Acts 2:14, 22-33 / Matthew 28:8-15
We must acknowledge that there are no scientific facts about the resurrection.
What we have are the gospel accounts of people who experienced the risen Christ.
Today's gospel account tells of a group of women who had seen and touched the risen Christ, and they were told to report to the disciples.
Yet the gospel account also tells of a group of men who were guarding the grave, reporting about the resurrection of Christ to the chief priests and elders.
The two accounts of the resurrection ended up in different directions, or more precisely, in opposite directions.
So even if there were scientific facts about the resurrection, it may not necessarily lead to the conclusion that Jesus is risen.
Because in the end, facts can also be interpreted differently, and hence ending up with different conclusions.
So if we were to say that Christ is risen, what direction are we going to take?
Are we going to be like the women who were visiting the tomb, or are we going to be like the soldiers who were guarding the tomb?
What the resurrection of Jesus is to people nowadays will depend largely on our decision and direction.
The women and the soldiers made their choice. We too have to make ours.
Sunday, April 1, 2018
Easter Sunday, 01-04-18
Acts 10:34, 37-40 / Colossians 3:1-4 / John 20:1-9
There is a simple game that we are familiar with and it is called “scissor-paper-stone”, played often by children.
It is a game that is usually played between two persons, in which each player simultaneously forms one of the three shapes with an outstretched hand, so it is either a scissor-shape, or a paper-shape, or a stone-shape.
It has only two possible outcomes other than a tie – one player wins and the other player loses. As it goes, one shape will win another but will lose to the other.
So scissors will win the paper because it cuts the paper, but scissors will lose to the stone. Though the stone will win the scissors, it will lose to the paper because paper wraps up the stone.
It is a game of chance in that one player will win and the other will lose, unless both come up with the same shape, in which case then it is a draw.
A rather interesting aspect of the game is that although the stone can win the scissors, yet it loses to the paper, in that the paper will wrap up the stone, at least according to the theory of the game.
In the Resurrection story, there is always the empty tomb and the stone that was used to cover its entrance. That stone made its prominence when it was rolled over the tomb in which Jesus was buried to seal the entrance of the tomb.
That stone was something to be reckoned with, at least it was not so easy to overcome it with paper as in that “scissor-paper-stone” game. Weighing about 2 tons and about 2 meters in diameter, it was rolled at a downward incline and over the entrance of the tomb and sits on a deep groove, thus effectively sealing the tomb.
Moving the stone from the entrance of the tomb is not impossible, but that is certainly not an easy task, and there is no need to. Once it is rolled over the entrance of the tomb, it is sealed and it is case-closed, not to be reopened. It can be effectively called a tomb-stone.
In a way, it can be said that it was the final stone that the enemies of Jesus threw at Him to make sure that He was dead and gone.
But from a tomb-stone, Jesus made it into a stepping-stone that revealed the Resurrection. The stone was rolled away to reveal an empty tomb. Jesus is not there, and it is not because we do not know what happened. We believe that He is risen.
The stone that is rolled away, and the empty tomb are just signs, but it is with faith that we believe that Jesus is risen.
It is also with faith that we look at life and think of how to respond to the stones that are thrown at us and that lay before us in the path of life.
Those stones can either be stumbling blocks or stepping-stones. Those stones can force us into the tomb and cover us up, or we can ask Jesus to roll away those stones and bring us to new life.
So with those stones, we can choose to make them into tomb-stones, and that would be a “case-closed” and a dead end. That was what they intended to do with Jesus.
But with those same stones, we can choose to make them into stepping-stones that lead us to understand the Resurrection of Jesus, and stepping-stones to the new life that the Risen Jesus wants to give us so that we become living stones in the hands of Jesus, living stones that He can use as stepping-stones for others to come to know Him and believe in Him.
In that “scissor-paper-stone” game, the stone “loses” to the paper. Now for the stones that are thrown at us and those stumbling blocks of stone that lie in our path, let us wrap them up with paper.
Not just any ordinary paper but with these petition-slips that are always available at the entrance of the church.
Let us write down on these petition-slips those hurting and stumbling blocks of stone in our lives and put these pieces of paper into the petition box to offer them to Jesus.
Every Friday at the evening Mass, we offer up those petitions in the petition-box to Jesus.
And as we celebrate the Resurrection of Jesus, I also want to testify that the Risen Jesus will receive our petitions, He will hear our prayers, and He will answer them.
Simply because He is risen, and He wants us to rise with Him and to be living stones building up His Church.
Jesus also wants us to be stepping-stones for others to come to Him and believe in His Resurrection.
