22nd Week, Ordinary Time, Thursday, 01-09-2022

1 Cor 3:18-23 / Luke 5:1-11   

Whenever we talk about “comfort”, there can be a couple of nouns that we attach to it.

So, we will talk about “comfort food”, which may not be that sumptuous or savory, but it may be just simple food that warms the stomach and eases the mind.

We also talk about “comfort zone”, which does not necessarily mean a place but rather a sense of security and familiarity, and the mind is at ease.

Moving out of the comfort zone may mean anxiety and stress, and it certainly is not a comfortable feeling.

In the gospel, when Jesus told Peter to put out into deep water and pay out the nets for a catch, Peter would have his apprehensions.

It was not that Peter had not gone fishing in the deep waters, but rather it was a carpenter who was telling him, a fisherman, where to fish.

Peter had to move out of his comfort zone of assumptions and presumptions and to agree with what Jesus told him.

In doing so, Peter encountered a “divine mystery zone” that made him realise that he was a sinner.

So, when we had to move out of our comfort zone and go into the deep unknown, let us remember it is Jesus who is leading us into a divine mystery zone.

In that divine mystery, God will reveal to us what we need to know about ourselves so that we will have peace of mind and heart.

22nd Week, Ordinary Time, Wednesday, 31-08-2022

1 Cor 3:1-9 / Luke  4:38-44      

A man once saw an injured bird on the ground, and it was unable to fly.

He picked it up and put it in a bird cage and cared for it. It was a beautiful bird.

His friend came along and admired it and he congratulated his friend for finding such a beautiful pet.

But the man said to his friend, “When it is well again, I will take it out of the cage.”

His friend exclaimed, “But it will fly away!” To which the man replied, “Well, that is the point.”

So, what is the point? The point is that everyone is given the freedom to fulfill his destiny.

When we want to hold on to a person, it is usually with a vested interest and a selfish intention.

In the gospel, the people wanted to prevent Jesus from leaving, but Jesus knew what His mission and destiny is.

In the 1st reading, we heard of people who were holding on to their preferred personalities like Paul and Apollo, and they forgot that they themselves have their own mission and destiny to fulfill.

May God grant us spiritual wings so that we will fly towards Him and find our mission and fulfill our destiny.

22nd Week, Ordinary Time, Tuesday, 30-08-2022

1 Cor 2:10-16 / Luke 4:31-37     

Our senses help us to interact with our surroundings and to be able to understand how to respond accordingly.

So by what we see, hear, touch, smell and taste, we would know what we are encountering and to decide on the next course of action.

But there is only so much that we know about what is around us. 

There is much more than what we can understand with our senses.

That being the case, then what we cannot encounter and comprehend with our senses, we certainly would need help.

In the gospel, the incident in the synagogue where the man possessed by the evil spirit and shouting at Jesus was something that the people cannot understand or comprehend.

And when Jesus cast out the evil spirit from the man, the people were astonished and amazed.

But St. Paul reminds us in the 1st reading that the Holy Spirit reaches the depths of everything.

With the help of the Holy Spirit, we will be able to judge what we encounter and comprehend with our senses.

That is why prayer is so important in the life of a Christian.

Because when we pray, we let the Holy Spirit reveal to us what God wants us to know about ourselves.

Only when we are able to understand ourselves, then we will be able to see what is God’s plan for us and what He wants us to do.

The Passion of St. John the Baptist, Monday, 29-08-2022

Jeremiah 1:17-19 / Mark 6:17-29   

Many things make sense when we step back and look at them again.

In other words, things can become clearer when we look at them from a distance.

For example, we didn’t know beautiful our Earth is until we got the pictures of planet Earth from outer space.

Similarly, life, and also death, can make sense when we step back and look at them from a distance.

The birth of St. John the Baptist was surrounded with special events like, when he leapt in his mother’s womb when Mary visited her, his father lost the ability to speak until John was born, and the name John was also rather unexpected and surprised the relatives.

The birth of St. John the Baptist may have generated astonishment and amazement, but his death may seem like a disappointment and even an abandonment.

For someone whom Jesus called the “greatest of men” the ending was such a stark contrast to the beginning.

Yet, life and death can be understood when we step back and look at them from a distance.

Then we can see that the birth and death of St. John the Baptist points to the saving plan of God.

St. John the Baptist pointed out Jesus as the Saviour. And then he stepped aside and continued with his message of repentance to the point that he laid down his life for it.

So, in life and in death, St. John the Baptist gave glory to God and carried out his role in God’s plan of salvation.

May we too know our role in God’s plan of salvation, so that, like St. John the Baptist, from the beginning to the end, our life will be for the glory of God.

22nd Ordinary Sunday, Year C, 28.08.2022

Ecclesiasticus 3:17-20, 28-29 / Hebrews 12:18-19, 22-24 / Luke 14:1, 7-14

There are many things that can be bought with money, and money can also buy luxuries. 

So, as long as we have the money, and if we can afford it, then we can get almost anything we want. 

And money has a way of making us look at people as if they were things. In other words, we can use money to buy people, whether it is to get some work done or to be served by them, or to bribe people to get their favours. 

So, money can make us look at people as things which can be bought and used. 

