8th Week, Ordinary Time, Tuesday, -1-03-2022

1 Peter 1:10-16 / Mark 10:28-31   

In life we seem to be searching for something, we seem to be looking for something.

Whatever we are searching for or looking for, we cannot deny that it will be for our own gain.

So when we do a job, we expect to be paid. When we offer help we may expect to be thanked.

As Peter asked Jesus in the gospel, "What about us? We have left everything and followed you."

So we search and look for something to gain in whatever we do.

But the 1st reading tells us that for the prophets were looking and searching for the salvation that God promised.

But their looking and searching was not for their own gain but rather for ours.

The prophets heard the call and responded and gave themselves to the service of God for the salvation of their people.

The prophets have given us the example of self-sacrifice for the good of others.

May we do likewise, for our salvation and for the salvation of others.

8th Week, Ordinary Time, Monday, 28-02-2022

1 Peter 1:3-9 / Mark 10:17-27

Whenever we go for a funeral, or a wake, and when we look at the body of the deceased, just what are the thoughts that will go through our minds?

For us who are Christians, we want to believe that there is an after-life, that there is an eternal life.

And that eternal life will be filled with the eternal light that gives us everlasting peace and joy.

More importantly, it is an eternal life with God.

With such thoughts as these, then we will dare to look at death and know that it is just a door that opens to the eternal life of heaven.

We will look at this life on earth as a passing on, and maybe that is why when a person dies, we say that the person has passed on.

But more than just passing on, it is the Lord our God who has called the person back to the eternal home.

So our true home is not here on earth. Our true home is heaven.

Let us not be too absorbed or even obsessed with the things of earth.

Let us set our hearts on our home above. And when the Lord our God calls us home, may we peacefully and joyfully go back to our Father's mansion where there will be a room ready for us.

8th Ordinary Sunday, Year C, 27.02.2022

Ecclesiasticus 27:4-7 / 1 Cor 15:54-58 / Luke 6:39-45

It is said that eating is a favourite pastime for Singaporeans. It is not just for Singaporeans, but certainly for every nationality. 

Eating is not just a pastime. It is a necessity. We eat to live, although there are people who live to eat. 

Whatever the case may be, we will find our way to the food, or the food will find its way to us. 

As much as eating is a necessity, or even if it is a luxury, we have to be careful of what we put into our mouths. 

More than just the taste and the type of food that we put into our mouths, what is really important is the effect of the food when it goes into our digestive system. 

So, food is not just judged by its taste but by its eventual effect on our bodies and on our health. 

Hence, we have to be careful about what we eat. Not only should we not eat bad food, but we must also eat good and nutritious food. 

If that is the way to look at food, then what is the way to know what a person is really like? 

We won't be able to know what a person is like just by appearances, just as a book is not judged by its cover. 

One of the ways to know what a person is like is by the words that come out of a person's mouth. 

The 1st reading has this to tell us: “In a shaken sieve, the rubbish is left behind, so to the defects of a man appears in his talk, and the test of a man is in his conversation. A man’s words betray what he feels.”

A person may be glib with sweet talk, but those kind of words do not have any good and lasting effect on others. In other words, it is just empty talk. 

Jesus tells us this in the gospel: For a man's words flow out of what fills his heart. 

So, we can tell what a person is like by the words that comes out of his mouth. 

Whether the words are simple or sophisticated, whether the person is articulate or not, it is about the feel and the effect of that person’s words on others. 

Because what fills the heart of a person is felt by those who hear the words of that person. 

As much as that is one of the ways by which we know what a person is like, it also should make us look at what our heart is like and what fills our heart. 

Obviously, by the same measure, we would know what our heart is like by the words that come out of our mouth. 

If we find that our words are angry, sarcastic, critical, judgmental and depressive, then we know what fills our hearts and by our words we will know ourselves. 

So, as much as we must be careful about the food that goes into our mouths, we too must be careful about the words that come out of our mouths. 

As much as we taste the food to see if it is good or not, let us also taste our words to see if it will do good for others. 

Let us acknowledge that there is rubbish in our hearts, and let us ask Jesus to cleanse our hearts to make it pure and clean.

Let us keep in our hearts what is good and loving, so that our mouths will speak words of praise and thanksgiving. 

Let us ask Jesus to make His home in our hearts, so that we will speak words of peace to each other and cleanse the world of hatred and evil. 

