1 John 2 : 18-21
John 1 : 1-18
This seventh day of the octave of Christmas also happens to be the last day of the year.
The last day of the year. Somehow there is a reminiscing tone to time, if we give ourselves some time to reminisce.
364 days have passed, and on this last day of the year, we still can ask ourselves : So how did the year turn out for us.
We only have today to ask that question, because come tomorrow, we will be looking at the new year with our plans, our schedules, our appointments, and oh yes, our resolutions.
Today's long gospel begins with "In the beginning ..." It sounds rather strange that on the last day of the year, we hear something about the beginning.
But yet this long gospel is actually a summary of the life and mission of Jesus.
He is the light that shines in the darkness and the darkness cannot overcome it.
He is the Word made flesh; He came to His own domain, but His own people did not accept Him.
But to those who did accept Him, He gave them the power to become children of God, receiving grace upon grace.
Whatever our reflections of this passing year may be, let us thank the Lord for the blessings and graces we received during these 364 days.
Let us set ourselves to begin another year and to begin it with Christ.
From His fullness, let us ask for grace upon grace as that we end the year with thanksgiving and look forward to the new year with hope.
Thursday, December 31, 2009
Wednesday, December 30, 2009
30th December, Sixth Day in the Octave of Christmas
1 John 2 : 12-17
Luke 2 : 36-40
Have you ever wondered what you will be doing, or what you will look like when you are 84 years old?
Or can you ever imagine what I will look like when I am 84? Well, looks aside, I wonder what kind of a person I will be when I am 84. I wonder if I will be a grumpy and long-winded old man.
But going by the general attitude of our pragmatic society, we don't want to think something so far ahead, we may even want to avoid thinking about it.
Because in a society where the value of a person is measured in terms of productivity and efficiency, then an old person is a liability, a sort of weak link.
In fact one of the common lament of the aged is that they feel useless and are just waiting to die.
But as I reflect on the gospel and on the 84 year-old prophetess Anna, an image comes to my mind - the image of a glorious mellow sunset.
She was old, but nonetheless she was radiant and mellow, maybe even glorious in her own ways, just like the sun setting slowly and quietly over the horizon.
And we have among us many of these glorious mellow sunsets. When we look around we are sure to see those aunties, a bit bent, a bit slow in their steps, but yet coming everyday for Mass, with Rosary or a prayer book in their hands.
Their names may not be Anna, but they are very much like her. And like Anna, they also have gone through a lot, they also have seen a lot.
When we see them, let us acknowledge them, and say something loving and simple like :Aunty, God bless you. Pray for me ok. They will be glad, they will be very happy to pray for us too.
In these old aunties as well as old uncles, we see the wisdom and the enlightenment that the 1st reading talked about.
They know that the world and all it craves for is coming to an end. But anyone who does the will of God remains forever.
Let us learn from them, these radiant and mellow sunsets, and let us live life gracefully by always praising and thanking the Lord.
Luke 2 : 36-40
Have you ever wondered what you will be doing, or what you will look like when you are 84 years old?
Or can you ever imagine what I will look like when I am 84? Well, looks aside, I wonder what kind of a person I will be when I am 84. I wonder if I will be a grumpy and long-winded old man.
But going by the general attitude of our pragmatic society, we don't want to think something so far ahead, we may even want to avoid thinking about it.
Because in a society where the value of a person is measured in terms of productivity and efficiency, then an old person is a liability, a sort of weak link.
In fact one of the common lament of the aged is that they feel useless and are just waiting to die.
But as I reflect on the gospel and on the 84 year-old prophetess Anna, an image comes to my mind - the image of a glorious mellow sunset.
She was old, but nonetheless she was radiant and mellow, maybe even glorious in her own ways, just like the sun setting slowly and quietly over the horizon.
And we have among us many of these glorious mellow sunsets. When we look around we are sure to see those aunties, a bit bent, a bit slow in their steps, but yet coming everyday for Mass, with Rosary or a prayer book in their hands.
Their names may not be Anna, but they are very much like her. And like Anna, they also have gone through a lot, they also have seen a lot.
When we see them, let us acknowledge them, and say something loving and simple like :Aunty, God bless you. Pray for me ok. They will be glad, they will be very happy to pray for us too.
In these old aunties as well as old uncles, we see the wisdom and the enlightenment that the 1st reading talked about.
They know that the world and all it craves for is coming to an end. But anyone who does the will of God remains forever.
Let us learn from them, these radiant and mellow sunsets, and let us live life gracefully by always praising and thanking the Lord.
Tuesday, December 29, 2009
29th December, Fifth Day in the Octave of Christmas
1 John 2 : 3-11
Luke 2 : 22-35
It is really amazing as well intriguing to see how some people seem to know that their time to leave this world was approaching.