But let us remember that the most important things in life are not things. And the most important things in life cannot be bought with money. 

One of the most obvious important things that cannot be bought with money is health. There can be the best hospitals and the best advanced medicine, but that can't replace the health that is lost, or prolonged life for even a minute. 

Another important thing is peace. Money cannot buy peace, especially when the hatred is deep and the hurt is scorching. No amount of money can buy a peaceful reconciliation. 

And money certainly cannot buy love. True love comes from God, and God cannot be bought with money. 

And since money cannot buy love, then it won't buy respect either. Respect is the fruit of love, and it is when we are loving to others that they will respect us. 

Yes, respect cannot be demanded, it has to be earned, and it is not earned with money, but with love. 

The 1st reading teaches us this: Be gentle in carrying out your business, and you will be better loved then a lavish giver. 

So, a person may be a lavish giver, but if he does so to boost his pride and ego, then he is only exalting himself over others, and he may not receive any due respect. 

So, the expression of true love is when we are gentle in our relationships with others and respect them. 

The 1st reading also teaches us this: The greater you are, the more you should behave humbly, for great though the power of the Lord is, He accepts the homage of the humble. 

So even though we may have money, we know that the important things in life are not things that can be bought with money. 

The important things in life are love, peace, humility, gentleness and respect, and in fact, all those things that cannot be bought with money, those are truly important things. 

There is this story of the richest man in a town and he was proud of his wealth. One day he took a drive around the town to look at his estate. 

When he reached the outskirts of the town, he saw an old farmer who was about to have his simple lunch. 

The farmer greeted the rich man respectfully. The rich man asked the farmer, “How is life?” The farmer replied, “The work is tough, the weather is unpredictable, but I am happy.” And he even offered to share his lunch with the rich man, but the rich man declined. 

As the rich man was about to leave, the old farmer said, “Oh, I had a dream that the richest man in town will die tonight!” 

The rich man scoffed at the idea of dreams, and returned home for lunch, but even though the food was sumptuous, he did not have the appetite. 

He kept thinking about what the old farmer said, that the richest man in town will die that night. He tried to rest but couldn't, and so he called his doctor for a full medical check-up. 

The doctor told him that all was fine and even offered to stay over for the night to make sure that all will be well. The night passed on and morning came and rich man was glad then he was still alive and well. 

While having breakfast with the doctor, a servant came in and asked for the doctor. The doctor asked, “What is the matter?” The servant replied, “Can you come and take a look at the old farmer. I think he died in his sleep last night.” 

So, money and riches cannot buy life, or the important things of life like love, peace, happiness, gentleness and respect. 

That is the teaching of Jesus in the gospel. 

Let us ask God to teach us to be humble and gentle, and we will know how to love and to respect others and to be respected by others.

21st Week, Ordinary Time, Saturday, 27-08-2022

1 Cor 1:26-31 / Matthew 25:14-40

By and large, we are ordinary people and very much like the rest of humanity.

But there are some people who are extra-ordinary in the sense that they are naturally endowed with some special gifts and talents.

They may be gifted and talented in music, or art, or memory, or sports, and that makes them stand out from the rest of humanity.

But gifts and talents can mean nothing if the potential is not put to use.

And gifts and talents mean nothing if it is not for the glory of God and for the service of others.

As the 1st reading puts it, “The human race has nothing to boast about to God”.

That is simply because whatever gifts and talents that we may have come from God, and it is for us to decide how to use those gifts and talents.

We may have only one talent and may having nothing to boast about and nothing to show.

But when we use that one humble talent to help someone, and even to help others, then God will be proud of us because we have used our gifts and talents to give Him glory.

21st Week, Ordinary Time, Friday, 26-08-2022

1 Cor 1:17-25 / Matthew 25:1-13     

No one can ever say that he has never made a mistake or has acted foolishly, or even coming close to stupidity.

So, it is understandable that we had been foolish at times and even called ourselves “stupid”.

When we can accept that in ourselves, then we also need to accept that in others.

To make the same mistake twice may also be acceptable, but to make the same mistake more than that is certainly questionable.

Besides that, if we know what is the wise and better thing to do, and yet not wanting to do it, is foolish.

In the gospel parable, the difference between the wise and the foolish bridesmaids is action.

The wise bridesmaids knew what was needed to be prepared for the unexpected and they got down to doing it.

The foolish bridesmaids saw what was done but just didn’t bother about it.

But wisdom is not just about knowing what was needed and to get on with doing it.

The 1st reading tells us about another wisdom as it says this: The language of the cross may be illogical to those who are not on the way to salvation, but those of us who are on the way see it as God’s power to save.

When we understand the meaning of the Cross, and accept to carry the crosses that come along in life, then Jesus will grant us the wisdom to see the power of salvation in the Cross.

21st Week, Ordinary Time, Thursday, 25-08-2022

1 Cor 1:1-9 / Matthew 24:42-51    

Just as no one can say that he has never made a mistake, similarly no one can ever say that they had not lost focus or got distracted before.

The reality is that human beings are not machines.

We don’t run on a program or like clock-work. 

But even on that point, the fact is that machines do break down due to wear and tear and other issues.

When we profess our faith in God, we certainly want to be faithful and committed to Him with all our heart.

But there is also the human weakness, frailty and failings to reckon with.

