Acts 16:1-10 / John 15:18-21
Whether it is in the secular or spiritual realm, having to make a decision is not a simple matter.
Of course we can gather all the facts and make a logical assessment of the data we have gathered and then come to a decision.
Yet, that does not necessarily mean that the process in coming to a decision would have covered all angles.
There is also such a thing called " putting the ear to the ground" and that would mean having to listen to the opinions of the people involved and how they feel about the matter.
As they went on with their way, the early missionaries like Paul and Barnabas had to put their ears to the promptings of the Holy Spirit and rely on His guidance.
Of course prayer and the Word of God were fundamental guideposts. Yet, they also had to be open to the other ways of the Spirit like casting lots and visions and dreams.
In the 1st reading we heard how at first they were "told" by the Holy Spirit not to preach the Word in Asia, and the Holy Spirit even "stopped" them from going further.
Yet, almost immediately, after a dream, they proceeded ahead, convinced that God had called them to go further.
Well, God's plans are always dynamic and changing and also things are done in His time.
Let us not get too flustered when God changes His plans and His timing. As His beloved children, we must believe that God's ways are better than our ways, His plans are better than our plans and His time is always the best time.
Friday, May 3, 2013
Thursday, May 2, 2013
Sts. Philip and James, Apostles, Friday, 03-05-13
1 Cor 15:1-8 / John 14:6-14 (2024)
At times we would wonder about those people who see visions of Jesus and Mary.
The most recent saint who had a vision of Mary is St. Bernadette Soubirous who saw our Lady at Lourdes.
She is also one of the saints whose body remained incorrupted, and her body is kept in a crystal reliquary for veneration.
Indeed, seeing leads to believing. Especially when we are able to verify and authenticate what we see to be true and real.
In the gospel, Philip asked Jesus to let them see the Father and then they shall be satisfied.
The reply of Jesus was profound as well as stunning - to have seen Him is to have seen the Father!
As for us, we have not seen Jesus nor have we had any visions of Him, so we may think that we are not that privileged enough and that our faith is not as strong as that of St. Philip and St. James.
But if the apostles, in seeing Jesus saw the Father, then for us, we must, with the eyes of faith, see Jesus in one another.
In fact the greatest vision we can ever have is to see Jesus in the ordinary, humble and lowly people.
That is the faith of the saints. May that also be our faith, in that we have eyes that see with faith.
At times we would wonder about those people who see visions of Jesus and Mary.
The most recent saint who had a vision of Mary is St. Bernadette Soubirous who saw our Lady at Lourdes.
She is also one of the saints whose body remained incorrupted, and her body is kept in a crystal reliquary for veneration.
Indeed, seeing leads to believing. Especially when we are able to verify and authenticate what we see to be true and real.
In the gospel, Philip asked Jesus to let them see the Father and then they shall be satisfied.
The reply of Jesus was profound as well as stunning - to have seen Him is to have seen the Father!
As for us, we have not seen Jesus nor have we had any visions of Him, so we may think that we are not that privileged enough and that our faith is not as strong as that of St. Philip and St. James.
But if the apostles, in seeing Jesus saw the Father, then for us, we must, with the eyes of faith, see Jesus in one another.
In fact the greatest vision we can ever have is to see Jesus in the ordinary, humble and lowly people.
That is the faith of the saints. May that also be our faith, in that we have eyes that see with faith.
Wednesday, May 1, 2013
5th Week of Easter, Thursday, 02-05-13
Acts 15:7-21 / John 15:9-11
When we see photos in the newspapers of men in suits having a fist-fight and even throwing chair and whatever at each other, it can seem quite amusing.
But when those men in suits are politicians and they are in some discussion (or argument) over an issue, and they end up fighting and throwing things at each other, then it is really disgraceful.
After all they don't have to wear suits to do that! They can just wear boxing or wrestling attire to do that.
One of the probable reasons is that they get fed up of the discussions and counter arguments and hence resorting to physical force might force shut some irritating people.
