Monday Within Easter Octave, 01-04-2024

Acts 2:14, 22-33 / Matthew 28:8-15  

If we woke up today without having to go to work or have nothing much to do, then we won't feel like getting out of bed even if we are wide awake.

We will only get on the way and move quickly when there is a sense of urgency, and when there are tasks ahead that need our attention.

When Jesus rose from the dead, a number of people were also "awakened" and immediately they had some urgent tasks ahead.

In the gospel, we heard that the women were filled with awe and great joy and they came quickly away from the tomb and ran to tell the disciples.

While the women were on their way, another group was on another way and also in haste.

The soldiers who were guarding the tomb went off into the city to tell the chief priests all that had happened.

So two groups went off hastily with two urgent stories to tell. And the outcome of both stories have survived until this day.

Jesus rose from the dead and He conquered sin and death. The light of His resurrection also shines through the darkness to awaken those who sleep in lies and falsehood.

So for us, everyday there is something to wake up to, and it's something urgent and needs our immediate attention.

We wake up with the truth of the resurrection and that is what we must immediately live out for the day.

It's either we wake up to the light of truth, or we may just sleep-walk in the darkness of lies.

Easter Sunday, Year B, 31.03.2024

The feast of the Resurrection is an important and significant feast for the Church and for us Christians. 

The preparation for this feast began with the 40 days of Lent, and then with Holy Week and the Sacred Pascal Triduum. So, there was Palm Sunday, Holy Thursday and Good Friday. 

On this evening of the Easter Vigil, the gospel brings us back to that moment of the revelation of the mystery of our salvation. 

The women went to the tomb very early in the morning and there was only one question in their minds: Who will roll away the stone from the entrance of the tomb? 

Obviously, it was a very big stone, and entrance of the tomb is cut and shaped in such a way that the stone will seal the tomb permanently. 

The revelation begins with that stone already rolled back, and the tomb was empty. 

So, what really happened? Who rolled the stone away? And what happened to Jesus, or what happened to His body? 

As the mystery of the Resurrection unfolds, that big stone and the empty tomb reveal who Jesus is, and they also reveal something about ourselves. 

From the various accounts of the gospels, the message is one and  the same: Jesus Christ is risen from the dead. 

But it is a message that is not accepted by all. Even for us who profess our belief in the Resurrection, we have our questions about it. 

But today we reflect about that big stone and the empty tomb, as symbolized by the empty Tabernacle. 

And that question comes back again. Who rolled back the stone at the entrance of the tomb? 

We could have guessed that it was not rolled back by human hands. It was by the Finger of God that rolled back that stone, and that Finger of God is pointing to the Risen Christ. 

Yes, we want to believe that Jesus is risen, we want to believe in the Resurrection. 

We want to believe that Jesus will also raise us up from our sinfulness to a life of holiness. 

But we have to show Jesus those stones that burden our lives. 

We are not just talking about kidney stones or gallbladder stones. Those kind of stones can cause some serious physical pains. 

We are also talking about stones that have blocked and burdened our lives. 

It may be stones of anger and resentment, stones of revenge and retaliation, stones of pride and unforgiveness. 

Those kind of stones cause our hearts to be hardened. 

It may also be those rough and sharp stones that have cut our hearts with disappointment and regrets, and made us feel small and rejected, lowly and even useless. 

Whatever the stones are, today Jesus comes to us to renew our faith by renewing our Baptismal promises. 

It was by water that we are baptized, and Jesus is the living water in our lives. 

In the encounter between stone and water, the stone will give way to the water. 

Water has that gentle power to dislodge those big stones. 

Water has that flowing power to smoothen the sharpest of stones. 

To believe in the Resurrection is to believe in the power of our Baptism over the troubles of our lives. 

May the living waters from the Risen Lord Jesus roll away the stones of our hearts and fill our lives with His peace and joy.

Good Friday 2024

The most prominent symbol of Christianity is the Cross. 

Later, in the unveiling of the Cross, we will see that it is not just the Cross. 

On the Cross is the figure of Jesus Christ nailed to it, or what is called the Crucifix. 

Today, we acknowledge that the Cross points to suffering and shame. 

We know too well the Cross of suffering and shame, because we have carried that Cross before. 

But today, we adore and worship the One who carried the Cross, and died on that Cross of suffering and shame. 

And that is Jesus Christ, the Son of God, who suffered, was mocked, and shamed, and died on that Cross. 

Although He was Son, Jesus shows us how to be obedient to the Father through suffering, shame and death on the Cross. 

And through the obedience of Jesus, God the Father will show us that suffering, shame and even death will not be the final end.

Because God will save Jesus out of death. 

And we believe that, and we express that belief by coming up later to venerate the Cross. 

We embrace Jesus and the Cross, and we will also accept our Cross of suffering and shame. 

