1 Thess 4:1-8 / Matthew 25:1-13
When we talk about needs and what we really need in life, it would be helpful to go back to the hierarchy of needs and to look at what are the basic needs.
Essentially, the basic needs of a human being is the physiological needs and those are food, water and shelter.
When that is achieved and attained, then we move up to the next level of needs which is the security needs like safety and protection.
From here, things get a little muddled up. In principal, after the physiological and security needs, and moving up it will be the social needs, the esteem needs and at the top will be self-actualisation. That is how Maslow's hierarchy of needs puts it.
But often in the reality of life, things get a bit fuzzy after the needs of food, water, shelter, safety and protection are attained.
Because we turn our focus from what we need to what we want. Because when all the essential needs are taken care of, we tend to look for creature comforts and the pleasures of life.
And that sense, that's where the trouble begins. In looking for our own comforts, we tend to be selfish and disregard others in their need.
In seeking for pleasures in life, we tend to use others for pleasure and make them give in to our immoral desires.
That's why St. Paul urged the Thessalonians to keep away from fornication and to use the body that belongs to God that is holy and honourable, and not giving way to selfish lust like the pagans who do not know God.
St. Paul also stated that God wants nobody at all ever to sin by taking advantage of another person, and that God always punishes sins of that sort.
Over and above, God wants us all to be holy. That is our fundamental calling as Christians - that we are called by God to be holy and not to give in to our immoral desires and pleasures.
If we are sensible enough, then we would always want to come to the Eucharist and be filled with the bread of life so that our lives will be lighted by the oil of holiness and the darkness of sin will be scattered.
And in honouring the Sacred Heart of Jesus, let us offer to Him a pure and holy heart. Jesus will always provide for our needs.
With a pure and holy heart, may we go forth to win hearts for the Jesus, for it is in His Sacred Heart we will find peace and contentment.
Thursday, August 31, 2017
Wednesday, August 30, 2017
21st Week, Ordinary Time, Thursday, 31-08-17
1 Thess 3:7-13 / Matthew 24:42-51
Riddle: What is it that you cannot touch or see and yet it can be broken? Two possible answers to it. One is silence. The other is a promise.
In our baptismal promises, we pledged to renounce evil in all its forms and professed our faith in God.
So our faith is also about our promise to God that we will be faithful to Him and that we cannot keep silent or hide our faith.
Others should be able to see our faith in the good works that we do and they should also be touched by our faith.
In the 1st reading, St. Paul wrote this to the Thessalonians: Brothers, your faith has been a great comfort to us in the middle of our own troubles and sorrows.
He continued by saying, "Now we can breathe again, as you are still holding firm in the Lord." So the faith of the Thessalonians was a faith that was like a bright light that touched others and brought comfort and relief to St. Paul.
Faith can also be said to be like an active and alert servant who is ready for the coming of his master. That is how Jesus put it in the gospel parable.
So as much as faith is a great gift from God, yet it also has its duties and responsibilities. Today's readings tell us that faith should be alive and active, it should bring comfort and relief to others.
In other words, our faith should point others to Jesus. We cannot be silent or hide our faith. By our faith, Jesus will be made present.
Riddle: What is it that you cannot touch or see and yet it can be broken? Two possible answers to it. One is silence. The other is a promise.
In our baptismal promises, we pledged to renounce evil in all its forms and professed our faith in God.
So our faith is also about our promise to God that we will be faithful to Him and that we cannot keep silent or hide our faith.
Others should be able to see our faith in the good works that we do and they should also be touched by our faith.
In the 1st reading, St. Paul wrote this to the Thessalonians: Brothers, your faith has been a great comfort to us in the middle of our own troubles and sorrows.
He continued by saying, "Now we can breathe again, as you are still holding firm in the Lord." So the faith of the Thessalonians was a faith that was like a bright light that touched others and brought comfort and relief to St. Paul.
Faith can also be said to be like an active and alert servant who is ready for the coming of his master. That is how Jesus put it in the gospel parable.
So as much as faith is a great gift from God, yet it also has its duties and responsibilities. Today's readings tell us that faith should be alive and active, it should bring comfort and relief to others.
In other words, our faith should point others to Jesus. We cannot be silent or hide our faith. By our faith, Jesus will be made present.
Tuesday, August 29, 2017
21st Week, Ordinary Time, Wednesday, 30-08-17
1 Thess 2:9-13 / Matthew 23:27-32
Child development refers to the changes that occur as a child grows and develops in relation to being physically healthy, mentally alert, emotionally sound, socially competent and ready to learn.
The first five years of a child's life are fundamentally important. They are the foundation that shapes children's future health, happiness, growth, development and learning achievement at school, in the family and community, and in life in general.
Children learn more quickly during their early years than at any other time in life. They need love and nurturing to develop a sense of trust and security that turns into confidence as they grow.
St. Paul truly understood this. That is why he said in the 1st reading to the Thessalonians: You can remember how we treated every one of you as a father treats his children, teaching you what is right, encouraging you and appealing to you to live a life worthy of God, who is calling you to share the glory of His kingdom.
As new Christians, St. Paul knew how important it was to form them as Christian disciples, so that they in turn will form the Christians coming after them.
In the gospel, Jesus had sharp words for the scribes and Pharisees who said that they would never have joined in shedding the blood of the prophets had they lived in their fathers' day.
Jesus pointed out that they were the very sons of those who killed the prophets. And so what they had seen and learnt, they will continue in their day, because that was their formation.
That brings us to think about how we are living out and witnessing our faith to our young and to the next generation of Catholics.
We must be aware that our young children and the new Catholics (adults who went through RCIA) are looking at us and learning from us.
May we teach them what is right, and encourage them to live a life worthy of God so that as Catholics we will truly be able to form the world in the ways of God.
Child development refers to the changes that occur as a child grows and develops in relation to being physically healthy, mentally alert, emotionally sound, socially competent and ready to learn.
The first five years of a child's life are fundamentally important. They are the foundation that shapes children's future health, happiness, growth, development and learning achievement at school, in the family and community, and in life in general.
Children learn more quickly during their early years than at any other time in life. They need love and nurturing to develop a sense of trust and security that turns into confidence as they grow.
St. Paul truly understood this. That is why he said in the 1st reading to the Thessalonians: You can remember how we treated every one of you as a father treats his children, teaching you what is right, encouraging you and appealing to you to live a life worthy of God, who is calling you to share the glory of His kingdom.
As new Christians, St. Paul knew how important it was to form them as Christian disciples, so that they in turn will form the Christians coming after them.
In the gospel, Jesus had sharp words for the scribes and Pharisees who said that they would never have joined in shedding the blood of the prophets had they lived in their fathers' day.
Jesus pointed out that they were the very sons of those who killed the prophets. And so what they had seen and learnt, they will continue in their day, because that was their formation.
That brings us to think about how we are living out and witnessing our faith to our young and to the next generation of Catholics.
We must be aware that our young children and the new Catholics (adults who went through RCIA) are looking at us and learning from us.
May we teach them what is right, and encourage them to live a life worthy of God so that as Catholics we will truly be able to form the world in the ways of God.
Monday, August 28, 2017
The Passion of St. John the Baptist, Tuesday, 29-08-17
Jeremiah 1:17-19 / Mark 6:17-29
We may wonder how Jesus felt when He heard about the death of His cousin, John the Baptist.
Not much is said about their relationship, but we can guess they knew each other from their earlier days, probably played together, talked about life.
Both knew they had a mission.
And both also knew that the mission could not be accomplished without putting their lives on the line.
John the Baptist was the first to do it and that line was drawn across his neck.
For Jesus, it was drawn at the cross.
And for us, that line will also be drawn for us.
A line that will cut across the various aspects of our lives when we have to decide between whose side to stand on.
To stand on God's side, will result in some scars and wounds.
But it is through those scars and wounds that God will continue to save the world.
For it is by Christ's wounds that we ourselves have been healed and saved.
We may wonder how Jesus felt when He heard about the death of His cousin, John the Baptist.
Not much is said about their relationship, but we can guess they knew each other from their earlier days, probably played together, talked about life.
Both knew they had a mission.
And both also knew that the mission could not be accomplished without putting their lives on the line.
John the Baptist was the first to do it and that line was drawn across his neck.
For Jesus, it was drawn at the cross.
And for us, that line will also be drawn for us.
A line that will cut across the various aspects of our lives when we have to decide between whose side to stand on.
To stand on God's side, will result in some scars and wounds.
But it is through those scars and wounds that God will continue to save the world.
For it is by Christ's wounds that we ourselves have been healed and saved.
Sunday, August 27, 2017
21st Week, Ordinary Time, Monday, 28-08-17
1 Thess 1:1-5, 8-10 / Matthew 23:13-22
When we look at any institution or organization, whether religious or secular, there are usually these stages of development.
It started with a dream or vision; then it becomes an organization; then it develops into an institution.
It is when it has reached the stage of being an institution that problems can arise.
Because if it does not have the original vision as its foundation and motivation, then formalization and stagnation will creep in.
And when it is ignored and left unchecked, the fossilization will take place.
Jesus challenged the institutionalized religion of His time.
Because the scribes and Pharisees had made religion so formalized that it had lost its vision and purpose and became fossilized.
We, the Church are also constantly faced with this challenge.
Our faith is not just about keeping laws and observing commandments and obligations.
Of course all that have a purpose, and it is meant to remind us that our faith must be expressed in concrete acts of love.
But it is not just about how well we keep to the laws and commandments and obligations.
It is also about how much we have expressed the laws and commandments and obligations in love.
When faith is expressed with love, then we the Church will grow and increase.
When we look at any institution or organization, whether religious or secular, there are usually these stages of development.
It started with a dream or vision; then it becomes an organization; then it develops into an institution.
It is when it has reached the stage of being an institution that problems can arise.
Because if it does not have the original vision as its foundation and motivation, then formalization and stagnation will creep in.
And when it is ignored and left unchecked, the fossilization will take place.
Jesus challenged the institutionalized religion of His time.
Because the scribes and Pharisees had made religion so formalized that it had lost its vision and purpose and became fossilized.
We, the Church are also constantly faced with this challenge.
Our faith is not just about keeping laws and observing commandments and obligations.
Of course all that have a purpose, and it is meant to remind us that our faith must be expressed in concrete acts of love.
But it is not just about how well we keep to the laws and commandments and obligations.
It is also about how much we have expressed the laws and commandments and obligations in love.
When faith is expressed with love, then we the Church will grow and increase.
Saturday, August 26, 2017
21st Ordinary Sunday, Year A, 27.08.2017
Isaiah 22:19-23 / Romans 11:33-36 / Matthew 16:13-20
Today is a milestone for 15 of our teenagers, a milestone in their faith-formation. After almost 10 years of coming for catechism classes on Sundays, today they will receive the Sacrament of Confirmation.
To be “Confirmed” means to be strengthened by the gifts of the Holy Spirit. But for what purpose? That’s the question that those 15 teenagers will have to answer for themselves.
And they must find the answer to that question, otherwise this milestone could well be the tombstone, as in the journey of faith has come to an end, since there will be no more catechism classes to attend.
But faith and life is not so much a question but it is more like a riddle. So we have to think “out of the box” and it can be quite challenging to solve it, be it a question or a riddle.
Let us do some riddles and see if we can think out of the box:
- I am tall when I am young, but I am short when I am old. What am I?
- I have keys but no locks. I have space but no room. You can enter but you can’t go outside. What am I?
- You can break me easily without even touching or seeing me. What am I?
So much for riddles. Now let’s go back to the gospel. In the gospel, Jesus asked His disciples two questions.
The first question is “Who do people say I am?” The disciples replied that people say that He is John the Baptist, or Elijah, or Jeremiah or one of the prophets.
Then Jesus asked them, “Who do you say I am?” As the disciples were thinking about what is the best and correct answer to give, it was Simon Peter who spoke up: You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.
And he was correct! But as Jesus stated, it was not flesh and blood that revealed this to Simon Peter but it was God the Father who revealed this to him.
We may remember that Jesus promised to send us the Holy Spirit to be our Advocate and it is the Spirit who will reveal things to us and lead us to the whole truth.
Yes, it is the Spirit who will defend us, help us, guide us, work in us and reveal to us the mysteries to the questions and the riddles of life.
And it is this same Spirit who will fill the hearts of our 15 teenagers in the Sacrament of Confirmation, and to strengthen them to face the gates of the underworld.
One of the expressions of the Sacrament of Confirmation is to be commissioned as a soldier of Christ, though it is seldom spoken of nowadays.
“Christ Himself declared that he was marked with his Father’s seal. Christians are also marked with a seal: “It is God who establishes us with you in Christ and has commissioned us; He has put His seal on us and given us His Spirit in our hearts as a guarantee.” This seal of the Holy Spirit marks our total belonging to Christ, our enrollment in his service for ever, as well as the promise of divine protection in the great eschatological trial.” (Catechism of the Catholic Church #1296)
The catechists of these Confirmands thought about it and then we came up with this idea of a survival kit to equip these teenagers as they go on mission for Christ.
