our mother's womb.

Monday Within Easter Octave, 18-04-2022

Acts 2:14, 22-33 / Matthew 28:8-15

We must acknowledge that there are no scientific facts about the resurrection.

What we have are the gospel accounts of people who experienced the risen Christ.

Today's gospel account tells of a group of women who had seen and touched the risen Christ, and they were told to report to the disciples.

Yet the gospel account also tells of a group of men who were guarding the grave, reporting about the resurrection of Christ to the chief priests and elders.

The two accounts of the resurrection ended up in different directions, or more precisely, in opposite directions.

So even if there were scientific facts about the resurrection, it may not necessarily lead to the conclusion that Jesus is risen.

Because in the end, facts can also be interpreted differently, and hence ending up with different conclusions.

So if we were to say that Christ is risen, what direction are we going to take?

Are we going to be like the women who visited the tomb, or are we going to be like the soldiers who were guarding the tomb?

What the resurrection of Jesus is to people nowadays will depend largely on our decision and direction.

The women and the soldiers made their choice. We too have to make ours.

Easter Sunday, Year C, 17.04.2022

Today we celebrate Easter Sunday. This Sunday's Mass has a slight difference from the other Sundays. 

Instead of reciting the Creed, we will be renewing our baptismal promises.

The Renewal of the Baptismal Promises has two parts. The first part is the Renunciation of Sin and the second part is the Profession of Faith. 

The Renewal of Baptismal Promises is that solemn part of the Easter celebration when each of us, and as the members of the Body of Christ will make a public declaration. 

Putting it simply, it is a solemn public declaration of “NO” to the devil and “YES” to God. 

And after that we will be sprinkled with Holy Water as a reminder of our baptism in Christ. 

The renewal of our baptismal promises brings us back to the core of our faith. 

What we declare will be heard on earth, in heaven and also in the underworld. 

Our promises will be put to the test but God will not allow us to be tested beyond our faith. 

Let us make the renewal of our baptismal promises with conviction and God will grant us the blessings to deepen our faith in the Resurrection of Christ. 

And as members of the Body of the Risen Christ, let us be witnesses of God's love in the world, and may we also share with others our hope in the Risen Christ who is our Lord and our Saviour.

Good Friday, 15-04-2022

We have just heard a long gospel account of the suffering and death of Jesus. 

We knelt at that point of the Gospel when Jesus said “It is accomplished” and gave up His spirit. 

Today, we remember that Jesus suffered and died on the Cross to save us from our sins. 

By His sacrifice on the Cross, our sins are forgiven and we are freed from the devil's grip. 

The Cross that was meant to be an instrument of death and damnation is now turned into a symbol of life and salvation. 

Later we will come forward to adore Jesus on the Cross. 

We give thanks to Jesus for saving us and we pledge to follow Jesus by carrying our own cross. 

The cross is painful yet the blessings are also bountiful. 

Let us believe in the power of the Cross of Jesus and when we carry our cross, Jesus will give us that power to overcome sin and to have eternal life.

Holy Thursday, 14-04-2022

Exodus 12:1-8, 11-14 / 1 Cor 11:23-26 / John 13:1-15   

This evening’s Mass is called the Mass of the Lord's Supper. 

It is often called The Last Supper because that was the last meal that Jesus had with His disciples. 

It is at this Mass of the Lord's Supper that there is the re-enactment of the washing of the feet, although this is omitted for this year. 

It was at that Last Supper that Jesus took a towel and poured water into a basin and washed the feet of His disciples. 

That act took the disciples completely by surprise. They were having the Passover meal and that meal recalled the events of the 1st reading, when the Israelites were delivered from slavery in Egypt and became the Chosen People of God.

Then something happened at that meal. Jesus gave His disciples His Body and Blood in the form of bread and wine, and told them to do this in memory of Him, and this was mentioned in the 2nd reading. 

And while they were still puzzled at what Jesus meant by His Body and Blood, Jesus got up from table and washed their feet. 