By our words, may others know that we are a people of peace and love, and may they be able to see that Jesus lives in our hearts.

7th Week, Ordinary Time, Saturday, 26-02-2022

James 5:13-22 / Mark 10:13-16     

As Christians, we should know how important prayer is.

It is not just important for our spiritual lives, but also for our daily lives.

Because prayer is a relationship with God, and we know that He listens to our prayer.

So as the 1st reading puts it, if any one of you is in trouble, he should pray.

If anyone is feeling happy, he should sing a psalm.

If one of you is ill, he should send for the elders of the church, and they must anoint him with oil in the name of the Lord and pray over him.

So whether in good times or in bad, in sickness or in health, prayer helps us to be union with God.

But prayer also requires faith and trust in God.

We need to have the heart of a child to pray with humility and simplicity.

The Lord our God will listen to our prayer and hold us close to His heart.

7th Week, Ordinary Time, Friday, 25-02-2022

James 5:9-12 / Mark 10:1-12  

It may sound surprising, that in our daily vocabulary, we use the word "No" more often than we use the word "Yes".

The word "No" comes out of our mouth so easily and effortlessly, whereas the word "Yes" seems to take some effort.

And practically speaking, saying "No" would mean that no commitment or obligation is needed, whereas saying "Yes" binds us to a duty and we have to keep our word.

Hence when Jesus taught about marriage in the gospel, He emphasised that from the beginning of creation, God instituted marriage.

So when couples get married, they say "Yes" to each other and also "Yes" to God.

That will be what binds the couple to each other and together they bind themselves to God.

But saying " Yes" is not just for married couples.

We said "Yes" to Jesus at our baptism, and we have to renew and deepen that commitment everyday.

When we are committed to our "Yes" to God, then we will know His purpose for us, and in His compassion and kindness, will grant us peace and joy in life.

7th Week, Ordinary Time, Thursday, 24-02-2022

James 5:1-6 / Mark 9:41-50   

To have good gains by honest hard work is an inspiration for others.

On the other hand, ill-gotten gains will be ill-spent. 

Ill-gotten gains are like snow that is sprinkled with hot water.

The 1st reading warns against gaining riches and wealth by dishonest and unjust means.

What is more, the cries of the oppressed and those who suffered injustice will reach the ears of the Lord God. 

And He will take action on the wicked and those who do evil.

Jesus gives the same warning in the gospel when He says that anyone who is an obstacle to bring down one of these little ones who have faith, would be better thrown into the sea with a great millstone round his neck.

That is truly a severe punishment for the wicked and those who do evil, and those who take advantage of the lowly and poor.

But on the other hand, a great reward awaits those who are honest and virtuous, and looks out for the lowly and helpless.

This is the promise of Jesus. Let us believe in it and let us be that salt of the earth that will help other believe in the taste of goodness and walk in the ways of the Lord.

7th Week, Ordinary Time, Wednesday, 23-02-2022

James 4:13-17 / Mark 9:38-40   

How we live our lives will largely depend on what our values are and what we believe in.

So if we think that our future will depend on how we will prepare for it now, then we will  certainly do the preparation and planning now.

No doubt we need to plan and prepare for the future, for we will reap what we sow now.

But that is only one side of the coin.

The other side is that we must place all our plans before the Lord and ask for His blessings and guidance.

As the 1st reading tells us: You never know what will happen tomorrow; you are no more than a mist that is here for a while and then disappears.

And the reading continues with this: The most you should ever say is - If it is the Lord's will, we shall still be alive to do this or that.

Let us always tell the Lord our plans and ask for His blessings and guidance.

And may we always make decisions that will be for the Lord so that His will may do done in us.

Chair of St. Peter the Apostle, Tuesday, 22-02-2022

1 Peter 5:1-4 / Matthew 16:13-19   

The celebration of the Chair of St. Peter might sound rather odd initially.

Of course, we know what the Chair is in organisations.

The Chairperson is the one who sits right on top and has authority over how things are run.

But the Chair of St. Peter brings us back to the gospel passage when Jesus bestowed spiritual authority on Peter and those who succeeded him.

It also reflects that the Church is both divine and human, that Christ is the Head and that we are members of His body, with the Pope as Chair of the Church.

