Mary, Mother of God, 01.01.2024

 Numbers 6:22-27 / Galatians 4:4-7 / Luke 2:16-21

How we begin the day can shape our outlook for the rest of the day. 

Similarly, how we begin the year can also shape our outlook for the rest of the year. 

For us who come for Mass this morning, we want to begin the year with thanksgiving, and invoking the Lord for His blessings. 

So, we would have foregone last evening's countdown, because we subscribe to this saying: Early to bed, early to rise, makes a person healthy, wealthy and wise. 

Yes, we are wise enough to know that we need God's blessings in order to have peace in our minds and love in our hearts. 

On this feast of Mary, the Mother of God, the gospel spoke of Mary is pondering and treasuring all that she had heard. 

As we honour Mary and offer her our devotion, we too ponder and treasure what we have seen, what we have heard, and what we have learned. 

We know that life is fragile, and we need to handle it with care, and with prayer. 

And when we pray the Rosary, Mother Mary prays for us and with us, and God will do wonderful things for us. 

Mary also prays that we will remember what God has revealed to us. 

At the Annunciation, Mary was told that she would conceive and bear a son and she must name Him Jesus. 

Today's Gospel recalls for us that Jesus is our Saviour.

May the name of Jesus be in our minds, on our lips and in our hearts. 

May we always remember the name of Jesus for today and for the rest of the year. 

In the name of Jesus, God will be gracious and He will bless us.

Holy Family, Year B, 31.12.2023

 Ecclesiasticus 3:2-6, 12-14 / Colossians 3:12-21 / Luke 2:22-40

There's one common aspect in all of us, and that is every one of us belong to a family. 

The word “family” evokes many thoughts and sentiments. 

There is the big family, the small family, the extended family, the same family, and then there is the famous quirky “Addams family”. 

As much as a happy family sounds nice and warm, the reality is that there are broken families and dysfunctional families. 

Whatever it may be, the fact is that we belong to a family, regardless of whether we are born or adopted into it. 

And the fact is also that the family shapes us and we also shape the family. 

And the fact is also that there is no perfect family, because in the first place we ourselves are not perfect. 

Nevertheless, the basic family unit is fundamental and essential to society and for the country. 

To put it simply, it can be said that, stable family, stable society; happy family, happy country. 

Today, the Church celebrates family, and we turn to the Holy Family of Jesus, Mary and Joseph for inspiration and direction. 

Although the term “Holy Family” is not used in the Bible, that term expresses what the family is about. 

Because it was God who created the roots of family life with Adam and Eve. 

And it is through the family, and the members of the family, that God reveals His blessings. 

Mary and Joseph were revelations of God's plan for each other. 

From each other, they came to know what God's will is for them. 

And when they brought the Infant Jesus to the Temple to present and consecrate Him to the Lord, the Holy Family became a blessing for others. 

The upright and devout Simeon was prompted by the Holy Spirit to go to the Temple that day. 

And when he took the Infant Jesus into his arms, he saw God's light of salvation. It was his greatest and final blessing on Earth and he move on to the Eternal Light. 

And for the 84-year-old prophetess Anna, she proclaimed her final prophecy when she spoke of the child to all who looked forward to God's salvation. 

Today's Gospel passage leads us to reflect about the Holy Family and also about our family. 

But more than just reflections, the gospel also tells us about God's revelation through the Holy Family. 

Through the Holy Family, God revealed His blessings for Simeon and Anna. 

Through Simeon, Mary received a revelation of the sword that will pierce her soul. 

And through the gospel message, God is revealing His blessings through the family that we belong to. 

For parents, God blesses them when they do what the Lord requires of them, just as what Mary and Joseph did for Jesus. 

The basic duty of parents is to teach and form the children to love God and to love others. 

The duty of children is to honour their parents as God has commanded. 

As it is said, a senior in the home is a treasure for the family. 

Through this feast of the Holy Family, God has shown us that He reveals His plan through the family. 

And through the family, God grants His abundant blessings. 

May we see our family as a blessing from God. 

May we also see that through our family, God blesses us, and we too are blessing for our family members. 

And may our family be God's blessings for the Church and for the world.

Fifth Day Within the Octave of Christmas, Friday, 29-12-2023

1 John 2:3-11 / Luke 2:22-35    

One of the common casual questions that we ask each other is “How’s life?”

And we would often give a common casual answer “It’s ok”.

But seriously, we may want to reflect a little deeper about how are we getting on in life.

A casual answer will not be sufficient to address such a profound question about life.

In the gospel, Simeon was an upright and devout man, and he looked forward to Israel’s comforting and the Holy Spirit rested on him.

That says a lot about Simeon, and on that day when Mary and Joseph brought the infant Jesus to the Temple, Simeon received a prompting from the Holy Spirit.

He had finally set eyes on the Christ of the Lord, the salvation that God prepared for all the nations to see.

For Simeon, he can say that he lived a life in the light of the Lord, and he is prepared to move on towards that eternal light.

As much as we think that there is much darkness in the world, yet the light of Christ shines for us and the darkness cannot overcome that light.

