4th Week, Ordinary Time, Wednesday, 01-02-2023

Hebrews 12:4-7, 11-15 / Mark 6:1-6     

It is said that "home is the place where, when you have to go there, they have to take you in" (Robert Frost).

In many sense, that is true, that no matter what, when you go home, that is home and no other word resonates that deeply in our hearts.

Yet there are also a number of homes that are like a "basket of scorpions". Some of the family members just keep stinging each other.

In the gospel, we heard that Jesus went back to His hometown but there His own people scrutinized Him and in the end they did not accept Him.

In His own words, Jesus even said that "a prophet is only despised in his own country, among his own relations and in his own house".

Which makes us reflect on what is the environment and the spiritual atmosphere in our own homes.

The 1st reading gives us the spiritual foundations and directions of a Christian community, but that can also be applicable in our own homes.

It said: Always be wanting peace with all people, and the holiness without which no one can ever see the Lord. be careful that no one is deprived of the grace of God and that no root of bitterness should begin to grow and make trouble; this can poison a whole community.

Certainly what is applicable to the community is also likewise for the family and for the home.

Let us pray for peace in our homes and in our families so that we will grow in holiness and radiate the presence of God. 

May God's love be seen in our homes and may God be always present in our homes.

4th Week, Ordinary Time, Tuesday, 31-01-2023

Hebrews 12:1-4 / Mark 5:21-43     

It would be interesting to reflect upon why some Catholics become lukewarm and even lose faith altogether.

Don't they know who Jesus is, and what He can do for them?

And if they do, then why is it that He is not significant in their lives?

Why is it that they are not touched by Him?

Maybe the same question can be asked of the people in the scene in today's gospel.

So many people were crowding around Jesus, yet only one wanted to touch Him.

Certainly those crowding around Jesus have needs to be met.

So, could it be that after a while, it was a typical case of "familiarity breeds contempt' in that they were expecting Him to perform miracles instead of yearning for Him as the woman with the hemorrhage did.

And if familiarity breeds contempt, then routine and monotony can also be the death of reverence.

We may forget that in the Eucharist, something holy and sacred is happening.

Let us pray that we will never lose the faith to see the miracle of God sacrificing Himself for us.

And may we yearn to touch Jesus, just as the woman with the hemorrhage yearned to Him, and Jesus will in turn reach out to touch us with His healing love.

4th Week, Ordinary Time, Monday, 30-01-2023

Hebrews 11:32-40 / Mark 5:1-20      

It is only natural to be apprehensive about something that we don’t understand.

And if we can’t find immediate answers, then we will most likely reject it.

We are not that likely to check it out further as we would rather invest more time and energy in what we already know.

And we are also not going to go further with what we can’t understand or don’t know, especially if it is going to be a drain on our resources.

For the people of the country of Gerasenes, they came to see for themselves what Jesus had done.

They were already unhappy over the loss of the herd of the two thousand pigs.

And now they saw the man who was a demoniac, sitting there, clothed and in his full senses.

They just couldn’t comprehend what was happening, and they became afraid, and they began to implore Jesus to leave the neighbourhood.

When the security of our comfort is disturbed, we may react with anything from apprehension to rejection to fear.

But let us remember that rejection of what we don’t understand will only lead to ignorance.

Jesus came to reveal the truth about life. He also wants to reveal to us the truth about ourselves.

Jesus will lead us from the darkness of ignorance to the light of understanding.

4th Ordinary Sunday, Year A, 29.01.2023

Zephaniah 2:3; 3:12-13 / 1 Cor 1:26-31 / Matthew 5:1-12

During this festive period, one of the common greeting phrases is “Gong Xi Fa Cai”. 

That phrase means “wishing you wealth and prosperity”. 

That phrase is easy enough for children to say, and it is used during this festive period as a general greeting. 

For the Chinese, and as well as for other cultures, wealth and prosperity are symbols of a good and comfortable life. 

And with wealth and prosperity comes along status and social standing, as well as recognition and influence. 

So, with this kind of understanding, then obviously wealth and prosperity would be a priority in life. 

With wealth and prosperity, then we would be comfortable and we would be happy. 

Actually, the priority in life is that we want to be happy and comfortable, and the means to that would be wealth and prosperity. 

But, can happiness in life be brought about by wealth and prosperity? In other words, can money really make us happy? 

Oh yes, money can buy luxuries and make us comfortable, but money cannot buy us happiness, and we know that from the experience of life. 

Because happiness is a blessing from God and money cannot buy God's blessings. 

In the Old Testament, when God gave His people the Ten Commandments, it also came along with blessings and curses. 

As long as the people were faithful to God and kept the Commandments, God will bless them. 

But if the people were unfaithful to God and broke the Commandments, then they are asking for trouble in the forms of misfortune and tragedy. 

The Ten Commandments form the groundwork and the blueprint for the people's relationship with God and for the norms of morality. 

But along the way, the thinking became such that as long as the Ten Commandments are kept to the letter, then God will impart His blessings and that would be in the form of wealth and prosperity. 

Then came Jesus, and in the gospel, we heard His teaching about the Beatitudes. 

Beatitudes means blessings, and Jesus taught us what true blessings are, and how to receive those blessings. 

It is in being humble and gentle, compassionate and kind, striving for justice and peace, enduring abuse and persecution, that God will pour His blessings on us. 

