21st Week, Ordinary Time, Saturday, 31-08-2024

1 Cor 1:26-31 / Matthew 25:14-30  

There is this quote from an unknown Greek poet  : "I shall walk this way but once, therefore, whatever good I may do, let me do it now, for I shall never walk this way again."

It is a very profound reflection because it is so true that we only live this life but once, there is no going back, and yet there is so much to give to life and to learn from it.

Cardinal John Henry Newman had this to say : God has created me to do Him some definite service; He has committed some work to me which He has not committed to another.

Indeed, as we journey on in this life, there is so much to learn and there is so much to give when we realized how much we have received.

Only if and when we realized how much we have received!

Otherwise we might just want to feel safe and secure by burying ourselves in the ground.

But that is not God's plan and purpose for us.

May we always remember that we walk this way once and will never walk this way again.

Whatever good we can do, whatever love we can give, let us do it now.

Let us not bury our lives in the ground and waste it away.

There is always the work of love to carry out, and there is so much of good that we can do.

21st Week, Ordinary Time, Friday, 30-08-2024

1 Cor 1:17-25 / Matthew 25:1=13  

When a sentence begins with the word “obviously” or “it is obvious”, it may not be that clear as to what really is obvious.

In other words, what is obvious to some may not be that obvious to others.

And what some people see as something that needs to be done, others may not see it that way.

In the gospel parable, there were five sensible bridesmaids and five foolish ones.

What was obvious to the five sensible bridesmaids is that they need to bring extra oil for their lamps.

But the other five foolish bridesmaids seem oblivious that they didn’t have extra oil, until it was too late.

To be sensible is to know what is the obvious and to do what needs to be done.

But that would also require some enlightenment from God and we also need to pray for the blessing to be wise and sensible.

Let us pray that God will open our eyes, our minds and our hearts.

Then we will be able to see the obvious and do what needs to be done.

The Passion of St. John the Baptist, Thursday, 29-08-2024

Jeremiah 1:17-19 / Mark 6:17-29  

At times we wonder if being good and doing good is really worth it.

Because very often, we see, and even experienced, that good is being re-paid with evil.

John the Baptist wanted Herod to repent and live a good life.

Because what Herod did was leading towards self-destruction.

John the Baptist had compassion for Herod.

In fact, Herod knew it, and that was why he was distressed when he had to give the orders for John's execution.

But goodness cannot be silenced or put to death.

Although St. John the Baptist had to lose his life, his martyrdom and his witness to the goodness of the Lord is celebrated by the Church today

When we live out the Christian values of love, patience, gentleness, humility, etc., and we get slapped in the face, we may wonder if it is worth it.

But let us remember that all good comes from God.

When we do good, the benefactors are not just the others.

We ourselves begin to realize our Christian identity and see the power of goodness and the power of God's love happening in the lives of others.

21st Week, Ordinary Time, Wednesday, 28-08-2024

2 Thess 3:6-10, 16-18 / Matthew 23:27-32  

It is often said that actions speak louder than words.

That is quite true whenever there is some work to be done.

When there is work to be done, that will show who are those who will only talk but not do anything.

And it will also show who are those who get the work or the task done.

In the 1st reading, St. Paul states a rule for the Thessalonians, and that is not to let anyone have any food if he refused to do any work.

That brings out the reality of the difference between those who work on the soil to make things grow and those who just wait around to grab the fruit.

In the gospel, Jesus pointed out the contradiction of what the scribes and Pharisees said about not joining in the shedding of blood of the prophets, had they lived in their fathers’ day.

Their very own words exposed their own hypocrisy and wickedness.

May our acts of good deeds bear fruits of goodness for the growth of others.

And may our words be kind and gentle to encourage others to do good deeds.

21st Week, Ordinary Time, Tuesday, 27-08-2024

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

In life, it is necessary to know what is important and essential.

When we know that, then we will know how to live our lives and be happy.

So besides our basic human needs, what else is there that we think is important and essential?

In the gospel, Jesus pointed out how the scribes and Pharisees lost their focus and understanding of life and faith.

They pay tithes on things but neglected the important matters of the Law like justice and mercy.

What they did was to attract attention and to impress people.

And to make it even clearer, Jesus said that what they are doing is like cleaning the outside of cup and dish and leaving the inside unclean.

In the 1st reading, St. Paul reminded the Thessalonians of what is important and essential, and not to be deceived and misled.