So what is this missionary survival kit all about? Well, it’s all packed into a lunch-box but there are no edibles in it. So what are in it then? There are two sticks of cotton buds, a box of matches, a tea-light, a piece of Band-aid, a mirror, a petition form, a 5-cent coin, and a crucifix.
We call it the “Missionary kit”. And in it is a note that reads:
Now that you are Confirmed, you will need this:
2 sticks of cotton buds – one for you to clean your ears so that you can listen clearly to God’s Word, and the other for you to help others clean their ears so that they too can listen ...
When it gets dark and cold, the box of matches is for you to light the tea-light so that you can bring some light and warmth for others.
The Band-Aid comes in handy because in this world, people get some cuts and hard knocks along the way. You are to bind up their wounds and bring healing.
When you look into the mirror, you need to ask yourself, “Do I look like Jesus to others?”
Prayer must be the first option, the last option and the in-between option. That’s what the green Petition Form is for.
The 5-cent coin is to remind you that you must remain little and humble always, and it also reminds you of the 5 wounds of Christ who died to save you.
It was on the Cross that Jesus died for you. He carried the Cross for you. Now you must carry your cross for the salvation of others
And it ends off with “Know that I am with you always, yes, till the end of time” (Matthew 28:20)
Those 15 teenage Confirmands must know that Jesus is always with them, till the end of time, as they go forth to serve Him in whatever and wherever the Spirit leads them.
And for us, Jesus is asking us who do we think He really is in our lives. And at the same time He is also asking us do we know who we really are.
When we know who we really are, that we are marked and sealed with the Holy Spirit to serve Jesus in the mission of salvation, then we will know who Jesus really is.
Then we will be prepared to face the gates of the underworld as we go forth to save souls for Jesus.
(Ans: Candle, Computer keyboard, Silence/Promise)
Today is a milestone for 15 of our teenagers, a milestone in their faith-formation. After almost 10 years of coming for catechism classes on Sundays, today they will receive the Sacrament of Confirmation.
To be “Confirmed” means to be strengthened by the gifts of the Holy Spirit. But for what purpose? That’s the question that those 15 teenagers will have to answer for themselves.
And they must find the answer to that question, otherwise this milestone could well be the tombstone, as in the journey of faith has come to an end, since there will be no more catechism classes to attend.
But faith and life is not so much a question but it is more like a riddle. So we have to think “out of the box” and it can be quite challenging to solve it, be it a question or a riddle.
Let us do some riddles and see if we can think out of the box:
- I am tall when I am young, but I am short when I am old. What am I?
- I have keys but no locks. I have space but no room. You can enter but you can’t go outside. What am I?
- You can break me easily without even touching or seeing me. What am I?
So much for riddles. Now let’s go back to the gospel. In the gospel, Jesus asked His disciples two questions.
The first question is “Who do people say I am?” The disciples replied that people say that He is John the Baptist, or Elijah, or Jeremiah or one of the prophets.
Then Jesus asked them, “Who do you say I am?” As the disciples were thinking about what is the best and correct answer to give, it was Simon Peter who spoke up: You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.
And he was correct! But as Jesus stated, it was not flesh and blood that revealed this to Simon Peter but it was God the Father who revealed this to him.
We may remember that Jesus promised to send us the Holy Spirit to be our Advocate and it is the Spirit who will reveal things to us and lead us to the whole truth.
Yes, it is the Spirit who will defend us, help us, guide us, work in us and reveal to us the mysteries to the questions and the riddles of life.
And it is this same Spirit who will fill the hearts of our 15 teenagers in the Sacrament of Confirmation, and to strengthen them to face the gates of the underworld.
One of the expressions of the Sacrament of Confirmation is to be commissioned as a soldier of Christ, though it is seldom spoken of nowadays.
“Christ Himself declared that he was marked with his Father’s seal. Christians are also marked with a seal: “It is God who establishes us with you in Christ and has commissioned us; He has put His seal on us and given us His Spirit in our hearts as a guarantee.” This seal of the Holy Spirit marks our total belonging to Christ, our enrollment in his service for ever, as well as the promise of divine protection in the great eschatological trial.” (Catechism of the Catholic Church #1296)
The catechists of these Confirmands thought about it and then we came up with this idea of a survival kit to equip these teenagers as they go on mission for Christ.
We call it the “Missionary kit”. And in it is a note that reads:
Now that you are Confirmed, you will need this:
2 sticks of cotton buds – one for you to clean your ears so that you can listen clearly to God’s Word, and the other for you to help others clean their ears so that they too can listen ...
When it gets dark and cold, the box of matches is for you to light the tea-light so that you can bring some light and warmth for others.
The Band-Aid comes in handy because in this world, people get some cuts and hard knocks along the way. You are to bind up their wounds and bring healing.
When you look into the mirror, you need to ask yourself, “Do I look like Jesus to others?”
Prayer must be the first option, the last option and the in-between option. That’s what the green Petition Form is for.
The 5-cent coin is to remind you that you must remain little and humble always, and it also reminds you of the 5 wounds of Christ who died to save you.
It was on the Cross that Jesus died for you. He carried the Cross for you. Now you must carry your cross for the salvation of others
And it ends off with “Know that I am with you always, yes, till the end of time” (Matthew 28:20)
Those 15 teenage Confirmands must know that Jesus is always with them, till the end of time, as they go forth to serve Him in whatever and wherever the Spirit leads them.
And for us, Jesus is asking us who do we think He really is in our lives. And at the same time He is also asking us do we know who we really are.
When we know who we really are, that we are marked and sealed with the Holy Spirit to serve Jesus in the mission of salvation, then we will know who Jesus really is.
Then we will be prepared to face the gates of the underworld as we go forth to save souls for Jesus.
(Ans: Candle, Computer keyboard, Silence/Promise)
Friday, August 25, 2017
20th Week, Ordinary Time, Saturday, 26-08-17
Ruth 2:1-3, 8-11; 4:13-17 / Matthew 23:1-12
Everyone who is in the preaching ministry knows the necessity of practising what he preaches.
Yet, the complementary aspect can also be to preach about what one practises.
Because when one preaches about what one practises, then the premise is the reality of life and not just from precepts or concepts.
Then the preaching becomes related with life, with the struggles and failures, the disappointments and pain, the tears and sweat.
Jesus tells us in the gospel to get down to the reality of life and not to expect from others what we ourselves cannot do or won't do.
He told the people not to be guided by what the scribes and Pharisees do, since they do not practise what they preach.
But He also said something important before that - You must therefore do what they tell you and listen to what they say.
To preach about what we practise may have a connection to the reality of life but yet it may also limit the challenge to grow in spirituality and discovery of self.
We must remember that God has called us to be holy, just as He is holy.
To follow Jesus is not to be contented with what we are doing now but to discover what He wants us to do.
Indeed, the precepts of Christianity opens our eyes to the depth of the reality of life.
Everyone who is in the preaching ministry knows the necessity of practising what he preaches.
Yet, the complementary aspect can also be to preach about what one practises.
Because when one preaches about what one practises, then the premise is the reality of life and not just from precepts or concepts.
Then the preaching becomes related with life, with the struggles and failures, the disappointments and pain, the tears and sweat.
Jesus tells us in the gospel to get down to the reality of life and not to expect from others what we ourselves cannot do or won't do.
He told the people not to be guided by what the scribes and Pharisees do, since they do not practise what they preach.
But He also said something important before that - You must therefore do what they tell you and listen to what they say.
To preach about what we practise may have a connection to the reality of life but yet it may also limit the challenge to grow in spirituality and discovery of self.
We must remember that God has called us to be holy, just as He is holy.
To follow Jesus is not to be contented with what we are doing now but to discover what He wants us to do.
Indeed, the precepts of Christianity opens our eyes to the depth of the reality of life.
Thursday, August 24, 2017
20th Week, Ordinary Time, Friday, 25-08-17
Ruth 1:1, 3-6, 14-16, 22 / Matthew 22:34-41
For us Catholics, when we make the sign of the cross, it has many meanings.
When we begin our prayer, we will make the sign of the cross. Or we also make the sign of the cross when we feel afraid or for whatever reason.
When we make the sign of the cross, one meaning could be that we bless ourselves in the name of God who is Father, Son and Holy Spirit.
It could also mean that we are saved by Christ who died on the cross for us.
Today's gospel passage may give us yet another meaning when we make the sign of the cross.
Jesus spelt out what the greatest commandment is: You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind. This is the greatest and the first commandment.
And He continued with this: The second resembles it - You must love your neighbour as yourself.
So in making the sign of the cross, we mark ourselves on the head to mean that we love God with all our mind; on the chest to mean that we love God with all our heart and soul.
And when we mark our shoulders, it means to love God with all our strength, and that love must be shown to our neighbours on our left and right.
So making the sign of the cross is a deep and profound sign of our love for God and neighbour.
It was that kind of love that Ruth, in the 1st reading showed to Naomi when she said, "wherever you go, I will go, wherever you live, I will live. Your people shall be my people, and your God, my God."
So the sign of the cross is a sign of love. When we make it, it is a sign that we love God and our neighbour. May the sign of the cross also be a reality in our lives.
For us Catholics, when we make the sign of the cross, it has many meanings.
When we begin our prayer, we will make the sign of the cross. Or we also make the sign of the cross when we feel afraid or for whatever reason.
When we make the sign of the cross, one meaning could be that we bless ourselves in the name of God who is Father, Son and Holy Spirit.
It could also mean that we are saved by Christ who died on the cross for us.
Today's gospel passage may give us yet another meaning when we make the sign of the cross.
Jesus spelt out what the greatest commandment is: You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind. This is the greatest and the first commandment.
And He continued with this: The second resembles it - You must love your neighbour as yourself.
So in making the sign of the cross, we mark ourselves on the head to mean that we love God with all our mind; on the chest to mean that we love God with all our heart and soul.
And when we mark our shoulders, it means to love God with all our strength, and that love must be shown to our neighbours on our left and right.
So making the sign of the cross is a deep and profound sign of our love for God and neighbour.
It was that kind of love that Ruth, in the 1st reading showed to Naomi when she said, "wherever you go, I will go, wherever you live, I will live. Your people shall be my people, and your God, my God."
So the sign of the cross is a sign of love. When we make it, it is a sign that we love God and our neighbour. May the sign of the cross also be a reality in our lives.
St. Bartholomew, Thursday, 24-08-17
Apocalypse 21:9-14 / John 1:45-51
St Bartholomew was from Cana in Galilee, and he was often identified as Nathaniel because the Gospel according to Mathew listed him together with Philip as one of the first apostles chosen by Christ.
From the gospel, we can make a presumption of what kind of character he was.
For one, he was a straight-forward person, who said what he meant and meant what he said.
We can make that presumption when he made that statement: Can anything good come from Nazareth?
Nonetheless, he was an open person because he followed Philip to see who that person Jesus was.
He was also a person of prayer, as attested to by Jesus, because to sit under a fig tree means to be under its shade of coolness and to pray and meditate on God's righteousness.
So in effect, Jesus was affirming Bartholomew about his character. It was like He knew what kind of a person Bartholomew really was.
Similarly, Jesus also knows each of us through and through and He also wants to affirm our goodness.
Like St. Bartholomew, let us continue to follow Jesus as He reveals Himself to us.
May we also come to know ourselves deeper and be strengthened in our goodness.
May we also always meditate on God's righteousness and proclaim it in our lives.
St Bartholomew was from Cana in Galilee, and he was often identified as Nathaniel because the Gospel according to Mathew listed him together with Philip as one of the first apostles chosen by Christ.
From the gospel, we can make a presumption of what kind of character he was.
For one, he was a straight-forward person, who said what he meant and meant what he said.
We can make that presumption when he made that statement: Can anything good come from Nazareth?
Nonetheless, he was an open person because he followed Philip to see who that person Jesus was.
He was also a person of prayer, as attested to by Jesus, because to sit under a fig tree means to be under its shade of coolness and to pray and meditate on God's righteousness.
So in effect, Jesus was affirming Bartholomew about his character. It was like He knew what kind of a person Bartholomew really was.
Similarly, Jesus also knows each of us through and through and He also wants to affirm our goodness.
Like St. Bartholomew, let us continue to follow Jesus as He reveals Himself to us.
May we also come to know ourselves deeper and be strengthened in our goodness.
May we also always meditate on God's righteousness and proclaim it in our lives.
Tuesday, August 22, 2017
20th Week, Ordinary Time, Wednesday, 23-08-17
Judges 9:6-15 / Matthew 20:1-16
Money does not make the world go round; but money does make people go round and up and about.
It cannot be denied that money has this incentive to make people work harder, go faster, think smarter, etc.
After all, the business transactions of the world are driven by money and the concern for profit.
Consequently, money can also be a point of contention where wages are concerned.
In the parable of the gospel, that seemed to be the complaint of the workers who worked all day and were paid the equal amount as those who came at the eleventh hour.