In the 1st reading, we heard that the discussion among the apostles and elders about the conversion of the pagans had gone on for a long time.
Their patience must be wearing thin and the decibels must be getting high. And that was when Peter stood up to address the assembly.
He ended his address with this sentence: Remember, we believe that we are saved in the same way as they are: through the grace of the Lord Jesus.
And that silenced the entire assembly. When they were called to remember who was in their midst and what they were called to, they re-focused the direction of their discussion, and then they came to a decision that was in accordance with the will of God.
Yes, it is in remembering that who we are and what we should do. And in the gospel, Jesus tells us what we should do.
Jesus tells us to remain in His love. When we remember who Jesus is, we will remain in His love and His joy will also remain in us.
When we see photos in the newspapers of men in suits having a fist-fight and even throwing chair and whatever at each other, it can seem quite amusing.
But when those men in suits are politicians and they are in some discussion (or argument) over an issue, and they end up fighting and throwing things at each other, then it is really disgraceful.
After all they don't have to wear suits to do that! They can just wear boxing or wrestling attire to do that.
One of the probable reasons is that they get fed up of the discussions and counter arguments and hence resorting to physical force might force shut some irritating people.
In the 1st reading, we heard that the discussion among the apostles and elders about the conversion of the pagans had gone on for a long time.
Their patience must be wearing thin and the decibels must be getting high. And that was when Peter stood up to address the assembly.
He ended his address with this sentence: Remember, we believe that we are saved in the same way as they are: through the grace of the Lord Jesus.
And that silenced the entire assembly. When they were called to remember who was in their midst and what they were called to, they re-focused the direction of their discussion, and then they came to a decision that was in accordance with the will of God.
Yes, it is in remembering that who we are and what we should do. And in the gospel, Jesus tells us what we should do.
Jesus tells us to remain in His love. When we remember who Jesus is, we will remain in His love and His joy will also remain in us.
Tuesday, April 30, 2013
St. Joseph the Worker, Wednesday, 01-05-13
Genesis 1:26-2:3 or Col 3:14-15, 17, 23-24 / Matthew 13:54-58
Today is also called May Day. May Day has its origins in the pre-Christian era as a pagan religious festival, which had more feasting and often noisy.
May Day then became known as International Workers' Day (or Labour Day) in the 1890s, and it had the intention of honouring the working class and respecting the rights of workers.
May Day is an important official holiday in some communist countries, and the celebrations typically feature elaborate popular and military parades in these countries.
Then in 1955, the Catholic Church dedicated May 1 to "Saint Joseph The Worker". The Catholic Church considers Saint Joseph the patron saint of workers and craftsmen, besides others.
More than just wanting to honour the contributions of the working class and the rights of workers, the Church, in this feast, wants to teach about the holiness of work which contributes to creation and gives glory to God.
In the gospel, we heard that Jesus is known as "the carpenter's son". It means that Joseph was a carpenter and that Jesus would have also followed along in learning the trade.
Hence the gospel tells us, and the Church teaches us as well, that Jesus was indeed involved in the ordinary human life and had to work for a living, with all its satisfactions and drudgery.
But where once upon a time when work was seen as a curse because of sin in that "by the sweat of your brow you shall eat your bread" (Gen 3:19), the Son of God has now sanctified work and now by the work of our hands we give glory to God.
So in whatever work we are doing, in whatever profession we are in, let us put our heart into it because we must know that over and above all, it is God that we serve and work for.
And just as St. Joseph taught Jesus to work with His hands, may St. Joseph also pray for us that by the work of our hands, and through the work of our hands, God will bless the world and may we beautify the world through the work of our hands.
Today is also called May Day. May Day has its origins in the pre-Christian era as a pagan religious festival, which had more feasting and often noisy.
May Day then became known as International Workers' Day (or Labour Day) in the 1890s, and it had the intention of honouring the working class and respecting the rights of workers.
May Day is an important official holiday in some communist countries, and the celebrations typically feature elaborate popular and military parades in these countries.
