26th Ordinary Sunday, Year A, 01.10.2023

Ezekiel 18:25-28 / Philippians 2:1-11 / Matthew 21:28-32

When it comes to making impressions on others, we know the importance of the first impression. 

Because the first impression can be pressed into the minds of others and stay on for quite some time. 

So obviously, we want to give others a good first impression. Especially when we are meeting a person or a group of people for the first time, we would do our best to impress. 

So, we would try to impress them with our eloquence, our fine social etiquette, our education and qualification and our profession. 

We want people to think that we are reliable, honest and trustworthy. 

Generally, that is what we will do during interviews and in our social and business interactions. 

In the eyes of the world, image and impression are important if we want to succeed and move up in life. 

But that also raises questions, and it is for us to reflect on those questions if we want to. 

One of the questions would be, why are we trying to impress others, and what is the purpose for doing so. 

Another question is what is our true self, and what is it that we really want to be in life. 

In a gospel parable, Jesus told the story of the two sons. The father asked the two sons to go and work in the vineyard. 

The first son said he will not go, but then thought better of it and went. The Second Son replied with apparent eagerness, but then did not go. 

The different responses from the two sons would help us reflect on the impressions that we give to others. 

Like the first son, we may often say No to any request, and that would be the convenient and safe answer. 

We would give that kind of response to those who don't really matter to us, or to those from whom we don't have much to gain from. And if they are offended by our attitude, it wouldn't bother us much. 

On the other hand, we may also be like the second son in that we want to impress others, but we have our own motives for doing so. 

Whatever it may be, we have the shades of the two sons, and we have to decide on what kind of son we want to be. 

We don't want to give a fake Yes just to impress. Others will come to know our true character and integrity alone the way. 

And if we keep saying No, then eventually we will find ourselves lonely and isolated in our own world. 

But whether it is a Yes or No, let us think about it and about the kind of person we want to be. 

We don't want to live lonely and isolated lives, nor do we want to be a fake just to impress others. 

Let us think the better of it, and think about the kind of person that God wants us to be.

God created us with love and in love. God created each of us to be a loving person. 

The 2nd reading tells us something of what a loving person is like. A loving person is not conceited, he is self-effacing, always not thinking of his own interest first but other people's interest instead. 

To be a loving person is not for impressing others. 

To be a loving person is to be who God wants us to be. 

Let us begin by saying Yes to God and No to ourselves.

25th Week, Ordinary Time, Saturday, 30-09-2023

Zechariah 2:5-9., 14-15 / Luke 9:43-45      

Whether it is peace time or during a war, one of the main priorities is protection.

From countries to cities to fortifications, the question is about the effectiveness of the protection.

Even for the individual, the concern is about how good the protection is whether it has been tested.

All this may sound like concerns during a war.

But in peace time, the protection is about security and safety.

The prominent image that comes up is the image of a wall.

Walls are built to demarcate, to keep those within the wall safe and protected, and to keep those outside from entering or breaking in.

In the 1st reading, the Lord God says this: Jerusalem is to remain unwalled. I will be a wall of fire all round her.

In other words, Jerusalem will need no walls to protect her because God is her protection.

It also means that Jerusalem will be so prosperous, with a great number of people and livestock that it will be a city to reflect the glory of God.

We too must believe that God is our safety and protection.

And more than that, God is our glory and our salvation.

May the walls of insecurity and fear give way to the wonder of God’s glory and majesty.

The Holy Archangels Michael, Gabriel and Raphael, Friday, 29-09-2023

Daniel 7:9-10, 13-14  or Apocalypse 12:7-12 / John 1:47-51  

In today’s feast of the Archangels St. Michael, St. Gabriel and St. Raphael, we are brought to an awareness of the spiritual world of angels.

St. Michael, St. Gabriel and St. Raphael are called archangels as they were entrusted with a particular mission of God’s plan of salvation.

St. Michael is mentioned in the book of the Apocalypse as the leader of the heavenly host of angels who defeated the devil and his angels and drove them out of heaven.

St. Gabriel is mentioned in the book of Daniel to explain some of the prophet’s visions, and he was also the bearer of the Annunciation to the Blessed Virgin Mary.

St. Raphael is mentioned in the Book of Tobit, and he is the angel who heals Tobit of his blindness. His name means “God heals”.

In celebrating the feast of these three archangels and remembering their mission in God’s plan of salvation, we reflect on our existence and meaning in life.

St. Gabriel announced to Mary that she would conceive and give birth to the Son of God. 

We too came into this world and God has a plan for us. May St. Gabriel help us understand and fulfil God’s plan in our lives.

St. Michael is the protector of God’s people from the wickedness and snares of the devil. May St. Michael protect us from evil and danger as we carry out God’s will.

And when we stumble and fall into sin, may St. Raphael pray for us to be forgiven and healed, and also to recover quickly from illness and sickness.

May St. Michael, St. Gabriel and St. Raphael pray for us, that like them, we will fulfil God’s plan for us and do His will always.

25th Week, Ordinary Time, Thursday, 28-09-2023

Haggai 1:1-8 / Luke 9:7-9    

Human beings stand out from the rest of creation as a species that has intellect and will.