The complaint was about "unfair" wages, although it was not unjust; but the parable's concern is about availability and generosity.
The eleventh hour workers made themselves available, even when it was coming to the end of the day, and that earned them the generosity of the landowner.
Yet in the 1st reading, we see a reversal. Those who were able to lead the country refused to be available for the duty and it eventually fell into the hands of a tyrant.
And this is also the problem with our world. Those who are able refused to be available, and hence they end up at the fool's disposal.
Yes, God is generous but we also have to be available for His generosity. With His generosity, our abilities will give God glory.
Money does not make the world go round; but money does make people go round and up and about.
It cannot be denied that money has this incentive to make people work harder, go faster, think smarter, etc.
After all, the business transactions of the world are driven by money and the concern for profit.
Consequently, money can also be a point of contention where wages are concerned.
In the parable of the gospel, that seemed to be the complaint of the workers who worked all day and were paid the equal amount as those who came at the eleventh hour.
The complaint was about "unfair" wages, although it was not unjust; but the parable's concern is about availability and generosity.
The eleventh hour workers made themselves available, even when it was coming to the end of the day, and that earned them the generosity of the landowner.
Yet in the 1st reading, we see a reversal. Those who were able to lead the country refused to be available for the duty and it eventually fell into the hands of a tyrant.
And this is also the problem with our world. Those who are able refused to be available, and hence they end up at the fool's disposal.
Yes, God is generous but we also have to be available for His generosity. With His generosity, our abilities will give God glory.
Monday, August 21, 2017
Queenship of the BVM, Tuesday, 22-08-17
Isaiah 9:1-6 / Luke 1:26-38
We exalt and glorify Jesus Christ as the "King of kings, and the Lord of Lords".
So for the Church to confer onto Mary the title of "Queen" is certainly fitting, since at the Visitation, Elizabeth called Mary "mother of my Lord", and hence, she is also mother of the King.
Indeed, from the earliest Church traditions, Mary has been given the title "Queen" and subsequently "Queen of Heaven", and from that title there are other expressions of her queenship.
The feast is a follow-up to the Assumption and is now celebrated on the octave day of that feast.
God assumed Mary into heaven, body and soul, and in doing so, He bestowed upon her the queenship of all creation, after Jesus Christ who is the King of all creation.
As Jesus exercised his kingship on earth by serving His Father and saving us, so did Mary exercise her queenship by praying for us.
As the glorified Jesus remains with us as our king till the end of time, so does Mary, who was assumed into heaven and crowned queen of heaven and earth and she continues to be the mother of the Church.
So as the Church celebrates the queenship of Mary, let us remember what she told the servants at the wedding at Cana - "Do whatever He tells you" (Jn 2:5)
But in order to do what Jesus is telling us, we have to have the spiritual sensitivity of Mary who knows what the will of God is for her and submits herself to it.
Let us consecrate ourselves to her Immaculate Heart and unite ourselves in a devotion to her, be it the praying of the Rosary of other forms of Marian devotion.
And like Mary our Mother, we too will say with her: Let it be done unto me according to Your Word.
We exalt and glorify Jesus Christ as the "King of kings, and the Lord of Lords".
So for the Church to confer onto Mary the title of "Queen" is certainly fitting, since at the Visitation, Elizabeth called Mary "mother of my Lord", and hence, she is also mother of the King.
Indeed, from the earliest Church traditions, Mary has been given the title "Queen" and subsequently "Queen of Heaven", and from that title there are other expressions of her queenship.
The feast is a follow-up to the Assumption and is now celebrated on the octave day of that feast.
God assumed Mary into heaven, body and soul, and in doing so, He bestowed upon her the queenship of all creation, after Jesus Christ who is the King of all creation.
As Jesus exercised his kingship on earth by serving His Father and saving us, so did Mary exercise her queenship by praying for us.
As the glorified Jesus remains with us as our king till the end of time, so does Mary, who was assumed into heaven and crowned queen of heaven and earth and she continues to be the mother of the Church.
So as the Church celebrates the queenship of Mary, let us remember what she told the servants at the wedding at Cana - "Do whatever He tells you" (Jn 2:5)
But in order to do what Jesus is telling us, we have to have the spiritual sensitivity of Mary who knows what the will of God is for her and submits herself to it.
Let us consecrate ourselves to her Immaculate Heart and unite ourselves in a devotion to her, be it the praying of the Rosary of other forms of Marian devotion.
And like Mary our Mother, we too will say with her: Let it be done unto me according to Your Word.
Sunday, August 20, 2017
20th Week, Ordinary Time, Monday, 21-08-17
Judges 2:11-19 / Matthew 6:11-24
One of the major problems with the people of God in the Old Testament is the worshipping of idols, ie. idolatry.
They were called to be God's people and to worship the one true God and yet they turned to idols and bowed down and prostrated them in worship of images or idols that represented or were thought to embody various pagan deities.
But what was it that made them turn to idolatry? What was the attraction of idolatry that made them unfaithful to God who had showed them such great signs and wonders?
The attraction, and the seduction, came in many forms: fertility of animals and crop and the connected ritual sex, material gains, power and conquest of other nations, etc.
Being faithful to God would seem boring to say the least, with those laws and commandments, and they felt like losers compared to the other idol-worshipping pagans around them.
But what they fail to see is that they were also being slowly seduced by an evil power that was drawing them away from God, and leading them down the road of immorality and wickedness.
As we heard in the 1st reading, God punished them for their unfaithfulness but He also appointed judges to rescue them from their enemies. But once the judge was dead, they relapsed and behaved even worse than their ancestors. Obviously, the evil power never gives up in pulling the people away from God.
In the gospel, we heard of this rich young man who wanted to possess eternal life. Jesus wanted him to follow him on the condition that he gives up his earthly riches.
Jesus was trying to pull him out of the clutches of the idolatry of earthly wealth, but like his ancestors, he was too attracted and obsessed by it.
As for ourselves, do we know what earthly attractions we are attached to or obsessed with? Let us ask Jesus to pull us out of it and to be faithful to Him.
If Jesus is not our first above all, then in the end, we will have nothing at all; neither here nor in eternity.
One of the major problems with the people of God in the Old Testament is the worshipping of idols, ie. idolatry.
They were called to be God's people and to worship the one true God and yet they turned to idols and bowed down and prostrated them in worship of images or idols that represented or were thought to embody various pagan deities.
But what was it that made them turn to idolatry? What was the attraction of idolatry that made them unfaithful to God who had showed them such great signs and wonders?
The attraction, and the seduction, came in many forms: fertility of animals and crop and the connected ritual sex, material gains, power and conquest of other nations, etc.
Being faithful to God would seem boring to say the least, with those laws and commandments, and they felt like losers compared to the other idol-worshipping pagans around them.
But what they fail to see is that they were also being slowly seduced by an evil power that was drawing them away from God, and leading them down the road of immorality and wickedness.
As we heard in the 1st reading, God punished them for their unfaithfulness but He also appointed judges to rescue them from their enemies. But once the judge was dead, they relapsed and behaved even worse than their ancestors. Obviously, the evil power never gives up in pulling the people away from God.
In the gospel, we heard of this rich young man who wanted to possess eternal life. Jesus wanted him to follow him on the condition that he gives up his earthly riches.
Jesus was trying to pull him out of the clutches of the idolatry of earthly wealth, but like his ancestors, he was too attracted and obsessed by it.
As for ourselves, do we know what earthly attractions we are attached to or obsessed with? Let us ask Jesus to pull us out of it and to be faithful to Him.
If Jesus is not our first above all, then in the end, we will have nothing at all; neither here nor in eternity.
Saturday, August 19, 2017
20th Ordinary Sunday, Year A, 20.08.2017
Isaiah 56:1, 6-7 / Romans 11:13-15, 29-32 / Matthew 15:21-28
When it comes to persistence and perseverance, the one example that might come to mind is how some people chase after their luck at the 4D, by betting on those elusive four numbers that generates so much of excitement.
For some, it goes beyond excitement to even investment, as they put in their money on the combination of their “lucky” four numbers and hope to strike a fortune.
It seems to be simple enough. Just pick four numbers that seem to be lucky and then go to the bookie and then wait excitedly.
And when it comes to picking those four numbers, there are plenty of options: car-plate number, house number, IC number, hand-phone number, birth date, etc.
What keeps the excitement and the persistence going is not so much when they strike the first prize (which actually is far and few between) but those near-misses – that one digit, or the incorrect combination, or like how they say it “didn’t buy that number this week and it came out as first prize, so next week must continue to buy”
So the excitement and the persistence continue, and they keep on investing and chasing that elusive four-digit first prize. That being said, betting on 4D is a form of gambling, which is a vice that will cause moral and spiritual problems. The Church has spoken out against gambling in all its forms.
The only thing to say about this is that the persistence and perseverance is quite commendable. Otherwise, 4D or gambling will create difficult problems and should be discouraged.
In the gospel, we heard of a very persistent and persevering woman, a Canaanite, a non-Jew. But she was not looking for some lucky 4D number to strike the first prize.
She came before Jesus to ask for the healing of her daughter who was tormented by a devil.
This gospel passage would catch our attention because we would have noticed a very different attitude of Jesus.
At first He answered her not a word. Then the disciples seem to plead for her, but that was because she was shouting after them.
And then Jesus gave some kind of exclusive nationalistic reply by saying that He was sent only to the lost sheep of the House of Israel.
And that Canaanite woman had to stop Jesus in His tracks by coming before Him and kneeling at His feet and made her desperate plea with “Lord, help me.”
Even with that, Jesus seemed still reluctant and even said that it was not fair to take the children’s food and throw it to the house dogs. That doesn’t seem to be the Jesus that we are familiar with, the Jesus who is kind and compassionate, and loving and merciful.
At this point that Canaanite woman could have felt insulted and despised and she could have hit back at Jesus. After all she was in her own territory and Jesus was in a foreign land.
But instead of being vindictive, she chose to give a witty reply. She agreed with Jesus and was willing to take whatever scraps that fall off from the table. She was sure that there can be something for her.
And for that Jesus commended her for her faith and granted her wish and from that moment her daughter was well again.
So it was a happy ending. It might be the persistence, perseverance and wit of that Canaanite woman that impressed us, but it was the faith of that woman that impressed Jesus and He commended her for that.
It was her faith that told her not to give up with just one rejection. She actually got three rejections from Jesus.
One rejection does not mean it is the final decision, just as one winter does not mean that there is no summer.
There was a man who had four sons. He wanted his sons to learn to not judge things too quickly. So he sent them each, in turn, to go and look at a fruit tree that was a great distance away. The first son went in the winter, the second in the spring, the third in summer, and the youngest son in the autumn.
When they had all gone and came back, he called them together to describe what they had seen. The first son said that the tree was ugly, bent, and twisted. The second son said it was covered with green buds and full of promise. The third son disagreed, he said it was laden with blossoms that smelled so sweet and looked so beautiful, it was the most graceful thing he had ever seen. The last son disagreed with all of them; he said it was ripe and drooping with fruit, full of life and fulfillment.
The man then explained to his sons that they were all right, because they had each seen but only one season in the tree's life. He told them that they cannot judge a tree, or a person, by only one season, and that the essence of who they are and the joy and love that come from that life, can only be measured at the end, when all the seasons are up.
If we give up when it's winter, then we will miss the promise of our spring, the beauty of our summer, the fulfillment of our autumn. So don't let the pain of one season destroy the joy of all the rest.
So in the face of an apparent rejection from Jesus, the Canaanite woman persevered, persisted and was witty, and she also taught us something about prayer.
She interceded with Jesus not for herself but for her daughter. But of course, the healing of her daughter also benefitted her.
Which makes us think about who and what is the priority in our prayer list. If it is “me, I and my needs” then that is a bit like betting on 4D and hoping to strike the first prize. We might just be left waiting for a long time.
Yes, prayer should be persisting, persevering and even witty, but it must be for others, for Christians as well as for non-Christians, for all peoples, because as we come to church today, God is telling us this in the 1st reading: For my house will be called a house of prayer for all peoples.
Just as the Canaanite woman interceded for her daughter, her faith in God was also strengthened.
When we pray for others, we are actually asking God to feed them first and that we will be satisfied with whatever that falls off the table.
That may sound rather sacrificial, but as Pope Pius XII said: The salvation of many depends on the sacrifices and prayers of a few.
Let us be that few who will make that sacrifice and prayer, so that all peoples will come to know the love of God and be saved.
May we take some inspiration from that Canaanite woman and may she also pray for us.
When it comes to persistence and perseverance, the one example that might come to mind is how some people chase after their luck at the 4D, by betting on those elusive four numbers that generates so much of excitement.
For some, it goes beyond excitement to even investment, as they put in their money on the combination of their “lucky” four numbers and hope to strike a fortune.
It seems to be simple enough. Just pick four numbers that seem to be lucky and then go to the bookie and then wait excitedly.
And when it comes to picking those four numbers, there are plenty of options: car-plate number, house number, IC number, hand-phone number, birth date, etc.