And we believe that with Jesus, the Cross of suffering, shame and death will be turned into the glorious Cross of life, and love, and salvation. 

The Cross is not our enemy. Rather the Cross will be our victory. And it is Jesus who is showing us that.

Holy Thursday 2024

Exodus 12:1-8, 11-14 / 1 Cor 11:23-26 / John 13:1-15 

The mysteries of our faith are truly profound, and yet at times, they also confound us. 

We began the Sacred Triduum by remembering how Jesus instituted the Holy Eucharist. 

Jesus changed the bread and wine into His Body and Blood, to show how perfect His love is for us. 

And so, we celebrate the Eucharist in memory of Him, as He commanded us to do so. 

Yet, other than the 2nd reading which mentions about the Body and Blood of Christ, the Gospel only mentioned about Jesus having supper with His disciples. 

And then, the focus turned to the washing of feet. 

Jesus washed the feet of His disciples. 

That confounded His disciples. And that should also confound us. 

We may ask: What has the holy Eucharist got to do with the lowly washing of feet? 

When we think about it deeper, we will see that the Eucharist is for everyone, regardless of the state of holiness or sinfulness or worthiness. 

In other words, Jesus offers His love for saints as well as for sinners. 

In the washing of the feet, Jesus is showing us that He cares about the lowest, the neglected and even the despised. 

Jesus gave us the example of humility and charity by being a servant who washes the lowly feet. 

In partaking of the Eucharist, we follow Jesus by being servants of humility and charity.

In partaking of the Eucharist, we become servants to the lowly and the lowest, to the neglected and the despised. 

In partaking of the Eucharist, we will go down on knees with Jesus, and wash those lowly feet. 

That is what Jesus, our Lord and Master did. 

Let us follow Jesus and do likewise.

Wednesday of Holy Week, 27-03-2024

Isaiah 50:4-9 / Matthew 26:14-25   

Tomorrow evening, the Church enters into the Sacred Paschal Triduum, which is the mystery of the suffering, death and Resurrection of Jesus Christ.

It is going to be three days of intense spiritual activities in which we are led to contemplate and participate in the saving mission of Jesus.

So today we take time to prepare our hearts and minds to be in union with the Church as we journey together with Jesus in this Paschal mystery.

We need to focus on Jesus so as to be in union with Him during the next three days.

Essentially we need to listen to the Word of God during the next three days.

As the 1st reading says: Each morning, the Lord wakes me to hear, to listen like a disciple. The Lord has opened my ear.

We listen to the Word of God so that we may have a disciple’s tongue and to encourage the wearied.

We listen to the Word of God so that, like Jesus, we will be able to accept the struggles and troubles of this world.

We listen to the Word of God, so that, like Jesus, we will not fear the sharpness of the insults and the betrayals of those who are against us.

Like Jesus, we will not be ashamed or cover our face nor resist, but we will be courageous.

We will follow Jesus to face the crosses of our lives, and witness to the Good News.

Because we know that through the Cross, Jesus will grant us strength and courage, and with Jesus, we will rise to victory over sin.

Tuesday of Holy Week, 26-03-2024

Isaiah 49:1-6 / John 13:21-33, 36-38  

God made man in His image, and that means that mankind is created in love, with love and for love.

So, in every human heart, there is the goodness of love, and every human being reflects this goodness, which is created by God.

With love, there is freedom, and that also means that every human being has the freedom of choice.

Every person can choose to do good with love, or he can choose to do what is bad or even evil.

One of the grave human failings is the act of betrayal, in which relationships are broken and destroyed.

But the act of betrayal is not committed out of wickedness, but rather out of weakness.

The weakness is often for a selfish motive at the expense of the relationship with the other person or persons.

In the gospel, Judas was so determined to betray Jesus that he would not even reconsider what he was going to do.

The weakness of Judas was exploited further by the evil one and there was no turning back for Judas, although Jesus gave him ample signs of His love for him.

During this Holy Week, we are reminded of the goodness of God within us, and how much Jesus loves us.

Let us acknowledge our sinful weakness before Jesus, and He will heal and strengthen us with the goodness of His love.

Monday of Holy Week, 25-03-2024

Isaiah 42:1-7 / John 12:1-11    

Money is important, and no doubt our money is hard-earned.

So when it comes to buying things, we have to spend our money wisely and carefully.

At times, we may even be so frugal that we may make the mistake of being “penny wise, pound foolish”.

And we would not even think of spending a year’s salary on some exotic essential oil, even though it may be extremely useful and beneficial for health.

That was about the price of the pure nard that Mary bought to anoint the feet of Jesus.

And it was not even used sparingly. She probably used it all at one go. 

And she even did this cringy act of wiping the feet of Jesus with her hair.

Maybe, we, like Judas, would also question what Mary did.

But from what Jesus said, we can understand that only God knows the true intentions.