In the gospel parable, we hear of the dishonest servant giving in to his own desires and being caught unexpectedly by his master.

But in the 1st reading, St. Paul tells us that Jesus will keep us steady and without blame.

We only need to have faith in God who is faithful to us.

Let us keep praying that we will always stay close to God and be faithful to Him, especially in times of trials and temptations

St. Bartholomew, Apostle, Wednesday, 24-08-2022

Apocalypse 21:9:14 / John 1:45-51  

St Bartholomew was from Cana in Galilee, and he was often identified as Nathaniel because the Gospel according to Mathew listed him together with Philip as one of the first apostles chosen by Christ.

From the gospel, we can make a presumption of what kind of character he was.

For one, he was a straight-forward person, who says what he means and means what he says.

We can make that presumption when he made that statement: Can anything good come from Nazareth?

Nonetheless, he was an open person because he followed Philip to see who that person Jesus was.

He was also a person of prayer, as attested to by Jesus, because to sit under a fig tree means to be under its shade of coolness and to pray and meditate on God's righteousness.

So in effect, Jesus was affirming Bartholomew about his character. It was like He knew what kind of a person Bartholomew really was.

Similarly, Jesus also knows each of us through and through, and He also wants to affirm our goodness.

Like St. Bartholomew, let us continue to follow Jesus as He reveals Himself to us.

May we also come to know ourselves deeper and be strengthened in our goodness.

May we also always meditate on God's righteousness and proclaim it in our lives.

21st Week, Ordinary Time, Tuesday, 23-08-2022

2 Thess 2:1-3, 14-17 / Matthew 23:23-26   

Truth can be understood in several aspects.

It can be understood as what is factual.

It can also be understood as the opposite of lies and falsehood.

Above all, we understand truth as the essence of God.

In other words, God is truth.

And in the reality of life, we believe that the truth will prevail, because God will prevail.

In the 1st reading, the example that St. Paul and his companions gave to the Thessalonians was not to impress them but it was who they really were.

As messengers of the Good News, St. Paul knew that they have to proclaim the truth with their lives, and people will see that truth.

In the gospel, Jesus warned about hypocrisy, because it distorts the truth with half-lies.

God is truth. He created us in truth. Let us live in the truth and our lives will bear testimony to the God that we believe in.

Queenship of the BVM, Monday, 22-08-2022

Isaiah 9:1-6 / Luke 1:26-38    

The feast of the Queenship of Mary flows from the feast of the Assumption of Mary into heaven, which was celebrated eight days ago.

The Assumption of Mary into heaven is by grace of God, and Mary is assumed into heaven on the merits of the Ascension of Jesus.

And as the Church proclaims Jesus as the Universal Lord and King, the Church also bestows the title of "Queen of heaven" on Mary.

Mary shares in the glory of Jesus and she is also closely associated with the redemptive work of Jesus.

This title of Mary as "Queen of Heaven" is certainly comforting and assuring for us.

In our devotion to Mary, we know that Mary prays for us and prays with us.

As the Queen of Heaven, she will also call upon the angels and saints in heaven to pray for us.

We will certainly need her prayers and the prayers of the angels and saints in heaven as we strive faithfully to follow Jesus in the way of salvation.

May Mary pray for us until we reach our eternal homeland in heaven as we look forward to rejoicing with her and the angels and saints and praising and glorifying God forever.

21st Ordinary Sunday, Year C, 21.08.2022

Isaiah 66:18-21 / Hebrews 12:5-7, 11-13 / Luke 13:22-30

It can be said that by a person's attitudes and behaviour, we can get an idea of that person's upbringing. 

So, the most important years in a person's life is not so much in the schooling days or in the working life. 

The most important years of a person's life is the first 6 years of childhood. During the first 6 years, a child's brain develops faster than during any other period of life, and its early development will set the course for any future evolvement. 

During this period of the first 6 years, the base for a successful education in the future can be laid. That would be the time for character formation and to instil the values and principles in life. 

That is not just important for the individual, it will have bearings in family relationships and on the social fabric. 

Obviously, parents have this great opportunity, as well as great responsibility, of forming their children with good upbringing. 

In many ways, the children's attitudes and behaviour are a reflection of how their parents have brought them up. 

But whether it is parents or children, we know that it is not that easy to teach and to learn to do what is good and right. 

Because there is this human tendency to exercise our freedom to do whatever we want, and that has often led us to do the wrong and bad thing. 

In the gospel, Jesus talked about entering by the narrow door, and he even said that many will try to enter and will not succeed. 

The way of the Lord and the way to life is like trying to enter by the narrow door, and it is not going to be easy. 

From the 2nd reading, we heard that the Lord will correct and reprimand, and we must not get discouraged. 

Because the Lord trains and even punishes those He loves, because He wants to form us well. 

So, suffering is part of our training, so that we are able to enter by the narrow door, and do what is right and good in the eyes of the Lord. 

There is this story of the bowl of noodles with eggs, and the author narrates how his father has formed him with just a bowl of noodles and eggs. The narration goes like this:

When I was a small child, I was very selfish, always grabbed the best for myself. Slowly, everyone left me and I had no friends. I didn’t think it was my fault but criticized others.