Though the Church as the Body of Christ has its faults, flaws and failings, that does not diminish the divine nature of the Church.

And the gates of the underworld can never hold out against it.

Let us continue to stay united as the Church and as the Body of Christ.

Let us pledge our obedience to the Pope and let us be united in prayer as the Body of Christ.

May we, the Church, give glory to God and be living and holy witnesses of  God's salvation for the world.

7th Week, Ordinary Time, Monday, 21-02-2022

James 3:13-18 / Mark 9:14-29       

When it comes to looking for solutions to problems, there can be a few options.

One is that we use our abilities and resources to look for solutions.

But when we come to a dead end, then we will realise that we need God's help and that is probably where prayer will come in.

But a spiritually wise person will know what to do when faced with problems.

In looking for solutions, the first option would be prayer. 

Prayer is not the last option when everything else have failed.

The 1st reading says that if there are any wise or learned men among you, let them show it by their good lives, with humility and wisdom in their actions.

Humility means that we turn to God and wisdom means that we know God is our first option as well as the option that is necessary as He will show us the way to the solution to the problem.

And that is what Jesus also taught His disciples in the gospel - the necessity for prayer.

May we be wise and humble enough to have recourse to God in our need and to turn to Him as our first option.

7th Ordinary Sunday, Year C, 20.02.2022

1 Sam 26:2, 7-9, 12-13, 22-23 / 1 Cor 15:45-49 / Luke 6:27-38

Whenever we go for a meal at the restaurant, there will be the typical appetizers, main course and then at end of the meal that will be dessert. 

So, whether it is a birthday celebration or a wedding banquet, whether it is a 5-course or a 10-course meal, the last course will be dessert. 

The dessert is usually quite light and it can be anything from cakes to ice cream, or fruits, and generally the taste would be sweet. 

At times, the variety of desserts on the menu is quite fascinating, and for those with a sweet tooth, the urge would be to just have all the dessert and forget about the main course. 

Anyway, the purpose of the desert being at the end of the meal could be that the final taste of the whole meal would be sweet. 

So, whether it is a birthday or wedding celebration, the sweet taste of the dessert at the end of the meal is to symbolize the blessings of sweetness in life. 

Yes, we hope and desire for sweetness in life, in our relationships, in our careers, in our projects, in short, sweetness in all the aspects of our lives. 

Yes, we want our lives to be sweet and happy, and in the gospel, Jesus is teaching us the way to happiness and sweetness in life. 

But that teaching would taste like bitter-sweet, bitter at first but after that it will be sweet. 

And essentially, the teaching of Jesus is this: Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who treat you badly. 

That teaching goes against our instinct, because our reactions to our enemies would be eye for eye, and tooth for tooth. 

Retaliation and revenge swims in our blood, and that is also why there is so much violence and bloodshed in the world. 

For the world, to be strong means to fight fire with fire, but as it is there will only be a greater fire that burns and destroys. 

But the truth of the Good News is that real strength lies in love and forgiveness, in compassion and kindness. 

It is in this truth that Psalm 34 would say this: Taste and see that the Lord is good, blessed is he who takes refuge and hope in the Lord. 

Yes, the Lord our God wants to bless us with happiness and sweetness of life. 

We want this sweetness, we desire for this happiness in life. 

Our enemies, those who hate us, those who curse us, those who treat us badly, they too want to have happiness and sweetness in life. 

But as in a meal, if we really want to have the desert, then we would go easy on the main course, so that we will enjoy the desert. 

Similarly, to retaliate, to fight fire with fire, to go eye for eye and tooth for tooth, would only make us bloat with anger, resentment and even hatred. 

Let us turn to the Lord our God who is love and compassion, to cleanse all this bitterness in our hearts so that He can fill us with the sweetness of His love. 

And let us also asked the Lord our God to bless our enemies, those who hate us, those who curse us, those who treat us badly, and may the sour and bitter relationships with them be turned into sweetness and happiness. 

May we and the world taste and see the goodness of the Lord.

6th Week, Ordinary Time, Saturday, 19-02-2022

James 3:1-10 / Mark 9:2-13

To say that digital electronics or computer technology is very complicated or sophisticated, that may not be actually so.

Because at its very fundamentals are just two states - an ON or an OFF state or signal; it's either a 1 or a 0.

But by various combinations of ones and zeros, the resultant is a very complex and sophisticated digital electronic system.

