1 John 2:18-21 / John 1:1-18
Well, we have come to that day of the year when we will this old familiar song being sung or played on the radio - "Auld Lang Syne"
I wonder if we know what that phrase "Auld Lang Syne" means.
It literally means "long long ago" or "days gone by" or "old times".
Well it's the last day of the year and 365 days may have gone by, but it may not seem like so long ago or that it was long long ago since we began this year.
The gospel begins with the works : In the beginning ......
Obviously it was not referring to the beginning of the year or even the beginning of time.
In fact it is not even talking about any beginning. It is talking about a mystery that has no beginning or end.
Because the mystery of God is always and forever.
For us it may be the end of the year and we are about to begin a new year.
But God wants us to know that He is with us always and forever.
At every moment of our lives, He blesses us with grace upon grace.
May we also live our lives in the grace of God every moment of our lives.
May our lives be lived in truth so that the light of God shines in us.
Thursday, December 30, 2010
Wednesday, December 29, 2010
30th December 2010, Thursday, Sixth Day within Octave of Christmas
1 John 2:12-17 / Luke 2:36-40 (2023)
I don't think that I have ever heard of anyone saying that growing old is fun.
Children might say that they can't wait to grow up but we know better.
Most of us here are not that old. But if we are 84 years old, do we think we will still come for the weekday morning Mass. Or evening Mass for that matter of fact.
Old age brings about a set of challenges and problems.
But the fact is that every age and stage of life brings about a set of challenges and problems.
The prophetess Anna whom we heard about in the gospel had her share of challenges and problems in every stage of life.
She had been married, been widowed and now at 84 years old, she was a symbol of mellowness, a person of prayer and an instrument of God.
She was able to recognize the Saviour even though He was just a baby.
As we advance in age, let us mellow our lives into the Spirit of God, let us be persons of prayer and in the midst of life's challenges and problems, let us be instruments of God by showing others the saving love of God.
I don't think that I have ever heard of anyone saying that growing old is fun.
Children might say that they can't wait to grow up but we know better.
Most of us here are not that old. But if we are 84 years old, do we think we will still come for the weekday morning Mass. Or evening Mass for that matter of fact.
Old age brings about a set of challenges and problems.
But the fact is that every age and stage of life brings about a set of challenges and problems.
The prophetess Anna whom we heard about in the gospel had her share of challenges and problems in every stage of life.
She had been married, been widowed and now at 84 years old, she was a symbol of mellowness, a person of prayer and an instrument of God.
She was able to recognize the Saviour even though He was just a baby.
As we advance in age, let us mellow our lives into the Spirit of God, let us be persons of prayer and in the midst of life's challenges and problems, let us be instruments of God by showing others the saving love of God.
Tuesday, December 28, 2010
29th December 2010, Wednesday, Fifth Day within Octave of Christmas
1 John 2:3-11 / Luke 2:22-35
The symbols of Christmas has this profound aspect of being symbols of light.
From the candles in the Advent wreath, to the star of Bethlehem, to the decorative lights on the Christmas tree and the electric bulb shining on the baby Jesus in the crib, all these are symbols and representations of light.
Indeed, Christmas is a celebration of the the light of Christ shining into our human shadows and scattering away the darkness of sin.
In the gospel, Simeon saw that light and his heart was at peace. His wait is over.
Our wait is also over because the 1st reading tells us that the night is over and the real light is already shining.
For the commercial world, Christmas is over, but for us Christmas has just begun.
Let us walk in the light of love and forgiveness, mercy and compassion, generosity and sacrifice so that we too will be symbols of the light of Christ.
The symbols of Christmas has this profound aspect of being symbols of light.
From the candles in the Advent wreath, to the star of Bethlehem, to the decorative lights on the Christmas tree and the electric bulb shining on the baby Jesus in the crib, all these are symbols and representations of light.
Indeed, Christmas is a celebration of the the light of Christ shining into our human shadows and scattering away the darkness of sin.
In the gospel, Simeon saw that light and his heart was at peace. His wait is over.
Our wait is also over because the 1st reading tells us that the night is over and the real light is already shining.
For the commercial world, Christmas is over, but for us Christmas has just begun.