From the Passover meal, to Jesus giving His Body and Blood, to the washing of feet, all that may seem to be unconnected. 

But the meaning becomes clear when we are able to see the connection by this aspect of remembering. 

The past events are recalled and remembered. The memories are renewed, and with that the blessings from God are poured forth. 

In this Mass, we recall how God delivered His people, we remember what Jesus told us to do in memory of Him, and we remember the example of service with humility that Jesus gave. 

And so, we remember that we are God's chosen people, that Jesus gave us His Body and Blood so that we are united with Him in His suffering and death, and like Jesus we are called to serve with love and humility. 

So, the Holy Triduum begins with remembering the saving events of our faith. 

What we remember, we must put into practice. 

The first thing to put into practice is Thanksgiving, and we must always give thanks for the Eucharist, which is the source of all blessings. 

Blessings must also be put into action by serving God and others with love and humility. 

Let us remember all this, and Jesus will pour forth upon us blessings upon blessings.

Wednesday of Holy Week, 13-04-2022

Isaiah 50:4-9 / Matthew 26:14-25    

Every act and deed is done with an intention or purpose.

We don't act or do something with a blank mind or that we don't really know what we are doing.

And whatever we do, we have to take responsibility for it.

Even if we are forced to do it, or that we are under duress, it is still our choice whether to do it or not.

As to why did Judas wanted to betray Jesus, there were no clear indications or reasons given in the Scriptures.

There were various suggestions but Judas himself did not say what the reason was.

But from Scripture accounts, Judas knew he was handing over Jesus to the chief priests for thirty silver pieces and then he looked for an opportunity to betray Jesus.

And even at the Last Supper, Judas was so adamant on what he intended to do that he didn't even flinch when it came to his turn to declare his innocence.

All this tells us that we ourselves can be so obsessed about what we intend to do that we would disregard the morality and consequence of our actions.

We can betray Jesus by not admitting to our wrong-doings or think that we are not that sinful as compared to others.

Yes, we have sinned and done wrong, and denied and betrayed the love of God for us.

Let us be contrite and ask for forgiveness so that we can be healed by God's love and be His faithful and humble people.

Tuesday of Holy Week, 12-04-2022

Isaiah 49:1-6 / John 13:21-33, 36-38       

In a game quiz, or puzzle, there may be clues or hints that are given.

Those clues or hints may not be that obvious but can be helpful to get to the correct answer of the quiz or puzzle.

When God wants to tell us or reveal to us something, He doesn't give hints or clues in that sense of the word.

Rather He gives signs that could be clear enough to reveal to us what He wants to tell us.

In the gospel, Jesus gave two signs that were quite clear to the persons concerned.

One was to Judas when He gave him that piece of bread.

Jesus had said earlier that someone will betray Him and even said that it was that person to whom He will give the piece of bread that He dipped in the dish.

But did Judas get the sign? Did Judas realise that Jesus was talking about him? Or was Judas so fixated about what he was going to do and hence was numbed to what Jesus was indicating?

The other sign was given to Peter when Jesus said that Peter will deny him. 

But Peter was too full of himself to think that he would deny Jesus.

May we soften our hearts to heed what the Lord our God is showing us and telling us.

Pride comes before the fall. Let us be humble and implore the Lord to show us and lead us in His ways.

Monday of Holy Week, 11-02-2022

Isaiah 42:1-7 / John 12:1-11     

Among the words, whether spoken or unspoken, that are laden with regret are these words: I should have ...

We hear this being used in different ways and in different situations.

For e.g. "I should have taken the opportunity to encourage that person", "I should have visited my parents more often when they were still alive", "I should have studied harder for my exams".

The list of "I should have..." goes on and on.

We ourselves would have said it before.

Yet as much as those words might be laden with regret, still, regrets cannot reverse the situation or the consequence.

But in today's gospel, we see a woman who seized the opportunity to show Jesus an act of love.