So even if others throw a brick at us, let us not throw it back at them. Let us see as a blessing from God.

There is a story of a young and successful executive who was traveling down a neighborhood street, in his new expensive sports car. 

Suddenly, a brick smashed into the car's side door! He slammed on the brakes and reversed the car back to the spot where the brick had been thrown. 

The angry driver then jumped out of the car, grabbed the nearest kid and shouted, "What was that all about? Just what are you doing? That's a new car and that brick you threw is going to cost a lot of money. Why did you do it?" 

The young boy was apologetic. "Please, sir, please, I'm sorry but I didn't know what else to do," he pleaded. "I threw the brick because no one else would stop..." With tears dripping down his face, the boy pointed to a spot just around the corner. 

“It's my brother,” he said "He rolled off the curb and fell out of his wheelchair and I can't lift him up." 

Now sobbing, the boy asked the stunned executive, "Would you please help me get him back into his wheelchair? He's hurt and he's too heavy for me." 

Moved beyond words, the young executive tried to swallow the rapidly swelling lump in his throat. He hurriedly lifted the handicapped boy back into the wheelchair, then took out a handkerchief and dabbed at the scrapes and cuts. A quick look told him everything was going to be okay. 

"Thank you and may God bless you," the grateful boy told the young executive. Too shook up for words, the man simply watched the boy push his wheelchair-bound brother down the sidewalk toward their home. 

It was a long, slow walk back to the car. The damage was very noticeable, but the young man didn’t bother to repair the dented side door. 

He kept the dent there to remind him of this message: "Don't go through life so fast that someone has to throw a brick at you to get your attention!" 

More than that he remembered what the boy said to him: "Thank you and may God bless you"

Yes, God’s abundant blessings come in surprising and even unexpected forms.

When we understand the spirit of the Beatitudes, we will experience the wonderful and beautiful blessings of God, blessings that are beyond wealth and prosperity.

So, we continue to wish each other “Gong Xi Fa Cai”, and may God bless us with a wealth of love and may we be prosperous in good works.

3rd Week, Ordinary Time, Saturday, 28-01-2023

Hebrews 11:1-2, 8-19 / Mark 4:35-41   

The first two words of the Creed are “I believe”.

Of course, in both versions of the Creed, we profess our faith in God.

So to begin the profession of faith with those two words “I believe”, it is essentially a personal declaration.

And each individual of the faith community declares and professes in the faith of the Church.

At the same time, it is also a declaration of what we believe about God, that He loves us, that He cares for us and that He will protect us.

In the gospel, when the disciples encountered the storm while they were in the boat, they panicked. 

But surprisingly, Jesus, who was also in the boat, was fast asleep. It seems that all the chaos didn’t even wake Him up.

Of course, the disciples were flabbergasted and we can imagine them shouting at Jesus: Master, do you not care? We are going down!

When the storms of life hit us and chaos is raging around and we are sinking fast, we will also shout at God “Do you not care?”

But let us remember Jesus sleeping in the boat, sleeping through the storm, and that was to tell us that He knows that God will protect and save them.

In storms and in chaos, let us whisper and repeat those words “I believe in God”.

Let us believe that God will still the storm and calm the chaos, because He loves us and He will save us.

3rd Week, Ordinary Time, Friday, 27-01-2023

Hebrews 10:32-39 / 4:26-34     

Just by observing the wonder of nature, we will come to the conclusion that there is a God, and that He created all things and He has also put an order to creation.

Even for those who do not believe in the existence of God, they will have to acknowledge that there is some power or force or energy that works in creation.

So the wonder and beauty of creation keeps pointing to something else, and for us who have faith, then all creation points to God the Creator.

But as the gospel parables put it, there are still many things that we do not know about creation, and also many things that we do not know about God.

Just as we do not really know how a plant grows from a seed, how a tiny mustard seed can grow into a tree, we do not really know the ways of God and His plans for us.

And we also may not understand the contradictions of life, like those mentioned in the 1st reading.

So we may have questions about why we have to suffer even though we believe in God, or why bad people keep doing bad things and the good people keep suffering.

We only need to pray for endurance to do God’s will and to live by faith so as to gain an eternal reward.

God sees what we can’t see, and God knows what we do not know.

Let us put our trust in God and we will see the wonder and the beauty of His plans for us.

Sts. Timothy and Titus (memorial), Thursday, 26-01-2023

2 Tim 1:1-8 or Titus 1:1-5 / Luke 10:1-9

One of the ways to motivate people to take on higher responsibilities is to recognize the contributions they are already making and the talents they have.

They need to be affirmed of whatever gifts that God has bestowed upon them so that what they have and what they are doing with it can be reinforced.

When St. Paul chose Timothy and Titus to be bishops of their respective churches, he was not looking merely at their gifts and talents.

In fact, Timothy and Titus were rather young to be the bishops of the churches.

Rather, St. Paul recognized the faith that they had.

And especially for Timothy, St. Paul reminded him of the sincere faith which was handed down from his grandmother and his mother.

St. Paul affirmed Timothy that he saw this faith in him, and that was sufficient for him to lead the church that was entrusted to him.

Here, it is good to remember that faith, is not so much taught as it is caught.

The faith that we have is "caught" from others - our parents, our teachers, our friends, etc.