My father gave me 3 examples to help me learn about life. One day, my father cooked 2 bowls of noodles and he put the 2 bowls on the table. One bowl has one egg on top and the other bowl does not have any egg on top. He said, “My child, you choose. Which bowl do you want?” Of course, I chose the bowl with the egg! 

As we started eating. I was congratulating myself on my wise choice and decision and gobbled up the egg. 

Then to my surprise as my father ate his bowl of noodles, there were TWO eggs at the bottom of his bowl beneath the noodles! 

I regretted so much! And scolded myself for being too hasty in my decision. 

My father smiled and said to me, “My child… You must remember what your eyes see may not be true. And if you intent on taking advantage of people, you will end up losing!”

The next day, my father again cooked 2 bowls of noodles. One bowl with an egg on top and the other bowl with no egg on top. Again, he put the two bowls on the table and said to me, “My child. You choose. Which bowl do you want?” This time I am smarter. I chose the bowl without any egg on top. To my surprise, as I separated the noodles on top, there was not even a single egg at the bottom of the bowl! 

Again my father smiled and said to me, “My child, you must not always rely on experiences because sometimes, life can cheat you or play tricks on you. But you must not be too annoyed or sad. Just treat this as learning a lesson. You cannot learn this from textbooks.”

The third day, my father again cooked 2 bowls of noodles. Again, one bowl with an egg on top and the other bowl with no egg on top. He put the 2 bowls on the table and again said to me, “My child. You choose. Which bowl do you want?” This time, I told my father, “Dad, you choose first. You are the head of the family and contributed the most to the family.” 

My father did not decline and chose the bowl with one egg on top. As I ate my bowl of noodles, I was expecting that there is no egg inside the bowl. But to my surprise, there were TWO eggs at the bottom of the bowl.

My father smiled at me with love in his eyes, and said, “My child, you must remember! When you think for the good of others, good things will always naturally happen to you!”

I always remember these 3 lessons from my father and live my life accordingly.

Jesus taught us that suffering is part of our training when He suffered and died on the Cross.

May the Cross of Jesus teach us how to live life and to enter by the narrow door of love. And may we always do what is pleasing to God.

20th Week, Ordinary Time, Saturday, 20-08-2022

Ezekiel 43:1-7 / Matthew 23:1-12

To get people’s attention and admiration is certainly something quite desirable.

But to get people’s respect, that is another matter.

Respect from others cannot be demanded nor gained by monetary means.

Respect is to be earned, but it is not by achieving something great or doing something extraordinary.

People are respected for doing ordinary things in simple and humble ways.

What Jesus taught in today’s gospel should always be in our hearts and minds as He says this:

“The greatest among you must be your servant. Anyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and anyone who humbles himself will be exalted.”

There is no need to go looking for respect from others.

In being humble and simple, they will respect us for who we truly are. 

And God loves those who are humble and simple of heart.

20th Week, Ordinary Time, Friday, 19-08-2022

Ezekiel 37:1-4 / Matthew 22:34-40   

When we say that good things come in pairs, it is not just a casual manner of speech, but it is actually a proverb that can be found in many cultures.

Good things coming in pairs can also be seen in the reality of life.

So we have a pair of eyes, a pair of ears, a pair of hands, a pair of legs, etc.

In the gospel, when Jesus was asked about the greatest commandment of the Law, He gave not one but two commandments.

Those two commandments of loving God and loving neighbour complement each other and it can be said that the greatest commandment comes in a pair of commandments.

When we love God and love neighbour, then our bodies will even respond accordingly.

With our pair of eyes, we will look with love.

With our pair of ears, we will listen with love

With our pair of hands, we will serve with love.

With our pair of legs, we will walk humbly with God and walk together with others.

When we love God and love neighbour, we will know how to live life on earth and to have eternal life in heaven.

20th Week, Ordinary Time, Thursday, 18-08-2022

Ezekiel 36:23-28 / Matthew 22:1-14    

The question of the state of attire for Church services, especially for Mass, has been and is still a topic of deliberation.

Whatever the view points or opinions, it comes down to the personal attitude and disposition in deciding how and what to wear for Mass.

Among other considerations, dressing is a form of respect for self, for God and for others.

And in the spiritual sense, our dressing is an expression of the image of being “clothed in Christ”.

So, for the Christian, dressing for Mass can be said to be an act of faith.

It is a reminder that we have been washed clean at Baptism and being clothed as a new person in Christ.

In the 1st reading, God tells His people that He will cleanse them of all their defilement and give them a new heart.

In the gospel parable, the wedding garment is highlighted to remind us that as much as we are invited to the wedding feast of God at Mass, we must come with clean hearts and clothed with virtues so as to offer a pure sacrifice to God.

When we understand this, then it is not so much about how or what to wear for Mass, but that we are cleansed by the Blood of Christ and that we are clothed with the holiness of Christ.

 

20th Week, Ordinary Time, Wednesday, 17-08-2022

Ezekiel 34:1-11 / Matthew 20:1-16      

We know that with great power comes great responsibility.

The greater the responsibility, the greater will be the accountability.

So for those who are appointed to positions of authority and power, they need to be aware of the responsibility and the accountability to the people they are called to serve.

