Mary, Mother of God

Mary, Mother of God                                                                                       01-01-2025

Numbers 6:22-27 / Galatians 4:4-7 / Luke 2:16-21

On this first day of the new year, it is certainly good to come to church to pray. 

After all, it would be a good start for a year. 

But in truth, on this first day of the new year, we need to come to church, we must come to church. 

We need to come to church to pray and to ask for God's blessings and protection. 

Yes, we ask for God's blessings because we know that we cannot do anything well without God's help. 

And with His help, God will also give us His protection and guidance, so that we won't be distracted or discouraged. 

So, we come to church on this first day of the new year to pray for all that. 

But the first day of the new year is also the eighth day of the Christmas Octave for the Church. 

On this eighth day of the Christmas Octave, we hear in the gospel that Mary and Joseph named the child Jesus, the name the angel had given Him before His conception.

The name Jesus is a profound name. It means God saves, or, God is salvation. 

And on this day, the Church also honours Mary under the title of “Mother of God”. 

That also proclaims that Jesus is God. 

And that also reminds us of what Jesus said when He was on the Cross: This is your mother. 

So, on this first day of the new year, we turn to Jesus, our God and our Saviour. 

We present to Him our needs, our intentions and our petitions. 

And together with the intercession of Mary our Mother, we can be assured of this:

That Jesus will hear and answer our prayers, and He will also protect and guide us. 

That is what we really need to begin the new year with. 

And with the intercession of Mary our Mother, may the Lord bless us and keep us, may He shine His face on us and be gracious to us, and may the Lord grant us peace as we begin the new year.

Seventh Day Within The Octave of Christmas, Tuesday, 31-12-2024

1 John 2:18-21 / John 1:1-18  

Coming to the last day of the year, we would like to spend the last few hours of the year to think about how it has been.

Of course, what has been is history and we cannot change whatever has happened in the past.

Nonetheless we learn from what has happened so that we will become wiser with the experience.

And whatever decisions we have made throughout the year, we know that time will tell us whether those were wise or not.

In the 1st reading, it also talks about the last days.

But those last days reveal who really belonged to Christ, and who never belonged.

And for those who belonged to Christ, then they would believe who Christ really is.

The gospel brings us back to the beginning when there was the Word, the Word was with God and the Word was God.

So, as we come to the end of the year, we also go back to the beginning.

We go back to the beginnings of our faith when we first heard the Word and came to believe.

And as we look back, let us give thanks to God for giving us the faith to believe that Jesus was the Word made flesh and dwells among us.

And may we continue to believe that Jesus will always be with us, from the beginning to the end.

Sixth Day Within Octave of Christmas, Monday, 30-12-2024

1 John 2:12-17 / Luke 2:36-40 

We came into this world with nothing.

But along the way, we begin to possess things and call them our own.

As we go on in life, we own some more things, but we also lose other things.

There will come a time in life when we may come to the realization that we don’t need that much in life.

The gospel tells of Anna, the prophetess, who was 84 years old.

Anna didn’t have much in life and she also didn’t need much at the point in life.

But God gave her what she looked forward to, and that is to see the fulfillment of the promise of God in the infant Jesus.

The 1st reading urges us not to love this passing world or anything in this world.

The world, with all it craves for, is coming to an end, but the one who does the will of God will remain forever.

When we keep our focus on doing the will of God, then God will give us what we need.

Then like Anna, the prophetess, we will see the promise of God coming true in this life and also in the life hereafter.

Holy Family, Year C, 29.12.2024

Ecclesiasticus 3:2-6, 12-14 / Colossians 3:12-21 / Luke 2:41-52

No matter where we go to, or how far we go, at the end of the day, we will always go back to where we came from. 

This place where we will always go back to is where we call home. 

We may go overseas for holiday, and we are impressed by how nice and good that place is. 

But our hearts will still think of home, and long to go back home. 

Yes, home is where the heart is, home is where the family is, home is where there is love. 

So, at home, and in the family, there should be love, there must be love. 

But as it is, no home is perfect, and no family is perfect. 

But despite the imperfections and even dysfunctions, we still go back home and back to our family. 

Because we believe that there can be love, and that there will be love. 

And that is the hope for our home, that is the hope for our family, and it is with that hope that we keep going back. 

Today's Gospel passage recalls that occasion when there was tension in the Holy Family. 

Jesus went with Mary and Joseph to Jerusalem for the feast of the Passover. 

After the feast, Jesus stayed behind in Jerusalem without His parents knowing it. 

Mary and Joseph searched for Jesus for three days, and they finally found Him in the Temple. 

Mary expressed the tension of the situation when she said: My child, why have you done this to us? See how worried your father and I have been looking for you. 

And they did not understand what Jesus meant by being busy with His Father's affairs. 

So, even for the Holy Family of Jesus, Mary and Joseph, love is not a given, and they too faced trials and tensions. 

But they believed that there can be love, and that there will be love. 

And that is also what the Holy Family is telling us about our family. 

