All Saints Day, Monday, 01-11-2021

Apocalypse 7:2-4, 9-14 / 1 John 3:1-3 / Matthew 5:1-12  

The Church is called to be a sign of salvation and a source of blessing for the world. 

It comes from the Old Testament tradition where God blessed Abraham, Isaac and Jacob and they in turn blessed their descendants. 

So, in the Church, there is a blessing at the end of the Mass, a Benediction at Devotions, blessings for people celebrating occasions and in various needs. 

Today we celebrate the Saints who have received the blessings of the glory of eternal life in heaven. 

But even while on Earth, the Saints receive blessings from God and they in turn were a blessing for the Church and for the world. 

They were called and blessed by God to be instruments for the renewal of faith, service to the poor and needy and reconciliation between God and man. 

In short, the Saints were signs of God's presence and holiness when they were on Earth. 

Even now in heaven, the Saints are still a channel of God's blessings for us as they pray for us and help us along in the way of salvation. 

And just as the Saints were blessed by God and called to be a blessing for others when they were on Earth, we are also blessed by God and called to be a blessing for others. 

So, we are called to be a blessing for those who like us, for those who dislike us, for those who are good to us, for those who are not good to us. 

The gospel message is also known as the Beatitudes, which means blessings. 

So, God’s blessings come in abundance for those who are gentle, those who do what is right and good, those who are merciful, those who are pure in heart and for those who strive to be peacemakers. 

God blesses those who walk in His ways, just as the Saints were blessed when they were on Earth.

 

And just as the Saints were a channel of God's blessings for the Church and for the world, we too are called to be a blessing for others. 

The Saints are a blessing for us and they are also praying for us that one day we will join them in heaven to praise and glorify the Lord. 

Our mission on Earth is to be a blessing for others, so that they too will receive the gift of salvation. 

May the Saints pray for us that we will fulfill our mission and lead others to heaven.

31st Ordinary Sunday, 31.10.2021

Deut 6:2-6 / Hebrews 7:23-28 / Mark 12:28-34

As the month of October comes to a close, it may seem that this month has been a rather long month. 

There were a few things that weighed us down and we may feel that the going is rather heavy. 

The exams are ongoing and certainly the students and their parents are anxiously waiting for it to end. 

Then the “Stabilizing Phase” has been extended for another month, and we sigh and we can forget about trying to predict how things will turn out. 

And then last weekend, our church has to close and suspend Masses because of a Covid positive case, but thank God we are cleared for this weekend. 

All these are like “knee-jerkers” in that we want to go on but we had to jam the brakes and then start picking up again. 

If October seems long and heavy, then November may be the silver lining in the dark clouds. 

Next Thursday is a public holiday so that is something to be happy about. 

And then on Monday is All Saints Day, a day to remember our favourite Saints and to ask them to pray for us. 

And if we ever had that privilege of encountering a Saint, then it is truly a blessing. 

We may remember that Pope John Paul II visited Singapore in 1986 (November 20th 1986) and he is now a Saint. 

Mother Teresa also visited Singapore in 1987. If we had a personal encounter with those two Saints, it would have been a life-changing event. 

That brings us to the next day which is All Souls Day, and we remember our departed loved ones. They too had made a mark in our lives and we will surely remember them. 

Whether it is a personal encounter with a saint or a fond memory of the departed, we remember with love, and it makes us turn to God who is the source of all love. 

In the gospel, Jesus states the two great Commandments, and the first is this: You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind and with all your strength. 

And the second is this, that you must love your neighbour as yourself. 

These two Commandments complement each other. They are like the two sides of the same coin. 

To love God is to love neighbour. To love God whom we can’t see is to love our neighbour whom we can see.

A religious nun was writing about her vocation story and she recalled a childhood experience that probably planted the seed for her vocation. She wrote: 

I never liked Tracy, though she lived two doors from me, and she is about my age. I thought she looked funny and strange (later I came to know that she has “Downs Syndrome”). I never liked to talk to her, much less play with her.  

One day, my mum invited her and her mother over for lunch. My mother made me sit directly across the table to Tracy. I frowned and showed my displeasure but my mum glared at me and she was not going to change the seating arrangement.

I sulked over my lunch. After lunch came the dessert which is mango pie, which was my favourite. My elder brother knew that I was sulking and to taunt me further, took a double share of the pies. There was a piece for everyone at table, no more, no less.

When the tray of pies was handed to Tracy, there was only one piece left and it was obviously for her. Tracy looked around the table and she looked at my empty plate. And then she passed the tray with that last piece of mango pie to me and said only two words, “You take”.

I felt terrible then, but I took it. But something in me made me cut that piece of pie into half and I gave one half to Tracy.

When I did that, something strange happened to me. Tracy didn’t look funny anymore, neither did she look strange. She has become my friend. That was one of my early experiences of love for neighbour.

It is a nice and heartwarming story that tells us that when we love our neighbor, God’s love will grow greater in us. Yes, love for God and love for neighbor are the two sides of the same coin.

Our departed loved ones may bring back fond memories for us. We will also remember those moments when we could have loved them more but we were either too busy or in a hurry. 

Those phone calls from our parents, especially from our mothers, are moments that they want to tell us that they care for us. 

But our conversations with them are often brief and hurried, and we will recall those moments when we cut it short by saying, “Sorry Mum, but I am busy now. I have to go.” 