In the 1^st reading, the Word of the Lord was addressed to the shepherds of Israel.

The shepherds of Israel are understood as the rulers of the country as well as the religious leaders of that time.

In today’s context, it is often interpreted as the clergy and priests of the Church.

But in the broader sense, anyone who has an authority over others is also called to be responsible with that authority and to be able to account for it.

At the same time, those who are under authority are also called to comply and to obey the instructions given by those who have authority over them.

But whether in authority or under authority, let us be aware that our service and accountability is to God.

And God will reward and bless the faithful servant who acts rightly and justly.

20th Week, Ordinary Time, Tuesday, 16-08-2022

Ezekiel 28:1-10 / Matthew 19:23-30     

In the sunshine of confidence and success, the human tendency is to think that our achievements are the result of our abilities and capabilities.

We may even think that we have made it on our own efforts and that nothing is too difficult when we put our mind and heart to it.

We may not be that arrogant as to say that we can achieve the impossible but we may think that we can get what we want if we push hard enough.

In the 1st reading, we heard of the ruler of the prosperous and powerful city of Tyre saying that he is a god, or at least made himself equal to God.

Power and prosperity have blinded him and made him proud and arrogant and he thought that nothing was impossible for him.

But darkness and distress will soon be upon him and he will be made to realise his fragility and mortality.

Let us remember that whatever achievements and abilities and capabilities that we have are gifts and blessings from God.

We should use these gifts and blessings to serve God and to serve and help others.

We came into this world with nothing and we are going to leave this world with nothing.

But when we do everything for the glory of God, then we would have everything.

Because God will be our everything, in this life as well as in eternal life.

Assumption of the BVM, Monday, 15-08-2022

Apocalypse 11;19; 12:1-6, 10 / 1 Cor 15:20-26 / Luke 1:39-56       

Days of obligation for solemnities like Ascension, All Saints, Christmas and the Assumption of Mary have a teaching about an important aspect of our faith.

To begin with, the Assumption of Mary into heaven was proclaimed as a dogma of faith in 1950.

A dogma is defined as a divinely revealed truth, proclaimed as such by the infallible teaching authority of the Church, and hence binding now and forever on all the faithful. 

It means to say that though the Scriptures do not explicitly say that Mary was assumed into heaven body and soul, the Church, under the guidance of the Holy Spirit defined the truth of this age-old belief.

It is through the Resurrection and Ascension of Jesus, Mary entered heaven, body and soul.

So where Mary had gone, there too is our destiny

That is what we are celebrating and thanking God for.

That our bodies, like Mary’s, are the temples of the Holy Spirit,

And though our bodies may be apparently destroyed by death but yet we are destined to rise again.

That brings us to reflect on the dignity of the human body.

In today’s world, the human body has lost much of its dignity through sexual exploitation, genocide, starvation and terrorist attacks on the innocent.

Faced with so much distress and despair, we are called to face this injustice to humanity with the faith of Mary.

Mary’s hymn of the Magnificat proclaims that God will come to the help of His people.

That God will even do great things for us and through us.

This Mass is not about a commemoration of a proclamation of a dogma.

Rather it is a celebration of faith, faith in our eternal destiny.

We celebrate our faith in the promises that God made to Mary and to us.

And blessed too are we who believe that these promises will be fulfilled.

20th Ordinary Sunday, Year C, 14.08.2022

Jeremiah 38:4-6, 8-10 / Hebrews 12:1-4 / Luke 12:49-53

The human brain is classified as an organ. But unlike the other organs of the human body, it is unusual and complex. 

The brain plays a role in every one of the body’s functions, controlling many organs, as well as speech and movements, and even has a memory. 

And when the brain is referred to as the mind, then that is when the mind is understood as the seat of our thoughts. 

And there is nothing in this world that can delight us, or trouble us, more than our own thoughts. 

When we are delighted and happy, we will think about and speak about the good things of life, things that are heart-warming and inspiring. 

But when our minds are troubled or burdened, then we will tend to be easily annoyed and agitated. 

In that state, we will also speak out what is in our minds, and that might surprise some people who may not know us well, or don't know what we are going through. 

Our impression of Jesus is that He is loving and forgiving, kind and compassionate, and everything that is good and beautiful is found in Him. Of course, that is true. 

But the gospels also did portray Jesus in His more human and ordinary aspect. For example, He wept over Jerusalem, and at the death of his friend Lazarus. 

His anger was shown when He drove out those who were doing business in the Temple. 

And in today's gospel, we could sense that there was something troubling and burdening the mind of Jesus. 

What He said in the gospel may even surprise us too. Especially when he said this: Do you suppose that I'm here to bring peace on earth? No, I tell you, but rather division. 

We could feel that Jesus was serious with what He said. And we could also feel that He was anxious, that something was disturbing and troubling His mind. 

And we could have guessed then Jesus was thinking about His suffering and death on the Cross. 

That was the baptism He was talking about, and He revealed that He was in great distress till it was over. 

It was a distress that He would feel sharply in His agony at the Garden of Gethsemane. 

But we are certainly consoled and comforted to know that Jesus had His troubles and distress, and that He would understand how we feel when we have ours. 

And yes, there is nothing in this world that can trouble us more than our own thoughts. 

