18th Week, Ordinary Time, Monday, 01-08-2022

Jeremiah 28:1-17 / Matthew 13-21    

Whatever profession we are in, it is important that we carry out our work with honesty and integrity.

Our character will be seen in how we carry out our responsibilities, and in what we say and do with the people that we are working with.

And there will be occasions when we will be tempted to be popular and to cut the corners in order to climb up the ladder.

In the 1st reading, we see the characters of two prophets, Hananiah and Jeremiah.

As prophets, they are to speak the Word from God and not from themselves.

The prophet Hananiah wanted to be a prophet of popularity, and so he spoke what the people wanted to hear. 

He even dared to say that it was the Word from God. But the prophet Jeremiah thought otherwise.

Jeremiah was a prophet of integrity and honesty.

He had to warn Hananiah and also warn the people as God had told him to.

As for ourselves, when we hear about things that irritate or annoy us, let us take some time to reflect deeper about it.

With honesty and integrity, we will know what God is saying to us. And we could be avoiding impending misfortune or even tragedy.

18th Ordinary Sunday, Year C, 31.07.2022

 Ecclesiastes 1:2; 2:21-23 / Colossians 3:1-5, 9-11 / Luke 12:13-21

Generally speaking, when we talk about a house, what comes to mind is a place with a few rooms. 

It may be a HDB flat, or a condo unit, or a landed property, and possibly even a mansion. Whether it is a flat or a mansion, there would be at least two rooms. 

So, in the house where we are staying, which we call home, which is the biggest room? 

Obviously, it would be the living room, because that is where the family members would gather, and it is also a place where guests are welcomed. 

But if we had a choice to design the layout of our house or home, which would be the biggest room? 

Could it be the bedroom, because we want to put a king-size bed there? But other than sleeping, we don't really spend much time there. 

Could it be the study room? If we love to read and collect books, and take pride in having a library at home, then maybe the study room would be the biggest. 

Or would it be the kitchen? But even if we love to cook, we are not running a restaurant, so the kitchen need not be too big. Also with all that cooking, it is going to be difficult to clean.

And there is no need to talk about the toilets or the store room. Those rooms need not be that big, unless they have unique and odd purposes. 

In the gospel parable, we heard of a rich man who had a good harvest from his land, and he didn't have enough room to store his crops. 

Then he decided to pull down his barns and build bigger ones so that he could store all the grain and goods in them. And it is all for himself only. 

So, for the rich man, the biggest and most important room is not even in his house. It is the barn which is outside his house. 

Come to think of it, isn't it strange, that the biggest and most important is not within, but outside. 

That would tell us what kind of person that rich man is like. 

The teaching point of Jesus in that parable is that when a man stores up treasure for himself instead of making himself rich in the sight of God, then his life is futile. It is like what the 1st reading calls it - vanity of vanities. 

So, what does it mean to make ourselves rich in the sight of God? 

Let us go back to the discussion on the rooms in our home, about which room is the biggest and which room is important. 

The living room is important and possibly the biggest because that is where family life is shared, and it is the first room where our guests step in and it is there we share friendship. 

But which room do we think is the heart of the home? Could it be the kitchen? And why is the kitchen the heart of the home? 

Whether small or large, the kitchen is the hub of the home. It is where the meals are created, and those meals nourish the bodies, the minds and the souls of the family and friends. 

Some say that while life is created in the bedroom, it is certainly lived out in the kitchen. 

And the kitchen does not just churn out food. Food is used to express love. Courting couples spend their time over food. Mothers cook for their children. 

If we care about someone, we will share our food with them, whether it is preparing it for them, serving it to them or eating it with them. 

Jesus said that He is the Bread of Life. In the Eucharist, He invites us to partake of the Bread of Life that He wants to give us.

It is the Bread of life and love that Jesus gives to us so that we too can share life and love with others.

So Jesus uses food to point to life and love, and He also gives us a foretaste of the heavenly eternal banquet where we will rejoice in God’s love and have eternal life.

Food is a language of love, and sharing food and eating together can have a healing effect. 

Food is not to be stored in barns outside of the home and only for self-consumption. 

Food as a sign of love is to be shared with others and to enrich others. 

To be rich is to help others in their need and to share and give of what we have.

That is how we can make ourselves rich in the sight of God and in the sight of others.

17th Week, Ordinary Time, Saturday, 30-07-2022

Jeremiah 26:11-16, 24 / Matthew 14:1-12    

It is often said that the truth will set us free.

Indeed, the truth will set us free.

Because when we know the truth and the facts and the reality, then we know clearly enough how to respond to a matter or a situation.

Truth will also dispel all curiosity and speculation and we won’t be left wondering.

In the two readings of today, the prophets Jeremiah and John the Baptist proclaimed the truth to the people that God sent them to.

Both had to do it under hostile circumstances and the truth that they proclaimed were not readily accepted; in fact they were persecuted for it.

But what mattered for Jeremiah and John the Baptist was that in proclaiming the truth, they experienced the freedom that even enabled them to lay down their lives for the truth.

May we too live our lives in truth and with love. 

We will be rewarded with a peace that only God can give.

 

Sts. Martha, Mary and Lazarus, Memorial, Friday, 29-07-2022

1 John 4:7-16 / John 11:19-27   (2023)

Whenever we talk about St. Martha, the image of an active and work-oriented as well as task-oriented person comes to mind.