We remember now, how our mothers would have felt, especially when they have passed on. 

But whether it is our mothers, or fathers or neighbours, let it be written in our hearts that we must love them. 

How we love on Earth will be echoed in heaven. 

Let us remember that nothing is as important as loving God in our neighbour.

When we do that, Jesus will tell us that we are not far from the kingdom of God.

30th Week, Ordinary Time, Saturday, 30-10-2021

Romans 11:1-2, 11-12, 25-29 / Luke 14:1, 7-11    

One of the ways to gain experience is to make mistakes, so that we can learn from them.

It can be rather painful to make mistakes but we can be sure that we will learn and gain the experience.

Another way is to learn from the mistakes of others, and to be wise enough not to make those mistakes.

In the 1st reading, St. Paul asked this question: Have the Jews fallen for ever, or have they just stumbled in disobedience and unfaithfulness?

He goes on to say that obviously they have not fallen for ever.

Their fall, though, has saved the pagans in a way the Jews may now well emulate.

So the pagans gained by learning from the mistakes of disobedience and unfaithfulness made by God's Chosen People.

We too should learn from the mistakes of others and learn to be humble instead of being proud.

To be humble is certainly more beneficial than to be humiliated.

30th Week, Ordinary Time, Friday, 29-10-2021

Romans 9:1-5 / Luke 14:1-6   

Traditionally speaking, Friday is a day of penance and so Catholics practice abstinence, and some may even practice fasting, although it is not obligatory.

The purpose of penance is to atone for our sins and for the sins of the Church and the world.

It is also for the conversion of sinners, as well as for our own ongoing conversion.

With all that said, then penance is to be seen not just for ourselves but for others as well.

In the 1st reading, St. Paul talks about the extent of the penance he was willing to do for the conversion of his people.

His sorrow is so great, his mental anguish so endless, that he would willingly be condemned and be cut off from Christ if it could his people.

If that is what St. Paul was willing to do for the conversion of his people, then we may want to take a serious look at our understanding of penance and how we are doing it.

Besides doing penance for our good, penance is also our Christian duty for others.

God loves a humble and contrite heart. God also loves a heart that is willing to do penance for the good of others.

Just as Jesus sacrificed Himself on the Cross to save us, may our penance also bring about blessings on ourselves and on others.

Sts. Simon and Jude, Apostles, Thursday, 28-10-2021

Ephesians 2:19-22 / Luke 6:12-19   

Jesus had a number of disciples. Out of those disciples He chose 12 Apostles.

A disciple is a student who learns from a teacher.

An apostle is sent to deliver those teachings to others. So "apostle" means messenger, he who is sent. An apostle is sent to deliver or spread those teachings to others.

Today we celebrate the feast of two Apostles, St. Simon the Zealot and St. Jude (or Judas son of James)

We may not know much details about the lives of these two Apostles, but we can be certain that they fulfilled their calling as apostles and went forth to proclaim the Good News of salvation.

St. Jude may have a more popular devotion than St. Simon but it reflects the fact that they are apostles and saints regardless of popularity.

They pray for us too in our need and that we will continue the mission of being witnesses to the Good News of salvation.

Let us ask for the prayers of St. Simon and St. Jude that we will be faithful to our Christian calling and always experience the blessings and protection from God.

30th Week, Ordinary Time, Wednesday, 27-10-2021

Romans 8:26-30 / Luke 13:22-30    

To be a Christian can be comforting as well as challenging.

It is comforting because Jesus is our Lord and Saviour and with Him, we can face the difficulties of life.

But it is also challenging because we have to have faith and trust in the ways of the Lord.

Jesus sends us the Holy Spirit to help us in our weakness, especially when our faith is shaken and the darkness seems to be overwhelming.

But as the 1st reading tells us, we know that by turning everything to their good, God co-operates with all those who love Him, with all those that He has called according to His purpose.

Simply, it means to see the good in everything and to give thanks to God for everything.

So even when we  face a narrow door, we know that we can't enter by our own strength.

We need the help of Jesus, and with the power of the Holy Spirit, we will see difficulty as an opportunity.

With thanksgiving, we will grow in trust and faith in the Lord, and we will then see goodness in everything and give glory to God for everything.

30th Week, Ordinary Time, Tuesday, 26-10-2021

Romans 8:18-25 / Luke 13:18-21    

In the midst of struggles and troubles, and especially in suffering, we will certainly question the meaning of life and our existence on earth.

If life is such a pain, then does life have any meaning at all?

Certainly if life is painful with suffering added to it, then there is not much meaning to life, nor to the meaning of our existence on earth,

But that is only if we do not believe in God. If we do believe in God, then there can be a response to the pains and sufferings of life.

The 1st reading says that the suffering of this life can never be compared to the glory, as yet unrevealed, which is waiting for us.

In other words, in the midst of pain and suffering on earth, we want to look beyond to the joy and peace of heaven.

And what we do on earth will be echoed in heaven.

When we accept the pain and suffering of life, we unite ourselves with the pain and sufferings of Jesus on the Cross.

By His suffering, He saved us. By uniting our sufferings with Jesus may we too be saved and may our hope of heaven be revealed to us.

30th Week, Ordinary Time, Monday, 25-10-2021

Romans 8:12-17 / Luke 13:10-17    

Whenever we think about the God that we believe in, just what few images that will come to mind?