But the mind is also like a cup. Whether it is half filled or half empty, it can be refilled. 

Now let's say, we are holding a cup of coffee when someone comes along and bumps into us or shakes our arm, making us spill the coffee everywhere. 

Why did we spill the coffee? Because someone bumped into us!!! Wrong answer. We spilled the coffee because there was coffee in our cup. Had there been tea in the cup we would have spilled tea. 

Whatever is inside the cup is what will spill out. 

Therefore, when life comes along and rattles us, which will certainly happen, whatever is inside us will come out. We can’t fake it. 

So, we have to ask ourselves, “What is in my cup? When life gets tough what spills over?”

The mind is like a cup. We choose what to fill it with. 

Jesus tells us what was troubling and distressing Him in His mind. 

But at the Garden of Gethsemane, He emptied whatever was troubling and distressing His mind when He accepted the will of God and went on to face the Cross. 

May the Cross of Jesus clear out the troubling and distressing thoughts in our minds. 

Like Jesus, let us accept the will of God so that the Cross of Jesus will fill our minds with love, peace and joy. Then gentleness, kindness and forgiveness will flow out of our minds into our words and actions.

And yes, nothing is more delightful than when our mind is filled with the Cross of Jesus.        

19th Week, Ordinary Time, Saturday, 13-08-2022

Ezekiel 18:1-10, 13, 30-32 / Matthew 19:13-15   

Fruits don’t usually fall far from the tree. That is nothing unusual.

But it can be used as an analogy to mean that children are not that far away or different from their parents.

But as much as the fruit is from the tree, the fruit is in a way distinct from the tree it came from.

In the 1st reading, there was this proverb – The fathers have eaten unripe grapes and the children’s teeth are set on edge.

But God told His people that there will no longer be any reason to repeat that proverb in Israel. 

Because each person has to bear the responsibility of his actions. 

So if a man commits sin, he himself will have to answer for it, and not his children.

In the gospel, Jesus blessed the children and said that it is to such as these that the kingdom of God belongs.

Children are signs of a new beginning. May we bless them and nurture them in the faith so that they will bear fruits for the kingdom of God.

19th Week, Ordinary Time, Friday, 12-08-2022

Ezekiel 16:1-15, 60, 63 / Matthew 19:3-12 

In life, when there are options, we have to think about what we really want.

And when we choose one option, it is obvious that we have to say no to the rest.

No matter how we try to accommodate having two options, there is no real possibility of having the best of both worlds. 

In the gospel, Jesus made it clear that from the beginning of creation, it was God who united man and woman in marriage.

And what God has united, no man should ever divide.

Even though there are challenges in the marital relationship, there should be no question of another option.

And that principle of saying “Yes” to a choice and staying committed to that choice can be applied to whatever manner or state of life that we have chosen.

Because the fact is that in life, there will be difficulties and troubles.

So whether it is in marriage, or in the religious life, or in the single state, or in relationships, or at the work-place, there will be challenges and difficulties.

But when we remain steadfast in our choice and take on the challenges and difficulties, then we will discover that we can overcome and be greater than those troubles.

Because God will grant us the grace to grow stronger from those troubles.

And God will also grant His blessings to those who are faithful to Him and remain steadfast in their calling.

19th Week, Ordinary Time, Thursday, 11-08-2022

Ezekiel 12:1-12 / Matthew 18:21 - 19:1     

There are some people who could hear you speak a thousand words, and still not understand you.

And there are others who will understand, without you even speaking a word.

In the 1st reading, the prophet Ezekiel did those actions that God told him to do. 

Of course, the people watched him, since he was a prophet, and wondered what was the meaning of what he did.

And God did tell him what to say to the people.  But for those who truly understood, they need not be told of what was the meaning.

Similarly, in the gospel parable, we need not wonder if there are other meanings beside the obvious that Jesus stated and it is about forgiveness.

Let us thank the Lord God for His mercy and compassion and let us count our blessings.

Then we won’t be counting the wrong that others did to us, and we will even be able to pray for them.

St. Lawrence, Deacon and Martyr, Wednesday, 10-08-2022

2 Cor 9:6-10 / John 12:24-26

Today the Church celebrates the feast of St. Lawrence, who was only a deacon at the time of his martyrdom in year 258.

In that year, on the 6th August, Pope Sixtus II and four other deacons was captured while celebrating Mass in the catacombs, and subsequently martyred.

The administration of the Church was left to St. Lawrence and he was ordered to surrender the riches and the wealth of the Church in three days time.

He quickly distributed as much Church property to the poor as possible, and on the third day, he gathered the poor, the crippled, the blind and the suffering and presented them to the authorities and he told them that these were the true treasures of the Church.

Needless to say he was immediately sentenced to death, and tradition has it that he was grilled or roasted to death, hence his association with the gridiron, which was the instrument of torture for grilling people to death.

What was remarkable was that it was a slow, painful and horrible way to be tortured to death, and yet St. Lawrence persevered to the end.

His martyrdom portrays the reality of what Jesus said in the gospel: If a man serves me, he must follow me, wherever I am, my servant will be there too. If anyone serves me, my Father will honour him.

St. Lawrence served Christ with his life right up till the end. In doing so he gave us an example of giving up his life so that it will yield a rich harvest in the hands of the Lord.