I have seen some people who were seriously ill and then they seem to get a "second wind" and for a moment they seem to have recovered and they could even talk to their family members about family affairs at some length.
After that they will slip back into their illness and then slowly slip away and slip out of this world.
In retrospect it seems that these people were trying to settle any unfinished business in this world maybe because they could sense their time was near.
What they felt, what they saw or what they heard, we do not know. But there will come a time when we will have make that last leg of our earthly journey.
But in the gospel, we know what Simeon saw and that signaled to him that the time has come for him.
When he saw the parents of Jesus presenting Him in the Temple, he saw not only just a baby, but he saw the light.
He saw the light of promise, the light of salvation, the light of enlightenment. It was the light the world was waiting for. It was the light he was waiting for.
For Simeon it was the light that gave him peace. For us it is the light that shines upon us to give us life and love.
The 1st reading tells us that the night is over, because the real light is shining.
That light is a signal for us to move from darkness to light, from hate to love, from bitterness to forgiveness.
Christ the light has already come to us at Christmas. Let us follow that light and we will have no fear of stumbling.
Luke 2 : 22-35
It is really amazing as well intriguing to see how some people seem to know that their time to leave this world was approaching.
I have seen some people who were seriously ill and then they seem to get a "second wind" and for a moment they seem to have recovered and they could even talk to their family members about family affairs at some length.
After that they will slip back into their illness and then slowly slip away and slip out of this world.
In retrospect it seems that these people were trying to settle any unfinished business in this world maybe because they could sense their time was near.
What they felt, what they saw or what they heard, we do not know. But there will come a time when we will have make that last leg of our earthly journey.
But in the gospel, we know what Simeon saw and that signaled to him that the time has come for him.
When he saw the parents of Jesus presenting Him in the Temple, he saw not only just a baby, but he saw the light.
He saw the light of promise, the light of salvation, the light of enlightenment. It was the light the world was waiting for. It was the light he was waiting for.
For Simeon it was the light that gave him peace. For us it is the light that shines upon us to give us life and love.
The 1st reading tells us that the night is over, because the real light is shining.
That light is a signal for us to move from darkness to light, from hate to love, from bitterness to forgiveness.
Christ the light has already come to us at Christmas. Let us follow that light and we will have no fear of stumbling.
Monday, December 28, 2009
28th December, Feast of Holy Innocents
1 John 1:5 - 2:2
Matthew 2 : 13-18
There are many famous men in Bible whose words and deeds have proclaimed the marvels and the wonders of God.
On Saturday, we celebrated the feast of St. Stephen, the first martyr, who witnessed to Christ even to the point of death and also forgave those who were stoning him to death.
Yesterday, was the feast day of St. John the evangelist, who proclaimed the mystery of the divinity of God made flesh in the humanity of Jesus.
But in the same Bible are also many infamous men, and today we hear of a man who was a tragedy to himself and he also caused tragic consequences.
Because of his pathological state of mind and his paranoia, he ordered the slaughter of the infants at Bethlehem in order to exterminate the new-born King of the Jews.
That deed was no big deal to him. In fact it counts as nothing for him.
This makes us reflect on the horrible deeds that are done to children and the unborn : abortion, child abuse, child molestation, child labour, child pornography.
For some people, these things also count as nothing for them.
The feast of the Holy Innocents does not just recall the innocent babies being slaughtered and martyred for Christ.
Because their blood now cries out for the children of the world who are suffering.
Their blood also cries out to us to something for children.
So what can we do for our children and for the children of the world?
May this poem help us in reflection and spur us into action.
Children Learn What They Live
If children live with CRITICISM
They learn to CONDEMN
If children live with HOSTILITY
They learn to FIGHT
If children live with RIDICULE
They learn to BE SHY
If children live with SHAME
They learn to FEEL GUILTY
If children live with TOLERANCE
They learn to BE PATIENT
If children live with ENCOURAGEMENT
They learn to HAVE CONFIDENCE
If children live with PRAISE
They learn to APPRECIATE
If children live with FAIRNESS
They learn JUSTICE
If children live with SECURITY
They learn to HAVE FAITH
If children live with APPROVAL
They learn to LIKE THEMSELVES
If children live with ACCEPTANCE and FRIENDSHIP
They learn to FIND LOVE IN THE WORLD.
Matthew 2 : 13-18
There are many famous men in Bible whose words and deeds have proclaimed the marvels and the wonders of God.
On Saturday, we celebrated the feast of St. Stephen, the first martyr, who witnessed to Christ even to the point of death and also forgave those who were stoning him to death.
Yesterday, was the feast day of St. John the evangelist, who proclaimed the mystery of the divinity of God made flesh in the humanity of Jesus.
But in the same Bible are also many infamous men, and today we hear of a man who was a tragedy to himself and he also caused tragic consequences.