Hence we have a faith to share, a faith that others are waiting to catch, so that they too will come to know God and believe in Him.

The Conversion of St. Paul, the Apostle, Wednesday, 25-01-2023

Acts 22:3-16 or Acts 9:1-22 / Mark 16:15-18     

Almost everyone is interested in a conversion story and may even get inspired by a conversion story.

Usually what we hear about are the deep experiences leading to the conversion.

What we seldom hear about is the other side of the conversion story.

We seldom get to hear about the sinfulness or its details before the conversion experience. It is deemed too profane and maybe also scandalous.

But in the conversion story of St. Paul, he recounted, almost unabashedly, what he was doing before that experience on the road to Damascus.

And these are not minor sins, because even Jesus Himself had to tell the then Saul : Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me? I am Jesus, and you are persecuting me!

But from then on, St. Paul moved on to become the apostle to the Gentiles.

From the history of the Church, we can also see that similar conversion pattern of the great saints who once were great sinners.

There is St. Peter who denied Jesus, and St. Augustine who even wrote about his past sinfulness in his book "Confessions".

But they experienced mercy and the conversion was deep.

So it is with those whom we might call the "sinners of today".

We need to pray for them that they too will experience the grace of conversion as St. Paul did.

And how can we ourselves not admit our sinfulness and the need for on-going conversion?

But the sinners of today can be the saints of tomorrow.

3rd Week, Ordinary Time, Tuesday, 24-01-2023

Hebrews 10:1-10 / Mark 3:31-35    

It is a fact that in life, we are always connected with others in some kind of relationships.

No matter how independent or alone we may be, who we are and what we do will have an effect on others.

That also means that our existence in this world is not in a vacuum, or that no one knows who we are.

That also means that what we do is not an isolated action or that it does not affect anyone.

In the gospel, the mother and brothers of Jesus were asking for Him.

Obviously, what He was doing and what was happening to Him had made them either curious and anxious.

But Jesus said that anyone who does the will of God is His brother and sister and mother.

So when we want to do the will of God, it will certainly have an effect on others.

May what we do be always in accordance to the will of God so that it will also be for the good of others.

3rd Week, Ordinary Time, Monday, 23-01-2023

Hebrews 9:15, 24-28 / Mark 3:22-30    

The tendency to sin is a condition that we all have to admit to.

Furthermore, it is not just a tendency, it is also an actuality, because the fact is that we sin.

Yet, very often, sin can be subtle that we might be blinded to the fact that it is a sin.

For e.g., telling colourful jokes, gossiping about the faults of others, selfishness, greed, etc.

All those are sins in varying degrees of gravity, but we might be numbed to the fact that it is destroying us.

Or we rationalize it away and say that it is part of our human nature and there is no big deal about it.

Yet the Holy Spirit will continue to prod us in order to make us realize our sinfulness and to ask for mercy and forgiveness.

And of course the evil spirit will also tell us that minor sins are alright, and after a while a lot of sins will seem to  be like minor sins and we will tell ourselves that it is still alright!

But when we let the Holy Spirit lead us to see the holiness of God and the love He showed in Jesus on the cross, then we will know that sin, in any form, is indeed detestable.

Let us remember that we are temples of the Holy Spirit. Let us not defile it with any sin or evil.

3rd Ordinary Sunday, Year A, 22.01.2023

 Isaiah 8:23 – 9:3 / 1 Cor 1:10-13, 17 / Matthew 4:12-23

Today we begin the first day of the Chinese New Year or the Lunar New Year with much rejoicing and gladness. 

For the past 2 years, there were restrictions to observe, but this year we can move around and run freely like rabbits. 

We already had our family reunion dinner last evening, and today we are here in church as the family of God to give thanks, to celebrate God's love and to pray for blessings as we begin the new year. 

As in every celebration, there will be an abundance of food and goodies, exchange of Mandarin oranges (later we will be receiving the blessed oranges), and for the children, it is also a time to collect ang-pows. 

As in every celebration, it is also about the renewing and the reunion of relationships. In fact, the joy and meaning of any celebration of a festival is about the renewing and reunion of relationships. 

It is about the relationship between God and us, and about our relationships with one another. 

In the midst of the New Year celebration, the church has also designated this Sunday to be the “Word of God Sunday”. 

And that leads us to a reflection and meditation of the Word of God in our festive celebrations, in our lives and in our relationships. 

In the gospel, we heard that Jesus began His ministry with the message of repentance, and that the kingdom of God is close at hand. 

Then He called His first disciples, Peter and his brother Andrew, and also James and his brother John. 

So, four of His disciples were brothers and the rest will develop a relationship with one another along the way. 

So, the Good News of Salvation began with the message of repentance and built on relationships and on the building of relationships. 

The mission of Salvation is built on relationships. God sent His only son to be our Saviour, and in Jesus we become children of God. 

And as children of God, we want to go to heaven to be with God, but we are not going there alone. 

We also want to tell others about heaven, where God is waiting for us to come home. 

We also want to help others go to heaven. That is our mission as children of God. 

So, as we go about celebrating the new year, let us remember that over and above the food and the ang-pows, it is also about the renewing and the reunion of relationships. 

We will be receiving the blessed Mandarin oranges in the specially designed carrier bags, (more is available at the entrance of the church). 

