Ezekiel 47:1-2, 8-9, 12 / 1 Cor 3:9-11, 16-17 / John 2:13-22 (2022 / 2024)
The Lateran Basilica was built around 324 by the Roman emperor Constantine, and it is the cathedral of the city of Rome.
The Lateran Basilica is the official church of the Pope since the 4th century.
It is also called the "Mother of all churches" and on Holy Thursday, the Pope and priests will celebrate the Eucharist there.
This feast reminds us that we belong to the universal church, with Christ as the Head of the Church which is His Body.
Hence we acknowledge that the Church is not just a building, but the body of believers who are scattered all over the world, yet spiritually united in the body of Christ.
We also acknowledge, in the celebration of this feast, that the Pope is the head of the Church and we pledge our obedience to him and our unity with the whole Church.
May we continue to be united as Church and as the Body of Christ and be a sign of salvation to the world.
Monday, November 8, 2010
Sunday, November 7, 2010
32nd Week, Ordinary Time, Monday, 08-11-10
Titus 1:1-9 / Luke 17:1-6
People who are given the responsibility of teaching and formation have an honorable as well as a tremendous task on their shoulders.
But the fundamental requirement is that they have to practice what they preach.
Whether as parents or teachers or priests, they form and teach others by their example, especially the young.
The young may not listen to words of wisdom but they will surely observe our actions and examples.
It is by our actions and examples that they form their character and habits in life.
So it is from us adults that the young learn how to forgive or how to be revengeful, how to love or how to hate, how to be generous or how to be selfish.
If the young learn from us either the good or the bad, then we as Christians can also be a source of inspiration or a source of scandal to others.
For that reason St. Paul urged Titus in the 1st reading to choose church leaders carefully.
It is by their life and example that they lead and teach.
In the gospel Jesus also told us to watch ourselves and to be aware of our actions and examples.
We also have to realize that our actions and examples flow from our hearts.
So if Jesus is not there then our actions and examples are leading others nowhere.
People who are given the responsibility of teaching and formation have an honorable as well as a tremendous task on their shoulders.
But the fundamental requirement is that they have to practice what they preach.
Whether as parents or teachers or priests, they form and teach others by their example, especially the young.
The young may not listen to words of wisdom but they will surely observe our actions and examples.
It is by our actions and examples that they form their character and habits in life.
So it is from us adults that the young learn how to forgive or how to be revengeful, how to love or how to hate, how to be generous or how to be selfish.
If the young learn from us either the good or the bad, then we as Christians can also be a source of inspiration or a source of scandal to others.
For that reason St. Paul urged Titus in the 1st reading to choose church leaders carefully.
It is by their life and example that they lead and teach.
In the gospel Jesus also told us to watch ourselves and to be aware of our actions and examples.
We also have to realize that our actions and examples flow from our hearts.
So if Jesus is not there then our actions and examples are leading others nowhere.
Friday, November 5, 2010
31st Week, Ordinary Time, Saturday, 06-11-10
Philippians 4:10-19 / Luke 16:9-13
It is often said that "Money is the root of all evil". A more accurate expression may be: "For the love of money is a root of all sorts of evil.
When it comes to the topic of money, there are no shortage of quotes, but endless worries over its shortage.
Interestingly enough, today's readings also talk about money.
St. Paul talked about money, not about its shortage but rather about how he managed.
So whether in poverty or in plenty, full or empty stomach, there was nothing he cannot master with the help of the One who gave him strength.
Jesus also warned us in today's gospel that if we cannot be trusted with money, then who will trust us with genuine riches.
But the lure of money is just one in the array of temptations and pitfalls that people have fell into.
At the core in the discussion of money and its use and abuse is the virtue of honesty and integrity.
At the core of the teaching of Jesus in today's gospel is the question of who and what is our master.
That question will be answered when we show that we can be trusted in small things.
It is often said that "Money is the root of all evil". A more accurate expression may be: "For the love of money is a root of all sorts of evil.
When it comes to the topic of money, there are no shortage of quotes, but endless worries over its shortage.
Interestingly enough, today's readings also talk about money.
St. Paul talked about money, not about its shortage but rather about how he managed.
So whether in poverty or in plenty, full or empty stomach, there was nothing he cannot master with the help of the One who gave him strength.
Jesus also warned us in today's gospel that if we cannot be trusted with money, then who will trust us with genuine riches.