Then in 1955, the Catholic Church dedicated May 1 to "Saint Joseph The Worker". The Catholic Church considers Saint Joseph the patron saint of workers and craftsmen, besides others.
More than just wanting to honour the contributions of the working class and the rights of workers, the Church, in this feast, wants to teach about the holiness of work which contributes to creation and gives glory to God.
In the gospel, we heard that Jesus is known as "the carpenter's son". It means that Joseph was a carpenter and that Jesus would have also followed along in learning the trade.
Hence the gospel tells us, and the Church teaches us as well, that Jesus was indeed involved in the ordinary human life and had to work for a living, with all its satisfactions and drudgery.
But where once upon a time when work was seen as a curse because of sin in that "by the sweat of your brow you shall eat your bread" (Gen 3:19), the Son of God has now sanctified work and now by the work of our hands we give glory to God.
So in whatever work we are doing, in whatever profession we are in, let us put our heart into it because we must know that over and above all, it is God that we serve and work for.
And just as St. Joseph taught Jesus to work with His hands, may St. Joseph also pray for us that by the work of our hands, and through the work of our hands, God will bless the world and may we beautify the world through the work of our hands.
Monday, April 29, 2013
5th Week of Easter, Tuesday, 30-04-13
Acts 14:19-28 / John 14:27-31
Quite often we understand the word "encouragement" as something that is inspiring, stimulating, boosting and reinforcing.
At the same time, connected with the word "encouragement" are also meanings like comforting and consoling and helping.
To be a person that gives encouragement to others would also mean that the person would have faced the trials and tribulations and the lessons of life are seared into the flesh.
So when Paul and Barnabas said in the 1st reading that "we all have to experience many hardships before we enter the kingdom of God", they know what they were talking about.
We heard from the 1st reading that the people stoned Paul and dragged him outside the town, thinking he was dead.
But miraculously, when the disciples came and crowded round him, he stood up and went back to town as if nothing has happened.
That sounded rather amusing but we would be hesitant to laugh at it. Because we won't be laughing if we get stoned and then dragged around.
Yet we need not frown or get distressed because Jesus gives us these words of encouragement: Peace I bequeath to you, my own peace I give you, a peace the world cannot give, this is my gift to you. Do not let your hearts be troubled or afraid.
As the hymn goes: Through many dangers, toils and snares, I have already come. 'Twas grace that brought me safe thus far, and grace will lead me home.
Similarly, through many dangers, toils and snares, that have come and that will come. But it will be peace that will bring us safe thus far, and it will be peace that will lead us home.
May the gift of the peace of Jesus be always with us and may it give us the encouragement to face the dangers, toils and snares.
Quite often we understand the word "encouragement" as something that is inspiring, stimulating, boosting and reinforcing.
At the same time, connected with the word "encouragement" are also meanings like comforting and consoling and helping.
To be a person that gives encouragement to others would also mean that the person would have faced the trials and tribulations and the lessons of life are seared into the flesh.
So when Paul and Barnabas said in the 1st reading that "we all have to experience many hardships before we enter the kingdom of God", they know what they were talking about.
We heard from the 1st reading that the people stoned Paul and dragged him outside the town, thinking he was dead.
But miraculously, when the disciples came and crowded round him, he stood up and went back to town as if nothing has happened.
That sounded rather amusing but we would be hesitant to laugh at it. Because we won't be laughing if we get stoned and then dragged around.
Yet we need not frown or get distressed because Jesus gives us these words of encouragement: Peace I bequeath to you, my own peace I give you, a peace the world cannot give, this is my gift to you. Do not let your hearts be troubled or afraid.
As the hymn goes: Through many dangers, toils and snares, I have already come. 'Twas grace that brought me safe thus far, and grace will lead me home.
Similarly, through many dangers, toils and snares, that have come and that will come. But it will be peace that will bring us safe thus far, and it will be peace that will lead us home.
May the gift of the peace of Jesus be always with us and may it give us the encouragement to face the dangers, toils and snares.