May the light of Christ strengthen us to live upright and devout lives.

And that by loving God and our neighbours, may we reflect the light of God’s salvation for the world.

Holy Innocents, Martyrs, Thursday, 28-12-2023

1 John 1:5 - 2:1 / Matthew 2:13-18    

Almost anyone can be bought at a price.

It means to say that almost anyone can be “bribed” into giving up his values and principles.

As long as the price and the gains are attractive, one will succumb to the temptation of the bribe.

But when there is fear and insecurity, one can also give up one’s values and principles in order to have control and security.

King Herod, despite his power and might, feared the infant king of the Jews.

His phobia became so immense and intense that he even ordered the killing of the infants at Bethlehem.

The lives of those infants count for nothing in order to appease his fears and phobia.

We have our fears and phobia, and we have also faced temptations to give up our values and principles.

When we succumb to our fears and temptations, others will be adversely affected and we won’t gain anything too.

Let us pray to the Lord our God for protection and guidance that we will not succumb to fear or temptation.

St. John, Apostle and Evangelist, Wednesday, 27-12-2023

1 John 1:1-4 / John 20:2-8     

There are four gospels in the New Testament.

The gospels of Matthew, Mark and Luke are called the “synoptic” gospels because many portions are similar in content.

But the gospel of John is rather distinct in style and in composition.

The three synoptic gospels have the gradual revelation of the identity of Jesus.

The gospel of John states the identity of Jesus clearly from the first line, that Jesus is God.

In today’s feast of St. John, the Apostle and Evangelist, we thank God that through St. John, we received the revelation of Jesus in the gospel accredited to him.

As we ponder and meditate on the gospel of St. John, may God reveal more of who Jesus is to us.

May the gospel of St. John also reveal deeper God’s love for us.

May we come to see that Jesus is the Word of God made flesh and came to dwell among us.

May we in turn be God’s Word made flesh in our lives and may we lead others to believe in Jesus Christ as the Saviour.

St. Stephen, The First Martyr, Tuesday, 26-12-2023

Acts 6:8-10; 7:54-59 / Matthew 10:17-22  

Yesterday, we celebrated the feast of Christmas, the celebration of the birth of Jesus Christ our Saviour.

In this deep mystery of the Incarnation, we believe that God came to the world and became one like us.

God became man, so that man can become like God.

God chose to become like man, but it is for man to choose whether he wants to be like God.

As for St. Stephen, he believed in Jesus as his Lord and Saviour, and he went about proclaiming the Good News of salvation.

St. Stephen chose to follow Jesus, but he may not have thought of being martyred for doing so.

But the events and circumstances led him to that point when he had to declare his faith in the face of opposition and hostility.

From then on, there was no turning back as St. Stephen went on to witness to Jesus by lying down his life, and thus, he became the first martyr for Jesus.

When we believe in the mystery of the Incarnation, that God so loved us that He even became like one of us, then we too must witness to our belief.

We may not know how or where or when we will witness to Jesus.

But when the comes, let us like St. Stephen, witness to Jesus faithfully and courageously.

As Jesus said in the gospel, the one who stands firm to the end will be saved.

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        

Christmas 2023, 25.12.2023

Today in this Mass, we are gathered to celebrate the joyful feast of Christmas. 

We celebrate the birth of Jesus our Saviour. 

We go back in time, to that appointed time, to Bethlehem, and to witness this astonishing and wonderful mystery of the Incarnation. 

The Almighty and all-powerful God came into this world, and took on the human form of a tender and helpless baby. 

Jesus is certainly not just another ordinary human being. 

Jesus is with God from the beginning, He is the Word of God made flesh. Jesus Christ is God. 

And yet as we look at that tender helpless baby lying in the manger, we must ponder and keep pondering. 

Is this a reality, that divinity took on humanity? 

We ponder on this great mystery. And if we were to ask why, then we enter deeper into the mystery of God's love for us. 

Yes, that is God's great love for us, that Jesus came into the world, that He came for us, that He came for you and me. 

Jesus is the Divine Light, and He shines His light on us so that we can see the darkness of our brokenness, our woundedness and our sinfulness. 

Jesus is also the Divine Life, and He wants to raise us up to a life of happiness, kindness and forgiveness. 

Deep in our hearts, we long for that light, we yearn for that life. 

That is why Jesus came. He came for you and me to fulfil that longing and yearning. 

Yes, today we go back in time to Bethlehem, to look at this Baby, the infant King of kings and the Lord of lords. 

But Jesus also comes to us as our Healer and Saviour, with His warm light and tender love. 

So, let us celebrate the birth of Jesus by offering ourselves as gifts. 

Jesus wants us to be gifts to others, gifts of happiness, kindness and forgiveness. 

That is the wonderful mystery of Christmas.

That is also why Jesus came us; that is why He came for you and me.

4th Sunday of Advent, Year B, 24.12.2023

2 Sam 7:1-5, 8-11, 16 / Roman 16:25-27 / Luke 1:26-38

Besides food and clothing, the other thing that we need is a house to live in. 