Let us walk in the light of love and forgiveness, mercy and compassion, generosity and sacrifice so that we too will be symbols of the light of Christ.
Monday, December 27, 2010
28th December 2010, The Holy Innocents, martyrs
1 John 1:5 - 2:2 / Matthew 2:13-18
Most of us have fond memories of our childhood days.
We may recall those slow and easy days of our growing up years when we were in the sun most of the time and we made toys from our own simple creativity.
In that aspect we can consider ourselves really fortunate.
Because when we read in the papers or see in the tv of the turmoil going on in the other countries, we are immediately confronted with the fact of how vulnerable children are.
In fact, in times of war or conflict, or even in tragedies or disasters, children are the first to suffer, whether the persecution is direct or indirect.
So it was in the time of Jesus, when Herod out of his insecurity and insanity, ordered the massacre of infants of Bethlehem.
And this senseless brutality continues to this day.
It continues in the political, racial and religious conflicts.
It has even happened at home in the form of child abuse, not forgetting abortion, where the fetus is regarded as a thing.
The feast of the Holy Innocents remind us that it is our duty to protect the rights and dignity of children, just as Mary and Joseph protected the helpless Jesus.
The children are our future. They need our love and protection.
And in the not-so-far-away future, they will be the ones who will show us God's love and protection.
Most of us have fond memories of our childhood days.
We may recall those slow and easy days of our growing up years when we were in the sun most of the time and we made toys from our own simple creativity.
In that aspect we can consider ourselves really fortunate.
Because when we read in the papers or see in the tv of the turmoil going on in the other countries, we are immediately confronted with the fact of how vulnerable children are.
In fact, in times of war or conflict, or even in tragedies or disasters, children are the first to suffer, whether the persecution is direct or indirect.
So it was in the time of Jesus, when Herod out of his insecurity and insanity, ordered the massacre of infants of Bethlehem.
And this senseless brutality continues to this day.
It continues in the political, racial and religious conflicts.
It has even happened at home in the form of child abuse, not forgetting abortion, where the fetus is regarded as a thing.
The feast of the Holy Innocents remind us that it is our duty to protect the rights and dignity of children, just as Mary and Joseph protected the helpless Jesus.
The children are our future. They need our love and protection.
And in the not-so-far-away future, they will be the ones who will show us God's love and protection.
Sunday, December 26, 2010
27th December 2010, Monday, St. John, Apostle, Evangelist
1 John 1:1-4 / John 20:2-8
According to tradition, St. John was subjected to torture by being plunged into a pot of boiling oil but he miraculously survived, whereas the other apostles were martyred.
It is also believed that he lived to a ripe old age of about 94 and he died of natural causes.
There could be some truth in that because the gospel that is attributed to him contains a spiritual depth that is not so obvious in the other three gospels.
In biblical art, the Gospel of John is often depicted with an eagle, which symbolizes the insight to the height of the mystery of the person of Jesus which was expounded in the first chapter of the gospel.
It had that depth of insight to the height of the mystery probably from the reflection and meditation over the years.
There was a story that when St. John was old man, he was asked to preach to a gathering of believers.
His message was short yet sublime : Dear children, love one another. Learn to love one another as God loves you.
That is also the central theme in the gospel of John - the love that God has for us, and it can be found in passages like John 3:16-17; 13:34-35; 15:17.
It is a profound theme and to love one another as Jesus has loved us is a spirituality and a mystery that needed to be constantly reflected and meditated upon in our hearts.
Like St. John may God also deepen and enlighten us in His love for us so that we will in turn love one another as Jesus has loved us.
According to tradition, St. John was subjected to torture by being plunged into a pot of boiling oil but he miraculously survived, whereas the other apostles were martyred.
It is also believed that he lived to a ripe old age of about 94 and he died of natural causes.
There could be some truth in that because the gospel that is attributed to him contains a spiritual depth that is not so obvious in the other three gospels.
In biblical art, the Gospel of John is often depicted with an eagle, which symbolizes the insight to the height of the mystery of the person of Jesus which was expounded in the first chapter of the gospel.
It had that depth of insight to the height of the mystery probably from the reflection and meditation over the years.