We may see God as a God of power and might, as a Father and Provider, as a loving Father, a Good Shepherd, etc.

Certainly, all these images are connected to the God that we believe in.

The response given to the Responsorial Psalm states this: This God of ours is a God who saves.

That makes us recall that God is our Creator and He created us in His image.

Though we have sinned and distorted and disfigured that image, God sent His only Son, Jesus Christ, to save us from our sins.

God even sent the Holy Spirit to move our spirits to break free from sin.

And like the woman who was bent double and healed by Jesus, the Holy Spirit will raise us up towards God and be recreated in His image.

Let us live as children of God and show His saving love to others

Mission Sunday, Year B, 24.10.2021

Isaiah 2:1-5 / Ephesians 3:2-12 / Mark 16:15-20

There are a few important days in our lives that are significant and hold special meanings for us. 

There are, for example, birthdays and anniversaries. Those days bring back memories, and make us think about the way we were then, and the way we are now. 

It is said that there are two important and significant days in our lives. The first is the day when we were born, and the other is when we find out why. 

Certainly, we will remember our birthdays, and we will celebrate our birthdays, whether publicly or privately. 

That day has a fixed date, month and year, so in that sense it is unchangeable. And that day holds memories for us and we may also have photographs with our loved ones and friends. 

The other important and significant day, is the day that we find out why we are here in this world, and that may not have a fixed date, but we would certainly have an experience and an enlightenment. 

So, it would be good to think about and recall if we ever had such a day, or a few such days, when we become aware of the meaning of our existence. 

Today as the Church celebrates Mission Sunday, we are called to reflect upon the meaning of our lives as Christians. 

It all began with our baptism, and it would certainly be good to know the date of our baptism and where we were baptised. 

Jesus said in the gospel that he who believes and is baptized will be saved. So, it means to say that since we are baptized, then we are saved. But it may not be as simple as it sounds. 

We are called to proclaim the Good News of salvation to the world. And that is where the challenge comes in. 

To do that means that we believe in Jesus Christ Our Saviour, and we also know the meaning of our lives as Christians. 

For the disciples of Jesus, they knew what they were supposed to do. They will have the gift of tongues, they will pick up snakes in their hands, be unharmed should they drink deadly poison, they will lay their hands on the sick who will recover. 

And so, they went out to the whole world, preached everywhere, and the Lord worked with them and confirmed the word by the signs that accompanied it. 

It was an experience for the disciples, and with each experience, the meaning and conviction of their lives as Christians deepened. That was what Christianity meant for the disciples. 

So, what does Christianity and our baptism mean for us? 

Generally speaking, we were baptized with water. So, what does the waters of baptism mean to us?

A story goes that a lady went to the priest and said, "I won’t be attending church anymore."

He said, "May I ask why??"

She said, "I see people on their cell phones during the service, some are gossiping, some just not living right, they are all just hypocrites."

The priest thought for a while and he said, "Ok... But can I ask you to do something for me before you make your final decision?"

She said, "What’s that?"

He said, "Take a glass of water and walk around the church two times and don’t let any water fall out the glass."

She said, "Yes I can do that."

She came back and said "It’s done."

He asked her three questions:

1. Did you see anybody on their phone?

2. Did you see anybody gossiping?

3. Was anybody living wrong?

She said, "I didn’t see anything because I was so focused on this glass, so the water wouldn’t fall."

He told her, "When you come to Church, you should be just that focused on God , so that you don’t fall.”

Yes, we come to church to focus on God and to renew our baptismal commitment to God. 

Each of us is like holding a glass of water and we are called to share that water with others, because it is the waters of salvation that brings about healing and forgiveness. 

Some may use the waters to wash their hands, some may use it to wash their face to look refreshed, some may use the waters to wash their eyes so that they can see what they need to see, and then some will use it to wash their lives in order to experience salvation and healing. 

Whatever it may be, we hold that glass of water, the water of salvation, the water of baptism, and we give it to others for them to find out the meaning of their existence, and may they also come to know who is their Saviour. 

Let us also renew our baptismal commitment Jesus, and may our lives be refreshed with living water. 

Then let us go forth to share that living water, and the Lord Jesus will work with us, and we will see the signs that will deepen the meaning of our lives as Christians.

29th Week, Ordinary Time, Saturday, 23-10-2021

Romans 8:1-11 / Luke 13:1-9      

To say that we believe in God, it does not mean to have a blind faith.

Rather it must be a reasonable belief and we must be able to explain to a certain extent, the hope we have in what we believe.

But beside having a reasonable belief, the faith in what we believe in must also raise our minds and heart from the things of earth to the things above.

In the 1st reading, faith is described as being interested in spiritual things.

When we see the spiritual dimension of our faith, then we would be able to see the spiritual meaning of what is happening in our lives.

Things always happen for a reason, and there are no accidents.

So even like a simple parable as in the gospel has a personal message for each of us.

Let us ask the Lord for the gift of spiritual insight and we will see clearly the hand of God directing us in life.

29th Week, Ordinary Time, Friday, 22-10-2021

Romans 7:18-25 / Luke 12:54-59     

Just imagine this, a person is all alone at home and in bed.

In the middle of the night, suddenly there is the smell of smoke and the fire alarm goes off.

But instead of getting up from bed, that person buries his/her head under the pillow and refuses to do anything.

