Holy Thursday, Year B, 01.04.2021

Exodus 12:1-8, 11-14 / 1 Cor 11:23-26 / John 13:1-15

This evening, as we begin the celebration of the Sacred Triduum, in which we recall and celebrate the great mystery of our salvation, we begin with the Lord's Supper. 

The Lord's Supper, or often called The Last Supper, was that significant occasion when Jesus instituted the Eucharist, the Sacrament of His Body and Blood. 

It was a sacred meal, which began like the Passover meal that we heard in the 1st reading. 

But unlike the Passover meal, something critical and essential was changed. 

As St. Paul recalled in the 2nd reading, Jesus took bread and consecrated as His Body. 

Likewise, He took the Chalice of wine and consecrated it as His Blood. 

And with that, Jesus offered His Body and Blood to His disciples and to the Church. 

It was the sacred meal that consisted of not ordinary bread and wine, but of the living Body and Blood of Christ. 

It is a life-giving meal that preceded the life-giving sacrifice of Jesus on the Cross which we will recall tomorrow. 

As we partake of this sacred life-giving meal, we are called to follow Jesus to offer a life-giving service to God and to others. 

Jesus washed the feet of His disciples to show that the partaking of the life-giving meal of the Eucharist should make us available for service to others. 

Jesus came not to be served, but to serve, and to offer His life as a ransom for many. 

As we begin the celebration of the mystery of our salvation by recalling the institution of the Holy Eucharist, let us be prepared to serve as Jesus did. 

As we partake of the life-giving meal of the Eucharist, let us follow Jesus to offer a life- giving service to the world. 

May our service and our lives also be a reflection of the salvation that Jesus Christ our Lord and Saviour is offering to the world. 

Wednesday of Holy Week, 31-03-2021

Isaiah 50:4-9 / Matthew 26:14-25    

In the gospel readings of the past two days and as well as today, there is a recurring mention of one particular character.

Other than Jesus, there is the mention of Judas Iscariot, and it is certainly something not edifying at all.

From his criticism about the wastage of the costly ointment that was used to anoint the feet of Jesus to his plotting with the chief priests to betray Jesus, Judas seemed to be getting the attention.

His emotionless actions and pretence at the Last Supper was really amazing and hence it can't be helped to just wonder about him and what was going on in his mind and heart.

Indeed evil seems so mysterious that it can capture our attention and to make us focus on it.

But we need to turn our focus on Jesus especially as we enter into the sacred Triduum tomorrow.

As we reflect on what Jesus said in today's gospel, He was hitting it really hard as He talks about betrayal by one of  the Twelve and He even said that it would be better if that man had never been born.

That sounded harsh and rather shocking, but Jesus was making that final attempt to wake the betrayer out of his intended evil action.

And that should also wake us up from our own sinfulness and to realise we have been complacent about our spiritual state and darkness had fallen upon us.

Let us wake up from our slumber. Let us follow Jesus in His suffering and death. Let us realise that Jesus suffered and died to save us from our sins. 

Let us die to our sins so that Jesus can lift us up to the new life of love that He wants to give us.

Tuesday of Holy Week, 30-03-2021

Isaiah 49:1-6 / John 13:21-33, 36-38  

It is rather amazing as well disturbing to see how cold and calculating Judas was at the Last Supper.

In the gospel passage that we heard (the gospel of John), there was no recorded words of Judas.

He didn't say anything, he acted normal, he did what he was told. Yet, behind and beneath that facade the shadows of betrayal are lurking and slithering around.

Yet for that to be happening in him during the Last Supper was unthinkable to the rest because it was for them the sacred Passover meal which celebrated the marvellous event of freedom from slavery in Egypt and the renewal of God's covenant with His people.

Jesus sensed that betrayal and treachery, and troubled in spirit, He said: I tell you most solemnly, one of you will betray me.

He was even more direct when He said that it was the one to whom He gave the piece of bread that He shall dip in the dish, and thereafter He gave it to Judas.