When we have a house, we would want to make it a home, because home is where the heart is. 

We would want to make our home comfortable and secure. 

We would want to be able to sleep at home and have a good rest and feel safe. 

And after a long day outside, we would look forward to going back home and relax. 

And if home is where the heart is, then we would look forward to a time of love and companionship. 

So, a house is not just about four walls with a roof. The house becomes a home when it is alive with love and companionship and family. 

And the home becomes a source of blessing when there is prayer. 

When the home is a place of prayer, God dwells there. 

So, the house can become a home of care and  comfort, and in turn it can become a sanctuary of grace and blessing. 

In the gospel, the angel Gabriel told Mary she is to conceive and bear son, and He is to be called Jesus. 

God will give him the throne of David, and He will rule over the house of Jacob forever, and His reign will have no end. 

But, Jesus must first find a home on earth, and it is to be in the womb of Mary. 

It is for Mary to decide to say “yes” to God's call to be the mother of Jesus. 

It is for Mary to decide to open her heart to God's call to let Jesus come into her life. 

For Mary, it is like opening the door of her life to Jesus. 

For Mary, to open the door to Jesus is to let Him be the centre of her life. 

So, her life is going to change, and not change according to her plans, but according to God's plans.

And the angel Gabriel gave Mary an indication of what kind of change in life it would be like. 

Gabriel told Mary about Elizabeth's pregnancy. Elizabeth was childless and getting on in years, and yet she conceived, for nothing is impossible to God. 

So, Mary had to decide whether to accept the surprising ways of God, or to decline it. 

We may think that Mary would accept God's plan, just as we would gladly accept a multi-million-dollar masterpiece from the famous painter Vincent van Gogh. 

While many would accept the painting gladly, not many will accept the painter readily. 

By now, we would have already set up the Nativity Scene in our home. 

To have the Nativity Scene in our home is one thing. 

To accept Jesus, Mary and Joseph, we will have to consider. 

It will be like giving the keys of our home to God, and let Jesus, Mary and Joseph teach us the ways of God. 

But just as Mary made the decision, we too will have to make the decision. 

When we are willing to let God into our house, it will be a blessing. 

Jesus, Mary and Joseph will teach us how to make our house into a home. 

The home is where the heart is. 

May our homes and our hearts be filled with peace, joy, hope and love. 

Because when God comes in, it is a blessing. 

Let us open the door for Him.

Advent 23rd December 2023, Saturday

Malachi 3:1-4, 23-24 / Luke 1:57-66   

It is quite amazing to think that everyone who comes into this world has a particular and unique purpose.

Regardless of whether they are Christians or not, and regardless of other identifications, every person is not just a mere digit in the world’s population.

Every person’s purpose contribute to the existence and direction of the world.

In the gospel, the birth of John the Baptist brought about great rejoicing.

God had shown Elizabeth so great a kindness, and the people shared her joy.

Zechariah regained his power of speech and he spoke and praised God.

The people were astonished that Zechariah and Elizabeth have named their son “John”.

The people wondered what will the child turn out to be.

All this makes us ponder and reflect about our purpose as individuals in this world.

We are certainly not insignificant in the eyes of God, as He has a plan and a purpose for each of us.

May God reveal His plan and purpose to us, so that we will know what we must do in order that our lives will give glory and praise to God.

Advent 22nd December 2023, Friday

Samuel 1:24-28 / Luke 1:46-56    

When we pray, most of the time we will be offering up petitions for our needs, and also the needs of others.

Of course, there are also thanksgiving, adoration and contrition.

But because our human needs may be urgent, so petitions will be what we will usually have recourse to.

In the 1st reading, Hannah offered her only son Samuel to the Lord, with thanksgiving, worship and sacrifice.

She had prayed for a son, and God blessed her with Samuel, and in turn she offered Samuel back to the Lord.

What Hannah did would certainly make us think of our attitude when it comes to giving thanks to God for prayers answered.

Also we would wait for prayers to be answered before we give thanks.

As for Mary, she praised God even though there was much anxiety and uncertainty at that point in her life.

So even as we offer up our petitions, let us join Mary to give glory and praise to God.

And the Lord our God will do great things for us.

Advent 21st December 2023, Thursday

Songs 2:8-14 or Zephaniah 3:14-18 / Luke 1:39-45   

The Visitation is the Second Joyful mystery in the prayer of the Rosary.

Truly it was a joyful occasion as two expectant mothers met and celebrated the gift of life in their wombs.

More than just a gift of life, it was a blessing from God as they were carrying two sons who would become central figures in God’s plan of salvation.

One would be the prophet who would point out the Lamb of God, the Saviour.

The other is the Saviour Himself who would fulfill God’s promise of salvation for the world.

So the Visitation is a joyful occasion for Mary and Elizabeth as well as a revelation of God’s plan of salvation.

Elizabeth, filled with the Holy Spirit, proclaimed that Mary is the mother of the Lord, thus revealing that Jesus is truly the Lord.

As we reflect and meditate on the Visitation, let us give thanks to God for giving Jesus to us to be our Saviour.