That makes human beings really unique in that a person can think about a situation that he encounters and chooses what to do next.

Along with this, a person is also able to remember what has gone on before and reflect about his choices.

In the 1st reading, the word of the Lord was addressed to the people through the prophet Haggai.

What the Lord said can be summed up in one sentence: Reflect carefully how things have gone for you.

The Lord told the people to reflect on the situation of their lives as they cared more about building their own homes instead of building the Lord’s Temple.

In thinking more for themselves than about what the Lord wants of them, they ended up always being in need and not being able to accomplish anything.

Indeed, to live life without reflecting on what life has been and what life is about, we will not be able to see what the Lord is showing and telling us.

In the gospel, king Herod heard the amazing accounts about Jesus, and his thoughts were on John the Baptist whom he had executed.

But if Herod had reflected on the message of Jesus, he would have avoided being a tragedy unto himself.

So let us listen to the Word of God, let us also reflect on what we are listening and seeing.

May we see that the Lord is showing us the way of peace and that He is also leading us to a life of peace.

25th Week, Ordinary Time, Wednesday, 27-09-2023

Ezra 9:5-9 / Luke 9:1-6   

It is so easy to forget to be thankful and grateful when our difficulties and struggles are over.

Just like previous generation would look at the present generation and say that the present generation are not grateful and thankful that there is so much to eat and can even throw away food.

And then the present generation would look at the next generation and say that they take so many things for granted and that they waste money even before they have to earn it.

In the 1st reading, when Ezra looked at his people, he remembered how they were sent into exile.

They had sinned against the Lord and hence they were punished as their enemies conquered  them and sent them into captivity and slavery.

But the Lord was merciful and now a remnant has come back to rebuild the Temple.

But Ezra remembered the past and he was taking nothing for granted in the present.

Even when Jesus sent His disciples to proclaim the Good News, He sent them off with nothing but with His authority and empowerment.

This was to remind them to take nothing for granted because all they needed had already been granted.

Even for us, all we ever needed has already been granted. We need to be thankful and grateful.

That will be the first step for us in proclaiming the Good News.

25th Week, Ordinary Time, Tuesday, 26-09-2023

Ezra 6:7-8, 12, 14-20 / Luke 8:19-21    

It is often the case that when it comes to giving advice to others, we can offer wise and practical directions and solutions to their problems.

But when we are faced with our own problems, we may not seem to be able to have any ideas.

Then it will be others who will be offering advice to us, and it will be up to us to decide what options we would want to take.

So when it comes to other peoples problems, we are able to give an objective opinion because we are not personally involved in it.

But when it comes to our own problems, we are swamped with subjective views and emotional attachments.

When the mother and the brothers of Jesus came looking for Him, they probably had emotional concerns about Him.

The response of Jesus brings about clarity and objectivity to the situation and to the relationship between Him and His mother and brothers.

The teaching of Jesus is that family relationships, as well as other relationships, must be founded and rooted in God’s Word and God’s will.

Similarly, when we give or receive any advice with regards to problems and difficulties, may the Word of God speak to us first.

Then any advice or suggestions will lead to doing God’s will with clarity and objectivity.

25th Week, Ordinary Time, Monday, 25-09-2023

Ezra 1:1-6 / Luke 8:16-18  

We believe that God speaks to us through the Bible, which is the written Word of God.

The teaching authority of the Church, which is the Magisterium, interprets the Word of God for the Church.

In other words, the Church, through the Word of God and the guidance of the Holy Spirit, speaks to the Church and teaches what comes from God.  

But can God speak to the Church through other means and even sources outside of the Church?

In the 1st reading, God spoke through Cyrus, the king of Persia, and it was a message for the People of God.

They were to go back to Jerusalem to rebuild the Temple.

But how would they know it was a message from God?

And it was not even spoken by a prophet, but by a pagan king?

But the people sensed that the message was from God.

It was like a light shining for them when they were in exile in another country, and it gave them hope.

In the gospel, Jesus tells us to take care how we hear.

Let us listen to what God is saying to us through the Bible and through the teachings of the Church.

We will know that it is the voice of God when it gives us hope in the darkness.

25th Ordinary Sunday, Year A, 24.09.2023

Isaiah 55:6-9 / Philippians 1:20-24, 27 / Matthew 20:1-16

It is said that all men are equal, and that is an undeniable truth. 

That is also the teaching of the Church, in that all persons are equal, and that each person has a God-given dignity that is to be respected. 

But as much as humanity is bound by equality, it is also an undeniable fact that there is a discrepancy. 

That discrepancy is what is commonly called unfairness. 

One example is the difference between the rich and poor, whether it is between nations, or business enterprises, or organizations or persons. 

The unfairness is often phrased as this: The rich becomes richer and a poor becomes poorer. 

That unfairness is usually shrouded with injustice and biasness. 

But unfairness is not just happening up there. When it comes down and into our lives, it takes a form of bullying, where size matters and that might is right. 

Or that those who have more resources and advantages are able to get more benefits over those who have less. 

So, even though we may cheer for the underdog, we will still bet on the top dog. 