That may be because of that occasion (Luke 10:38-42)when she invited Jesus to her home and she was caught up with all the serving.

And then she complained to Jesus about getting her sister Mary to help her with the work.

But Jesus told her that she worries and fret about so many things and yet only one is important, and Mary had chosen the better part.

Martha must have remembered what Jesus said to her, and so despite the sadness and grief over her brother's death, she knew that only Jesus could comfort her.

And true to her personality, she made the move to go out and meet Jesus and to express her faith in Jesus.

But on this occasion, she also made a profound proclamation.

Martha proclaimed Jesus to be Christ, the Son of God.

Only St. Peter had made that similar proclamation.

Hence, St. Martha, despite her active and work-oriented and task-oriented personality, came to slowly recognize who Jesus is.

St. Martha is an example for us of someone who is active and busy but yet took the time to reflect and to discover who Jesus is.

Like St. Martha we may also have very active lives and busy with a lot of things.

But let us not forget the one important thing - prayer!

And that is what St. Martha’s sister, St. Mary, reminds us of. She gives us this example of sitting at the Lord’s feet and listening to Him. Prayer is about listening to the Lord.

It is in prayer that we will attain the peace to know that Jesus is truly the Son of God, our Saviour.

When we have that peace, we won’t worry and fret about the unnecessary.

17th Week, Ordinary Time, Thursday, 28-07-2022

Jeremiah 18:1-6 / Matthew 13:47-58

When we look at the things that are being produced today, we may get this notion that the modern-day things are not made to last.

Even though technology has advanced, but industrialization has mass produced things that may favour quantity over quality.

And this has also resulted in a throw-away culture. Some things are not worth repairing. It may be more economical to buy a new item.

In the 1st reading, God sent the prophet Jeremiah to the potter’s house to observe how the potter was making the clay vessels.

When the clay vessel turns out wrong, the potter would rework the clay into another vessel; the potter does not throw away the clay.

The message for the House of Israel was that God won’t throw away His people just because they had sinned and done wrong.

God will mold them again and again until they have learnt their lesson and turn back to Him.

But as much as God is patient and forgiving, there is also a time of judgement.

In the gospel, Jesus made it clear in the parable that there will come a time of judgement.

So it is for us to choose either eternal damnation or eternal salvation.

Let us not throw away our eternal future. Rather let us thank God for His mercy and forgiveness and decide for salvation.

17th Week, Ordinary Time, Wednesday, 27-07-2022

Jeremiah 15:10, 16-21 / Matthew 13:44-46

It has been said that God will not test us beyond what we can take.

That is, of course, true, because since it is God who created us, then He will know what are our strengths and weaknesses.

But God can also be a tough teacher. He gives us the test first and then the lesson later.

And as in every test or exam, the teacher is usually silent, while the students are sweating over the questions.

In the 1st reading, the prophet Jeremiah was lamenting with despair about the persecution that he faced as a prophet of God.

And God did not keep silent. He told Jeremiah this: I will deliver you from the hands of the wicked and redeem you from the clutches of the violent.

We may not face that kind of persecution and violence that the prophet Jeremiah faced.

But at times we do feel that the trials and tribulations of life have worn out our faith and we lament as Jeremiah did.

In such times, let us cry out to God with the response of the Responsorial Psalm: O God, you have been a refuge in the day of my distress.

Yes, God is our only refuge. He is our only hope in times of difficulty. Let us keep that hope and that will be the greatest treasure we will ever have.

17th Week, Ordinary Time, Tuesday, 26-07-2022

Jeremiah 14 : 17-22 / Matthew 13 : 36-43

A lot of questions have been asked about this age-old problem of evil in the world, as well as origin of evil.

The Latin term for the phrase "origin of evil" is MYSTERIUM INIQUITATIS.

When translated into English it is "the mystery of iniquity".

Indeed, sin and evil is so much of a mystery.

The letter to the Romans 7:19 puts this mystery in a life experience when it says - For what I do is not the good I want to do; no, the evil I do not want to do—this I keep on doing.

So as much as sin and evil is mysterious, yet the reality and the fact is clear.

Sin and evil are merely manifestations of the lack of goodness, whether it is around us or in us.

Yet in the 1st reading, we hear of how God feels about the sinful and evil situation of mankind, with these words: Tears flood my eyes night and day unceasingly.

God's love for us was so deep that He sent His only Son so that He can restore our love and goodness.

But we have to make the decision to pick up the weeds of our sin and burn them in the fire of God's love.

With Jesus, we can be certain that love and goodness will triumph in the end.

In our fight against sin and evil, whether within or without, let us put our confidence in God as we cry out - O our God, you are our hope (Jer 14:22)

St. James, Apostle, Monday, 25-07-2022

2 Cor 4:7-15 / Matthew 20:20-28

St. James, and his brother John, was one of the first apostles to be called by Jesus at the seashore of the lake of Galilee where he was a fisherman.

Together with only Peter and John, James had the privilege of witnessing the Transfiguration and also the raising of Jairus' daughter back to life.

The Acts of the Apostles, 12:1, records that Herod had James executed by sword. He is the only apostle whose martyrdom is recorded in the New Testament. He is believed to be the first of the 12 apostles martyred for his faith.