We believe that Jesus is our Risen Saviour. Let us proclaim this Good News to those who are still living in their tombs and waiting for the stone to be removed.
There is a simple game that we are familiar with and it is called “scissor-paper-stone”, played often by children.
It is a game that is usually played between two persons, in which each player simultaneously forms one of the three shapes with an outstretched hand, so it is either a scissor-shape, or a paper-shape, or a stone-shape.
It has only two possible outcomes other than a tie – one player wins and the other player loses. As it goes, one shape will win another but will lose to the other.
So scissors will win the paper because it cuts the paper, but scissors will lose to the stone. Though the stone will win the scissors, it will lose to the paper because paper wraps up the stone.
It is a game of chance in that one player will win and the other will lose, unless both come up with the same shape, in which case then it is a draw.
A rather interesting aspect of the game is that although the stone can win the scissors, yet it loses to the paper, in that the paper will wrap up the stone, at least according to the theory of the game.
In the Resurrection story, there is always the empty tomb and the stone that was used to cover its entrance. That stone made its prominence when it was rolled over the tomb in which Jesus was buried to seal the entrance of the tomb.
That stone was something to be reckoned with, at least it was not so easy to overcome it with paper as in that “scissor-paper-stone” game. Weighing about 2 tons and about 2 meters in diameter, it was rolled at a downward incline and over the entrance of the tomb and sits on a deep groove, thus effectively sealing the tomb.
Moving the stone from the entrance of the tomb is not impossible, but that is certainly not an easy task, and there is no need to. Once it is rolled over the entrance of the tomb, it is sealed and it is case-closed, not to be reopened. It can be effectively called a tomb-stone.
In a way, it can be said that it was the final stone that the enemies of Jesus threw at Him to make sure that He was dead and gone.
But from a tomb-stone, Jesus made it into a stepping-stone that revealed the Resurrection. The stone was rolled away to reveal an empty tomb. Jesus is not there, and it is not because we do not know what happened. We believe that He is risen.
The stone that is rolled away, and the empty tomb are just signs, but it is with faith that we believe that Jesus is risen.
It is also with faith that we look at life and think of how to respond to the stones that are thrown at us and that lay before us in the path of life.
Those stones can either be stumbling blocks or stepping-stones. Those stones can force us into the tomb and cover us up, or we can ask Jesus to roll away those stones and bring us to new life.
So with those stones, we can choose to make them into tomb-stones, and that would be a “case-closed” and a dead end. That was what they intended to do with Jesus.
But with those same stones, we can choose to make them into stepping-stones that lead us to understand the Resurrection of Jesus, and stepping-stones to the new life that the Risen Jesus wants to give us so that we become living stones in the hands of Jesus, living stones that He can use as stepping-stones for others to come to know Him and believe in Him.
In that “scissor-paper-stone” game, the stone “loses” to the paper. Now for the stones that are thrown at us and those stumbling blocks of stone that lie in our path, let us wrap them up with paper.
Not just any ordinary paper but with these petition-slips that are always available at the entrance of the church.
Let us write down on these petition-slips those hurting and stumbling blocks of stone in our lives and put these pieces of paper into the petition box to offer them to Jesus.
Every Friday at the evening Mass, we offer up those petitions in the petition-box to Jesus.
And as we celebrate the Resurrection of Jesus, I also want to testify that the Risen Jesus will receive our petitions, He will hear our prayers, and He will answer them.
Simply because He is risen, and He wants us to rise with Him and to be living stones building up His Church.
Jesus also wants us to be stepping-stones for others to come to Him and believe in His Resurrection.
We believe that Jesus is our Risen Saviour. Let us proclaim this Good News to those who are still living in their tombs and waiting for the stone to be removed.
Friday, March 30, 2018
Good Friday, 30-03-2018
Isaiah 52:13 - 53:12 / Hebrews 4:14-16; 5:7-9 / John 18:1 - 19::42
Good Friday is the only day in the year where the Church does not celebrate a Mass. What we have today is a Good Friday Service.
In this Service, we participate in the Passion reading of the Gospel, then we move on to the Solemn Intercessions where we unite with Jesus as He is suffering on the Cross and as He prays for the salvation of the world.
After that we will have the Showing and the Adoration of the Holy Cross. We come forward to adore and venerate the Cross on which Jesus was crucified, because through the Cross, Jesus had turned it from an instrument of death to a means of salvation.
And finally we come for Holy Communion as we unite ourselves with Jesus in His suffering and death.