Obviously, to be poor in status, resources and abilities would put a person in a vulnerable and difficult state. 

In the gospel, the parable has the main message of the generosity of God. 

There is also a hint of our human inclination to be envious of others when they get more and get better than us. 

But a deeper reflection of the parable would reveal to us the compassion of God, and that He is moved by those who are poor and lowly, and those who are weak and helpless. 

That is seen by the landowner going out at the third hour, sixth hour and the ninth hour. 

Logically, that landowner should have stopped at the ninth hour, which is at noon, and pay the workers a half day wage. 

What is rather surprising is that he even went out at the ninth hour, and even at the 11th hour to hire workers. 

And the surprise does not end there. When it came to paying the wages, all the workers got the same pay. 

Hence those workers who were hired at the start of the day, grumbled at the landowner.

But as the landowner retorted, there was no unfairness, as the wages were agreed upon. 

If anything, it was the workers who grumbled at the landowner who were unfair. 

Those workers revealed the darker side of humanity that is prone to envy and jealousy, and is inclined to complain when the situation is not in their favour. 

But the 1st reading puts it so profoundly, as the Lord says this: 

My thoughts are not your thoughts, my ways are not your ways. Yes, the heavens are as high above the Earth as my ways are above your ways, my thoughts about your thoughts. 

So, the gospel parable gives us a glimpse of the ways of God and the thoughts of God. 

God is fair to all, and He is compassionate. 

He helps those who are in need, and He will provide for them in a surprising and marvellous way. 

That gives us the hope that when we face our difficulties and troubles of life, when we are down to nothing, God will come up with something. 

Let us not be envious or jealous, or complain and get angry that life is so unfair, that we are lacking in resources and abilities. 

Because when we experience the generosity and the gracious help from God, we will only want to give thanks with grateful hearts. 

Yes, the last will be first. That is how God thinks. That is the way of the Lord.

24th Week, Ordinary Time, Saturday, 23-09-2023

1 Timothy 6:13-16 / Luke 8:4-15   

The retention power of the memory in people varies from one person to another.

But it can be quite amazing to see how much we can remember and yet how much we don't remember at the same time.

For example, can we remember anything from the gospel passage that we have just heard? And going back a bit further, can we remember anything from the 1st reading.

If we can't remember anything at all, then we need to reflect on why it is so. Is it because it is still early in the morning and hence we are not ready to remember anything? Or is it that our retention power is so little?

But as Jesus said in the gospel, "The mysteries of the kingdom of God are revealed to you, but for the rest there are only parables, so that: they may see but not perceive, listen but not understand.

But if we look and listen and remember nothing and there is no impression, then how are we to perceive and understand?

Yet, the mysteries of the kingdom of God are revealed to us already. But we must look and listen.

In the 1st reading, we heard that when Jesus spoke up as a witness for the truth before Pontius  Pilate, Pilate did not know what the truth was.

Pilate saw and heard Jesus, but no impression was made on him and hence, nothing was revealed to him.

Let us ask the Lord for the grace to look beyond and to listen deeper. More so when what we see is stillness and all that we hear is silence, then let us know that God is present.

24th Week, Ordinary Time, Friday, 22-09-2023

1 Timothy 6:2-12 / Luke 8:1-3   

If we are to make a wish-list, just what will be on that list?

Of course, there are so many things we wish to have because in life there is so many things that we want.

Certainly we wish for luxury and pleasure, we want to enjoy life, we want to be served, and the wish-list goes on and on.

Not often would we say that we are contented and satisfied with what we have in life.

But as it is often said, a rich person is not one who has everything but the one who is contented and happy with what he has.

And St. Paul says this in the 1st reading: Religion does bring large profits, but only to those who are contented with what they have.

He also reminds us that we brought nothing into this world, and we can take nothing out of it.

In the gospel, Jesus and the Twelve went about preaching the Good News of the kingdom in the towns and villages.

With them were a group of women who provided for them out of their own resources.

For that group of women, it is not a wish-list, but a give-list. 

They continued to give and provide for Jesus and His disciples, and God in turn provided for them.

Yes, God will provide for us too. We need not wish for anything.

Rather let us give to those in need, and God will bless us with contentment in life.

St. Matthew, Apostle and Evangelist, Thursday, 21-09-2023

Ephesians 4:1-7, 11-13 / Matthew 9:9-13       

Almost everyone likes to be with a saintly or holy person.

We just have to recall the throngs that crowd around the late Pope John Paul II or the late Mother Teresa.

Yet somewhere in the lives of the saints or holy people, there was a moment of conversion. There was the experience of the divine.

The fact is that no one is born holy ; in fact everyone is born a sinner.

And no one likes to sit next to a sinner or even talk with one, especially despicable sinners.

But that was what Jesus did. He knew why He came into the world.

He came as a Saviour, a Saviour for sinners.

He didn't reject sinners or give up on them, no matter how despicable they may be.

Because He came to offer them the hope of a new life, just as He offered it to Matthew.

And Matthew turned from sinner to saint. We now call him St. Matthew.

And those whom we think are rotten sinners can become glorious saints, if only we can be Jesus to them.

