11th Week, Ordinary Time, Thursday, 19-06-2025

2 Cor 11:1-11 / Matthew 6:7-15  

At the very core of every religion is the desire to come into communion with the divine.

While there are many means to achieve this, the primary way is through prayer.

For a Christian, prayer is essential, as prayer is an expression of the desire to come into communion with God.

So, prayer is an expression of a relationship with God.

In the gospel, Jesus tells us not to babble or to use many words in prayer to think we will make ourselves be heard.

Jesus taught us the prayer of the “Our Father”, which is a prayer that is short enough even for children to memorize.

The prayer begins by calling God our Father.

Already those two words lead us into an intimate relationship with God who wants to be our Father.

And it is a prayer taught by Jesus, the Son of God.

So, when we pray that prayer, let us not babble carelessly and forget about what we are saying.

We are calling on God our Father as we give thanks and praise for His love for us, and we also offer up our needs and petitions.

Let us meditate and ponder about that prayer because it is also the prayer of Jesus.

11th Week, Ordinary Time, Wednesday, 18-06-2025

2 Cor 9:6-11 / Matthew 6:1-6, 16-18   

 

As human beings, we have a need for identification and recognition.

We need to be identified and recognised as an individual and as a person.

More than just physically identifiable and recognisable, we also need the acknowledgement of our existence.

Quite often, we express that need with actions that will bring attention to ourselves.

Some may even desire that self-attention to the extent that they will even “hog the lime-light”, and even at the expense of others.

This can also happen in religion when spiritual acts can be turned into attention-seeking.

As Jesus pointed out in the gospel, acts like almsgiving, fasting and prayer can be used to attract attention and for self-gain.

But as St. Paul says in the 1st reading: thin sowing means thin reaping.

When we sow in the field of human desires and seek self-attention and worldly-gains, then we are going to reap what is passing and temporary.

But when we sow in the field of humility and charity, then our reward is in eternity.

As the 1st reading puts it – he was free in almsgiving and gave to the poor and his good deed will never be forgotten.

Let us do what is pleasing to God, and He will bless us with peace and joy, and give us our due recognition.

11th Week, Ordinary Time, Tuesday, 17-06-2025

2 Cor 8:1-9 / Matthew 5:43-48   

Many things seem to be possible in theory.

Putting theory on paper is neat and tidy.

But that also means that there may be other practical issues that are not considered.

To talk about love is like putting theory on paper.

But to put love into practice is challenging because people are going to be involved.

In the gospel, when Jesus talked about loving our enemies and praying for those who persecute us, we already know it is very difficult.

And when we face our enemies and those who persecute us, we would rather turn away in resentment or anger.

Even for those whom we love, there are limits to how much we can love them.

But in the 1st reading, St. Paul praised God for the grace given to the churches in Macedonia.

They experienced great trials and sufferings, but their constant cheerfulness and their intense poverty have overflowed in a wealth of generosity.

They expressed their love for the other churches by giving far more than they can afford, and they gave spontaneously.

Truly it was by the grace of God that they can love so generously.

Let us pray for the grace of God to love more than others love us.

And with the grace of God, we can face the challenge of loving our enemies and those who persecute us.

11th Week, Ordinary Time, Monday, 16-06-2025

2 Cor 6:1-10 / Matthew 5:38-42   

Generally speaking, it can be presumed that people are reasonable as long as they are treated fairly.

People are not so petty and they won’t complain over trivial matters.

In other words, in its essence, the human nature is good.

And if people object to something, then that something certainly needs to be addressed.

In the 1st reading, St. Paul says that he and his co-workers will do nothing that people might object to, so as not to bring discredit on their function as God’s servants.

Instead, they prove that they are servants of God by great fortitude in times of suffering, in times of hardship and distress.

St. Paul and his co-workers were careful to not do anything that people might object.

But that is just the minimum. They want to witness to the grace that God has given them to reach higher human values.

In the gospel, Jesus also tells us move from that eye for eye and tooth for tooth mentality.

Jesus tells us to offer the wicked man no resistance, to offer the other cheek, to go the extra mile, and to give without asking for return.

People won’t object to higher human values like love, compassion, forgiveness and kindness.

May we witness to God’s grace and help others to strive for true human values.

Trinity Sunday, Year C, 15.06.2025

Proverbs 8:22-31 / Romans 5:1-5 / John 16:12-15

There are many inventions that come about from a process of in-depth thinking and designing. 

These are most obvious in the engineering and technological areas. 

But there are also many inventions and discoveries that were made by accidents. 

For example, the world’s first antibiotic, penicillin, was discovered in 1928 by Alexander Fleming, and it was actually the result of a contaminated laboratory dish. 

The accidental melting of a chocolate bar while working with radar technology led to the invention of the microwave oven. 

Those Post-it notes was accidentally created while working on a super strong adhesive. 

Other examples are chocolate chip cookies, superglue, Velcro tape, etc. 

These examples demonstrate that accidents and unintended events have played a significant role in scientific and technological progress. 

That also highlights the importance of observation and curiosity in making new discoveries. 

But we also believe that everything happens for a reason, and it happens in God's time and in God's plan. 

When we reflect deeper on this, we can also see that discoveries don't happen by mere accident. 

It is by God's revelation that discoveries are made, and human beings are involved in this revelation by observation and with reflection. 

Today, the Church celebrates Holy Trinity Sunday. 

The mystery of the Holy Trinity is a divine revelation that tells us that there is one God, and in that one God there are three Persons. 

It is a revelation of the very nature and essence of God, which is unity, family and charity. 

And who the Holy Trinity is, the Church is called to be. 

We, the Church are called to be like the Holy Trinity, called to be in unity, called to be family and called to charity. 

That is what the Church is called to be, so that the Church will be a sign of God's divine presence in the world. 

But as we know, the Church can be messy. 

The many Christian denominations say it all about Christian unity. 

It also says much about the unity in the Church, so praying for Christian unity is not an option but an obligation. 

And when we think about Church as family, it could be that the Church is like the “Tate Family”. 

The Tate family is a rather humorous portrayal of the Church as family. 

There is the old man “Dic Tate”, because he wants to run everything. 

There is that uncle “Ro Tate” who tries to change everything. 

And there is that aunty “Agi Tate” together with her husband “Irri Tate” who are always stirring up trouble.

And there is that “Decapi Tate” who is even worse, because he is always going after whoever is in charge. 

And when someone proposes a new project or event, it is impossible to get “Hesi Tate” or his wife “Vege Tate” to be interested, because they always want to wait and wait. 

And there is that “Regurgi Tate” who always wants to bring up the same thing again and again. 

And there's also a “Resusci Tate” who wants to bring new life into the Church. 

And there's that “Imi Tate” who wants the Church to be like that of another Church. 

So much about the Church that is like the “Tate Family”. 

And when it comes to charity, much is said and much needs to be done. 

We take the love of others for granted, and others take our love for granted. 

Oh yes, we take our father's love for granted, and when we become fathers, we know how our love can be taken for granted, but we will still love anyway. 

But as God reveals to us the mystery of His nature as unity, family and charity, He also calls us to enter into that mystery. 

In the gospel, Jesus tells His disciples this: I still have many things to say to you, but they would be too much for you now. 

But when the Spirit of truth comes, he will lead you to the complete truth. 

So, truth and love are what God has revealed to us in the Church. 

We may not understand now, or we may understand later, but this poem of “The Folded Page” may help us to understand. 

“The Folded Page”.

“Up in the attic of an old house,

as raindrops pattered down on the roof,

I sat paging through my old schoolbook.

“I came to a page that was folded down.

Across it was written in my own childish hand:

‘The teacher says we should leave this for now.

It’s too hard to understand.’

“I unfolded the page and read it. 

Then I smiled and nodded my head and said, 

‘The teacher was right; now I understand.’

“There are many pages in the book of life

that are hard to understand.

All we can do is fold them down and write:

‘The Master says to leave this for now.

It’s too hard to understand.’

“Then, someday in heaven,

we’ll unfold the pages, reread them, and say, 

‘The Master was right; now I truly understand.’

And as we let God reveal in His time what we need to know about God and about life, love and truth, let us remember that Serenity Prayer which goes like this:

O God, grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, 

the courage to change the things I can, 

and the wisdom to know the difference. 

