4th Week of Lent, Thursday, 03-04-2025

Exodus 32:7-14 / John 5:31-47   

Whenever we say that we agree with a person, it usually means that we agree with that person’s opinions and suggestions.

But when we agree with a person’s life-style, the person’s habits, the person’s beliefs and principles, then that is something else.

Because that means that we agree and accept everything about that person.

It is like almost one more little step to believing totally in that person in whatever that person does and says.

In the gospel, Jesus declared that He came to testify to God.

And human approval means nothing to Him.

The people look to one another for approval and are not concerned with the approval that comes from God.

In our discussions and proposals, whether at work or in Church, we too would want support and approval for our ideas and suggestions.

But as Christians, we need to place our plans, our ideas and even our inspirations before the Lord.

We need to ask the Lord for His blessings on what we are going to do.

And we must be prepared to change our plans and our ideas according to God’s plan and His will.

In life, we must submit to God’s plan and His will.

Because God’s will and plan is always for our good and the good of others.

4th Week of Lent, Wednesday, 02-04-2025

Isaiah 49:8-15 / John 5:17-30  

People who have a good memory will impress us.

They not only remember names, they can even remember phone numbers, dates and events.

On the other hand, most of us may be hampered by our own forgetfulness, or the forgetfulness of others.

Forgetfulness can happen when we are distracted, when we are too busy or that we are not interested in remembering.

And we also don’t like the thought that we have been forgotten by others, that we are left out because we are not important to them.

In the 1st reading, the people of God lamented that the Lord has abandoned them, that the Lord has forgotten them.

The Lord God responds by saying that even if a woman forgets her baby at the breast, which is almost impossible, He will not forget His people.

And at the favourable time, God will answer them, and on the day of salvation, He will help them.

So God will not forget us. But it is we who will forget God.

In a time of plenty and when we are too comfortable, God may be the furthest from our minds.

The season of Lent reminds us that we are nothing without God.

May we always remember that.

4th Week of Lent, Tuesday, 01-04-2025

Ezekiel 1-9, 12 / John 5:1-3, 5-16   

As human beings, we will fall sick at one time or another.

And when necessary, we will consult a doctor and will be given medication.

And if the illness is serious, then we may have to be hospitalized for medical treatment.

But if there is a place where miraculous healing is said to have taken place, a sick person may consider going there to take a chance.

One such place that we may know of is the healing waters at the shrine of Our Lady of Lourdes in France.

In the gospel, the Sheep Pool in Jerusalem also had the reputation of healing illnesses and diseases.

Jesus asked the man who had an illness for 38 years if he wanted to be well again.

Although that man gave a number of reasons why he could not receive the healing, Jesus still healed that man of his illness.

The 1st reading describes the Temple as the source of water that brings about life and healing.

Jesus is the fulfillment of that Temple and He is our Healer and Saviour.

Let us have faith that Jesus will heal us of our illnesses and He will also give us the strength to bear our sickness.

4th Week of Lent, Monday, 31-03-2025

Isaiah 65:17-21 / John 4:43-54  

When we say that we like someone, there are many reasons for doing so.

It may be that person’s appearance, the manner of speech or the style of speaking, the sense of humour, the abilities, the resourcefulness, etc.

That person may also be popular and influential, and so we would like to be in the company of that person.

In the gospel, it was rather surprising that the Galileans received Jesus well, although He had faced rejection from them before.

But this time round, the Galileans were probably impressed with what they had seen Jesus did in Jerusalem during the festival which they too had attended.

The Galileans received Jesus well because they too wanted to get something out of Him.

So when the court official came up to Jesus to ask Him to cure his son who was at the point of death, Jesus made a rather sharp statement:

“So, you will not believe unless you see signs and portents.”

Jesus said that because the Galileans were only interested in what benefits they can get out of Him and not because they want to believe in Him.

Nonetheless, He cured the court official’s son by the authority and the power of His Word.

And the court official and his household believed in Jesus.

We believe in Jesus not only because we want Him to answer our prayers.

We believe in Jesus because only He can give us that “Joy” and “Gladness” that is mentioned in the 1st reading.

We have our needs in this world, but joy and gladness and believing in Jesus will carry us to the next world.

4th Sunday of Lent, Year C, RCIA 2nd Scrutiny

1 Sam 16:1, 6-7, 10-13 / Ephesians 5:8-14 / John 9:1-41 (Year A readings)

When it comes to the sensitive and fragile parts of our body, we will certainly take extra care of them. 

So, to protect the soles of our feet, we have footwear. 

And if our skin is sensitive to strong sunlight, we can wear protective clothing and apply skin lotion. 

But there is a rather sensitive and fragile part of our body that is often left unprotected and exposed. 

It is none other than our eyes.

For those who don't need to wear spectacles, then the eyes are quite exposed and vulnerable. 

On the other hand, there are those who wear dark glasses for one reason or another. 

There is something about our eyes that is necessary in our function as a human being, and in our relationship as a person. 

Our sight is one of our senses, and we use our eyes to see, and then we judge, and then we act. 

But there is something more about our eyes. The eyes are the windows to the soul. 

We look into the eyes of a person whom we are in a comfortable relationship. 

But we avoid eye contact with a person whom we feel uneasy with, or that we just want to keep a distance from. 