May the celebration of the feast of St. Matthew the Apostle and Evangelist help us to understand why we are Christians.

24th Week, Ordinary Time, Wednesday, 20-09-2023

1 Timothy 3:14-16 / Luke 7:31-35  

We may wonder how would we be remembered by others after we have passed on.

We may not be that famous, or like some celebrity, or a great inventor or someone extraordinary.

But what kind of memories or impressions would we leave with others when life on earth is over for us?

Instead of thinking about it when we are no more around, why not think about it when we are still around in this world?

What are others saying about us? What impressions or opinions do we leave in people’s minds?

In the gospel, Jesus is saying something about not just a person but about a whole generation.

Whether or not the people of that generation realized it, what Jesus said about them is what God thinks about them.

So in life, or even after death, what others say about us is not that important.

What is really important is what God is saying about us.

May we be a person who lives a life that is pleasing to God.

What God thinks of us is much more important than what the world thinks of us.

24th Week, Ordinary Time, Tuesday, 19-09-2023

1 Timothy 3:1-13 / Luke 7:11-17    

We always do something with a motive and a purpose.

But the human inclination is to usually seek reward and/or recognition for what we do.

Even when we serve others or do social or charitable work, we do wish to be appreciated for our efforts and service.

In the 1st reading, St. Paul says that if one wants to be a presiding elder, it is to do a noble work.

To do something noble would mean that one does the work without seeking rewards or recognition.

To do a noble work would involve sacrifice and it may even be a thankless task.

But more importantly, to do a noble work would point and lead others to give thanks to God.

In the gospel, when Jesus raised the only son of the widow back to life, the people were filled with awe and praised God.

They saw Jesus as a prophet who was sent by God, and that God has visited His people.

We are a God’s chosen people, a royal priestly people, called to do the noble work of proclaiming the wonders of God.

May what we do and say lead people to praise and to thank God.

May that be our motive and purpose as Christians.

24th Week, Ordinary Time, Monday, 18-09-2023

1 Timothy 2:1-8 / Luke 7:1-10    

The gift of faith is indeed a wonderful thing.

But when this gift of faith is shown by unexpected people or persons, then it is really amazing.

Such was the case with the centurion in the gospel passage.

Being a soldier and a pagan, he was not likely to be a prominent figure in the religious circles.

But when he showed his faith in Jesus, even Jesus was amazed - He was "astonished"!

But was there something else about the centurion besides his gift of faith? Could it also be that  his military discipline had an influence on him?

We can say that the centurion took Jesus seriously. He didn't take Jesus for granted. He believed in the authority of Jesus.

In the 1st reading, St. Paul urges Christians to offer prayers especially for those in authority.

We pray that those in authority will be guided by the Holy Spirit to do what is right and good and just.

Just as the centurion was guided to seek the help of Jesus, may those in authority also be helped by our prayers to rule wisely.

Let us have faith in our prayers and God will be please to answer our prayers

24th Ordinary Sunday, Year A, 17.09.2023

Ecclesiasticus 27:30 – 28:7 / Romans 14:7-9 / Matthew 18:21-35

When it comes to doing something easy, like watching TV or a movie, we will just go lazy and lose track of time. 

And when it comes to doing something that we like, for example eating, the limit is the size of our tummy. 

But, when it comes to doing something difficult, then we will certainly try to avoid it and resist it. 

Even though that difficulty may benefit us, still we will find some excuse not to do it. 

But when there is difficulty in doing something, then, there is also much to learn from it and to gain from it. 

It is like a principle of life, where there is gain, there will be pain. Or putting it in another way, no pain, no gain.

But more than just the pain and gain equation, the human ability is also manifested. 

The human ability to overcome difficulty is put to the test, and with that we will know what we are capable of, as well as what we can learn from it. 

In the gospel, Peter asked Jesus if forgiving someone seven times is enough. But Jesus replied by saying that it is not just seven times but 77 times. 

Peter asked that question about forgiveness because forgiveness is indeed so difficult. 

It is also our experience that when someone wrongs us grievously, it is so difficult to forgive, we will resist forgiving, and we will detest that person. 

Even if that person were to ask for forgiveness, we may not be that willing to forgive. 

Because, what if that person wrongs us again? Then our forgiveness is taken lightly and taken for granted. 

Besides that, we have this resentful side in us that wants to keep that person in a sort of guilty ransom. 

And here is where the 1st reading has something to teach us. It says: Resentment and anger, these are foul things. He who exacts vengeance will experience the vengeance of the Lord. That is clear enough for us. 

It goes on to say this: If a man nurses anger against another, showing no pity for another man like himself, how can he ask the Lord for forgiveness for his own sins? 

Yes, we are mere creatures of flesh, and we cherish resentment and anger against those who have done us wrong. 

As much as the 1st reading pointed out the difficulty of humanity with forgiveness, it also brings us to a deeper reflection and revelation. 

That reflection and revelation is emphasized by the word “remember”. 

Remember the last things, remember death and disintegration, remember we are ashes and dust, remember the Commandments, remember the Covenant of the Most High. 

As we remember all this, we may say that we will try to forgive, but we won't forget. 