10th Week, Ordinary Time, Saturday, 14-06-2025

2 Cor 5:14-21 / Matthew 5:33-37  

As much as there is freedom of speech, it does not mean that there are no restrictions to what can be said.

With freedom comes responsibility, and that means what we say should be sensible and rational.

Insensitive and abusive speech only reveals the true character of the one who is speaking.

A person of integrity will speak politely and objectively.

A person of integrity will also speak with responsibility.

If he makes a promise, he will keep his word, and he will honour his word.

He has no need to swear or make an oath to support or reinforce what he says.

A person of integrity will always be committed to speaking the truth.

A person of integrity reflects the truth of God.

As the truth will set us free, let us exercise this freedom to speak sincerely, honestly and with responsibility.

May God help us to be committed to speaking the truth and nothing but the truth.

10th Week, Ordinary Time, Friday, 13-06-2025

2 Cor 4:7-15 / Matthew 5:27-32   

It is in the human nature to admire what is beautiful and attractive.

In our admiration, we acknowledge that God is the Creator who makes all things good and beautiful.

And we also acknowledge that God created us in His image and that we are also good and beautiful.

But the reality of sin has distorted our human nature and also the way we look at things and people.

From initial admiration, we begin to desire and even want to possess what we see as beautiful and attractive.

In the gospel, Jesus addressed the sin of lust, and from that sin we develop perverse desires for people and even want to possess and use them for sexual motives.

But in the 1st reading, St. Paul reminds us of who we are and what we are made of.

No matter how good, how beautiful or attractive, human beings are like earthenware jars that are fragile and delicate.

But God has poured His love into these unworthy earthenware jars and we carry this divine treasure and dignity in us.

It is God’s love that makes us good, beautiful and even attractive.

May we see this treasure in ourselves and in others, so that in our admiration for what is good and beautiful, we will also see God who is the Creator of all that is good and beautiful.

10th Week, Ordinary Time, Thursday, 12-06-2025

2 Cor 3:14 - 4:1, 3-6 / Matthew 5:20-26  

It is presumed that the taller the tree, the deeper should the roots be.

By the same token, the taller the building, the deeper the foundations.

The test of the depth of the roots and foundations is when the tree is subjected to strong winds and when the building is shaken by an earthquake.

When trees get uprooted by strong winds or when a building collapses from an earthquake, the depth of the roots and foundations is exposed.

Similarly, a person’s character is exposed when there is a crisis.

Crisis does not build character. Crisis only exposes a person’s character.

Our character is formed by our virtues, and our virtues need to grow deeper in order to face the trials and crises.

Our virtues can only grow deeper when our lives are firmly rooted in the Lord Jesus.

When our lives are rooted firmly in the Lord Jesus, then, as the 1st reading puts it, even our faces will reflect the brightness of the Lord.

And not just our faces, but we will be turned into the image of God whose brightness we reflect.

May our prayer be deeper, so that our virtues will grow deeper, and that we will stand firm in the Lord against the trials and temptations of life.

10th Week, Ordinary Time, Wednesday, 11-06-2025

2 Cor 3:4-11 / Matthew 5:17-19   

The word "radical" comes from the Latin word "radix", meaning "root".

The word can also refer to fundamental or complete change.

So a radical change or action may mean relating to or affecting the fundamental nature of something.

It can be said that Jesus brought about a radical religious change.

But that radical change is what the word means.

As Jesus said in the gospel, He did not come to abolish the Law or the Prophets.

Rather Jesus came not to abolish but the complete them.

Jesus is the Law and the Prophet in person.

As His disciples, we too must understand what is written in the Law and Prophets.

And as disciples of Jesus, we follow Jesus because in Him we will understand the root and the fundamental meaning of the Law and Prophets.

That root and fundamental meaning is none other than love – love for God and love for neighbour.

May we follow Jesus to show the world the radical meaning of love.

10th Week, Ordinary Time, Tuesday, 10-06-2025

2 Cor 1:18-22 / Matthew 5:13-16  

Life is not like a mathematical equation or scientific formula.

In mathematics, the final solution or answer is either correct or wrong.

In science, the results can be achieved by following the correct procedures.

But in life, it is not about the correct answers, nor getting the desired results.

There are many grey areas in life that make it intriguing as well as interesting.

Because in life, emotions are mixed into relationships, and personalities are entangled in discussions.

But life can be much simpler and clearer when we know what is true, what is good, what is right and what is loving.

In the 1st reading, St. Paul makes it clear that what he is teaching is God’s truth.

So it is “Yes” to the truth, the goodness, the righteousness and the love of Jesus Christ.

As disciples of Jesus, we are to help others to say “Yes” to God.

Just as salt gives taste, and light enable sight, may others taste and see what is true, what is good, what is right and what is loving by the way we live our lives.

The Blessed Virgin Mary, Mother of the Church, Monday, 09-06-2025

Acts 1:12-14 or Gen 3:9-15, 20 / John 19:25-34  

In the 1st reading, we heard that after Jesus was taken up to heaven, the apostles returned to Jerusalem and went to the upper room where they were staying

There they devoted themselves with one accord to prayer, together with some women, and Mary the mother of Jesus.

That was the last mention of Mary. After that there was no more mention of her in the rest of the Bible.

This last mention of Mary is significant because that was also her purpose after Jesus was taken up to heaven.

Mary stayed with the apostles and she was with them in prayer. She was doing this because she was obedient to what Jesus entrusted to her while He was on the cross.

Because Mary remembered what Jesus told her when He was on the cross: Woman, behold your son.

Though she did not reply, her silence was her consent. She not only agreed to be the mother of the disciple that Jesus loved, she understood that she was to be the mother of all the disciples of Jesus.

Today's memorial of Mary, Mother of the Church, is a new addition to the liturgical calendar of the Church.

That title of Mary, Mother of the Church, was officially given to Mary during the Second Vatican Council by Pope Paul VI.

So from Mother of God, she is now also the Mother of the Church. And if we are obedient to what Jesus said on the cross, then we too must embrace Mary as our Mother, which most of us would be more than willing to do.

But for us, Mary is not just our Mother. We would also want to carry out what Jesus entrusted to us and we want Mary to be the Mother of all peoples.

As we celebrate this memorial, let us make our Mother known to all peoples, for in doing so, we are also making Jesus known to all peoples.

Pentecost, Year C, 08.06.2025

Acts 2:1-11 / Romans 8:8-17 / John 20:19-23

Generally speaking, life unfolds in two ways. 

One is when we plan out the schedules for the day, but at the end of the day, at least half if not all the schedules were disrupted or displaced. 

The other way in which life unfolds is when the unexpected happens, and expected did not. 

Whether it is one way or the other, it all tells us that life is such a mystery, and we need to prepare for surprises. 

But we, who are logical and rational beings, want life to be predictable and manageable. 

We like, and we want, things to happen as expected and according to plan. 

And when it doesn't because of interruptions, disruptions and surprises, then we get flustered and frustrated. 

We see this kind of reaction when the MRT breaks down, or when there are flash floods, or when there are sudden road closures because of accidents. 

But we need to remember that we are intelligent beings, and we have the ability to read the signs, and we are able to adapt and adjust to the situation. 

As the Church celebrates the Feast of Pentecost, it can be said that it is a celebration of the feast of the Spirit of surprises. 

The 1st reading describes how the first Pentecost happened. 

The disciples were all gathered in one room, then suddenly they heard what sounded like a powerful wind from heaven. 

Then something appeared to them that seemed like tongues of fire that came to rest on their heads. 

They were filled with the Holy Spirit, and they began to speak foreign languages, as the Spirit gave them the gift of speech to proclaim the marvels of God. 

All that happened suddenly and unexpectedly. But it was a wonderful and an awesome surprise. 

And those with a spiritual sense would know that it is not the work of man but the work of God. 

It was the Spirit of God manifesting and expressing the work of God. 

The gospel scene was much quieter, but no less dramatic. 

It was evening on the first day of the week, and the doors were locked in the room where the disciples were, for fear of the Jews. 

Then without notice, Jesus came and stood among them and said: Please be with you. 

The disciples were certainly surprised, and their fear turned into joy. 

And then, in an act which recalled that moment in the story of creation when God breathed into the nostrils of man, Jesus breathed on the disciples and said: Receive the Holy Spirit. 

In a quiet but profound way, the disciples received the gift of the Holy Spirit. 