Jesus is our Life and our joy.

As we prepare to celebrate the birth of our Saviour, let us also prepare to receive the revelation of God.

God wants to reveal through Jesus, the meaning of our lives.

As we give thanks to God for the gift of life, may we also open our hearts to the revelation of God’s plan for us to live life fully and joyfully.

Advent 20th December 2023, Wednesday

Isaiah 7:10-14 / Luke 1:26-38   

A question that often comes to the mind is that why did God go through all that trouble in saving humanity.

God could have just come down in great power and might and people, even hardened sinners, would go down on their knees and repent.

Instead God came as a helpless baby, born of a woman and born in harsh surroundings.

And from the moment of His birth, Jesus faced persecution and eventually was crucified on the Cross.

All this is bewildering, because Jesus is God and yet He subjected Himself to human conditions and faced human rejections.

As we reflect on God’s love for us, we hear in the 1st reading how king Ahaz was so obstinate as to reject the sign that God wants to give.

And in the gospel, God’s plan of salvation seems to depend on Mary’s consent in order to be fulfilled.

All this tells us that as much as God can insist and demand that we obey, He would rather that we respond to His love.

It was with love that God wanted to save humanity. 

Let us also respond with love to God’s will and His plan for us.

Advent 19th December 2023, Tuesday

Judges 13:2-7, 24-25 / Luke 1:5-25    

To be learned and knowledgeable is truly an asset in life.

Also learning is a life-long process and we also gain knowledge through learning, and we are also able to understand things better.

But being learned and having knowledge about things may not necessarily lead a person to understand the ways of God.

In the readings, two persons were presented with a message from God through the ministry of angels.

The woman in the 1st reading, only known as Manoah’s wife, accepted the angel’s message without questioning and eventually saw the truth of the message when she gave birth to a son.

In the gospel, a similar message was presented by the Archangel Gabriel to the priest Zacheriah, but somehow he questioned the message and for that he lost his ability to speak until the appointed time.

As much as Zechariah, being a priest, should be able to understand and accept the message more readily, he let his human reasoning become the obstacle to the ways of God.

On the other hand, Manoah’s wife, a simple woman, let her faith become her reward as she believed in what the angel told her.

As much as we need to balance faith with reason, yet it is prayer that will help us to discern the ways of God.

Let us be silent, and listen, and God’s ways will be revealed to us.

Advent 18th December 2023, Monday

Jeremiah 23:5-8 / Matthew 1:18-24    

We know how difficult it can be to get everyone in a group to agree to a proposal.

In fact, the more people there are in a group, the more difficult it will be to come to a unanimous agreement or decision.

There will be much time spent on meetings and discussions to get “buy-in” from the individuals in the group.

When God planned to save humanity from sin, that plan of salvation was announced by the prophets.

Though the people knew about the plan of salvation and looked forward to it, they may not think that they would be personally be involved in it.

The gospel recounted how Jesus Christ came to be born.

It involved people like Mary and Joseph. 

As we know it now, God’s plan of salvation was not immediately clear to Mary and Joseph.

They had to discern before finally accepting to be a part of God’s plan of salvation.

We too may not be that clear about God’s plan for us and what His will is for us.

Like Mary and Joseph, we have to put our trust in God that He will be with us as we carry out His will.

We need to believe in that promise that “God-is-with-us”.

3rd Sunday of Advent, Year B, 17.12.2023

Isaiah 61:1-2, 10-11 / 1 Thess 5:16-24 / John 1:6-8, 19-28

It can be said that Christmas is the most decorative liturgical season of the Church. 

There is the Christmas tree with the colourful ornaments, and the Advent wreath with the four coloured candles. 

And of course, there is the Nativity Scene with the figures of the baby Jesus and Mary with Joseph, the shepherds with a couple of sheep, the donkey and the cow, and coming in later will be the three wise men. 

But, no matter how nice and attractive these decorations are, there must be something else to make them look nicer. 

That something is the lights. Yes, there must be lights so that the decorations will look nice and bright. 

Whether it is LED lights, blinking lights, curtain lights, this season, whether it is Advent or Christmas, emphasizes the element of light. 

Especially when it is the soft lighting that gives a warm glow and gives that comfy and cozy feeling. 

It makes us think about home, family and loved ones, and brings back fond and warm memories. 

And it also reminds us that Jesus is the true Light, who has come to scatter the darkness of sin and evil. 

The gospel talks about John the Baptist, who was sent by God, to be a witness and to speak for the light. 

John the Baptist is not the light, and he knows he is not the light, and he declares it. 

The light that he speaks about, and witness to, is not an ordinary light. 

It is a Divine Light, it is the Light of the world, and it is Jesus Christ. 

As the three candles of the Advent wreath are lighted, it is also telling us that the light of our lives must also shine stronger and brighter. 

And the Light of Christ is also shining on us, so that we will open our hearts to the light and respond to Jesus. 

And the Light of Christ will keep shining and wait for us to respond, even if it takes a while. 

A while, can mean a short time, or over many years. 