They must stand firm in the teachings and the promises of God that is proclaimed in the Good News.

And God will comfort us and strengthen our hope.

In a world of distractions and pleasure, we need to be focused on what is eternal and keep our minds and hearts on the glory that God has promised us.

21st Week, Ordinary Time, Monday, 26-08-2024

2 Thess 1:1-5, 11-12 / Matthew 23:13-22   

There are many differences between a small start-up business and large corporation.

A large corporation would have a big number of employees and many levels of management.

There are also many departments and also many SOPs and regulations to follow.

At times, it can get quite bloated and initiatives may take some time to get going.

For a small start-up business, the setup is simpler, but everyone has to work hard and work together to get the business up and going.

In a way, the Christian community of Thessalonica in the 1st reading, is a relatively new community.

St. Paul affirmed the Thessalonians of their faith and love for each other.

Even under persecutions and troubles, they were constant in faith and held firm to their beliefs.

But in the gospel, Jesus pointed out to the scribes and Pharisees how they have complicated their religion with many rules and regulations.

They made religion so bloated that the purpose of religion has lost its meaning.

May we be simple and humble in our faith, and trust in God’s providence.

May our faith be a joyful encounter of God’s love for us.

21st Ordinary Sunday, Year B, 25.08.2024

Joshua 24:1-2, 15-18 / Ephesians 5:21-32 / John 6:60-69

Generally speaking, people follow leaders by what they say and also how the leaders say it. 

So, one of the basic requirements of a leader is to be good at public speaking. 

They must also be able to give speeches that are inspiring and motivating. 

And whatever they are saying, they also need to say it with conviction and with clarity. 

And it is not only in what a leader says that shows the character of the leader. 

It is also what the leader writes that will be open to public scrutiny. 

With such demands and expectations, a leader can have recourse to some assistance. 

The rise and rapid development of AI (Artificial Intelligence) that can be of some help. 

We can input some requirements or a draft of a speech, and the AI would generate quite an impressive text. 

So the AI can be of assistance in giving a factually correct, as well as a grammatically correct text for our consideration in giving a speech or writing an article. 

But when we think about what Jesus had been saying in the gospels for the past few weeks, we wonder what the AI would do to it.

Jesus had been teaching about the Bread from heaven. 

He went on to say that He is the Bread that came down from heaven, and that He is the Bread of life. 

And anyone who eats of this bread would not die but live forever. 

And then Jesus says that the Bread He gives is His flesh for the life of the world. 

The gospel tells us that His listeners thought that it was intolerable language. 

And yet, Jesus didn't know explain or clarify or justify what He said. 

He went on to declare that the words He have spoken are spirit and they are life. 

After that, many of His followers left him and stopped going with Him. 

As for us, we come weekly for Mass, and we listen to the teachings of Jesus. 

We partake of the Bread of life that Jesus gives us, which is the Body of Christ. 

Yes, we believe in the message of eternal life and we also partake of the bread of eternal life. 

Others may not accept the message and that the Body of Christ may sound like intolerable language. 

That is a story of St. Mother Teresa who went around to beg for food for the children at her orphanage. 

She came to a bakery and approached the owner for some bread. 

But the owner of the bakery was not favorable to Christians, and he insulted St. Mother Teresa and spat at her. 

St. Mother Teresa then responded calmly: That was for me. Is there anything for the children? 

The owner of the bakery was stunned by her response, and realizing his bad behaviour gave St. Mother Teresa what she needed for her children. 

In life, we may be faced with intolerable language from those who do not believe in Jesus. 

Let us respond to that intolerable language with words of life and love. 

Jesus is a Divine wisdom and He has the message of eternal life.

Let us learn from Him to speak words of life and love, so that others will hear the message of eternal life.

St. Bartholomew, Apostle, Saturday, 24-08-2024

Apocalypse 21:9-14 / John 1:45-51  

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

But from the gospel that we have just heard, Nathaniel did not initially had a good impression of Jesus.

Because when he heard that Jesus was from Nazareth, he asked, "What good can come out of Nazareth?"

He was a crude, straight forward man, and Jesus recognized that in him when he said that he was incapable of deceit, meaning that he was frank.

But Jesus saw more than that in him; he saw that he was sincere and he awaited for the coming of the Messiah.

The phrase "under the fig tree" means that one is at prayer and open to the Lord.

And indeed, Nathaniel was open enough to recognize Jesus as the Son of God and the King of Israel.