We heard in the gospel that Jesus asked James and John whether they could drink the cup that He was going to drink, they confidently replied that they could.

At that time, James would not have known what his end was going to be like, and so he may not know what he was saying.

But at the end, he knew what he was doing - he was following his Lord and bearing witness to Him.

He readily gave up his life in service for the Lord. Maybe he would have even considered it an honour to be the first among the apostles to give up his life for Christ.

In a way, the James who asked to sit on either the right or left of Jesus was a different James who was beheaded by Herod.

St. James realised along the way that he was just an earthenware jar that was chosen to hold the treasures of God.

May we also realise along the way that we are earthenware jars that are chosen to hold the treasures of God.

May we also be willing to pour out our lives for others in service and sacrifice, so that the treasures of God will flow into their lives.

17th Ordinary Sunday, Year C, 24.07.2022

Genesis 18:20-32 / Colossians 2:12-24  / Luke 11:1-13

There is no doubt, and it shouldn't be surprising, that life is difficult and has its problems. 

And these problems make us question about life, about the meaning of life and also the meaning of our existence. 

So, when we are faced with the big and difficult problems of life, we will certainly have serious questions. 

But even for the small and little things of life, there are some strange questions. For example: 

- Why is a round pizza put into a square box?

- Still on pizza, why is a round pizza cut into triangles?

- Why doesn't glue stick to the inside of the tube or the bottle? 

- Why do we hurt our hands by clapping when we like something? 

Well, enough of questions about the strange things in life and there may or may not be answers. 

And as much as there are questions about life, then when it comes to questions about God, that's when things get a bit edgy. 

When the going is stable and smooth, we won't have that many curious questions about God. 

But when we hit turbulence, when there are trials and tribulations, we will have our questions. 

One of the frequently asked questions about God is this: Why doesn't God answer my prayer in my time of need? And if God loves me, why do I have to go through pain and suffering in life? 

There are certainly more burning questions about God, but essentially it this: Does God really love me? Does God care about me? 

As much as we have our questions about God, would it be surprising to know that God also has some questions for us? 

In the gospel, God is asking us those questions when Jesus said: What father among you would hand his son a stone when he asked for bread? Or hand him a snake instead of a fish? Or hand him a scorpion if he asked for an egg? 

Jesus goes on to say: If you then, who are evil, know how to give your children what is good, how much more will the heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him! 

So, God wouldn't mind when we ask questions, and even burning questions about Him. 

But when God asked us those questions in today's Gospel passage, our answers will be instinctively quick. 

Certainly, we will want to give what is good to our children and to our loved ones. We won't want to hurt them or harm them. 

And if we can say that about ourselves, then we too must say the same about God. 

Because God created us in His image and with His love. And it is with the Spirit of love that we turn to God to ask, to search and to know which door to knock on. 

It is the Spirit of love that teaches us how to pray and to address God as “Our Father”. 

And essentially in the prayer of the “Our Father”, we pray that we will love just as God loves us, and that we hold on to our faith in God when we face the trials of life. 

And if we want to know about the love and the truth of God, and about the nature and sincerity of God, here is something for our reflection: 

The sincerity of a husband is known during the sickness of his wife. The sincerity of a wife is known during the difficult financial situation of husband. 

The true love of the children is known during the old age of the parents. 

The true nature of siblings is known during distribution of inheritance. 

The sincerity of friends is known during hard times. 

The true relatives are known when one is far from his country or lonely or sick. 

True love is known when there is no means of benefit. 

And a true believer is known during times of hardship. 

So, what is good, what is true, what is beautiful, what is loving, comes from God. 

God has already given us all these even without us asking. Let us discover the nature and the love of God in us as we pray and meditate on the prayer of the “Our Father”, the prayer that Jesus taught us.    

16th Week, Ordinary Time, Saturday, 13-07-2022

Jeremiah 7:1-11 / Matthew 13:24-30   

When it comes to the freedom of choice, we would like to have as many choices as possible.

Somehow we are attracted by a variety of choices, thinking that the more there are, the merrier we would be.

But the fact is that the more the choices, the more tiresome it would be to make a decision.

Because no matter the number of choices that are before us, we can only choose one and we have to let go of the rest.

In the 1st reading, God’s people seem to want the best of all choices.

They want to worship idols and commit abominations.

But at the same time, they also expect God to protect them by taking refuge in the Temple and saying that it was the sanctuary of the Lord and that God was obligated to protect them from punishment due to their sin.

But the Lord God retorted by saying, “Do you take this Temple that bears my name for a robbers’ den? I, at any rate, am not blind.”

And neither is God blind to our sins and offences.

We believe that God is merciful and compassionate. 

But we abuse His love, then we are only asking for severe punishment upon ourselves.

So let us repent and pull out all the weeds of sin, so that we can bear a harvest of good wheat for the Lord.

Mary Magdalene, Apostle of the Apostles, Friday, 22-07-2022

Songs 3:1-4 or 2 Cor 5:14-17 / John 20:1-2, 11-18     

Mary Magdalene's appearance in the gospels was rather sudden.

According to Luke 8:2 and Mark 16:9, Jesus cleansed her of "seven demons". That could mean that she was under some kind of serious diabolic possession or influence.

