Isaiah 65:17-21 / John 4:43-54
It is often easier to talk about concepts and ideas and rather than to talk about reality and experiences.
This may sound strange but for those of us who are in the teaching and presentation business, we find it easier to talk about lofty and high-flown concepts and ideas.
To talk about reality and the human experience would require some thinking and reflection in order to find the right expressions.
In the gospel, Jesus seemed to be talking about the lofty ideas of faith and belief rather than to give the people the signs that they need.
But the court official begged Him with these words: Come down, before my child dies.
But that phrase "come down" was not to tell Jesus to stop talking up there in the air.
Rather it was an open invitation for Jesus to come and reinforce the faith that the court official had in Jesus.
The court official too had to "come down" to the essentials of his faith and believe in Jesus, and to obey Jesus to go home and believe that his son will live.
Even the 1st reading of the promise of the new heavens and new earth are expressed in the human longing for joy and gladness.
The season of Lent is to help us to renew our faith in God.
A renewed faith in the power of Jesus can bring about in a renewed faith in the wonderful and amazing things that God will do for us.
A renewed faith combined with the powerful love of Jesus can indeed bring about forgiveness and healing, which is so much needed in our world.
Sunday, March 31, 2019
4th Sunday of Lent, Year C, 31.03.2019
Joshua 5:9-12 / 2 Cor 5:17-21 / Luke 15:1-3, 11-32
Generally speaking, human beings have five senses – sight, smell, hearing, taste and touch.
These five senses provide the brain with the necessary data for perception and interaction with the surroundings.
Then there is the sixth sense, which may be termed as intuition, or it could be some kind of awareness that cannot be explained in terms of normal perception.
Of course what must not be forgotten is “common sense” which we are supposed to have but somehow we seem to be unaware of it or we don’t seem to use it that much.
Common sense tells us what is obvious about life but somehow we don’t pay much attention to it.
For example, no matter how tall we are, we won’t be able to see what is going to happen tomorrow.
No matter how big a car we drive, we still need to walk to the bed.
Yes, that is the common sense about the reality of life, but somehow our awareness and our perception of it seem to get dimmed by the busyness and anxieties of life.
And that’s why we need to be constantly reminded of the basic common realities of life, the “common sense” of life so to speak, because we do forget and then we let “nonsense” be the direction of our lives.
The gospel begins by saying that the tax-collectors and sinners were all seeking the company of Jesus to hear what He had to say.
But why did those sinners want to seek the company of Jesus and hear what He had to say?
Could it be that they realise that their way of life is not making any sense and that what Jesus was saying was bringing them back to their senses and awakening in them the love of God for them?
The parable that Jesus told, often called the parable of the Prodigal Son, may seem rather irrational and even nonsensical. But that’s the purpose of a parable, because a parable is about a divine revelation in a human situation.
So it is not the divine revelation that is irrational or nonsensical. Rather it is the human situation that is irrational and nonsensical.
What the younger son did was totally irrational and nonsensical. He asked for his share of the property and he got it. He did the stupid thing of leaving his father for a distant country where he squandered his money on a life of debauchery.
And when he was totally down and out, he did the unthinkable of going against his Jewish tradition of hiring himself out to look after pigs.
But it was in that pigsty that all his senses rebelled against him – the sight, the stench, the sound, the filth and the hunger – and then, as the parable puts it, he came to his senses.
And as his senses awakened, common sense and all, he decided to leave that place and go back to his father.
We may have heard this parable countless of times, but we have to admit that what the father did was very surprising and unexpected.
And this is the divine revelation in the human situation. No matter how gravely we have sinned or how far we have turned away from God, God is like the father who saw his son while he was still a long way off and ran to him, clasped him in his arms and kissed him tenderly.
Indeed, that is God’s revelation in a human situation, and that may also leave us with a question. Can it be possible that God can forgive just like that? Maybe it is possible for God but not for us.
Because forgiveness is so difficult. And even if we can forgive, then we still cannot forget.
That was what the Pharisees were saying, “This man welcomes sinners and eats with them.” They cannot accept sinners, much less forgive them.
That’s also the elder son, when he said, “This son of yours, when he comes back after swallowing your property … “ The elder son can’t forgive his younger brother.
But unforgiveness is actually irrational and nonsensical. Because unforgiveness is a spiritual disease and it is manifested physically in our health issues.
Unforgiveness is also manifested emotionally, as we become angry easily and we burn with resentment and bitterness.
But through the gospel parable, a profound divine revelation comes into a profane human situation.
God forgives, He is merciful and compassionate, He runs towards us even though we have sinned, He takes away our shame, He clasps us in His arms and He wants to heal us of the wounds of our sins.
So let us join those tax-collectors and sinners in the gospel and listen to what Jesus has to say to us.
May we come to our senses, be healed and forgiven, and be ambassadors of Jesus to bring about reconciliation, forgiveness and healing.