As we reflect on Nathaniel's call story, we may recall those whom we don't quite have a good impression of.

Let us sincerely pray that we will eventually see the good in others, just as Jesus sees the good in each of us.

20th Week, Ordinary Time, Friday, 23-08-2024

Ezekiel 37:1-4 / Matthew 22:34-40  

The sight of skeletons is not a pleasant sight at all.

Even as a symbol, the skull and cross bones denotes danger.

It is also what the olden-day pirates put on the flags of their ships, or at least that's how they are represented.

Whatever it is, skeletons are a symbol of death. Skeletons are what remain after life has long gone.

In the 1st reading, the prophet Ezekiel was led to a valley of dry bones, literally a place of the dead.

The Lord then ordered Ezekiel to prophesy to the dry bones, and then suddenly the dry bones began to be covered with flesh and skin, and breath entered them and they came back to life.

The message is that God is the Lord of life.

To those who experience disappointment after disappointment, they lose hope and they are like the dead, like the dry bones in the valley of death.

But the God of life will raise up the hopeless by the power of His love.

The God that we believe in is the God of life and love.

Our way of life is the way of love, and that is to love God and love neighbour.

Let us not dwell in the valley of death but climb up the mountain of God with life and love.

The Queenship of the B.V. Mary, Thursday, 22-08-2-24

Isaiah 9:1-6 / Luke 1:26-38  

Eight days ago, the Church celebrated the Solemnity of the Assumption of Mary into heaven.

In the course of these eight days, the Church meditates deeper on the mystery of the Assumption, and on the Octave of the Assumption (8 days later) the Church concludes the reflection with the  celebration of the Queenship of Mary.

In short, it could be said that God assumed Mary into heaven to share the victory of Christ and to reign with Him in glory as Queen of Heaven.

So the proclamation and celebration of Mary's queenship in essence points to the Kingship of Christ.

In celebrating the queenship of Mary, we are also reminded that we are the Chosen people of God and we are also His royal children.

So as God's Chosen and royal people, all that we do and say must be geared towards giving glory to God.

Mary showed us how to do that in the gospel when she responded to God's call by accepting God's will.

In doing so, Mary gave us the concrete example of obedience in the form of servanthood.

We are not just the Chosen and royal people of God. We are also the Chosen and royal servants of Christ the King.

With Mary as our queen, let us offer ourselves in service to the Church, so that in all that we do and say, God will be glorified and exalted.

20th Week, Ordinary Time, Wednesday, 21-08-2024

Ezekiel 34:1-11 / Matthew 20:1-16  

One of our human follies is that we have this tendency to be jealous and to envy others.

We get jealous at others for getting a better deal than us, or better treatment than us, or simply just because they are better than us.

We get jealous of others instead of rejoicing with them in their good fortune, and we get envious about almost anything.

But if we are able to look at envy and jealousy clearly, then we will also see that we get jealous and envious simply because we are not looking at what we already have.

We look at what others have, and we say that it is not fair because the grass is greener, or so we think.

That was what happened to the workers who worked a full day in the vineyard.

Instead of rejoicing that the last-minute workers who were hired had something to bring back to their families, they resented that they were paid the same amount as them.

Yes, resentment is the product of jealousy and envy.

Let us ask the Lord to heal our resentment and jealousy and envy, so that with generous hearts we will rejoice with the Lord for His gifts and blessings to all of us.

20th Week, Ordinary Time, Tuesday, 20-08-2024

Ezekiel 28:1-10 / Matthew 19:23-30  

To be successful is certainly a good feeling.

Success also has a sweet taste and makes us crave for more.

And when there is success in the economic and military fronts, then a ruler or a king would certainly be proud of his achievements.

Being rich, wealthy and powerful are certainly achievements to be proud of.

But with it comes a warning, because pride comes before the fall.

In the 1st reading, the ruler of the city of Tyre was swollen with pride for his successes.

He began to think that he was a god and invincible.

And he also threatened God’s people with his military might.

So the one true God had to bring down that being who thought he was god just because he was successful.

It may be difficult for the rich and the wealthy, the powerful and the successful to understand the kingdom of God.

But it is not impossible. What is needed is humility, simplicity and charity.

And also to acknowledge that all human successes are blessings from God.

20th Week, Ordinary Time, Monday, 19-08-2024

Ezekiel 14:15-24 / Matthew 19:16-22 

There is a time in the past when there is this scene in the movies or a dramas.