This may sound ridiculous, but that was what Jesus was saying about the people of His time.

They know how to interpret the signs of nature. But somehow they just ignore or refuse to heed the signs of the kingdom of God.

Jesus had said that the kingdom of God is within us.

That was why He asked the all-important question: Why not judge for yourselves what is right?

In the 1st reading, St. Paul made a good assessment of himself when he said that though the will to do what is good is in him, he acts against his will because of sin.

So instead of doing the good he wanted to do, he ended up doing something evil.

Despite this self-judgment, he also acknowledged who can save him from this wretched state.

Only Jesus Christ. He is THE sign of God. Let us heed this sign and act on it.

29th Week, Ordinary Time, Thursday, 21-10-2021

Romans 6:19-23 / Luke 12:49-53    

Learning and acquiring knowledge is a life long process.

Every day we learn something new about the world and the people around us.

And every day, we learn something new about ourselves and we grow in self-awareness.

All that should make us wiser, and we should be able to see what is necessary and important in life.

And as we look back at the experiences of our lives, we may recall some instances that can be rather embarrassing and maybe even regretful.

In the 1st reading, St. Paul highlights this as he says that when we were slaves to sin, we felt no obligation to righteousness.

What we got from it was nothing but experiences that made us blush and we realise how foolish we were then.

But with Jesus our Saviour, we grow in knowledge, wisdom and righteousness, and we are also presented with the gift of eternal life.

May we always remember that what is important in this life is the preparation for the eternal life.

Then we will know what is necessary in this life and strive to sanctify our lives in wisdom and righteousness.

29th Week, Ordinary Time, Wednesday, 20-10-2021

Romans  6:12-18 / Luke 12:39-48   

To love is not just only an emotion; it also requires a decision.

So whether the emotions are high or dry, the decision is to keep on loving and with that then love can be strengthened.

So love is an emotion, and more so a decision.

When it comes to temptation, it can be said that it is a distraction.

A temptation distracts us from the decision that we have made to a commitment.

The 1st reading states clearly that we cannot oscillate between a decision to be committed to God and yet entertain the distraction of the temptation to sin.

The 1st reading even urges that besides making a decision with our minds and hearts to commit ourselves to God, we should make every part of our body into a weapon fighting on the side of God.

So it is a dedication of the mind, the heart and the body to a commitment to God.

May we always make the decision for God and let us ask the Lord our God to help us stay firm on that commitment.

And may we also not let other temptation distract us from our decision.

 

29th Week, Ordinary Time, Tuesday, 19-10-2021

Romans 5:12, 15, 17-21 / Luke 6:12-18   

The number 1 can have a few interpretations.

In terms of ranking and position, to be number 1 means to be at the top and the first.

But in terms of quantity, then the number 1 is the least and the smallest.

Though the number 1 is the lowest in terms of quantity, it does not necessary mean that its effect or influence can be ignored or discounted.

As it is, one little light can dispel the darkness, and one small spark can set a whole forest on fire.

The 1st reading says that sin entered the world through one man, and through sin, death and thus death has spread through the whole human race because everyone has sinned.

That was the devastating power of the sin of just one man. And if the whole human race have sinned, the devastation can be difficult to comprehend.

But just as the effect of the sin of one man can have devastating consequences, the good act of one man brings everyone life and makes them justified.

That one man is Jesus Christ who made the sacrifice on the Cross and in doing so achieved our salvation.

And united with Jesus Christ, we are never alone or just being the only one facing the troubles and evils of life.

When we unite ourselves with the sacrifice of Jesus on that one Cross, then the number 1 can make a whole big difference.

St. Luke, Evangelist, Monday, 18-10-2021

2 Tim 4:10-17 / Luke 10:1-9    

One of the rising phenomena in the Church is the number of converts.

Where once upon a time the majority of Catholics were "cradle-Catholics", there is now a significant number of converts and they are also serving in the various ministries of the Church.

It could be because of the RCIA that gave more publicity to the process of joining the Church and getting baptised.

And it is certainly a blessing as these converts also gave a new perspective to the Church.

St. Luke, whose feast day we celebrate today, was Greek convert to Christianity.

He was also a faithful companion to St. Paul when he was in captivity, and he made it a point to mention that in the 1st reading.

St. Luke went on to write the Gospel and also the Acts of the Apostles.

In those two books, he gave a perspective that appealed to those who were thinking of joining the Church and hence made it easier for them to make the decision for Christianity.

So whether we are cradle-Catholics or converts, we have a mission like that of St. Luke, and that is to present the Good News of Jesus Christ in a way that non-Christians can find it  appealing and understandable.

They may not have read the Bible, but our lives of faith are the books that they will read in coming to know who Jesus is.

29th Ordinary Sunday, Year B, 17.10.2021

Isaiah 53:10-11 / Hebrews 4:14-16 / Mark 10:35-45

By a simple definition, Christians are disciples of Jesus. And connected to that, Christians are a people of prayer. 

The Church is often called a House of Prayer. At the same time, Christians gathered and united in prayer are also called the Church. 

So, whether we are called Church or Christians, the fundamental denominator is prayer. 

So, as Church and as Christians, what is it that we do at prayer? There are four movements in prayer and it can be expressed in the acronym ACTS. 

A is for adoration - We praise and worship the Lord our God. 

C is for contrition - We confess our guilt and ask for forgiveness. 