A couple of days ago, I had the privilege of baptizing a rather senior person, senior as in he is 99 years old. 

Recently he was hospitalized and so his family members had to bring up the sensitive topic of his funeral arrangements. 

Since he does not follow any religion in particular, the family asked him what would he want his funeral arrangements to be like. 

Then he asked his family what religion do they follow, and they said that they are Catholics. 

He responded, that as a young boy, he studied at Catholic High school. And at that time, the school was next to the Catholic Church of Saints Peter and Paul, and that he had been in that church. 

So, almost immediately, that 99 year old man said that he wanted to be a Catholic. His family was quite astonished at how quickly he came to that decision, and they immediately made arrangements. 

And so, he was baptized in the Church of Saints Peter and Paul, the first and probably the only church he has been to. 

The Light of Christ shining softly and tenderly, lighted up the heart of that 99-year-old man, although it took something like 80 years. 

In this third week of Advent, the three candles of the Advent wreath are lighted, and next week, all the four candles will be lighted. 

The Light of Christ is shining softly, tenderly and deeply into our hearts and into our lives. 

Jesus wants to scatter the darkness of our lives, and heal the wounds of sin in our hearts. 

Jesus will wait for us to respond to His love. 

He waited for that 99-year-old man. 

He will wait for us.

2nd Week of Advent, Saturday, 16-12-2023

Ecclesiasticus 48:1-4, 9-11 / Matthew 17:10-13   

In the account of the Transfiguration of Jesus on the mountain (Mt. Tabor), there were two figures of the Old Testament who appeared before Jesus.

They were Moses and Elijah, and they represent the Law of God and the Prophetic voice of God respectively.

Both of them left this world in a rather peculiar and mysterious way.

The Old Testament account has it that God brought Moses up to Mt. Nebo to see the Promised Land, and there Moses died, but his burial place was unknown.

In the 1st reading, it says that the prophet Elijah was taken up to heaven in the whirlwind of fire, in a chariot with fiery horses.

It was believed that Elijah will come back again to turn the hearts of fathers towards their children and bring about restoration to Israel.

In the gospel, Jesus says that Elijah has come already, but the people did not recognize him and treated him as they pleased.

As we come to end of the 2nd Week of Advent and going on to the 3rd Week of Advent, the light of the Advent candles remind us of the light of Christ shining on us.

May the light of Christ reveal to us what the prophecies mean, and may we be able to see what God wants us to see, so that we will walk in His ways and follow His paths.

2nd Week of Advent, Friday, 15-12-2023

Isaiah 48:17-19 / Matthew 11:16-19     

Human beings are social beings, and that means that we live with other people, whether in families, or in groups or in communities.

There are many advantages in living with other people, as there can be mutual support and companionship.

But at the same time, there are also people’s expectations to manage.

We have our own peculiar ways and so do others.

At times, we expect others to follow our ways, and others also expect us to follow their ways.

In the gospel, Jesus talked about the expectations of people on John the Baptist and on Himself.

Obviously, John the Baptist and Jesus did not meet the expectations of the people.

But John the Baptist and Jesus did not come to meet the people’s expectations or to please them.

Both came to do the will of God and to show people the ways of God.

As the 1st readings says, God’s ways are for our good and for our happiness.

Let us ask God to grant us the wisdom to seek His ways, for God’s ways are above our ways and God’s thoughts are above our thoughts.

2nd Week of Advent, Thursday, 14-12-2023

Isaiah 41:13-20 / Matthew 11:11-15    

Life can be very much easier and comfortable when we have someone around to help us and guide us.

One good example is when we have to go to a foreign place for a meeting or for business.

It would be very much easier and enjoyable if we have someone to receive us at the airport and show us the way.

Then we would be able to enjoy the sights and the scenery without having the anxiety and the fear of the unknown.

In this season of Advent, there is someone who is ever willing to help us in our Advent journey towards Christmas.

John the Baptist is our Advent guide and he shows us the way and the preparations that we need to do.

His message is clear and simple - repentance and the conversion of heart.

We must remember that it is God who sent John the Baptist to be our Advent guide as we journey in faith towards Jesus.

Even Jesus, in the gospel, would exalt John the Baptist and affirmed that John was the one sent by God to turn the hearts of the people back to God.

So in our prayer, let us also ask John the Baptist to pray for us so that we can journey deeper into the heart of Jesus and in turn lead others to experience Jesus at Christmas.

2nd Week of Advent, Wednesday, 13-12-2023

Isaiah 40:25-31 / Matthew 11:28-30     

To be human is to feel anxious and to worry about life.

It boils down to our human need for security about the present and about the future.

But because we know that life is so unpredictable, we can never feel secure enough.

And as much as we try to prepare for the unexpected, yet we also know by know there can be no preparation for the unexpected.

So, all that leaves us with anxiety and worry.

Like what the people said in the 1st reading: My destiny is hidden from the Lord, my rights are ignored by my God.

But the 1st reading also says this about God: Who made the stars and drills them like an army? So mighty is his power, so great is his strength, that not one fails to answer.

