1 Thess 4:9-11 / Matthew 25:14-30
There is a story of a rat who fell into a bin of rice. At first it tried to get out but it was not possible as the walls of the bin are steep.
Since there was rice all around, it began to feed itself. And after a while, it was enjoying itself inside the bin.
There was food, there was security, and all it needed do was to literally eat and sleep.
But one day, the rice ran out, and the rat, by then obese and over-weight, realized that it couldn't get out of the bin any more and would eventually die of starvation.
One of the lessons about life that we can learn from this story is that when things are going easy and there are no difficulties and challenges, we got to be careful.
Because we will be getting careless and lax and we might be sliding into a hole in which we would not be able to get out.
In the gospel parable, the servant who buried his one talent in the ground was called "wicked and lazy" by his master.
We may think that the master was rather harsh with his words and in his treatment of that servant.
But it is a pointed reminder for us who are servants of God that we must labour in the field of love and to bear harvest for the Lord, as St. Paul would remind the Thessalonians in the 1st reading.
Not to struggle and labour for love of God and neighbour would mean that we slowly dry up and waste away the love that God has given us.
Friday, September 1, 2017
Thursday, August 31, 2017
21st Week, Ordinary Time, Friday, 01-09-17
1 Thess 4:1-8 / Matthew 25:1-13
When we talk about needs and what we really need in life, it would be helpful to go back to the hierarchy of needs and to look at what are the basic needs.
Essentially, the basic needs of a human being is the physiological needs and those are food, water and shelter.
When that is achieved and attained, then we move up to the next level of needs which is the security needs like safety and protection.
From here, things get a little muddled up. In principal, after the physiological and security needs, and moving up it will be the social needs, the esteem needs and at the top will be self-actualisation. That is how Maslow's hierarchy of needs puts it.
But often in the reality of life, things get a bit fuzzy after the needs of food, water, shelter, safety and protection are attained.
Because we turn our focus from what we need to what we want. Because when all the essential needs are taken care of, we tend to look for creature comforts and the pleasures of life.
And that sense, that's where the trouble begins. In looking for our own comforts, we tend to be selfish and disregard others in their need.
In seeking for pleasures in life, we tend to use others for pleasure and make them give in to our immoral desires.
That's why St. Paul urged the Thessalonians to keep away from fornication and to use the body that belongs to God that is holy and honourable, and not giving way to selfish lust like the pagans who do not know God.
St. Paul also stated that God wants nobody at all ever to sin by taking advantage of another person, and that God always punishes sins of that sort.
Over and above, God wants us all to be holy. That is our fundamental calling as Christians - that we are called by God to be holy and not to give in to our immoral desires and pleasures.
If we are sensible enough, then we would always want to come to the Eucharist and be filled with the bread of life so that our lives will be lighted by the oil of holiness and the darkness of sin will be scattered.
And in honouring the Sacred Heart of Jesus, let us offer to Him a pure and holy heart. Jesus will always provide for our needs.
With a pure and holy heart, may we go forth to win hearts for the Jesus, for it is in His Sacred Heart we will find peace and contentment.
When we talk about needs and what we really need in life, it would be helpful to go back to the hierarchy of needs and to look at what are the basic needs.
Essentially, the basic needs of a human being is the physiological needs and those are food, water and shelter.
When that is achieved and attained, then we move up to the next level of needs which is the security needs like safety and protection.
From here, things get a little muddled up. In principal, after the physiological and security needs, and moving up it will be the social needs, the esteem needs and at the top will be self-actualisation. That is how Maslow's hierarchy of needs puts it.
But often in the reality of life, things get a bit fuzzy after the needs of food, water, shelter, safety and protection are attained.
Because we turn our focus from what we need to what we want. Because when all the essential needs are taken care of, we tend to look for creature comforts and the pleasures of life.
And that sense, that's where the trouble begins. In looking for our own comforts, we tend to be selfish and disregard others in their need.
In seeking for pleasures in life, we tend to use others for pleasure and make them give in to our immoral desires.
That's why St. Paul urged the Thessalonians to keep away from fornication and to use the body that belongs to God that is holy and honourable, and not giving way to selfish lust like the pagans who do not know God.
St. Paul also stated that God wants nobody at all ever to sin by taking advantage of another person, and that God always punishes sins of that sort.
Over and above, God wants us all to be holy. That is our fundamental calling as Christians - that we are called by God to be holy and not to give in to our immoral desires and pleasures.