A robber would come up to a person with a weapon and say “Your money or your life?!?”

The choice is obvious, since we would want to live another day and earn back what we have lost.

Life is certainly more precious that money. And no amount of money can ever buy a moment of life.

But in the 1st reading, the prophet Ezekiel was not given much of choice.

It was not so much as his life was at stake but rather it was his wife’s life.

It may seem that God was so cruel as to take the life of an innocent woman, the wife of a prophet.

But it was meant to wake up the people of God to their sinfulness and impending punishment.

It is such a tragedy that lives have to be lost because of human sinfulness and wickedness.

And it is also such a tragedy to be absorbed with the glitter of worldly wealth and forsake the treasures of heaven.

Let us think about what is our focus on: money or life?

Our choice will determine our future in the here and the hereafter.

20th Ordinary Sunday, Year B, 18.08.2024

Proverbs 9:1-6 / Ephesians 5:15-20 / John 6:51-58

When we talk and speak with others, the words and their meaning depend on the situation and the context. 

It also depends on who we are speaking with or talking to. 

For example, when we are in a courtroom, and we are speaking to the judge and the lawyers, we have to be precise and correct in what we say. 

To use the wrong word or wrong phrase may put us in a difficult spot. 

But when we are at a shop or at the market, we can speak casually and informally. We can even joke around and use slang and even switch between languages and dialects. 

So, how we speak and talk at a business meeting is different from how we speak and talk when we are at home or socializing with friends. 

Another consideration would be the topic that we are talking about. 

Some topics like health and finance would require precise and defined vocabulary. 

Other topics like recreation and lifestyles can be more flexible and informal. 

In the gospel, the topic that Jesus was talking about is bread, which is a type of common food. 

And He also said that He is the living bread which has come down from heaven, and anyone who eats this bread will live forever. 

That really made His listeners wonder what He was talking about. 

And while they were still wondering, Jesus made another statement that made them even more confused. 

Jesus said that the bread that He shall give is His flesh for the life of the world. 

For His listeners, that was beyond imagination. 

Because the reality of a common food like bread cannot be connected to the reality of human flesh. 

And yet, Jesus did not stop to clarify and explain about what He said and meant. 

Jesus said it as it is, and meant it as it is. 

As for us, we accept what Jesus said and meant. We believe that the sacred hosts that we receive is the Body of Christ, and we say “Amen” to that. 

But what does that mean in the reality of our lives as we come for Mass? 

Maybe this short story can help us understand the Mass as a divine banquet of the Body of Christ. 

Back in the year 1765, an innkeeper name Dossier Boulanger opened an eatery in Paris, and hung a sign at the door. The sign was written in Latin, in English it read as: “Come into my house, men of weary stomachs, and I will restore you.” 

That phrase was so successful because of the word “restore”, which in Latin was “restauro”,  and since then, all eateries worldwide are called restaurants. 

The word restaurant quickly became established, and reputable chefs who had worked for the royalty and rich families began to open their own restaurants. 

Many stories have emerged from that phrase, and especially the word restaurant. 

One of which is that those who work and serve in a restaurant has the mission to restore the spirit, the smile and the health of those who come to eat. 

So, the chef, or the cook, or the waiter or waitress, have that special mission of restoring the human spirit, the smile and the wellbeing of the diners. 

We have come to Church for the divine banquet, and we are served the Body of Christ. 

We come to be restored in body, in mind and in spirit. 

And we are sent forth on the mission of restoration. 

With our smile, with our kind words, with our good needs, we restore relationships with the love of God. 

Yes, the love of God that is in the Body of Christ's restores us. 

And we are sent forth in turn to restore relationships in our families, in our Church and in our world.

19th Week, Ordinary Time, Saturday, 17-08-2024

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

Whenever something goes wrong, the reaction will most likely be to find out who is at fault.

It is the human tendency to find that someone to blame for whatever went wrong.

Or, it may even go to the extent of making a scapegoat out of someone, and letting the others go unpunished.

In the 1st reading, the Lord God through the prophet Ezekiel questioned that proverb “The fathers have eaten unripe grapes, and the children’s teeth are set on edge.”

The Lord God refuted that proverb and He says that the man who has sinned is the one who shall be punished.

Nonetheless there is no doubt that it is the parent’s responsibility for the moral upbringing of the child.

But when the child comes of age, then there also must be personal responsibility and accountability.

In the gospel, Jesus says that the kingdom of God belongs to the little children.