The suffering of Jesus and the Cross is the common thread that runs throughout the Service. We will recall that at the Garden of Gethsamane, Jesus implored God to let the cup of suffering pass Him by, but nonetheless, not His will but God's will be done.
As we venerate the Cross, we are also renewing our commitment to follow Jesus and to accept and carry our Cross and to die to our sins.
God did not save Jesus from death. Yes Jesus died on the Cross and was buried. But that is not the end of everything.
God did not save Jesus from death, but God saved Jesus out of death, and hence we wait in hope to celebrate the Resurrection.
May the suffering of Jesus give us strength in overcoming our sins and weaknesses. May the Cross be for us a sign of hope and salvation as we die to our sins as trusting that God will save us out of death.
And just as Jesus rose from the dead and overcame death and sin, may we also believe that God will save us out of death and grant us new life in the Resurrection of Jesus.
Good Friday is the only day in the year where the Church does not celebrate a Mass. What we have today is a Good Friday Service.
In this Service, we participate in the Passion reading of the Gospel, then we move on to the Solemn Intercessions where we unite with Jesus as He is suffering on the Cross and as He prays for the salvation of the world.
After that we will have the Showing and the Adoration of the Holy Cross. We come forward to adore and venerate the Cross on which Jesus was crucified, because through the Cross, Jesus had turned it from an instrument of death to a means of salvation.
And finally we come for Holy Communion as we unite ourselves with Jesus in His suffering and death.
The suffering of Jesus and the Cross is the common thread that runs throughout the Service. We will recall that at the Garden of Gethsamane, Jesus implored God to let the cup of suffering pass Him by, but nonetheless, not His will but God's will be done.
As we venerate the Cross, we are also renewing our commitment to follow Jesus and to accept and carry our Cross and to die to our sins.
God did not save Jesus from death. Yes Jesus died on the Cross and was buried. But that is not the end of everything.
God did not save Jesus from death, but God saved Jesus out of death, and hence we wait in hope to celebrate the Resurrection.
May the suffering of Jesus give us strength in overcoming our sins and weaknesses. May the Cross be for us a sign of hope and salvation as we die to our sins as trusting that God will save us out of death.
And just as Jesus rose from the dead and overcame death and sin, may we also believe that God will save us out of death and grant us new life in the Resurrection of Jesus.
Wednesday, March 28, 2018
Holy Thursday, 29-03-2018
Exodus 12:1-8, 11-14 / 1 Cor 11:23-26 / John 13:1-15
With this Mass, the Church begins the Sacred Paschal Triduum. Triduum means three days. So in simple terms, it means that today, tomorrow and the day after, we recall and remember the great events of our salvation in Jesus who was crucified, died, was buried and is risen.
In this Mass, we commemorate the Institution of the Holy Eucharist. Jesus and His disciples began with the Passover meal, a Jewish sacred meal that celebrates God’s saving power in freeing Israel from slavery and bringing them to freedom with signs and wonders. We heard about that in the 1st reading.
But from the Passover meal, Jesus changed some elements that made it into what is now called the “Last Supper”, which in effect is also the “First Eucharist”.
Jesus gave His Body and Blood in the form of bread and wine, and He commanded His apostles to do that in memory of Him. That’s why today is also called Maundy Thursday. Maundy is derived from the Latin “mandatum” which means mandate.
Yes, at the Last Supper, Jesus gave His apostles the mandate to do that in memory of Him and the salvation that He offers through His Body and Blood. That is also reiterated in the 2nd reading.
But from the profound institution of the Eucharist at the Last Supper, the gospel talks about something rather mundane – the washing of feet. But it was Jesus, the Master, who was washing His disciples’ feet. There was no mention of Jesus giving His Body and Blood, other than that they were at supper.
So what has the Eucharist got to do with the washing of feet, so much so that we will even re-enact it later?
The thing is that the feet of the disciples weren’t washed yet and they were waiting for one another to do this lowly and humbling task.
But for Jesus, He seized the opportunity to show them what is humility. He had always loved those who were His in this world, and now He showed how perfect His love was. And with that, Jesus connected the Eucharist with humility and service.
Later we priests are going to wash the feet of the 12 representatives of the community.
At the Chrism Mass this morning, we priests renewed our commitment to Jesus and to serve Him in His people.
Like Jesus, we priests pledge to serve God’s people by faithfully and lovingly carrying out the sacred duty of celebrating the Holy Eucharist, and to serve, just like Jesus who came to serve and not to be served.
Jesus gave us priests, as well as you, the priestly people, an example so that we may follow what He has done for us.
May the Eucharist make us holy, and may it also make us serve one another in love and in humility.