So it is not about the amount of money spent or given, but the intention behind it.

Similarly, it is not so much about what good deed we do, but how much love is in that deed.

Jesus loves us, and He loved us even it comes to giving up His life for us.

It is a love that no money can buy. Mary understood that. May we understand that too.

Palm-Passion Sunday, Year B, 24.03.2024

 One of the realities that we see around us, is the fact that everything is changing. Change is always happening around us. 

Some changes are fast and happen quickly, while some changes happen slowly. 

When we look at the palm branches in our hands, we can see how much changes they had undergone. 

Just a few days ago, they were growing healthily on the plant. 

Then they were cut off from the plant and brought to Church. 

They were blessed at the beginning of the Mass, and later they will be brought back to our homes, where they will dry up slowly and turn brown and hard. 

For these palm branches, the reality is the change from life to death. 

In the gospel, the reality for Jesus is also the change from life to death. 

From the Last Supper, to the Agony in the Garden, to His Suffering and Death on the Cross, and His burial, the changes in His life happened quickly. 

But those changes from His life to His death also changed the whole world, and will change our lives as well. 

Though the gospel ended with the death and burial of Jesus, the changes do not stop there. 

Let us wait, because there will be another change, and will be a great and wonderful change. 

That change will also change the world, and it will also change our lives. 

As we unite ourselves with Jesus in His suffering and death, let us pray and wait. 

From death, Jesus will rise to a glorious new life, and He will also raise us up with Him. 

When we understand that life is a continuous change of dying and rising, then we will know that we too will change. 

We will change from sinfulness to holiness. 

We will change to be more like Jesus Christ our Lord and our Saviour.

5th Week of Lent, Saturday, 23-03-2024

Ezekiel 37:21-28 / John 11:45-56   

In order to better understand what is said or what is written, we need to know the context.

So what is said by a stand-up comedian and what is said by a politician certainly does not mean the same thing although it may sound similar.

In the gospel, when the high priest Caiaphas said that it is better for one man to die for the people, than the whole nation to be destroyed, there are a couple of ways to interpret it.

On the political level, what Caiaphas said is a pragmatic solution to the threat that Jesus posed to the Romans and to the nation.

But on the spiritual level, and because of his appointment and his office, Caiaphas proclaimed a prophecy, even though he may not be aware of it.

And that prophecy would be fulfilled, on the political level, as well as on the spiritual level.

The 1st reading begins with “The Lord says this:” 

So it is a prophecy as well as a promise, and it is the Lord God who is proclaiming it.

Let us read it again and meditate on it. The Lord God is saying that He will be our God and we shall be His people.

We don’t need to understand it further. Let us believe in it and be God’s people and live according to His ways.

5th Week of Lent, Friday, 22-03-2024

Jeremiah 20:10-13 / John 10:31-42   

When it comes to subscribing to or embracing a religion, there are many reasons.

Some people find religion a source of comfort, while others need it to come to terms with the contradictions of life.

As Christians, we follow the ways and teachings of Jesus Christ our Lord and Master.

We believe that Jesus is the Way, the Truth and the Life.

And as Christians, our faith is a gift from God.

Faith is what we have been given, and faith is what we have to share with others.

We carry this gift of faith to the world and bear witness to it for those who want to know about Jesus.

And we also have to bear witness to Jesus even for those who don’t want to know about Jesus or have a resistance against Him.

In the 1st reading, that was what the prophet Jeremiah did, even though he heard so many disparaging him and he felt terror on every side.

But he believed that the Lord is by his side and will defend him against the enemies, and confound them by their failures.

Let us, like the prophet Jeremiah, commit our lives to the Lord.

And as we continue to witness to our faith, let us also pray for the conversion of sinners.

It is the duty of Christians to pray for the conversion of sinners.

5th Week of Lent, Thursday, 21-03-2024

Genesis 17:3-9 / John 8:51-59    

Agreements made between two parties are usually formalized in a contract.

A contract binds the two parties to fulfill the contract. 

And if the contract is broken by one party, then the other party will be able to ask for compensation.

On a personal level, usually we make promises, and we are obligated to keep our word and not to break the promise.

But in our human frailty and failings, we have broken our promises and our words no longer express our integrity and character.

In the 1st reading, God did not make a promise or a contract with Abraham. God made a covenant with Abraham.

The basis of a covenant is a relationship, and it is God who established that relationship with Abraham and his descendants.

God is always faithful to His words and He will never break His covenant with us.

In the gospel, Jesus says that whoever keeps His word will never see death.

Jesus promises us that He is our Saviour and that He will save us from danger and from sin.

Let us believe in His word, for it is God who is saying it. And God will always keep His Word.

5th Week of Lent, Wednesday, 20-03-2024

Daniel 3:14-20, 24-25, 28 / John 8:31-42  

We know that we must keep to the rules and other regulations.