Yes, the Lord is an everlasting God, He gives strength to the wearied, He strengthens the powerless.

Those who hope in the Lord renew their strength, they put out wings like eagles, they run and do not grow weary, walk and never tire.

But first, let us listen to the call of Jesus to come to Him and He will grant us rest.

Even though our anxieties and worries won’t disappear, but we will know that the love of Jesus will give strength to keep on going in life and even have hope for the future.

2nd Week of Advent, Tuesday, 12-12-2023

Isaiah 40:1-11 / Matthew 18:12-14     

We may not really know what the world of the after-life is about.

After all, no one has come back from the dead to tell us.

All we know is what Jesus told us about death, judgement, heaven and hell.

Besides that there are also some reflections from St. Paul’s letters in the New Testament.

In today’s gospel, we get another glimpse of what heaven is like and what happens there.

Jesus says that God, and also the whole of heaven, rejoices when a sinner repents and is saved.

It is amazing, just to know that God, with the angels and saints, rejoice when just one sinner repents and turns back to God.

And the 1st reading reiterates this when it says: God is like a shepherd feeding his flock, gathering lambs in his arms, holding them to his breast, and leading to their rest the mother ewes.

In coming to know all that, we know that repentance and conversion is such a joyful experience.

May the joy of heaven be also on earth as we pray for ourselves and others for a deeper repentance and conversion.

2nd Week of Advent, Monday, 11-12-2023

Isaiah 35:1-10 / Luke 5:17-26     

To be deeply hurt emotionally is really painful.

Added to that hurt is the trauma of the experience.

That is why to forgive is easier said than done.

Maybe that was why the scribes and Pharisees said that Jesus was blaspheming when He told the paralysed man that his sins are forgiven.

For the scribes and Pharisees, no one can forgive sins but God alone.

In their minds, God cannot be hurt or be traumatized by some evil-doing.

But when God became man in the person of Jesus Christ, He took all of the sins of humanity to Himself.

In Jesus Christ, God forgave humanity of the evil of sin.

During this Advent season, let us ponder deeply on the forgiveness of God.

In forgiving our sins, God is also healing us.

May we go for the Sacrament of Reconciliation, so that in being forgiven, we will be healed, and then we will be able to forgive others.

2nd Sunday of Advent, Year B, 10.12.2023

Isaiah 40:1-5, 9-11 / 2 Peter 3:8-14 / Mark 1:1-8

When an important message or announcement is to be made, it goes without saying that the most effective media platforms are to be used. 

So obviously, the common media platforms that will come to mind are the radio and TV, and also the newspapers, whether electronic or printed versions. 

Other popular social media platforms will also be used, like SMS, WhatsApp, Facebook, Instagram and TikTok. 

These media platforms are used so that the message or announcement will appear and be heard and read everywhere and by everyone. 

So, going by secular standards, the message or announcement must be attractive and effective. 

The content and the media are professionally crafted and selected. 

And so also is the presenter. The presenter must also look smart and sharp, and better still if they are famous and popular celebrities. 

These standards are not just for important messages and announcements. They are also applied to other areas like advertisements, notices, Etc. 

When the Good News was first announced, it was done in an unlikely place, and by an unlikely person. 

The Good News was announced and proclaimed in the wilderness, a place where hardly anyone will be there. 

And Good News was also proclaimed by a strange and odd person, wearing strange and odd clothes, and having a strange and odd diet. 

But it was in these strange and odd situations and circumstances, that God chose to have the Good News proclaimed. 

And what is strange and odd was that people came to hear the Good News. They came from all over the country of Judah and Jerusalem, and they went to the wilderness to hear it. 

And it was just a straight-forward message, without frills or thrills, a message of repentance and forgiveness of sins. 

So, in short, that straight-forward message of repentance and forgiveness, was announced in a strange and odd place, and by a strange and odd person. 

But somehow, that message brought about consolation and conversion for the people. 

That same message is also announced in churches on this Second Sunday of Advent. 

Coming to church is like going to the wilderness, where everything is simple and straightforward. 

The Word of God is proclaimed without fanfare, the prayers are simple and humble. 

Yet, God grants His blessings of comfort and consolation and conversion. And God also grants us His protection. 

As the 1st reading puts it: God Is like a shepherd feeding his flock, gathering lambs into his arms, holding them close to his breast, and leading the mother ewes to their rest. 

And in many ways, God has protected this church, with its walls still standing, and the stained glass intact, since 1910. 

Because there is an account in the history of the church, that in the afternoon of the 15th February 1942, a few Japanese mortar shells fired from Johor, hit the church roof, and brought down the ceiling, and exploded in the centre, creating a crater. 

It was incredible, and we can be skeptical about that account. 

But a senior parishioner verified this, and she said that on Sunday when the parishioners came for Mass, there was a big hole in the ceiling, and they had to walk around the edge of the crater. 

That was amazing, truly amazing, but it bears witness that where the Good News of repentance and forgiveness of sin is proclaimed, God grants His protection. 

And God also grants us, His beloved people, the lambs that He holds to His breast, comfort and consolation and conversion. 

