Mary, the Holy Mother of God

Numbers 6:22-27 / Galatians 4:4-7 / Luke 2:16-21

One year ago this day, we began the new year happily. Things were generally going on well and good then. In fact, we were looking forward to a good year ahead.

We had planned out the year and we expected things to go as planned: our schedules, our celebrations, our projects, our holidays. We may even be expecting it to be a profitable year for us.

Well, looking back, we know how the year turned out. There were major interruptions and disruptions; we had to make drastic adjustments and re-calibrations.

We were anxious and worried; we were cautious and even afraid.

Nobody really expected it to be such a turbulent year with so many unpredictables.

Not many of us can say that it has been an enriching and fulfilling year.

But most of us will say that 2020 was a year to remember.

As we step into the first day of 2021, we are certainly more sober. We ponder and wonder what will the days ahead be like.

In the gospel, Mary also wondered and pondered at what the shepherds said about the Child Jesus.

Her life was drastically changed ever since she said “Yes” to the Lord at the Annunciation.

As she carried the Child Jesus in that stable at Bethlehem, she wondered, she pondered and she treasured in her heart all that had happened.

We too wonder and ponder about all that had happened to us.

Indeed, the year 2020 is a year to be remembered. But is it a year to be treasured?

Well, it was a rough and turbulent year. But there were lessons learnt.

We learnt to go back to prayer and it can be said that we did a lot of praying, maybe we never even prayed so much before.

But it was through prayer that we felt God’s protection and guidance, just as He protected and guided Mary to fulfil His will for her.

As we wonder and ponder with Mary on God’s plan for us, let us also give thanks for the gift of prayer and treasure it in our hearts.

May we also stay close with Mary, the Mother of God and our Mother, as she prays with us and for us.

Through her intercession, may we receive blessing upon blessing, and have the strength and courage to face the difficulties of life, and yet be peaceful and joyful with the love of the Lord 

Seventh Day Within Octave of Christmas, Thursday, 31-12-2020

1 John 2:18-21 / John 1:1-18   

As we come to the last day of the year 2020, we will think about how this year has turned out.

We might even be tempted to say: O God, can you please reboot 2020. The one that you sent had a virus! 😂

So, if we really could, would we really want to go back in time and start 2020 all over again?

The gospel passage began with these words: In the beginning was the Word.

It reminds us that Jesus, the Word of God, was with us as we began this year, and that He was with us throughout the year.

We may look back at the year with regrets and with disappointments at all the things that have gone wrong and think that it had been a really rough year.

But we have survived the year, and thanks be to God, we still are able to look forward with hope to the new year and the days to come.

But we must stand firm in our faith that Jesus has always been with us and will always be with us, no matter how rough and tough the days ahead may be.

It is our faith in Jesus that we can have the hope and the courage to look forward to the days to come.

The future is in the hands of Jesus. Let us thank Him for being our Saviour and He will bestow us with grace upon grace.

Sixth Day Within Octave of Christmas, Wednesday, 30-12-2020

1 John 2:12-17 / Luke 2:36-40     

It can be said that experience comes with age and those in the senior age group certainly have a lot of experiences in life and they would know quite a bit about life also.

The seniors, with their experience, would certainly have some wisdom to share with us if we are humble enough to listen to them.

In the gospel, the 84 year old Anna is called a prophetess, although there were no recorded prophecies from her.

But at her age and having gone through quite a bit in life, she would have enough wisdom to share with those who seek her counsel.

And with her life of prayer and fasting and service to God, her wisdom would certainly be inspired by God.

She came by just at that moment and she spoke of the Child to all who looked forward to God's promise of salvation.

For Mary and Joseph, it was another affirmation of who the Child Jesus really is.

As for us, let us listen humbly to the voice of God from the seniors in our midst.

They will tell us what life is about and they will also tell us how God wants us to live our lives.

Fifth Day Within Octave of Christmas, Tuesday, 29-12-2020

1 John 2:3-11 / Luke 2:22-38         

We have many wishes in life. Some wishes have come true while others still remain as wishes.

But what is our greatest wish and desire in life?

It certainly cannot be a temporary wish for something that can just make us happy for a while.

If we really want to think about it, then we will come to see that our greatest desire is to close our eyes peacefully when it comes to our time to leave this world.

For Simeon, he had lived an upright and devout life. 

The Holy Spirit rested on him, and it was revealed to him that he would not see death until he had set eyes on the Christ of the Lord.

And Simeon had his wish fulfilled when Mary and Joseph brought the infant Jesus to the Temple.

Whatever our wishes are in life, may our deepest desire is to be at peace with God and with others as we close our eyes to this world.

Jesus will grant us that when we keep our eyes fixed on Him and live an upright and devout life.

Holy Innocents, Martyrs, Monday, 28-12-2020

1 John 1:5 - 2:2 / Matthew 2:13-18    

As the Church tells the Christmas story after the birth of Jesus, it is obvious by now that it is not just a rosy heart-warming story.

After celebrating the birth of Christ on Christmas Day, the Church follows on with the feast of St. Stephen who suffered martyrdom by being stoned to death.

And today, the story is followed on with another bloody heart-wrenching story of the massacre of the infants in Bethlehem.