That is our social responsibility so that there can be law and order.

So we know that laws, rules and regulations are meant to protect us and help us to know what is the right thing to do.

As for us Christians, we understand laws, rules and regulations in a deeper perspective.

Because we see the truth in them, and that truth leads us to do what is right, what is good and what is loving.

As Jesus said in the gospel, the truth will set us free.

It is the truth in God that we believe in, and that truth helps us to choose the ways of God rather than the ways of the world or other ways.

In that sense, we have freedom, because there is no need for us to consider other options.

Yes, the truth will set us free, just as it set the three young men in the 1st reading to stay faithful to God even in the face of persecution.

Indeed, the truth will prevail. Let us stay on the side of truth and we will have freedom.

St. Joseph, Spouse of the BVM, Tuesday, 19-03-2024

2 Samuel 7:4-5, 12-14, 16 / Romans 4:13, 16-18, 22 / Matthew 1: 16, 18-21 or Luke 2:41-51

St. Joseph is certainly one of the great saints of the Church.

He is also known by many eminent titles like “Patron and Guardian of the Church”, “Patron of the dying”, “Patron of priests, husbands and fathers”.

He is also the “Patron of workers” and his feast-day on the 1st May is often celebrated with processions and “high” Masses.

But the title of “Husband of the Blessed Virgin Mary” is the most profound.

That’s because it tells of who St. Joseph is, it tells about his faith, his character and integrity, and his calling to be the husband of Mary and guardian of the child Jesus.

Although the gospels did not have any quotes or sayings of St. Joseph, the title of “Husband of the Blessed Virgin Mary” says it all.

St. Joseph was a man of honour and also a man of faith.

His faith leads him to trust in the Lord’s calling to accept Mary as his wife and to care and protect mother and child.

His faith was expressed in his actions and in his commitment to God and to Mary and Jesus.

May our faith, our words and our actions also express our trust and commitment to God. 

5th Week of Lent, Monday, 18-03-2024

Daniel 13:41-42 / John 8:1-11    

A stone is a natural object that can be used for a number of purposes.

It can be used as part of an artistic creation or some other meaningful purposes.

But a stone can also be used for other intentions.

In both the readings, stones were used as a means for execution.

In the 1st reading, God intervened through Daniel and the innocent Susanna was saved from accusation and execution.

The two evil elders however, did not escape punishment, and they got the punishment that they had intended to inflict on Susanna.

But in the gospel, the woman who was caught committing adultery, was brought before Jesus for His opinion on the judgement.

His famous line “If there is one of you who has not sinned, let him be the first to throw a stone at her” was enough to rattle hearts of stone.

Jesus is the corner-stone referred to in the Scriptures. A corner-stone is an important stone as it holds the other stones of a gateway.

May Jesus be the corner-stone of our faith, and may our hearts of stone crumble and give way to forgiveness and compassion.

5th Sunday of Lent, Year B, 17.03.2024

Jeremiah 31:31-34 / Hebrews 5:7-9 / John 12:20-33   

In our social interactions, we talk about a wide variety of topics. 

Generally, we would talk about things at the peripheral. So, we will talk about the weather, about food, about where to go for holidays. 

Some conversations will go a bit deeper, like health issues, work problems, family matters.

And of course, we also like to talk about others, and somehow we end up gossiping about them. 

And we will also indulge in our favourite pastime, which is complaining. Seems like we have quite a lot to complain about - about the high cost of living, about inconveniences, about people we don't like. 

But when we come before Jesus in prayer, what are we going to talk to Him about? 

It might be about things that are mundane, or that we just want to complain. 

But what is it that Jesus wants to talk to us about? 

In the gospel, some Greeks wanted to see Jesus, but their purpose was not stated. Maybe they were curious because they had heard about Jesus and so they wanted to see Him. 

As for Jesus, He had other matters in His mind. In the gospel passage, Jesus is telling us what matters to Him and what should matter to us. 

He talks about a wheat grain and the harvest it can produce. He talks about eternal life. And then He says that His soul is troubled, and ask His Father to save Him. 

But He also knows that He is like the grain that must die in order to produce a rich harvest. And when He is lifted up from the earth, He will draw all men to Himself. 

In other words, Jesus was thinking about His suffering and death on the Cross. 

Jesus also wants us to think about our life and also about our death. 

For a Christian to think about death is not taboo or morbid. Because to think about death is to think about life and about eternal life. 

I remembered that when my late sister was in the final stages of her terminal illness, she had her questions about her life and about her illness. 

She had difficulty in coming to terms that her illness was terminal, and the pain and suffering didn't make it any easier. 

I prayed for her to accept it, so that she could have peace when the day comes for her to return to the Lord. 

Then my brother came back from his overseas assignment, and I went to fetch him from the airport to the hospital where my sister was. 