What keeps the excitement and the persistence going is not so much when they strike the first prize (which actually is far and few between) but those near-misses – that one digit, or the incorrect combination, or like how they say it “didn’t buy that number this week and it came out as first prize, so next week must continue to buy”
So the excitement and the persistence continue, and they keep on investing and chasing that elusive four-digit first prize. That being said, betting on 4D is a form of gambling, which is a vice that will cause moral and spiritual problems. The Church has spoken out against gambling in all its forms.
The only thing to say about this is that the persistence and perseverance is quite commendable. Otherwise, 4D or gambling will create difficult problems and should be discouraged.
In the gospel, we heard of a very persistent and persevering woman, a Canaanite, a non-Jew. But she was not looking for some lucky 4D number to strike the first prize.
She came before Jesus to ask for the healing of her daughter who was tormented by a devil.
This gospel passage would catch our attention because we would have noticed a very different attitude of Jesus.
At first He answered her not a word. Then the disciples seem to plead for her, but that was because she was shouting after them.
And then Jesus gave some kind of exclusive nationalistic reply by saying that He was sent only to the lost sheep of the House of Israel.
And that Canaanite woman had to stop Jesus in His tracks by coming before Him and kneeling at His feet and made her desperate plea with “Lord, help me.”
Even with that, Jesus seemed still reluctant and even said that it was not fair to take the children’s food and throw it to the house dogs. That doesn’t seem to be the Jesus that we are familiar with, the Jesus who is kind and compassionate, and loving and merciful.
At this point that Canaanite woman could have felt insulted and despised and she could have hit back at Jesus. After all she was in her own territory and Jesus was in a foreign land.
But instead of being vindictive, she chose to give a witty reply. She agreed with Jesus and was willing to take whatever scraps that fall off from the table. She was sure that there can be something for her.
And for that Jesus commended her for her faith and granted her wish and from that moment her daughter was well again.
So it was a happy ending. It might be the persistence, perseverance and wit of that Canaanite woman that impressed us, but it was the faith of that woman that impressed Jesus and He commended her for that.
It was her faith that told her not to give up with just one rejection. She actually got three rejections from Jesus.
One rejection does not mean it is the final decision, just as one winter does not mean that there is no summer.
There was a man who had four sons. He wanted his sons to learn to not judge things too quickly. So he sent them each, in turn, to go and look at a fruit tree that was a great distance away. The first son went in the winter, the second in the spring, the third in summer, and the youngest son in the autumn.
When they had all gone and came back, he called them together to describe what they had seen. The first son said that the tree was ugly, bent, and twisted. The second son said it was covered with green buds and full of promise. The third son disagreed, he said it was laden with blossoms that smelled so sweet and looked so beautiful, it was the most graceful thing he had ever seen. The last son disagreed with all of them; he said it was ripe and drooping with fruit, full of life and fulfillment.
The man then explained to his sons that they were all right, because they had each seen but only one season in the tree's life. He told them that they cannot judge a tree, or a person, by only one season, and that the essence of who they are and the joy and love that come from that life, can only be measured at the end, when all the seasons are up.
If we give up when it's winter, then we will miss the promise of our spring, the beauty of our summer, the fulfillment of our autumn. So don't let the pain of one season destroy the joy of all the rest.
So in the face of an apparent rejection from Jesus, the Canaanite woman persevered, persisted and was witty, and she also taught us something about prayer.
She interceded with Jesus not for herself but for her daughter. But of course, the healing of her daughter also benefitted her.
Which makes us think about who and what is the priority in our prayer list. If it is “me, I and my needs” then that is a bit like betting on 4D and hoping to strike the first prize. We might just be left waiting for a long time.
Yes, prayer should be persisting, persevering and even witty, but it must be for others, for Christians as well as for non-Christians, for all peoples, because as we come to church today, God is telling us this in the 1st reading: For my house will be called a house of prayer for all peoples.
Just as the Canaanite woman interceded for her daughter, her faith in God was also strengthened.
When we pray for others, we are actually asking God to feed them first and that we will be satisfied with whatever that falls off the table.
That may sound rather sacrificial, but as Pope Pius XII said: The salvation of many depends on the sacrifices and prayers of a few.
Let us be that few who will make that sacrifice and prayer, so that all peoples will come to know the love of God and be saved.
May we take some inspiration from that Canaanite woman and may she also pray for us.
Friday, August 18, 2017
19th Week, Ordinary Time, Saturday, 19-08-17
Joshua 24:12-29 / Matthew 19:13-15
To say that someone is going through a "second childhood" is certainly not that positive. In fact, it is rather insulting and demeaning.
Because a "second childhood" usually refers to a person of advanced age who talks and behaves in a childish manner that irritates others and also is a nuisance and causes inconvenience to others.
Furthermore, the deterioration of mental abilities would also aggravate the matter.
In the 1st reading, we heard that Joshua died at a hundred and ten years old. That was a really advanced age but his mental alertness and awareness were certainly not diminished.
He urged Israel in his exhortation to remember the marvels the Lord had done for them and he challenged the people to make a decision to choose who they wish to serve.
Joshua himself remembered what the Lord had done for him in empowering him to lead Israel to conquer the enemies before them and to occupy their land.
He had been a great military commander who had lead Israel to many victories but that was not important to him any more.
At a hundred and ten years old, he had come to a humility and a simplicity of a child and he knew that he and his household only wanted to serve the Lord and be His children.
As Jesus said in the gospel, the kingdom of God belongs to little children who have the humility and simplicity to trust in the Lord in all things.
Let us pray for the humility and simplicity of a little child to trust in the Lord. That is what is needed first in order to serve the Lord.
To say that someone is going through a "second childhood" is certainly not that positive. In fact, it is rather insulting and demeaning.
Because a "second childhood" usually refers to a person of advanced age who talks and behaves in a childish manner that irritates others and also is a nuisance and causes inconvenience to others.
Furthermore, the deterioration of mental abilities would also aggravate the matter.
In the 1st reading, we heard that Joshua died at a hundred and ten years old. That was a really advanced age but his mental alertness and awareness were certainly not diminished.
He urged Israel in his exhortation to remember the marvels the Lord had done for them and he challenged the people to make a decision to choose who they wish to serve.
Joshua himself remembered what the Lord had done for him in empowering him to lead Israel to conquer the enemies before them and to occupy their land.
He had been a great military commander who had lead Israel to many victories but that was not important to him any more.
At a hundred and ten years old, he had come to a humility and a simplicity of a child and he knew that he and his household only wanted to serve the Lord and be His children.
As Jesus said in the gospel, the kingdom of God belongs to little children who have the humility and simplicity to trust in the Lord in all things.
Let us pray for the humility and simplicity of a little child to trust in the Lord. That is what is needed first in order to serve the Lord.
Thursday, August 17, 2017
19th Week, Ordinary Time, Friday, 18-08-17
Joshua 24:1-13 / Matthew 19:3-12
Fairy-tale marriages usually end with "and they lived happily ever after".
Of course we hope and pray that all marriages will be like that, and not just those fairy-tale marriages.
But it is not just with marriages, but in whatever state in life, whether single, or widowed, or religious or priesthood, we want to live happily ever after.
In the 1st reading, Joshua gathered all the tribes together with the elders, leaders, judges and scribes before the Lord.
They had already crossed into the Promised Land and they have overcome their enemies and were beginning to settle down.
And that's when Joshua reminded them that it was not the work of their sword or their bow. Moreover, the Lord gave them a land where they had not toiled, they lived in towns they never built, they ate from vineyard and olive groves they never planted.
In short, God had entered into a covenant with them and blessed them. Where once they were a people wondering in the desert, now they have a land of their own. Once, they were eating only manna and quails. Now, they are in land flowing with milk and honey.
So they would live happily ever after. They should. What more could they ask for? But when we read the Old Testament as well as the New Testament, we know what happened when they were settled down.
They were unfaithful to God, they broke the covenant, turned to idolatry, and did all sorts of things that displeased God. They did not live happily ever after. and it was all their doing.
In the gospel, Jesus gave a teaching about marriage in response to a question about divorce. He reiterated that from the beginning God blessed marriage and married couples can live happily ever after.
But it is not just with marriage. In every vocation and in every state of life, we are also called to a life of happiness.
But this happiness can only be achieved when the building of God's kingdom is the objective and purpose in the vocation and state of life that we are in.
Then with God's blessings, we will live happily ever after.
Fairy-tale marriages usually end with "and they lived happily ever after".
Of course we hope and pray that all marriages will be like that, and not just those fairy-tale marriages.
But it is not just with marriages, but in whatever state in life, whether single, or widowed, or religious or priesthood, we want to live happily ever after.
In the 1st reading, Joshua gathered all the tribes together with the elders, leaders, judges and scribes before the Lord.
They had already crossed into the Promised Land and they have overcome their enemies and were beginning to settle down.
And that's when Joshua reminded them that it was not the work of their sword or their bow. Moreover, the Lord gave them a land where they had not toiled, they lived in towns they never built, they ate from vineyard and olive groves they never planted.
In short, God had entered into a covenant with them and blessed them. Where once they were a people wondering in the desert, now they have a land of their own. Once, they were eating only manna and quails. Now, they are in land flowing with milk and honey.
So they would live happily ever after. They should. What more could they ask for? But when we read the Old Testament as well as the New Testament, we know what happened when they were settled down.
They were unfaithful to God, they broke the covenant, turned to idolatry, and did all sorts of things that displeased God. They did not live happily ever after. and it was all their doing.
In the gospel, Jesus gave a teaching about marriage in response to a question about divorce. He reiterated that from the beginning God blessed marriage and married couples can live happily ever after.
But it is not just with marriage. In every vocation and in every state of life, we are also called to a life of happiness.
But this happiness can only be achieved when the building of God's kingdom is the objective and purpose in the vocation and state of life that we are in.
Then with God's blessings, we will live happily ever after.
Wednesday, August 16, 2017
19th Week, Ordinary Time, Thursday, 17-08-17
Joshua 3:7-11, 13-17 / Matthew 18:21 - 19:1
To cross a river is certainly not an easy task. Rivers may vary in width but a river is still a river and there are also undercurrents that may not be noticeable on the surface of the water.
The 1st reading recalls the Israelites crossing the Jordan river into the Promised Land. Though it may not be as dramatic as when they crossed the Red Sea, nonetheless a river is still a river, and with the waters being stopped for the Israelites to cross over, then a miracle is still a miracle.
What is important is that it was the Lord who paved the way for them. It was He who stopped the flowing waters of the river when the priests carrying the ark of the covenant set their feet in the waters of the Jordan river.
And the ark of the covenant remained in the middle of the river until the whole nation had crossed over.
A spiritual aspect that can be drawn from this river crossing is that the Lord God must be our first, our last, and our in-between option whenever we have to make decisions as to which direction to take or what to do.
More often that not, we turn to the Lord as our last option, when all other options had failed for us.
But in the crossing of the Jordan river, the ark of the covenant carried by the priests, which represents the presence of the Lord God, was the first to step into the river, and the last to step out of it.
So in the various aspects of our lives, especially in the area of forgiveness, let us turn to the Lord God to step into our hearts and to soften it so that we can cross the waters of anger, resentment and bitterness towards the peace of forgiveness and reconciliation.
May we always turn to the Lord in all things, because He wants to be our first, our last and our in-between choice.
To cross a river is certainly not an easy task. Rivers may vary in width but a river is still a river and there are also undercurrents that may not be noticeable on the surface of the water.
The 1st reading recalls the Israelites crossing the Jordan river into the Promised Land. Though it may not be as dramatic as when they crossed the Red Sea, nonetheless a river is still a river, and with the waters being stopped for the Israelites to cross over, then a miracle is still a miracle.
What is important is that it was the Lord who paved the way for them. It was He who stopped the flowing waters of the river when the priests carrying the ark of the covenant set their feet in the waters of the Jordan river.
And the ark of the covenant remained in the middle of the river until the whole nation had crossed over.
A spiritual aspect that can be drawn from this river crossing is that the Lord God must be our first, our last, and our in-between option whenever we have to make decisions as to which direction to take or what to do.
More often that not, we turn to the Lord as our last option, when all other options had failed for us.
But in the crossing of the Jordan river, the ark of the covenant carried by the priests, which represents the presence of the Lord God, was the first to step into the river, and the last to step out of it.
So in the various aspects of our lives, especially in the area of forgiveness, let us turn to the Lord God to step into our hearts and to soften it so that we can cross the waters of anger, resentment and bitterness towards the peace of forgiveness and reconciliation.
May we always turn to the Lord in all things, because He wants to be our first, our last and our in-between choice.
Tuesday, August 15, 2017
19th Week, Ordinary Time, Wednesday, 16-08-17
Deuteronomy 34:1-12 / Matthew 18:15-20
Moses truly lived to a ripe old age. Moses was a hundred and twenty years old when he died, his eye undimmed, his vigour unimpaired.