The gospel of Luke has it that after Jesus delivered her of the "seven demons", she followed Him and joined the band of women who supported Jesus and His disciples out of their own means.

But it was at the crucifixion, burial and Resurrection that Mary Magdalene became prominent.

She was there at the foot of the cross with Mother Mary and the beloved disciple John; she was at that burial of Jesus; and she was there at the tomb very early on the first day of the week.

And it was there and then that Jesus appeared to her and called her by name.

In Mary Magdalene, we see a slow and silent transformation from the moment she was delivered by Jesus to the moment He called her by name at His resurrection.

She had a dark past, and maybe even after that was disregarded and labelled with rejection.

But in the events of the crucifixion, burial and Resurrection, Mary Magdalene displayed faithfulness, courage and love even beyond death.

The Risen Jesus also sent her to the disciples and to announce to them that He is risen, and that is also why she is honoured as Apostle of the Apostles.

So if every saint has a past, then every sinner also has a future. But just as Mary Magdalene put her future in Jesus, may we also put ours into the hands of Jesus and hear Him call us by name, and may we respond to be His witnesses of His saving love.

16th Week, Ordinary Time, Thursday, 21-07-2022

Jeremiah 2:1-3, 7-8, 12-13 / Matthew 13:10-17    

In the Bible, God speaks in the written word.

What we read in the Bible is usually quite clear to us.

And even if there are some difficult passages, there are commentaries to explain the context and the message.

In the 1st reading, the meaning is clear and direct.

God, through the prophet Jeremiah, was reprimanding His people for being unfaithful to Him.

And God was sharp with His words as He says, “My people have committed a double crime: they have abandoned me, the fountain of living water, only to dig cisterns for themselves, leaky cisterns that hold no water.”

However in the gospel, the disciples asked Jesus why was it that He spoke to the people in parables.

Parables are also another way in which God speaks to us, and it is for us to think about what God is saying to us.

Parables have an indirect message for us and it is for us to apply the message of the parables to our lives.

May we see with our eyes, hear with our ears, understand with our hearts and be converted and be healed by God.

Then we will realize that God is near and speaking to us, and that He wants us to know that He loves us.

16th Week, Ordinary Time, Wednesday, 20-07-2022

Jeremiah 1:1, 4-10 / Matthew 13:1-9    

One of the obstacles to the realization of our abilities and potential is our lack of confidence.

This lack of confidence could be from low self-worth or low self-esteem.

Or it could be from the pain experience of failures and criticisms.

Whatever it is, we may need to realize that the greatest obstacle is none other than ourselves.

In the 1st reading, when the young Jeremiah heard the calling to be God’s prophet, he tried to evade it by saying he was too young and that he did not know how to speak.

But whenever the Lord calls, one cannot but respond, and respond to the will of God.

God even put out His hand and touched Jeremiah’s mouth as a sign that he was commissioned by God to be a prophet.

In the gospel parable, the image of the sower sowing seeds on all the different types of soil gives us this message.

No matter what the obstacles are, God will sow His Word into our hearts until He gets a response.

Let us surrender ourselves to the will of God, and we will find out the wonders and marvels that God will do with us.

16th Week, Ordinary Time, Tuesday, 19-07-2022

Micah 7:14-15, 18-20 / Matthew 12:46-50

During the time of the Old Testament, the image that people had of a deity was one that was mighty and strong.

Hence when one nation went into war with another nation, it was also a battle between the gods of the two nations.

The conqueror would also destroy all stone or wood images of the deity of the vanquished in order to show the power of conqueror's god.

Associated with the power and might of the deity was also the fury and the chastisement the deity would inflict on the people if the people were to disobey it or turn away from it.

This is where there is a fundamental difference between the God of Israel and the other deities of the other nations.

As much as God protects and provides for His people, He is also a merciful and compassionate God, slow to anger and rich in love.

In the 1st reading, the prophet Micah affirmed this attribute of God when he said: What god can be compared with you - taking fault away, pardoning crime, not cherishing anger for ever but delighting in showing mercy?

That is the image of God that Jesus came to show, and that is also the God we worship and adore.

In and through Jesus, we call God our Father. In and through Jesus we know what He wants of us His children.

Our Father's will is that we become like Him, merciful and compassionate, slow to anger and rich in love.

May we, who are God's children, truly reflect His loving image to others.

16th Week, Ordinary Time, Monday, 18-07-2022

Micah 6:1-4, 6-8 / Matthew 12:38-42    

The fundamental mission of Christians is to proclaim the Good News.

The Good News is about the saving love of God for the world and we as Christians are to be witnesses of that saving love of God.

We are to be living signs that point to God’s saving love.

In the gospel, when the scribes and Pharisees asked Jesus for a sign, He pointed to Himself as the sign.

From how He lived and what He said, they should see the sign and what He was pointing at.

When others look at how we live and what we say, would they see us as signs pointing to God’s love?

We have to admit that there are times when we failed and became tarnished signs.

As we try to live up to our Christian mission, let us heed what the Lord is asking of us in the 1st reading, and it is this:

To act justly, to love tenderly and to walk humbly with our God.

That would be enough as a sign for others.

16th Ordinary Sunday, Year C, 17.07.2022

Genesis 18:1-10 / Colossians 1:24-28  / Luke 10:38-42

The ability to see is a really wonderful gift and it certainly must not be taken for granted. 