That in our family trials and tensions, there can be love and there will be love, and it is love that will keep our family together. 

There is a story of a particular cold and hard winter, and a family of porcupines came together to keep warm. 

But as they huddled together, their spikes poked at each other. 

After some painful contact, they decided to stay away from each other. 

But because the winter was cold and hard, they had to come back together to keep warm. 

They accepted that they have to bear with the painful moments in order to keep warm and alive. 

Yes, it is the warmth of love that keeps our family together, and that love will overcome the trials and the tensions of family life. 

God wants to bless our families just as He blessed the Holy Family. 

And just as Jesus lived under the authority of Mary and Joseph, parents have a spiritual authority over their children. 

And parents express that authority by blessing their children with Holy Water, to invoke God's protection and guidance for their children. 

And we the Church, the family of God, must also invoke God's blessings on this feast of the Holy Family. 

May Jesus, Mary and Joseph, pray for us and our families, that there will be love, and that parents and children will be God’s blessing for one another.

And may we, the family of God, also be a blessing for the world.

Holy Innocents, Martyrs, Saturday, 28-12-2024

1 John 1:5 -2:2 / Matthew 2:13-18  

Human pride and ego are the causes of many problems in life and in relationships.

And human pride and ego becomes a big problem especially when it is boosted by power and might.

And when pride and ego get out of control, there will be tragedy and disaster.

As it was in the case of king Herod. 

His pride and ego, his fears and insecurity, spun out of control when he realized that he had been outwitted by the wise men.

He was so furious that he did the inhumane thing, and that is to order the killing of the male children under two years old.

Not only innocent blood was shed, the victims were little children who were defenseless and helpless.

Their blood cries out throughout history as they are remembered in this feast of the Holy Innocents.

May we also hear their cries and realise that our pride and ego can cause tragedy and disaster.

Let us also be humble and simple so that we can be more humane and caring especially to little children.

St. John, Apostle and Evangelist, Friday, 27-12-2024

1 John 1:1-4 / John 20:2-8  

All the apostles went though persecution and martyrdom when they went forth to proclaim the Good News of Jesus Christ.

St. John too had his share of sufferings and it was said that he was thrown into a pot of boiling oil but was unharmed.

Then he was exiled on the island of Patmos and tradition has it that he lived to a ripe old age and died a natural death.

The gospel and the letters are accredited to him, and there are two recurring themes.

One is that Jesus Christ is divine as well as human.

And the other is God is love and that Jesus Christ is the love of God made flesh.

That is the essential message of St. John’s gospel and the letters.

As we celebrate the feast of St. John, let us reflect and meditate on the Good News that he proclaimed.

May the Good News be made flesh in us and may our lives be the Good News that others will see and may them come to know and love Jesus.

St. Stephen, the First Martyr, Thursday, 26-12-2024

Acts 6:8-10; 7:54-59 / Matthew 10:17-22  

It may sound rather morbid to think or talk about death.

But we know it is the final reality that we have to face.

And we certainly wish we would have a peaceful and happy death.

No one would ever want to think about or be prepared for a violent and unprepared death.

St. Stephen would also like to have a peaceful and happy death.

And he certainly wasn’t prepared for the violence he faced with when he proclaimed Jesus.

And neither would he have thought that his life would come to an end under a pile of stones.

Although his violent death was something St. Stephen was not prepared for, he died a peaceful and happy death.

He forgave his enemies and he put his life into the hands of his Lord and Saviour Jesus.

To think about death just a day after Christmas seems so jarring and out of place.

But birth and death are like the cycles of life. 

In preparing for death, we are also preparing for life in eternity.

We do this preparation by forgiving those who wronged us, and also by praying like St. Stephen – Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.

Christmas 2024, 25.12.2014

Micah 5:1-4 / Hebrews 10:5-10 / Luke 1:39-44

For us Christians, the central expression of Christmas is none other than the Nativity Scene. 

There can be all the other decorations like the Christmas tree, the fairy lights, presents, etc. 

But, the Nativity Scene takes the central focus among all these other decorations. 

It has to be. It must be. 

Because when we see the Baby Jesus lying in the manger, it reminds us of the fulfilment of that age-old promise of God.

The Saviour has been born, the Word of God was made flesh. 

The love of God is expressed in the reality of the human situation. 

But the Nativity Scene is not only about the baby in the manger. 

There is Mary, whose “yes” at the Anunciation enabled God to come into the world. 

There is Joseph, who didn't fully understand everything but nonetheless did the right and just thing. 

And there were the shepherds, the sheep, as well as the cow and the donkey. 

What is so fascinating about the Nativity Scene is that each figurine and each object has a story to tell. 

And all the stories point to that one main story, and that is God's great love for humanity. 

That is the great mystery of the Christmas story. 

It is about the unconditional and sacrificial love of God for sinners. 

It is also an expression of God's love in the people around us. 

Mary reminds us of those who care for us with a tender love. 

Joseph reminds us of those who protected and provided for us. 

The shepherds remind us of the lowly and unseen workers who provided us with the essential services. 