T is for thanksgiving - We give thanks to God for His blessings and we also want to see everything as a blessing. 

S is for supplication - We offer our needs and petitions to the Lord. 

So, when we pray and when we follow that format of the acronym ACTS, then our prayer will be focused and directed towards God. 

But when we have urgent and pressing needs, then we tend to forget that ACTS format and go straight to supplication. 

Undoubtedly, when our needs are urgent, then our needs would come first and we “storm heaven” for our needs. 

But the acronym ACTS reminds us of the first things first, and that is Adoration, Contrition, Thanksgiving and Supplication. 

In the gospel, we heard of James and John approaching Jesus and saying, “Master, we want you to do us a favor.” So James and John jumped straight into a request or petition. 

When Jesus asked them what was it that they wanted, they asked to be seated in glory at His right and left. 

And Jesus told them this: You do not know what you are asking. 

In other words, Jesus is telling James and John that what they are asking for is only for themselves and not for the good of others. 

And that also made the others feel indignant with James and John. 

But Jesus also went on to teach His disciples what to pray for, and that is, to be a servant for others. 

Because He Himself did not come to be served but to serve, and to even give His life as a ransom for many. 

And as disciples of Jesus, we the Church, will have to follow our Master, and to offer our prayers for others and our lives in service of others. 

This weekend, the local Churches all over the world, celebrate the inauguration of the Synod that was begun by Pope Francis in Rome last weekend. 

There is this phrase, “to keep an ear to the ground”. If we remember watching those old western movies, the Native Americans would go down on their hands and knees and put their ears to the ground to listen for movements in the area. 

In a sense, the Synod is a process in which the whole Church goes down on her hands and knees and listen the voices on the ground. 

But the Church can only listen clearly when her knees are knelt in prayer and her hands reach out in humble service to the poor and the lowly. 

So, in our prayer, we put aside our needs and we pray for the Holy Spirit's guidance in the Synod process, and also for those in need of God's help. 

That is also our service to others. When we pray for others in their need, God will also grant us what we need. 

When we do God's work, God will also help us to accomplish our own work.

As the Church and as disciples of Jesus, let us fulfil our calling as Christians. 

Let us lead the world in adoration of the one true God. 

Let us acknowledge that we are sinners and we pray for the conversion of sinners. 

Let us give thanks always for God's blessings so that we can be humble and grateful. 

Let that be our prayer and God will help us to take care of the rest.

28th Week, Ordinary Time, Saturday, 16-10-2021

Romans 4:13, 16-18 / Luke 12:9-12    

It is not easy to make a measurement or an assessment about faith.

There can be faith or no faith; faith can be weak or strong; faith can be simple or mystical.

Whatever the opinion is, we can be sure that faith is not static but dynamic.

Whatever the faith is, one thing that can be quite certain is that faith will be put to the test.

When faith is put to the test, then it can be seen that faith is not a concept or an idea or even a belief.

When faith is put to the test, it is expressed in a conviction and a commitment to a relationship.

And this relationship is none other than that with Jesus who is Lord and Saviour.

So when we declare Jesus is our Lord and Saviour, then Jesus Himself said that He will declare Himself for us in the presence of God's angels.

And that is the greatest blessing that we can have, and that is when Jesus calls us His good and faithful servants.

May we hold on firm to our faith in Jesus, may we openly declare that He is our Lord and Saviour and He will grant us abundant blessings

28th Week, Ordinary Time, Friday, 15-10-2021

Romans 4:1-8 / Luke 12:1-7   

No one can ever say that he has not committed any wrong-doing in his life.

Yes, we all acknowledge that we have done some kind of wrong; we all have sinned in one way or another.

We may have admitted to our guilt and confessed our sins.

In His love for us, God offers us forgiveness and wants to free us from our sins.

But somehow, the sins of our past come to haunt us now and again.

We recall and remember our sins and we feel ashamed and even burdened by it.

But if God has forgiven us, why then do the sins of our past still linger on in our lives?

Could it be that we have not really accepted God's forgiveness, and not really desired to be healed and freed from the shadows of our guilt.

It takes humility to accept God's unconditional love for us and to be healed by that love.

It is that love that makes us justified to receive salvation though we are sinners.

Let us, with humble and grateful hearts, continue to give thanks to God and to live our lives worthy of His love.

28th Week, Ordinary Time, Thursday, 14-10-2021

Romans 3:21-30 / Luke 11:47-54   

Whenever we hear about judgement and justice, what may come to mind is that there was some wrong-doing crime that was committed.

So the offenders are brought to judgement and punishment is meted out and justice is done.

That is how judgement and justice is commonly understood.

And that notion of judgement and justice may be applied when it come to religion.

When we hear about about God's judgement and justice, we may think of punishment for sin and that the sinner will have to pay for his sins.

But in the 1st reading, it said that God's justice was made known through the Law and the Prophets and it has now been revealed outside the Law.

It goes on to say that God held His hand on judgement and punishment for sin to show His mercy.

God's mercy is the expression of His justice, and God's justice was carried out when God appointed His only Son Jesus Christ to sacrifice His life  so as to win reconciliation through faith.

We all have sinned and we deserved judgement and punishment.

But through faith in Jesus, we are forgiven and justice is done through His death on the Cross.

May we not take God's mercy and love for granted and strive for reconciliation with God and with one another.