Sunday, April 28, 2013
5th Week of Easter, Monday, 29-04-13
Acts 14:5-18 / John 14:21-26
Many people are often honoured but it is usually only after their death. That would also include most of the saints. The fact is that no one is ever canonized during their life-time.
But if all the honour and adulation are given to a person when he is still living, how would that person react to it? What would be his response to people putting him high up on the pedestal?
These questions are difficult for us to answer because maybe we have not been in such a position before.
Yet it also cannot be denied that in each of us, there is a yearning for people's attention and the limelight. Or at least to be praised for our good word and contributions.
In the 1st reading, Paul worked a miracle of healing a crippled man. And almost immediately, he and Barnabas were worshipped as gods by the people.
And even though Paul desperately tried to explain that it was the work of God, the euphoria of the people just overwhelmed him and Barnabas.
If we were Paul and Barnabas, what would have been our response? How would we have reacted?
It would have been very easy to succumb to our ego and to the temptation and lap up the glory and feel exalted by others.
But that would be to love ourselves in a corrupted manner. But if we truly love Jesus, then we would keep His word and let His word make its home in our hearts.
The true beauty (and glory) of a person is when he lets God make His home in his heart.
Many people are often honoured but it is usually only after their death. That would also include most of the saints. The fact is that no one is ever canonized during their life-time.
But if all the honour and adulation are given to a person when he is still living, how would that person react to it? What would be his response to people putting him high up on the pedestal?
These questions are difficult for us to answer because maybe we have not been in such a position before.
Yet it also cannot be denied that in each of us, there is a yearning for people's attention and the limelight. Or at least to be praised for our good word and contributions.
In the 1st reading, Paul worked a miracle of healing a crippled man. And almost immediately, he and Barnabas were worshipped as gods by the people.
And even though Paul desperately tried to explain that it was the work of God, the euphoria of the people just overwhelmed him and Barnabas.
If we were Paul and Barnabas, what would have been our response? How would we have reacted?
It would have been very easy to succumb to our ego and to the temptation and lap up the glory and feel exalted by others.
But that would be to love ourselves in a corrupted manner. But if we truly love Jesus, then we would keep His word and let His word make its home in our hearts.
The true beauty (and glory) of a person is when he lets God make His home in his heart.
Saturday, April 27, 2013
5th Sunday of Easter, 28.04.2013
Acts 14:21-27/ Apocalypse 21:1-5/ John 13:31-33, 34-35
Have we ever wondered what it feels like to be a bird? It would be nice to fly in the sky and see things from on high.
I think that there is also a song that goes like: I rather be a sparrow than a snail, yes I would, if I really could, I surely would.
But we won’t want to be just a sparrow. We want to be an eagle, the king of birds, a symbol of majesty and might.
The Bible mentions about sparrows and eagles for various reasons.
Yet the Bible also mentions about an unattractive black scavenger bird that makes an irritating cawing sound.
That bird is the raven. But it is mentioned for a revered reason.
The first bird that that Noah sent from the ark after the 40 days of rain was a raven. It was only later that he sent out the dove.
It was also a raven that brought bread and meat to the prophet Elijah when he was taking refuge in the mountain. (1 Kings 17:6).
In the stories about the saints, when St. Benedict made the sign of the cross over a poisoned loaf of bread that was meant for him, a raven flew by and carried the poisoned bread away, thus saving St. Benedict’s life.
In Singapore, we don’t have ravens but we get their smaller cousins, the crows, which are equally unattractive.
If people say you got crow’s feet around your eyes, then that’s really bad news.
Crows and ravens are unattractive and they make an unpleasant sound, but the crows have something to teach us.
The younger crows will take care of their parents when they are old and unable to fly around much to look for food.
The younger crows will bring food to their aging parents until they expire.
So crows may be scavengers and look ugly, but they show us a profound lesson in filial piety.
We may say that it’s in their bird-brain instinct. But then their bird-brain instinct can’t match our supreme human intelligence.
Yet, with all our supreme human intelligence, we may not have fully understood and fulfilled the commandment that Jesus gave us in the gospel.
Yes, Jesus gave us a new commandment – to love one another just as He has loved us.