On that particular afternoon, the three of us had a good sibling-time.

We talked about our childhood days, and how she was the big sister always keeping an eye on us to stop us from being too naughty.

We talked about things that mattered, that she doesn’t have to worry about anything, that we will be with her and look after her, and that we will pray for her.

We didn’t talk about death or funeral arrangements, but it seems that my sister sensed that it won’t be long, and she told us that she just wanted to be comfortable.

We had a good conversation as we talked about things that mattered to us.

It was only when she said that she was tired that we let her rest. And my sister seemed to be at peace and even happy. 

As my brother and I went home, we realized that we never had such a sibling-time with my sister, and we were happy with this blessing from God. 

We talked about what mattered to us, we talked about life, and with that, death didn’t seem such a morbid or scary thing anymore.

As for my sister, when the day came, she went back peacefully to the Lord. 

Her passing on peacefully was a consolation to my family.

And she left fond memories for us too, especially for my brother and me, as we remember that afternoon when the three of us siblings shared life, love and care for each other.

May our lives be like the grain that will bear a harvest of love and care for others. 

And may we pass on from this life to eternal life and to receive that eternal blessing of joy from God.

4th Week of Lent, Saturday, 16-03-2024

Jeremiah 11:18-20 / John 7:40-52  

Life is unpredictable with its many twists and turns.

That is already enough to make us worry and anxious.

To add on to that, people can also be unpredictable.

Especially those whom we once knew as friends suddenly turn against us.

For one reason or another, they chose to go against us and even be malicious and vicious toward us.

Certainly we can retaliate and do unto them what they did to us.

But in the 1st reading, the prophet Jeremiah gives us another perspective.

He was unaware of the schemes of those who were plotting against him.

He may not have even thought of them as his enemies.

But the Lord revealed it to him and hence he was warned.

But Jeremiah knew that he can’t resist them and so he put his life into the hands of the Lord God.

When we, like Jeremiah, commit our lives to the Lord, then we would not think of retaliation or vengeance.

God will protect us and guide us through the dangers and the snares of life.

4th Week of Lent, Friday, 15-03-2024

Wisdom 2:1, 12-22 / John 7:1-2, 10, 25-30  

The existence of God has always been a topic of reflection and discussion.

Several philosophical reflections, and even some scientific theories, have suggested proofs of the existence of God.

But even with some proofs of the existence of God, to believe in God would require faith.

Faith is a gift from God, and that gift of faith enables human beings to know that there is a God and to respond by believing in Him.

In the 1st reading, the godless, with their misguided reasoning, ridiculed and plotted harm against those who believed in God.

But as the 1st reading concludes: 

This is the way they reason, but they are misled, their malice makes them blind.

They do not know the hidden things of God, they have no hope that holiness will be rewarded, they can see no reward for blameless souls.

As we reflect on that, we can see that those who refuse to acknowledge the existence of God or to believe in Him will have a sad and tragic end.

As for us Christians, we believe that Jesus is the Son of God, and that He is our Master.

He is our Way, our Truth and our Life. Let us follow Him in doing good and loving others.

With faith and with hope, we journey on from this world to the next where we will finally be with the God that we believe in.

4th Week of Lent, Thursday, 14-03-2024

Exodus 32:7-14 / John 5:31-47     

There is one fundamental aspect that the season of Lent points to.

That fundamental aspect also points to what the Church is about, what our faith is about, and what the purpose of Christianity is about.

And that fundamental aspect is salvation. 

Salvation can only be understood when we realise the destructive power of sin.

Sin destroys our lives, our relationship with God and also our relationships with others.

But despite knowing the destruction that sin causes, we still are prone to sin.

In the 1st reading, the people sinned against God by worshipping an image of a golden calf and calling it their god.

God wanted to punish the people, but Moses pleaded on their behalf.

Moses wanted the people to repent of their sin and to be saved by the forgiveness of God.

In the gospel, Jesus gave a teaching about who He is, but in short, it is in those words: It is for your salvation that I speak of this.

Let us not take salvation for granted. Let us realise that we are weak and prone to sin.

Let us turn to the Lord our God for forgiveness and healing. 

And God will grant us the blessing of the joy of salvation.

4th Week of Lent, Wednesday, 13-03-2024

Isaiah 49:8-15 / John 5:17-30  

One of the quotes from St. Irenaeus (AD 120 – 200) is this: The glory of God is man fully alive.

It is a profound quote, and essentially it says who God is and how mankind is held in relation to God.

God is our Creator and we are His creation, indeed, His best creation.

God is the source of our life, and He is also the source of our love.

The 1st reading and the gospel emphasize this essential teaching.

So, for man to be fully alive, does not merely mean that he is active, productive, effective and efficient.

For man to be fully alive, all that he does must be done in God and for the glory of God.

For man to be fully alive, all that he does must also be for the good of his neighbours.