Those infants were hardly 2 years old and they were killed under the orders of a paranoid king who felt threatened by an infant whom he came to know as King of the Jews.

The Church calls those infants The Holy Innocents and proclaimed them as martyrs, although it was certainly not their choice to offer their lives for Christ.

Those infants hardly knew the difference between their left hand and right, neither did they did anything bad, or for that matter, anything good.

But the Church honours them so as to state the virtue of innocence and that those who lost their lives innocently from violence and hostility will not lose their lives in vain.

They will be remembered, just as the Holy Innocents are remembered and honoured.

Their cries will not be in vain as God will gather them into His loving arms.

But may the cries of the innocents, whether of infants, children or adults, be heard by us so that, with God-given courage, we will do whatever we can to put an end to the violence and hostility against the innocent.

Holy Family, Year B, 27.12.2020

Ecclesiasticus 3:2-6, 12-14 / Col 3:12-21 / Luke 2:22-40    

There are a couple of words that will stir the heart. And not just the heart, but also the mind. 

It may just be words, but somehow there is a feeling to it, and it brings out some emotions in us. 

One of those words is “home”. The other word is closely associated with it, and that is “family”. 

Yes, home and family. Two words that will stir up some thoughts in the mind and some feelings in the heart. 

And especially at this time, some of us may feel it more. Because of travel restrictions and other factors, we can’t go home and to be with family. 

But it is also especially at this time, that home and family are very much in the focus because we are at home more often and we spend more time with family members. 

Now, that should be a good thing isn’t it. After all, people often say that they wish to be at home more often and to spend time with family. 

Well, there is always a flip side to things and some quirky comments have come up over this situation: 

- My family is temperamental: half temper, half mental.

- What is the point of cleaning up the home, if these people are going to keep staying here. 

- If I were to shake my family tree, I’m sure that a bunch of nuts will fall out. 

But before we go too much into the quirky side of the family, let us remember that this weekend, the Church is celebrating the Feast of the Holy Family. 

It is a feast that is very near and dear to us, because it is a celebration of who God is, who Jesus, Mary and Joseph are as family, what the Church is, and what we are as family. 

God is family, Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Jesus came into this world and He was born into the family of Joseph and  Mary. 

The Church is a reflection of who God is and what the family is about. 

And these profound aspects of life and love flows down to us and into our families. 

Our families are to be like that of Holy Family, united in love, so that we can be signs of the unity and the love of God who is Trinity. 

But we know how challenging family life can be and how difficult it is to love our family members. 

In fact, the ones who can be the most difficult to love are the very ones who are closest to us, i.e. our family members. 

They can be difficult to love and they can also hurt us the most. The most painful tragedy of the family is when resentment turns into hatred resulting in division and even violence. 

And it can and usually start from small and petty things like dissatisfaction and unhappiness. 

Joseph could have thought: I don’t want any more dreams. I want a peaceful life. I’m tired of taking care of Mary and Jesus. 

Mary could have thought: I did what God wanted me to do. How come life is not smooth and comfortable? I feel so insecure. 

And if baby Jesus could talk, He might have said something like: This is not my idea of a crib. Couldn’t Joseph and Mary do better than this? 

They could have thought that way, but they didn’t because they chose not to. 

They chose to love and with love as their decision, they accepted each other and their situation and hence the Holy Family reflected who God is and what our families should be like. 

Yes, never let resentment against family members lead us into sin. The sunset must not find us still angry. Do not give the devil his opportunity. 

Rather with every sunrise, let us pray that the life and love of God will fill the hearts of our family members, so that united in heart and mind, there will be peace and joy, as well as kindness and forgiveness. 

May the Holy family also pray for us, that we will have the strength and courage of Joseph, the tenderness and faith of Mary, and may Jesus protect our families from all evil and danger.

St. Stephen, Protomartyr, Saturday, 26-12-2020

Acts 6:8-10; 7:54-59 / Matthew 10:17-22   

On the day after Christmas Day, it would be easier to talk about those things that are associated with the birth of Christ.

After all the images of Mary and Joseph, the shepherds and the sheep, the Star and the wise men, and even the ox and the donkey at the stable are fresh in our minds.

But on the second day of the Christmas season, it is about St. Stephen and his martyrdom, and we might wonder what it has to do with the birth of Jesus.

When we look beyond the Christmas carols and the festive celebrations that are often attached with Christmas, we will see the shades of rejection, hostility and violence that surrounded the birth of Jesus.

There was king Herod who wanted to track down the baby Jesus and do away with Him; there was no room at the inns in Bethlehem for Mary to give birth to Jesus; there were more important things happening, like the census, than the birth of the Saviour.

With these in mind, then we will be able to see the connection between the birth of Jesus and the martyrdom of St. Stephen.

St. Stephen witnessed to  Jesus with his life, even though like Jesus, he did nothing that was wrong.

Yet his death would have an influence on Saul, who would later be converted and be St. Paul.

The birth of Jesus and the rejection, violence and hostility He faced were indications of His future death for the salvation of sinners.

Let us pray that like St. Stephen, we too will witness to Jesus and be instruments of His salvation for others.