Given such assets, we may wonder why the Lord God would only let him see the Promised Land but would not let him cross into it.
Surely he would be able to lead the people into the Promised Land and lead them for a while more till they are more settled.
But Moses did not protest against the will of God. Maybe he has seen enough and he had the clarity of vision to see that it is time to step down, and even though he may have the strength to continue, it was also time to take his rest in the Lord.
He also knew what a powerful instrument the Lord God had made him into - he worked signs and wonders in Egypt; he gave the people the Law of God; he lead them through the desert.
But it was time to return to the Lord and to let Joshua take on the leadership of the people as they cross into the Promised Land.
Indeed, with undimmed eyes and unimpaired vigour, Moses set his eyes on the Lord and made that final journey back to the Lord.
So it was not with sadness or regret that Moses cannot cross into the Promised Land. It was with joy that he knew his time with his people had come to an end and his time with the Lord was going to begin.
May we too with undimmed eyes see the plan and the purpose that God has for us. May we also love the Lord with all our strength and fulfill the plan and the purpose He has for us.
Moses truly lived to a ripe old age. Moses was a hundred and twenty years old when he died, his eye undimmed, his vigour unimpaired.
Given such assets, we may wonder why the Lord God would only let him see the Promised Land but would not let him cross into it.
Surely he would be able to lead the people into the Promised Land and lead them for a while more till they are more settled.
But Moses did not protest against the will of God. Maybe he has seen enough and he had the clarity of vision to see that it is time to step down, and even though he may have the strength to continue, it was also time to take his rest in the Lord.
He also knew what a powerful instrument the Lord God had made him into - he worked signs and wonders in Egypt; he gave the people the Law of God; he lead them through the desert.
But it was time to return to the Lord and to let Joshua take on the leadership of the people as they cross into the Promised Land.
Indeed, with undimmed eyes and unimpaired vigour, Moses set his eyes on the Lord and made that final journey back to the Lord.
So it was not with sadness or regret that Moses cannot cross into the Promised Land. It was with joy that he knew his time with his people had come to an end and his time with the Lord was going to begin.
May we too with undimmed eyes see the plan and the purpose that God has for us. May we also love the Lord with all our strength and fulfill the plan and the purpose He has for us.
Monday, August 14, 2017
Assumption of the BVM, Tuesday, 15-08-17
Apocalypse 11:19; 12:1-6. 10 / 1 Cor 15:20-26 / Luke 1:39-56
When Jesus was hanging on the cross and just before He gave up His spirit, He turned to His mother and the disciple He loved standing near her, and He said to His mother, “Woman, this is your son.” (John 19:26)
Then to the disciple He said, “This is your mother.” And from that moment the disciple made a place for her in his home. After this Jesus knew that everything had now been completed. (John 19:27-28)
This beloved disciple, often identified as St. John, later took Mary to his home in Ephesus. From extra biblical sources, Mary lived there for many years before she died and was buried in a tomb.
But it didn’t just end there. These extra biblical sources also related that one of the Apostles, St. Thomas, was absent when Mary died and was buried.
When he came to Ephesus and wanting to pay his respect, he asked to see her body. But upon opening the tomb, Mary’s body was not there. Instead, there were sweet smelling flowers growing at where her body laid.
The rest of the Apostles attested that the tomb was not opened ever since Mary’s body was laid in it, and hence they concluded that God must have assumed her body into heaven along with her soul. And since they had witnessed the Ascension of Jesus into heaven, they concluded that the same thing happened to Mary.
And since Mary was conceived without sin, sin had not touched or defiled her soul, then God would not allow her body to turn to dust, but rather assumed her body to heaven to share in the glory of the Risen Christ.
Since then till now, it was the common belief in the Church that Mary’s body was assumed into heaven. But it was only in 1950, 15th August, that Pope Pius XII officially declared Mary’s Assumption as an article of faith.
In other words, the Church has boldly declared that Mary is in heaven, body and soul, a declaration that is definite and irreversible. It was a declaration not just on the authority of the Church but also under the authority of the Holy Spirit.
With this declaration, our faith in the saving power of God is reinforced. Mary is the first to be saved by the saving work of Jesus, and the first to enter heaven body and soul, hence assuring us that we too will join her one day.
At the same time, our faith in Mary’s intercession is also reinforced, because from heaven she continues to pray for us as our Heavenly Mother, a mission that she received at the foot of the cross and that she continues even in heaven.
So like the beloved disciple, let us make for Mary a place in the home of our hearts. Let us offer her our prayers and ask for her intercession.
And let us also pray with her for the salvation of all peoples. That’s what her Assumption means. That’s what being disciples of Jesus is all about.
When Jesus was hanging on the cross and just before He gave up His spirit, He turned to His mother and the disciple He loved standing near her, and He said to His mother, “Woman, this is your son.” (John 19:26)
Then to the disciple He said, “This is your mother.” And from that moment the disciple made a place for her in his home. After this Jesus knew that everything had now been completed. (John 19:27-28)
This beloved disciple, often identified as St. John, later took Mary to his home in Ephesus. From extra biblical sources, Mary lived there for many years before she died and was buried in a tomb.
But it didn’t just end there. These extra biblical sources also related that one of the Apostles, St. Thomas, was absent when Mary died and was buried.
When he came to Ephesus and wanting to pay his respect, he asked to see her body. But upon opening the tomb, Mary’s body was not there. Instead, there were sweet smelling flowers growing at where her body laid.
The rest of the Apostles attested that the tomb was not opened ever since Mary’s body was laid in it, and hence they concluded that God must have assumed her body into heaven along with her soul. And since they had witnessed the Ascension of Jesus into heaven, they concluded that the same thing happened to Mary.
And since Mary was conceived without sin, sin had not touched or defiled her soul, then God would not allow her body to turn to dust, but rather assumed her body to heaven to share in the glory of the Risen Christ.
Since then till now, it was the common belief in the Church that Mary’s body was assumed into heaven. But it was only in 1950, 15th August, that Pope Pius XII officially declared Mary’s Assumption as an article of faith.
In other words, the Church has boldly declared that Mary is in heaven, body and soul, a declaration that is definite and irreversible. It was a declaration not just on the authority of the Church but also under the authority of the Holy Spirit.
With this declaration, our faith in the saving power of God is reinforced. Mary is the first to be saved by the saving work of Jesus, and the first to enter heaven body and soul, hence assuring us that we too will join her one day.
At the same time, our faith in Mary’s intercession is also reinforced, because from heaven she continues to pray for us as our Heavenly Mother, a mission that she received at the foot of the cross and that she continues even in heaven.
So like the beloved disciple, let us make for Mary a place in the home of our hearts. Let us offer her our prayers and ask for her intercession.
And let us also pray with her for the salvation of all peoples. That’s what her Assumption means. That’s what being disciples of Jesus is all about.
Sunday, August 13, 2017
19th Week, Ordinary Time, Monday, 14-08-17
Deut 10:12-22 / Matthew 17:22-27
There are times when we find ourselves in this kind of a tricky and sticky situation - we say "Yes" to something and then we soon realize that we said yes to something that is not right.
Furthermore, we find ourselves stuck in between two parties who are unwilling to budge or give way over that matter.
Such was the situation with Peter in the gospel passage. The tax collectors told him to ask Jesus to pay the tax of the half-shekel.
He said yes to them without thinking, but then on his way to Jesus, he might have thought of kicking himself for shooting off his mouth. And now he had to face Jesus about the question of the tax.
And when he came to Jesus, he was put again into this question of taxes and again from his own mouth he found himself contradicting himself.
But fortunately for Peter, Jesus didn't want to be drawn into such a matter involving money and the paying of taxes.
And He saved Peter from being cornered in a sticky situation. But would Peter learn the lesson from this?
And would we learn a lesson from this too? The least we can learn is the 3 Ts : "Think Then Talk!"
But if we heed what Moses told the people in the 1st reading, then we can avoid those tricky and sticky situations.
"What does the Lord ask of you? Only this: to fear the Lord our God, to follow his ways, to love him, to serve the Lord your God with all your heart and all your soul, to keep the commandments and laws of the Lord that for your good that I lay down for you today."
So for today, let us think about what the Lord is asking of us and then we talk about what is the good and right thing to do.
There are times when we find ourselves in this kind of a tricky and sticky situation - we say "Yes" to something and then we soon realize that we said yes to something that is not right.
Furthermore, we find ourselves stuck in between two parties who are unwilling to budge or give way over that matter.
Such was the situation with Peter in the gospel passage. The tax collectors told him to ask Jesus to pay the tax of the half-shekel.
He said yes to them without thinking, but then on his way to Jesus, he might have thought of kicking himself for shooting off his mouth. And now he had to face Jesus about the question of the tax.
And when he came to Jesus, he was put again into this question of taxes and again from his own mouth he found himself contradicting himself.
But fortunately for Peter, Jesus didn't want to be drawn into such a matter involving money and the paying of taxes.
And He saved Peter from being cornered in a sticky situation. But would Peter learn the lesson from this?
And would we learn a lesson from this too? The least we can learn is the 3 Ts : "Think Then Talk!"
But if we heed what Moses told the people in the 1st reading, then we can avoid those tricky and sticky situations.
"What does the Lord ask of you? Only this: to fear the Lord our God, to follow his ways, to love him, to serve the Lord your God with all your heart and all your soul, to keep the commandments and laws of the Lord that for your good that I lay down for you today."
So for today, let us think about what the Lord is asking of us and then we talk about what is the good and right thing to do.
Saturday, August 12, 2017
19th Ordinary Sunday, Year A, 13.08.2017
1 Kings 19:9, 11-13 / Romans 9:1-5 / Matthew 14:22-33
The definition of fear in the dictionary is this: an unpleasant emotion caused by the threat of danger, pain, or harm; be afraid of (someone or something) as likely to be dangerous, painful, or harmful.
With fear being defined as such, one of the difficult questions to give a simple straightforward answer would be “What do we fear most?” Simply speaking, there is no one predominant fear, because we have multiple fears.
But the word “fear” can be put into an acronym that can have two meanings:
F.E.A.R. – Forget Everything And Run
F.E.A.R. – Face Everything And Rise
So depending on which we choose, we can either let fear overcome us, or we can overcome our fears.
It is said that one of the greatest fears is the fear of death. That is probably true. But it is not just the fear of death. It is also the fear of a slow, painful, lonely death that makes us cringe.
In the 1st reading, we heard that Elijah went into a cave to spend a night in it. But it was not that he couldn’t find another place to sleep in. He went into the cave because he wanted to hide.
Earlier on at Mt. Carmel, Elijah had challenged the 400 false prophets, who were under the patronage of the evil pagan queen Jezebel, to a public contest to see whose God is more powerful.
The false prophets called on their god but nothing happened. When Elijah prayed, a fire came down from heaven and consumed the sacrifice.
Having shown the might and the power of the Lord God, Elijah had all the false prophets dragged into the valley where they were put to death.
But when queen Jezebel heard about this, she issued a death warrant for Elijah, and so he fled to the wilderness and he ended up in the cave for the night.
And it was there that the Lord called out to him. But before Elijah could hear the voice of the Lord, there was chaos – there was the mighty wind, an earthquake and a raging fire.
But after the chaos came the calm – the sound of a gentle breeze – and Elijah went out to meet the Lord.
It was the fear of the wicked Jezebel and the fear of death that made Elijah flee. In his fear, Elijah wanted to forget everything and run. Surely he would have prayed to God to save him. But God also responded in a rather mysterious way.
Before speaking to Elijah in the sound of the gentle breeze, there was the mighty wind, the earthquake and the fire. Elijah had to face all this chaos before he faced God.
So out of the chaos, God reveals Himself, but we have to first face the chaos, we have to face everything before we could rise and see God in everything.
Such was also the scenario in the gospel. It was deep into the night, there was the heavy sea and in all that chaos, they even thought that Jesus was a ghost.
It was a desperate and chaotic situation, but they can’t forget everything and run, because there was nowhere to run to, other than into a watery death.
So Peter’s reaction of wanting to walk on the water towards Jesus could be a desperate attempt to get out of a desperate situation. But along the way, he was overcome by the chaos around him and he gave in to fear and lost courage and sank.
So when fear shows its face, we can forget everything and run (if there is somewhere to run to) or we can face everything and rise. But to face everything and rise would also require some courage in the chaos.
There was a recent movie called “Hacksaw Ridge” set in WW II, which is based on a true story of a drafted soldier Desmond Doss, who wanted to be a combat medic but refused to carry firearms for religious reasons.
He was ostracized by fellow soldiers for his pacifist stance but went on to earn respect and adoration for his bravery, selflessness and compassion after he risked his life, without firing a shot, to save 75 men in the Battle of Okinawa.
On the battlefield of chaos and carnage, Desmond Doss could choose to forget everything and run for his life. But he chose to face everything and run into the chaos and carnage to save his injured comrades.
One memorable line from the movie was this, as Desmond Doss was running in to save the injured soldiers, he prayed: Please Lord, help me get one more, help me get one more.