If we are sensible enough, then we would always want to come to the Eucharist and be filled with the bread of life so that our lives will be lighted by the oil of holiness and the darkness of sin will be scattered.
And in honouring the Sacred Heart of Jesus, let us offer to Him a pure and holy heart. Jesus will always provide for our needs.
With a pure and holy heart, may we go forth to win hearts for the Jesus, for it is in His Sacred Heart we will find peace and contentment.
Wednesday, August 30, 2017
21st Week, Ordinary Time, Thursday, 31-08-17
1 Thess 3:7-13 / Matthew 24:42-51
Riddle: What is it that you cannot touch or see and yet it can be broken? Two possible answers to it. One is silence. The other is a promise.
In our baptismal promises, we pledged to renounce evil in all its forms and professed our faith in God.
So our faith is also about our promise to God that we will be faithful to Him and that we cannot keep silent or hide our faith.
Others should be able to see our faith in the good works that we do and they should also be touched by our faith.
In the 1st reading, St. Paul wrote this to the Thessalonians: Brothers, your faith has been a great comfort to us in the middle of our own troubles and sorrows.
He continued by saying, "Now we can breathe again, as you are still holding firm in the Lord." So the faith of the Thessalonians was a faith that was like a bright light that touched others and brought comfort and relief to St. Paul.
Faith can also be said to be like an active and alert servant who is ready for the coming of his master. That is how Jesus put it in the gospel parable.
So as much as faith is a great gift from God, yet it also has its duties and responsibilities. Today's readings tell us that faith should be alive and active, it should bring comfort and relief to others.
In other words, our faith should point others to Jesus. We cannot be silent or hide our faith. By our faith, Jesus will be made present.
Riddle: What is it that you cannot touch or see and yet it can be broken? Two possible answers to it. One is silence. The other is a promise.
In our baptismal promises, we pledged to renounce evil in all its forms and professed our faith in God.
So our faith is also about our promise to God that we will be faithful to Him and that we cannot keep silent or hide our faith.
Others should be able to see our faith in the good works that we do and they should also be touched by our faith.
In the 1st reading, St. Paul wrote this to the Thessalonians: Brothers, your faith has been a great comfort to us in the middle of our own troubles and sorrows.
He continued by saying, "Now we can breathe again, as you are still holding firm in the Lord." So the faith of the Thessalonians was a faith that was like a bright light that touched others and brought comfort and relief to St. Paul.
Faith can also be said to be like an active and alert servant who is ready for the coming of his master. That is how Jesus put it in the gospel parable.
So as much as faith is a great gift from God, yet it also has its duties and responsibilities. Today's readings tell us that faith should be alive and active, it should bring comfort and relief to others.
In other words, our faith should point others to Jesus. We cannot be silent or hide our faith. By our faith, Jesus will be made present.
Tuesday, August 29, 2017
21st Week, Ordinary Time, Wednesday, 30-08-17
1 Thess 2:9-13 / Matthew 23:27-32
Child development refers to the changes that occur as a child grows and develops in relation to being physically healthy, mentally alert, emotionally sound, socially competent and ready to learn.
The first five years of a child's life are fundamentally important. They are the foundation that shapes children's future health, happiness, growth, development and learning achievement at school, in the family and community, and in life in general.
Children learn more quickly during their early years than at any other time in life. They need love and nurturing to develop a sense of trust and security that turns into confidence as they grow.
St. Paul truly understood this. That is why he said in the 1st reading to the Thessalonians: You can remember how we treated every one of you as a father treats his children, teaching you what is right, encouraging you and appealing to you to live a life worthy of God, who is calling you to share the glory of His kingdom.
As new Christians, St. Paul knew how important it was to form them as Christian disciples, so that they in turn will form the Christians coming after them.
In the gospel, Jesus had sharp words for the scribes and Pharisees who said that they would never have joined in shedding the blood of the prophets had they lived in their fathers' day.
Jesus pointed out that they were the very sons of those who killed the prophets. And so what they had seen and learnt, they will continue in their day, because that was their formation.
That brings us to think about how we are living out and witnessing our faith to our young and to the next generation of Catholics.
We must be aware that our young children and the new Catholics (adults who went through RCIA) are looking at us and learning from us.
May we teach them what is right, and encourage them to live a life worthy of God so that as Catholics we will truly be able to form the world in the ways of God.
Child development refers to the changes that occur as a child grows and develops in relation to being physically healthy, mentally alert, emotionally sound, socially competent and ready to learn.