By the same token, to say that we human beings are a very complex and sophisticated race, that may not actually be so.

Yet, we have that ability to complicate and confuse our lives and the lives of others around us by just one small and even hidden part of our body.

That part of the body is pointed out in the 1st reading from the letter of St. James.

Our tongue, although small and hidden from sight, can make or break relationships, can heal or hurt, can bless or curse, can create or destroy.

We know the awesome power of our tongue; or at least we know the power of other people's tongues.

But to tame our tongue to do good, we must have a transformation of another organ - the heart.

May the glorious Transfiguration of Jesus also transform our hearts, so that we will be turned ON to God and turned OFF from the devil.

May our tongues bless the Lord and proclaim His goodness always.

6th Week, Ordinary Time, Friday, 18-02-2022

James 2:14-24, 26 / Mark 8:34 - 9:1     

It is not that difficult to know if a person needs food and clothing.

Those are considered as essential items even in developed countries and affluent societies.

So to see a person in need of food and clothing and yet doing nothing about it is considered uncharitable.

And the 1st reading would tell us that words of comfort that are not accompanied with acts of charity are just hollow empty sounds.

Faith and good works are like the two hands of belief and action.

The need for food and clothing are tangible items that are quite obvious in those who are in need.

But there are also intangible needs like love, compassion, forgiveness, companionship, etc that are not so obvious intially.

But with faith, God will reveal to us what we and others need beside food and clothing.

With faith, may we serve others in their need and God will bless us in our need

6th Week, Ordinary Time, Thursday, 15-02-2022

James 2:1-9 / Mark 8:27-33

When it comes to looks and appearances, we are talking about a big industry and market out there.

But it is not just out there. We too are particular about our looks and our appearance.

We are not just concerned about the looks and the appearance on our side.

We will also look at others and judge them by their looks and their appearance.

And often we form opinions and judgement on others' looks and appearances by worldly standards

The 1st reading tells us not to judge others by their looks and appearances.

And to discriminate the poor with their lowly dressing and favour the rich with their well-dressing is certainly wrong.

So when Jesus asked His disciples "Who do you say I am?" He was also asking them to look deeper than just looks and appearances.

May God open our eyes to see the image of God in others and to see what God wants to show us through them.

6th Week, Ordinary Time, Wednesday, 16-02-2022

James 1:19-27 / Mark 8:22-26 

When we want to know the condition of a car, it is not just the externals that matter.

Neither will lifting up the bonnet tell us anything about the condition of the engine.

It is only by starting the car and running it on the road that we will know what is the condition.

Similarly the 1st reading tells us not to just listen to the Word of God but also to do what it tells us to do.

To listen to the Word and not obey it is like looking at your own features in a mirror and then forgetting what you looked like.

It also means that we have to listen to what we are saying to others.

And the 1st reading tells us to be quick to listen but slow to speak and slow to rouse our temper, for God's righteousness is not served by man's anger.

The Word of God will do away with all our impurities and bad habits if we allow it to.

And we will know if we are listening to the Word of God and putting it into action when we listen to what is coming out from our mouths.

6th Week, Ordinary Time, Tuesday, 15-02-2022

James 1:12-18 / Mark 8:14-21

Whenever something goes wrong, the tendency is to put the blame on someone.

Especially when we are clearly at fault, we would still want to splatter the blame on others.

In other words, when we go sinking down, we would also want to drag others along; that is the human tendency.

And so when we sin, we too would blame others for causing us to sin.

We would even want to blame the devil for tempting us into sin.

But the 1st reading makes it clear when it says this: Everyone who is tempted is attracted and seduced by his own wrong desire.

So when we do wrong and commit sin, let us not look at others and try to pin the blame on them.

Let us look within and let us realise that in our wounded human nature, we have this tendency to sin.

As Jesus said in the gospel: Keep your eyes open.

May we look into our hearts and acknowledge that we are sinners and let us also look towards God who is merciful and compassionate and forgiving.

Anniversary of the Dedication of the Cathedral of the Good Shepherd, Monday, 14-02-2022

1 Kings 8:22-23, 27-30 / Matthew 16:13-19

The Cathedral of the Good Shepherd is the oldest Catholic Church in Singapore, and its design is rather simple as compared to the other cathedrals.