But as with most war movies, there is plenty of violence and blood, but it also about courage in the midst of chaos and carnage, and how one man faced his fears and saved others by running into the fire instead of away from it.
So did Elijah after God had spoken to him. He went back to face his fears and continued his mission of being a prophet to God’s people.
As for Peter, there is a story in which Peter was fleeing from Rome to escape persecution, but on his way meets Jesus and asked Him "Where are you going, Lord?". To which Jesus says, "If you desert My people, I am going to Rome to be crucified a second time.” Upon hearing that Peter turned back to Rome to accept his martyrdom.
So Elijah, Peter and Desmond Doss faced their fears and rose as figures of courage in the midst of chaos.
When we have to face our fears may we have the courage to run into the chaos. And when we feel that we are sinking into our fears, let us remember how Peter cried out: Lord! Save me! We will feel the saving hand of Jesus.
The definition of fear in the dictionary is this: an unpleasant emotion caused by the threat of danger, pain, or harm; be afraid of (someone or something) as likely to be dangerous, painful, or harmful.
With fear being defined as such, one of the difficult questions to give a simple straightforward answer would be “What do we fear most?” Simply speaking, there is no one predominant fear, because we have multiple fears.
But the word “fear” can be put into an acronym that can have two meanings:
F.E.A.R. – Forget Everything And Run
F.E.A.R. – Face Everything And Rise
So depending on which we choose, we can either let fear overcome us, or we can overcome our fears.
It is said that one of the greatest fears is the fear of death. That is probably true. But it is not just the fear of death. It is also the fear of a slow, painful, lonely death that makes us cringe.
In the 1st reading, we heard that Elijah went into a cave to spend a night in it. But it was not that he couldn’t find another place to sleep in. He went into the cave because he wanted to hide.
Earlier on at Mt. Carmel, Elijah had challenged the 400 false prophets, who were under the patronage of the evil pagan queen Jezebel, to a public contest to see whose God is more powerful.
The false prophets called on their god but nothing happened. When Elijah prayed, a fire came down from heaven and consumed the sacrifice.
Having shown the might and the power of the Lord God, Elijah had all the false prophets dragged into the valley where they were put to death.
But when queen Jezebel heard about this, she issued a death warrant for Elijah, and so he fled to the wilderness and he ended up in the cave for the night.
And it was there that the Lord called out to him. But before Elijah could hear the voice of the Lord, there was chaos – there was the mighty wind, an earthquake and a raging fire.
But after the chaos came the calm – the sound of a gentle breeze – and Elijah went out to meet the Lord.
It was the fear of the wicked Jezebel and the fear of death that made Elijah flee. In his fear, Elijah wanted to forget everything and run. Surely he would have prayed to God to save him. But God also responded in a rather mysterious way.
Before speaking to Elijah in the sound of the gentle breeze, there was the mighty wind, the earthquake and the fire. Elijah had to face all this chaos before he faced God.
So out of the chaos, God reveals Himself, but we have to first face the chaos, we have to face everything before we could rise and see God in everything.
Such was also the scenario in the gospel. It was deep into the night, there was the heavy sea and in all that chaos, they even thought that Jesus was a ghost.
It was a desperate and chaotic situation, but they can’t forget everything and run, because there was nowhere to run to, other than into a watery death.
So Peter’s reaction of wanting to walk on the water towards Jesus could be a desperate attempt to get out of a desperate situation. But along the way, he was overcome by the chaos around him and he gave in to fear and lost courage and sank.
So when fear shows its face, we can forget everything and run (if there is somewhere to run to) or we can face everything and rise. But to face everything and rise would also require some courage in the chaos.
There was a recent movie called “Hacksaw Ridge” set in WW II, which is based on a true story of a drafted soldier Desmond Doss, who wanted to be a combat medic but refused to carry firearms for religious reasons.
He was ostracized by fellow soldiers for his pacifist stance but went on to earn respect and adoration for his bravery, selflessness and compassion after he risked his life, without firing a shot, to save 75 men in the Battle of Okinawa.
On the battlefield of chaos and carnage, Desmond Doss could choose to forget everything and run for his life. But he chose to face everything and run into the chaos and carnage to save his injured comrades.
One memorable line from the movie was this, as Desmond Doss was running in to save the injured soldiers, he prayed: Please Lord, help me get one more, help me get one more.
But as with most war movies, there is plenty of violence and blood, but it also about courage in the midst of chaos and carnage, and how one man faced his fears and saved others by running into the fire instead of away from it.
So did Elijah after God had spoken to him. He went back to face his fears and continued his mission of being a prophet to God’s people.
As for Peter, there is a story in which Peter was fleeing from Rome to escape persecution, but on his way meets Jesus and asked Him "Where are you going, Lord?". To which Jesus says, "If you desert My people, I am going to Rome to be crucified a second time.” Upon hearing that Peter turned back to Rome to accept his martyrdom.
So Elijah, Peter and Desmond Doss faced their fears and rose as figures of courage in the midst of chaos.
When we have to face our fears may we have the courage to run into the chaos. And when we feel that we are sinking into our fears, let us remember how Peter cried out: Lord! Save me! We will feel the saving hand of Jesus.
Friday, August 11, 2017
18th Week, Ordinary Time, Saturday, 12-08-17
Deut 6:4-13 / Matthew 17:14-20
Deuteronomy 6:4 begins like this: Listen, O Israel, the Lord our God is the one Lord. You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your strength.
That exhortation is also called "The Shema". It is almost equivalent to our prayer of the "Our Father".
"Shema" means "listen". It calls for every Jew to listen to God and to love Him totally.
The aspect of listening is important not just for interpersonal relationships but also in management skills.
Because it is with good listening skills that productivity and efficiency can be achieved.
But what is important for us is that "The Shema" reminds us that listening is necessary in order to be loving.
When we really listen to someone, we will begin to feel with that person, we begin to understand that person deeper, and that would also lead us to love that person.
Similarly, when we take time out to enter into the prayer of listening in silence, we enter into the prayer of love.
It is only when we are silent, then we are ready to listen, then we are ready to love.
Deuteronomy 6:4 begins like this: Listen, O Israel, the Lord our God is the one Lord. You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your strength.
That exhortation is also called "The Shema". It is almost equivalent to our prayer of the "Our Father".
"Shema" means "listen". It calls for every Jew to listen to God and to love Him totally.
The aspect of listening is important not just for interpersonal relationships but also in management skills.
Because it is with good listening skills that productivity and efficiency can be achieved.
But what is important for us is that "The Shema" reminds us that listening is necessary in order to be loving.
When we really listen to someone, we will begin to feel with that person, we begin to understand that person deeper, and that would also lead us to love that person.
Similarly, when we take time out to enter into the prayer of listening in silence, we enter into the prayer of love.
It is only when we are silent, then we are ready to listen, then we are ready to love.
Thursday, August 10, 2017
18th Week, Ordinary Time, Friday, 11-08-17
Deut 4:32-40 / Matthew 16:24-28
If there is anything we can remember from the 1st reading, or want to remember from the 1st reading, which is from the Book of Deuteronomy, it might be this:
"Keep the laws and the commandments of God, and we will prosper and live long and be happy."
Why we might remember that, or want to remember that, is because it is a simplistic understanding of obedience to God, and it can sound rather attractive.
So it might simply mean that as long as we obey God, then God will multiply our wealth, remove sickness from us, our kids will do well in school, we will get promoted, ie. all the good things in life.
But if we disobey God, then we lose everything.
Yet, Jesus would deepen the meaning of obedience.
In the Gospel, Jesus tells that if we want to be His disciples, then we would have to renounce everything and take up our cross.
The truth that Jesus is teaching us is indeed a paradox.
For it is in letting go, that we gain; or as it is often said: Let go, and let God.
It is a difficult truth that we need to slowly come to understand.
Eventually, we must realise that obedience to God is not about gaining world riches.
Obedience to God is the realization that eternal riches are waiting for us. But while on earth, we will have to let go of whatever material gains and walk the way of Jesus, which is the way of the cross.
If there is anything we can remember from the 1st reading, or want to remember from the 1st reading, which is from the Book of Deuteronomy, it might be this:
"Keep the laws and the commandments of God, and we will prosper and live long and be happy."
Why we might remember that, or want to remember that, is because it is a simplistic understanding of obedience to God, and it can sound rather attractive.
So it might simply mean that as long as we obey God, then God will multiply our wealth, remove sickness from us, our kids will do well in school, we will get promoted, ie. all the good things in life.
But if we disobey God, then we lose everything.
Yet, Jesus would deepen the meaning of obedience.
In the Gospel, Jesus tells that if we want to be His disciples, then we would have to renounce everything and take up our cross.
The truth that Jesus is teaching us is indeed a paradox.
For it is in letting go, that we gain; or as it is often said: Let go, and let God.
It is a difficult truth that we need to slowly come to understand.
Eventually, we must realise that obedience to God is not about gaining world riches.
Obedience to God is the realization that eternal riches are waiting for us. But while on earth, we will have to let go of whatever material gains and walk the way of Jesus, which is the way of the cross.
Wednesday, August 9, 2017
St. Lawrence, Deacon and Martyr, Thursday, 10-08-17
2 Cor 9:6-10 / John 12:24-26
St. Lawrence was a deacon of the Church of Rome when Pope Sixtus was martyred along with four other deacons during the year 258.
St. Lawrence, who was temporarily in charge of the administration, was told by the authorities that if he wanted to be spared, he was to surrender all the treasures of the Church in three days' time.
So during the next three days, St. Lawrence went around gathering the poor and the needy who were supported by the Church.
Then he brought them before the authorities and he told them: These are the treasures of the Church.
Needless to say, he was taken away to be tortured to death. The account of the execution scene was morbid.
St. Lawrence was stripped and tied to a wire-mesh to be roasted over the fire.
One account has it that St. Laurence said to his torturers: You can turn me over, I am well done on this side.
But martyrdom is certainly no laughing matter, but yet even as the blood of the martyrs was poured out, the Church grew especially in those terrible times.
Because it was a blood that was willingly poured out, willingly given for the glory of God.
As the 1st reading puts it, St. Lawrence and the other martyrs sowed with their blood and their lives and they reaped the harvest of eternal life.
And as the gospel puts it, St. Lawrence gave up his life in witness to Jesus and by his death the Church reaped a rich harvest of faith.
The martyrdom of St. Lawrence reminds us that our lives are to be poured out for others so that they can grow in faith and love and be the treasures of the Church.
Hence, every sacrifice we make is like a dying to ourselves, and yet the harvest that will be reaped will make it all worth it.
St. Lawrence was a deacon of the Church of Rome when Pope Sixtus was martyred along with four other deacons during the year 258.
St. Lawrence, who was temporarily in charge of the administration, was told by the authorities that if he wanted to be spared, he was to surrender all the treasures of the Church in three days' time.
So during the next three days, St. Lawrence went around gathering the poor and the needy who were supported by the Church.
Then he brought them before the authorities and he told them: These are the treasures of the Church.
Needless to say, he was taken away to be tortured to death. The account of the execution scene was morbid.
St. Lawrence was stripped and tied to a wire-mesh to be roasted over the fire.
One account has it that St. Laurence said to his torturers: You can turn me over, I am well done on this side.
But martyrdom is certainly no laughing matter, but yet even as the blood of the martyrs was poured out, the Church grew especially in those terrible times.
Because it was a blood that was willingly poured out, willingly given for the glory of God.
As the 1st reading puts it, St. Lawrence and the other martyrs sowed with their blood and their lives and they reaped the harvest of eternal life.
And as the gospel puts it, St. Lawrence gave up his life in witness to Jesus and by his death the Church reaped a rich harvest of faith.
The martyrdom of St. Lawrence reminds us that our lives are to be poured out for others so that they can grow in faith and love and be the treasures of the Church.
Hence, every sacrifice we make is like a dying to ourselves, and yet the harvest that will be reaped will make it all worth it.
Tuesday, August 8, 2017
National Day 2017, Wednesday, 09-08-17
Isaiah 63:7-9 / Col 3:12-17 / Luke 12:22-30
*The theme for this year’s National Day Parade (NDP) is “#OneNationTogether”, a rallying call to unite all Singaporeans to stand together and overcome all odds together. ‘One Nation’ is to remind Singaporeans that regardless of origin and background, we belong as one people and one nation. It encourages Singaporeans to harness our diversity and to leave no one behind as we strive towards an even brighter future. ‘Together’ emphasises the importance of unity in times of uncertainty and challenges ahead and represents a call-to-action for all Singaporeans to overcome the odds together.
For the first time in NDP, the hash symbol (#) has been incorporated into an NDP theme, #OneNationTogether, enabling Singaporeans to share the rally call through social media. The “#” also serves as symbols of unity and home. “#” draws a close resemblance to the iconic image of four interlocking arms found in our nation’s first Orchid series $10 note launched in 1967. This symbolizes our nation’s strength in social unity and multicultural harmony. “#” is also a familiar feature in Singaporean home addresses, making “#” synonymous with the idea of home.*
* from https://www.ndp.org.sg/about
In the write-up above, the year 1967 with its associated icons are mentioned.