This is the wonderful Good News that is proclaimed in this simple and humble place.

Let us believe and share it with others.     

1st Week of Advent, Saturday, 09-12-2023

Isaiah 30:19-21, 23-26 / Matthew 9:35 - 10:1, 6-8  

The relationship between God and His people is often portrayed in images.

One of the popular images is that of the shepherd and the sheep.

We may wonder why this image is so popular, and even Jesus used this image in the gospel.

He even used it twice: “like sheep without a shepherd” and “the lost sheep of the house of Israel”.

We may not see or know what a shepherd and the sheep do, but there are some things about them that we have read about.

Out in the pastures, the shepherd has only the sheep for company. Hence there is an intimate relationship between shepherd and sheep.

The shepherd protects the sheep from predators and leads them to pasture.

The sheep listen only to the shepherd’s voice and they follow him.

Just knowing all this is enough for the image to express the relationship between God and us.

May we be like sheep, always listening to the voice of our Good Shepherd, always following the ways of the Lord and keeping close to Him.

And like the Good Shepherd, the Lord will protect us and lead us to green pastures of peace and joy.

Immaculate Conception of the BVM, Friday, 08-12-2023

Genesis 3:9-15, 20 / Ephesians 1:3-6, 11-12 / Luke 1:26-38   

When we read the accounts of creation in the book of Genesis, we can see one truth.

And that is God is the Creator and that He planned creation in such wonder and magnificence.

Everything is wonderfully and beautifully planned to such detail and harmony.

But when mankind sinned and brought chaos into the world, God did not leave His creation to decay and destruction.

God came up with a plan of salvation because He loved mankind and wanted to save His creation from destruction.

But God’s plan of salvation was not done in a big and grand scale.

It began when God said that devil’s offspring and the woman’s offspring will be enemies, and the devil’s head will be crushed.

That plan took shape when Mary was immaculately conceived in her mother’s womb, so that freed from sin, Mary will be prepared for her mission to be the Mother of God.

Even then, at the Annunciation, Mary had to exercise her free-will to say “Yes” to the call of God.

With her consent, God’s plan of salvation was finally fulfilled in Jesus Christ, the Word of God made flesh.

Indeed, God’s plan of salvation is wonderful and marvelous.

Similarly, God’s plan for us is also wonderful and marvelous.

Like Mary, when we say “Yes” to God, then we will see how beautiful and wonderful God’s plan is for us.

1st Week of Advent, Thursday, 07-12-2023

Isaiah 26:1-6 / Matthew 7:21, 24-27      

In life, there are two things that we are often concerned about.

And they are stability and security.

It is almost like one and the same thing, yet one is the result of the other, as well as one reinforces the other.

So, like what Jesus said in the gospel parable, we want to have a house to live in and be comfortable and secure.

But no matter how big or how nice the house is, we can only feel secure when the foundations are stable.

No matter what size is the house, it will only make sense to build it on the stable and secure foundation of a solid rock.

The gospel as well as the 1st reading leads us to reflect and ponder about our sense of security and stability.

In the 1st reading, the song that is sung in the land of Judah goes like this: We have a strong city; to guard us, he has set wall and rampart.

Whether it is city or house or our lives, the security and stability have to be built on God who is our Rock.

To build our security and stability on anything else will be futile.

1st Week of Advent, Wednesday, 06-12-2023

Isaiah 25:6-10 / Matthew 15:29-37   

Today, the Church remembers and honours St. Nicholas, who lived during the fourth century.

He is popularly known as Santa Claus in the present times.

St. Nicholas was also known as Nicholas the Wonderworker because of the many miracles obtained through his intercession.

And he is also known for helping the poor in their need, as he secretly threw bags of money into their homes through the window.

So, St. Nicholas, or Santa Claus, has a religious connection with the Christmas festive season as a time for giving gifts.

But St. Nicholas is carrying on the mission of Jesus who is the Incarnate Son of the Father.

In the gospel, Jesus was healing the sick and feeding the hungry.

Jesus came to proclaim the Good News of salvation, by reaching down to the poor, the lowly, the needy, the lonely, the hungry and the sick.

Let us always remember why Jesus came and who He came for, and like St. Nicholas, let us continue the mission of love and salvation in our present times.

1st Week of Advent, Tuesday, 05-12-2023

Isaiah 11:1-10 / Luke 10:21-24  

If we have a pet, we would surely love our pet. 

We would even tell our pet that we love it.

And if our pet could talk, then it would also say that it loves us.

After all, our pet depends totally on us for food and shelter and care.

We know that God loves us and that He cares and provides for us.

And God even did the unthinkable and unimaginable by becoming man in the person of Jesus Christ.

No matter how much we love our pets, whether they are dogs or cats, we would never think of doing that.

But God became man in Jesus Christ to tell us and to show us how much He loves and cares of us.

So the mystery of the Incarnation is actually beyond our logically thinking and reasoning.

But let us be like little children and continue to give thanks and praise to God.

Let us also tell God that we love Him by loving one another.