Even the donkey and the cow remind us of the burdens of life and the sacrifices we have to make. 

So, the Nativity Scene is about God's love for us. 

It is also about our love for each other. 

Christmas is about love and the celebration of love. 

God has fulfilled His promise of love. 

Let us promise to love God and may that love be expressed in our relationships with one another as we celebrate Christmas.

Weekday of Advent, Tuesday, 24th December 2024

2 Sam 7:1-5, 8-12, 14, 16 / Luke 1:67-79  

On this morning of Christmas Eve, some of us will be having a busy day ahead.

Others may be getting into the festive holiday mood, while for some others it may just be another holiday tomorrow.

Whatever it may be, there is the din of all kinds of sounds around us.

Even the church may not be that quiet a place to be in as there will be preparations and other activities on this particular day.

But we would certainly wish to have a quiet moment on this Christmas Eve morning.

For Zechariah, he has been silent for nine months as he had lost his ability of speech.

Nine months is a long time of silence, but with the birth of his son John, his power of speech returned and he praised God.

That silence for Zechariah enabled him to listen to the promises of God about sending the Saviour, and he proclaimed what he heard when his speech returned.

May we also find some time today to have a quiet moment, so that we can listen to the promises of old, and praise God for fulfilling His promise in Jesus.

And because God fulfilled His promise of the long-awaited Saviour, then may we also believe what God has promised us, that He will hear and answer our prayers.

Weekday of Advent, Monday, 23rd December 2024

Malachi 3:1-4, 23-24 / Luke 1:57-66  

Things happen for a reason.

Usually we are able to find or give the reason.

But there are things that happen, and we can find the reason or give a reason.

In such instances, then let us prepare to receive a divine revelation.

In the gospel, the people expect the baby to be called Zechariah, after his father.

But his mother Elizabeth insisted that the baby be called John.

And his father Zechariah confirmed it in writing.

The people were astonished and they were filled with awe.

And they wondered what the child will turn out to be.

So when things happen and we cannot find an immediate reason, let us ponder and reflect.

The reason will be revealed to us in God’s time.

That is the mystery of life, and we will be in awe when we encounter the mystery of God.

4th Sunday of Advent, Year C, 22.12.2024

 Micah 5:1-4 / Hebrews 10:5-10 / Luke 1:39-44

Some of us may remember this famous statement and its historical background. 

The statement is this: That's one small step for man, a giant leap for mankind. 

That statement was made by the American astronaut Neil Armstrong on the 20th July, 1969. He made this statement as he descended from the ladder of the lunar capsule and stepped on the surface of the Moon. 

And with that, he became the first man to step on the moon. 

But man didn't stop with just stepping on the moon. The quest for exploration of outer space continues with further ventures to other planets. 

But other than the moon, man has not stepped on other planets, well, not yet. 

So, it can be said that man has leapt to the moon, and he may be eyeing other planets to leap at. 

Although man has leapt far into outer space, how far has he gone into inner space? 

Much money and resources are spent exploring other planets, and yet planet Earth was left with an ecological problem. 

Man has leapt are into outer space, but has neglected about his inner space. 

In the gospel, we hear of another kind of leap. It was a leap of joy, a leap of life, a leap of love. 

Mary greeting Elizabeth seems ordinary, but it revealed a deep mystery. 

The Word of God has taken flesh in the womb of Mary, and through her greeting, the Good News of salvation was proclaimed. 

And baby in Elizabeth's womb left for joy at the sound of the Good News. 

It was a leap not into outer space, but a leap into the mystery of salvation, a leap into the love of God. 

As we listen to the gospel passage, our hearts also want to leap for joy. 

But if our hearts are not responding to this joyful news, could it be that our hearts are heavy and burdened. 

We may have spent our time, resources and energy on the unnecessary, on the so-called outer space, and neglected what is necessary, we have neglected our inner space. 

We need to listen to the Good News, so that our hearts can also leap with joy into the love of God. 

A story goes that a man went trekking into the woods, and he was fascinated by the natural beauty, and he lost track of time. 

When he realized it was getting dark, he tried to hurry back but he got lost, but he still tried to find his way back even though it was dark. 

He went on and on and then suddenly he fell off a cliff. As he was falling down, he somehow managed to catch hold of a branch. 

He caught his breath and was relieved, but he couldn't see where he was as it was pitch dark. 

So, he began to pray: Oh God, save me, save me. 

To his surprise, he heard a voice: You want me to save you? 

The man replied. Yes Lord yes, please save me. 

The Voice then said: Okay, then do what I tell you, let go of the branch. 

The man was stunned and also shocked. He couldn’t believe what he heard. So, he closed his eyes and desperately held on to the branch with all his might. 

After a long while, he heard birds chirping and he knew that finally morning has arrived. 

With much anxiety, he slowly opened his eyes to see what his situation was. To his surprise, when he opened his eyes to see where he was, his feet was only six inches from the ground. 

If only he had listened to the voice of God and let go of the branch, he wouldn't have suffered all night. 