That was 50 years ago and since then, our country has progressed and developed in the economic and material sense and we are proud to be Singaporeans.
And as a nation we need to keep on growing in unity and integrity, with democracy, peace, progress, justice and equality, which are our country's ideals as symbolised in the country's flag.
Yet all this would not be realised if not for the spiritual dimension of the country. Just as a person has a spiritual dimension, so has a country.
In our multi-racial an multi-religious country, we not only respect other religions and appreciate the religious freedom, we also have a duty to pray for our country to grow and develop spiritually.
So we need to work hard to progress and develop in the economic and material sense. But we, as the Church also need to set our hearts on the Kingdom of God in this country, so that our country will be united in integrity, and progress in democracy, peace, justice and equality.
May our Lord God bless Singapore and may the peace of Christ reign in our country.
*The theme for this year’s National Day Parade (NDP) is “#OneNationTogether”, a rallying call to unite all Singaporeans to stand together and overcome all odds together. ‘One Nation’ is to remind Singaporeans that regardless of origin and background, we belong as one people and one nation. It encourages Singaporeans to harness our diversity and to leave no one behind as we strive towards an even brighter future. ‘Together’ emphasises the importance of unity in times of uncertainty and challenges ahead and represents a call-to-action for all Singaporeans to overcome the odds together.
For the first time in NDP, the hash symbol (#) has been incorporated into an NDP theme, #OneNationTogether, enabling Singaporeans to share the rally call through social media. The “#” also serves as symbols of unity and home. “#” draws a close resemblance to the iconic image of four interlocking arms found in our nation’s first Orchid series $10 note launched in 1967. This symbolizes our nation’s strength in social unity and multicultural harmony. “#” is also a familiar feature in Singaporean home addresses, making “#” synonymous with the idea of home.*
* from https://www.ndp.org.sg/about
In the write-up above, the year 1967 with its associated icons are mentioned.
That was 50 years ago and since then, our country has progressed and developed in the economic and material sense and we are proud to be Singaporeans.
And as a nation we need to keep on growing in unity and integrity, with democracy, peace, progress, justice and equality, which are our country's ideals as symbolised in the country's flag.
Yet all this would not be realised if not for the spiritual dimension of the country. Just as a person has a spiritual dimension, so has a country.
In our multi-racial an multi-religious country, we not only respect other religions and appreciate the religious freedom, we also have a duty to pray for our country to grow and develop spiritually.
So we need to work hard to progress and develop in the economic and material sense. But we, as the Church also need to set our hearts on the Kingdom of God in this country, so that our country will be united in integrity, and progress in democracy, peace, justice and equality.
May our Lord God bless Singapore and may the peace of Christ reign in our country.
Monday, August 7, 2017
18th Week, Ordinary Time, Tuesday (Year A), 08-08-17
Numbers 12:1-13 / Matthew 15:1-2, 12-14 (Year A)
Envy and jealousy are what we feel in our hearts whenever we feel inferior to another person.
As it is, envy and jealousy already contorts and distorts our actions and behaviour.
In the spoken form, it comes out as criticism and moral judgement.
In the 1st reading, we heard how Miriam and Aaron spoke against Moses in connection to his marriage with a Cushite woman.
There was really nothing wrong with that, but the real reason was that they were envious and jealous of Moses and they used a trivial matter to express it.
So what they said merely expressed the envy and jealousy that were biting away in their hearts.
As what Jesus said in the gospel, what goes into the mouth does not make a man unclean.
Rather it is what comes out of the mouth that really shows the state of the heart.
Hence, in our examination of conscience, it is necessary to recollect and reflect on the words that have come out of our mouths.
By our own words, we will know what is in our hearts.
May we offer our hearts to the Lord to be cleansed and healed so that our hearts will be where the Lord makes His home and that we will speak only words of love.
Envy and jealousy are what we feel in our hearts whenever we feel inferior to another person.
As it is, envy and jealousy already contorts and distorts our actions and behaviour.
In the spoken form, it comes out as criticism and moral judgement.
In the 1st reading, we heard how Miriam and Aaron spoke against Moses in connection to his marriage with a Cushite woman.
There was really nothing wrong with that, but the real reason was that they were envious and jealous of Moses and they used a trivial matter to express it.
So what they said merely expressed the envy and jealousy that were biting away in their hearts.
As what Jesus said in the gospel, what goes into the mouth does not make a man unclean.
Rather it is what comes out of the mouth that really shows the state of the heart.
Hence, in our examination of conscience, it is necessary to recollect and reflect on the words that have come out of our mouths.
By our own words, we will know what is in our hearts.
May we offer our hearts to the Lord to be cleansed and healed so that our hearts will be where the Lord makes His home and that we will speak only words of love.
Sunday, August 6, 2017
18th Week, Ordinary Time, Monday (Year A), 07-08-17
Numbers 11:4-15 / Matthew 14:22-36 (Year A)
A baby's cry is an alarm to the parents that the baby has some needs that require attention.
That is understandable because that is how a baby communicates with the world.
But when the baby starts to wail, it could mean that serious attention is needed. Moreover the wailing can be intolerable and irritating.
If that is the case with babies, then what about adults when they start wailing?
The 1st reading told us that the people of Israel began to wail, every family at the door of its tent.
The cause of the wailing was that they were clamouring for meat - "Who will give us meat to eat?"
Their wailing irritated the Lord to the extent that the anger of the Lord flared out, and Moses was also irritated to the extent that he was finding the people intolerable.
And to think that the wailing was all about the craving for meat! It is indeed difficult to understand how people would behave when they give in to their craving.
Yet in the gospel we saw a totally different kind of behaviour from Jesus when He received news about the death of John the Baptist, His relative.
He did not wail, He did not vent His anger or rave with revenge. He withdrew to a lonely place by Himself, but after that He went back to His disciples and to the people to continue His work of teaching, healing and proclaiming the Good News of the Kingdom.
Let us ask the Lord Jesus to give us grateful and thankful hearts so that we can rise above our desires and cravings and praise the Lord for all the blessings we have received.
A baby's cry is an alarm to the parents that the baby has some needs that require attention.
That is understandable because that is how a baby communicates with the world.
But when the baby starts to wail, it could mean that serious attention is needed. Moreover the wailing can be intolerable and irritating.
If that is the case with babies, then what about adults when they start wailing?
The 1st reading told us that the people of Israel began to wail, every family at the door of its tent.
The cause of the wailing was that they were clamouring for meat - "Who will give us meat to eat?"
Their wailing irritated the Lord to the extent that the anger of the Lord flared out, and Moses was also irritated to the extent that he was finding the people intolerable.
And to think that the wailing was all about the craving for meat! It is indeed difficult to understand how people would behave when they give in to their craving.
Yet in the gospel we saw a totally different kind of behaviour from Jesus when He received news about the death of John the Baptist, His relative.
He did not wail, He did not vent His anger or rave with revenge. He withdrew to a lonely place by Himself, but after that He went back to His disciples and to the people to continue His work of teaching, healing and proclaiming the Good News of the Kingdom.
Let us ask the Lord Jesus to give us grateful and thankful hearts so that we can rise above our desires and cravings and praise the Lord for all the blessings we have received.
Saturday, August 5, 2017
The Transfiguration of the Lord, Year A, 06.08.2017
Daniel 7:9-10, 13-14 / 2 Peter 1:16-19 / Matthew 17:1-9
There is one thing that we will surely notice by now, as it makes its prominence around this time of the year. We see it on HDB flats and other buildings, on the streets, on cars, and also at the entrance of the Church. Yes, it’s the Singapore flag, as we prepare to celebrate the 52nd birthday of our nation.
The flag marked the beginning of our nation and our country. Over the years, as our country progressed and developed, the flag remained unchanged as it fluttered silently on flag-poles of national and government buildings.
The flag represents who we are as Singaporeans. So even though we are a multi-racial and multi-religious country, we are bounded in unity as symbolized by the upper red section of the flag. The lower white section represents purity and virtue.
The crescent moon represents a rising young nation, while the five stars depict Singapore’s ideals of democracy, peace, progress, justice and equality. In short, the flag reminds us of who we are as Singaporeans and what Singapore should be.
And we acknowledge the emotions that are stirred up in our hearts when the state flag is hoisted and the national anthem is sung. And one of those recent moments was when Joseph Schooling won the gold medal in the swimming event at the 2016 Olympics. We were proud to be Singaporeans.
It was a glorious “remembered moment”. So whenever the flag is hoisted up, it recalls for us all those “remembered moments” of our country.
Today, the Church celebrates a “remembered moment” in the life of Jesus, and it is celebrated in the feast of the Transfiguration.
In the presence of His three disciples, Jesus was transfigured – His face shone like the sun, and His clothes became as white as the light.
It was a moment in the life of Jesus that was recorded in the gospels of Matthew, Mark and Luke, and St. Peter also recalled it in his letter in the 2nd reading.
But just as we need to know the meaning of the symbols of the flag in order to understand what it represents, we also need to know the purpose of the Transfiguration.
The Transfiguration reminds us of what we are created for and what we are to be eternally. In other words, we are created to have faces that shine like the sun and with hearts that are as white as the light.
The Transfiguration of Jesus is a “remembered moment” because it recalls for us who we are and what we are to be.
But in the drudgery of life, our memory becomes dimmed, and the shine begins to fade.
Coupled with the troubles of life, we succumb to the temptations of the devil and we get discouraged and we slowly begin to get disfigured.
The sun in our faces get covered by dark storm-clouds, and the light in our hearts fade and give way to darkness.
Discouragement and distress can cause disfiguration, but the Transfiguration of the Lord tells us that it can be different, and it must be different.
We see some examples of this in the Bible:
- When the Israelites were caught in the distressful situation between the Red Sea and the Egyptian army, they wailed in terror. But Moses told them, “God will fight your battles for you” (Ex 14:14). How? The Red Sea parted and the Israelites crossed over but the Egyptians were drowned in the sea.
- David, the one who brought down Goliath, was pursued and hunted by king Saul. Then David had the opportunity to take his revenge when Saul was sleeping alone in a cave. But he said, “I shall not harm the Lord’s anointed” (1 Sam 26:9). David later became Israel’s greatest king.
- St. Augustine, after his conversion from a life of debauchery, wrote this: Our hearts are made for you O God, and they shall not rest until they rest in you.
These are just some of the “remembered moments” from the Bible and from the lives of the saints, and they tell us that things can be different and must be different.
The disfiguration caused by discouragement and distress can be healed by these “remembered moments” and the Transfiguration of the Lord brings about that healing for us.
Last Friday, 4th August, was the feast-day of St. John Vianney, Patron Saint of all Priests, who was also known for his ministry as a confessor.
There is this story from his early days as a seminarian. John Vianney was called up by the Rector of the Major Seminary where he was studying for the priesthood, to inform him of the negative report he received from his professors.
The Rector said: “John, your teachers don’t think you have what it takes to be ordained a priest and they cannot in good conscience present you for ordination. One professor in particular went on record saying that you are as dumb as a donkey!”
But John Vianney, was not perplexed at all. After a moment of silence, he replied: “Father Rector, do you remember the story in chapter 15 of the book of Judges, where God used Samson to kill a thousand Philistines with the jawbone of a donkey, thus saving the people of Israel?”
“Of course I do” answered the Rector. John Vianney continued, “If God could work such a wonderful deed with the jawbone of a donkey, can you imagine what God can accomplish with a total donkey?”
Indeed, it was another “remembered moment” and indeed God transfigured a “dumb as a donkey” John Vianney into the Patron Saint of all Priests.
So the Transfiguration of the Lord is not a cleverly invented myth that is repeated year after year.
The Transfiguration brings about the healing of the disfiguration caused by discouragement and distress.
The Transfiguration of the Lord also encourages us to recall those “remembered moments” in the Bible and also in the lives of the saints.
May those “remembered moments” make our faces shine like the sun and may our hearts be white as the light.
There is one thing that we will surely notice by now, as it makes its prominence around this time of the year. We see it on HDB flats and other buildings, on the streets, on cars, and also at the entrance of the Church. Yes, it’s the Singapore flag, as we prepare to celebrate the 52nd birthday of our nation.
The flag marked the beginning of our nation and our country. Over the years, as our country progressed and developed, the flag remained unchanged as it fluttered silently on flag-poles of national and government buildings.
The flag represents who we are as Singaporeans. So even though we are a multi-racial and multi-religious country, we are bounded in unity as symbolized by the upper red section of the flag. The lower white section represents purity and virtue.
The crescent moon represents a rising young nation, while the five stars depict Singapore’s ideals of democracy, peace, progress, justice and equality. In short, the flag reminds us of who we are as Singaporeans and what Singapore should be.
And we acknowledge the emotions that are stirred up in our hearts when the state flag is hoisted and the national anthem is sung. And one of those recent moments was when Joseph Schooling won the gold medal in the swimming event at the 2016 Olympics. We were proud to be Singaporeans.