Parents need to know that in their little children lies the kingdom of God.

The best gift from parents to their children is to bless them and pray with them.

With that their children will grow in wisdom and grace and bear fruits of love for God and neighbour.

19th Week, Ordinary Time, Friday, 16-08-2024

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

When it comes to looking for solutions, we would be inclined to go for the easiest one.

So, when it comes to hanging something on a wall, we would rather hammer a nail into to wall than to drill a hole into the wall and screw in a hook.

Both ways will work but we know that a nail on the wall is not as secure as a hook screwed into the wall.

The human tendency is to go for the easiest solution and the path of least resistance.

When the Pharisees wanted to test Jesus about the question of divorce, they wanted to make Him say that divorce is acceptable.

But Jesus brought them back to beginning of creation and God’s intention for marriage between a man and woman.

There will be challenges and difficulties in marriage, and to keep the love in marriage is a long and winding road that leads to a narrow gate.

In the 1st reading, God could have easily abandoned His people when they were unfaithful and ungrateful and disobeyed the Lord.

But God showed us that He forgave His people even when they didn’t deserve it.

To forgive is a difficult choice, especially when we think the other party does not deserve it or does not appreciate it.

But when we make that difficult choice of loving and forgiving, God will bless us for it.

Yes, God will bless those who want to be like Him in loving and forgiving.

The Assumption of the B. V. Mary, Thursday, 15-08-2024

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

The belief that God brought Mary to heaven, body and soul, is what the Church celebrates today.

This feast is called the Assumption of Mary. 

Nonetheless, the focus is on God who by His marvelous love, brought Mary to heaven.

This feast has a profound spiritually meaning for us.

Whatever happened to Mary, whether it is at the Immaculate Conception, or at the Annunciation, is planned and willed by God.

And God’s plan and will continues with the Assumption of Mary into heaven.

With the Ascension of Jesus, heaven is opened for those who are saved, and Mary is the first to receive this blessing.

And that means that we too are destined for heaven when we live a life that is faithful and pleasing to God.

And with her Assumption, Mary now has a new heavenly mission, and that is to pray for us so that we too will be with her in heaven to give praise and glory to God.

On this feast of the Assumption, let us praise with Lord our God with joyful thanksgiving.

And let us also continue our devotion to Our Lady as she prays for us to join her eternally in heaven.

19th Week, Ordinary Time, Wednesday, 14-08-2024

Ezekiel 9:1-7; 10:18-22 / Matthew 18:15-20  

The Bible is the holy and sacred book of the Church.

Being a holy and sacred book, it would be generally expected to contain holy writings and inspirational passages.

As much as there are holy writings and inspirational messages, the Bible also contains the reality of human dealings.

The most prominent human dealing is obviously the sinfulness of humanity.

And with that comes judgement and punishment.

The 1st reading describes the anger of God and how punishment is dealt against sinners.

That is the vision of the prophet Ezekiel and it is a warning for unrepentant sinners.

But those who are faithful to God and who deplore and disapprove of the filth of sin are saved by being marked with a cross on the forehead.

For those who are saved, they have a mission.

As Jesus says in the gospel, where two or three agree to ask for anything, it will be granted to them.

For us who strive to be faithful to God, let us also pray for the conversion of sinners.

As Christians, praying for the conversion and salvation of sinners is our duty.

19th Week, Ordinary Time, Tuesday, 13-08-2024

Ezekiel 2: - 3:4 / Matthew 18:1-5, 10, 12-14  

When it comes to encouraging and affirming a person, the words that are used are usually kind and gentle.

But when it comes to correcting and discipling a person, the words that are used are not that kind or gentle.

Rather, in order to get the message across, the words used in correction or discipling can be sharp and cutting.

In the 1st reading, the scroll that was shown to Ezekiel has these words written on it: “lamentations, wailings, moanings”

Those words point to pain and suffering, and that scroll was given to Ezekiel to be eaten, and surprisingly, the scroll tasted sweet as honey.

Ezekiel was to deliver a message of suffering and punishment if the people do not repent.

Yet, that message tasted sweet in his mouth, to mean that the message of repentance and conversion is a “sweet” message, and those who heed the call would experience the sweetness of forgiveness and healing.

Similarly, the teaching of humility and child-like simplicity, the teaching of love and forgiveness is an encouraging and affirming message.

And those who heed the message, will certainly experience the sweetness of the love of God in their lives.