It is with this love for one another that others will know that we are His disciples.
A commandment is not an option or a suggestion. It means that as disciples of Jesus, it’s either we love or we love.
It is a commandment that Jesus Himself carried out as He went all the way to the cross to show His love for us.
We can speak of love in its many ways and forms, but when love is expressed as a sacrifice that saved us, then love becomes a compelling motive.
Love becomes the way of life, the rule of life and the commandment of life.
There is a story of an elderly man who would walk to the pier in the late afternoon just when the sun is starting to dip into the horizon.
With a bucket of shrimps in his hand, he would walk to the end of the pier. By that time, not many people would be around and the old man, who is wearing a military cap, is alone at the end of the pier with his bucket of shrimps.
But soon he is no longer alone. Up in the sky a flock of birds are flying in, screeching and squawking, towards that lanky old man.
And in no time, dozens of seagulls would surround and envelope that old man, their wings fluttering and flapping.
Then he would toss the shrimps to the hungry birds and he and the seagulls would seem to be in another world.
Soon the bucket is empty but the old man does not leave. The seagulls still surround him, some perched on his shoulders, and at times one would perch on his old military cap that he has been wearing for many years.
After a time, he begins to walk back and a few of the birds would hop along with him.
It is an intriguing sight - that old man wearing an old military cap, with a bucket of shrimps feeding the seagulls.
Well, that old man is Eddie Rickenbacker (October 8, 1890 – July 23, 1973), a WW I ace pilot and hero.
But during WW II, he was sent as an advisor to the Pacific front.
While flying in a B-17 bomber as a passenger, the plane went off course and ran out of fuel and crashed into the sea.
The eight member crew survived the crash and climbed onto a life raft.
They floated for days on the rough sea in a remote part of the Pacific.
They fought the sun and the sharks. But by the eighth day, their rations ran out – no food and no water.
They were far from land and no one knew where they were. Hopes of being rescued were fading fast.
They prayed and prayed for a miracle. One afternoon after prayer, Eddie leaned back and pulled his military cap over his eyes and tried to nap. Time dragged by. All he could hear was the waves slapping against the raft.
Suddenly Eddie felt something land on his cap. It was a seagull! He lay perfectly still and planned his next move.
Then with a flash of his hand and a squawk from the seagull, he managed to grab it and killed it and he and the rest made a meal out of it.
They used the intestines for bait, caught fish with it which gave them more food and more bait and the cycle continued.
After 24 days at sea, and by some dramatic events, they were found and rescued.
Eddie Rickenbacker lived many more years after that ordeal but he never forgot that seagull and how it was sacrificed to save his life.
Hence he made it a routine and a ritual to go to the pier and feed the seagulls. And all he could say was: Thank you.
We too have come to the Eucharist to say: Thank you. We thank the Lord Jesus for sacrificing His life for us so that we can be saved.
More than just a routine and a ritual, the Eucharist is a celebration of love – God’s sacrificial love for us.
Let us love the Lord in return.
May we also love others and offer that love to them as a loving sacrifice.
We are certainly more than just ravens and crows and seagulls.
Because by our love for others, they will know that we are disciples of Jesus.
Have we ever wondered what it feels like to be a bird? It would be nice to fly in the sky and see things from on high.
I think that there is also a song that goes like: I rather be a sparrow than a snail, yes I would, if I really could, I surely would.
But we won’t want to be just a sparrow. We want to be an eagle, the king of birds, a symbol of majesty and might.
The Bible mentions about sparrows and eagles for various reasons.
Yet the Bible also mentions about an unattractive black scavenger bird that makes an irritating cawing sound.
That bird is the raven. But it is mentioned for a revered reason.
The first bird that that Noah sent from the ark after the 40 days of rain was a raven. It was only later that he sent out the dove.
It was also a raven that brought bread and meat to the prophet Elijah when he was taking refuge in the mountain. (1 Kings 17:6).