For St. Irenaeus, whose name means “peacemaker”, he lived up to his name by working for peace.

His life was a life of love. May our lives be lived in love and may we also work for peace.

4th Week of Lent, Tuesday, 12-03-2024

Ezekiel 47:1-9, 12 / John 51-3, 5-16   

Water is an element that is common in our country, so much so that we take it for granted.

But in other countries and regions, water is a very precious commodity.

In those countries and regions, water is critical for life and for the sustenance of life.

And in the religious realm, water is used to symbolize cleansing and purification.

In the gospel, when there are movements in the water at the Sheep Pool, it was an indication that healing powers are manifesting.

In the 1st reading, the symbol of water coming out of the Temple points to the life-giving and healing powers of water.

As for us Christians, we will remember that we are baptized with water.

We bless ourselves with Holy Water, and it is also used in other religious rites and rituals to symbolize God’s blessing and protection.

God has given Holy Water to the Church as a symbol of His love for us.

Let us use it devoutly to express our need for God’s blessings and protection.

4th Week of Lent, Monday, 11-03-2024

Isaiah 65:17-21 / John 4:43-54   

The season of Lent is a season of grace and blessings.

For those who are preparing for Baptism at Easter, it is a time of purification and enlightenment.

As those Elects go through the Scrutinies, they go through the purification of their past sins and they experience forgiveness and healing.

They are also enlightened as they let the light of God shine into the darkness of they lives and they walk towards that light.

Indeed, for the Elect, the season of Lent is an experience of joy and gladness.

But the blessings of joy and gladness is not only for the Elect but also for the whole Church.

God also wants to bless each of us with joy and gladness, just as God blessed His people with joy and gladness in the 1st reading.

It is also what the court official experienced in the gospel when his son recovered for the serious illness, just as Jesus had said he would.

Let us, like the Elects for Baptism, go through our purification and enlightenment through prayer, penance and alms-giving.

And we will receive the blessings of joy and gladness from God.

4th Sunday of Lent, Year B, 10.03.2024

2 Chronicles 36:14-16, 19-23 / Ephesians 2:4-10 / John 3:14-21    

In a Catholic Church, there are quite a few prominent religious objects. 

These prominent objects remind us, as well as help us, to keep focused that we are in a holy place. 

One of these prominent objects is the Crucifix. The Crucifix is either mounted on a stand or on the wall, and it should be obvious enough. 

For this church, the Crucifix is mounted on the top of the high altar. 

The crucifix is not just a horizontal and a vertical beam that are joined at the centre.

On the Crucifix, there is the body, or the corpus, of Jesus attached to it. 

That serves to remind us that Jesus suffered and died on the Cross to save us from our sins. 

The Crucifix also points to the great and marvellous love that God has for us. 

God let His only Son be put to death on the Cross by sinful men, so as to be the sacrifice for our sins. 

As today’s Gospel tells us: God loved the world so much, that He gave His only Son, so that everyone who believes in Him may not be lost but may have eternal life. 

So, the Crucifix is the symbol of God's marvellous love and salvation for sinful humanity. 

The Crucifix also tells us of another truth that is stated in the gospel: 

For God sent His Son into the world, not condemn the world, but so that through Him the world might be saved. 

So, the Crucifix does not point to judgment and condemnation, but rather, it points to forgiveness and reconciliation. 

The Crucifix is raise up high in the Church for everyone to look and to contemplate, to ponder and to wonder. 

The Crucifix stands silently as the testimony of God's saving love for Humanity. 

And going beyond to what is visible, the crucifix also radiates the light of love gently on those who gaze upon it. 

There is this story told by a priest of a young Christian man who was disillusioned and disappointed at the state of the Church. 

He had also lost his faith, and he saw Christians as hypocrites, and the Church as a hypocrisy. 

So, he went to the Church of his baptism and demanded from the priest that his baptism records be destroyed, and that he is not a Christian anymore. 

The priest thought for a while, and then he said: Before I do that, may I ask you to do something. 

The priest then brought the young man to the Church, and then he said: Look at Crucifix and shout as loud as you can with this: Jesus, you died for me, and I don't care! 

The young man looked at the priest in astonishment, and then looked at the Crucifix. 

He then took a deep breath and shouted: Jesus, you died for me, and I don't care! 

The priest said, “I am not that convinced. Do it again and again until I know you mean it.” 

So, the young man repeated it, and repeated it, but with each instance, his voice became softer and softer, until the young man stood there looking at the Crucifix. 

Then the priest said to the young man, “Maybe you can take a seat and rest for a while, and come to see me later.” 

The young man was left alone, staring at the Crucifix, and he stared and stared for a long time, until he came to his senses.

The one who told the story is a priest, and at the end of the story, he revealed that he was that young man. 

The Crucifix is raised high and stands silently for all to see. 