So, with our eyes, we look at things, we look at people, and from what we see, we form our opinions.

When we look at something good and beautiful, we will admire it and we will say nice things about it.

But when we see something that is irritating or annoying us, then, obviously we would not have nice or good things to say about it. 

So, with our eyes we look at people and situations, and we form our opinions as well as make our judgments. 

But all this while, as we look around and form our opinions, we may have forgotten what our eyes are really for. 

Of course, we know that we have eyes so that we can see. 

But could it be that we are seeing too much, and just like when we eat too much and the stomach becomes bloated, could we be seeing too many things at once and getting distracted? 

In the gospel, Martha welcomed Jesus into her home and she began to serve Him. 

Martha had a sister, Mary, and she sat down at the Lord’s feet and listened to Him speaking. 

What Martha saw was Mary sitting at the Lord's feet, listening to Him speak and having an enjoyable time. 

More than that, she saw Jesus waiting to be served and probably she was getting anxious. 

Then, she saw that she wants the only one doing all the serving and no one was helping.

So, finally, Martha couldn't take it anymore, and so she complained to Jesus, saying that He did not care that Mary was not doing anything to help her. 

Obviously, Martha was distracted with too many things. She was looking at too many things, thinking about too many things, and then everything came crashing and she ended up complaining. 

So, Jesus had this to say to her, “Martha, Martha, you worry and fret about so many things, and yet few are needed, indeed only one. It is Mary who has chosen the better part, it will not be taken from her.” 

But, what is this better part that Jesus is talking about? Is it to be like Mary and sit down and spend the whole time praying, while others are busy doing everything? 

Maybe some are called to be intercessors and to the contemplative life, and hence they spend most of their time praying for others. 

But to choose the better part is to choose to focus on one thing and not to be distracted by everything. 

So, if Martha had just kept her focus on the serving, she would not have ended up complaining. 

When we lose focus, it means that we are looking at too many things at once, and we get distracted. 

Distraction is a tool that the devil uses to make us lose our focus on Jesus. 

And often, the result of distraction is that we complain and say things that are hurtful and useless.

Let us ask Jesus to keep our eyes focused on what He wants us to do, and not to be distracted and end up complaining. 

Our eyes are a gift from God. 

May we see God in everything and see God's blessings in everyone. 

Let us focus on that, and it will be the best part for us.

15th Week, Ordinary Time, Saturday, 16-07-2022

Micah 7:1-5 / Matthew 12:14-21   

The late Archbishop Fulton Sheen was an articulate and eloquent speaker and preacher.

In fact, he was one of the pioneers of media evangelization.

But when he was in college, a debate coach told him that he was the worst speaker he had ever heard.

Well, Fulton Sheen proved him wrong.

And so did others like Ernest Hemmingway and Thomas Edison who proved their critics wrong.

Yet there are also many others who were crushed and devastated by the criticisms against them.

And some don't recover from it.

Criticisms may not come with a sarcastic tone.

It may be just a jeer or a scorn, but it is as bad as a brawl and a shout.

In the gospel, we heard about the Pharisees criticizing and plotting against Jesus.

Yet, like how the prophet Isaiah prophesied: He will not brawl or shout; he will not break the crushed reed, not put out the smoldering wick till he has lead the truth to victory.

Let us turn to Jesus whenever we face criticisms or scorching remarks.

May the truth of His love lead us to rise above the criticisms and destructive judgments.

May we prove that the truth spoken with love is more powerful and creative than the harsh word that breaks and crushes people.

15th Week, Ordinary Time, Friday, 15-07-2022

Isaiah 38:1-6, 21-22, 7-8 / Matthew 12:1-8   

Tonight, as we go to bed, we will set the alarm for tomorrow, either to go to work or to get up for an appointment.

But the fact is that there is no assurance or any guarantee that we will be alive tomorrow.

And we may even plan big things for tomorrow, in spite of having no knowledge of the future.

Maybe we can call that hope, or faith, or at least it is something that keep us looking forward and moving along with life.

But, what if, we are afflicted with a grave illness or disease, and we are told that we have a limited time left to live.

How would we feel about that, and how would we react to that?

In the 1st reading, king Hezekiah fell ill and was at the point of death, and the prophet Isaiah came and told him to put his affairs in order, as he was going to die.

Hezekiah prayed to the Lord and shed many tears. 

Our reaction, if we were Hezekiah, would also be quite similar.

But the Lord heard Hezekiah’s prayer and was merciful to him and cured him of his illness and even granted him another 15 years of life.

It was a testimony of the Lord’s mercy and that He hears the prayers of those who are faithful to Him and do what is right and just.

But Hezekiah would also know that the next 15 years of his life would be dedicated to the Lord and to do what the Lord wants of him.

Those 15 years will be years of blessings that Hezekiah would be grateful and thankful for.

And just as the Lord was merciful to Hezekiah, the Lord is also merciful to us.

The Lord will listen to our prayers and grant us our needs.

We may not know how many more years of life we will have or what the future holds for us.

But just as Jesus is the Master of the sabbath, He is also master of our lives and our future.

Let us put our trust and hope in Him, and we won’t ask how many years of life we would have. 

Rather it would be how much love and life we would put into those years.