With the subtle colours of the Chinese New Year theme, there are also Christian symbols. 

There are words of blessing in Chinese and in English.

There is also the ancient Christian symbol of the fish, the fish in Greek “ICHTHUS”, which stands for “Jesus, Son of God, the Saviour”. 

And the fish is not swimming sideways but upwards, to mean that Jesus is leading us to heaven.

And then there is the little rabbit (Year of the Rabbit) looking at the fish that is swimming upwards. All this info is available at the Parish Facebook page. 

So, in receiving the blessed oranges in these carrier banks, we go forth to share the message of God's love and salvation. 

And as a topic of conversation, we can share with our relatives and friends and tell them about Jesus. 

Let us go with Jesus to celebrate and to renew and to reunite our relationships with one another. 

May the Chinese New Year celebrations also be a celebration of God's love and a celebration of the joy and the blessings of salvation.

2nd Week, Ordinary Time, Saturday, 21-01-2023

Hebrews 9:2-3, 11-14 / Mark 3:20-21         

If you have children of your own, then let us speculate on this scenario.

Let's say that one of your children tells you that he or she wants to go to some under-developed country to do missionary work and to help the people improve their lives and to share with them the love of Jesus.

What will be our reaction? Whatever our reactions might be, they are certainly more than mixed.

We might be asking questions like : Why can't you do something more normal like most people? What is there to gain from it? How does it help your future? What would people think?

Maybe that was why the relatives of Jesus were worried about Him and thought that He was not thinking right.

He had already done certain things that they were not prepared for and didn't know how to handle.

He threw away the security of a job and a home to become an itinerary preacher.

He hung up His safety when He took on the scribes and Pharisees. (You can't get away with that and in fact He didn't.)

He didn't bother about what would people say regarding His company of friends.

Following Jesus involves taking risks. We may have to throw away our superficial security, hang up our flimsy safety precautions and turn a deaf ear to the criticisms and discouragement around us.

But when others think that we are out of our minds, or maybe when we wonder if we ourselves are out of our minds, then Jesus will come and take charge of us.

2nd Week, Ordinary Time, Friday, 20-01-2023

Hebrews 8:6-13 / Mark 3:13-19   

We would certainly like things to start well and to end well.

Even if things don’t start well, we will still hope that things will end well.

But it is certainly disappointing when things start well and then along the way, things get messed up and it all went wrong.

Of course, there are lessons to learn from such “good starting – bad ending” experiences.

From such experiences we will gain the wisdom of being more careful and cautious of being side-tracking and losing focus on the objective.

When Jesus chose the Twelve, He saw that they had the potential to be instruments of carrying on His mission.

But one of them, Judas Iscariot, had other ideas along the way and eventually became a traitor.

It was such a sad and tragic ending for a man who was personally chosen by Jesus.

It also serves to remind us that we can’t be too smug about our life and about our faith.

In fact, the man who thinks that he is safe should be careful not to fall.

Jesus has chosen us to be His own. Let  us always be faithful to Him and to be focused and committed to Him.

With Jesus and in Jesus, we will know that all will end well.

2nd Week, Ordinary Time, Thursday, 19-01-2023

Hebrews 7:25 - 8:6 / Mark 3:7-12     

If we were asked, what is the purpose of being a Christian, what will our answer be?

We may have several answers to that question, but the most important answer is that we want to be saved.

And what does it mean to be saved?

Of course, we want to be a Christian because we want to believe in Jesus who will protect us and save us in times of mortal danger.

But the deeper meaning of salvation is that we want to be saved from our sinfulness.

We have to admit that we are sinners, and if left to ourselves, we may not be able to break from our sinfulness.

And if left to ourselves, we may even sink deeper into our sinfulness.

Jesus came to be our Saviour, and He shows us the way to salvation by revealing the truth of God’s love and mercy.

With God’s love and mercy, we are able to experience forgiveness and healing and we will strive for a life that is pleasing to God.

Jesus is our Saviour and He protect us and saves us from mortal danger.

And Jesus is our Saviour because He lifts us up to live a life of love here on earth and to have hope for the fullness of salvation in the eternal life of heaven.

Yes, we are sinners, but we have a Saviour. Let us continue to follow Jesus our Saviour and to live life and life to the full.

2nd Week, Ordinary Time, Wednesday, 18-01-2023

Hebrews 7:1-3, 15-17 / Mark 3:1-6    

In the work place or in business dealings and meetings, we can expect some kind of fault-finding and scheming.

We have to accept that and to live with it because for whatever reasons some people just wish to behave like that.

But can we tolerate that kind of behaviour in Church? Can we even expect it in Church?

In the gospel we heard that the Pharisees and some others were watching Jesus to see if He would cure the man with the withered hand on the Sabbath.

And of all places, they were watching Him in the synagogue and on the Sabbath, which is a holy day.

The synagogue is a place of prayer and yet they were doing such a disgusting and shameful thing.

By doing so they have defiled the sacred place and a sacred day and they were not even bothered by it.

Similarly in coming to Church we have to check our behaviour and be aware of what we are doing in the house of God.

We must be careful not to be so obstinate that we think of it as nothing when we do something wrong in the House of God.

May the Lord heal and purify our withered minds and hearts and may we have a deeper love and piety for the Lord and to be respectful of others when we are in the House of God.