Because of his pathological state of mind and his paranoia, he ordered the slaughter of the infants at Bethlehem in order to exterminate the new-born King of the Jews.
That deed was no big deal to him. In fact it counts as nothing for him.
This makes us reflect on the horrible deeds that are done to children and the unborn : abortion, child abuse, child molestation, child labour, child pornography.
For some people, these things also count as nothing for them.
The feast of the Holy Innocents does not just recall the innocent babies being slaughtered and martyred for Christ.
Because their blood now cries out for the children of the world who are suffering.
Their blood also cries out to us to something for children.
So what can we do for our children and for the children of the world?
May this poem help us in reflection and spur us into action.
Children Learn What They Live
If children live with CRITICISM
They learn to CONDEMN
If children live with HOSTILITY
They learn to FIGHT
If children live with RIDICULE
They learn to BE SHY
If children live with SHAME
They learn to FEEL GUILTY
If children live with TOLERANCE
They learn to BE PATIENT
If children live with ENCOURAGEMENT
They learn to HAVE CONFIDENCE
If children live with PRAISE
They learn to APPRECIATE
If children live with FAIRNESS
They learn JUSTICE
If children live with SECURITY
They learn to HAVE FAITH
If children live with APPROVAL
They learn to LIKE THEMSELVES
If children live with ACCEPTANCE and FRIENDSHIP
They learn to FIND LOVE IN THE WORLD.
Saturday, December 26, 2009
26th December, Feast of St. Stephen
Acts 6 : 8-10; 7 : 54-59
Matthew 10 : 17-22
We are still very much in a festive mood with Christmas carols like "Silent Night" and "Joy to the world" still ringing in our heads and maybe we are still bloated from all the feasting.
Today is also known as Boxing day, and it came from a custom when Christmas presents packed into boxes were given out on this day. But maybe it has become a day to open our Christmas presents because we might have been too busy yesterday.
Well, today the Church opens up the liturgy with, of all things, the gruesome and shocking martyrdom of St. Stephen.
Somehow the tenderness of Christmas is shattered by the violent execution of St. Stephen.
Why didn't the Church move this feast to anytime, maybe in Lent, so that we can still have that Christmassy feeling and just talk about angels and shepherds and baby Jesus?
Well, the martyrdom St. Stephen has a deep connection with the birth of Christ.
Somehow Christmas have been embellished and glossed over with so much sentimentality that we forget that Jesus was born into a hard, cold and violent world.
The Son of God had to born in stable, of all places, and laid in a manger. Not long after He was born, King Herod was looking for Him to kill Him.
That was only the beginning of the violence and the persecution that Jesus was going to face, and it would eventually lead to His execution of the cross.
Yet when we reflect on the joy of Christmas and the martyrdom of St. Stephen, we see the connection between divine tenderness and human violence.
Christ came to heal our human violence with His divine tenderness, expressed in mercy and forgiveness, as witnessed to by St. Stephen.
Let us also believe that the ugliness of human violence can only be changed with the divine tenderness of forgiveness and love.
The young man by the name of Saul in the 1st reading, who approved of the killing, would later be touched by divine tenderness, then changed his name to Paul and went forth to proclaim the tender love of God and His forgiveness.
So in the face of human anger and violence, let us stand firm on divine love and tenderness.
It is only through God's mercy and forgiveness that hardened hearts will be turned into loving hearts.
Matthew 10 : 17-22
We are still very much in a festive mood with Christmas carols like "Silent Night" and "Joy to the world" still ringing in our heads and maybe we are still bloated from all the feasting.
Today is also known as Boxing day, and it came from a custom when Christmas presents packed into boxes were given out on this day. But maybe it has become a day to open our Christmas presents because we might have been too busy yesterday.
Well, today the Church opens up the liturgy with, of all things, the gruesome and shocking martyrdom of St. Stephen.
Somehow the tenderness of Christmas is shattered by the violent execution of St. Stephen.
Why didn't the Church move this feast to anytime, maybe in Lent, so that we can still have that Christmassy feeling and just talk about angels and shepherds and baby Jesus?
Well, the martyrdom St. Stephen has a deep connection with the birth of Christ.
Somehow Christmas have been embellished and glossed over with so much sentimentality that we forget that Jesus was born into a hard, cold and violent world.
The Son of God had to born in stable, of all places, and laid in a manger. Not long after He was born, King Herod was looking for Him to kill Him.
That was only the beginning of the violence and the persecution that Jesus was going to face, and it would eventually lead to His execution of the cross.
Yet when we reflect on the joy of Christmas and the martyrdom of St. Stephen, we see the connection between divine tenderness and human violence.
Christ came to heal our human violence with His divine tenderness, expressed in mercy and forgiveness, as witnessed to by St. Stephen.
Let us also believe that the ugliness of human violence can only be changed with the divine tenderness of forgiveness and love.