The first five years of a child's life are fundamentally important. They are the foundation that shapes children's future health, happiness, growth, development and learning achievement at school, in the family and community, and in life in general.
Children learn more quickly during their early years than at any other time in life. They need love and nurturing to develop a sense of trust and security that turns into confidence as they grow.
St. Paul truly understood this. That is why he said in the 1st reading to the Thessalonians: You can remember how we treated every one of you as a father treats his children, teaching you what is right, encouraging you and appealing to you to live a life worthy of God, who is calling you to share the glory of His kingdom.
As new Christians, St. Paul knew how important it was to form them as Christian disciples, so that they in turn will form the Christians coming after them.
In the gospel, Jesus had sharp words for the scribes and Pharisees who said that they would never have joined in shedding the blood of the prophets had they lived in their fathers' day.
Jesus pointed out that they were the very sons of those who killed the prophets. And so what they had seen and learnt, they will continue in their day, because that was their formation.
That brings us to think about how we are living out and witnessing our faith to our young and to the next generation of Catholics.
We must be aware that our young children and the new Catholics (adults who went through RCIA) are looking at us and learning from us.
May we teach them what is right, and encourage them to live a life worthy of God so that as Catholics we will truly be able to form the world in the ways of God.
Monday, August 28, 2017
The Passion of St. John the Baptist, Tuesday, 29-08-17
Jeremiah 1:17-19 / Mark 6:17-29
We may wonder how Jesus felt when He heard about the death of His cousin, John the Baptist.
Not much is said about their relationship, but we can guess they knew each other from their earlier days, probably played together, talked about life.
Both knew they had a mission.
And both also knew that the mission could not be accomplished without putting their lives on the line.
John the Baptist was the first to do it and that line was drawn across his neck.
For Jesus, it was drawn at the cross.
And for us, that line will also be drawn for us.
A line that will cut across the various aspects of our lives when we have to decide between whose side to stand on.
To stand on God's side, will result in some scars and wounds.
But it is through those scars and wounds that God will continue to save the world.
For it is by Christ's wounds that we ourselves have been healed and saved.
We may wonder how Jesus felt when He heard about the death of His cousin, John the Baptist.
Not much is said about their relationship, but we can guess they knew each other from their earlier days, probably played together, talked about life.
Both knew they had a mission.
And both also knew that the mission could not be accomplished without putting their lives on the line.
John the Baptist was the first to do it and that line was drawn across his neck.
For Jesus, it was drawn at the cross.
And for us, that line will also be drawn for us.
A line that will cut across the various aspects of our lives when we have to decide between whose side to stand on.
To stand on God's side, will result in some scars and wounds.
But it is through those scars and wounds that God will continue to save the world.
For it is by Christ's wounds that we ourselves have been healed and saved.
Sunday, August 27, 2017
21st Week, Ordinary Time, Monday, 28-08-17
1 Thess 1:1-5, 8-10 / Matthew 23:13-22
When we look at any institution or organization, whether religious or secular, there are usually these stages of development.
It started with a dream or vision; then it becomes an organization; then it develops into an institution.
It is when it has reached the stage of being an institution that problems can arise.
Because if it does not have the original vision as its foundation and motivation, then formalization and stagnation will creep in.
And when it is ignored and left unchecked, the fossilization will take place.
Jesus challenged the institutionalized religion of His time.
Because the scribes and Pharisees had made religion so formalized that it had lost its vision and purpose and became fossilized.
We, the Church are also constantly faced with this challenge.
Our faith is not just about keeping laws and observing commandments and obligations.
Of course all that have a purpose, and it is meant to remind us that our faith must be expressed in concrete acts of love.
But it is not just about how well we keep to the laws and commandments and obligations.
It is also about how much we have expressed the laws and commandments and obligations in love.
When faith is expressed with love, then we the Church will grow and increase.
When we look at any institution or organization, whether religious or secular, there are usually these stages of development.
It started with a dream or vision; then it becomes an organization; then it develops into an institution.
It is when it has reached the stage of being an institution that problems can arise.
Because if it does not have the original vision as its foundation and motivation, then formalization and stagnation will creep in.
And when it is ignored and left unchecked, the fossilization will take place.
Jesus challenged the institutionalized religion of His time.
Because the scribes and Pharisees had made religion so formalized that it had lost its vision and purpose and became fossilized.
We, the Church are also constantly faced with this challenge.