So, it comes back to this simple spiritual saying: Let go and let God. 

When we let go of our worries, fears and anxieties, we will listen to the voice of God and let God take control of our lives. 

When we let God take control, then we will be able to listen to the Good News of salvation, and our hearts will leap for joy.

Weekday of Advent, Saturday, 21st December 2024

Songs 2:8-14 or Zephaniah 3:14-18 / Luke 1:39-45    

Advent is a time of preparation for the celebration of the birth of Christ as well as His second coming.

But for Mary and Elizabeth, it was a time of preparation of motherhood.

As these two expecting mothers met in the gospel passage, we can sense a spike of revelation.

For Elizabeth, the sad barren period of her life is over as God revealed His blessings on her.

For Mary, a joy-filled, yet anxious future, has just been revealed to her.

In Mary and Elizabeth, we can see the cycle of life and the cycle of joy and anxiety.

Yet even in our joys and anxiety, God will still reveal Himself to us, just as He did to Mary and Elizabeth.

In our joys and anxiety may we still sing the songs of love and thanksgiving, like the song we heard in the 1st reading.

May our hearts always leap with joy with each revelation from God.

Weekday of Advent, Friday, 20th December 2024

Isaiah 7:10-14 / Luke 1:26-38   

The word "sign" in everyday language can have a few meanings.

A sign can give information, as in the information on a signboard.

It can give directions, as in road signs.

Or it can have a symbolic meaning, as in someone's words or actions are indicating a peculiar meaning or happening.

But when the Bible uses the word "sign" as in the 1st reading, it means that God was intervening for His people.

In the 1st reading, God was pledging that He would be with king Ahaz as he faced the threat of the foreign powers, and the prophet Isaiah was calling on Ahaz to trust in God because of the sign that was given.

Similarly in the gospel, God was also intervening when He sent the angel Gabriel to tell Mary that God was with her.

When the world was crumbling in its sin, God intervened and gave a sign.

He sent His only Son, born of a virgin, who became like us in all things except sin, to save us.

At every Mass, we celebrate God's saving intervention when we hear the words: The Lord be with you.

Let us respond by being with God and in God always, so that in everything, we see the signs of God's saving love.

Weekday of Advent, Thursday, 19th December 2024

Judges 13:2-7. 24-25 / Luke 1:5-25  

We pray because we believe that God hears and answers our prayers.

And because our prayers have been answered, our faith in God is deepened and strengthened.

And so we continue to put our faith and trust in God in our time of need.

But prayer can be rather challenging when it comes to difficult circumstances.

Zachariah’s wife, Elizabeth, was barren and getting on in years, and he was also an old man.

Though Zachariah prayed for a child, his hopes were fading and his prayer for a child became a routine.

And as he was offering incense at the Temple, the angel Gabriel appeared to him and told him that his prayer was heard and that Elizabeth is to bear a son and he must name him John.

But Zachariah found it hard to believe that it could happen.

Time has eroded his hopes and possibilities have faded off.

Advent is a time of prayer and a renewal of our faith in God who hears our prayers.

May we come to realise that what seems impossible to us is not impossible for God.

Weekday of Advent, Wednesday, 18th December 2024

Jeremiah 23:5-8 / Matthew 1:18-24  

When we think of home, what comes to mind will be a number of warm and cozy thoughts and feelings.

Because home is a place where we can call our own, be ourselves, feel comfortable and have a good and peaceful rest.

Any other place, no matter how nice or enjoyable can never be like home.

The 1st reading prophesied that the Lord will lead back and bring home the descendants of the House of Israel from all the countries where they were dispersed so that they will live on their own soil.

So the People of God will go home and live under the protection of the Lord God.

That is true freedom and with that, they will be able to worship God in a place that they can truly call their own.

In the gospel, the angel also used the word home. He told Joseph to take Mary home as his wife.

And that is also to prepare a place for Jesus as He comes into the world.

For Jesus, His home is in heaven, but He came from heaven to make His home with us.

He did that so that He can in turn bring us home to heaven.

Let us prepare a home for Jesus in our hearts during this Advent season.

When Jesus makes His home in our hearts, then we will also know what it feels like to be in heaven.

Weekday of Advent, Tuesday, 17th December 2024

Genesis 49:2, 8-10 / Matthew 1:1-17   

When we look at a tree, what we will see will be what is above the ground.

We will notice the height, the shape, the branches, the leaves and the fruit.

But the health and the state of the tree is determined by what is below the ground.

What is below the ground is what we don’t see, but it is as important if not more important that what is above the ground.

In other words, the roots determine the fruit, and the deeper the roots, the better will the tree hold on to the ground.

In the gospel, we hear of the long genealogy of Jesus Christ.

In that genealogy are some names of men that we have heard before, as well as some women who have significant roles.

But all of them form the roots of the tree of life that eventually bore the ultimate fruit, and that is Jesus Christ the Saviour.

The season of Advent reminds us of the promise of salvation that is fulfilled in Jesus Christ.