1st Week of Advent, Monday, 04-12-2023

Isaiah 2:1-5 / Matthew 8:5-11   

The season of Advent is about waiting in anticipation and expectation for the celebration of the birth of Jesus Christ our Saviour.

The underlying and fundamental aspect of Advent is the mystery of the Incarnation.

The four weeks of Advent is for us to meditate and reflect upon this great mystery of salvation.

It is the mystery of God becoming man and being born in an ordinary way.

In the mystery of the Incarnation, the Word of God was made flesh in the person of Jesus.

In the gospel, the centurion declared the power of the authority of the word.

He believed that Jesus just have to give the word and his servant will be cured.

As we reflect on that statement of the centurion, let us also reflect and meditate on this great mystery of the Incarnation, the Word made flesh.

Jesus came down from heaven to proclaim this profound mystery. 

With prayer, meditation and reflection, Jesus will bring us up to the mountain of God to understand deeper this mystery.

When we begin to understand the mystery of the Incarnation, we will also begin to experience what Jesus has promised us.

Jesus is the Word of God, and His Word is power and authority. 

Let us believe in Jesus and what He has promised us. 

1st Sunday of Advent, Year B, 03.12.2023

Isaiah 63:16-17; 64:1, 3-8 / 1 Cor 1:3-9 / Mark 13:33-37

It is said that an opportunity knocks only once. That means to say that it won't come knocking again. 

And we know that it is quite true from our experience of missed opportunities. 

For example, we see something that we wanted to get, like, let's say, a smartwatch, and it looks appealing, and within our budget.

Then we may think that it might be cheaper online, so we go home and look for it but it is not available. 

Then we go back to the shop the next day, but it was sold, and there are no more stocks available, and we get disappointed. 

When an opportunity is missed, then there can only be regrets. 

We would like to blame something or someone for a missed opportunity. 

But, if we are honest with ourselves, then we know that there is no one to blame but ourselves. 

A further reflection would also make us ask ourselves as in why and how we missed the opportunity. 

Why were we not alert enough to see the opportunity coming or hear it knocking? 

Maybe it could be because opportunities do not come in nice-looking and pretty packaging. 

Opportunities also do not sound sweet and pleasant. In fact, it may sound troublesome.

In other words, we may not see the opportunity because it does not fit into our ideas or expectations. 

And because of that, we may even avoid and reject the opportunity. 

In the gospel, Jesus tells His disciples to be on their guard, to stay awake, to be alert. 

He uses a parable of the master of the house who has gone from home, and left his servants in charge, each with his own task. 

And the master also specifically instructed the door keeper to stay awake and to be alert for his return. 

And Jesus also says that the master of the house would come back unexpectedly. 

As we begin the season of Advent, let us ponder on the gospel passage that is presented to us. 

Advent is a time of waiting in anticipation and expectation for the celebration of the birth of Jesus Christ. 

So, Christmas will come for sure, and we can be so certain of it. So, we may spend these four weeks of Advent preparing for Christmas, with decorations and celebrations, as if Christmas is already here. 

We might be busy with all that and did not listen to the knock on the door. 

It is like the doorkeeper leaving his post and getting busy with other things. 

And then the master of the house comes back unexpectedly, and he knocks and no one opens the door to welcome him. 

We can imagine the disappointment and the frustration of the master of the house. 

The season of Advent brings us back to the duty of the door keeper. 

As doorkeepers, we wait patiently and silently, to listen to that knock on the door. 

It requires persistence and perseverance to be still and to be silent, to be silent so that we can listen. 

Then we can hear the knock on the door of our family life, to open the door to praying together, so that the family will stay together. 

And we can also hear the knock on the door of our hearts, because Jesus wants to come in and make His home in our hearts. 

It is in opening the Bible and reading and meditating on the Word of God that we welcome Jesus into our hearts. 

Whenever Jesus knocks, there is the opportunity of blessings. 

But opportunity does not come without difficulty and distraction. 

Let this Advent be a time where we keep still and silent. 

When we keep still and be silent, then we will be able to listen to the knock on the door. 

When we open the door, Jesus will grant us His blessings, and it will be blessing in abundance.

Let us not miss that opportunity.

34th Week, Ordinary Time, Saturday, 02-12-2023

Daniel 7:15-27 / Luke 21:34-36    

It is a general medical opinion that a lot of diseases like heart-attack, stroke, high-blood pressure and diabetes can be prevented and controlled.

It just requires us to be disciplined in our diet and exercise routines.

But when it comes to preventive measures, we don't usually see the concrete benefits of our vigilance.

Hence we slacken, and we say that another piece of fatty meat or missing another day of exercise won't do much harm.

Or we might even throw caution to the wind and say: let's enjoy now and suffer later.

Yet very often, it is while lying on the hospital bed in pain that we start regretting not taking care of our health and our body.

Similarly neither do we want to spend eternity in regret.

What Jesus is asking of us is to be alert and to be with Him in prayer and to have confidence in what He had promised us.

Jesus had promised us eternity with Him. It is by spending every moment with Jesus in our hearts that we will be prepared for eternity with Him.