We can't forget the wrong, we can't forget the hurt and the pain. 

But as much as Jesus is asking us to forgive, He is not asking us to forget the pain and hurt. 

Jesus Himself did not forget the pain and the hurt of His suffering on the cross. In fact, He even bore the Five Wounds in His hands, His feet and His side. 

Those Five Wounds of Jesus will make us remember that prayer of Jesus on the Cross: Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing. 

And God our Father, will not forget that prayer of Jesus. God will always forgive, and He will remember that Jesus also prayed for our forgiveness. 

So, let us look at Jesus on the Cross, let us look at His Five Wounds. 

By His wounds we will be healed. By His wounds we are forgiven. 

And let us keep forgiving, just as we are forgiven. 

God will always remember to forgive us. 

May we always remember to forgive others.

23rd Week, Ordinary Time, Saturday, 16-09-2023

1 Timothy 1:15-17 / Luke 6:43-49   

When we say that we believe in something, then that belief is expressed in two areas.

One is commitment, and the other is conviction.

Both are necessary and both complement each other.

And one can’t do without another, because conviction leads to commitment, and commitment reinforces conviction.

In the 1st reading, St. Pau gave a saying that we can rely on and that nobody should doubt: Jesus Christ came into the world to save sinners.

That led to his conviction that Jesus came to save him and he sees himself as the greatest sinner.

That conviction led to St. Paul’s commitment to being an apostle to the pagans as he went on his missionary journeys to preach the Good News of salvation.

May we also have that conviction of St. Paul, and may the Good News of salvation fill our hearts.

From the words that come out of our mouths, others will know how convicted and committed we are to Jesus our Saviour.

Our Lady of Sorrows, Friday, 15-09-2023

Hebrews 5:7-9 / John 19:25-27 or  Luke 2:33-35    

One of the profound teachings of the Church about suffering is that suffering can be redemptive.

Yesterday the Church celebrated the Exaltation of the Holy Cross, a symbol of redemptive suffering.

Today we stand with Mary at the foot of the Cross to share in her sorrow.

Yet, because Christ redeemed the sinful world by His suffering on the Cross, then Mary through her sorrow, also contributed to the redemption of the world.

On the Cross of suffering, Christ proclaimed Mary to be the Mother of the Church.

As we stand with Mary at the foot of the cross, and as we share in her sorrow, we too become Mary's children, the sons and daughters of the Church.

As sons and daughters of the Church, we unite ourselves with Jesus and Mary in their sorrow and suffering.

Yet we have this great hope that when sorrow and suffering are placed in the hands of God, then there will come about a great new beginning.

On the Cross, the world began its journey of redemption and salvation.

At the foot of the Cross, the Church began its mission of being a witness of redemptive suffering.

When we place our own sorrow and suffering at the altar of God, let us be assured that God is creating a great new beginning for us and for the world.

The Exaltation of the Holy Cross, Thursday, 14-09-2023

Numbers 21:4-9 or Philippians 2:6-11 / John 3:13-17  

We appreciate beautiful objects and we also have beautiful objects in our possession.

These beautiful objects stir up sentiments and emotions in us in a way that appeals to us. 

Similarly, when it comes to religious objects, we would like to look at religious objects that stir up religious sentiments and emotions in us.

When we see a beautiful Cross, we will admire it and think about how Jesus suffered and died on the Cross to save us.

But when Jesus suffered and died on the Cross, it was certainly not a beautiful sight.

Because the Cross was an instrument of torture, suffering and death.

But with Jesus on it, the Cross was turned into a sign of salvation.

Indeed, the Cross is a sign of contradiction, because it shows that the ways of God are not the ways of man, and the thoughts of God are not the ways of man.

As we celebrate the feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross, we are reminded of the suffering and death of Jesus on the Cross.

But it was also through the Cross, that Jesus won our salvation and it has become the sign of hope.

As we reflect and meditate on the Cross, let us remember the agony of Jesus on the Cross.

As we embrace and carry our cross, let us also rejoice in the hope that we too will share in the glory of the Cross of Jesus Christ our Saviour.

23rd Week, Ordinary Time, Wednesday, 13-09-2023

Colossians 3:1-11 / Luke 6:20-26     

To be focused would usually mean to keep our eyes fixed on a target or on the object of our concentration.

To get an idea of what it means to be focused, we just have to see those documentaries on the wild life and see how the big cats were hunting their prey; their predator eyes were fixed on their prey in the chase and nothing would seem to distract them.

In a deeper sense, it also means more than just having a fixed line of sight on our targets or objectives.

It would also mean that our hearts are directed and fixed on what we desire in order to achieve our goals.

St. Paul told the Colossians in the 1st reading that they must look for the things that are in heaven, where Christ is.

Their thoughts must be on heavenly things and not on the things that are on the earth.

The imagery is powerful in that when they get distracted and start to turn their eyes to the things of earth, then they will be lured by the things of earth - fornication, impurity, guilty passion, evil desires and greed.

But in the gospel, it is Jesus who was fixing His eyes on His disciples as He taught them about the kingdom of God.

His focus is also on us as He calls us to strive to live the teachings of the kingdom of God in our lives.