And Jesus also reciprocated by affirming her of her love and generosity.

As we enter into Holy Week, let us also seize the little moments of opportunities to show Jesus an act of love.

It may be a dedicated time for prayer, or an act of service for a neighbour.

Whatever it may be, it will be appreciated by Jesus.

It is still not too late to deepen our Lenten preparation.

It might be late, but it is still better than to regret and keep saying "I should have ..."

Palm Sunday, Year C, 10.04.2022

Isaiah 50:4-7 / Philippians 2:6-11 / Luke 22:14 – 23:56

We had stood for quite a while in that rather long gospel narrative of the Passion of our Lord Jesus Christ. 

We could have felt some discomfort and we could also have been distracted. 

Now that we are seated, let us take some time to reflect and think about what we have just heard. 

Besides reflecting on the suffering and death of Jesus, what may come to our minds could be our own discomforts and pains in life. 

These discomforts and pains could be physical, mental or emotional. 

But when we look at Jesus, we know that He suffered like us. 

Jesus not only suffered, He also died on the Cross to save us. 

The suffering and death of Jesus is something that we need to think about as we begin Holy Week. 

We will also think about our own discomforts, pains and sufferings. 

But as we look at the Cross, we believe that Jesus will give us strength to bear our pains and sufferings and to bear our cross with love. 

That is the saving power that Jesus wants to give us when we unite ourselves with Him in His suffering and death. 

Let us turn away from sin and turn to God as we begin Holy Week. 

May the celebrations of Holy Week also make us into a holy people for God.

5th Week of Lent, Saturday, 09--04-2022

Ezekiel 37:21-28 / John 11:45-56   

The number "1" is a number and a numerical digit.

It is the first and smallest positive number.

Although it is the smallest in value, yet it can also have a significant meaning.

The meaning becomes prominent when the Scripture mentions about the "one lost sheep" or the "one who hears the Word of God" and other references to that number.

In the gospel, that number came up as part of a prophecy by Caiaphas, the high priest of that year.

Though he didn't intend it as a prophecy, what he said fulfilled God's plan of salvation.

By the death of that one man, Jesus, God's plan of salvation for the world was realised.

Similarly, whatever each one of us does for the love of God and for the love of others will bring about God's saving grace for the world.

May we always remember that what each one of us does has a significance and an effect on others.

5th Week of Lent, Friday, 08-04-2022

Jeremiah 20:10-13 / John 10:31-42    

One of the more difficult emotions to deal with is the feeling of loneliness.

We may presume that loneliness is the consequence of a lack of social interactions with others.

But one can also feel lonely regardless of the amount of social contact with others.

For the prophet Jeremiah in the 1st reading, he would rather be away from the people who were around him.

That was because there were so many who were disparaging him, denouncing him, scheming and plotting against him.

It would be easier for him to just run away and be alone and safe.

But he held on to his prophetic mission with his trust and belief in God who was at his side and will protect him.

For Jesus, He was also surrounded by people who were against Him and plotting against Him.

But He put His trust in God His Father and that His Father is also with Him.

We may not find ourselves in a situation like Jesus or Jeremiah.

Yet, we do feel lonely at times and think that no one cares about us or that no one loves us.

The season of Lent brings us in touch with our sufferings and loneliness.

Through it all, let us trust and believe in God's love for us.

When we stand by God, then God will truly stand by us and let us experience His loving presence.

5th Week of Lent, Thursday, 07-04-2022

Genesis 17:3-9 / John 8:51-59

As we read today's gospel and if we remember what were the gospel passages for this week, we may get a certain feeling of frustration.

Because it can be quite frustrating to hear the "Jews" (as the gospel called them) always getting into an argument with Jesus.

Yet, it must also be said that the "Jews" themselves were frustrated too because they just could not understand what Jesus was talking about.

There was this underlying frustration of not understanding as well as misunderstanding.

