2 Kings 2 : 1, 6-14 / Matthew 6 : 1-6, 16-18 (2020)
There will come a time for people of authority and power to step down and hand the reins to their successors.
For the prophet Elijah, the time had come for him to hand over power to his successor Elisha.
Elijah knew he was to be taken back to God.
Elisha his successor now ask for a double share of his prophetic spirit.
The reason being that the law of Israel had it that a double share of property was to be given by the father to his first-born son.
Elisha was the chosen heir, but the prophetic spirit was for God alone to give.
But what was given to Elijah was eventually doubled in Elisha and culminated in John the Baptist.
John the Baptist was the prophet that Jesus described as the prophet Elijah who had returned to bring the people back to God.
Before Jesus returned to His Father, He promised to give us not just a prophetic spirit but the Holy Spirit as our Advocate and Helper.
The Holy Spirit will give us the power to break free from sin and to have hearts of love so that we can live our lives of holiness and bring people back to God.
Wednesday, June 16, 2010
Tuesday, June 15, 2010
11th Week, Ordinary Time, Tuesday, 15-06-10
1 Kings 21 : 17-29 / Matthew 5 :43-48 (2014 / 2018)
Science and technology have really helped to discover the potential of things.
For example, fiber-optics have helped tremendously in communication and information-transfer.
Microchips have helped reduce the size of electronics equipment and increased the efficiency of machines.
On the contrary, the discovery of the real potential of persons is somehow lagging behind.
It is not just about the potential skills and talents of the person.
It is about the spiritual potential of the person, especially in the area of love and forgiveness.
Every person has the potential to love those who have done him wrong and to forgive them.
The late Pope John Paul II exhibited this potential when he forgave the man who shot him by visiting him in prison and he even hugged him.
That act should make us reflect about our own potential to love and forgive.
If Jesus said that we must be perfect just as our heavenly Father is perfect, then we also must pray and ask our heavenly Father to help us discover and release in us the potential to love and forgive.
Science and technology have really helped to discover the potential of things.
For example, fiber-optics have helped tremendously in communication and information-transfer.
Microchips have helped reduce the size of electronics equipment and increased the efficiency of machines.
On the contrary, the discovery of the real potential of persons is somehow lagging behind.
It is not just about the potential skills and talents of the person.
It is about the spiritual potential of the person, especially in the area of love and forgiveness.
Every person has the potential to love those who have done him wrong and to forgive them.
The late Pope John Paul II exhibited this potential when he forgave the man who shot him by visiting him in prison and he even hugged him.
That act should make us reflect about our own potential to love and forgive.
If Jesus said that we must be perfect just as our heavenly Father is perfect, then we also must pray and ask our heavenly Father to help us discover and release in us the potential to love and forgive.
Monday, June 14, 2010
11th Week, Ordinary Time, Monday, 14-06-10
1 Kings 21 : 1-16 / Matthew 5 : 38-42 (2020)
King Ahab, who was king of the Northern Kingdom of Israel in 874 BC, was described in the first book of Kings as "worse than all his predecessors" (1 Kings 16 : 30)
But what we heard in today's 1st reading was probably one of his most disgusting and greedy act that eventually lead to a great injustice and the loss of an innocent life.
King Ahab wanted Naboth's vineyard, not for any good reason, but just to grow his vegetables.
Yet Ahab know that the law actually prevented Naboth from selling or giving up his family inheritance.
Still he had the cheek to sulk and be angry to the extent that he would not even eat!
Well, we don't have to go further into what evil Jezebel did.
If we think that how Ahab behaved as a king was utter disgusting, then we should also read the letter of James concerning disunity among Christians.
James 4 : 1-3 says that we want something and we cannot get it so we are prepared to kill. We have an ambition that we cannot satisfy so we fight to get our way by force.
We easily forget that by virtue of our baptism, we are a priestly, prophetic and kingly people.
We need to be deeply aware of our identity and union in Christ.
Failing which, any sin that we commit, regardless of its gravity, is utterly atrocious, simply because of who we are.
King Ahab, who was king of the Northern Kingdom of Israel in 874 BC, was described in the first book of Kings as "worse than all his predecessors" (1 Kings 16 : 30)
But what we heard in today's 1st reading was probably one of his most disgusting and greedy act that eventually lead to a great injustice and the loss of an innocent life.
King Ahab wanted Naboth's vineyard, not for any good reason, but just to grow his vegetables.
Yet Ahab know that the law actually prevented Naboth from selling or giving up his family inheritance.
Still he had the cheek to sulk and be angry to the extent that he would not even eat!