2nd Week, Ordinary Time, Tuesday, 17-01-2023

Hebrews 6:10-20 / Mark 2:23-28

It is interesting that in the IT world and those who are involved in it, there is this word called “memory”

So there are memory chips, memory banks, and even in computers and mobile phones, one of the features is memory capacity.

We human beings also have a memory, but our memory is certainly more dynamic and sophisticated than those electronic memory chips.

We don’t only remember things in our mind, but there are also memories in our hearts.

So when we recall our memories, what is it usually comes up?

Are they good memories or bad ones? Are they happy memories or sad ones?

The 1st reading says that God would not be so unjust as to forget all we have done, the love that we have for His name, or the services we have done and are still doing.

In other words, God remembers the good things about us and He forgets the bad things we have done.

That is God’s love and mercy towards us, and for that we must really give thanks to God for His goodness towards us.

Since that is how God remembers us and looks at us, we too must remember as God remembers.

Let us remember the good and happy memories. Let us remember the good that others have done for us and forgive those who have wronged us.

Then our hearts will have peace and joy, because the memories in our hearts are fill with the goodness of God and the goodness that people have left in our hearts.

2nd Week, Ordinary Time, Monday, 16-01-2023

Hebrews 5:1-10 / Mark 2:18-22   

To have freedom is what we as humans really cherish.

In order to be free, people are prepared to fight and even die for it.

Yet to have absolute freedom is probably just a notion and exists only in the imagination.

Because true freedom lies in obedience, which may seem to be a contradiction of terms.

Jesus is divine and hence He had the absolute freedom to do whatever He wants.

But when He was on earth, He submitted Himself humbly in obedience to His Father.

It was an obedience that even entailed tears and suffering.

Yet it is in obedience that Jesus showed what true freedom is all about.

Because true freedom is found in doing the Father's will.

Whatever ideas we have of freedom we might have, let us look at Jesus our Master who taught us that obedience brings about true freedom.

That might not correspond to our ideas or thinking.

But when we obey and follow what Jesus is teaching us, then we are like new wine in fresh skins.

2nd Ordinary Sunday, Year A, 15.01.2023

Isaiah 8:23 – 9:3 / 1 Cor 1:10-13, 17 / Matthew 4:12-23

There are many things that we take for granted, and we will only realize it when they are taken away from us. 

One of which is our ability to see. To be able to see is a great gift, and there are so many things that our eyes are doing for us. 

With our eyes we are able to admire the beauty of the things around us. We are able to read books and watch videos and movies. We are able to see people's expressions and actions and we can also see how they feel. 

As much as we can see, we may not be able to see that clearly, or see deeper than appearances. 

When John the Baptist saw Jesus, he saw Him as more than just another ordinary person. 

John the Baptist saw Jesus as the Lamb of God. He even saw the Holy Spirit come down upon Him at His baptism. 

John the Baptist was able to recognize Jesus and see more and see deeper when John the Baptist baptized Jesus and saw the Holy Spirit come down upon Jesus. 

We may not see the dramatic things that John the Baptist saw. 

But the Holy Spirit will open our eyes to see what God wants us to see. 

At our baptism, the Holy Spirit came down upon us to enable us to see that we are created in the image of God and to be able to see God's love in us. 

And we are also given eyes of love to see that every person is created in the image of God and to see God's love in every person. 

But just as we have to take care of our eyes so that we can see clearly, we also need to take care of our faith in order to see what God wants us to see. 

There is this story of a person who came from overseas and he was looking for a church to attend worship services. 

He came to a parish and he approached the priest and he asked the priest, “How are the people in this parish? Are they nice?” 

The priest replied, “How are the people in the parish you came from?” 

The person replied, “Arg! They are selfish and proud. The rich look down on the poor and there are often quarrels here and there.” 

The priest replied, “Oh, the people in this parish are also like that.” 

Some time later, another person, also from overseas, came to the parish and asked the priest, “How are the people in this parish? Are they nice?” 

The priest replied, “How are the people in the parish you came from?” 

That person replied, “Hmmm. They are kind and helpful. They look out for each other and offer help to those in need.” 

The priest replied. “Oh, the people in this parish are also like that.” 

What we see around us and what we see in others is often a reflection of ourselves. 

God gave us eyes to see His love in others. When we can see God's love in others, then we are also looking at a reflection of ourselves. 

So let us see kindness and compassion, let us see goodness and beauty in others, and we will be looking at a reflection of ourselves.

And it is also a reflection of the love and the image of God in ourselves and in others.

1st Week, Ordinary Time, Saturday, 14-01-2023

Hebrews 4:12-16 / Mark 2:13-17  

The sacred book of Christianity is the Bible.

Altogether, there are 73 books that are divided into two main sections – the Old  Testament and the New Testament.

So we can imagine the amount of words in the Bible.

We believe that the Bible is the Word of God.

As Christians, though we may not be able to memorise or quote from the Bible, we can somewhat remember a phrase or two from the Bible.

We will remember stories and characters from the Bible.

So, the Word of God is in us in varied forms, and it is alive and active, and it can judge our secret emotions and thoughts.

Most of all, the Word of God speaks to us in a deep personal way, and it helps to understand the will of God and how to fulfill that will.

In the gospel, Jesus, the Word of God made flesh, called Levi the tax-collector, and he got up and followed Jesus.