It was back in 1833, that with a small but growing Catholic community, a place of worship was blessed and opened at the site.

Then in 1843, the foundation stone was laid and in 1847, the Church of the Good Shepherd was blessed and opened.

In 1888 it was elevated to the status of a cathedral and on the 14th February 1897, it was consecrated as a cathedral.

The Cathedral of the Good Shepherd has a fascinating association with the history of Korea's Catholic Martyrs.

Saint Laurent-Marie-Joseph Imbert, in all probability the first Catholic priest to the island, died a martyr in Korea and the church's name "Good Shepherd" was inspired by what he wrote knowing the persecutions the missionaries will face "In desperate circumstances, the good shepherd lays down his life for his sheep."

Just a very brief history of the Cathedral, the mother church of the Archdiocese. And as we can see it had humble beginnings and a slow but steady growth.

So today as we celebrate the dedication of the Cathedral, we are also reminded of our humble beginnings and also to look ahead with faith and humility in the midst of the many changes in the Church as well as in the world.

Just as the design of the Cathedral is simple and humble, let us also be simple and humble in the way of faith and in our way of life.

6th Ordinary Sunday, Year C, 13.02.2022

Jeremiah 17:5-8 / 1 Cor 15:12, 16-20 / Luke 6:17, 20-26

It is not too surprising to say that when we first came into this world, we were unhappy and even angry. 

We may not remember this, but going by what we know about babies when they were born, they were crying. 

So, babies came into this world crying, their eyes closed, their fists clenched, and of course stark naked. 

When they were in the womb, they were comfortable and warm and they felt secure. 

When the time came for them to be born, they came out naked into the cold air and bright lights and into a noisy world. 

So, for the new-born baby, it would be quite a shock, and hence, it would be unhappy and angry and crying away, although for the doctors and nurses, it was a good sign. 

That was how we came into the world, and ever since then we have been unhappy and angry, and we may not be crying out loud but we are complaining away. 

And maybe that is why in life, we are looking for happiness and comfort. 

We can’t go back to our mother's womb, but we look for happiness and comfort in the things of this world. 

So, we try to look for happiness and comfort in money, in possessions, in achievements, in rewards, in luxuries and even in people. 

But somehow, we don't seem to be able to find happiness and contentment. Even if we do, it is temporary and a fleeting moment. Happiness and contentment seem so elusive in life. 

In the gospel, Jesus gave a teaching about happiness and where it can be found. But somehow, we find it difficult to understand that way of happiness. 

How can we be happy and contented when we are poor and hungry? How can we be happy when we are weeping and being looked down upon by others?

Yes, it is difficult to see the meaning of the teaching of Jesus in the gospel. 

Yet, we must understand that happiness is a blessing from God. It is a blessing that the world cannot give. 

We need to listen to what the Lord God said in the 1streading: 

“A blessing on the man who puts his trust in the Lord, with the Lord for his hope. He is like a tree by the water-side that trust its roots to the stream. When the heat comes it feels no alarm, its foliage stays green. It has no worries in a year of drought, and never ceases to bear fruit.” 

In other words, the Lord is our blessing and as long as we keep our minds and hearts focused on the ways of the lord, we will receive His blessing. 

But it is also so easy for us to lose the blessings of the Lord and the Lord God has strong words as He says in the 1st reading: 

“A curse on the man who puts his trust in man, who relies on the things of flesh, whose heart turns from the Lord. He is like dry scrub in the wastelands. If good comes, he has no eyes for it, he settles in the parched places of the wilderness, a salt land, uninhabited.” 

So essentially, life is a choice between blessings and curses. 

When we came into this world we were unhappy and angry and crying aloud. 

We could have remained in this state but the Lord God called us to faith, and blessed us with His love, so that we can be truly happy and be contented. 

To be unhappy, to be angry, to be complaining about life, is a curse that we bring upon ourselves. 

But Jesus has broken that curse by teaching us the truth about happiness so that we can inherit God's blessings. 

Yes, God wants us to be happy, that is the truth. It is a blessing that He wants to grant us. 

May we rejoice and be happy with God's love, and may we be a blessing for others as well.

5th Week, Ordinary Time, Saturday, 12-02-2022

1 Kings 12:26-32; 13:33-34 / Mark 8:1-10   

Whenever the topic of sin is discussed, it is often done from the moral perspective.