May our lives also be like seeds of love in the hands of the Divine Sower, and wherever we are sown, may we also bear a rich harvest of love for the Lord.

National Day, Tuesday, 09-08-2022

Isaiah 63:7-9 / Colossians 3:12-17 / Luke 12:22-31    

A duration of time is considered long or short depending on the situation and the circumstances.

When life is smooth-going and enjoyable, time seems to be flying past so quickly.

But when the going is rough and rocky, with anxieties and uncertainties, the time seems to be dragging on and on.

For our country, 57 years may or may not seem like a long time.

To be an independent nation for 57 years may not seem that long, compared to other countries’ independence.

But to be stable and progressing, despite many limitations is certainly quite an achievement.

And when we look at our nation with the eyes of faith, we can see that God has blessed our nation with racial and religious harmony and we are able to strive for our country’s ideals of Democracy, Peace, Progress, Justice and Equality for all.

Let us give thanks to God for these 57 years of blessed independence, and may we always pray for our country for God’s blessings on the leaders and the people.

19th Week, Ordinary Time, Monday, 08-08-2022

Ezekiel 1:2-5, 24-28 / Matthew 17:22-27    

Most of the problems in life come about because of two reasons.  

One is that we act without thinking, and the other is that we keep thinking without acting.

In the gospel, when the collectors of the half-shekel asked Peter about the payment of the half-shekel, he immediately replied with a “Yes” without thinking much about it.

But when Jesus reasoned out with him about the payment, Peter found himself stuck in-between.

He must have tried to think of a way out, but there doesn’t seem to be a solution.

Jesus didn’t want to make a big fuss out of it, and so He provided a solution for Peter to act upon it.

So, from Peter we must learn not to be too quick in giving a reply, but to think about the question.

From Jesus, we learn that God will show us the solutions to problems, but usually it is not in a way we expect, like finding a coin in the mouth of a fish.

Let us ask the Lord to give us the wisdom to think before acting, and the faith to believe in the ways of God in seeking for solutions to life’s problems.

19th Ordinary Sunday, Year C, 07.08.2022

Wisdom 18:6-9 / Hebrews 11:1-2, 8-19 / Luke 12:32-48

Tonight, when we call it a day and go to bed, there will be a few things that we will do. 

We will brush our teeth, and that means we won't be eating anything until breakfast the next morning. 

We will change into our pyjamas, and that means we won't be going out anywhere during the night. 

We will also switch off our handphones and that means that we won't be contactable, nor would we be communicating with anyone during the night. 

And we will also switch off the lights. It is not just about saving electricity, but the fact is that we won't be doing anything that will require the lights to be switched on. 

So, as we can see, going to bed at night is not just about diving in and snoring away. We actually have a procedure and a preparation when we go to bed. 

Whatever the procedure and preparation may be, the purpose is to sleep peacefully, to rest well and to be fresh and ready for the next day. 

As the saying goes, “Early to bed, early to rise, makes a person healthy, wealthy and wise”. That is certainly a good practice to follow, so as to have a reasonably healthy lifestyle. 

But, in the gospel, Jesus seems to be telling us to stay awake for the night, to be dressed for action and to have the lamps lighted up. 

He tells us to be alert and to be ready, and He uses the parable of the servants waiting for the master’s return from the wedding feast, even if he comes late in the night or at an odd hour. 

Of course, Jesus wants us to rest well at night. But He is also asking us how prepared are we to expect what will be coming up during the day. 

Jesus wants us to be healthy and strong, so that we are able to be ready to respond to the call of service at any time during the day. 

We are to be ready and alert whenever Jesus calls us to help others at an inconvenient time or at an unexpected moment. 

In other words, we must be ready to love and to serve at any time during the day, or even at night. 

As we think about that, let us remember how we prepare to go to bed at night. We brush our teeth, we change our clothes, we switch off the lights and we do whatever to ensure we rest well and sleep peacefully. 

But then, how do we begin the day? The alarm clock wakes us up, we jump out of bed, we rush because we were running late, and we get flustered and frustrated.

But just as we make preparations to go to bed, we also need to make the preparations to get out of bed. 

A good preparation will make all the difference between being ready and being caught by surprise, between being alert and being careless. 

Yes, preparation makes all the difference. Here is a short reflection and it is called “The Difference” (Author: Alan Grant). 

I got up early one morning and rushed right into the day. I had so much to accomplish that I didn't have time to pray. 

Problems just tumbled about me, and heavier came each task. "Why doesn't God help me?" I wondered. He answered, “You didn't ask," 

I wanted to see joy and beauty, but the day toiled on, grey and bleak. I wondered why God didn't show me. He said, "But you didn't seek.

I tried to come into God's presence. I used all my keys at the lock. God gently and lovingly chided, "My child, you didn't knock." 

I woke up early this morning and paused before I began the day. I had so much to accomplish that I had to take time to pray. 

Yes, that prayer preparation at the start of the day will make all the difference. 

So, sleep earlier, wake up earlier, begin the day with prayer, and we will be ready whenever Jesus knocks at an inconvenient time or at an unexpected moment, to call us to service. 

And when we open the door to serve others, we also open the door to abundant blessings for ourselves. 