It was this frustration that led them to throw stones at Jesus, and the frustration boiled over to become a hatred that eventually made them nail Jesus to the cross.

As we come to the 5th week of Lent, we too might be having some feelings of frustration.

We might have felt that Lent had passed too quickly, that we have not done anything spiritually worthy till now, and that we do not have any "feeling" for Lent.

So we may be frustrated and disappointed with ourselves for having a fruitless Lent and that we have not anything much for God.

Yet let us take heart in the 1st reading. It is not so much what we can do for God but rather what God has done for us.

Through Abraham, God has made a Covenant with us in perpetuity and Jesus is the expression of this covenant.

Jesus is the "I AM". And no matter what we have not done, God will still be our God and we will still be His people. Let us take consolation in that and keep faithful to Jesus for the rest of Lent.

5th Week of Lent, Wednesday, 06-04-2022

Daniel 3:16-20, 24-25, 28 / John 8:31-42

Human beings are endowed with intellect and free-will.

These are precious and powerful God-given gifts that makes human beings stand at the apex of creation.

So with the intellect, we can decide what we want for ourselves.

It is a freedom of choice that even God will respect so that we can freely choose whether we want to do His will or not.

But there are times when some human beings abuse their power and authority to impose their will on others.

We hear of such a case in the 1st reading when king Nebuchadnezzar wanted to impose his demands on the three young men to worship the statue that he had erected.

The king went so far as to threaten them with death in the fiery furnace if they refuse.

But in the end, it was God who showed the king that He will protect and save those who chose to be faithful to Him.

To choose to be faithful to God and to do His will would also mean to respect the freedom of others and not to impose our opinions on them.

It is in respecting others that we show our reverence for God.

5th Week of Lent, Tuesday, 05-04-2022

Numbers 21:4-9 / John 8:21-30   

If one form of preparedness is to expect the unexpected, then we can be sure that life has its unexpected surprises for us.

And if Scriptures tell us that the stone the builders rejected turned out to be the corner stone, then we also need to be prepared for unexpected surprises from God.

Some of the things in life that we avoid or resist may turn out to be God's way of revealing His ways to us and helping us to grow.

In the 1st reading, we hear of a rather unexpected and surprising way that God used to teach His people. 

The people lost patience and complained against God and against Moses.

For that, God sent fiery serpents and their bite brought death to many in Israel.

They repented and Moses interceded for the people and God told Moses to make a bronze serpent and put it on a standard, and if anyone was bitten and looks at it, that person will live.

That may sound rather strange and unexpected, but we can make many reflections from it.

For example, the Cross was intended to be an instrument of death, yet with Jesus dying on the Cross, it has become the symbol of life and salvation.

Another example is that our sins are a reminder of our faults and failings and we feel the guilt and shame.

Yet, in reflecting on our sins, we should come to the realisation of how we have done wrong and we then ask God for the grace to resist future temptations.

God has unexpected surprises for what we avoid and resist. 

But when we are open to them, God will have healing revelations for us.

5th Week of Lent, Monday, 04-04-2022

Daniel 13:1-9, 15-17, 19-30, 33-62 / John 8:12-20

One of the elements that captures our attention is light.

The darkness of a place is scattered by just a small little light and its source can be easily identified.

As much as light brightens up a dark place and brings comfort, not all lights are easy on the eyes.

When a strong beam of light shines into our eyes, we would immediately shield our eyes from it.

When the light is too bright, it will hurt our eyes.

Jesus said that He is the light of the world.

His light beckons us to follow Him so that we will not walk in the dark.

And in following Jesus, we will also have the light of life.

The light of our lives should shine with gentle humility and our light should lead others to Jesus the true light.

May we be that little light of God's love that will bring comfort to others and warm up their lives.

5th Sunday of Lent, Year C, 03.04.2022

Isaiah 43:16-21 / Philippians 3:8-14 / John 8:1-11

Whenever we talk about justice, we tend to understand it as a judgement between right and wrong. 