And then there will be categories of sin, like grave sin and venial sin.

But sin may be better understood in its effects.

The one who commits a sin also spreads a darkness that distorts and disfigures the situation.

And it is a darkness that also ends up with destruction.

Such was the case in the 1st reading, king Jeroboam did not give up his wicked ways, so much so that he caused the ruin of the Northern kingdom of Israel and eventual extinction from the face of the earth.

While sin and evil causes destruction, it is goodness that shows compassion and concern.

In the gospel, Jesus showed that concern and compassion for the hungry crowd, and brought about the blessings of the multiplication of loaves.

May we turn away from sin and strive for goodness so that we can continue to believe and hope in God's blessings and in His concern and compassion for us.

5th Week, Ordinary Time, Friday, 11-02-2022

1 Kings 11:29-32; 12:19 / Mark 7:31-37

When it is said that health is wealth, we may not fully realise the impact until we are inflicted with illness and sickness.

Even so-called minor aliments like headache, stomachache or backache is enough to make us moody and gloomy.

And when a major illness kicks in, whatever wealth will be used to gain back the health.

Jesus came to proclaim the Good News of salvation, and one of the expressions of that is the curing of diseases.

In the gospel, Jesus cured the deaf man with an impediment in his speech, and He said only one word to him, and that is "Ephphatah" meaning "Be opened".

As we celebrated the feast of our Lady of Lourdes, we also remember to pray for the sick and those suffering from one kind  of infirmity of another.

Lourdes is not the just place of the Marian apparitions. It is also a place of healing with the waters of the spring near the grotto of our Lady.

God wants to remind us that He is the Healer and that He wants us to experience the Good News of His love by curing our infirmities.

Let us pray with our Lady for the sick that they will also experience the Good News of salvation through the forgiveness of sins and healing of their illness.

 

5th Week, Ordinary Time, Thursday, 10-02-2022

1 Kings 11:4-13 / Mark 7:24-30   

There are many moments in life when we will certainly need help from others.

And at times, it is not just some kind of general help but a real desperate need for help.

And it is not just asking for help; it would be a plea and even begging for that help.

In the gospel, the Syrophoenician woman came to Jesus with a desperate need.

And she expressed that need by falling at His feet and begging Him to cast the devil out of her daughter.

That was certainly a desperate pleading and begging for help, and that woman also knew that it could be her last option..

But all ended well as Jesus eventually granted her desperate request.

It was a contrasting picture in the 1st reading when king Solomon swayed his heart to other gods and did what was displeasing to the Lord.

But instead of asking for forgiveness and asking for the Lord's help to repent, it was the Lord God who had to appear to Solomon twice to try to make him repent.

It was such an irony that the king of God's people did not ask for the Lord's help, whereas it was the pagan Syrophoenician woman who turned desperately to Jesus for help.

May our faith teach us to be humble and to rely on the Lord's help at all times, and may we also be able to lead those in desperate need for help to turn to the Lord.

5th Week, Ordinary Time, Wednesday, 09-02-2022

1 Kings 10:1-11 / Mark 7:14-23   

When it is said that we are what we eat, it is just a way of saying that we need to watch what we are eating if we are concerned about our health.

At the very least, we won't want to be eating anything that is rancid or rotten.

In any case, we need to be careful about what we eat because when it goes into our internal system and if it acts up bad, then we can imagine the pain and discomfort.

As much as we must be careful about what goes into our digestive system, then all the more we must be careful about what goes into our spiritual system.

Jesus said that it is what comes out of a man that makes him unclean.

It is from within, from the heart, that evil intentions emerge and make a person unclean and sinful.

But just as how we must watch what we eat in order to be healthy and not to have digestive problems, we too must guard our eyes and our ears from what is bad and evil.

It is by looking at what is impure and listening to what is unclean that our hearts get contaminated by filth and sin.

May the Lord God watch over us and keep us from evil and may we beseech the Lord to keep guard over us so that our lives will be holy and pleasing to Him.

5th Week, Ordinary Time, Tuesday, 08-02-2022

1 Kings 822-23, 27-30 / Mark 7:1-13      

Whenever we do something, there must be a purpose for it.

We would want to achieve something out of it or gain something from it.

For example, we work because we get paid for it and also because we want to prove our abilities in doing our job well.