28th Week, Ordinary Time, Wednesday, 13-10-2021

Romans 2:1-11 / Luke 11:42-46     

The jigsaw puzzle is an interesting concept.

It is made up of many small  parts and when all the parts and joined together properly, then the whole big can be seen.

Usually the jigsaw puzzle would have the picture on the package that it came in. 

That would give an idea of what picture would be when all the pieces are joined together.

But there are times when would just come in a bag without any pictures, for some reason.

That would make it difficult but at the same time also interesting.

We won't know what the big picture is like until all the pieces are put together.

But as w join the pieces one by one, we will slowly come to see what the big picture is going to be like.

In the gospel, Jesus told the Pharisees that they pay tithe on mind and rue and all sorts of garden herbs and overlook the justice and love of God.

The Pharisees took the pieces one by one but did not join them to see the big picture of justice and love.

May we see that in all the little things that we do, it must be done for the love and glory of God.

Then we will be able to see the big picture and life and how others and connected to us in justice and love.

28th Week, Ordinary Time, Tuesday, 12-10-2021

Romans 1:16-25 / Luke 11:37-41   

The existence of God has been a topic of discussion as well as contention from the earliest times.

Even though there is a general belief in a Supreme Being, there are also challenges to the existence of this Supreme Being.

But from creation and from nature, the signs of the existence of God is clear enough for those who believe.

As the 1st reading puts it: Ever since God created the world, his everlasting power and deity, however invisible, have been there for the mind to see in the things he has created.

And the reading goes on to say that there is no excuse to say or think that there is no God or that God does not exist.

But for us who profess our belief in God, then we must also believe that God created us in His image.

We also believe that God loves us and He sent His only Son Jesus Christ to save us from our sins.

Hence our lives must be lived in union with the God that we believe in and our lives must be a reflection of the God that we believe in.

The question of the existence may continue to be debated. 

But the answer will be on how our lives bear witness to our belief in God and in His love for us.

28th Week, Ordinary Time, Monday, 11-10-2021

Romans 1:1-7 / Luke 11:29-32    

The Church teaches that Jesus Christ is fully human and fully divine.

That teaching is not immediately understood clearly and needs further reflection.

Throughout the history of the Church, Councils have been convened to clarify this teaching.

Heresies and schisms have also divided the Church over this teaching.

The question or problem is the tendency to propagate one nature over the other.

But in the 1st reading, St. Paul states clearly that Jesus is the Son of God, hence stating that Jesus is divine.

Yet St. Paul also states that Jesus died and rose from the dead.

That means that Jesus is also human and that He suffered pain and death as a human being.

But He rose from the dead to prove that He  is also divine.

It is for us to understand this as we journey on in life with this belief.

The Cross is the sign in which we know that Jesus suffered and hence we are able to unite our sufferings with His.

Yet the same Cross is also the sign that Jesus died to save us from our sins and rose to conquer death and sin.

Let us continue to contemplate the Cross of Christ and may we come to have a deep conviction of who Jesus is.

  

28th Ordinary Sunday, Year B, 10.10.2021

Wisdom 7:7-11 / Hebrews 4:12-13 / Mark 10:17-30

Whenever we talk about the reality, we would usually think about what we are able to perceive with our senses. 

So, the most obvious reality would be what is physical and material, and essentially that would be what we are able to see, hear, touch, smell and taste. 

And when it comes to persons, we would usually apply the same means to come to an assessment of a person. 

So, for persons, there would be psychological tests, aptitude tests, IQ tests or exams, and other scientific as well as medical tests.

No doubt, these tests show results, and these results can indicate the physical and mental state of a person. But that is only one dimension of the reality of a person. 

Because faith tells us that there is another dimension and that is the spiritual and mystical dimension. 

Data and facts show the physical states of the reality. 

But faith opens us to the spiritual dimension of the reality, so that we will be able to comprehend the whole reality. 

In the gospel, we heard of a man who ran up to Jesus, knelt before Him and put this question before Him: Good Master, what must I do to inherit eternal life? 

That man is certainly sincere and he had the faith to know that that is an eternal life and he desired for it. 

Jesus could see his sincerity and He looked steadily at him and loved him. 

Jesus also saw something in that man and so He addressed that matter when He told him: Go and sell everything you own and give the money to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then, come and follow me. 

But that man's face fell at those words and he went away sad, for he was a man of great wealth. 

It seems like for that man, there are two realities, the physical and material reality, and the spiritual reality. 

But when Jesus connected the two realities into one, the man could not comprehend or accept it. 

Yes, it takes faith and wisdom to know that that is only one reality and it has a physical as well as a spiritual dimension. 

When we can comprehend that and accept that, then we will know how to connect one dimension to the other. 

When the physical and spiritual dimensions of life are connected, then life would be how it should be lived, and that is being connected with God and with one another. 

There is this story of “The Paper House that could produce money” and it has something to teach us. 

After the exams, a Primary 5 class organized an outing. Each classmate paid $5 and a total of $200 was collected from a class of 40 students. 

The money was collected and kept by the class monitor, who was pleasant and well-mannered girl. 

But that day she cried. Because she had put the money under her desk, but when she returned after the PE lesson, the money was gone. 

She felt responsible for the loss and she couldn't be able to replace it, and she cried her heart out. 