May we also be focused on Jesus so that we commit our lives to Him here on earth, our reward will be great in heaven.

23rd Week, Ordinary Time, Tuesday, 12-09-2023

Colossians 2:6-15 / Luke 6:12-19     

One of the fundamental and essential aspects of Christian spirituality is prayer.

Prayer is so necessary and crucial for our Christian way of life and for making Christian directions in life.

Because prayer is the expression of our relationship with God.

And prayer also forms our hearts to have that spiritual sensitivity to the promptings of the Holy Spirit.

In the gospel, Jesus went out into the hills to pray, and He spent the whole night in prayer.

When morning came, He summoned His disciples and chose His twelve apostles.

Jesus chose His apostles not merely by rational and logical judgement, He also brought it before God in prayer to discern His choices.

In the 1st reading, St. Paul warns about being led astray by some secondhand, empty, rational philosophy based on the principles of this world instead of on Christ.

Because the ways of God are different from the ways of the world, and the thoughts of God are also not the thoughts of the world.

So in whatever we are discussing or deciding, let us bring it before the Lord.

Let us listen to the voice of the Lord in the Scriptures so that we can be led by the Holy Spirit to know what the will of God is and to fulfil it.

23rd Week, Ordinary Time, Monday, 11-09-2023

Colossians 1:24 - 2:3 / Luke 6:6-11     

At times, we wonder if doing good is worth it.

For the good that we do, and the good we intend to do, we may not expect anything in return.

But what we may not be prepared for is criticism for even opposition.

In the gospel, when Jesus cured the man with withered hand, we would think that it was a good thing.

But the scribes and the Pharisees were watching Him, hoping to find something to use against Him.

And true enough, when the man’s hand was cured by Jesus, they were furious and began to discuss the best way of dealing with Him.

We are astonished, to say the least, by the reaction of the scribes and Pharisees.

But to live a truly Christian life, and in wanting to do good, we must be prepared for criticism and opposition.

Because the agents of evil will always try to distract and discourage us from our Christian call.

Let us be faithful to Jesus and follow Him in doing good and be a true Christian.

God will reward us with joy for our sacrifices, and we will know that being a Christian and doing good is worth it.

23rd Ordinary Sunday (Catholic Education Sunday), Year A, 10.09.2023

Ezekiel 33:7-9 / Romans 13:8-10 / Matthew 18:15-20

If we had a choice, would we want to live all alone, or would we want to live with other people? 

That sounds like a rather strange question, because humans are social beings, and they live in groups or in communities. 

To want to live alone would be odd, although there are hermits who live in solitude, but that is for a religious reason. 

But to want to live alone seems like being anti-social and being a recluse. 

However, some people may be a recluse and are living alone, but not because they choose to. 

They are like some kind of outcast that people would avoid and even detest. 

So, these outcasts maybe in the midst of people, but no one interacts with them, or bothers about them. 

As much as they desire for some belonging to a group or to a community, they are left alone and they become lonely. 

The gospel message was written by St. Matthew, who was a tax collector before Jesus called him. 

Being a tax collector at that time was seen as a traitor who worked for the Roman occupiers. They would also collect more than required as they make a living out of it. 

But they won't have much of a life, as they would be rejected and detested by their own people. 

They would also be regarded as sinners with no hope of entering heaven. 

So, St. Matthew could be writing about his own life experience as he writes that section about correcting someone. 

And if that someone remains unrepentant, then that person is to be treated as a pagan or a tax collector. And St. Matthew was a tax collector. 

But all that changed when Jesus called him to be His disciple. He regained his dignity and self-worth. He didn't want to be alone or lonely anymore. He wanted to live a life with others. 

He encountered Jesus as the Saviour who came to seek and save the lost and the lonely. 

He wanted to belong to a group that are gathered around Jesus. He wanted to experience the power of community prayer in which God will respond with signs and wonders. 

St. Matthew’s story about himself is also the story of those people whom others avoid because of many reasons. 

They could be difficult or selfish or greedy or people whom we detest and avoid. 

But they are also lonely and they need help, and as a Christian community, we are to pray for them. 

And Jesus will answer our prayer, and He will call out to them, just as He called out to St. Matthew. 

For Jesus, no one is a hopeless case, and Jesus tells us that when even two or three pray for these people, nothing and no one is impossible for God to change.

The Archdiocese has designated this weekend to be Catholic Education Sunday. 

We are reminded of what education is about, and specifically what Catholic Education is about. 

The purpose of education is not merely about preparing a student to be able to make a living. 

Education is about forming a young person to live a meaningful life. 

Catholic Education prepares a young student to live life with the faith community. 

Together with the parents and teachers, the faith community educates and forms the young students in the way of love and forgiveness. 

Our children, the students, need to encounter the presence of Jesus in the celebration of the Eucharist. 

They need to experience the power of community prayer, praying for the lost and lonely, and for the conversion of sinners. 

They need to see the signs and wonders from God, and that people who are like St. Matthew the former tax collector, can change and become better persons. 

The mission of educating and forming the students is not just in the hands of Catholic educators. 

Catholic educators need to be supported by parents and the faith community with prayer and encouragement. 