19th Week, Ordinary Time, Monday, 12-08-2024

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

In life, there will always be some kind of unfairness or even injustice.

We have had our fair share of it, and we would often react to it.

We would protest with words like “unfair” or “how can like that?”

But we may not need to fight with every unfairness or injustice.

St. Paul would tell us to “fight the good fight”, meaning that we need to discern whether it is worth it or not.

In the gospel, Jesus was asked to pay the half-shekel, and He could have protested against it.

Instead He seemed to let it pass, and not wanting to get into an argument, He told Peter how to get that half-shekel.

In this gospel passage, Jesus showed us that God will come to the help of the poor and lowly in the face of oppression and injustice.

With God on our side, let us choose to fight the good fight, and do what is right and just.

19th Ordinary Sunday, Year B, 11.08.2024

1 Kings 19:4-8 / Ephesians 4:30 – 5:2 / John 6:41-51

We need to eat in order to live and stay alive. Food is one of the basic human needs. 

Food not only helps us to stay alive, it also nourishes our body and keeps us strong and healthy. 

In other words, we eat to live. 

But when there is food in abundance, we won't just eat any and every kind of food. 

We will eat what we like to eat, and we will also be choosy about what we want to eat. 

So, we eat to live. But when there is plenty of food, then we will also begin to live to eat. 

Eating becomes a pleasure, and we want our food to be tasty, and maybe even look pretty. 

And we will have our favourite foods, and we may even travel to the ends of the island, to eat some reputable food. 

When we live to eat, food is no longer for sustenance. Food becomes a substance, which we will categorize into like and don't like, as well as tasty and not tasty. 

And of course, when the food is not to our liking, and not to our expectation, we will certainly complain. 

We complain, not because there is no food, but because the food is not to our liking, or not to our expectation. 

In the gospel, the people were complaining about Jesus because He said this: I am the bread that has come down from heaven. 

The people were expecting some kind of special bread from heaven. 

Their ancestors had manna to eat when they were wondering in the desert for 40 years. 

But now, that they have settled down, and their standing of living is better, their expectations were also higher. 

So, they were expecting some kind of special bread from heaven, bread that will be a pleasure to their taste buds. 

But when Jesus said that He is the bread that has come down from heaven, the people were disappointed. 

They knew Jesus as the son of Joseph, and He was too ordinary.

So, they cannot accept it when Jesus said that He is the bread that comes down from heaven. 

So, the people complained, because Jesus was too ordinary. He couldn't have come down from heaven, and they didn't understand this bread that He was talking about. 

As for us, we know and we believe that Jesus came down from heaven to be the bread of life which we receive at Holy communion. 

We ought to partake with thanksgiving and gratefulness that bread of life, because it is the bread of love. 

Jesus sacrificed Himself in order to give us that bread of life and love. 

We in turn are to be the bread of life and love for others, so that they can taste and see the goodness of the Lord. 

There was one lesson that I learned at home, and that is about not taking for granted the meals my mother cooks. 

I was eating away at lunch when my mother asked me about how is the food. 

I said “okay”, and then she said something like she thought I didn't like the food because I said nothing about it. 

Immediately, I learned my lesson, that I have taken my mother's cooking for granted, whereas I would compliment other people's cooking. 

Through her cooking, my mother offered me the bread of her life and her love. 

Let us take nothing for granted, especially when our mothers, or others, cook a meal for us. They have put in their life and their love to it. 

And may we also never take the Eucharist for granted. 

In it, Jesus gave us all of His life and His love.

St. Lawrence, Deacon and Martyr, Saturday, 10-08-2024

2 Cor 9:6-10 / John 12:24-28  

St. Laurence was a deacon of the Church of Rome when Pope Sixtus was martyred along with four other deacons.

St. Laurence was told by the authorities that if he wanted to be spared, he was to surrender all the treasures of the Church in three days time.

So during the next three day, St. Laurence went around gathering the poor and the needy who were supported by the Church.

Then he brought them before the authorities and he told them : These are the treasures of the Church.

Needless to say, he was taken away to be tortured to death.

The account of the execution scene was morbid.

St. Laurence was stripped and tied to a wire-mesh to be roasted over the fire.

But even as the blood of the martyrs was poured out, the Church grew especially in those terrible times.

Because it was a blood that was willingly poured out, willingly given for the glory of God.

In these present times, the seeds of faith are also waiting to sprout in and around the Church.