3rd Week of Lent, Saturday, 30-03-19
Hosea 5:15 - 6:6 / Luke 18:9-14
One of the preparations before going for the Sacrament of Reconciliation is to use the 10 Commandments for the examination of conscience.
Breaking any of the 10 Commandments is indeed a grave sin.
Hence not going for Mass on Sundays, disrespect for parents, stealing, adultery, all these are grave sins. Blatantly grave.
But what is blatant can be equally destructive as what is subtle.
We avoid obvious grave sins, yet we can forget that there are sins that are not so obvious that will cause us to trip and fall.
In today's gospel parable, the Pharisee was proud that he did not commit any grave sin ; in fact he did credible deeds.
But why was he not at rights with God?
As always, pride comes before the fall.
His problem was spiritual pride - he called another person a sinner without acknowledging to be one himself.
He propped himself up, at the expense of another person.
It was subtle, but evil. So we need to watch ourselves.
If we think we are virtuous, are we also getting self-righteous?
We can make sacrifices and perform credible deeds.
But what the Lord wants is not sacrifice. What He wants is our love for Him and for those around us.
And we if should fall, then we only need to turn to God and say : God, be merciful to me, a sinner.
One of the preparations before going for the Sacrament of Reconciliation is to use the 10 Commandments for the examination of conscience.
Breaking any of the 10 Commandments is indeed a grave sin.
Hence not going for Mass on Sundays, disrespect for parents, stealing, adultery, all these are grave sins. Blatantly grave.
But what is blatant can be equally destructive as what is subtle.
We avoid obvious grave sins, yet we can forget that there are sins that are not so obvious that will cause us to trip and fall.
In today's gospel parable, the Pharisee was proud that he did not commit any grave sin ; in fact he did credible deeds.
But why was he not at rights with God?
As always, pride comes before the fall.
His problem was spiritual pride - he called another person a sinner without acknowledging to be one himself.
He propped himself up, at the expense of another person.
It was subtle, but evil. So we need to watch ourselves.
If we think we are virtuous, are we also getting self-righteous?
We can make sacrifices and perform credible deeds.
But what the Lord wants is not sacrifice. What He wants is our love for Him and for those around us.
And we if should fall, then we only need to turn to God and say : God, be merciful to me, a sinner.
Thursday, March 28, 2019
3rd Week of Lent, Friday, 29-03-19
Hosea 14:2-10 / Mark 12:28-34
In our worship, we use very lofty and transcendent names for God.
We say prayers like "I confess to Almighty God ..." or "We believe in one God, the Father Almighty".
It is an expression of who God is and that we are His creatures.
Yet the image of an almighty God was reduced to that of a broken-hearted father who is pleading with his children to return to him, as the prophet Hosea put it in the 1st reading.
God was also portrayed as a father yearning for his children's love.
But how can!? How can God be portrayed as going down on His knees and pleading with His creatures?
Could not God have used His almighty power to work some spectacular signs and bring His people back to Him?
Or just give the ultimatum : Come back or else!
Surely He could. But of course God knows better.
God knows that a forced loved is not a true love.
True love comes from a freedom to love.
As Jesus puts it in the gospel - to love with all the heart, all the soul, all the mind and all the strength.
That is the kind of love that God has for us, and an everlasting love at that.
We know how to love Him in return - and that is by loving others.
God has made His choice to love us. It is now up to us to make our choice.
In our worship, we use very lofty and transcendent names for God.
We say prayers like "I confess to Almighty God ..." or "We believe in one God, the Father Almighty".
It is an expression of who God is and that we are His creatures.
Yet the image of an almighty God was reduced to that of a broken-hearted father who is pleading with his children to return to him, as the prophet Hosea put it in the 1st reading.
God was also portrayed as a father yearning for his children's love.
But how can!? How can God be portrayed as going down on His knees and pleading with His creatures?
Could not God have used His almighty power to work some spectacular signs and bring His people back to Him?
Or just give the ultimatum : Come back or else!
Surely He could. But of course God knows better.
God knows that a forced loved is not a true love.
True love comes from a freedom to love.
As Jesus puts it in the gospel - to love with all the heart, all the soul, all the mind and all the strength.
That is the kind of love that God has for us, and an everlasting love at that.
We know how to love Him in return - and that is by loving others.
God has made His choice to love us. It is now up to us to make our choice.
Wednesday, March 27, 2019
3rd Week of Lent, Thursday, 28-03-19
Jeremiah 7:23-28 / Luke 11:14-23
Whenever we say that history repeats itself, we are more inclined to think that it is the mistakes of the past that are repeated.
These mistakes only show that the present generation has not learned much from the prior generation or from the past events of history.
This was also what the prophet Jeremiah was saying in the 1st reading.
Just about 120 years before, the Northern Kingdom of Israel had been annihilated by Assyria.
And now, the Southern Kingdom of Judah was facing the same threat from Babylon.
And God was warning them through Jeremiah. But why were they not heeding? Why were they not listening?
If anything, it is not too much to say that that the people do not love God.