Jesus Christ is the root of our faith and our life.

May we bear the fruit of His love so that others will see us, the Church, as the tree of life bearing fruits for the salvation of the world.

3rd Week of Advent, Monday, 16-12-2024

Numbers 24:2-7, 15-17 / Matthew 21:23-27  

To say that a person is spiritual would imply that the person is closely in union with God.

It may also imply that God may choose to reveal certain things through that person.

In the 1st reading, Balaam was a spiritual person and as well as a prophet of God.

But he was enticed with a reward by the enemies of Israel to lay a curse on Israel so that they will be defeated in battle.

In other words, he detracted from his prophetic role and even collaborated with the enemies of Israel.

But the Spirit of God came upon him and he submitted to the authority of God and retracted and declaimed his curse.

And he even blessed Israel as well as prophesied that a great leader would arise from Israel.

In the gospel, when the chief priests and elders questioned Jesus about His authority, He in turn questioned them about the authority of John the Baptist.

If the chief priests and elders had been spiritual enough, they would have acknowledged that the authority of Jesus and John the Baptist was from above.

We are called to be a prophetic people and to fulfil that prophetic role, we have to be spiritual and to be closely united with Jesus.

And when we speak, may it be Jesus who speaks through us, and may our words be a blessing for others.

3rd Sunday of Advent, Year C, 15.12.2024

Zephaniah 3:14-18 / Philippians 4:4-7 / Luke 3:10-18

Human beings and machines have some similarities. 

A machine is designed to perform a specific task. 

For example, a car is designed to move after a sequence of operations. The task is specific and there are not much variations to what a car is supposed to do. 

Human beings, as much as they can be flexible and adaptable, also like to be told specifically what to do. 

And human beings can be rather robotic, and they can at times even act like robots. 

But a better way of putting it is that human beings are creatures of habit, and they like to be ritualistic. 

They want to know what to do and keep doing it, so that they don't have to think too much about how to do it. 

And when they get used to doing something over and over again, then it is not likely that they will like to change it. 

In the gospel, the people who came to John the Baptist asked him what must they do for repentance. 

So, to specific groups of people John the Baptist gave them specific tasks to perform. 

Generally, he told them to be generous and to share with those in need. 

Then, to the tax collectors, he told them to be honest and not to collect more than required. To the soldiers, he told them not to intimidate and not to extort. 

John the Baptist was specific and straightforward in his teaching and in his instructions to the people and to the specific groups. 

So the people thought that it was all that was required. 

Then, John the Baptist gave them something more to think about and what to be prepared for. 

He said that he baptized with water for the repentance of sin. 

But there is one who is coming after him, and who is more powerful than he is. 

And that one who is to come, will baptize with the Holy Spirit and with fire. 

What immediately comes to mind is a stark contrast. 

John the Baptist talks about and uses water for his ministry. 

But Jesus, the one who is to come, will have the power of the Holy Spirit and there will be fire. 

What a contrast, and what a change. 

But the contrast also prepares for the change, and it will be a wonderful and beautiful change. 

On this third week of Advent, the rose coloured candle is lighted and rose coloured vestments are worn. 

The rose coloured candle stands as a contrast among the three purple coloured candles. 

It is a candle to symbolize the theme of rejoicing. 

It also reminds us that when Jesus came He brought about a change. 

He was a light in the darkness, and his birth brought about rejoicing because the promise of salvation was fulfilled. 

On this third Sunday of Advent, the message for us is that Jesus will bring about a change, and it is a change that we will rejoice over. 

So, when there are changes in our lives, in our family and in our workplace, let us ask Jesus to help us see the change with rejoicing and with His blessings.

For this parish community, for Fr. Andre and for myself, all of us had undergone a change, and we want to believe that the change comes with blessings and rejoicing.

Let us remember the rose coloured candle of the Advent wreath.

May the light of that candle give us the Spirit of rejoicing. 

And let us pray that every change will come with the blessings of God, and that every change will be wonderful and beautiful.

2nd Week of Advent, Saturday, 14-12-2024

Ecclesiasticus 48:1-4, 9-11 / Matthew 17:10-13  

If there was one prophet in the Old Testament that we can say is really dramatic, it is surely the prophet Elijah.

And the 1st reading makes special mention of this dramatic prophet, and rightly so.

Elijah was a fire-and-brimstone prophet. He worked great and awful deeds like calling down famine upon the land, calling down fire from heaven to consume the sacrifice he offered and putting the 450 false prophets by slitting their throats, just to mention a few.

But all that dramatic deeds were intended to turn the people back to God and for the restoration of Israel as the people of God.

But people can just be interested in the dramatic and the spectacular and not see the meaning and the message behind it.

We live in an age where people, Catholics included, are easily attracted by the dramatic and the spectacular and the extraordinary.

We may even expect the end times and the second coming of Christ to be kind of dramatic and spectacular, with awesome signs.

But as Jesus said in the gospel, Elijah came in the person of John the Baptist, and God came to visit His people in the Word made flesh.