In this Mass, we commemorate the Institution of the Holy Eucharist. Jesus and His disciples began with the Passover meal, a Jewish sacred meal that celebrates God’s saving power in freeing Israel from slavery and bringing them to freedom with signs and wonders. We heard about that in the 1st reading.
But from the Passover meal, Jesus changed some elements that made it into what is now called the “Last Supper”, which in effect is also the “First Eucharist”.
Jesus gave His Body and Blood in the form of bread and wine, and He commanded His apostles to do that in memory of Him. That’s why today is also called Maundy Thursday. Maundy is derived from the Latin “mandatum” which means mandate.
Yes, at the Last Supper, Jesus gave His apostles the mandate to do that in memory of Him and the salvation that He offers through His Body and Blood. That is also reiterated in the 2nd reading.
But from the profound institution of the Eucharist at the Last Supper, the gospel talks about something rather mundane – the washing of feet. But it was Jesus, the Master, who was washing His disciples’ feet. There was no mention of Jesus giving His Body and Blood, other than that they were at supper.
So what has the Eucharist got to do with the washing of feet, so much so that we will even re-enact it later?
The thing is that the feet of the disciples weren’t washed yet and they were waiting for one another to do this lowly and humbling task.
But for Jesus, He seized the opportunity to show them what is humility. He had always loved those who were His in this world, and now He showed how perfect His love was. And with that, Jesus connected the Eucharist with humility and service.
Later we priests are going to wash the feet of the 12 representatives of the community.
At the Chrism Mass this morning, we priests renewed our commitment to Jesus and to serve Him in His people.
Like Jesus, we priests pledge to serve God’s people by faithfully and lovingly carrying out the sacred duty of celebrating the Holy Eucharist, and to serve, just like Jesus who came to serve and not to be served.
Jesus gave us priests, as well as you, the priestly people, an example so that we may follow what He has done for us.
May the Eucharist make us holy, and may it also make us serve one another in love and in humility.
Tuesday, March 27, 2018
Wednesday of Holy Week, 29-03-18
Isaiah 50:4-9 / Matthew 26:14-25
It is often said that we have a pair of ears and only one mouth, so it means that we should listen twice as much as we speak.
Also when we speak, we are only saying what we already know. But when we listen, we may learn something new.
The 1st reading tells us that the prophet Isaiah was given a disciple's tongue so that he may know how to reply to the wearied.
But he continued by saying that each morning the Lord wakes him up to hear, to listen like a disciple, for the Lord has opened his ear.
Indeed, when we listen to the voice of the Lord, then we will know how to speak with the words from the Lord, words that will console the wearied and strengthen the weak.
But there is a voice that we also need to listen to, and that is our own voice and what is coming forth from our mouths.
The voice of our words reveal much to us, just as they reveal ourselves to others.
In the gospel, when Jesus revealed to His disciples that one of them was about to betray Him, they were distressed and started to ask in turn, "Not I, Lord, surely?"
When it came to Judas, who was to betray Him, he too asked, "Not I, Rabbi, surely?" Jesus answered, "They are your own words."
If only Judas had truly listened to his own voice and to his own words. But he was bent on betraying Jesus and hence he won't listen to anything at all.
As we are about to enter into the Sacred Triduum, we will be listening to the gospel accounts which recall the suffering and death, and the Resurrection of Jesus.
But let us listen for the voice of the Lord in those accounts. It is a voice that is more than mere words. We only need to listen, so that we can be in union with Jesus in the next three days.
It is often said that we have a pair of ears and only one mouth, so it means that we should listen twice as much as we speak.
Also when we speak, we are only saying what we already know. But when we listen, we may learn something new.
The 1st reading tells us that the prophet Isaiah was given a disciple's tongue so that he may know how to reply to the wearied.
But he continued by saying that each morning the Lord wakes him up to hear, to listen like a disciple, for the Lord has opened his ear.
Indeed, when we listen to the voice of the Lord, then we will know how to speak with the words from the Lord, words that will console the wearied and strengthen the weak.
But there is a voice that we also need to listen to, and that is our own voice and what is coming forth from our mouths.
The voice of our words reveal much to us, just as they reveal ourselves to others.
In the gospel, when Jesus revealed to His disciples that one of them was about to betray Him, they were distressed and started to ask in turn, "Not I, Lord, surely?"
When it came to Judas, who was to betray Him, he too asked, "Not I, Rabbi, surely?" Jesus answered, "They are your own words."
If only Judas had truly listened to his own voice and to his own words. But he was bent on betraying Jesus and hence he won't listen to anything at all.