But whether it is a quiet and profound way, or dramatic and spectacular way, it was unexpected, it was surprising, and it all pointed to the marvellous ways of God. 

As we celebrate the Feast of Pentecost, Jesus is also pouring out the Holy Spirit on us. 

In the voices of prayer and singing of hymns at Mass, Jesus breathes on us the Holy Spirit. 

In the recently concluded conclave, 133 cardinals came from all over the world, from various countries with various cultures and languages.

They were to be guided by the Holy Spirit to choose the next Pope, according to the will of God. 

And now we know, that Cardinal Robert Prevost, was elected and he took the name of Leo XIV.

The interesting thing is that he is an American cardinal that even the American cardinals didn’t really know about.

And if the American cardinals don’t really know much about him, then much less the cardinals of the other countries.

So, how was cardinal Robert Prevost elected to be Pope, that, we must say, is the work of the Holy Spirit. 

The 2nd reading tells us that our interests are not in the unspiritual, but in the spiritual, since the Spirit of God has made His home in us. 

With the Spirit of God in our hearts, we will be able to see that the interruptions and disruptions of our lives are revelations and manifestations of the marvellous love of God. 

With the Spirit of God in our hearts, we will face the trials and tribulations of life and turn them into triumphs for the glory of God. 

And with the gentle breath of the Holy Spirit, may we speak the language of love that will bring comfort and consolation to those in need of God's forgiveness and healing.

7th Week of Easter, Saturday, 07-06-2025

Acts 28:16-20, 30-31 / John 21:20-25   

To be focused is a desired attitude for ourselves.

And if we are a superior or a supervisor, then we would expect that from our subordinates.

When we are focused, and when our team-mates are focused, then the targets and the objectives will be achieved.

But we also know that we can’t keep focused for too long.

We get distracted by many things as well as by other people.

In the gospel, Peter turned and saw the disciple Jesus loved following them, and he asked Jesus, and he asked Jesus about him.

The reply of Jesus to Peter was rather sharp: What does it matter to you? You are to follow me.

Earlier, Peter had professed his love for Jesus three times, and then now, he got distracted with the other disciple.

The reply of Jesus is also for us to reflect and to be aware of our focus as well as our distractions.

We need to keep our focus on Jesus and to follow Him alone.

Of all the distractions that come our way, we need to be aware that we ourselves are our biggest distraction.

Prayer will help us keep focused on Jesus. Let us keep praying and keep following Jesus.

7th Week of Easter, Friday, 06-06-2025

Acts 25:13-21 / John 21:15-19   

Whenever we talk about freedom, it is generally understood with two meanings.

One is the power or the right to act, speak, or think as we want, as in we do have some freedom of choice.

The other is the state of not being imprisoned or enslaved.

Freedom is what defines our human dignity.

Freedom is also God’s gift to us, because of His love for us.

Even though we sin, God will not take our freedom away, otherwise we will become like puppets or robots.

God gave us freedom so that we can choose to love Him in return.

In the gospel, Jesus asked Peter three times if he loved Him, and Peter said yes.

In saying yes to Jesus, Peter had to be prepared to surrender his freedom to God.

It is in surrendering his freedom that he can be obedient to God’s will, even if he were led to where he would rather not go.

We have the freedom to choose. We can either choose to do what we want, or to choose what God wants of us.

When we choose to do God’s will, God will bless us abundantly and grant us a peace that the world cannot give.

7th Week of Easter, Thursday, 05-06-2025

Acts 22:30; 23:6-11 / John 17:20-26   

One of the interesting types of movies to watch is the science-fiction movies.

Science-fiction movies can really stretch the imagination with futuristic gadgets and devices.

But imagination can turn into reality, and we know this happens because some of those robots that we saw in movies have become a reality.

So, science-fiction movies give us an imaginative glimpse of the future.

In the gospel, Jesus also gives us a glimpse of the future.

But it is not a future of this world. It is the future of the next world.

Jesus gives us a glimpse of our eternal future.

Jesus prayed to His Father that those who belong to Him will be with Him in eternity.

In other words, Jesus prayed that we will be with Him forever because we belong to Him.

Often, we pray for what we need and also what we wish to have in this world.

But let us also remember what Jesus prayed for.

Jesus prayed for us to be with Him in eternity.

Let us also pray that His prayer will be fulfilled.

7th Week of Easter, Wednesday, 04-06-2025

Acts 20:28-38 / John 17:11-19  

In life, there are many things that are not of our choice.

We don’t choose to be born into which family, or how we look like, or what is our blood type.

When we reflect deeper about this, we will come to see that it is God who made those choices for us.

God chose to create us, and God chose us to be His people.

In the gospel, Jesus prayed that God will keep those given to Him true to God’s name.

Jesus watched over those He had been given and not one was lost, except the one who chose to be lost.

So, even though God chose us to be His own, yet we can choose to be on our own.

In the 1st reading, St. Paul warned that even from within the Christian community, there will be some who will choose to go their own way and even bring others along.

May we always remember that we did not choose to follow Jesus.

It is Jesus who calls us and chooses us, and He commissions us with the power of the Holy Spirit to go forth and bear fruits of love.

God has made His choice for us. 

May we always choose to do the will of God so that we will be united with God and be blessed with His love and peace.

7th Week of Easter, Tuesday, 03-06-2025

Acts 20:17-27 / John 17:1-11    

There are two important days in our life.

One is the day we were born, the day that we came into this world.

The other important day is when we leave this world, the final day of our life on earth.

In between those two day, there are also many important moments.

All these important moments tell us why we are in this world.

All these important moments tell us about the meaning of our life on earth.

For St. Paul in the 1st reading, he knew why he was in this world and what is the meaning of his life in this world.

For him, life is not a thing to waste words on.

What is important is that he have carried out the mission the Lord Jesus gave him – and that is to bear witness to the Good News of God’s grace.

That also reminds us that we have a mission in life.

The important moments of our life tell us what our mission in life is about.

We can only understand what the meaning of our life and our mission is when we raise our eyes from the things of earth to look at our God above.

In the gospel, Jesus raised His eyes to heaven and saw the hour of glory has come.

May we always keep our eyes on heaven and see that the moments of our life are to bear witness to the Good News of God’s love for us and for others.

7th Week of Easter, Monday, 02-06-2025

Acts 19:1-8 / John 16:29-33   

One of the deepest hurts and pains is caused by betrayal.

To be betrayed may not necessarily result in physical pain.

But it will certainly be emotionally painful and hurt may stay on for a long time.

Humanly speaking, it is not that easy to forgive someone who betrayed us.

More so if it is someone whom we trusted, or someone whom we did not expect to do that to us.

And if it is done by someone whom we love, then it would be like a deep stab into the core of our being.

In the gospel, the disciples declared that they believed that Jesus came from God.

But Jesus replied that the time will come when they will be scattered, each going his own way, and leaving Jesus alone.

If Jesus were only human, He would not have forgiven His disciples for denying and deserting Him in His hour of trial.

But to forgive is divine, and Jesus showed His divinity when He appeared to His disciples after His Resurrection and granted them peace.

When we sin, we betray God’s love for us. And in doing so, we cause pain and hurt to ourselves.

But God forgives us no matter how grave our sin is.

God is merciful and compassionate, and He does not want to see us hurting and in pain.

Let us thank God for His love, and let us not betray God by committing sin.

7th Sunday of Easter, Year C, 01.06.2025

 Acts 7:55-60 / Apocalypse 22:12-14, 16-17, 20 / John 17:20-26

If we know that something is going to happen, then we will surely make preparations for it. 

Of course, we can't predict the future, and there is no need to read about what the horoscopes say. 

But there are obvious indications of what we need to plan and what to prepare for the future. 

For example, we need financial security and insurance coverage for what might happen in life. 

So, we save up for a rainy day, and we will buy life insurance, health insurance and hospital insurance. 

What we think is necessary, and if we are able to afford it, we should get it done. 

Because if we don't help ourselves to plan and prepare for the future, then there will be no one to help us when we are in need. 

And there's no need to plan too much. 

What is necessary and obvious, we should know. 

It is a matter of pondering and thinking about it, and getting it done. 

The gospel is part of a long prayer of Jesus. Jesus prayed that we, His church, will be united as one. 

Just as He and the Father are one, Jesus prayed that we, His Church, will also be one in God. 

Jesus said this prayer at the Last Supper, so it was His last prayer before He was arrested. 