We as Christians are called to fertilize the soil by the example of our lives and by our love for God and for others.

We do this by faithfully following Christ and serving Him in the poor, like St. Laurence did, so that our lives will also bear a rich harvest.

National Day (Singapore), Friday, 09-08-2024

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

A nation can only develop and have a future when it has well founded values and principles.

These values and principles give the nation a direction when there is uncertainty and challenges.

The five stars on the national flag symbolize the five core principles of democracy, justice, peace, prosperity and equality.

These five core principles have guided our nation in development and progress.

As Singaporeans, we embrace these principles.

And as Christians, we also deepen and strengthen these principles with love, compassion, kindness, goodness and forgiveness.

As Christians, we also ask God to bless our country and her leaders so that there will be freedom of religion and respect for races.

Today, as our country celebrates 59 years of independence, we give thanks to God for His blessings.

We also beseech the Lord God for His protection on our nation and to guide our country’s government.

May our country be blessed with democracy, justice, peace, prosperity and equality.

And together as one united people, may we also grow in the virtues of love and kindness, compassion and forgiveness.

And may we be loyal citizens of our country and praying and giving thanks to God for His blessings and protection on our country.

18th Week, Ordinary Time, Thursday, 08-08-2024

Jeremiah 31:31-34 / Matthew 16:13-23  

In order to comprehend the faithfulness of God, we may have to address our human fickleness.

We have to admit to our human weakness that we are not able to be steadfast all the time.

There are times when we know what is the right thing to do, and yet we don’t do it.

And there are many of those instances when we know what we should not do, and yet we do it.

In a way, we could relate with Peter in the gospel.

At one instance, he proclaimed the true identity of Jesus, that He is the Christ, the Son of the living God.

Then almost at the next instance, Peter started to remonstrate with Jesus about His suffering and death.

Like Peter, we are weak, we are fickle and we are also sinners.

But God who is ever faithful wants to save us and plant His Law and write it on our hearts.

God loves us with an everlasting love.

We are weak sinners, but with God’s love, we are also saved sinners.

We can only thank God for His faithful love for us.

18th Week, Ordinary Time, Wednesday, 07-08-2024

Jeremiah 31:1-7 / Matthew 15:21-28  

When people shout, there are few reasons for doing so.

One could be to call out for the attention of a person.

Another could be out of anger in an argument.

In the 1st reading, the Lord tells His people this:

Shout with joy for Jacob!

Hail the chief of nations!

Proclaim! Praise! Shout!

“The Lord has saved His people, 

the remnant of Israel!

All that shouting is done with joy and proclaiming the mercy of God.

For the Lord God has forgiven His people’s sins and loves them with an everlasting love.

But in the gospel, the Canaanite woman was shouting for Jesus’s attention, and she was so loud that even His disciples found her irritating.

But all her shouting was not in vain, as eventually Jesus granted her request.

She would have gone off shouting for joy and proclaiming wonders of God.

We don’t usually shout with joy for God’s love and mercy.

But let our lives be a profound witnessing of God’s  wonderful love and may others see the joy of being God’s people.

Transfiguration of the Lord (Year B), Tuesday, 06-08-2024

Daniel 7:9-10, 13-14 or 2 Peter 1:16-19 / Mark 9:2-10  (Year B)

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

18th Week, Ordinary Time, Monday, 05-08-2024

Jeremiah 28:1-17 / Matthew 14:13-21

When we look at the troubles that our world is facing, we wonder what kind of future lies ahead.

The ecology of our world is in an alarming and critical state.

But the world seems to be more concerned about making money and having more wealth.

The world seems to resort to war and violence and trying to prove who is more powerful.

The world seems to avoid the real human issues and focusing on pleasures and luxuries.

As in the 1st reading, the prophet Hananiah resorted to a false message in order to find appease the people.

But he had to pay with the price of his life when the prophet Jeremiah exposed his false prophecy.

In the gospel, the disciples wanted to take the easy solution of sending away the crowd of over 5,000 to fend for themselves.

The disciples had only five loaves and two fish and it was not even enough for them.

But Jesus taught the disciples that when they take on the problem even with meagre and mediocre resources, God’s blessings will be enough.

Let us also learn that lesson, that when we face the real problems of life, let us ask for God’s blessings.

With God’s blessings, we will have solutions and also hope for the future.

18th Ordinary Sunday, Year B, 04.08.2024

Exodus 16:2-4, 12-15 / Ephesians 4:17, 20-24 / John 6:24-35

The recommended amount of time for sleeping is 8 hours. 