There was a story that when St. John was old man, he was asked to preach to a gathering of believers.
His message was short yet sublime : Dear children, love one another. Learn to love one another as God loves you.
That is also the central theme in the gospel of John - the love that God has for us, and it can be found in passages like John 3:16-17; 13:34-35; 15:17.
It is a profound theme and to love one another as Jesus has loved us is a spirituality and a mystery that needed to be constantly reflected and meditated upon in our hearts.
Like St. John may God also deepen and enlighten us in His love for us so that we will in turn love one another as Jesus has loved us.
Saturday, December 25, 2010
Christmas Midnight 2010
Isaiah 9:2-7 / Titus 2:11-14 / Luke 2:1-14
Back in the year 1223, St. Francis of Assisi set up the first Nativity scene that would eventually spread across the whole Church.
His intention of arranging the Nativity scene was to help the peasants who were uneducated and could not read the gospel accounts of the birth of Jesus.
In visual form, the poor people could see and understand the situation and the circumstances in which Jesus was born.
800 years later, the Nativity crib still has the visual significance and impact that it had back in the year 1223.
In churches and at homes and even in public places, the Nativity crib captures that significant moment when Jesus was born.
Along with that moment were all the characters who were intimately connected with the birth of Jesus as recorded in the gospels.
So in the crib with the baby Jesus are Mary, Joseph, a couple of shepherds with a couple of sheep, an ox and a donkey.
So as we admire the Nativity scene and the beautifully crafted statues in it, have we ever wondered which character we could relate with at this point in our lives.
Well, mothers could relate with Mary and rejoice with her as they carry their own babies in their arms.
Yet there is also the anxiety over the health and safety of their babies.
Husbands could relate with Joseph as he commits his life to caring and protecting mother and child.
But they also know how stressful it is to be the man of the house and maybe even the sole bread-winner.
Some of us might be able to relate with the shepherds who have to work away from home, and maybe could not be home for Christmas.
Some of us might even be able to relate with the sheep or the ox or the donkey.
Meaning to say that just like those animals, we feel that life is a burden just as the donkey is a beast of burden.
Or like the sheep and the ox, we pour out our lives in sacrifice for others and yet we don't feel appreciated or valued.
Yet whatever it is and whatever we may feel, gathering together in this Mass is like gathering together around the crib.
We focus our hearts on the Baby in the manger and we rejoice at His birth.
And we give thanks to God that we can be here to celebrate the birth of our Saviour.
Yes we give thanks because there are people who want to be here but they just can't.
Maybe let me ask you a riddle. What is it that you have in December that you don't have in any other month? Answer : The letter D.
Yes, D as in December, D also as in "depressed".
Yesterday (Christmas Eve) I went on my hospital duty.
I can't help feeling sorry for those who have to spend Christmas in the hospital.
They not only can't come to Church, they can't even be at home for Christmas. It can be depressing.
One of the patients was this lady who had a severe fall and her right arm and leg had become numb and weak. She was really depressed about what had happened to her.
Even when she made the sign of the cross, she used her left hand to take her right hand to make the sign of the cross.
So after saying the prayers, I gave her Holy Communion.
After saying "Amen", I had expected her to receive Holy Communion on the tongue.
But instead, her left hand took her right hand and with her right hand she struggled to hold the Host reverently and then slowly put it into her mouth.
What she did really caught me there, and by a flash of inspiration, I said something like : Wow, the way you held Jesus was like the manger that was holding the baby Jesus.
I myself was amazed with what I said. (Going to the hospital can give you this kind of inspiration)
Yet this is the Christmas message for me, and I want to share it with you.
We look at the baby Jesus and all the characters in the Nativity crib.
Yet we miss the manger, which is the feeding trough, or feeding tray of the animals.
It was in a manger that the Saviour of the world was lying in, and the gospel specifically mentioned it.
Yes, we may relate with the characters in the Nativity crib.
But may our hearts be like the manger in which the Lord Jesus will lay His head.
May our hearts tenderly carry the Lord Jesus, just like the lowly manger carried the Saviour.
Wishing you a merry and blessed Christmas.
Back in the year 1223, St. Francis of Assisi set up the first Nativity scene that would eventually spread across the whole Church.