Let us read the Bible more often so that we will be able to hear Jesus calling out to us and we will know what God wants of us.

1st Week, Ordinary Time, Friday, 13-01-2023

Hebrews 4:1-5, 11 /Mark 2:1-12

It is frustrating whenever we have a bout of insomnia.

We are lying there in bed and yet we cannot sleep.

Our minds are somehow not at rest, and maybe our hearts are not at peace too.

So even if the conditions for a good rest are there, it may not mean that we are physically and mentally relaxed.

For the paralytic in the gospel passage, he had been lying in his stretcher for long enough.

He was wasting away, and when he and his friends heard about Jesus, they knew that it was time for the paralytic to get up and get going.

When Jesus cured the paralytic, it meant that he was mobile once more, and it meant that he would have to get on with making a living and labour for his bread.

But he would be at peace and be happy, and his mind and heart would be at rest.

The 1st reading also mentions about a place of rest that God promises us.

But in order to reach that promised place of rest, we must get up and walk on and do everything to reach it.

Jesus has raised us up so that we can keep walking in faith to that promised place of rest.

May we not rest from our labours of faith and keep our hope in that eternal rest.

1st Week, Ordinary Time, Thursday, 12-01-2023

Hebrews 3:7-14 / Mark 1:40-45      

One of the decisions that can be difficult or easy to make is when we are faced with a request to do something that is within our ability for someone.

If that person is someone that we like, then we would be more willing than ever to do it.

But if that person is not in our good books, then comes the choice of whether to accede to that person’s request.

The 1st reading reminds us that as Christians, we have to keep encouraging one another so that none of us is hardened by the lure of sin.

But when we hold anger and resentment against someone, we harden our hearts against that person.

So when that person asks us for a favour, and it may even be an urgent request, we will make excuses not to do it, or if we really have to do it, then we will certainly show our reluctance and do it ungracefully.

When Jesus was approached by the leper with the request to cure him, Jesus replied with such earnestness that it seemed like He was longing for the leper to approach Him.

Let us know that if we are to listen to the voice of the Lord, then that voice may come from those whom we are hesitant or reluctant to help.

But if we really listen to the voice of the Lord, then our hearts will be softened by the love of Jesus, and the decision to be of help to others, regardless of whether we like them or not, will not be a difficult decision to make.

1st Week, Ordinary Time, Wednesday, 11-01-2023

Hebrews 2:14-18 / Mark 1:29-29    

It is easier to go with the flow than to go against it.

We want to do charity acts that will help others.

We may get thanked for it and get the appreciation of others and they speak well of us.

Surely we will feel good about that.

But it can also come to a stage where we begin to desire for praise and appreciation from others.

The temptation to boost our ego comes subtly and we need to check ourselves.

It may require us to go against the flow of our desires and know what God wants of us.

For Jesus, as much people were looking for Him, He knew that His mission is to preach the Good News because that was why He come.

Jesus knew the temptation when He saw it coming.

Let us ask Jesus to help us be aware of the subtle temptations to go with the flow of our desires.

Jesus knows our weaknesses, and He will help us overcome our temptations.

That was why He came.

1st Week, Ordinary Time, Tuesday, 10-01-2023

Hebrews 2:5-12 / Mark 1:21-28      

God made this world beautiful, and He created man as the most beautiful creature of all creation because man was created in God’s image.

And so when the devil wanted to tarnish and destroy God’s beautiful creation, the devil targeted man.

When man fell into the devil’s temptation, sin entered the world and into all creation.

And we see the destructive effects of sin in its many forms.

In the gospel, the evil spirit that possessed the man was an angry spirit who was shouting at Jesus and challenging Him.

That was just one of the many manifestations of evil in the world, and at times we feel that evil rules the world and holds many persons to be its followers and supporters.

Jesus came to break the power of evil and to establish the kingdom of God on earth.

Let us continue our fight against evil but refusing to give in to sin and to be united in Jesus in the mission of salvation.

The Baptism of the Lord, Monday, 09-01-2023

Isaiah 42:1-4, 6-7 / Acts 10:34-38 / Matthew 3:13-17   

The Christmas season is not just about celebrating the birth of Christ.

We celebrated the birth of Christ on Christmas Day. The birth of Christ is then announced to the world in the feast of the Epiphany, when the wise men came to adore Jesus and present Him with the gifts: gold, frankincense and myrrh, to symbolize His identity.

The mystery of the Incarnation at Christmas comes to its peak with the Baptism of the Lord.

And with the Baptism of the Lord, the mystery of salvation moves from the Incarnation to the Mission.

Christ came into the world to save sinners. At His Baptism, Christ was revealed to the world as the Beloved Son of the Father.

In this, we are also reminded of our own baptism, that we too, in Christ, are the beloved of the Father.

Indeed, love is the soul of mission. Without love, there can be no meaning or purpose or direction in life. Without love, there can be no mission.

Jesus came to save us by showing God's love for us.

Through baptism, we are united with Christ in His mission. May we show God's love for others. That is the meaning, the purpose and the direction of our lives.

Epiphany, 08.01.2023

Isaiah 60:1-6 / Ephesians 3:2-3a, 5-6 / Matthew 2:1-12

The meaning of the Feast of the Epiphany is that the birth of Jesus is proclaimed to the whole world. 