The young man by the name of Saul in the 1st reading, who approved of the killing, would later be touched by divine tenderness, then changed his name to Paul and went forth to proclaim the tender love of God and His forgiveness.
So in the face of human anger and violence, let us stand firm on divine love and tenderness.
It is only through God's mercy and forgiveness that hardened hearts will be turned into loving hearts.
Thursday, December 24, 2009
Advent, 24th December, Thursday
2 Samuel 7 : 1-5, 8-12, 14, 16
Luke 1 : 67-79
Somehow, at this time of the year, especially with the festive mood and with the year coming to an end, we want to have a good time and forget about our worries and anxieties for a while.
But on a more sober note, we must also remember all the good things that has happened to us, as well reflect and learn from our struggles and difficulties.
Yet it is not that conducive to make time to do this recalling and reflecting, because of the frenzy of activities and busyness.
Even for us priests, we will be preparing for the Masses this evening and for tomorrow, and looking into the necessary preparations, etc.
So as much as we may be singing "Silent Night, Holy Night", it may not be really so. In fact, it may well be a noisy and busy night.
Yet we must make time for ourselves if we really want to experience the silence and the holiness of this eve of Christmas.
We have to make time for ourselves to welcome God as He visits His people and to feel His wonderful gift of love in Jesus.
Just one day before Christmas we are reminded in the gospel what is the meaning of this whole occasion.
It is God fulfilling His promise of salvation. He is sending us our long awaited Saviour.
Jesus will lead us from darkness and from the shadow of death and guide us into the way of peace.
Let us make time today for prayer and reflection. Let us feel the holy silence of this eve of Christmas.
May we be filled with a joyful peace as we prepare to celebrate Christmas.
Luke 1 : 67-79
Somehow, at this time of the year, especially with the festive mood and with the year coming to an end, we want to have a good time and forget about our worries and anxieties for a while.
But on a more sober note, we must also remember all the good things that has happened to us, as well reflect and learn from our struggles and difficulties.
Yet it is not that conducive to make time to do this recalling and reflecting, because of the frenzy of activities and busyness.
Even for us priests, we will be preparing for the Masses this evening and for tomorrow, and looking into the necessary preparations, etc.
So as much as we may be singing "Silent Night, Holy Night", it may not be really so. In fact, it may well be a noisy and busy night.
Yet we must make time for ourselves if we really want to experience the silence and the holiness of this eve of Christmas.
We have to make time for ourselves to welcome God as He visits His people and to feel His wonderful gift of love in Jesus.
Just one day before Christmas we are reminded in the gospel what is the meaning of this whole occasion.
It is God fulfilling His promise of salvation. He is sending us our long awaited Saviour.
Jesus will lead us from darkness and from the shadow of death and guide us into the way of peace.
Let us make time today for prayer and reflection. Let us feel the holy silence of this eve of Christmas.
May we be filled with a joyful peace as we prepare to celebrate Christmas.
Wednesday, December 23, 2009
Advent, 23rd December, Wednesday
Malachi 3 : 1-4, 23-24
Luke 1 : 5-25
The task of choosing a name is an honourable task but nonetheless a difficult task.
Whether it is choosing a name for a person, or for a business, or for a society, there are many factors to be considered.
One of which is that it must sound nice and also meaningful, not just in the predominant language, but also in other dialects and languages.
The name John is a Jewish name (Yehohanan) and it means God-is-gracious.
That name has a great significance for Elizabeth and Zechariah.
Elizabeth was barren and barrenness was seen as a curse from God.
So the conception and birth of John was indeed a gracious blessing from God.
But God's grace did not just give Zechariah and Elizabeth a son.
God's grace will be continued in the life and mission of John.
John's mission was to prepare the people for the time of intense grace from God.
A time of restoration to the dignity as God's people.
A time of reconciliation between God and each other.
Let us prepare ourselves to receive this moment of intense grace from God, so that we can be a grace-filled and a graceful people.
Luke 1 : 5-25
The task of choosing a name is an honourable task but nonetheless a difficult task.
Whether it is choosing a name for a person, or for a business, or for a society, there are many factors to be considered.
One of which is that it must sound nice and also meaningful, not just in the predominant language, but also in other dialects and languages.
The name John is a Jewish name (Yehohanan) and it means God-is-gracious.
That name has a great significance for Elizabeth and Zechariah.
Elizabeth was barren and barrenness was seen as a curse from God.
So the conception and birth of John was indeed a gracious blessing from God.
But God's grace did not just give Zechariah and Elizabeth a son.
God's grace will be continued in the life and mission of John.
John's mission was to prepare the people for the time of intense grace from God.
A time of restoration to the dignity as God's people.
A time of reconciliation between God and each other.
Let us prepare ourselves to receive this moment of intense grace from God, so that we can be a grace-filled and a graceful people.
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