The gospel began by saying that as Jesus went along, He saw a man who was blind from birth. 

Whenever the Scriptures mentions a seemingly ordinary sentence, like the verse earlier, then usually a divine revelation is about to happen. 

When the gospel mentions that Jesus saw the blind man, that also brings us back to the 1st reading. 

In the 1st reading, God says this to Samuel: God does not see as man sees. Man looks at appearances, but the Lord looks at heart. 

Jesus saw the heart of the blind man, and He saw a man of faith and courage, despite his blindness. 

And indeed, after when the man received his sight, he bore witness to Jesus and spoke up for Him, despite being ridiculed and rejected. 

As the RCIA Elects enter deeper into the period of Purification and Enlightenment with the Second Scrutiny, the Lord is also looking into their hearts, and the Lord is also looking into our hearts. 

But the Lord looks into our hearts to strengthen our faith and courage, so that we can purify our hearts and to make a home in our hearts for Jesus. 

And the Lord also looks into our hearts to enlighten us, so that with our hearts that are filled with light, we will be able to see clearly. 

To see clearly is to see as God sees, and not as man sees. Man looks at appearances, but the Lord looks at the heart. 

So, with our eyes purified and enlightened, let us look at our own hearts. 

And may we look from the things of earth, to the things of above, where God is. 

May we see clearly, may we act wisely, and may we be holy.

4th Sunday of Lent, Year C, 30.03.2025

 Joshua 5:9-12 / 2 Cor 5:17-21 / Luke 15:1-3, 11-32  

Whenever we think about jewellery, a few things will come to mind. 

One of which is the precious metals that make up most of the jewellery. 

And these precious metals are mostly gold and silver. So, there are earrings, bracelets, necklace, rings and brooches that are made from these precious metals. 

Besides that, there are also jewellery made with precious stones, and it is usually diamonds, as well as other precious stones. 

These precious metals and stones are not just valuable, they are also beautiful. 

But in the original form, they look far from precious or beautiful. 

For example, gold and silver are mined from the Earth. They go through a long process of purification before becoming precious and beautiful. 

Similarly for diamonds, they are also mined from the Earth. 

In the raw form, they are rough stones, which will go through a process of cutting and polishing before becoming valuable and beautiful. 

The gospel parable, which is also known as the parable of a prodigal son, began on a rather tensed situation. 

The tax collectors and sinners were all seeking the company of Jesus to hear what He had to say to them. 

The Pharisees and the scribes complained about Jesus being in the company of sinners, and so He told them this parable. 

The parable touches on family relationships and the main focus is on that younger son. 

That younger son was rough enough to ask for his share of the inheritance, and then went on to squander it away in a far off country. 

He had to go through a cutting and grinding experience of hunger and humiliation that made him come to his senses. 

And he had the humility and the sensibility to go back to his father in repentance and ask for forgiveness. 

There is no doubt that the younger son was a pain for the father, as well as for the elder brother. 

But pain can be transformed into something precious. 

It made that prodigal son realized how precious is his father's love for him. 

As for the father, the pain of his son leaving him transformed it into a precious lesson for us. 

So out of pain, something precious can come about. 

This is what the parable is teaching us, and this is also the reality of how those precious pearls come about. 

We may know that pearls are produced by oysters, and those pearls are produced because the oyster experience some kind of pain, or because it was irritated in some way. 

A pearl is actually a healed wound. It is formed when an irritant, like a grain of sand or a parasite, enters into the shell of the oyster. 

To protect itself, the oyster secretes layers of a smooth, shiny substance called nacre, coating the intruder over time. 

Layer by layer, this process continues until a beautiful pearl is formed. 

So, those beautiful pearls are a product of pain. 

It is about transforming something unwanted into something precious and beautiful. 

This also brings to mind the pain and the suffering of Jesus that He went through for us. 

By His wounds we are healed, and His pain brought about the precious love of God for us. 

Let us put the pains of our lives into the hands of Jesus, so that He can transform those pains into beautiful pearls of blessings for us.

3rd Week of Lent, Saturday, 29-03-2025

Hosea 5:15 - 6:6 / Luke 18:9-14 

One of the preparations before going for the Sacrament of Reconciliation is to use the 10 Commandments for the examination of conscience.

Breaking any of the 10 Commandments is indeed a grave sin.

Hence not going for Mass on Sundays, disrespect for parents, stealing, adultery, all these are grave sins. Blatantly grave.

But what is blatant can be equally destructive as what is subtle.

We avoid obvious grave sins, yet we can forget that there are sins that are not so obvious that will cause us to trip and fall.

In today's gospel parable, the Pharisee was proud that he did not commit any grave sin ; in fact he did credible deeds.

But why was he not at rights with God?

As always, pride comes before the fall.

His problem was spiritual pride - he called another person a sinner without acknowledging to be one himself.

He propped himself up, at the expense of another person.

It was subtle, but evil. So we need to watch ourselves.

If we think we are virtuous, are we also getting self-righteous?

We can make sacrifices and perform credible deeds.

But what the Lord wants is not sacrifice. What He wants is our love for Him and for those around us.

And if we should fall, then we only need to turn to God and say : God, be merciful to me, a sinner.