As we are about to enter into the Sacred Triduum, we will be listening to the gospel accounts which recall the suffering and death, and the Resurrection of Jesus.
But let us listen for the voice of the Lord in those accounts. It is a voice that is more than mere words. We only need to listen, so that we can be in union with Jesus in the next three days.
Monday, March 26, 2018
Tuesday of Holy Week, 27-03-18
Isaiah 49:1-6 / John 13:21-33, 36-38
In any culture, a meal is not just a social event. It is a time for bonding and deepening of relationships.
More so for the Jewish Passover meal. It is a religious meal, a time to recall and experience God's saving love for His people.
Yet at that Passover meal with His disciples, Jesus mentioned about betrayal.
Among the disciples who were around Jesus at that meal, two disciples would come to mind as we think about betrayal - Judas and Peter.
But what is the difference between them?
Well, Judas deliberately betrayed his Master, while Peter, in a moment of weakness, denied Him.
One was cold and calculated; the other was out of fear, weakness and cowardice.
The other disciples had varying degrees of betrayal, to say the least.
We may not be cold and calculated like Judas in betraying Jesus.
Yet like Peter and the rest, we have to guard against the devil who can so easily tempt us to turn love into hate, holiness into pride, discipline into cruelty, affection into complacency and reverence into routine.
Let us turn to the cross of Christ for protection against the devil and guard against temptation and sin.
In the cross, we see that the love of Christ is selfless, sacrificial, forgiving and compassionate.
Let us ask Jesus to keep us near His cross, always.
In any culture, a meal is not just a social event. It is a time for bonding and deepening of relationships.
More so for the Jewish Passover meal. It is a religious meal, a time to recall and experience God's saving love for His people.
Yet at that Passover meal with His disciples, Jesus mentioned about betrayal.
Among the disciples who were around Jesus at that meal, two disciples would come to mind as we think about betrayal - Judas and Peter.
But what is the difference between them?
Well, Judas deliberately betrayed his Master, while Peter, in a moment of weakness, denied Him.
One was cold and calculated; the other was out of fear, weakness and cowardice.
The other disciples had varying degrees of betrayal, to say the least.
We may not be cold and calculated like Judas in betraying Jesus.
Yet like Peter and the rest, we have to guard against the devil who can so easily tempt us to turn love into hate, holiness into pride, discipline into cruelty, affection into complacency and reverence into routine.
Let us turn to the cross of Christ for protection against the devil and guard against temptation and sin.
In the cross, we see that the love of Christ is selfless, sacrificial, forgiving and compassionate.
Let us ask Jesus to keep us near His cross, always.
Sunday, March 25, 2018
Monday of Holy Week, 26-03-18
Isaiah 42:1-7 / John 12:1-11
Among the words, whether spoken or unspoken, that are laden with regret are these words: I should have ...
We hear this being used in different ways and in different situations.
For e.g. "I should have taken the opportunity to encourage that person", "I should have visited my parents more often when they were still alive", "I should have studied harder for my exams".
The list of "I should have..." goes on and on.
We ourselves would have said it before.
Yet as much as those words might be laden with regret, still, regrets cannot reverse the situation or the consequence.
But in today's gospel, we see a woman who seized the opportunity to show Jesus an act of love.
And Jesus also reciprocated by affirming her of her love and generosity.
As we enter into Holy Week, let us also seize the little moments of opportunities to show Jesus an act of love.
It may be a dedicated time for prayer, or an act of service for a neighbour.
Whatever it may be, it will be appreciated by Jesus.
It is still not too late to deepen our Lenten preparation.
It might be late, but it is still better than to regret and keep saying "I should have ..."
Among the words, whether spoken or unspoken, that are laden with regret are these words: I should have ...
We hear this being used in different ways and in different situations.
For e.g. "I should have taken the opportunity to encourage that person", "I should have visited my parents more often when they were still alive", "I should have studied harder for my exams".
The list of "I should have..." goes on and on.
We ourselves would have said it before.
Yet as much as those words might be laden with regret, still, regrets cannot reverse the situation or the consequence.
But in today's gospel, we see a woman who seized the opportunity to show Jesus an act of love.
And Jesus also reciprocated by affirming her of her love and generosity.
As we enter into Holy Week, let us also seize the little moments of opportunities to show Jesus an act of love.
It may be a dedicated time for prayer, or an act of service for a neighbour.
Whatever it may be, it will be appreciated by Jesus.
It is still not too late to deepen our Lenten preparation.
It might be late, but it is still better than to regret and keep saying "I should have ..."
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