Jesus knew what was going to happen soon. One of His disciples will betray Him, another will deny Him, the others will desert Him. Because He knew what was going to happen, He prayed that His disciples will be reunited, and united with love and in love. 

But that prayer is not just for His disciples. 

It is also for the many generations of Christians to come. 

Throughout the history of the Church, there were heresies and schisms which have broken up and torn the Church apart. 

Besides the division from within, there were also threats of persecution resulting in some Christians giving up and renouncing their faith. 

One such external threat was in the 5th century when the merciless barbarian Attila the Hun ravaged Italy and was about to attack the city of Rome. 

The pope then, Pope Leo I, or Leo the Great, went to meet at Attila to persuade him not to attack Rome. 

The historical fact is that Attila the Hun turned back and did not attack Rome. 

It was said that Pope Leo had prepared for the meeting with Attila by first celebrating the Eucharist, and then he went out in procession with the faithful, chanting prayers and singing hymns. 

There are many reasons as to why Attila turned back and did not attack Rome. 

There is also a legend that when Attila saw Pope Leo, he reportedly also saw two huge figures with Pope Leo. 

Those two figures were said to be St Peter and St. Paul, and they threatened Attila, and so he got frightened and retreated. 

But what is important for us to know is that Pope Leo prepared himself with prayer, and it was the hand of God that drove Attila away. 

This Sunday is in that period of time between the Ascension and Pentecost Sunday. 

Jesus told His disciples and the Church before He ascended, to pray and to wait to be clothed with the power from on high. 

That power from on high is none other than the gift of the Holy spirit. 

The Holy Spirit is our Advocate, our Protector, who will help us and lead us and guide us as we journey on in faith. 

The Holy Spirit will teach us all that we need to know, and He will prompt us as to what to prepare and what to do. 

So, we need to pray so as to be able to listen to the Holy Spirit and to be aware of His promptings. 

It is the Holy Spirit who will unite us to God and to one another in love and in peace.

6th Week of Easter, Saturday, 31-05-2025

Acts 18:23-28 / John 16:23-28 

We hear Jesus says in the gospel “Ask and you will receive, and so your joy will be complete’.

That statement does sound too good to be true, but the reality of life is that we have asked and yet have not received.

So we get disappointed, frustrated and even get angry with God.

We expected our prayers to be answered, we expected to receive what we asked for.

But because we did not get what we asked for, we begin to lose faith.

But at the Ascension, Jesus said to wait to be clothed with power from on high.

The days between the Ascension and Pentecost are to be days of prayer.

The Church prays to be ready for the outpouring of the Holy Spirit.

With the Holy Spirit, we will know what to ask for, and truly our joy will be complete.

So let us pray for the outpouring of Holy Spirit in our hearts with a simple prayer like: Come Holy Spirit.

May we realize that the Holy Spirit is the best and the greatest gift from God.

6th Week of Easter, Friday, 30-05-2025

Acts 18:9-18 / John 16:20-23

What is our opinion about life?

To say the least, life is difficult.

For some it may even be painful and sorrowful. 

No matter how prepared we are for the challenges and difficulties, or the struggles and troubles of life, it still won’t be that easy.

As Jesus said in the gospel, we will be weeping and wailing while the world will rejoice.

Yesterday, we celebrated the feast of the Ascension of our Lord into heaven.

For us, the Ascension is also a revelation for us.

Jesus revealed to us our eternal destiny and our eternal homeland.

So the sorrows and tribulations of this world cannot be compared with the eternal glory that is promised to us.

Let us keep our mind and hearts fixed on this eternity.

So life is difficult, but that cannot be compared at all with the peace and joy of being with Jesus forever in heaven.

Ascension of the Lord, Thursday, 29-05-2025

Acts 1:1-11 / Ephesians 1:17-23 / Luke 24:46-54  

Whenever we talk about heaven, the inclination is to look up. 

It is almost like a natural instinct to look up when we think and talk about God and heaven. 

To look up is a natural posture when we want to think about something big and mighty. 

As a figure of speech, we look up to people who inspires us. 

In the religious sense, we look up to God when we pray. 

We look up to the heavens with hope. 

We look up to have a sense of eternity. 

Today we join the disciples as they see Jesus ascended into heaven. 

We believe that Jesus has gone up to heaven to prepare a place for us. 

And as Jesus ascended into heaven, He lift up His hands to bless His disciples. 

And from heaven, Jesus continues to bless us so that we will believe in the place that He has prepared for us in eternity. 

So, we look up from the things of earth to the things of above. 

We look up to receive blessings and to be clothed with the power of love from on high. 

We keep looking up because that is where we are journeying towards, and that is where we will be forever. 

And may our prayers rise up to God in praise and thanksgiving as we pray for His continued blessings.

6th Week of Easter, Wednesday, 28-05-2025

Acts 17:15, 22 - 18:1 / John 16:12-15    

The past has happened and it is history.

Though we already know what happened, yet there are so many details of people, occasions and happenings that it is impossible to know all that actually happened.

If the past is history, then the future is mystery.

And as much as it might cross our mind to want to know the future, yet it would be too much of a burden.

To know the future is to know the details of every person that is connected to an occasion and how one incident is connected to another.

That will be too much for a human mind to follow.

So whether past or future, it is just too much for us as humans to handle.

Only God, who is the beginning and the end, can handle everything that happens in every instance of time.

We can only handle moments, and even that is already worrisome and anxious enough.

Jesus says in the gospel that the Holy Spirit will lead us to the complete truth.

Let us live life moment by moment and slowly be filled with the truth of life.

And may the truth of life lead us to a deeper love so that we will live each moment of life with love.

6th Week of Easter, Tuesday, 27-05-2025

Acts 16:22-34 / John 16:5-11   

It is often said that when God closes the door, He opens a window.

But when we think about it, it seems that there is something strange.

Why would some people say that about God? Why would God close a door and just open the window?

That would make God seem like He wants to take away things from us instead of giving things to us.

But we believe in God who is generous and wants to give us more than we can even think of, and more than we can ever dare to ask for.

In the gospel, Jesus says that unless He goes, the Advocate will not come to us.

Jesus says that His going back to the Father is for our good.

When we think about it, Jesus sent the Holy Spirit to us so that we are united with Him always.

The Holy Spirit is our Advocate who will help us to feel the presence of Jesus in us.

Indeed, the going away of Jesus becomes a coming in of the Holy Spirit.

So, we can see now that if God closes the door, He will open up all the doors and the windows too.

God does not take away. Rather He gives and He gives, and the Holy Spirit is the greatest and the best gift we will receive.

6th Week of Easter, Monday, 26-05-2025

Acts 16:11-15 / John 15:26 - 16:4  

To have faith is to believe in God who loves us.

And because God loves us, He will take care of us and provide for us.

And we pray because we know that God will listen to our prayers and He will answer our prayers.

But to have faith would also mean that our faith would be tested.

In the early Church, the persecution came from non-believers and anti-Christians.

But it also cannot be denied that there were some Christians who became betrayers and traitors.

After all, one of the apostles of Jesus betrayed Him and another denied Him, and the rest also deserted Him in the hour of trial.

In the gospel, Jesus warned that the hour is coming when anyone who kills a believer will think he is doing a holy duty for God.

In our time, we may have come across a fellow believer doing un-Christian things to us, and we are scandalized by that.

But let us hold on to our faith and keep believing that God knows all things and He also knows the intentions of each person’s heart.

Let us keep praying that we don’t lose faith, nor resort to the retaliation of an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.

If we truly believe in God who is love, then let us keep praying and keep loving.

6th Sunday of Easter, Year C, 25.05.2025

Acts 15:1-2, 22-29 / Apocalypse 21:10-14, 22-23 / John 14:23-29

Outward appearances give impressions, and often they may have lasting impressions. 

So, in order to make impressions, and if so desired, then the attention will be focused on the image and appearances. 

And grooming the image and the appearance is big business. 

But it must be said that what we see is not all there is. 

There is more to what we see, there is more than just image and appearances. 

For example, in one of the comic book superheroes, his suit has a letter “S” which is encased in a diamond shaped frame. 

Almost immediately we will associate it with Superman, but that logo or emblem is more than just that.

Or, let us talk about food. It is said that the presentation is as important as the taste. 

But one of our favourite local dishes goes contrary to that saying. 