15th Week, Ordinary Time, Thursday, 14-07-2022

Isaiah 26:7-9, 12, 16-19 / Matthew 11:28-30    

In life, the two fundamental principles to have are truth and love.

They may sound simple but it is certainly not easy to live life in truth and with love.

We have to admit that we don’t always tell the truth.

That weighs heavy on our minds as we will be afraid of being exposed and called a liar.

And neither are we always that loving, and that will also burden our hearts because in not being loving, we know that we are not doing the good and right thing.

But when we strive to live our lives in truth and love, then as the 1st reading tells us, God will grant us a straight and smooth path in life.

The 1st reading continues to teach us that with truth and love, God will grant us peace, since God will treat us as our deeds deserve.

But if we find our hearts heavy and overburdened, then we have to look at how we are living our lives.

Jesus tells us to come to Him when we feel that we are labouring in life and are overburdened.

He wants to teach us how to be gentle and humble of heart so that we will know what truth and love are about.

If we want our hearts to be rested and at peace, let us ask Jesus to grant us a gentle and humble heart.

Then our lives will be straightened with truth and love.

15th Week, Ordinary Time, Wednesday, 13-07-2022

Isaiah 10:5-7, 13-16 / Matthew 11:25-27 

To have faith in God means that we look and see with the eyes of faith and we also understand with hearts of faith.

To be a person of faith means that our faith is integrated into every aspect of our lives, and we see the hand of God shaping every event and every experience.

Yet if we put ourselves in the shoes of the people of God who were listening to the 1st reading, would we be able to see the hand of God directing the power of our enemy against us?

Yes, we have sinned, we have provoked the Lord, we have turned away from the Lord and have been unfaithful.

Our enemy have pillaged and plundered us, and stamped us like mud in the street. Will the Lord not have pity on us and save us from being cut to pieces?

To have faith in this kind of horrible situation is certainly challenging but nonetheless it is critical to have that bit of faith in God.

Because we must believe what the Lord said through the prophet Isaiah in the 1st reading: Does the axe claim more credit than the man who wields it, or the saw more strength than the man who handles it?

To have faith in a critical situation also means that we have hearts like that of children who believe that  God will protect us and will not let evil break us beyond our strength.

Yes, the hand that hurts is also the hand that heals, and we must see the hand of God directing and shaping every event and experience in our lives for our good.

To have faith means we must be able to see further and deeper and to see God in all things.

15th Week, Ordinary Time, Tuesday, 12-07-2022

Isaiah 7:1-9 / Matthew 11:20-24   

When faced with a hungry person, it is utterly useless to preach to him about the love of God.

The most sensible thing to do is to give him some food and that will indeed show him the love of God.

Hunger has no logic and hence people will not listen to whatever promises of food that will be coming. The hunger has to be addressed immediately.

If hunger has no logic, then fear can cause panic. In the face of mortal danger, fear can make people hysterical.

In the 1st reading, we heard that the hearts of the king Ahaz and the people of Judah shuddered when they got the news that the enemy was approaching to attack them.

The immediate thing to do would be to run away and save themselves and to each his own. For those remaining, they could panic and be hysterical as they wait for death to fall on them.

Yet in all that chaos, the Lord spoke. And He assured His people that what the enemy planned to do won't come true; it would not be. But on one condition: But if you do not stand by me, you will not stand at all.

The people will have to decide - either to stand by the words of the Lord, or they give in to fear and panic.

Yet in the gospel, the story was quite the opposite. The people had seen the miracles of Jesus, and yet they refused to repent. And as it is, those places mentioned in the gospel now lie in ruins.

And for us, we have heard the words of the Lord; we have seen His love for us in the Eucharist.

We now have to make the decision - either we stand by Him, or we won't stand at all.

15th Week, Ordinary Time, Monday, 11-07-2022

Isaiah 1:10-17 / Matthew 10:34 - 11:1

There is one word in today's gospel that is repeated quite a few times.

If we have been observant enough, we will be able to notice that it is the word "anyone".

Jesus is certainly making a point here.

The Kingdom of God is certainly open to anyone who wishes to receive it.

And anyone who puts Jesus before anything else in life will certainly be part of this Kingdom of God.

But the decision for Jesus must be so clear that it is like a sword that cuts and divides.

Because the choice for Jesus and the Kingdom of God is not for one who sits on the fence but rather a clear-cut decision for Jesus and to live according to His ways.

Let us pray for a renewed strength and faith to always decide to follow Jesus and to build the Kingdom of God.

15th Ordinary Sunday, Year C, 10.07.2022

Deuteronomy 30:10-14 / Colossians 1:15-20  / Luke 10:25-37

When we look at this world and think about life, we may be rather pessimistic. 

The world seems to be messy, with wars and violence, poverty and injustice, disasters and tragedies, sickness and diseases. 

Life also has its problems and difficulties, worries and anxieties, tears and fears. 

But despite what we think and say about the world and about life, we also see something beautiful and wonderful. 

We see people falling in love and getting married. 

We see babies being born and bringing joy to their parents and all around them. 

We see parents loving their children and making sacrifices for them. 

We see people coming to church and praying to God and striving to be good and loving. 

In short, we see the power of love shining through the darkness of life and giving hope for a better world. 

The gospel parable of the Good Samaritan reminds us that the Law of love is written in our hearts, because we are created in love and created with love. 