Well, we don't have to go further into what evil Jezebel did.
If we think that how Ahab behaved as a king was utter disgusting, then we should also read the letter of James concerning disunity among Christians.
James 4 : 1-3 says that we want something and we cannot get it so we are prepared to kill. We have an ambition that we cannot satisfy so we fight to get our way by force.
We easily forget that by virtue of our baptism, we are a priestly, prophetic and kingly people.
We need to be deeply aware of our identity and union in Christ.
Failing which, any sin that we commit, regardless of its gravity, is utterly atrocious, simply because of who we are.
Saturday, June 12, 2010
Immaculate Heart of Mary, Memorial, Saturday, 12-06-10
Isaiah 61 : 9-11 / Luke 2 : 41-51 (2020)
When I was in school, I used to hear a lot of this phrase "Remember by heart".
It applied to anything from mathematical formulas to grammatical rules to eating habits.
I remembered those things, although I don't have to ponder on them or question them.
Mary did not just remember things; she pondered over the events and experiences in her life.
In her relationship and experience of Jesus, she indeed had rich and deep memories.
There is the wonder and joy of the first Christmas, the sorrow and grief at Calvary.
And in today's gospel, it was the worry and anxiety of finding Jesus and the astonishment at the answer He gave.
All this Mary remembered and pondered in her heart.
And as she pondered, the mystery of God was slowly revealed to her, the will of God was slowly made known to her.
The feast of the Immaculate Heart of Mary invites us to have a contemplative heart.
It is only with a contemplative heart that we can recall our past in retrospection and see the hand of God in our personal history.
It is with a contemplative heart that we become more aware of the presence of God in the present, and that will deepen our hope and confidence in God to journey into the future.
When I was in school, I used to hear a lot of this phrase "Remember by heart".
It applied to anything from mathematical formulas to grammatical rules to eating habits.
I remembered those things, although I don't have to ponder on them or question them.
Mary did not just remember things; she pondered over the events and experiences in her life.
In her relationship and experience of Jesus, she indeed had rich and deep memories.
There is the wonder and joy of the first Christmas, the sorrow and grief at Calvary.
And in today's gospel, it was the worry and anxiety of finding Jesus and the astonishment at the answer He gave.
All this Mary remembered and pondered in her heart.
And as she pondered, the mystery of God was slowly revealed to her, the will of God was slowly made known to her.
The feast of the Immaculate Heart of Mary invites us to have a contemplative heart.
It is only with a contemplative heart that we can recall our past in retrospection and see the hand of God in our personal history.
It is with a contemplative heart that we become more aware of the presence of God in the present, and that will deepen our hope and confidence in God to journey into the future.
Friday, June 11, 2010
Most Sacred Heart of Jesus, Solemnity, Friday, 11-06-10
Ezekiel 34 : 11-16 / Romans 5 : 5-11 / Luke 15 :3-7
Devotion to the Sacred Heart began in 1676 after St. Margaret Mary Alacoque received an apparition.
The devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus is centered on reparation to Christ for man's ingratitude, manifested particularly by an indifference to the Holy Eucharist.
This feast highlights the unrequited love which Jesus gives us in the Eucharist.
But even when man is lukewarm or indifferent to this love, or even reject this love, Jesus still continues to love us.
And He even made 12 promises to us when we have a devotion to His Sacred Heart.
Generally these are promises of blessings of peace and protection and a growth in love and holiness.
Those promises are very inspiring, yet the fact is that when we take the Eucharist seriously, we are also assured of all these blessings and graces.
The devotion to the Sacred Heart is merely an extension of our response to the love of Jesus in the Eucharist.
Certainly it is a good practice to have a picture of the Sacred Heart in our homes and to say a prayer to the Sacred Heart of Jesus.
May our devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus lead us to participate more fully and fervently in the Eucharist.
Devotion to the Sacred Heart began in 1676 after St. Margaret Mary Alacoque received an apparition.
The devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus is centered on reparation to Christ for man's ingratitude, manifested particularly by an indifference to the Holy Eucharist.
This feast highlights the unrequited love which Jesus gives us in the Eucharist.
But even when man is lukewarm or indifferent to this love, or even reject this love, Jesus still continues to love us.
And He even made 12 promises to us when we have a devotion to His Sacred Heart.
Generally these are promises of blessings of peace and protection and a growth in love and holiness.
Those promises are very inspiring, yet the fact is that when we take the Eucharist seriously, we are also assured of all these blessings and graces.
The devotion to the Sacred Heart is merely an extension of our response to the love of Jesus in the Eucharist.