It does not judge or condemn, but it shows the sinless One who suffered and died on it for the salvation of sinners. 

Let us look at the Crucifix, or even hold on to it and pray with it. 

We cannot look at the Crucifix and yet continue to commit sin. 

We cannot look at the Crucifix and yet judge others and say harsh things about them. 

But Iet us look at the Crucifix and see the love of God in the One who is nailed to it. 

May the Crucifix be our light, may it be our love, and may the Crucifix show us the meaning and our calling in life.

3rd Week of Lent, Saturday, 09-03-2024

Hosea 5:15 - 6:6 / Luke 18:9-14   

A conversation between two persons would entail speaking and listening.

So when one speaks, the other will listen, and vice versa.

Both can’t be speaking at the same time.

And for the conversation to be enriching, both parties will be sharing and learning more about each other.

But when one party dominates the conversation and even boasts and brags about his achievements, that would be insulting and belittling the other party.

In the parable gospel, the Pharisee stood there to pray, but it was more like boasting and bragging about himself before God.

On the other hand, the tax collector has not much to say, but he acknowledged God’s mercy and he also admitted that he was a sinner.

The parable makes us reflect about relationship with God and about our prayer.

We may not be boasting and bragging about ourselves in prayer.

But when we pray, it could be that we placed ourselves first, with our needs and what we want God to do for us.

Let us remember that prayer is a relationship, a conversation where we speak and then we listen.

And let us remember that it is God whom we are talking to in prayer. 

Let us humble ourselves before God, and we will be at rights with God.

3rd Week of Lent, Friday, 08-03-2024

Hosea  14:2-10 / Mark 12:28-34   

A straight road would be an easy road to travel along. 

There is no worry about bends and curves or junctions.

What is needed would be to just keep focus on what is ahead and go on straight.

But the road of life is rather different.

We know that walking straight in the commandments of the Lord will lead us to peace and happiness.

But we get distracted with the byways and the sideways of pleasure and desire.

In the gospel, Jesus tells us again about the great commandment of God, and that is to love God with all our heart, with all our soul, with all our mind and with all our strength.

And that love for God is also to be expressed in our love for neighbour.

It is God who loves us first, and hears our prayer and cares for us.

Let us be wise and understand the meaning of the commandment of the Lord.

Let us keep focused on God’s commandment and keep walking straight in His ways.

And with that, we will not be far from the kingdom of God.

3rd Week of Lent, Thursday, 07-03-2024

Jeremiah 7:23-28 / Luke 11:14-23

There is no common word to describe a child that has disowned his parents.

There can be conjured up words like “parent alienation”.

But that is not a common word or phrase. That also points to the fact that a child who disowns his parents cannot be an acceptable practice or norm.

That also is against the 4th Commandment, and it is God who commands that children should honour their parents.

Similarly, there is no one word to describe a people that does not obey their God.

As there is no word or phrase to describe such a people, the prophet Jeremiah has this to say about the disobedient and unfaithful people of God:

Here is the nation that will not listen to the voice of the Lord its God, nor take correction. Sincerity is no more, it has vanished from their mouths.

Let us remember that God will never abandon us or disown us. 

In fact, He is always faithful, whereas we had been unfaithful and disobedient.

Let us turn back to the Lord God, our Father, with prayer, penance, alms-giving and works of charity.

Together with Jesus, let us seek out and bring back those children of God who are unfaithful and disobedient.

With Jesus, let us gather back the scattered children of God.

3rd Week of Lent, Wednesday, 06-03-2024

Deuteronomy 4:1, 5-9 / Matthew 5:17-19  

In life, we need some routines to help us have some stability.

Routines help us to have some control of our life so that we won’t be stressed up with anxiety.

Also we want some peace of mind and not to worry about what to do next or what is going to happen next.

In many ways, laws and rules help us to have peace of mind and also some stability and security in life.

We know what is the right thing to do and we also know that laws and rules protect us from any wrong that might be done to us.

More so for divine laws and commandments. 

God gives us laws and commandments so that we can live life in peace.

As the 1st reading tells us, keeping the laws and commandments of God shows that we are wise and understand the meaning of life.

God’s laws and commandments show us that He loves us and He wants us to be at peace and feel safe and secure.

Let us obey and keep God’s laws and commandments to show that we love God, and let us also tell others about the peace and joy of keeping God’s laws and commandments

3rd Week of Lent, Tuesday, 05-03-2024

Daniel 3:25, 34-43 / Matthew  18:21-35   

Experience comes from making mistakes and learning from them.

Or, it can also be said that mistakes increase our experience, and experience decrease our mistakes.

In life and in our relationships, whenever we make a mistake, we need to say sorry and ask for forgiveness.

When we say that we can’t forgive, we may be saying that we have not make any mistakes in life, which can’t  be true.