His intention of arranging the Nativity scene was to help the peasants who were uneducated and could not read the gospel accounts of the birth of Jesus.
In visual form, the poor people could see and understand the situation and the circumstances in which Jesus was born.
800 years later, the Nativity crib still has the visual significance and impact that it had back in the year 1223.
In churches and at homes and even in public places, the Nativity crib captures that significant moment when Jesus was born.
Along with that moment were all the characters who were intimately connected with the birth of Jesus as recorded in the gospels.
So in the crib with the baby Jesus are Mary, Joseph, a couple of shepherds with a couple of sheep, an ox and a donkey.
So as we admire the Nativity scene and the beautifully crafted statues in it, have we ever wondered which character we could relate with at this point in our lives.
Well, mothers could relate with Mary and rejoice with her as they carry their own babies in their arms.
Yet there is also the anxiety over the health and safety of their babies.
Husbands could relate with Joseph as he commits his life to caring and protecting mother and child.
But they also know how stressful it is to be the man of the house and maybe even the sole bread-winner.
Some of us might be able to relate with the shepherds who have to work away from home, and maybe could not be home for Christmas.
Some of us might even be able to relate with the sheep or the ox or the donkey.
Meaning to say that just like those animals, we feel that life is a burden just as the donkey is a beast of burden.
Or like the sheep and the ox, we pour out our lives in sacrifice for others and yet we don't feel appreciated or valued.
Yet whatever it is and whatever we may feel, gathering together in this Mass is like gathering together around the crib.
We focus our hearts on the Baby in the manger and we rejoice at His birth.
And we give thanks to God that we can be here to celebrate the birth of our Saviour.
Yes we give thanks because there are people who want to be here but they just can't.
Maybe let me ask you a riddle. What is it that you have in December that you don't have in any other month? Answer : The letter D.
Yes, D as in December, D also as in "depressed".
Yesterday (Christmas Eve) I went on my hospital duty.
I can't help feeling sorry for those who have to spend Christmas in the hospital.
They not only can't come to Church, they can't even be at home for Christmas. It can be depressing.
One of the patients was this lady who had a severe fall and her right arm and leg had become numb and weak. She was really depressed about what had happened to her.
Even when she made the sign of the cross, she used her left hand to take her right hand to make the sign of the cross.
So after saying the prayers, I gave her Holy Communion.
After saying "Amen", I had expected her to receive Holy Communion on the tongue.
But instead, her left hand took her right hand and with her right hand she struggled to hold the Host reverently and then slowly put it into her mouth.
What she did really caught me there, and by a flash of inspiration, I said something like : Wow, the way you held Jesus was like the manger that was holding the baby Jesus.
I myself was amazed with what I said. (Going to the hospital can give you this kind of inspiration)
Yet this is the Christmas message for me, and I want to share it with you.
We look at the baby Jesus and all the characters in the Nativity crib.
Yet we miss the manger, which is the feeding trough, or feeding tray of the animals.
It was in a manger that the Saviour of the world was lying in, and the gospel specifically mentioned it.
Yes, we may relate with the characters in the Nativity crib.
But may our hearts be like the manger in which the Lord Jesus will lay His head.
May our hearts tenderly carry the Lord Jesus, just like the lowly manger carried the Saviour.
Wishing you a merry and blessed Christmas.
Friday, December 24, 2010
A Note for Christmas
My dear brothers and sisters,
Wishing you a Merry and Blessed Christmas and may the celebration of the birth of Christ bring peace and joy to our hearts.
I want to give thanks to God for the many inspirations to make His "Word become flesh" in the daily readings of the liturgy. I also want to thank those whom I have not been able to acknowledge but from whom I got the ideas, the stories, the examples and the situations in life in which they shared their experience of God.
I give thanks to God if the reflections on the daily readings have helped you grow in faith, love and understanding of the ways of God.
Since it is Christmas, I have daringly posted a little tune to entertain you :)
I wished I could have given a better rendition of that popular carol. But I once read somewhere:
Sing the songs that you can sing
Forget about the perfect offering
There's a crack in everything
But that's how the light shines in.
Merry Christmas & God bless you.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UxPj6PtwBMY
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