We are talking about “char kuey teow”. It fails in looks, appearance and presentation, but it is fabulous in taste. 

So, there are many things in life that have much more to tell us. 

And it is not just things, but there are also many people that we come across in our lives, who have many things to tell us. 

In the gospel, Jesus tells us that He will send the Holy Spirit who will teach us everything and also remind us of all that Jesus had taught us. 

But in order for the Holy Spirit to teach us and remind us and to prompt us, there is one requirement. 

Our hearts must be made to be the home for God, and then in the depths of our hearts, the Holy Spirit will speak God's Word to us. 

And God’s Word will remind us, teach us, prompt us and reveal to us what we need to know. 

And what God's Word will remind us, teach us, prompt us and reveal to us is the gift of peace. 

Only Jesus can give us this peace, and it is a peace that the world cannot give, nor can we create it for ourselves. 

With the peace of God in our hearts, we will not be troubled or afraid, even though we may not know what the future is going to be like. 

With peace in our hearts, we know that we are saved by the love of God, and not by any superpower or superhero. 

Anyway, talking about that superhero with the “S” emblem on his suit, the story behind the emblem is that it does not stand for Superman. 

Rather, the story is that the “S” in the Superman emblem represents the Kryptonian symbol for hope, and it is the family crest of the house of El, which is Superman's family.

So, it is not a simple “S” but a stylized Kryptonian symbol for hope and justice. 

So, even the comic book superheroes have something to reveal about hope and justice, and also about truth, love and salvation. 

Jesus promised to send us the Holy Spirit, who will teach us about the ways of God. 

The Holy Spirit will remind us that we are saved by the love of God. 

The Holy Spirit will also reveal what God wants us to see, so that we can understand deeper the marvels of God. 

And Holy Spirit will also prompt us to do the will of God and to speak the words of God. 

Let us believe in God's gifts of peace, love and the Holy Spirit. 

And we will see the wonders and the marvels of God.

5th Week of Easter, Saturday, 24-05-2025

Acts 16:1-10 / John 15:18-21  

If Christianity had to be described in just a few words, then it can be said that Christianity is all about love.

To elaborate it further, it is about God’s love for us and our love for one another.

Jesus is God’s love becoming human and expressing God’s love in human form.

All that sounds nice and beautiful, until we hear what Jesus said in the gospel.

Jesus said that the world hated Him and hence the world will also hate us who are His disciples.

This can be rather puzzling, because if love is nice and beautiful, then everyone would want to love, and everyone would also want to love Jesus.

But we also need to remember that while love is an emotion, it is also a decision.

True love is selfless and also sacrificial, it is kind and forgiving, it is compassionate and gentle.

True love reflects the love of God.

But very often, the world has a contorted, distorted and twisted concept of love.

And when it encounters God’s love, it will challenge and contradict God’s love and try to impose its own brand of love.

So if the world hates us, it is because it cannot understand God’s way of love.

Still, we must continue to love as God has loved us, because God’s love will always prevail in the end.

5th Week of Easter, Friday, 23-05-2025

Acts 15:22-31 / John 15:12-17  

The influence a person has in the world is often determined by what the world chooses to look for in that person.

So, it may be wealth and status, or it may be fame and popularity, or it may be success, achievements and accomplishments.

So if we want to make an impact in this world or to somebody in this world, then we have to know what the world chooses to see.

In a way, it can be said that the world chooses who it wants to succeed, or to be famous and popular.

And depending on what are the trends of the world, then it is about being there at the right time and at the right place.

But in the gospel, Jesus tells us that it is He who chose us and not we who chose Him.

And Jesus chose us and commissions us to go out and bear fruit that will last.

And Jesus chose each of us for a unique and personal mission in this world.

The wealth, success and fame of this world will come and go.

But in responding to the call and the choice of God, and doing His will, then we will have treasures in heaven, treasures that will last forever.

5th Week of Easter, Thursday, 22-05-2025

Acts 15:7-21 / John 15:9-11   

It is in the nature of human beings to be active and to be up and about.

To be able to move is a sign of life and health.

To move fast is a sign of strength, and to be able to walk or run for long distances is a sign of stamina.

But a constant and prolonged movement of the body will certainly result in tiredness and weariness.

In this fast-moving and busy world, people go to the extremes in the quest for productivity and efficiency.

To be fast, and to speed-up, and to change quickly, seems to be the blurry and flurry activity of the world.

In the gospel, Jesus says that He loves us just as the Father loves Him.

And Jesus tells us to remain in His love.

To “remain” may give the impression of being still, of not moving, of being inactive.

But to remain, in the spiritual sense, is to be faithful, to be committed, and to be focused on the Lord.

To remain, can also mean to ponder, to meditate and to treasure.

So, in our busy and active lives, let us pause and be still, and to remain in God’s love.

Then we can share with others the joy of being in God’s love.

5th Week of Easter, Wednesday, 21-05-2025

Acts 15:1-6 / John 15:1-8   

For those of us who are not into gardening, we may not know what pruning is.

According to some definition, it is to trim a tree, a shrub, or a bush, by cutting away dead or overgrown branches or stems, especially to encourage growth.

Maybe it could be more understandable if the image of housekeeping is used.

We all know what housekeeping entails.

It means throwing away or getting rid of stuff that is useless and taking up space.

It also means de-cluttering so that there can be better usage of space.

But whether it is pruning, or housekeeping, or de-cluttering, it has to be done regularly.

Our hearts are made to be a home for God.

But the distractions and desires of this world has cluttered up our hearts.

It can even be that we have pushed God out of our hearts.

So we need to do spiritual pruning, spiritual housekeeping or spiritual de-cluttering.

We need to pray and we must pray so that our heart will remain as a home for God.

We also must read the Word of God, so that it will take root in our hearts and bear fruit for God’s glory and for the good of others.

5th Week of Easter, Tuesday, 20-05-2025

Acts 14:19-28 / John 14:27-31   

As Christians, we are called to love. 

Actually, Jesus commanded us to love.

He gave that new commandment to love one another just as He has loved us.

But we know how difficult it can be to love others, especially those whom we don’t like.

We may not be able to say why we don’t like them, or what is it about them that irritates and annoys us.

But could it be that what we don’t like about others is what we don’t like about ourselves?

Putting it in another way, it is like pointing a criticizing finger at someone, but there are three fingers pointing back at us.

But instead of pointing fingers at other or looking at them with resentment, let us look at the Cross.

Let us look at Jesus on the Cross and reflect on the love He has for us, for each of us.

On the Cross, Jesus is telling us He loves us and is giving us peace, and it is a peace that the world cannot give.

Before we can love or like others, let us ask Jesus to fill our hearts with love and peace.

When our hearts are filled with love and peace, then we will about able to see the goodness in others and to love them.

5th Week of Easter, Monday, 19-05-2025

Acts 14:5-18 / John 14:21-26  

In our conversations and interactions with others, we will try to understand what they mean by what they say.

But it is not just the words that we are paying attention to.

It is also about how they say it, the tone of their voice, and their body language.

When we pay attention to these aspects, we would be able to get a better and fuller understanding of what the other person is saying.

In other words, we not only listen to what the other person is saying, we also try to feel the other person’s words.

In the gospel, Jesus said that whoever loves Him will keep His Word and He will make His home in the person’s heart.

And the Word of God will speak to the person in the heart.

In the 1st reading, Paul saw that the crippled man had the faith to be cured.

Paul saw what God wanted him to see because the Word of God in his heart spoke to him.

As we listen to God’s Word in the scriptures, may the Word of God find a home in our hearts.

There, in the depths of our hearts, God will speak to us and show us what He wants us to see.

5th Sunday of Easter, Year C, 18.05.2025

Acts 14:21-27 / Apocalypse 21:1-5 / John 13:31-35

The word “goodbye” is a common word, and it is also a word that is used daily. 

It is usually shortened to “bye”, and we say to our loved ones when we leave the house.

We say it to our colleagues after work, we say it to our friends after a gathering, and we say it because it is customary to do so.

The word “goodbye” or “bye” is so common and used so often that it is said casually. 

It is with an expectation that we will meet again, sooner or later, in the future. 

It is not expected to be a final goodbye, or with the knowledge that the goodbye means that we will not be meeting again. 

But there are occasions when the goodbye is the final goodbye. 

And then there are some people who may not have the opportunity to say the last goodbye to us. 