God plants His love in our hearts so that we have the ability and capacity to be loving even in difficult situations. 

The most powerful form of love is in sacrificial love. 

God shows us the power of sacrificial love by giving His only Son on the Cross for our salvation.

Jesus taught us how to love and to make sacrifices with love.

When we follow that way of love, there will be hope for a better world and that people will be happier with life.

14th Week, Ordinary Time, Saturday, 08-07-2022

Isaiah 6:1-8 / Matthew 11:24-33    

When the basic needs of life like food, clothing and shelter are met and taken care of, we will want to look at the higher needs of life.

Those higher needs are often intangible, like security, relationships, respect, self-esteem, freedom and self-actualization.

The desire for meaning and purpose in life will make us embark on a search and reflection.

But what if that quest leads us to a road less travelled and to an unexpected direction.

Such was the case of the prophet Isaiah in the 1st reading.

He had a vision of the glory of God and also an experience of being cleansed of his unworthiness.

And with that he received his prophetic calling and went on to be the messenger of God.

When our basic needs are fulfilled, then we will search around for the meaning and purpose of life.

But the meaning and purpose of life can only be found in God and in what God wants of us.

God may lead us to a road less travelled and to an unexpected direction.

Whatever it may, let us remember what is our most fundamental need.

And that is: we need God. When we know who God is to us, and what He wants of us, all our other needs will be taken care of.

14th Week, Ordinary Time, Friday, 08-07-2022

Hosea 14:2-10 / Matthew 10:16-23

 

To say “sorry” is not as easy and neither is it that simple.

Of course, we must be humble enough to say sorry and to apologize to the person that we have offended.

But to apologize with just one word of “sorry” may not seem to be adequate.

There must also be sincerity and honesty, and maybe a few more other words may be needed.

But we certainly won’t expect the person to whom we are apologizing to tell us what to say. 

We would have to think what to say in order to express our sincerity and hope that the person will accept our apology.

But in the 1st reading, it was the Lord who was telling His people what to say if they really want to repent and turn back to the Lord God.

The Lord says this: Provide yourselves with words and come back to the Lord. Say to him, “Take all iniquity away so that we may have happiness again and offer you our words of praise.

God was making it so simple and easy for His people to turn back to Him and He even tells them what to say to express their repentance.

When we come for Mass, we don’t have to think of what words to say or how to compose our prayers.

The Holy Spirit, through the Church, has done all that for us.

We only need to come before the Lord with a humble and contrite heart, and listen to the prayers that are offered to the Lord.

And like what the 1st reading tells us:

Let the wise man understand these words.

Let the intelligent man grasp their meanings.

For the ways of the Lord are straight, 

and virtuous men walk in them, 

but sinners stumble.

14th Week, Ordinary Time, Thursday, 07-07-2022

Hosea 11:1-4, 8-9 / Matthew 10:7-15    

Very often, the choices that we make depends on what are the options available.

So, whether it is food, or clothing, or accessories, the choices that we make depend on what we see before us.

But those choices are not that critical and they are not really life-changing choices.

When it comes to relationships, it is a different matter.

Who we choose to be our life-partner, who we choose to be our close friends, who we choose to be our best friend, would make a difference in our lives.

In the 1st reading, the God’s chosen people chose to be unfaithful to God with their idol-worship.

God had become one of the choices, and worshipping the idols seemed more appealing and gratifying.

The people’s choice was to be unfaithful to God. God could have just rejected them and let them face the consequence of their choice.

But instead, God chose to forgive them and even reached out to His people with love.

So if we say that we choose God and want to be faithful to Him, then we too must choose to love and forgive others.

When we choose to be faithful to God, there should be no other options.

14th Week, Ordinary Time, Wednesday, 06-07-2022

Hosea 10:1-3, 7-8, 12 / Matthew 10:1-7   

We may think that in the face of adversity, what will happen will be that people will only want to care for themselves and that it will be survival of the fittest.

Even in the time of the early Church, there were persecutions against Christians and it was thought that Christianity will be eradicated and the Church will crumble away.

But contrary to what was expected, the Church and Christianity grew stronger in those times of adversity.

But when there were no more persecutions and adversities, and there was peace and stability, somehow complacency crept it.

That was similar to what happened to Israel in the 1st reading.

Israel was a luxuriant vine, yielding plenty of fruit. But the more the fruit increased, the more idol altars were built. 

The richer Israel became, the more unfaithful it was to God and turned to idol-worshipping.

It may sound rather strange, but stability can lead to complacency, whereas adversity can be turned into fidelity.

May we heed what the Lord said to His people at the end of the 1st reading:

Sow integrity for yourselves, and reap a harvest of kindness. Break up your fallow ground; it is time to go seeking the Lord until He comes to rain salvation on you.

Let us not be complacent, but always seek the ways of the Lord and be faithful to Him.

14th Week, Ordinary Time, Tuesday, 05-07-2022

Hosea 8:4-7,11-13 / Matthew 9:32-38    

Just a general reading of the gospels can give us a sense that it was an exciting time when Jesus was around.

All that sounded very exciting and especially when Jesus summoned His disciples and gave them authority to heal diseases and drive out evil spirits.

Yes, all that sounds very exciting at that time.

Yet it is no less exciting now. Because we are the current day disciples.