But John the Baptist and Jesus were just too ordinary, and hence did not live up to the people's expectations.

The season of Advent prepares us to encounter God in the ordinary.

Amidst the festive celebrations, let us quieten our hearts to hear the voice of God in the ordinary.

When Jesus first came to this world at the first Christmas, it was just another ordinary day.

When He comes to us today, it will also be in an ordinary way.

2nd Week of Advent, Friday, 13-12-2024

Isaiah 48:17-19 / Matthew 11:16-19  

To follow instructions may sound simple.

We just have to follow what is said or written and comply to it.

As much as it sounds that simple, yet it is not that easy to do.

Because when it comes to those instructions that we don’t like or don’t agree with, we will then have to deviate and do things to our own convenience.

In the 1st reading, the Lord God says this:

I, the Lord, your God, teach you what is good for you. I lead you in the way you must go.

So, since it is the Lord God who is teaching and instructing us, then certainly we must obey and comply willingly.

But in the pages of the Bible are accounts after accounts of the People of God being unfaithful and turning away from God.

The consequence was misery and tragedy with misfortune upon misfortune.

The Lord our God reminds us of this:

If only you had been alert to my commandments, your happiness would have been like a river, and your integrity like the waves of the sea.

To go our own ways and do things our way will only lead to disputes and division.

To obey God and follow His ways and do His will is to blessed with peace and happiness.

Let us be wise and choose what is right and good.

2nd Week of Advent, Thursday, 12-12-2024

Isaiah 41:13-20 / Matthew 11:11-115  

The season of Advent is often seen as a time of preparation and even celebration.

Advent is a time to put out all the Christmas decorations and also to have Christmas parties even before Christmas Day.

So, the four weeks of Advent often come and go and we don’t remember much about the message of Advent.

Other than lighting the four candles of the Advent wreath each week, we were caught up with the busyness of the festive season as well as the year end activities.

In the gospel, Jesus said that of all the children born of women, a greater than John the Baptist has never been seen.

Yet, even John the Baptist had to face the opposition and the resistance of a violent world that does not want to hear of repentance.

The gospel passage ended with Jesus saying that if anyone has ears, let him listen.

Advent is a time to be silent so that we can listen.

We listen to the promises that God made to His people, promises like those in the 1st reading.

When we make our ears listen, then we will experience the peace of the silent and holy night when the Saviour was born.

2nd Week of Advent, Wednesday, 11-12-2024

Isaiah 40:25-31 / Matthew 11:28-30  

In the book of Genesis, after Adam and Eve fell into sin, they were driven out of the Garden of Eden.

Where once God provided for their sustenance, they now had to earn their bread by the sweat of their brow.

Work became a burden and they had to work hard in order to survive.

Gone are the restful and peaceful days before their fall.

But in the gospel, Jesus exclaimed this: Come to me, all you who labour and are overburdened, and I will give you rest.

Jesus came to save us from our sin, He came to heal us of the wounds of sin.

He came to change burdens into blessings, and work became a mission for humanity to continue God’s work or recreating the world.

But the effects of sin are still felt in our weak humanness, and Jesus calls us to come to Him and find rest and peace.

The season of Advent is also a time to find peace in that promise of Jesus that He will give us rest, physically and spiritually.

Then in all our burdens and labours, we will turn to the Lord to renew our strength and rest in His love.

2nd Week of Advent, Tuesday, 10-12-2024

Isaiah 40:1-11 / Matthew 18:12-14  

The teachings of Jesus are indeed difficult to comprehend, to say the least.

If we were listening to what Jesus was saying in the gospel, and He asks us would that man not leave the ninety-nine on the hillside and go in search of the stray, what would we say?

Obviously, we would say that man should not go.

In our human logical thinking, why would a man leave the ninety-nine sheep just to go search of a stray?

Any which way we see it would still not make sense to us.

But when we reflect about the ways of God, then we would also come to the same conclusion.

The ways of God do not make sense to our human mind.

The season of Advent makes us think about the ways of God, and how absurdly wonderful it is.

For one, why would God want to become man and take on the weakness of human flesh just to save sinners.

The mystery of the Incarnation is what Advent is preparing us to encounter, even if we don’t really understand it.

When we see that all the ways of God point to His unconditional love for us, then we will be ready to accept the difficult teachings of Jesus.

Immaculate Conception of the the B. V. Mary, Monday, 09-12-2024

Genesis 3:9-15, 20 / Ephesians 1:3-6, 11-12 / Luke 1:26-38 

For those of us who were baptized as babies, our parents gave us a baptism name.

For those of us who were baptized as adults, we chose a baptism name for ourselves.

These will be the names for the rest of our lives.

But these are not just names to identify ourselves. They have a much greater significance.

They symbolize our new identity in Christ through baptism.

For those of us who were baptized as adults, our baptism names symbolize our "Yes" to God to be His beloved children.

Mary was graced to be immaculately conceived in her mother's womb, and freed from sin by the power of God.

But at the Annunciation, Mary is called by a new name and empowered to bear the One who is to crush the power of evil.