At Christmas, the birth of Jesus was made known to the people of Israel. So, the people who knew of the Christmas message were Mary and Joseph, the shepherds at the fields, and even king Herod and the chief priests and the scribes at Jerusalem. 

In the Epiphany, the highlight is on the three wise men, presumably there were three because of the three gifts. 

These wise men came from the East and they brought along gifts of mystic meaning. 

Their journey began when they noticed a star, and it beckoned them to pay homage to the infant King of the Jews. 

So, with their gifts, they began their journey to a foreign land in search of that infant King. 

But the star wasn't always there to guide them, and hence they came to Jerusalem, thinking that the infant King ought to be found in the capital of the country. 

However, they discovered from King Herod and the scribes, that according to the scriptures, the Christ would come from Bethlehem. 

So, they went on, and this time the star was there, and it led them to the infant King. And they found Him in a poor and humble situation, with the infant King lying in a manger and the parents don't look anything like royalty. 

Whatever their expectations, the wise men fell to their knees and paid homage to the infant King, with gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh, gifts that have mystic meanings. 

The gold represents the royalty of Jesus, that He is the king. 

The frankincense represents the Divinity of Jesus, that He is God. 

The myrrh represents the humanity of Jesus, that He would suffer and die on the Cross for the salvation of sinners. 

The word “Epiphany” has meanings of manifestation, revelation and realization. 

For the wise men, it was an experience of all three meanings. Because Divinity was manifested in humanity, the Saviour was revealed to the world, and the wise men realized that the ways of God is different but it is also wonderful. 

Just as it was for the wise men, so it is for us, as we celebrate this feast of the Epiphany. 

We see the manifestation, we ponder on the revelation, and we wonder with realization. 

The three gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh, also have a Mystic meaning for us, and this story may help us understand the experience of the wise men.

Once, there were three trees on a hill in the woods. They were discussing their hopes and dreams, and the First tree said, "Someday I hope to be a treasure chest. I could be filled with gold, silver and precious gems. I could be decorated with intricate carving and everyone would see the beauty." Then the Second tree said, "Someday I will be a mighty ship. I will take kings and queens across the waters and sail to the corners of the world. Everyone will feel safe in me because of the strength of my hull.” Finally, the Third tree said, "I want to grow to be the tallest and straightest tree in the forest. People will see me on top of the hill and look up to my branches, and think of the heavens and God, and how close to them I am reaching. I will be the greatest tree of all time and people will always remember me."

 After a few years of praying that their dreams would come true, a group of woodcutters came upon the trees. When one came to the first tree he said, "This looks like a strong tree, I think I should be able to sell the wood to a carpenter," and he began cutting it down. The tree was happy, because he knew that the carpenter would make him into a treasure chest. 

At the second tree another woodcutter said, "This looks like a strong tree, I should be able to sell it to the shipyard." The second tree was happy because he knew he was on his way to becoming a mighty ship. 

When another woodcutter came upon the third tree, the tree was frightened because he knew that if he was cut down, his dreams would not come true. The woodcutter said, "I don't need anything special from my tree, so I'll take this one", and he cut it down. 

 When the first tree arrived at the carpenters, he was made into a feed box for animals. He was then placed in a barn and filled with hay. This was not at all what he had prayed for. 

The second tree was cut and made into a small fishing boat. His dreams of being a mighty ship and carrying kings had come to an end. The third tree was cut into large pieces and left alone in the dark.

 The years went by, and the trees forgot about their dreams. Then one day, a man and woman came to the barn. She gave birth and they placed the baby in the hay in the feed box that was made from the first tree. The man wished that he could have made a crib for the baby, but this manger would have to do. The tree could feel the importance of this event and knew that it had held the greatest treasure of all time.

 Years later, a group of men got in the fishing boat made from the second tree. One of them was tired and went to sleep. While they were out on the water, a great storm arose and the tree didn't think it was strong enough to keep the men safe. The men woke the sleeping man, and He stood and said "Quiet and be still" and the storm stopped. At this time, the tree knew that it had carried the King of kings in its boat. 

 Finally, someone came and got the third tree. It was carried through the streets as the people mocked the man who was carrying it. When they came to a stop, the man was nailed to the tree and raised in the air to die at the top of a hill.

Then the tree came to realize that it was strong enough to stand at the top of the hill, and be as close to God as was possible, because Jesus had been crucified on it.

So, each of the trees got what they wanted, but just not in the way they had imagined. 

So, when things don't seem to be going our way, as it was with the wise men, let us always know and trust that God has a wonderful plan for us. 

May we see the manifestation of God’s plan for us, ponder on the revelation, and give thanks to God as we wonder with realization.    

7th January 2023, Saturday, Weekday of Christmas Time

1 John 5:14-21 / John 2:1-11   

A brief review and reflection of last year's events may have this conclusion - we remember more of the bad stuff than the good stuff.

In fact, a review and reflection of any year would have that same conclusion.

So is this world such a lousy and bad place to live in?

Even the 1st reading seems to agree that the whole world lies in the power of the Evil One.

But as much as the whole world lies in the power of the evil one, the whole world is also raised with grace by the only begotten Son of God.

And we can be confident that if we ask the Son of God for anything and it is in accordance with His will, He will hear us.