Our faith is not just about keeping laws and observing commandments and obligations.
Of course all that have a purpose, and it is meant to remind us that our faith must be expressed in concrete acts of love.
But it is not just about how well we keep to the laws and commandments and obligations.
It is also about how much we have expressed the laws and commandments and obligations in love.
When faith is expressed with love, then we the Church will grow and increase.
Saturday, August 26, 2017
21st Ordinary Sunday, Year A, 27.08.2017
Isaiah 22:19-23 / Romans 11:33-36 / Matthew 16:13-20
Today is a milestone for 15 of our teenagers, a milestone in their faith-formation. After almost 10 years of coming for catechism classes on Sundays, today they will receive the Sacrament of Confirmation.
To be “Confirmed” means to be strengthened by the gifts of the Holy Spirit. But for what purpose? That’s the question that those 15 teenagers will have to answer for themselves.
And they must find the answer to that question, otherwise this milestone could well be the tombstone, as in the journey of faith has come to an end, since there will be no more catechism classes to attend.
But faith and life is not so much a question but it is more like a riddle. So we have to think “out of the box” and it can be quite challenging to solve it, be it a question or a riddle.
Let us do some riddles and see if we can think out of the box:
- I am tall when I am young, but I am short when I am old. What am I?
- I have keys but no locks. I have space but no room. You can enter but you can’t go outside. What am I?
- You can break me easily without even touching or seeing me. What am I?
So much for riddles. Now let’s go back to the gospel. In the gospel, Jesus asked His disciples two questions.
The first question is “Who do people say I am?” The disciples replied that people say that He is John the Baptist, or Elijah, or Jeremiah or one of the prophets.
Then Jesus asked them, “Who do you say I am?” As the disciples were thinking about what is the best and correct answer to give, it was Simon Peter who spoke up: You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.
And he was correct! But as Jesus stated, it was not flesh and blood that revealed this to Simon Peter but it was God the Father who revealed this to him.
We may remember that Jesus promised to send us the Holy Spirit to be our Advocate and it is the Spirit who will reveal things to us and lead us to the whole truth.
Yes, it is the Spirit who will defend us, help us, guide us, work in us and reveal to us the mysteries to the questions and the riddles of life.
And it is this same Spirit who will fill the hearts of our 15 teenagers in the Sacrament of Confirmation, and to strengthen them to face the gates of the underworld.
One of the expressions of the Sacrament of Confirmation is to be commissioned as a soldier of Christ, though it is seldom spoken of nowadays.
“Christ Himself declared that he was marked with his Father’s seal. Christians are also marked with a seal: “It is God who establishes us with you in Christ and has commissioned us; He has put His seal on us and given us His Spirit in our hearts as a guarantee.” This seal of the Holy Spirit marks our total belonging to Christ, our enrollment in his service for ever, as well as the promise of divine protection in the great eschatological trial.” (Catechism of the Catholic Church #1296)
The catechists of these Confirmands thought about it and then we came up with this idea of a survival kit to equip these teenagers as they go on mission for Christ.
So what is this missionary survival kit all about? Well, it’s all packed into a lunch-box but there are no edibles in it. So what are in it then? There are two sticks of cotton buds, a box of matches, a tea-light, a piece of Band-aid, a mirror, a petition form, a 5-cent coin, and a crucifix.
We call it the “Missionary kit”. And in it is a note that reads:
Now that you are Confirmed, you will need this:
2 sticks of cotton buds – one for you to clean your ears so that you can listen clearly to God’s Word, and the other for you to help others clean their ears so that they too can listen ...
When it gets dark and cold, the box of matches is for you to light the tea-light so that you can bring some light and warmth for others.
The Band-Aid comes in handy because in this world, people get some cuts and hard knocks along the way. You are to bind up their wounds and bring healing.
When you look into the mirror, you need to ask yourself, “Do I look like Jesus to others?”
Prayer must be the first option, the last option and the in-between option. That’s what the green Petition Form is for.
The 5-cent coin is to remind you that you must remain little and humble always, and it also reminds you of the 5 wounds of Christ who died to save you.
It was on the Cross that Jesus died for you. He carried the Cross for you. Now you must carry your cross for the salvation of others
And it ends off with “Know that I am with you always, yes, till the end of time” (Matthew 28:20)
Those 15 teenage Confirmands must know that Jesus is always with them, till the end of time, as they go forth to serve Him in whatever and wherever the Spirit leads them.