It was a glorious “remembered moment”. So whenever the flag is hoisted up, it recalls for us all those “remembered moments” of our country.
Today, the Church celebrates a “remembered moment” in the life of Jesus, and it is celebrated in the feast of the Transfiguration.
In the presence of His three disciples, Jesus was transfigured – His face shone like the sun, and His clothes became as white as the light.
It was a moment in the life of Jesus that was recorded in the gospels of Matthew, Mark and Luke, and St. Peter also recalled it in his letter in the 2nd reading.
But just as we need to know the meaning of the symbols of the flag in order to understand what it represents, we also need to know the purpose of the Transfiguration.
The Transfiguration reminds us of what we are created for and what we are to be eternally. In other words, we are created to have faces that shine like the sun and with hearts that are as white as the light.
The Transfiguration of Jesus is a “remembered moment” because it recalls for us who we are and what we are to be.
But in the drudgery of life, our memory becomes dimmed, and the shine begins to fade.
Coupled with the troubles of life, we succumb to the temptations of the devil and we get discouraged and we slowly begin to get disfigured.
The sun in our faces get covered by dark storm-clouds, and the light in our hearts fade and give way to darkness.
Discouragement and distress can cause disfiguration, but the Transfiguration of the Lord tells us that it can be different, and it must be different.
We see some examples of this in the Bible:
- When the Israelites were caught in the distressful situation between the Red Sea and the Egyptian army, they wailed in terror. But Moses told them, “God will fight your battles for you” (Ex 14:14). How? The Red Sea parted and the Israelites crossed over but the Egyptians were drowned in the sea.
- David, the one who brought down Goliath, was pursued and hunted by king Saul. Then David had the opportunity to take his revenge when Saul was sleeping alone in a cave. But he said, “I shall not harm the Lord’s anointed” (1 Sam 26:9). David later became Israel’s greatest king.
- St. Augustine, after his conversion from a life of debauchery, wrote this: Our hearts are made for you O God, and they shall not rest until they rest in you.
These are just some of the “remembered moments” from the Bible and from the lives of the saints, and they tell us that things can be different and must be different.
The disfiguration caused by discouragement and distress can be healed by these “remembered moments” and the Transfiguration of the Lord brings about that healing for us.
Last Friday, 4th August, was the feast-day of St. John Vianney, Patron Saint of all Priests, who was also known for his ministry as a confessor.
There is this story from his early days as a seminarian. John Vianney was called up by the Rector of the Major Seminary where he was studying for the priesthood, to inform him of the negative report he received from his professors.
The Rector said: “John, your teachers don’t think you have what it takes to be ordained a priest and they cannot in good conscience present you for ordination. One professor in particular went on record saying that you are as dumb as a donkey!”
But John Vianney, was not perplexed at all. After a moment of silence, he replied: “Father Rector, do you remember the story in chapter 15 of the book of Judges, where God used Samson to kill a thousand Philistines with the jawbone of a donkey, thus saving the people of Israel?”
“Of course I do” answered the Rector. John Vianney continued, “If God could work such a wonderful deed with the jawbone of a donkey, can you imagine what God can accomplish with a total donkey?”
Indeed, it was another “remembered moment” and indeed God transfigured a “dumb as a donkey” John Vianney into the Patron Saint of all Priests.
So the Transfiguration of the Lord is not a cleverly invented myth that is repeated year after year.
The Transfiguration brings about the healing of the disfiguration caused by discouragement and distress.
The Transfiguration of the Lord also encourages us to recall those “remembered moments” in the Bible and also in the lives of the saints.
May those “remembered moments” make our faces shine like the sun and may our hearts be white as the light.
The Transfiguration of the Lord, Year A, 06.08.2017
Daniel 7:9-10, 13-14 / 2 Peter 1:16-19 / Matthew 17:1-9
There is one thing that we will surely notice by now, as it makes its prominence around this time of the year. We see it on HDB flats and other buildings, on the streets, on cars, and also at the entrance of the Church. Yes, it’s the Singapore flag, as we prepare to celebrate the 52nd birthday of our nation.
The flag marked the beginning of our nation and our country. Over the years, as our country progressed and developed, the flag remained unchanged as it fluttered silently on flag-poles of national and government buildings.
The flag represents who we are as Singaporeans. So even though we are a multi-racial and multi-religious country, we are bounded in unity as symbolized by the upper red section of the flag. The lower white section represents purity and virtue.
The crescent moon represents a rising young nation, while the five stars depict Singapore’s ideals of democracy, peace, progress, justice and equality. In short, the flag reminds us of who we are as Singaporeans and what Singapore should be.
And we acknowledge the emotions that are stirred up in our hearts when the state flag is hoisted and the national anthem is sung. And one of those recent moments was when Joseph Schooling won the gold medal in the swimming event at the 2016 Olympics. We were proud to be Singaporeans.
It was a glorious “remembered moment”. So whenever the flag is hoisted up, it recalls for us all those “remembered moments” of our country.
Today, the Church celebrates a “remembered moment” in the life of Jesus, and it is celebrated in the feast of the Transfiguration.
In the presence of His three disciples, Jesus was transfigured – His face shone like the sun, and His clothes became as white as the light.
It was a moment in the life of Jesus that was recorded in the gospels of Matthew, Mark and Luke, and St. Peter also recalled it in his letter in the 2nd reading.
But just as we need to know the meaning of the symbols of the flag in order to understand what it represents, we also need to know the purpose of the Transfiguration.
The Transfiguration reminds us of what we are created for and what we are to be eternally. In other words, we are created to have faces that shine like the sun and with hearts that are as white as the light.
The Transfiguration of Jesus is a “remembered moment” because it recalls for us who we are and what we are to be.
But in the drudgery of life, our memory becomes dimmed, and the shine begins to fade.
Coupled with the troubles of life, we succumb to the temptations of the devil and we get discouraged and we slowly begin to get disfigured.
The sun in our faces get covered by dark storm-clouds, and the light in our hearts fade and give way to darkness.
Discouragement and distress can cause disfiguration, but the Transfiguration of the Lord tells us that it can be different, and it must be different.
We see some examples of this in the Bible:
- When the Israelites were caught in the distressful situation between the Red Sea and the Egyptian army, they wailed in terror. But Moses told them, “God will fight your battles for you” (Ex 14:14). How? The Red Sea parted and the Israelites crossed over but the Egyptians were drowned in the sea.
- David, the one who brought down Goliath, was pursued and hunted by king Saul. Then David had the opportunity to take his revenge when Saul was sleeping alone in a cave. But he said, “I shall not harm the Lord’s anointed” (1 Sam 26:9). David later became Israel’s greatest king.
- St. Augustine, after his conversion from a life of debauchery, wrote this: Our hearts are made for you O God, and they shall not rest until they rest in you.
These are just some of the “remembered moments” from the Bible and from the lives of the saints, and they tell us that things can be different and must be different.
The disfiguration caused by discouragement and distress can be healed by these “remembered moments” and the Transfiguration of the Lord brings about that healing for us.
Last Friday, 4th August, was the feast-day of St. John Vianney, Patron Saint of all Priests, who was also known for his ministry as a confessor.
There is this story from his early days as a seminarian. John Vianney was called up by the Rector of the Major Seminary where he was studying for the priesthood, to inform him of the negative report he received from his professors.
The Rector said: “John, your teachers don’t think you have what it takes to be ordained a priest and they cannot in good conscience present you for ordination. One professor in particular went on record saying that you are as dumb as a donkey!”
But John Vianney, was not perplexed at all. After a moment of silence, he replied: “Father Rector, do you remember the story in chapter 15 of the book of Judges, where God used Samson to kill a thousand Philistines with the jawbone of a donkey, thus saving the people of Israel?”
“Of course I do” answered the Rector. John Vianney continued, “If God could work such a wonderful deed with the jawbone of a donkey, can you imagine what God can accomplish with a total donkey?”
Indeed, it was another “remembered moment” and indeed God transfigured a “dumb as a donkey” John Vianney into the Patron Saint of all Priests.
So the Transfiguration of the Lord is not a cleverly invented myth that is repeated year after year.
The Transfiguration brings about the healing of the disfiguration caused by discouragement and distress.
The Transfiguration of the Lord also encourages us to recall those “remembered moments” in the Bible and also in the lives of the saints.
May those “remembered moments” make our faces shine like the sun and may our hearts be white as the light.
There is one thing that we will surely notice by now, as it makes its prominence around this time of the year. We see it on HDB flats and other buildings, on the streets, on cars, and also at the entrance of the Church. Yes, it’s the Singapore flag, as we prepare to celebrate the 52nd birthday of our nation.
The flag marked the beginning of our nation and our country. Over the years, as our country progressed and developed, the flag remained unchanged as it fluttered silently on flag-poles of national and government buildings.
The flag represents who we are as Singaporeans. So even though we are a multi-racial and multi-religious country, we are bounded in unity as symbolized by the upper red section of the flag. The lower white section represents purity and virtue.
The crescent moon represents a rising young nation, while the five stars depict Singapore’s ideals of democracy, peace, progress, justice and equality. In short, the flag reminds us of who we are as Singaporeans and what Singapore should be.
And we acknowledge the emotions that are stirred up in our hearts when the state flag is hoisted and the national anthem is sung. And one of those recent moments was when Joseph Schooling won the gold medal in the swimming event at the 2016 Olympics. We were proud to be Singaporeans.
It was a glorious “remembered moment”. So whenever the flag is hoisted up, it recalls for us all those “remembered moments” of our country.
Today, the Church celebrates a “remembered moment” in the life of Jesus, and it is celebrated in the feast of the Transfiguration.
In the presence of His three disciples, Jesus was transfigured – His face shone like the sun, and His clothes became as white as the light.
It was a moment in the life of Jesus that was recorded in the gospels of Matthew, Mark and Luke, and St. Peter also recalled it in his letter in the 2nd reading.
But just as we need to know the meaning of the symbols of the flag in order to understand what it represents, we also need to know the purpose of the Transfiguration.
The Transfiguration reminds us of what we are created for and what we are to be eternally. In other words, we are created to have faces that shine like the sun and with hearts that are as white as the light.
The Transfiguration of Jesus is a “remembered moment” because it recalls for us who we are and what we are to be.
But in the drudgery of life, our memory becomes dimmed, and the shine begins to fade.
Coupled with the troubles of life, we succumb to the temptations of the devil and we get discouraged and we slowly begin to get disfigured.
The sun in our faces get covered by dark storm-clouds, and the light in our hearts fade and give way to darkness.
Discouragement and distress can cause disfiguration, but the Transfiguration of the Lord tells us that it can be different, and it must be different.
We see some examples of this in the Bible:
- When the Israelites were caught in the distressful situation between the Red Sea and the Egyptian army, they wailed in terror. But Moses told them, “God will fight your battles for you” (Ex 14:14). How? The Red Sea parted and the Israelites crossed over but the Egyptians were drowned in the sea.
- David, the one who brought down Goliath, was pursued and hunted by king Saul. Then David had the opportunity to take his revenge when Saul was sleeping alone in a cave. But he said, “I shall not harm the Lord’s anointed” (1 Sam 26:9). David later became Israel’s greatest king.
- St. Augustine, after his conversion from a life of debauchery, wrote this: Our hearts are made for you O God, and they shall not rest until they rest in you.
These are just some of the “remembered moments” from the Bible and from the lives of the saints, and they tell us that things can be different and must be different.
The disfiguration caused by discouragement and distress can be healed by these “remembered moments” and the Transfiguration of the Lord brings about that healing for us.
Last Friday, 4th August, was the feast-day of St. John Vianney, Patron Saint of all Priests, who was also known for his ministry as a confessor.
There is this story from his early days as a seminarian. John Vianney was called up by the Rector of the Major Seminary where he was studying for the priesthood, to inform him of the negative report he received from his professors.
The Rector said: “John, your teachers don’t think you have what it takes to be ordained a priest and they cannot in good conscience present you for ordination. One professor in particular went on record saying that you are as dumb as a donkey!”
But John Vianney, was not perplexed at all. After a moment of silence, he replied: “Father Rector, do you remember the story in chapter 15 of the book of Judges, where God used Samson to kill a thousand Philistines with the jawbone of a donkey, thus saving the people of Israel?”
“Of course I do” answered the Rector. John Vianney continued, “If God could work such a wonderful deed with the jawbone of a donkey, can you imagine what God can accomplish with a total donkey?”
Indeed, it was another “remembered moment” and indeed God transfigured a “dumb as a donkey” John Vianney into the Patron Saint of all Priests.
So the Transfiguration of the Lord is not a cleverly invented myth that is repeated year after year.
The Transfiguration brings about the healing of the disfiguration caused by discouragement and distress.
The Transfiguration of the Lord also encourages us to recall those “remembered moments” in the Bible and also in the lives of the saints.
May those “remembered moments” make our faces shine like the sun and may our hearts be white as the light.
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