Mary is called by the angel Gabriel "the highly favoured one".

And Mary said "Yes" to the mission of bearing the Word made flesh.

By the grace of our baptism, we too have become God's highly favoured ones; we too have become "immaculate".

We too are empowered to say "Yes" to God.

In saying "Yes" to God, we are also saying "No" to evil and to the devil's temptations.

Let us rejoice with Mary on this feast of her Immaculate Conception and give thanks and praise to God for His saving love for us.

Let us renew the grace of our baptism, and by the grace of our baptism, let us crush our evil and sinful desires and live as God's beloved and highly favoured sons and daughters.

Let us also ask Mary to pray for us by using the prayer that is inscribed in the Miraculous Medal : O Mary, conceived without sin, pray for us who have recourse to you.

2nd Sunday of Advent, Year C, 08.12.2024

Baruch 5:1-9 / Philippians 1:3-6, 8-11 / Luke 3:1-6 

The ways of the world are such that what is done is to be done on a big scale. 

It can be said that size does matter, so the bigger the better. 

The objective is to gain attention and admiration, so as to be more popular and famous than the rest. 

So, when it comes to the seasonal festive decorations, then the brighter and fancier, the better. 

And of course, when it comes to the Christmas trees, then the taller the better. 

But it is not just about being bigger, or brighter, or taller. 

The world also favours those with big names and high status, and from famous places. 

Needless to say, that behind those big names with high status and from famous places, there are influence, power and wealth. 

These are the ways of the world, and we are constantly being exposed to such ways. 

Inevitably, that also became a way of life, to be bigger, higher, better and with power. 

In the gospel, many big and powerful names were mentioned, and they also rule over famous places. 

Among those names are some that we have heard before, like, Pontius Pilate, Herod, Annas and Caiaphas. 

And we have heard about those places that they rule over, Judaea, Galilee and those other places. 

At that time, if someone were to name-drop and say that they are friend of Tiberius Caesar, or Pontius Pilate or Herod, they will be shown favour. 

Or, if someone were to say that the high priest Annas or Caiaphas is their friend, they will also get religious favours. 

What happened then, in that political and religious world, has not changed much. It is also happening in the present political and religious scenes, only that the names and places have changed. 

But there is one thing that did not change, and that is the ways of God. The ways of God are not the ways of the world. 

In the gospel, the Word of God did not go to those high and mighty and famous names or places. 

Instead, the Word of God came to John, son of Zechariah, and he was out there in the wilderness. 

And the message that John received was plain and simple, and that is, the baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sin. 

It was a no-frills and no-thrills message, just repentance for the forgiveness of sins. 

As we enter into the second week of Advent, the world has already entered into the festive celebrations. 

It looks and sounds as if Christmas is already here, and we are also moving with the flow. 

Being in this tension between Advent and the festive celebrations, a well-known figure emerges. 

We know who Santa Claus is. His image has appeared during this time in decorations and advertisements. 

Santa Claus is a big name in this festive season, so much so that his origins is often forgotten. 

Santa Claus, or St. Nicholas, lived during the 4th century. He is venerated in the Church because he helped the poor in their misery and poverty with gifts of money.

So, that is why Santa Claus, or St Nicholas, became a symbol of giving during this season. 

He also reminds us that God gave us His only Son to save us and to forgive our sins. 

Just as the Word of God came to John the Baptist in the wilderness, the Word of God comes to us through Santa Claus, or Saint Nicholas. 

St Nicholas reminds us of the virtue of giving and especially to help the poor. 

The Word of God reminds us that the best gift is the gift of forgiveness. 

Let us turn to God for forgiveness so that we can forgive others. 

That is how we prepare the way for the Lord, so that we, the Church, and the world, will see the salvation of God.

1st Week of Advent, Saturday, 07-12-2024

Isaiah 30:19-21, 23-26 / Matthew 9:35 - 10:1, 6-8 

The season of Advent often seems like a preparation and a celebration of Christmas.

Even before Christmas Day has come, there are already Christmas parties and Christmas songs are heard everywhere.

The Advent symbols and meanings are like only limited in Church services and the Advent wreath.

But the season of Advent is an invitation to go slow and even to be still and to reflect.

The divine promises are to be recalled and remembered in time of Advent.

The 1st reading recalls the promise of God that though He has punished His people for their sins, He will also dress the wounds of His people and heals the bruises His blows have left.

The gospel also recalls Jesus sending His disciples to go and cast out evil spirits and to cure all kinds of diseases and sickness.

As we recall and remember these divine promises, then we will be able to understand God’s great love for us.

His greatest love for us is when God fulfilled His promise of sending us the Saviour.

And Jesus is now calling us to be labourers in God’s harvest so that more people will hear about the promises of God.

May we believe in God’s promises and may we also hear the call of Jesus to proclaim and to fulfill God’s promises.

1st Week of Advent, Friday, 06-12-2024

Isaiah 29:17-24 / Matthew 9:27-31  

In the course of His healing ministry, Jesus cured many types of diseases and illnesses.