But whether the goodbye is said or not, their memory lingers on in our minds. 

In the gospel, when Judas left the group, he did not say goodbye to anyone. 

He was so obsessed with betraying Jesus, that his mind was focused on carrying out that plan of betrayal. 

When Judas had left, Jesus talked about Himself being glorified and God being glorified. 

For Jesus, He knew that His hour had come, and that by His suffering and death, it would be His hour of glory. 

But His disciples did not know that, and so He had to prepare them for His departure. 

So, He told them that He will not be with them much longer. 

But He will leave them with something to remember, and that is to love one another, just as He has loved them. 

And by that love for one another, others will know that they are His disciples. 

The disciples remembered those words. They also realized later that those were the departing words of Jesus. 

Those were His final words of goodbye. 

And those parting words of Jesus were understandable, practical and spiritual. 

The early disciples like Paul and Barnabas in the 1st reading carried out their mission with those words. 

With those words of Jesus, they put fresh hearts into the other disciples, encouraging them to persevere in the faith. 

Yes, we must remember those words of Jesus, and that is to love one another as Jesus has loved us. 

And we also remember the parting words of those who have loved us with the love of Jesus. 

We remember the late Pope Francis who said to his personal health assistant, “Thank you for bringing me to the Square.” 

It was there at St. Peter's Square, on Easter Sunday, when Pope Francis imparted his final apostolic blessing on the Church and on the world. As we know Pope Francis passed away on Easter Monday.

So, as much as it seemed that Pope Francis said to his personal health assistant, “Thank you for bring me to the Square”, it could also be that he said that to Jesus to thank Jesus for being able to say goodbye to the people and to bless them.

And we also remember our loved ones and what they said to us before parting. 

Many people say “hi” and “bye” in our lives, but there are some who have left echoes of love in our hearts. 

They echo the words of Jesus: Love one another just as I have loved you. 

It is when we love one another as Jesus has loved us, that He will be present to wipe away the tears of our eyes, and there will be no mourning or sadness, but only the joy of loving one another with the love of Jesus.

4th Week of Easter, Saturday, 17-05-2025

Acts 13:44-52 / John 14:7-14  

Modern man listens more willingly to witnesses than to teachers, and if he does listen to teachers, it is because they are witnesses. (Pope Paul VI)

Witnesses not only speak with words, they also speak with their actions.

And actions often speak louder than words.

For Jesus, words are just as important as actions.

In the gospel, Jesus says this: 

The words I say to you I do not speak as from myself; it is the Father living in me who is doing this work.

Jesus also said that whoever believes in Him will perform the same works as He did, and may even perform greater works.

But whether it is in what we say or in what we do, let us always remember that it is said and done with faith in Jesus.

It is with faith in Jesus that we are witnesses, and if ever we should teach, then may we teach the truth with love.

4th Week of Easter, Friday, 16-05-2025

Acts 13:26-33 / John 14:1-6   

It seems that happiness in life is so elusive.

We don’t seem to be happy for long.

One of the causes is that we are always not contented, we are always not satisfied.

We feel insecure in this life, and we also feel insecure about the afterlife.

So we feel troubled about the future of this life, as well as what it would be like in the afterlife.

In the gospel, Jesus tells us not to let our hearts be troubled.

In order not to let our hearts be troubled, we have to trust in God and to trust in Jesus.

Yes, Jesus loves us and He will take care of us in this life, and He has even provided for us in the afterlife.

He has prepared a room for each of us in His Father’s house.

What we need to do in this life is to prepare a room for Jesus in our hearts.

When Jesus makes His home in our hearts, we will truly be happy because we know what is the Way, the Truth and the Life.

4th Week of Easter, Thursday, 15-05-2025

Acts 13:13-25 / John 13:16-20   

It is in the human instinct to achieve and to excel.

So we strive to be the best, to be at the top, to be number one.

It cannot be denied that the sweet taste of success and achievement is addictive and desirable.

But this may come with the cost of strained relationships.

The subordinate may be tempted to sabotage the superior.

The servant may be tempted to deceive the master.

The messenger may be tempted to seek attention for himself.

But as Jesus said in the gospel, no servant is greater than his master, and no messenger is greater than the one who sent him.

And Jesus also added that we will be happy if we behave accordingly.

In other words, we can only have what is given to us from above. 

When we let Jesus make His home in our hearts, we already have everything.

In a world that needs to see love more than anything else, let us strive to love as God loves us.

St. Matthias, Apostle, Wednesday, 14-05-2025

--Acts 1:15-17, 20-26 / John 15:9-17   

Drawing lots to get someone to do a job can be seen as a simple and convenient and also fair way to make a choice.

But to draw lots in order to select someone to ascend to an important position may seem rather like a careless and undiscerning method by modern standards.

That was also how Matthias was chosen to replace Judas as one of the apostles.

However in using such a method of selection, it only shows that the apostles left the choice to God.

They have done their part by proposing the candidates and commending them to to the Lord in prayer.

They then let the Lord guide them in making the choice by the drawing of lots.

Jesus said in the gospel that it is not we who chose Him.

Rather it is He who chose us, and He commissions us to go forth and bear lasting fruit.

Hence it is not so much our suitability for the task at hand but rather our availability for God.

Our availability is our response to God, just as St. Matthias made his availability his response to God.

To be available for God and to do His will is not a matter of drawing lots within ourselves, or tossing a coin to decide whether we will be available for God or not.

To be available for God is a personal decision; we have to decide.

May our decision be always for God and to do His will in our lives.

4th Week of Easter, Tuesday, 13-05-2025

Acts 11:19-26 / John 10:22-30

The missionary activity of the early disciples was not planned nor did it have much of a strategy. 

Firstly, it happened because of a persecution.

And at first the Good News was proclaimed only to the Jews.

Then some of the disciples went to proclaim to the Greeks.

And when the church in Jerusalem heard about what was happening, they sent Barnabas to find out what was going on.

So it seems that things just happened, but it was not what the disciples expected.

But it must be said that the Lord helped them, and a great number believed and were converted to the Lord.

All those surprises and unexpected events are witnesses to the power of God.

The proclamation of the Good News of salvation does not depend entirely on techniques or skills or strategy.

It is because the voice of God is heard that people will accept the message and be converted.

Let us pray and listen to the voice of the Lord.

So that when we speak, it is not us but the Lord who speaks through us.

4th Week of Easter, Monday, 12-05-2025

Acts 11:1-18 / John 10:1-10 

In all aspects of our life, there are certainly many options.

We have a choice of where we want to stay, and what kind of house we want to live in.

We can also choose what we wish to eat, and where to deposit our money and what to invest in.

So, in a world of choices, we have the freedom to choose.

But when it comes to faith and what or who to believe in, we can’t have too many choices or options.

In the gospel, Jesus tells us that He is the gate.

Anyone who enters through Him will be safe.

When we believe in Jesus, then we will also profess Him to be our only Lord and Saviour.

There can be no other besides Jesus.

When we are faithful to Jesus even when the times are hard and the going is rough, He will be faithful in His promises to us.

Jesus promised us that in Him we will have life and life to the full.

Let us believe in Jesus, and in Jesus alone, and we will live life to the full.

4th Sunday of Easter, Year C, 11.05.2025

Acts 13:14, 43-52 / Apocalypse 7:9, 14-17 / John 10:27-30

Earlier this week, for almost two days, the eyes of the Church, and also the eyes of the world, were looking at something rather ordinary and even archaic. 

The object of interest was a chimney, an ordinary old-fashioned chimney. 

But of course, it is more than just that chimney. It was the smoke, and specifically the colour of the smoke, that comes out of that chimney. 

That chimney goes down to the fireplace where the ballots for the election of the next Pope were burnt. 

And the focus is on the colour of the smoke. Black smoke indicates a negative result. 

White smoke means the next Pope is elected. 

But while the focus was on the chimney and the colour of the smoke, something else appeared, and it lightened up a rather sombre and anxious atmosphere. 

Close to that chimney, three seagulls, including a baby seagull, flew in and perched on the roof. 

So, while all the attention was on that Sistine Chapel's chimney, and on the colour of the smoke, those three seagulls took the attention for a while. 

It seems like those three seagulls got a first row seat as they sat perched on the roof around the chimney, just moments before the chimney bellowed out the white smoke.