When it comes to religion, we may have these ideas of merit and rewards.

We observe and keep the precepts and regulations and we might expect to be rewarded for doing so.

Jesus warns against that in the gospel and He also pointed out that there could even be "man-made" regulations to suit our conveniences.

We must remember when it comes to God's love and mercy, those are things that we don't deserve nor can we work to gain.

We only need to be humble, obedient and faithful to God, and surrender ourselves to His love and mercy.

As king Solomon said to the Lord God at the end of the 1st reading: From heaven where your dwelling is, hear; and as your hear, forgive.

We need to acknowledge that we are sinners in need of God's forgiveness, and God will hear our prayer and grant us His blessings of love and mercy.

5th Week, Ordinary Time, Monday, 07-02-2022

1 Kings 8:1-7, 9-13 / Mark 6:53-56    

Whenever we talk about appearances, we are talking about a spectrum of manifestations.

For example, a flower when it is budding looks fragile; at full bloom it is in its glory; when it is withering it looks crumpled.

The 1st reading tells of the Ark of the Covenant of the Lord.

It was an important symbol of  the presence of God and it was also richly decorated.

But there was nothing in the Ark except the two stone tablets of the covenant that the Lord God made with His people.

But God manifested His presence when the Temple where the Ark was place was filled with a thick cloud, and the glory of the Lord filled the Temple.

In the gospel, when Jesus landed at Genessaret, the people recognised Him and brought the sick on stretchers to wherever they heard He was.

There was nothing extraordinary about the appearance of Jesus,  and no thick cloud around Him.

But the people were able to see beyond the ordinary and recognised in Jesus that shade of divinity.

May we also be able to see and recognise God in the ordinary and experience the power of His divinity when He answers our prayers.

5th Ordinary Sunday, Year C, 06.02.2022

Isaiah 6:1-8 / 1 Cor 15:1-11 / Luke 5:1-11

No matter how clever or intelligent we are, there will be always be some things that we have no knowledge about. 

And often, the cleverer we are, the more proud we are likely to be, and we may even act like we know everything. 

And when we think that we are smarter or cleverer than others, then we may not be that open or receptive to other people's ideas or suggestions. 

And especially when we are stuck with our own ideas and thinking, then we have become like a wall, and we know what it feels like to talk to a wall. 

What really annoys and irritates us is when someone tells us how to do our work. And if that someone has no idea of what we are doing, then we are likely to choose a sharp and pointed response for that person. 

In the gospel, Jesus was at the lakeside of Gennesaret, and He got into one of the fishing boats so that He could teach the crowds that had gathered to listen to Him. 

When Jesus had finished teaching, He told Peter to put out into deep water and pay out the nets for a catch. 

Peter replied that they had worked hard all night and caught nothing, but nonetheless, he will do as Jesus told him to. 

That was a polite reply from Peter, but there was also a tone of underlying protest as he said that he had worked hard all night and caught nothing. 

And he would have quietly scoffed at the fact that a preacher would tell a fisherman how to catch fish. That was like crossing the line. 

But Peter did as Jesus told him, maybe because the crowd was watching, and there was nothing to gain from arguing or protesting. At least Peter was smart enough to know that. 

And with that astounding huge catch of fish, Peter was brought to his knees. 

Addressing Jesus as “Lord”, Peter realize that there are things in this world that are beyond logic and reason. 

He may know all about fishing, but that does not mean that the fishes are going to listen to him and do what he wants. 

Peter was humbled and kneeling before Jesus, he acknowledged that he was a sinner, and that also implied that he had thought that what Jesus said to him earlier was absurd. But now he knew he was wrong. 

The gospel passage teaches us that as much as we are endowed with intelligence and knowledge, that doesn't mean that we would know everything, or that we can decipher the ways of God. 

But what God wants of us is actually quite clear and that is to be humble, to be obedient and to be faithful to Him, and to love and respect others. 

No matter how clever or intelligent we are, people do not care about what we know until they know that we care about them. 

And may we use our intelligence and knowledge to speak to others in a way that they would love to listen to us. 

And may we also listen to others in a way that they would love to speak to us.

4th Week, Ordinary Time, Saturday, 05-02-2022

1 Kings 3:4-13 / Mark 6:30-34     

To be hardworking is indeed a virtue.