But the time will come when we will be confronted with our own mistakes and we will have to say sorry.

In the 1st reading, the prayer of Azariah is also the prayer of the people of God as they acknowledge and admitted to their unfaithfulness and sinfulness.

They knew the experience of sin and now they ask for forgiveness.

But that should also lead them to know that when others do wrong, then they too should forgive others.

And as Jesus said to Peter in the gospel, forgive others, not just seven times, but even seventy-seven times.

To forgive others is to admit that we ourselves have done wrong and need forgiveness too.

And when we forgive others, then ourselves will also experience the joy and freedom of forgiveness.

3rd Week of Lent, Monday, 04-03-2024

2 Kings 5:1-15 / Luke 4:24-30

Whenever it comes to making an assessment or an appraisal of a subordinate, the superior can be in quite a situation.

It is not easy at all to tell a person a negative aspect of that person’s performance or attitude.

Even if there are previous records of negative performances or attitudes, there will be resistance and denial from the one being assessed or appraised.

Such was the case in the gospel when Jesus brought up that instant when Naaman the Syrian was cured of leprosy, but not the Jewish lepers.

Besides that, Jesus also brought up the occasion when the Sidonian widow got help, but not the Jewish widows.

It was the recalling of such instances that turned the people of Jesus’s hometown against Him, and they even wanted to throw Him off the cliff.

But the truth can be uneasy and difficult to accept, especially when confronted by denial and pride.

The season of Lent helps us to come to terms with our sinfulness, and we cannot deny the prophetic voice of God in the Scriptures.

Let us be humble and listen to the Word of God, and the truth will set us free and we will be happy.

3rd Sunday of Lent, Year B, 03.03.2024

Exodus 20:1-17 / 1 Cor 1:22-25 / John 2:13-15    

One of the unique features of the Catholic Church is that there are long benches, or, what is called, pews. 

And along with the pews, there are kneelers, and usually the kneelers are padded. 

Almost all Catholic Churches have pews with kneelers. Some kneelers are retractable, but ours are not. 

The kneelers point to one unique expect of the Catholic church. 

There are three postures of prayer. One is standing, and we stand in respect, we also stand when prayers are offered, and we stand for the gospel.

We sit to listen to the readings from the Word of God, and also to listen to the teachings in the homily. 

And then there is the posture of kneeling, and here is where the kneelers come in. 

Kneelers help us to get down to the kneeling posture and also to get up from it. 

Kneeling is a profound act of reverence and worship. The fact is that we don't kneel casually anyway, nor do we kneel casually before anyone. 

Kneeling before our parents is an act of filial piety. Kneeling in Church is an act of reverence, adoration and worship offered to God. 

Furthermore, the Church is a holy place, the House of God, and it is only appropriate to kneel before God in prayer and worship. 

It is with this understanding that we will know why Jesus did what He did in the Temple. 

His actions were forceful, and anything or anyone at the other end of the whip would feel the sharpness of His anger. 

And that was because the Temple was turned into a market place. People were buying, selling, bargaining, and engaged in business networking. 

That is why Jesus said: Take all this out of here and stop turning my Father's house into a market. 

The Temple, and the Church, is dedicated to worship and prayer. 

The market is where marketing and business networking is done. 

But the holy place can be subtly turned into a market place, and no one is saying anything about it, or just keeping quiet about it. 

As it was in the gospel passage, nobody was saying anything about the marketing and the business networking that was going on in the Temple. 

But just because everybody is doing it does not mean that it is right. 

And just because nobody is doing it does not mean that it is wrong. 

In the 1st reading, God tells us what is right and wrong. In the gospel, Jesus shows us what is right and wrong. 

When we come to the Church, we come into the House of God, a holy place of worship and prayer. 

Let us pay attention to how we are dressed, and what we say and do. 

We come here to pray and to offer worship, and not to do marketing and business networking. 

In the House of God, let us be respectful and reverent, as we offer a prayer and worship. 

It is in the House of God that our prayers are heard and received. 

It is in the House of God, we will receive an answer to our prayers.

2nd Week of Lent, Saturday, 02-03-2024

Micah 7:14-15, 18-20 / Luke 15:1-3, 11-32   

Dramas on TV or in movies tell us one thing.

And that is, very often, those dramas are not imaginary or abstract.

Those dramas are often a reflection on situations in life and on relationships.

And we also able to relate with what we see in those dramas.

The gospel parable is also known as the Parable of the Prodigal son.

And we can see the reality of life in that parable.

Because it happens between parents and children, and also between siblings.

And it also makes us look further and deeper at our relationship with God.

Jesus tells us that God is our loving Father who is kind and forgiving, generous and gracious.

God our Father even sent Jesus to save us from our sins so that we can be reconciled with God.

Let us thank God our Father for His love and let us go forth to love and to be reconciled with one another.