For most of us to be able to sleep for 8 hours at night is like a luxury. Because, most of us may be sleeping less than that, maybe 5 or 6 hours. 

Besides, our sleeping time may also be interrupted every now and then. And at times, insomnia may also cut down our sleeping time. 

But whether it is 8 hours or lesser, we will know whether we have rested well by the state when we wake up. 

If the alarm rings and we have difficulty waking up, that already tells us whether we have rested enough. 

And if we can't even hear the alarm, and we oversleep, then we may need to do a check-up. 

But often, we are forced to sacrifice our sleeping or resting time because of the busyness of our work. 

We spend quite an amount of time at work. And even after working hours, we are busy with other matters like family and personal matters. 

So, we cut away our sleeping and resting time in order to try to finish our work. 

But no matter what, there will always be work, and maybe even more work to be done. 

But, we should pause and ask ourselves, why are we working so hard and tiring ourselves and yet not sleeping enough. 

In the gospel, Jesus tells us not to work for food that cannot last, but to work for food that endures to eternal life. 

And like the people, we too will ask, what must we do to do the work that God wants. 

Jesus gave this answer: This is working for God; you must believe in the One He has sent. 

That might sound quite simple, but let us not think that what is simple is easy. 

Because to believe in Jesus is indeed hard work. 

To believe in Jesus means that we have to carry our cross in order to follow Him. 

To follow Jesus is to follow His way of love. And that means to love others just as He has loved us. 

It also means that we forgive others just as Jesus forgave His enemies when He was nailed to the Cross. 

It also means that we put into practice what Jesus taught us. 

Like, praying for enemies; like, returning a blessing when others are cursing us; like, to give and not to ask back. 

And just as we will sacrifice sleep in order to get some work done, we too will cut down our prayer time in our busyness. 

But, Psalm 127 reminds us of this: 

“If the Lord does not build the house,

in vain do its builders labour;

if the Lord does not watch over the city,

in vain does the watchman keep vigil.

In vain is your earlier rising,

your going later to rest,

you who toil for the bread you eat,

when He pours gifts on His beloved while they slumber.”

Let us do that work of believing in Jesus by praying and loving God and others. 

And when we rest for the night, we will have a peaceful sleep, and we will wake up fresh the next day to keep believing in Jesus and loving God and others.

17th Week, Ordinary Time, Saturday, 03-08-2024

Jeremiah 26:11-16, 24 / Matthew 14:1-12  

In this world, life is difficult for those who are lowly and the poor.

Whereas the high and mighty will always get their way.

And often the high and mighty will just push aside the lowly and poor.

In the 1st reading, the prophet Jeremiah bravely proclaimed the Word of God.

But his message was rejected by the priests and the prophets.

Jeremiah was a threat to them, and with their high and mighty influence, the priests and prophets wanted to do away with him.

But the officials and all the people came to the help of Jeremiah and they prevented the priests and prophets from harming Jeremiah.

But in the gospel, John the Baptist was at the mercy of Herod and Herodias. 

Even the daughter of Herodias had a say in the fate of John the Baptist.

But as much as the high and mighty may have their way, they will have reckon with God.

So, even though John the Baptist lost his life to the high and mighty, the memory of his death haunted Herod.

The justice of God is that He will cast down the high and mighty, and raise up the lowly.

Let us not fear the high and mighty. Rather let us surrender to the authority of God the almighty, and He will protect and take care of us.

17th Week, Ordinary Time, Friday, 02-08-2024

Jeremiah 26:1-9 / Matthew 13:54-58   

When it comes to knowing about God, we have to rely on divine revelation.

God reveals Himself through the Bible, He reveals Himself through the Church, He reveals Himself through our relationships and experiences.

So God has revealed Himself and He keeps revealing Himself to us.

We cannot think that we know all about God or that there is nothing more He will reveal to us.

And often, God reveals Himself in the simple, ordinary and familiar people around us.

But as familiarity breeds contempt, these people are often overlooked, disregarded and dismissed.

That happened to Jeremiah in the 1st reading, when he spoke the Word of God, and he even got persecuted for it.

It also happened to Jesus in Hs own hometown as He was rejected by His own people.

Let us not overlook, or disregard, or dismiss the simple, ordinary and familiar people around us.

God will reveal Himself and speak through them. 

And through them, we will know more about God and what He wants to tell us.