To be able to work is not just to earn money but also to use the gifts that God bestowed upon us so as to partake in the continuing work of creation and to beautify the world.

But to know when to rest and to take a break is also important.

After six days of creating, God also rested on the seventh day and blessed His creation.

We too need to take some time to rest so that God can bless us and to be renewed with His grace.

In the gospel, Jesus also wanted His disciples to take a rest after all the work they had been doing.

They were so busy that they didn't even have time to eat.

To be able to work is indeed a blessing.

To be able to know when we need to take a break and to rest is to be wise.

May we, like king Solomon, pray for wisdom to do our work well and to take a rest when needed so that at work or at rest, we will always give thanks to God.

4th Week, Ordinary Time, Friday, 04-02-2022

Ecclesiasticus 47:2-11 / Mark 6:14-29   

It is worthwhile to note how one person can completely change the character of a country and its people.

It can be for the better or for worse, but it cannot be denied that the people will somehow take on the face and the mind of the leader.

That is how powerful the influence the leader has on the country and on its people.

For Israel of the biblical era, King David is held as the model king because it was he who brought Israel to its golden age.

The 1st reading is actually an eulogy about King David and praised him for his achievements and his contributions to the country.

Yet the eulogy did not ignore what the Lord did for David. It said this : The Lord took away his sins, and exalted his horn forever; He gave him a royal covenant and a glorious throne in Israel.

So in King David, we see a leader who had a good balance of the spiritual as well as secular qualities.

But for King Herod, we see a leader who has lost the spiritual aspect of his life and because he was just so thrilled by a dancing girl, he was willing to execute a holy man.

Nonetheless, he was deeply distressed because he knew he was putting a holy man to death.

Such was the impact and the influence of John the Baptist on King Herod as well as for the people of Israel.

King David and John the Baptist might not have known it then, but deep and wide was their impact and influence on the people.

For us, we too have to be aware that our Christian lives have invisible effects on others.

May our lives have an impact and influence on others such that they will come to know the God that we believe in.

4th Week, Ordinary Time, Thursday, 03-02-2022

1 Kings 2:1-4, 10-12 / Mark 6:7-13    

The phrase "Don't leave home with it" reminds us to think about what is necessary or even crucial when we step out of the house.

Regardless of whether it is just for a while or going for a trip overseas, it would be helpful to have a mental checklist of what we need to bring along.

Among those things would be money, mobile phone, identification papers, etc.

In the gospel, when Jesus sent out His disciples on the mission of proclaiming the Good News, He instructed them to bring nothing along except for a staff and to wear sandals.

This may remind the disciples that when their ancestors left Egypt, they too had staffs in their hands and sandals on their feet.

The staff was a reminder that they must trust in God and that He will support them in their journey.

The sandals remind them that they are to walk in the ways of the Lord.

Let us think about what really are the necessities in this life and let us keep our focus on them and not to be clutter by the accessories.

Then  we will have the faith to walk towards the future and know that God will support and provide for us.

Presentation of the Lord, Wednesday, 02-02-2022

Malachi 3 : 1-4 / Hebrews 2 : 14-18 / Luke 2 : 22-40

(On the Feast of the Presentation of the Lord, candles are blessed before the Mass.)

The candles that were blessed at the beginning of the Mass were meant to be lighted and then brought along in procession into the church where the Mass will be celebrated.

The significance of this is to remind us that at Christmas, Jesus came into the world and He is the true Light.

This feast of the Presentation indicates that Jesus the Light of the world is being presented to His Father and consecrated to Him.

That is the significance of why the candles are to be lighted and brought in procession into the church.

This feast is also an occasion for those in the consecrated life to renew their commitment to God, especially those who belong to religious orders and other similar organizations.

Yet the lighted candles also have a deeper meaning. Not only do we carry in us the light of Christ, we also unite with Him in His offering and sacrifice to the God.

Jesus was presented and consecrated to God to be the Saviour of the world.

It is through Him and in Him that the promise of salvation will be fulfilled and Jesus will fulfill that on the cross.

As we celebrate this feast of the Presentation, we also unite with Jesus and present ourselves to be consecrated for the salvation of the world.

May the blessed candles remind us that our lives are to be a continual sacrifice to God so that through us, the work of salvation that was begun in Jesus will be continued and fulfilled.

May our lives be like lighted candles that bring the light of God's love to the world.