Because one of the fruits of love is to listen.
Just like if we love our parents, our spouse, our children, our friends, we will listen to them with a heart of love.
Similarly when we love someone, we will also speak to that person with a heart of love.
When we listen and speak with a heart of love, then with Jesus we gather others into the peace of God's kingdom.
It is either we gather people into the peace and love of God's kingdom, or we scatter and bring division.
There isn't a third option.
Whenever we say that history repeats itself, we are more inclined to think that it is the mistakes of the past that are repeated.
These mistakes only show that the present generation has not learned much from the prior generation or from the past events of history.
This was also what the prophet Jeremiah was saying in the 1st reading.
Just about 120 years before, the Northern Kingdom of Israel had been annihilated by Assyria.
And now, the Southern Kingdom of Judah was facing the same threat from Babylon.
And God was warning them through Jeremiah. But why were they not heeding? Why were they not listening?
If anything, it is not too much to say that that the people do not love God.
Because one of the fruits of love is to listen.
Just like if we love our parents, our spouse, our children, our friends, we will listen to them with a heart of love.
Similarly when we love someone, we will also speak to that person with a heart of love.
When we listen and speak with a heart of love, then with Jesus we gather others into the peace of God's kingdom.
It is either we gather people into the peace and love of God's kingdom, or we scatter and bring division.
There isn't a third option.
3rd Week of Lent, Wednesday, 27-03-19
Deuteronomy 4:1, 5-9 / Matthew 5:17-19
Children often have some resistance with the things that we ask them to do.
Things like washing their hands before meals, brushing their teeth, going to bed early, etc.
They don't seem to be convinced that what we tell them is really good for them.
But how different are we from children when it comes to keeping God's law?
Do we really understand what it means when Moses said in the 1st reading: Observe them, that you may have life.
Yet we know that whenever God's law is not kept, problems arise and tragedies happen.
Whatever examples of problems to tragedies that we can think of, it can be certain that greed and injustice have a part in it.
It is just another case of God's law not being kept.
That was why Moses added: Tell it to your children, and your children's children.
And Jesus said in the gospel: I have come not to abolish but to complete the Law.
God's law is our life-line. Jesus is not only Law-giver. He is also the Life-giver.
In keeping the Law of God, we will have life.
Children often have some resistance with the things that we ask them to do.
Things like washing their hands before meals, brushing their teeth, going to bed early, etc.
They don't seem to be convinced that what we tell them is really good for them.
But how different are we from children when it comes to keeping God's law?
Do we really understand what it means when Moses said in the 1st reading: Observe them, that you may have life.
Yet we know that whenever God's law is not kept, problems arise and tragedies happen.
Whatever examples of problems to tragedies that we can think of, it can be certain that greed and injustice have a part in it.
It is just another case of God's law not being kept.
That was why Moses added: Tell it to your children, and your children's children.
And Jesus said in the gospel: I have come not to abolish but to complete the Law.
God's law is our life-line. Jesus is not only Law-giver. He is also the Life-giver.
In keeping the Law of God, we will have life.
Monday, March 25, 2019
3rd Week of Lent, Tuesday, 26-03-19
Daniel 3:25, 34-43 / Matthew 18:21-35
Most of us have this experience of lending money to people.
And most of the time, we end up so frustrated and feel like banging our heads against the wall.
Because we lent the money so easily, but it came back to us with so much difficulty and so slowly, if ever at all.
And of course, the higher the amount of money lent, the greater the frustration and the heart-ache.
So when it comes to talking about forgiveness, Jesus did not talk in abstract terms.
He used this experience of loans and payment.
Immediately we will know what it means to forgive. It is almost synonymous to writing off a debt.
But to be able to write off a debt, it means that we have come to the realization and enlightenment that there is something beyond money.
Only then can we let go and move on.
Similarly, to forgive someone who had done us great harm and hurt us grievously, it means that we have come to the realization and enlightenment that there is something beyond the anger, the pain and the hate.
Let us pray for this realization and enlightenment.
Because it is a special grace from God. It is His healing love that is being poured into our hearts.
Most of us have this experience of lending money to people.
And most of the time, we end up so frustrated and feel like banging our heads against the wall.
Because we lent the money so easily, but it came back to us with so much difficulty and so slowly, if ever at all.
And of course, the higher the amount of money lent, the greater the frustration and the heart-ache.
So when it comes to talking about forgiveness, Jesus did not talk in abstract terms.
He used this experience of loans and payment.
Immediately we will know what it means to forgive. It is almost synonymous to writing off a debt.
But to be able to write off a debt, it means that we have come to the realization and enlightenment that there is something beyond money.
Only then can we let go and move on.
Similarly, to forgive someone who had done us great harm and hurt us grievously, it means that we have come to the realization and enlightenment that there is something beyond the anger, the pain and the hate.
Let us pray for this realization and enlightenment.
Because it is a special grace from God. It is His healing love that is being poured into our hearts.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)