We need to ask Jesus to protect us from the evil one and from any sin and wrong doing.

In our time of need we also need to remember the wedding at Cana which we heard in today's gospel.

God will provide us all that we ever needed.

We must stay united with the God of truth and also be on our guard against other false gods.

6th January 2022, Friday, Weekday of Christmas Time

1 John 3:11-21 / John 1:42-51

If you can’t beat them, then join them.

That is what people will say when they know that they can’t win or get the upper hand against the competitor or the opposition.

Whatever we may think of it, it is a tactic of the world to prevent further losses, even if it means adopting the ways of the competitor or the opposition.

But it also means a compromise of principles, value and integrity.

The 1st reading begins with this question: Who can overcome the world?

Even without thinking too much about it, we all know what power and influence the world holds over us.

We see injustice, oppressing, discrimination happening and there is almost nothing we can do about it.

We may not join them, but we are also powerless to overcome these worldly practices.

In the gospel, after the baptism of Jesus, the heavens were torn open and the Spirit, like a dove, descended on Jesus.

Jesus opened heaven for us so we can look beyond the things of earth to the things of above.

When we keep our eyes on heaven, the Holy Spirit will descend upon us.

Then we will know that we are God’s beloved children, and with Jesus, we will then know how to overcome the world.

5th January 2023, Thursday, Weekday of Christmas Time,

1 John 3:11-21 / John 1:43-51  

We may say that living in the city is like living in a concrete jungle and the pace of life is too fast and too stressful.

Especially in a small city-state like Singapore, where there is almost no country-side to talk about, we may dream of how nice it would be to go back to nature.

But in reality, we would prefer the conveniences of the city rather than the fresh air of the country-side.

In the gospel, when Nathaniel asked “Can anything good come from that place (Nazareth)”, it was because Nazareth is so far up north that no one expects anything great to come from there.

And here is where God shows again and again that He slowly removes our presumptions and assumptions as well as our opinionated thinking.

In a rather casual way, Jesus made Nathaniel change his thinking and even gave him a revelation.

God continues to reveal His wonders in the ordinary and also in the unexpected.

Let us ask Jesus to slowly remove our presumptions and assumptions and also our expectations, so that we can truly see and understand what God is revealing to us.

4th January 2023, Wednesday, Weekday of Christmas Time

1 John 3:7-10 / John 1:35-42   

Most seeds are able to germinate under a conducive environment.

In order to germinate successfully, seeds require several needs to be met. 

These include water, oxygen, temperature and correct levels of light.

Though a seed is able to germinate, the levels of growth may be different depending on the conditions.

The fruits that come from the seed may also be different depending on the conditions.

The 1st reading reminds us that we have been begotten by God and God’s seed remains in us.

But how the seed will germinate and grow, and what kind of fruits that seed will bear depends on the environment.

When we let ourselves be affected by anger, resentment, bitterness, hatred, selfishness and other kinds of sin, then the fruits that we bear will also be likewise.

But when we strive to live a holy life of faithfulness to God, to love as He loves us, to be kind and compassionate and forgiving, then we will bear fruits of love for God and for others.

Let us strive to be holy and loving, and the God’s seed in us will bear fruits of peace and joy for ourselves and for others too.

3rd January 2023, Tuesday, Weekday in Christmas Time

1 John 2:29 - 3:6 / John 1:29-34   

The celebration of Christmas continues even after Christmas Day, though the world has gone into New Year celebrations and preparing for other festive celebrations.

Yes, there is the “12 Days of Christmas” and weekdays of the Christmas time.

That is to help us meditate and reflect on the mystery of Christmas, the mystery of the Incarnation, the mystery of the Word made flesh, the mystery of the Emmanuel.

The mystery that is not just celebrated on Christmas Day, but a mystery that is revealed and keeps revealing.

The 1st reading invites us to think of the love that the Father has lavished on us, by letting us be called God’s children.

Jesus, the Son of God, came to reveal the love of God our Father, and to let us be God’s children.

That is a deep mystery and a reality that need to be meditated and reflected upon in order to understand it.

When we understand it, then we need to live out that mystery in our lives.

John the Baptist was a witness who prepared the way for Jesus.

We are more than witnesses. We are children of God, and we call God our Father, because Jesus had made us God’s children.

As God’s children, let us be like God who is love. 

When we love as God loves us, then we continue the celebration of Christmas in our lives.

2nd January 2023, Monday, Weekday of Christmas Time,

1 John 2:22-28 / John 1:19-28   

John the Baptist was really a strange prophet. He had a strange wardrobe and a strange diet.

We don't read about him working great miracles or wonders.

In fact, he didn't even identify himself as John the Baptist.

When asked who he was, he replied with who he was not.

Even in the last resort, he borrowed a passage from the prophet Isaiah, in order to give an answer about what he came to do.

Yet, Jesus called John the Baptist the greatest of all the prophets.

Simply because John the Baptist diverted the attention from himself to the one who is to come.

We too are called to be prophets by virtue of our baptism. We can learn a lot from John the Baptist about how we should carry out our prophetic role.

The temptation to get attention, the praise and even the glory is indeed very tempting, and some have succumbed to it.

But let us remember that we are just a voice that cries out in the wilderness of our world to make a straight way for the Lord. 

Just that, and no more. May John the Baptist pray for us that we just do that.