The imagery that Jesus gives us is a crop that is ripe for harvest.

And that is the urgency. If there is no harvesting, then consequently the crop will be rotting.

And to think that there are people out there who will be rotting spiritually just because we are not answering the call to be disciples of Jesus is a sad and disturbing thought.

The call to discipleship is first and foremost to be labourers of the harvest, and that is going to be tough work.

Yes,  we pray for more vocations to the priesthood and religious life.

But we also need to pray for ourselves that we will be awakened by the call to be labourers of the Lord's harvest.

It's going to be a lot of tough work, but it is always exciting, because the one who is calling us is none other than Jesus Himself.

And He will be our reward, for in Jesus there will be abundant blessings of peace and joy.

14th Week, Ordinary Time, Monday, 04-07-2022

Hosea 2:16-18, 21-22 / Matthew 9:18-26   

Life may not always be easy-going or smooth-sailing.

But at least most of us can say that life is stable enough.

But at some point in life, we will come to a bump and everything just falls apart.

It may be a financial problem, a crippling illness, a broken relationship, or something that just puts life to a stop.

When such things happen, we can either curse and swear and blame everyone for our troubles.

Or we might come to our senses and see what to do and how to get out of it.

In the gospel, the official and the woman with the hemorrhage somehow knew what to do.

They turned to Jesus for help and they got the answer to their prayers.

Let us learn from that official and that woman to turn to Jesus when we meet with life’s dead-ends or when life falls apart.

When we are down to nothing, Jesus will lift us up to something.

14th Ordinary Sunday, Year C, 03.07.2022

Isaiah 66:10-14 / Galatians 6:14-18 / Luke 10:1-12, 17-20

Whenever there is some work to be done, one of the first questions that will be asked is this: What is there to be gained from it, what is the reward? 

And if the work is unrewarding, and there is nothing to be gained from it, then who would ever want to do it? 

There is this story about four people named Everybody, Somebody, Anybody and Nobody. There was an important job to be done, and Everybody was sure that Somebody would do it. 

Anybody could have done it, but Nobody did it. Somebody was got angry about that, because it was Everybody's job. 

Everybody thought that Anybody could do it, but Nobody realized that Everybody wouldn't do it. 

It ended up that Everybody blamed Somebody when Nobody did what Anybody could have done. 

The story may sound funny but the underlying message is about responsibility and accountability. 

And that story unfolds in companies and organizations, right down to the home. 

Yes, the fact is that when there is some difficult and unrewarding and unglamorous work to be done, we are a bit of that everybody, somebody, anybody and nobody. 

In the gospel, Jesus says that the harvest is rich, but the laborers are few. 

And we know why the laborers are few - because everybody was sure that somebody would do it. Anybody could have done it but nobody did it. 

And Jesus also pointed out why the laborers are few. Who would want to be like a lamb among wolves, and be subjected to stress and tension? 

Who would want to do some rough and tough work and get nothing in return? Who would want to face rejection and criticism, despite the good intentions and sacrifices. 

Given the above, it is not surprising that the laborers are few, though the harvest is rich. 

And so it would be more convenient to just look away and let the harvest rot, than to be a solution to the problem. It is more convenient to run away from the fire than into the fire. 

But just as Jesus sent His disciples into the harvest, so too Jesus is sending us to serve in the Church as well as in the world. 

And it is not about doing some work. It is about the labour of love. 

When we do a work because no one is there to do it, it is the labour of love. 

When we do a work and no one is looking, that is the labour of love. 

When we do some thankless work and our names are not even mentioned, or that someone else takes the credit, that is the labour of love. 

So, whether in church or in the world, whether in the workplace or at home, there is a harvest and Jesus wants to send us to the harvest. 

But He waits for us to say “yes”. It is not about everybody or somebody or anybody to say yes. It is about you and me. 

It is about saying “yes” to Jesus and be laborers of love in the Lord's harvest. 

And there is a reward actually. Our names will be written in heaven. As well as the names of those who we will bring along as laborers of love in the Lord's Harvest.

13th Week, Ordinary Time, Saturday, 02-07-2022

Amos 9:11-15 / Matthew 9:14-17      

It goes without saying that the quality of the agricultural produce of the land depends very much on the weather.

Yet another fundamental factor is also the stability of the land, i.e. the political and social condition of the people living on that land.

If there were wars and bloodshed and unrest, would we expect the land to bear quality produce even if the land was fertile?

And if grapes were planted during a time of turmoil and distress, what will be harvested could be sour grapes that are neither edible nor used for wine making.

In the 1st reading, the planting and the harvesting of grapes was in the background of a land that was restored and the people were at peace.

Yet, it must be remembered that the rich harvest of grapes, the sweet taste of wine and the joy it brings to a people at peace was the work of God who restored the land and blessed the people.

In the gospel, Jesus also talked about wine and wineskins, and He said that no one puts new wine into old wineskins.

It may simply mean that the new wine of restoration and blessing cannot be put into the old wineskins of turmoil and distress that comes from unfaithfulness to the Lord.

By now we should know the dire consequences of being complacent and being unfaithful to the Lord.

Yet, as much as the Lord is merciful and restores us and blesses us so that we can have peace in our lives, may we also prepare new wineskins for our hearts so as to receive and treasure God's blessings.