With God's blessings through Catholic education, every student can be formed into a saint. 

As we gather in worship, let us pray for Catholic educators and students, and our prayer will be granted by God our Father.

22nd Week, Ordinary Time, Saturday, 09-09-2023

Colossians 1:21-23 / Luke 6:1-5    

In life, it would be necessary and helpful to have moral norms.

These moral norms help us to discern what is clearly right or wrong.

An example of a moral norm is the 10 Commandments.

The 10 Commandments are as basic as it can be to guide us to know what is right and wrong.

Furthermore, we believe that the 10 Commandments are of divine origin.

So we know essentially what God wants of us and how to live our lives accordingly.

And we want to keep the laws and the commandments of God because we don’t want to live carelessly and slip and slide into the darkness of evil.

And we also know that God wants us to be holy, pure and blameless because we will have peace in our lives.

With peace in our hearts, we will be blessed with love to follow Jesus our Master, and also lead others with love to Jesus.

The Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Friday, 08-09-2023

Micah 5:1-4 or Romans 8:28-30 / Matthew 1:1-16. 18-23     

If we have to think of a gospel passage or a bible passage to dedicate to someone on his/her birthday, we would certainly think of a profound passage that might include God blessing the person, etc.

But to celebrate the birthday or the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary, the passage is chosen from the gospel of Mathew, and it talks about Joseph wanting to divorce Mary and the angel had to intervene.

The gospel passage may not seem appropriate for the celebration of this feast of the birth of Our Lady.

Yes, Mary's fears came true in that Joseph wanted to divorce her and that might leave her to face an uncertain future.

Yet, the humanness of Mary and Joseph are highlighted, to show us that they too had to face their fears and worries when it comes to doing God's will.

In fact, fear has that ability and that potential to paralyze us from doing God's will and glorifying God.

But, at the Annunciation, God told Mary "do not fear"; in today's gospel passage God tells Joseph "do not fear".

As we celebrate this Eucharist, God is also telling us "do not fear'.

Yes, do not fear because God is with us. Do not fear because we also have a heavenly Mother who is always praying for us.

Yes, Mother Mary prays for us, that we too, like her will bring Jesus to others so that they will know that God is with them.

22nd Week, Ordinary Time, Thursday, 07-09-2023

Colossians 1:9-14 / Luke 5:1-11   

At the beginning of the Mass, and just after the greeting, we are called to turn to the Lord and to confess our sins.

So, before anything else, we are called to acknowledge our sinfulness.

That is an important moment for the faith community gathered in worship and prayer.

As we acknowledge and confess our sins, we are also made aware that all are sinners and no one can say that they are not as sinful as others.

So, acknowledgement and confession of sins can be said to be a unifying aspect in that we have sinned just like the rest.

But it is the holiness of God and His mercy and compassion that raises us up to continue to offer worship and prayer with humble and contrite hearts.

In the gospel, Peter acknowledged that he was a sinful man, and that he was not worthy to be in the holy presence of Jesus.

It was Peter’s acknowledgement and confession of his sinfulness that enabled him to respond to the call of Jesus.

If we really want to know what is God’s will for us and what He wants of us, then let us first acknowledge and confess our sins before Him.

In our humility, God will reveal to us what His plans are for us, and we will be willing to accept it.

22nd Week, Ordinary Time, Wednesday, 06-09-2023

Colossians 1:1-8 / Luke 4:38-44    

It is undeniable that all of us have some kind of pain here and there.

For some of us, it is a physical pain; for some, it is an emotional pain; for some, it could be some kind of a spiritual pain.

Whatever kind of pain it is, we can either try to live with the pain.

But when the pain becomes unbearable, we would certainly want to look for a cure or a relief.

In the gospel, we heard that all those who had friends suffering from diseases of one kind or another brought them to Jesus, and He laid His hands on them and cured them.

Devils too came out of many people.

Jesus came to cure, to heal and to save. That is the Good News of salvation.

Jesus is our Saviour, and we don’t have to wait till the pain is unbearable before turning to Him to ask for His healing love.

When we have experienced His healing and saving love for us, then we are prepared to go on mission.

That mission is to be messengers of the Good News and bring people who are in pain to Jesus.

Jesus wants to cure, to heal and to save. We only need to turn to Him in our pain, and also bring those who are in pain to Him.

Then we will see how much we and others need to experience the Good News of the saving love of God.

22nd Week, Ordinary Time, Tuesday, 05-09-2023

1 Thess 5:1-6, 9-11 / Luke 4:31-37   

There will always be surprises and unexpected situations in life.

While we wish that it will be pleasant surprises and unexpected happy situations, quite often that is not the case.

As the 1st reading puts it, when people are saying how quiet and peaceful it is,  that the worst suddenly happens.

It is like the calm before the storm, and when the storm breaks in, it is all chaos and havoc.

But even in the chaos and havoc of the storm, there is the eye of the storm where it is said that it is calm weather, and sometimes the sun can be seen.

In the gospel, the possessed man started shouting at the top of his voice and causing alarm in the people around him.

Jesus calmly, but sharply, said to him: Be quiet, come out of him.