And we will also sleep peacefully at night.

Transfiguration of the Lord, Saturday, 06-08-2022

Daniel 7:9-10, 13-14 / 2 Peter 1:16-19 / Luke 9:28-36   

The Transfiguration is one of the the significant events in the gospel narratives about Jesus. The other significant events are Baptism, Crucifixion, Resurrection and Ascension.

Like the other significant events, it is about Jesus and it reveals His identity as well as His mission.

Certainly there is no speculation about the voice from heaven and its content - "This is my Son, the Beloved. Listen to him."

And the setting on the mountain with the appearance of the Moses and Elijah point to the meaning of the event.

And that is, in Jesus, the Law and the prophesies of the Old Testament has been fulfilled.

Also in Jesus, divinity has dwelt among humanity, and in Jesus is the connecting point and the bridge between heaven and earth.

So for those who believe in who Jesus is, there can be no other alternative options in life to follow.

As St. Peter would say in the 2nd reading, his faith in Jesus is not any cleverly invented myth, otherwise everything will fall apart sooner or later.

And for us who profess our faith in Jesus, then He will be the lamp lighting our way through the dark until the dawn comes and the morning star rises in our minds.

Yes, we have to listen to Him as the voice of the Father has commanded us to do.

When we listen, and truly believe, we too will change and be "transfigured" like Jesus.

18th Week, Ordinary Time, Friday, 05-08-2022

Nahum 2:13; 3:1-3, 6-7 / Matthew 16:24-28   

In life, there are generally two types of problems.  

The first is whether the problem can be solved with money.

If the problem can be solved with money, then it isn’t really a problem.

The second can be a difficult problem when money is not the solution, or when the cost of solving the problem is at too exorbitant price.

In the 1st reading, the problem for the people of God was their arch-enemy, the Assyrians, who have rampaged them and caused much destruction.

No amount of money can stop the Assyrians, and so there was no solution to their problem.

But God tells His people that He is their solution, and that He will deliver them from their enemy and they will have peace.

In the gospel, Jesus reminds us that all the money in the world cannot be exchanged for our life.

But when we take up our cross and follow Jesus, then we will know how to live our life here on earth and also have eternal life in heaven.

And that kind of life, no money can ever buy.

18th Week, Ordinary Time, Thursday, 04-08-2022

Jeremiah 31:31-34 / Matthew 16:13-23 

When we know how great our God is, then we will be giving thanks to Him with our every breath.

God is great because He is all-powerful and almighty.

God is great because He is all-loving and forgiving.

God is great because even though we have sinned and were unfaithful to Him, God still makes the first step in offering reconciliation.

He keeps repeating that He is our God and that we are His people.

And God also says in the 1st reading: Since I forgive their iniquity and never call their sin to mind.

Just as Peter proclaimed Jesus as the Christ, the Son of the living God, we too must proclaim that God is great and all loving and forgiving.

But just as Peter became an obstacle almost immediately after his profound proclamation, may we too be aware that we can fall easily into sin and be an obstacle for others.

But when we give thanks to God constantly with our every breath, then God will also constantly be by our side for we are His beloved people.

And we also heed this spiritual advice from St. John Vianney: Here is the rule for everyday life – do not do anything which you cannot offer to God.

18th Week, Ordinary Time, Wednesday, 03-08-2022

Jeremiah 31:1-7 / Matthew 15:21-28     

Whenever a person embraces a religion, there is usually a purpose.

Not many would embrace a religion just out of curiosity or out of novelty.

When a person inquires about a religion, there is usually a need.

It could be a lingering pressing need, or it could be a desperate need.

In the gospel, the Canaanite woman came to Jesus not of curiosity.

She had a need, and it was a desperate need. 

She was not looking for religion, but she knew who could help her in her desperation.

She knew Jesus was the Son of David, and she also knew that He could do for her what others couldn't. 

But in the 1st reading, God had to remind His people that He is their God.

Only He could save them from their enemies and grant them peace and joy.

May we also know that Jesus is our only Saviour and He can do for us what others can’t.

And let our prayer be: Lord Jesus, save me.

18th Week, Ordinary Time, Tuesday, 02-08-2022

Jeremiah 30:1-2, 12-15, 18-22 / Matthew 14:22-36    

The power of imagination is amazing, wonderful and even incredible.

When we stop imagining, life comes to a stand-still, and creativity and inventions will also cease.

But of course, it depends on what is stirring up the imagination and where is it leading to.

In the 1st reading, God’s people were punished severely for sinning and being unfaithful to God.

But through the prophet Jeremiah, God was also telling His people to imagine a time of restoration, a time of healing, a time of joy.

And God tells them that it was not a futile imagination, as He reiterates that they shall be His people and that He will be their God.

In the gospel, the disciples were in a boat and battling a heavy sea, when Jesus walked on the water towards them.

Under those circumstances, and in their fear, they imagined that it was a ghost and that the worst was going to happen.

But Jesus dispelled their fears when He said, “Courage! It is I! Do not be afraid.”

When we think about what we are imagining, do we feel anxious and fear the worst?

But let us always imagine Jesus walking towards us and inviting us to walk with Him.

Then we will be filled with what is true, good, loving and beautiful. And we will also be healed of our fears and anxieties.