The conclave was a moment of deep mystery and spiritual significance. 

But in an age of livestream and news commentaries and interviews, it was the seagulls who seem to know exactly where to look, as well as bringing about a lively and affectionate feeling.

In the gospel, Jesus talked about sheep, and specifically the sheep that belong to Him. 

They will listen to His voice and they will follow Him. 

This weekend, as we give thanks to God for the election of the new Pope Leo XIV, the voice of the Good Shepherd rings out again in the Church. 

Pope Leo XIV listened to the voice of the Good Shepherd and accepted the call. 

We the Church must also listen to that same voice and follow the Good Shepherd. 

And we pray for our mothers and all mothers, that they will listen to the voice of the Good Shepherd and echo that voice to their children. 

And we also pray for those whom the Good Shepherd is calling to serve Him in the priesthood and religious life. 

May they respond willingly and generously. 

But the voice of the Good Shepherd is difficult to listen to, and also difficult to follow. 

The world has many noisy voices, but the voice of the Good Shepherd calls us to make a sacrifice of love, just as He Himself made that ultimate sacrifice of love to save us. 

And since seagulls appeared at the recent conclave, here is a story about a man and seagulls. 

Every Friday evening, almost without fail, an elderly man would stroll along the beach to the pier, carrying a bucket of shrimps. 

He would stand at the end of the pier, alone with his thoughts and his bucket of shrimps. 

But after a while, seagulls would appear from the evening sky, flying towards that elderly man. 

And that man, surrounded by hungry seagulls, would toss the shrimps to feed them, and as he does this, he would keep saying, “Thank you, thank you.” 

That elderly man was Eddie Rickenbacker, who was an ace fighter pilot in World War I, and in World War II he was an advisor to the US Air Force in the Pacific. 

While he was flying with a bomber crew over the Pacific Ocean, the plane developed engine trouble and crash landed into the sea. 

Eddie and seven other crew members managed to get on a lifeboat. After 3 days, the food ran out, and life was draining away. 

They prayed for help. On the 8th day, after prayers, Eddie leaned back to rest. 

As he was dozing off, he felt something landed on his head. Instinctively, he knew it was a bird, and he quickly grabbed and caught it. It was a seagull. 

The men ate the bird, and caught fish with the seagull’s remains. They survived with that, and were rescued 16 days later. 

But Eddie Rickenbacker never forgot how that seagull appeared out of nowhere, and saved them, physically and emotionally. 

From then on, every Friday evening, Eddie Rickenbacker would walk along the beach to the pier, and feed the seagulls from his bucket of shrimps, remembering that seagull which he believed was sent by the Lord. 

So those three seagulls on a roof of the Sistine Chapel told us where to look. 

The sheep in the gospel tells us who to listen to and who to follow. 

May Pope Leo XIV show us who to look at and who to listen to. 

And may we respond to God by offering Him our hearts that are filled with love and thanksgiving.

3rd Week of Easter, Saturday, 10-05-2025

Acts 9:31-42 / John6:60-69  

Truth is often seen as grounded in evidence, logic and rational.

It refers to the underlying principles, beliefs, or evidence that support the validity of a statement or claim as being true.

So it can be simply said that if something makes sense, then it follows that it can be true or that it is the truth.

What Jesus said in the gospel eating His flesh and drinking His blood does sound rather difficult to understand and believe.

And some of His followers were even upset by such intolerable language and stopped following Him.

For those followers, it is only when they can understand it logically, rationally and that it makes sense, then it can be true and accepted.

But when it comes to the mysteries of our faith, there are many instances that goes beyond logic and reason.

Teachings like the Immaculate Conception, the Incarnation, the Resurrection are beyond logical reasoning and may require the leap of faith.

But when we make that leap of faith, it is not a leap into blind belief.

Rather we leap into the hands of Jesus who will hold and carry us in our beliefs.

For those who believe, no explanation is necessary. 

For those who do not believe, no explanation is possible.

3rd Week of Easter, Friday, 09-05-2025

Acts 9:1-20 / John 6:52-59   

Most of us work hard, and sometimes too hard.

Short of being an workaholic, we sacrifice our sleeping time, our family, our own time, just to keep up with our busy work.

But the fact is that there will always be work, and we will always be busy with work.

So, we must decide when to rest, otherwise God will decide for us.

So when God intervenes, then it will be in His time and in His way.

In the 1st reading, Saul was breathing threats to slaughter the Lord’s disciples.

And the Lord’s disciples could be wondering how to stop Saul who was working so hard to eliminate them.

And on that road to Damascus, their prayers were answered.

That light from heaven made Saul stop, and also made him listen to the Lord’s voice.

In life, we need to stop and take a rest from all that busy work that we are doing.

We need to pray and listen to the Lord’s voice and to see what He is showing us.

So we may work hard, and we are busy.

But let us remember that we are called to be holy.

Let us decide when to rest and pray, so that we will know what is the work that God wants us to do.

3rd Week of Easter, Thursday, 08-05-2025

Acts 8:26-40 / John 6:44-51   

As it is often said, we eat to live.

Eating is one of the basic human activities, because eating food fulfills our basic human need for life and survival.

And we are careful about what we put into our mouths and what we are eating.

We not only want our food to be nutritious and tasty, we eat foods that are good for our body and for our health.

So we need to choose what we want to eat.

And we also must know what we should not eat, as in we should not be eating anything that we know is poisonous, or food is rotting and has gone bad.

In the gospel, Jesus declares that He is the bread of life.

And anyone who believes in Him has eternal life.

We eat food to survive, to be healthy and to have strength.

But we believe in Jesus because He is the bread of life that will help us to attain eternal life.

When we partake of the Eucharist, the bread of life that Jesus gives us, then we will live life to the full, here on earth, as well as eternal life above.

3rd Week of Easter, Wednesday, 07-05-2025

Acts 8:1-8 / John 6:35-40  

Life is like a movement that has changes.

It is like a river that flows down to the sea.

There are twists and turns, shallow waters and deep ends.

So it is with the Church. The Church also needs to be moving and changing.

The 1st reading recorded one major and critical change in the life of the early Church.

A bitter persecution started against the Church and everyone except the apostles fled to the country districts.

Although the early Christians were fleeing from the persecution, that can also be seen as the Church moving out to spread the Good News.

It can also be seen that although the persecution was bitter, God turned it into a changing growth for the Church.

In the gospel, Jesus said that it is the Father’s will that whoever believes in Him will have eternal life.

Let us see all movement and change as God’s will and that we will grow, and like the river, we will flow with the Spirit towards God.

3rd Week of Easter, Tuesday, 06-05-2025

Acts 7:51 - 8:1 / John 6:30-35   

As human beings, we know that we have our limitations.

We get physically tired, we fall ill, we get hungry, we get thirsty, and we have a list of needs.

By ourselves, we know that we cannot fulfill these needs.

We depend on others. But more importantly we know that we depend on God.

And God will provide for us because He loves us.

When we have experienced God’s love and blessings, then we would surely want to love God and do what He tells us.

In the 1st reading, if Stephen had wanted to get out of trouble, he would have kept silent and submitted to his enemies.

But he loved God more than he loved his life.

When he spoke out against his enemies, what he wanted for himself was not as important as what God wanted him to do.

His hunger and thirst for God was deeper than his own human longings.

In the gospel, Jesus tells us that whoever comes to Him will never be hungry, and whoever believes in Him will never thirst.

We have our human needs, but may we realise that what we need most is Jesus.

With Jesus we will rise above our needs, and we will be filled with the bread of life, and to do what He wants of us.

3rd Week of Easter, Monday, 05-05-2025

Acts 6:8-15 / John 6:22-29   

Whenever we think of work, we would naturally think that there is something to be done.

The work might be labourious and tedious. Or it might be energy sapping and draining.

But whatever the work may be, it would certainly require some thinking beforehand.

Because if no thought is given to the work beforehand, then it might just be one problem after another.

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

So the people asked about what must they do if they were to do the works that God wants.

And Jesus gave a rather puzzling reply: This is working for God: you must believe in the One He has sent.

That might mean that the primary work is in the spiritual sense, that we need to ponder and meditate what God is calling us to believe in.

In the 1st reading, the deacon Stephen was filled with grace and power, and began to work miracles and great signs among the people.

Stephen was able to do that because it was the Holy Spirit who prompted him as to what to do and what to say.