And He also restored sight to the blind, opened the ears of the deaf and loosened the tongues of the dumb.

During the time of Jesus and especially in the Old Testament times, illness and diseases, as well as being blind, or deaf or dumb are seen as the effects of sin or punishment for sin.

So in curing those who were sick or afflicted with some kind of disease, and in restoring sight to the blind, and opening the ears of the deaf and loosening the tongues of the dumb, Jesus showed what the Good News is about.

The Good News is about the forgiveness of sin and restoring the human dignity in the image of God.

But the Good News is also about conversion and repentance.

The Good News is also a warning for tyrants and scoffers and those disposed to evil, as stated in the 1st reading.

The Good News also warns against those who gossip to incriminate others, those who try to trip the arbitrator, and those who get the upright man’s case dismissed.

So the Good News is a warning against sinners, as well as a teaching for those who have faith in God.

Let us acknowledge that we are sinners and need to learn wisdom and accept instruction to live in the ways of truth and love.

1st Week of Advent, Thursday, 05-12-2024

Isaiah 26:1-6 / Matthew 7:21, 24-27  

It is often said that history repeats itself. It is only the people and the situations or circumstances have changed.

So it is with the lessons of life.

The lessons of life keep repeating itself. It is only the people and situations or circumstances have changed.

But whether it is history or the lessons of life that keep repeating, it shows one thing.

And that is we human beings, despite our intelligence, don’t seem to learn or remember the lessons of life.

We keep making those mistakes from one generation to the next, and going back way into history.

One mistake that the high and mighty keep making is that they think they are going to stay up there forever.

The 1st reading says that the Lord will bring low those who lived high up, brings them down to the ground, and flings them to the dust.

We turn to the Word of God and listen to it in order to know what the Lord is teaching us and the warnings that He is giving us.

Let us listen and remember what the Lord has said and keeps saying.

Then we won’t be in misery over our mistakes, and that our lives will be built on the Lord our Rock.

1st Week of Advent, Wednesday, 04-12-2024

Isaiah 25:6-10 / Matthew 15:29-37  

We usually think that the important things are the big things in life.

Some of the so-called big things are like wealth, status, looks and whatever that will boost our ego.

We may not pay that much attention to the small and little things in life but they are equally as important as the big things of life.

In the gospel, Jesus was expressing His mission of salvation through His healing ministry.

He cured the lame, the crippled, the blind, the dumb and many other illnesses and diseases.

But He also cared about the welfare of the people.

He knew that the people were hungry and He felt sorry for them.

So besides the spiritual and physical wellness of the people, He also cared about their basic need for food.

In the miracle of the multiplication of bread, Jesus showed that God is also concerned about the small and little needs of the people, which is just as important.

As we come for the Eucharist, we are nourished spiritually and physically.

The Eucharist we receive is a sign that God will provide for all our needs, big and small.

May we put our faith and trust in God that He loves and cares for us.

That is what Jesus came to show and tell us.

St. Francis Xavier, Patron of Missions and Missionaries, Tuesday, 03-12-2024

1 Cor 9:16-19, 22-23 / Mark 16:15-20  

The Major Seminary in Singapore is dedicated to the patronage of St. Francis Xavier.

In the first year of formation, the seminarians had to read about the lives of the saints, and St. Francis Xavier was one for compulsory reading.

And even priests and religious and missionaries who read about his life and his work will admit that he is one model that is very difficult to match up to.

His missionary zeal, his perseverance and his persistence in preaching the gospel amidst the political clutter, his courage and determination were all very inspiring.

And it seemed that he spent so much time in the East in places like Goa, Malacca, China and Japan and learning the local languages so that he could preach to the local people that he eventually forgot his own mother tongue (Spanish).

He took the trouble to learn the local languages and in that sense he really went out and preached everywhere.

In St. Francis Xavier, we can see the words of today's gospel being fulfilled.

And the words of the gospel, the Good News, will continue to be fulfilled in us as long as we are willing to proclaim the Good News in word and in action.

We must always remember that it is not so much our suitability for the task but rather our availability for the mission.

1st Week of Advent, Monday, 02-12-2024

Isaiah 2:1-5 / Matthew 8:5-11   

When night falls, and when it becomes dark, anything that gives out light would be useful.

It may be a candle, or an oil lamp or an electric bulb, light is certainly appreciated in the darkness.

As we begin the season of Advent, the first candle of the Advent wreath is lighted.

Even though the light from that candle is not so significant, yet it symbolizes the meaning of the season of Advent.

The coming of Christ is like a light in the darkness, and that light slowly becomes brighter and stronger.

That light points and leads us to God, and it also shines on us so that we can see who we really are in the eyes of God.

When we look at what the light reveals to us, then we will hammer our swords of anger and spears of bitterness into ploughshares of service and sickles of love.

With the light of Christ, we will recognize His power and authority to change humanity and bring about healing and peace.

Let us walk in the light of Christ as we journey on in this season of Advent.