And the evil spirit came out of the man, the situation was calm again, and everyone was astonished.

Jesus is the Prince of peace. He came to bring peace to our chaotic and troubled hearts.

Let us turn to Jesus always, so that we can be quiet and still and know that He is our God and our Saviour.

22nd Week, Ordinary Time, Monday, 04-09-2023

1 Thess 4:13-18 / Luke 4:16-30

A pattern in the spiritual life is that after a spiritual experience of God's love, what will follow is a challenge.

In the brightness and warmth of a God-experience, there is the dark and ever-lurking shadows.

From the 1st reading, we can know what was bothering the Thessalonians.

Their faith in Jesus have lifted them and gave them hope and meaning in life.

Yet the deaths of their fellow believers also grieved them, and maybe even shook their faith because they were expecting Jesus to come back soon and reward them for their faith.

So St. Paul had to encourage them and tell them to keep their eyes fixed on heaven.

Even for Jesus, when He began His ministry, was filled with zest and the zeal of the Spirit.

Yet, in His own hometown, He met with rejection and even His life was endangered.

So for every experience of God's love, let us give thanks to God and let us deepen our faith in Him.

But when the shadows of doubt and crisis start to loom over us, let us do as what St. Paul told the Thessalonians.

Let us keep our eyes fixed on heaven, and our hearts fixed on God who loves us.

For nothing can ever separate us from the love of God as long as we focus our faith on Him.

22nd Ordinary Sunday, Year A, 03.09.2023

 Jeremiah 20:7-9 / Romans 12:1-2 / Matthew 16:21-27

Whenever we reflect about life and its meaning, there will be a question to think about. 

That question is this: In life what is my destiny? 

That is not an easy question to answer, as the word destiny is a deep word that has various shades of meaning. 

Generally speaking, destiny can mean that there is a series of events that will happen to a person or group persons. 

These events have a purpose that is directed towards an objective, or a goal. 

It is not about foretelling or predicting the future. 

Rather, it is more like how the events unfold in life, and the choices we make along the way. 

And this is where the difficult part comes in. 

How do we know what is our destiny? How will our choices affect our destiny? 

Life is a mystery, and the future is also a mystery. 

But the present requires us to make a choice for our destiny. 

In the gospel, Jesus began to make it clear to His disciples that He was destined to go up to Jerusalem and to suffer grievously at the hands of the elders and chief priests and scribes, to be put to death and to be raised up on the third day. 

For the disciples, it was certainly difficult to understand what Jesus meant by that. 

While the disciples are wondering about the meaning of what Jesus said, Peter decided to do something. 

He began to remonstrate with Jesus. He wanted to disagree and to even forcefully protest against what Jesus said about His destiny. 

For whatever reason Peter did it, in turn he got rebuked severely by Jesus and was even called “Satan”. 

Peter would have been stunned into dumbfounded silence by that strong reaction from Jesus. 

But that only goes to show how clear and convicted Jesus is about His destiny. 

Jesus knew who He is, and what His mission is. 

As His life unfolds in the events of His ministry, His destiny also became clearer and clearer. 

So, when Jesus spoke of His destiny to His disciples, He wasn't just day-dreaming or speculating. 

He chose to accept what He could see coming before Him, and that is the Cross. 

He had to make the decision to accept the Cross, or to avoid it. 

It was a choice He had to make every day up to that moment in the garden of Gethsemane. 

In the garden of Gethsemane, Jesus was tempted to avoid the Cross when He asked the Father if it is possible to let the cup of suffering pass Him by. 

But in the end, Jesus still submitted to the Father's will and went on ahead to face His suffering and the Cross. 

As disciples of Jesus, we too will have to face our cross if we want to follow Jesus. 

The cross would mean troubles and distress and tribulations; it would also mean suffering and sacrifice. 

But Jesus has shown us that when we accept the cross like He did, we will be heading towards a meaningful destiny. 

Also, our sufferings in this world cannot be compared to the eternal glory that is promised to us by Jesus. 

Let us put our faith and trust in Jesus, accept our cross, and look towards that beautiful destiny with Jesus.

21st Week, Ordinary Time, Saturday, 02-09-2023

1 Thess 4:9-11 / Matthew 25:14-30   

There are many important and essential things in life that we already ought to know and observe.

So there are things like health, security, family, integrity, honesty, duty, responsibility, etc.

But as much as they are essential and even fundamental, we also need to be reminded about them.

Because we can take the essential and fundamental for granted, and if we are not reminded, then they may slowly fade away and we might even forget about them.

In the 1st reading, St. Paul says this: As for loving our brothers, there is no need for anyone to write to you about that, since you have learnt from God yourselves to love one another.

Yes, love is so essential and fundamental that we don’t think we need to be reminded.

And hearing it too often might even make it sound casual and ordinary.

Still, every now and then, we have to remind ourselves and also to remind one another of the duty and mission of love.

Love can be understood as a duty, as the gospel parable would express it.

Love is also a mission, as love is the foundation of our Christian lives.

God loves us. Let us love one another in what we do, as well as what we say.

Love does not come to an end. Let us keep reflecting, meditating and witnessing to the power of God’s love.