But the lure of money is just one in the array of temptations and pitfalls that people have fell into.
At the core in the discussion of money and its use and abuse is the virtue of honesty and integrity.
At the core of the teaching of Jesus in today's gospel is the question of who and what is our master.
That question will be answered when we show that we can be trusted in small things.
Thursday, November 4, 2010
31st Week, Oridnary Time, Friday, 05-11-10
Philippians 3:17 - 4:1 / Luke 16:1-8 (2024)
Many a times, some of our best ideas come about out of a desperate situation.
It takes some urgency or emergency to get us to try out ideas and options that we would not have considered before.
Such was the case with the dishonest steward in today's gospel.
This parable can be difficult to interpret and understand if we don't understand the point that Jesus was making.
Jesus was focusing on the urgency and energy with which a worldly man secures his future when it is in jeopardy.
Jesus is even urging us, the children of light, to have an urgency when it comes to our eternal future.
Otherwise, as the 1st reading puts it, we might end up making food into our god and can even be proud of something that we ought to be shameful and worldly things are the only important things to us.
St. Paul urged his people not to give way but to remain faithful to the Lord.
Hence the urgency is not to get into a flurry of activity to prepare for our eternal destiny.
Rather the urgency is in the ordinary and the monotony of life.
When we can be faithful to the Lord in the small ordinary things and remain focused on the Lord despite the monotony of life, then we are prepared for eternal life.
Many a times, some of our best ideas come about out of a desperate situation.
It takes some urgency or emergency to get us to try out ideas and options that we would not have considered before.
Such was the case with the dishonest steward in today's gospel.
This parable can be difficult to interpret and understand if we don't understand the point that Jesus was making.
Jesus was focusing on the urgency and energy with which a worldly man secures his future when it is in jeopardy.
Jesus is even urging us, the children of light, to have an urgency when it comes to our eternal future.
Otherwise, as the 1st reading puts it, we might end up making food into our god and can even be proud of something that we ought to be shameful and worldly things are the only important things to us.
St. Paul urged his people not to give way but to remain faithful to the Lord.
Hence the urgency is not to get into a flurry of activity to prepare for our eternal destiny.
Rather the urgency is in the ordinary and the monotony of life.
When we can be faithful to the Lord in the small ordinary things and remain focused on the Lord despite the monotony of life, then we are prepared for eternal life.
Wednesday, November 3, 2010
31st Week, Ordinary Time, Thursday, 04-11-10
Philippians 3:3-8 / Luke 15:1-10
Whenever we are at a supermarket or a shopping center, we may come across this announcement over the public announcement system - that a child was found wondering and the parents are to come and claim back their child.
Usually it is when the child is found wondering around and brought to public attention that the parents then realize that their child was missing.
In the gospel, we hear of a different kind of announcement.
It is an announcement of a search. It is a search for an object or a thing that may seem quite unimportant or of little value, and that it can even be written off.
But it is a different kind of search. It is God who is doing the searching and He is searching for those who have lost their way in life.
They are lost and yet they are considered as unimportant and of little value and can even be written off.
To think that God is frantically searching for such persons is indeed very mind-boggling, because we usually wouldn't be bothered about such persons.
We can even say that God is desperately searching for the lost.
Yet that is the God that we believe in because it is revealed to us that God loves us with an everlasting love and He wants us to be in the joy of His love.
To put it simply, God cares about each one of us and loves us dearly and He wants us to remain with Him always.
Just as we search desperately and frantically when we lose our wallets and hand-phones, God searches for us when we go astray and get lost in the way of life.
No one is unimportant or of no value to God. Because each person is created unique and is special in the eyes of God.
Whenever we are at a supermarket or a shopping center, we may come across this announcement over the public announcement system - that a child was found wondering and the parents are to come and claim back their child.
Usually it is when the child is found wondering around and brought to public attention that the parents then realize that their child was missing.
In the gospel, we hear of a different kind of announcement.
It is an announcement of a search. It is a search for an object or a thing that may seem quite unimportant or of little value, and that it can even be written off.
But it is a different kind of search. It is God who is doing the searching and He is searching for those who have lost their way in life.
They are lost and yet they are considered as unimportant and of little value and can even be written off.
To think that God is frantically searching for such persons is indeed very mind-boggling, because we usually wouldn't be bothered about such persons.
We can even say that God is desperately searching for the lost.