So, when we say “Let justice be done”, we would want to see the innocent being vindicated and the guilty punished.

We understand justice as it happens in the court of law, that following the process of investigation and with the presentation of the facts and evidence, a judgment is pronounced. 

With that judgement, the party that is guilty of wrongdoing will be given a sentence which could be anything from a fine, to imprisonment, to corporal or even capital punishment. 

It can be presumed that the judgment of the court is correct and unbiased, and the sentence is appropriate to the offence committed. 

That is how justice is generally understood, and it is a means of keeping law and order in a society. 

It is also a way to remind people that there are laws and regulations to keep, and it is also to protect the poor and the lowly. 

And of course, no one should take the law into their own hands. 

In the gospel, we heard that Jesus was in the Temple and the people came to Him and He sat down and began to teach them. 

The fundamental teaching of Jesus is the Law and the Commandments of God so that the people would know the ways of God and walk along the road of salvation. 

Then the scribes and Pharisees brought along a woman who was caught committing adultery. And they said that according to the law, that woman was to be condemned to death by stoning. 

Then they asked Jesus for His opinion, but the intention was to test Him in order to look for something to use against Him. 

But Jesus turned the situation around by showing the true meaning of the justice of God. 

The justice of God is founded on righteousness and peace, as well as mercy and compassion. 

God wants us to do what is right so that we can be at peace with God and with others. 

But when we do wrong, God who is merciful and compassionate, forgives us and helps us to repent so that we can walk again on the right part. 

Jesus did not say that the woman was innocent, but He didn't condemn her and told her to go and don't sin anymore. 

Jesus showed the true meaning of God's justice which is righteousness and peace, as well as mercy and compassion. 

In doing so, Jesus revealed the objective of justice, and that is God wants all to be saved, and in this case, it is not just the guilty woman but also the scribes and Pharisees. 

There is this story of a 24 year old man who was jailed for a crime that he did not commit, and he spent nine years in prison before he was proven innocent and released from prison. 

But he was angry and resentful about all that had happened and he was bitter about the 9 years of his life that was lost. 

He lived his life unhappily till he was 70 years old when he became seriously ill. He asked to see a priest, and before giving him the anointing, the priest asked the man if he wanted to make a Confession. 

The man thought for a while, and said that he was angry and bitter about being implicated and lost nine years of his life in prison. 

And all this while, he cursed at those people who were involved in the case, because of the injustice done to him. 

The priest thought for a while and said: You came out of prison when you were 33 years old and now you are 70. But you didn't really come out of prison. Because for 37 years you locked yourself in the prison of anger, resentment and bitterness. It is time for you to come out and be truly free. 

Although it is just a story, we know that we are gripping in our hands the stones of anger, resentment and bitterness and we want to throw these stones at others. 

Jesus is telling us that we are not without sin, and it is only for our good that we drop those stones. 

Yes, let us drop those stones so that we can hold on to the hand of Jesus and walk in the path of righteousness and peace, so that we can experience the healing love of God's mercy and compassion, and be freed from the prison of sin.

4th Week of Lent, Saturday, 02-04-2022

Jeremiah 11:18-20 / John 7:40-52    

It is not nice to know when we have been tricked or cheated.

We feel angry about those who did that to us especially when we did not do anything wrong to them.

Instinctively, we would want to confront them about it.

And if we can't do that, then we may even think of getting back at them in the same way that they tricked or cheated us.

In the 1st reading, the prophet Jeremiah realised that there were people who were plotting against him when the Lord revealed it to him.

He prayed to the Lord to pronounce a just sentence, the Lord who probes the loins and the heart, that he will see the vengeance the Lord will take on them, for he has committed himself to the Lord.

Jeremiah wasn't able to defend himself against the plotting of his enemies.

However he let the Lord do whatever He wills.

Let us always remember that if we want the Lord to protect us, then we must not resort to retaliation.

Let us trust in the Lord that He will defend us from evil and will vindicate us.