And for us, Jesus is asking us who do we think He really is in our lives. And at the same time He is also asking us do we know who we really are.
When we know who we really are, that we are marked and sealed with the Holy Spirit to serve Jesus in the mission of salvation, then we will know who Jesus really is.
Then we will be prepared to face the gates of the underworld as we go forth to save souls for Jesus.
(Ans: Candle, Computer keyboard, Silence/Promise)
Today is a milestone for 15 of our teenagers, a milestone in their faith-formation. After almost 10 years of coming for catechism classes on Sundays, today they will receive the Sacrament of Confirmation.
To be “Confirmed” means to be strengthened by the gifts of the Holy Spirit. But for what purpose? That’s the question that those 15 teenagers will have to answer for themselves.
And they must find the answer to that question, otherwise this milestone could well be the tombstone, as in the journey of faith has come to an end, since there will be no more catechism classes to attend.
But faith and life is not so much a question but it is more like a riddle. So we have to think “out of the box” and it can be quite challenging to solve it, be it a question or a riddle.
Let us do some riddles and see if we can think out of the box:
- I am tall when I am young, but I am short when I am old. What am I?
- I have keys but no locks. I have space but no room. You can enter but you can’t go outside. What am I?
- You can break me easily without even touching or seeing me. What am I?
So much for riddles. Now let’s go back to the gospel. In the gospel, Jesus asked His disciples two questions.
The first question is “Who do people say I am?” The disciples replied that people say that He is John the Baptist, or Elijah, or Jeremiah or one of the prophets.
Then Jesus asked them, “Who do you say I am?” As the disciples were thinking about what is the best and correct answer to give, it was Simon Peter who spoke up: You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.
And he was correct! But as Jesus stated, it was not flesh and blood that revealed this to Simon Peter but it was God the Father who revealed this to him.
We may remember that Jesus promised to send us the Holy Spirit to be our Advocate and it is the Spirit who will reveal things to us and lead us to the whole truth.
Yes, it is the Spirit who will defend us, help us, guide us, work in us and reveal to us the mysteries to the questions and the riddles of life.
And it is this same Spirit who will fill the hearts of our 15 teenagers in the Sacrament of Confirmation, and to strengthen them to face the gates of the underworld.
One of the expressions of the Sacrament of Confirmation is to be commissioned as a soldier of Christ, though it is seldom spoken of nowadays.
“Christ Himself declared that he was marked with his Father’s seal. Christians are also marked with a seal: “It is God who establishes us with you in Christ and has commissioned us; He has put His seal on us and given us His Spirit in our hearts as a guarantee.” This seal of the Holy Spirit marks our total belonging to Christ, our enrollment in his service for ever, as well as the promise of divine protection in the great eschatological trial.” (Catechism of the Catholic Church #1296)
The catechists of these Confirmands thought about it and then we came up with this idea of a survival kit to equip these teenagers as they go on mission for Christ.
We call it the “Missionary kit”. And in it is a note that reads:
Now that you are Confirmed, you will need this:
2 sticks of cotton buds – one for you to clean your ears so that you can listen clearly to God’s Word, and the other for you to help others clean their ears so that they too can listen ...
When it gets dark and cold, the box of matches is for you to light the tea-light so that you can bring some light and warmth for others.
The Band-Aid comes in handy because in this world, people get some cuts and hard knocks along the way. You are to bind up their wounds and bring healing.
When you look into the mirror, you need to ask yourself, “Do I look like Jesus to others?”
Prayer must be the first option, the last option and the in-between option. That’s what the green Petition Form is for.
The 5-cent coin is to remind you that you must remain little and humble always, and it also reminds you of the 5 wounds of Christ who died to save you.
It was on the Cross that Jesus died for you. He carried the Cross for you. Now you must carry your cross for the salvation of others
And it ends off with “Know that I am with you always, yes, till the end of time” (Matthew 28:20)
Those 15 teenage Confirmands must know that Jesus is always with them, till the end of time, as they go forth to serve Him in whatever and wherever the Spirit leads them.
And for us, Jesus is asking us who do we think He really is in our lives. And at the same time He is also asking us do we know who we really are.
When we know who we really are, that we are marked and sealed with the Holy Spirit to serve Jesus in the mission of salvation, then we will know who Jesus really is.
Then we will be prepared to face the gates of the underworld as we go forth to save souls for Jesus.
(Ans: Candle, Computer keyboard, Silence/Promise)
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