Yet that is the God that we believe in because it is revealed to us that God loves us with an everlasting love and He wants us to be in the joy of His love.
To put it simply, God cares about each one of us and loves us dearly and He wants us to remain with Him always.
Just as we search desperately and frantically when we lose our wallets and hand-phones, God searches for us when we go astray and get lost in the way of life.
No one is unimportant or of no value to God. Because each person is created unique and is special in the eyes of God.
Tuesday, November 2, 2010
31st Week, Ordinary Time, Wednesday, 03-11-10
Ephesians 2:12-18 / Luke 14:25-33
There is a story about two university professors who were talking about their students.
One professor said that he had about 200 students who attend his lectures.
The other professor thought for a while and then he said : I also have about 200 people who attend my lectures, but I don't know how many of them are really my students.
We might think - how can one listen to the lecturer and not be his student? What is the difference anyway?
That's the same question that Jesus is asking us also : What is the difference between a follower and a disciple?
Great crowds followed Jesus wherever He went, but He was not too concerned about the number of followers.
He was more concerned about who really wanted to be His disciple.
To be a disciple of Jesus means to learn from Him, to give up one's will for His and to have Him as the sole master of his life.
In the 1st reading St.Paul gave various aspects of discipleship.
One is to do all that has to be done without complaining or arguing so as to remain innocent and genuine children of God.
For St. Paul, he would even be willing and happy to shed his blood for the faith of his people.
Yes, the price of discipleship had to be carefully considered.
Because either Jesus is Master of our all, or He is not master at all.
There is a story about two university professors who were talking about their students.
One professor said that he had about 200 students who attend his lectures.
The other professor thought for a while and then he said : I also have about 200 people who attend my lectures, but I don't know how many of them are really my students.
We might think - how can one listen to the lecturer and not be his student? What is the difference anyway?
That's the same question that Jesus is asking us also : What is the difference between a follower and a disciple?
Great crowds followed Jesus wherever He went, but He was not too concerned about the number of followers.
He was more concerned about who really wanted to be His disciple.
To be a disciple of Jesus means to learn from Him, to give up one's will for His and to have Him as the sole master of his life.
In the 1st reading St.Paul gave various aspects of discipleship.
One is to do all that has to be done without complaining or arguing so as to remain innocent and genuine children of God.
For St. Paul, he would even be willing and happy to shed his blood for the faith of his people.
Yes, the price of discipleship had to be carefully considered.
Because either Jesus is Master of our all, or He is not master at all.
Monday, November 1, 2010
All Souls Day, Tuesday, 02-11-10
Today, or maybe some time along the week, we will make it a point to go to the cemetery or the columbarium to pay a visit to our departed relatives and loved ones.
Paying a visit to the departed in the cemetery or at the columbarium is a solemn occasion.
We will say a prayer and if possible light some candles at the tomb.
I will be bringing my parents to visit my grandparents' niche later on in the day.
My parents will do what they did every year when they visit my grandparents' niche.
They will say a prayer and then they will take turns to stand before my grandparents niche to say something personal.
It is amazing and edifying just to see my parents talking to my grandparents just like as if they were alive and present before them.
That was profound for me because even in death, the bond of relationship is not broken or forgotten.
In death there is a separation but in faith there is a connection.
Because we believe that God is God not of the dead but of the living.
So the departed are alive in God and if they are still in a state of purification in Purgatory then the Church teaches us that we can help them with our prayers and Mass offerings and other works of faith.
Indeed praying for the departed is a profound act of faith because it expresses our faith in eternal life and in the saving love of God.
Paying a visit to the departed in the cemetery or at the columbarium is a solemn occasion.
We will say a prayer and if possible light some candles at the tomb.
I will be bringing my parents to visit my grandparents' niche later on in the day.
My parents will do what they did every year when they visit my grandparents' niche.
They will say a prayer and then they will take turns to stand before my grandparents niche to say something personal.
It is amazing and edifying just to see my parents talking to my grandparents just like as if they were alive and present before them.
That was profound for me because even in death, the bond of relationship is not broken or forgotten.
In death there is a separation but in faith there is a connection.
Because we believe that God is God not of the dead but of the living.
So the departed are alive in God and if they are still in a state of purification in Purgatory then the Church teaches us that we can help them with our prayers and Mass offerings and other works of faith.
Indeed praying for the departed is a profound act of faith because it expresses our faith in eternal life and in the saving love of God.
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