Certainly it is a good practice to have a picture of the Sacred Heart in our homes and to say a prayer to the Sacred Heart of Jesus.
May our devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus lead us to participate more fully and fervently in the Eucharist.
Thursday, June 10, 2010
10th Week, Ordinary Time, Thursday, 10-06-10
1 Kings 18 : 41-46 / Matthew 5 : 20-26
One of the most challenging aspects of being human is in our relationships with other people.
Because in these relationships, there is always the need for understanding, for communicating, for loving and for caring.
These become rather difficult when relationships are strained.
In a strained relationship, we may want to avoid further misunderstanding and hurt by keeping a "safe distance" from the other.
But by maintaining a "safe distance", we only end up in an uncomfortable silence or even a "cold war".
Hence in the gospel, Jesus issued this challenging teaching: If you are bringing your offering to the altar and there remember that your brother has something against you, go and be reconciled with him first.
In other words, the act of reconciliation must always be initiated by the person who has been wronged. Sounds strange isn't it?
But keeping a safe distance and by maintaining silence is simply avoiding the issue.
Neither is waiting for the party who has done wrong to come to us and apologize be a fruitful option. It might be a futile wait.
But as we come before the altar of the Lord to offer ourselves in union with Jesus, let us ask the Lord for the gift of wisdom and understanding, even before we embark on the task of reconciliation with those we are avoiding.
Let us ask the Lord to pour forth His love to heal our hurt and anger and resentment.
We need to be healed by the Lord before we can go forth and be reconciled with others.
One of the most challenging aspects of being human is in our relationships with other people.
Because in these relationships, there is always the need for understanding, for communicating, for loving and for caring.
These become rather difficult when relationships are strained.
In a strained relationship, we may want to avoid further misunderstanding and hurt by keeping a "safe distance" from the other.
But by maintaining a "safe distance", we only end up in an uncomfortable silence or even a "cold war".
Hence in the gospel, Jesus issued this challenging teaching: If you are bringing your offering to the altar and there remember that your brother has something against you, go and be reconciled with him first.
In other words, the act of reconciliation must always be initiated by the person who has been wronged. Sounds strange isn't it?
But keeping a safe distance and by maintaining silence is simply avoiding the issue.
Neither is waiting for the party who has done wrong to come to us and apologize be a fruitful option. It might be a futile wait.
But as we come before the altar of the Lord to offer ourselves in union with Jesus, let us ask the Lord for the gift of wisdom and understanding, even before we embark on the task of reconciliation with those we are avoiding.
Let us ask the Lord to pour forth His love to heal our hurt and anger and resentment.
We need to be healed by the Lord before we can go forth and be reconciled with others.
Wednesday, June 9, 2010
10th Week, Ordinary Time, Wednesday, 09-06-10
1 Kings 18 : 20-39 / Matthew 5 : 17-19
Whenever we hear of this term "the Law and the Prophets" in the Bible, we might think about commandments and laws and rules.
No doubt that is the immediate obvious meaning, yet there is something more fundamental and essential about the Law and the Prophets.
And that is the covenant, which represents the relationship between God and His people.
That relationship can summed up in just one sentence : "You will be my people and I will be your God.
On that sentence, God binds Himself to protect and guard His people, and to love and care for His people.
God fulfilled that covenantal promise when He answered the prayer of the prophet Elijah in the 1st reading.
God again fulfilled that promise when He sent His only Son Jesus to show His love for us and to save us.
Our God is a faithful God. He does not forsake His people.
He will answer our prayers, just like He answered the prayer of the prophet Elijah, especially in our needs and difficulties.
We just have to put our faith and trust in God and be faithful to Him.
Essentially and fundamentally, that is the meaning of the Law and the Prophets.
Whenever we hear of this term "the Law and the Prophets" in the Bible, we might think about commandments and laws and rules.
No doubt that is the immediate obvious meaning, yet there is something more fundamental and essential about the Law and the Prophets.
And that is the covenant, which represents the relationship between God and His people.
That relationship can summed up in just one sentence : "You will be my people and I will be your God.
On that sentence, God binds Himself to protect and guard His people, and to love and care for His people.
God fulfilled that covenantal promise when He answered the prayer of the prophet Elijah in the 1st reading.
God again fulfilled that promise when He sent His only Son Jesus to show His love for us and to save us.
Our God is a faithful God. He does not forsake His people.
He will answer our prayers, just like He answered the prayer of the prophet Elijah, especially in our needs and difficulties.
We just have to put our faith and trust in God and be faithful to Him.
Essentially and fundamentally, that is the meaning of the Law and the Prophets.
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