The co-teacher was furious and she said,  “Someone from this class must have stolen the money. I am going to conduct a search on each of you.” 

Just as she was about to start, the form teacher said, “Wait a minute, let me ask a special paper house for help. It will help us to find back the money.” 

The form teacher took out a piece of paper and started to fold it into a house, complete with a window. 

She said, “Now, each one of you will be given one minute alone in the classroom with this paper house. Touch the paper house and ask it to help us find back the money.” 

The students then stepped out of the classroom and each was given a minute to spend with that paper house. 

At the end of this, all the students got back in the classroom. The form teacher put her hand into the paper house and took out a stack of money. 

The full sum of $200 was recovered. The class cheered. In a corner, sat a little boy with a grateful heart. The boy was grateful to the little paper house. The paper house had saved him from the mark of shame and guilt. 

So, on the one hand there was a theft, and the culprit must be caught and punished. That is the truth. That is the reality. 

But on the other hand, the one who stole the money could have done it in a moment of folly, but he must be given the opportunity to learn the lesson in a gentle way. That is love. That is also the reality. 

When truth and love are connected, then there will be compassion and forgiveness, there will be kindness and gentleness. 

When there is truth and love, God will be there, and what is impossible for man is not impossible for God.

27th Week, Ordinary Time, Saturday, 09-10-2021

Joel 4:12-21 / Luke 11:27-28   

As Christians, we believe that the Bible contains the Word of God.

So we must read the Bible and also study it so that we will have a good understanding of what it means.

With a proper understanding and interpretation, we will live our lives with the guidance from the Word of God that is found in the Bible.

That is why Jesus said that we will be blessed when we hear or read the Word of God and keep it.

In the 1st reading, the Word of God gave the people hope that the Lord God will save them from their enemies and protect them.

The Lord God is also telling us that He is our Lord and God.

May we be His faithful people and live according to His Word.

27th Week. Ordinary Time, Friday, 08-10-2021

Joel 1:13-15; 2:1-2 / Luke 11:15-26     

Unity can be quite difficult to achieve and even then when there is apparent unity, it can also be fragile.

There are two factors that unity can stand upon, and that is a common love and/or a common enemy.

But if there is no common love and worse still, if the enemy is within, then it can be certain that there will be serious division.

Jesus even said in the gospel that if Satan is divided, his kingdom cannot stand at all.

And if the Church is divided, then similarly, the Church cannot stand at all.

In the 1st reading, the prophet Joel urged the people to be united in prayer and penance to invoke God's protection against an impending disaster.

We too need to be united in love and in prayer to the Sacred Heart of Jesus.

And united as Church in love and prayer and with God's blessings, we will be able to stand up to any danger or enemy.

Our Lady of the Rosary, Thursday, 07-10-2021

Acts 1:12-14 / Luke 1:26-38    

For the Church to dedicate a month to the praying of the Rosary obviously means that there is something of spiritual importance that it wants to emphasise.

The feast of Our Lady of the Rosary was instituted on the 7th Oct 1571 to give thanks to God for granting the outnumbered and weaker Christian fleet a miraculous victory over the Ottoman navy at the Battle of Lepanto through the powerful intercession of Our Lady.

But even before that, the prayer of the Rosary had been a favourite prayer for the faithful, especially for the lowly and humble, because of its simplicity.

So when Pope Pius V rallied the Church to have recourse to Our Lady's intercession through the Rosary for the Christian fleet at the Battle of Lepanto, the Rosary became a popular devotional prayer.

Popes and Saints have spoken fondly and profoundly of the prayer of the Rosary as well as their devotion to Our Lady.

So it can be said that the Rosary is a tried, tested and proven prayer, and it is a prayer for all.

And since the prayer of the Rosary has stood the test of time and of every age, then all the more we should have confidence in that prayer in our time and age.

Our Lady calls out to us to pray with her the Rosary. 

We only need to be humble and childlike to pray the simple prayers of the Rosary.

And God listens to the prayers of the humble and simple and He will let them see wonders and marvels, just as He had shown the Church on the 7th October 1571.

27th Week, Ordinary Time, Wednesday, 06-10-2021

Jonah 4:1-11 / Luke 11:1-4    

When it comes to prayer, it can be said that we do pray.

Whether it is done regularly or sporadically, we pray especially in times of urgent or desperate need.

As much as personal prayer can be spontaneous, casual and informal, we also need to learn how to pray.

Because prayer is a relationship with God and we must get to know God so that our prayer can be meaningful and enriching.

In the gospel, the disciples asked Jesus to teach them how to pray.

Jesus taught them the prayer that is known as 'The Our Father" or the Lord's Prayer.

But it is not just a set of words to be recited. Its meaning has to be meditated and reflected upon so as to understand the meaning.

That  prayer helps us to understand who God is and how we can come into a relationship with Him.

That prayer also leads us to come to relate with God as our Father and to know that He loves us.

Then that prayer will also help us to be obedient and humble children of God and also to walk in the ways of Jesus.

27th Week, Ordinary Time, Tuesday, 05-10-2021

Jonah 3:1-10 / Luke 10:38-42    

The word "better" is often used in the comparative sense.

It may mean that there is something to gain or that it may be easier to accomplish.

When Jesus said that Mary had chosen the better part, we may have some ideas about what that better part is.

Of course it was better to sit at the Lord's feet and listen to Him speak, than to be busy with serving and to fret and worry over things.