In the stories about the saints, when St. Benedict made the sign of the cross over a poisoned loaf of bread that was meant for him, a raven flew by and carried the poisoned bread away, thus saving St. Benedict’s life.
In Singapore, we don’t have ravens but we get their smaller cousins, the crows, which are equally unattractive.
If people say you got crow’s feet around your eyes, then that’s really bad news.
Crows and ravens are unattractive and they make an unpleasant sound, but the crows have something to teach us.
The younger crows will take care of their parents when they are old and unable to fly around much to look for food.
The younger crows will bring food to their aging parents until they expire.
So crows may be scavengers and look ugly, but they show us a profound lesson in filial piety.
We may say that it’s in their bird-brain instinct. But then their bird-brain instinct can’t match our supreme human intelligence.
Yet, with all our supreme human intelligence, we may not have fully understood and fulfilled the commandment that Jesus gave us in the gospel.
Yes, Jesus gave us a new commandment – to love one another just as He has loved us.
It is with this love for one another that others will know that we are His disciples.
A commandment is not an option or a suggestion. It means that as disciples of Jesus, it’s either we love or we love.
It is a commandment that Jesus Himself carried out as He went all the way to the cross to show His love for us.
We can speak of love in its many ways and forms, but when love is expressed as a sacrifice that saved us, then love becomes a compelling motive.
Love becomes the way of life, the rule of life and the commandment of life.
There is a story of an elderly man who would walk to the pier in the late afternoon just when the sun is starting to dip into the horizon.
With a bucket of shrimps in his hand, he would walk to the end of the pier. By that time, not many people would be around and the old man, who is wearing a military cap, is alone at the end of the pier with his bucket of shrimps.
But soon he is no longer alone. Up in the sky a flock of birds are flying in, screeching and squawking, towards that lanky old man.
And in no time, dozens of seagulls would surround and envelope that old man, their wings fluttering and flapping.
Then he would toss the shrimps to the hungry birds and he and the seagulls would seem to be in another world.
Soon the bucket is empty but the old man does not leave. The seagulls still surround him, some perched on his shoulders, and at times one would perch on his old military cap that he has been wearing for many years.
After a time, he begins to walk back and a few of the birds would hop along with him.
It is an intriguing sight - that old man wearing an old military cap, with a bucket of shrimps feeding the seagulls.
Well, that old man is Eddie Rickenbacker (October 8, 1890 – July 23, 1973), a WW I ace pilot and hero.
But during WW II, he was sent as an advisor to the Pacific front.
While flying in a B-17 bomber as a passenger, the plane went off course and ran out of fuel and crashed into the sea.
The eight member crew survived the crash and climbed onto a life raft.
They floated for days on the rough sea in a remote part of the Pacific.
They fought the sun and the sharks. But by the eighth day, their rations ran out – no food and no water.
They were far from land and no one knew where they were. Hopes of being rescued were fading fast.
They prayed and prayed for a miracle. One afternoon after prayer, Eddie leaned back and pulled his military cap over his eyes and tried to nap. Time dragged by. All he could hear was the waves slapping against the raft.
Suddenly Eddie felt something land on his cap. It was a seagull! He lay perfectly still and planned his next move.
Then with a flash of his hand and a squawk from the seagull, he managed to grab it and killed it and he and the rest made a meal out of it.
They used the intestines for bait, caught fish with it which gave them more food and more bait and the cycle continued.
After 24 days at sea, and by some dramatic events, they were found and rescued.
Eddie Rickenbacker lived many more years after that ordeal but he never forgot that seagull and how it was sacrificed to save his life.
Hence he made it a routine and a ritual to go to the pier and feed the seagulls. And all he could say was: Thank you.
We too have come to the Eucharist to say: Thank you. We thank the Lord Jesus for sacrificing His life for us so that we can be saved.
More than just a routine and a ritual, the Eucharist is a celebration of love – God’s sacrificial love for us.
Let us love the Lord in return.
May we also love others and offer that love to them as a loving sacrifice.
We are certainly more than just ravens and crows and seagulls.
Because by our love for others, they will know that we are disciples of Jesus.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)