So the primary work is not to get things done but to pray first.

When we pray, the Holy Spirit will prompt us, just as He prompted Stephen, and then we will know what is the work that God wants us to do.

3rd Sunday of Easter, Year C, 04.05.2025

Acts 5:27-32, 40-41 / Apocalypse 5:11-14 / John 21:1-19

The elections of our country are over, and we must thank God that elections in our country are peaceful. 

Yes, there are fiery rallies and there are enthusiastic support for the candidates. 

But the real work begins, now that results are announced. 

The promises made at the rallies will have to be fulfilled. 

As for us, the Catholic citizens of Singapore, our work is to pray for our country, and the elected leaders and ministers. 

It is our duty to pray for peace and for the stability of our country, and that we live up to what we pledge as citizens of Singapore. 

But coming up, there is also an equally important and urgent call for prayer. 

This Wednesday, the 7th of May, 133 Cardinals, our Archbishop, Cardinal William Goh, is one of them, will enter the conclave to pray and to elect the next Pope. 

Conclave means “with keys”, and so it means that the conclave is a room that is lockable. 

So, the Cardinals will enter that big room, which is the Sistine Chapel, and then it will be locked. 

And locked away from the world, the Cardinals pray and cast their votes for the next Pope. 

And we, the Church, will also pray that guided by the Holy Spirit, the Cardinals will elect a Pope according to the will of God. 

And we will also pray that the next Pope will lead the Church with the Heart of Jesus. 

And what is the Heart of Jesus like? 

It is the Heart of love and mercy, a Heart that cares for the lowly and the neglected, a Heart that heals the wounded and the hurting. 

And we see that Heart of Jesus in today's Gospel. 

The disciples caught nothing after working all night, and then Jesus came along to tell them where to catch the fish. 

And it is not just catching some fish, but a lot of fish, and that showed the abundance of God's blessings. 

And when they came ashore, the disciples saw that Jesus had prepared breakfast for them. 

And it was after the meal and when their hearts are calmed down, that Jesus asked Peter those three questions. 

Those three questions were not that difficult because it is all about love. 

At this point in time when we stand between the outcome of one election and the outcome of another election, let us come to the core of our faith. 

And the core of our faith is Peter's response to the questions of Jesus: Yes, Lord, You know I love You. 

We love the Lord, and so we pray for our country and our country's leaders, that God will bless us with peace, stability and progress. 

Like the disciples, may we have fish to catch, bread to eat, and love to care and share. 

We love the Lord, and so we pray for the Church and for the next Pope. 

May God bless the next Pope to lead the Church with the Heart of Jesus the Good Shepherd. 

May we always respond with a firm “Yes” to God's love and may we have the courage to go where Jesus is leading us to. 

So, whoever leads our country, and whoever leads the Church, let us always have recourse to prayer, and to remember this:

The will of God will not take us to where the grace of God will not protect us.

Sts Philip and James, Saturday, 03-05-2025

1 Cor 15:1-8 / John 14:6-14 

Today we celebrate the feast of two apostles, St. Philip and St. James.

St. Philip was one of the first chosen disciples of Christ.  He in turn shared his calling with Nathaniel, saying, “We have found Him of whom Moses and the prophets wrote, Jesus of Nazareth.” And when Nathaniel in wonder asked, “Can any good come out of Nazareth?” And St. Philip simply answered, “Come and see,” and brought him to Jesus.

St. James (the Lesser), traditional author of the Letter of James, was the son of Alphaeus. Saint Paul tells us that he was favored by a special apparition of Christ after the Resurrection (1 Corinthians 15:7). As the Apostles went forth among the nations to preach the Good News, Saint James remained as Bishop of Jerusalem, where the Jews held him in high veneration for his purity, mortification, and prayer, that they named him the Just. He governed that church for 30 years before his martyrdom.

Yet, like the rest of the apostles, St. Philip and St. James also took a while to understand who Jesus was and who He really was.

As we heard in the gospel, St. Philip asked Jesus to let them see the Father and they shall be satisfied. We could almost hear Jesus sighing as He commented that they still do not know Him.

As we also heard in the 1st reading, after His resurrection, Jesus seemed to have made a special appearance to St. James and then to the rest of the apostles.

It was after His resurrection that the apostles began to understand who Jesus really was and that He is the Way, the Truth and the Life.

Just like how St. Philip and St. James and the rest of the apostles were called and sent forth to preach the Good News, we too are called and sent.

Just like the apostles had to slowly come to an understanding of who Jesus is and that He is the Way, the Truth and the Life, we too must come to that understanding of who Jesus is.

The apostles were ordinary men who trusted and loved Jesus and led holy lives worthy of their calling.

May we too love Jesus deeply, pray faithfully and live lives worthy of the Good News of Lord.

2nd Week of Easter, Friday, 02-05-2025

Acts 5:34-42 / John 6:1-15   

Some things come and go, but some things remain for a while, and some for a long while.

Some people leave behind a legacy, but after a while they are forgotten and so is their legacy.

There are some wonders of the world, some are still standing the test of time, while others have become a subject of history.

As we think about this, the advice of the wise Pharisee is so true:

“If this enterprise, this movement of theirs, is of human origin, it will break up of its own accord. But if it does in fact come from God, you will not only be unable to destroy them, but you might find yourselves fighting against God.”

In other words, whether things come or things go, it all depends on God and on God alone.

In the gospel, when Jesus asked Philip where to buy some bread for the people to eat, Philip thought how much it will cost to buy enough bread to feed the crowd.

Andrew pointed out a small boy with five barley loaves and two fish.

From that occasion, what is remembered is the five barley loaves and two fish that fed the large crowd, and that small boy who was not named. 

Yes, things come and go, and those things that remain point to God who is eternal.

In whatever we do, let us do it for the glory of God. 

We came from God and we will go back to God.

May what we do always be for God and point others to Him.

St. Joseph the Worker, Thursday, 01-05-2025

Genesis 1:26 - 2:3 or Colossians 3:14-15, 17, 23-24 / Matthew 13:54-58    

On this Labour Day, workers are honoured for their contributions to society as well as their contributions to the economy.

Whether as professionals or menial workers, the work of human beings give glory to God and contribute to the development of the world.

On this day, the Church honours St. Joseph because he too was a worker, a carpenter, and Jesus was known as the carpenter’s son.

St. Joseph is the patron saint of workers, but he was more than a carpenter.

St. Joseph’s greatest work was to do the will of God, when he took Mary home as his wife.

His most eminent title is “Spouse of the Blessed Virgin Mary” and connected with this title, he also became the guardian of the child Jesus.

His most important work was to understand the will of God and to carry it out. 

St. Joseph is a man of prayer and that helped him in his work and his mission.

So too for us, our most important work is to pray so that we will know what God’s will is and to be able to carry it out.

Our Archbishop, William Cardinal Goh, has called on us to pray for the Cardinals who will be participating in the coming conclave that begins on the 7th May.

This evening, we also dedicate ourselves to Mary as we honour her with the procession of her statue and the praying of the Rosary.

Because month of May is dedicated to Mary.

Let us offer up prayers for the Cardinals participating in the conclave that they will heed the promptings of the Holy Spirit to elect a Pope according to the will of God.

May St. Joseph pray for us, that we offer up this work of prayer for the glory of God and for the good of the Church.

2nd Week of Easter, Wednesday, 30-04-2025

Acts 5:17-26 / John 3:16-21   

To be wondering can mean a few things.

We can be wondering in amazement at things or happenings that are wonderful and beautiful.

For example, when a rainbow appears out of nowhere against a backdrop of a moving event.

Yes, we are struck with awe and wonder at moments and instances that seem to have a divine influence.

In the 1st reading, when the officials went to gaol to bring out the disciples, they found that the prisoners were not there, though the gaol were securely locked and the wardens were on duty at the gates.

The captain of the Temple and the chief priests wondered what this could mean, and then they received news that the disciples were at the Temple preaching to the people.

They wondered what was happening but their wondering was not in amazement but with indifference.

It seems that they just want to think it was strange and nothing more.

But God always makes us wonder with awe and amazement.

When we look at the Cross, we see what the gospel is telling us that God sent His Son into the world not to condemn the world but so that through Him the world might be saved.

Yes, God loved the world so much, and the Cross points to that love.

Let us look at Jesus on the Cross and see how wonderful God’s love is for us.