But the better part is not about having it easy and comfortable and not having to worry and fret.

Rather the better part is about what God wants us to do and the better part could actually entail more difficulty.

In the 1st reading, Jonah preached to the people of Nineveh with these words: Only forty days more and Nineveh is going to be destroyed.

It would be easier to ignore the message but the people of Nineveh chose the better part, but that obviously meant choosing to renounce their evil behaviour with penance and fasting.

God wants us to choose the better part because He has good things in store for us.

But like the people of Nineveh, we must also be prepared to accept difficulties in order to receive God's blessings.

God wants to give us what is good. Let us choose the better part and not be tempted with anything lesser.

27th Week, Ordinary Time, Monday, 04-10-2021

Jonah 1:1 - 2:1, 11 / Luke 10:25-37        

There is one rather strange thing about life and it is this:

You often meet your destiny on the very road that you took to avoid it.

And when we take a moment to think about it, we will be able to see the truth in it.

Whatever we are avoiding or running away from, we seem to run into it and come face to face with it.

And when we think deeper about it, could it be God's way of telling us to face the reality of life so that we can grow and learn from it?

In the 1st reading, Jonah tried to run away from the mission that God was calling him to.

But in the end, it seems that he was running right into the hands of God.

And we don't have to look high and low to see what God wants of us.

God will send people to tell us what He wants of us, just as in the gospel parable, the wounded man was there waiting for help, and it was up to those passing by to see that it was God calling out to them to help that man.

May we open our eyes and ears to see and hear what God wants of us.

The road that God is pointing out to us may seem difficult but it is there that we will understand the ways of God.

27th Ordinary Sunday, Year B, 03.10.2021

Genesis 2:18-24 / Hebrews 2:9-11 / Mark 10:2-16

When life gets a bit cloudy and foggy, or even murky, then we certainly need to get clarity. 

And to get clarity, it is necessary to go back to basics. Going back to basics will certainly help us see the simplicity of things as well as a simplicity of life. 

There is this cute little poem about simplicity and it goes like this: Read with me A,B,C. Count with me 1, 2, 3. Sing with me Do Re Mi. 

Well, that is as simple as things can be, and that is also the foundations of the learning process, be it reading or writing or counting or singing. 

So, going back to basics is going back to the beginning and understanding the primary objectives and asking basic questions like why, where, when, who and how. 

So, the complexity of life may not seem so complicated when we are prepared to go back to basics and to go back to the beginning. 

Similarly, the difficult questions of life can be simplified when we go back to basics. 

In the gospel, some Pharisees approached Jesus and asked Him a rather tricky question, and that is whether it is against the law to divorce. 

It was a tricky and complicated question, but Jesus turned it around and went back to the beginnings and to basics. 

From the beginning of creation, God made male and female, and marriage was a Divine institution, so much so that what God has united, man must not divide. 

So, in marriage, it is God who binds the couple with His love, and their love for each other deepens the love of God in them. 

No doubt, marriage is not without challenges and difficulties, and things do get a bit rough. 

So, when marriage get a bit cloudy and foggy and murky, then it is necessary to go back to basics and go back to the beginning. 

Marriage began with love and it is founded on love, and that love has to be nurtured and deepened so that it can bear fruit in procreation and witnessing to God's love. 

And since marriage is also a Divine institution, then God's help must be invoked and prayed for. 

So, it is fundamentally necessary, for married couples, and especially when they are Christians, to pray for God's help and blessings and protection for their marriage. 

And that is not just for marriage, but for the Christian life as well. 

We are created by God, and in order to live life according to God's will, then we must invoke and pray for God's help and blessings and protection. 

As we begin the month of October, we are reminded that October is a month dedicated to Our Lady of the Rosary. 

It is a month to go back to the basics of the spiritual life and to renew our prayer life. 

And if our prayer life has gone a bit cloudy and foggy and murky, then we need to go back to the basics of prayer life with the simplicity of the prayer of the Rosary. 

The Rosary is such an effective prayer because Mother Mary prays with us in the Rosary. 

In fact she calls out to us to pray the Rosary with her. 

So, if the poem of simplicity goes with “Read with me A, B, C, count with me 1, 2, 3, and sing with me Do Re Mi, then we can also add this: Pray with Mary, pray the Rosary. 

Let us go back to the beginning, let us go back to the basics, and let us be like little simple children. 

Yes, let us be like little simple children who will listen to their Mother in her call to prayer. 

It is with simple humble prayers that marriages will be strengthened, and God will pour out His blessings and protection on His children. 

The Holy Guardian Angels, Saturday, 02-10-2021

Exodus 23:20-23 / Matthew 18:1-5, 10      

When it comes to personal belongings, it is understand as private property.

We can consider it as our very own and that we have acquired it for ourselves with our own resources.

But there are also other "belongings" that are personal and it was given to us as a special gift.

Today we give thanks to God for that special gift as we honour our Guardian Angels.

Each of us has a Guardian Angel, and we can call him our "personal" Guardian Angel.

Our Guardian Angels are given to us by God from the moment of our existence.

As the Guardian Angel Prayer goes, our Guardian Angels are committed to us, to light and guard us, and also direct and guide us.

Let us always remember to pray to our Guardian Angels in the journey of life.

And as our life comes to an end on earth, may our Guardian Angels also lead us in the journey towards heaven.