Judas was the Apostle most in need of Jesus' love that night.  It was the last opportunity for Judas to turn from sin and turn to Jesus. But he rejected Jesus for the final time. 

Instead of softening Judas' heart the gesture seemed to harden it and thereby he gave himself completely over into Satan's power.

As for ourselves, we cannot say that there is no sin in us. Every sin is a betrayal of the love of Jesus for us and to receive Holy Communion with a grave sin is as bad as what happened to Judas after he had taken the piece of bread from Jesus - the devil enters into the heart.

So let us take the Sacrament of Reconciliation seriously and resolve to stay clean of sin and keep united with Jesus in Holy Communion. Let us be true to Jesus, so that we can be true to ourselves and to others.

Monday of Holy Week, 29-03-2021

Isaiah 42:1-7 / John 12:1-11    

Perfume is meant to be sprayed or applied to those parts of the body where the scent is meant to be enjoyed by us and also by the people around us.

Especially if it is a costly perfume. All the more we would use it sparingly and on special occasions.

Nobody would think of spraying or applying a costly perfume on a part of the body like the feet.

That would seem rather wasteful and would sound ridiculous, unless there is a strange reason for doing so.

In the gospel, Mary brought in a pound of very costly ointment, pure nard, and with it, anointed the feet of Jesus, wiping them with her hair, and the house was full of the scent of the ointment.

What Mary did raised comments about being wasteful with costly ointment as well as probably being an inappropriate act.

But when seen from Mary's perspective, she could only see that the costly ointment was only fit for the feet of Jesus and that she was only worthy to touch the feet of Jesus.

That also reminds us that whatever we offer to God, no matter how costly, valuable or special, is not going to be of any worth if we do not offer it humbly.

Let us humbly and thankfully place our offerings, be it our service, our work, our time, and even our lives at the feet of Jesus. 

There is also no credit to claim for ourselves, as we must remember that all comes as a gift from God.

Palm Sunday, Year B, 28.03.2021

Isaiah 50:4-7 / Philippians 2:6-11 / Mark 14:1 -15:39

Today the Church begins Holy Week with Palm Sunday or Passion Sunday.

So, what is the correct title? Is it Palm Sunday or Passion Sunday? 

Well, it is both actually. At the beginning of the Mass, there is the blessing of the palm branches.

And then there is the long gospel narrative of the suffering and death of Jesus.

So, what does all these mean as we begin Holy Week and going on to Maundy Thursday, Good Friday and Easter?

With Palm Sunday, we begin the yearly journey, and it is journey not so much towards a destination, but a journey into a sacred time.

We follow Jesus to accomplish His Paschal Mystery, which is His suffering, death and Resurrection, or in simple terms, the saving mission of Jesus.

Jesus wants to save us from our sins and bring us closer to God. 

From the depths of human weakness and sinfulness, Jesus wants to lift us up to God and to live a life of holiness, a life that God has created us to live.

So, let us follow Jesus from the agony of the Cross to the glory of the Resurrection, and with the power of the Cross, may our faith be renewed and strengthened.

May the celebration of the sacred feasts also bring us God’s blessings and protection.

5th Week of Lent, Saturday, 27-03-2021

Ezekiel 37:21-28 / John 11:45-56        

If we are asked whether Singapore is a country or a nation, we may find it rather difficult to answer that question.

We may also not be that clear about the difference between a country and a nation, so we may say that Singapore is both a country and a nation, or a bit of both.

A nation refers to a group of people with some common unifying factors, and since we are an island-state, then we too are a country.

But whether nation or country, the essential factor is the people.

In the 1st reading, God says that He was going to bring back His people from among the nations where they were scattered, and bring them home to their own soil.

More than just to form them into a nation with a country of their own, God wants to make an eternal covenant with His people so that He will be their God and they will be His people.

Jesus came to renew that covenant with His blood so that we will be God's People. 

And just as the Lord God is the sanctifier of Israel and that His sanctuary will be with them forever, Jesus died on the Cross to save us and to make us holy so that as God's Holy People, we will be a sign of God's holiness to the world.

5th Week of Lent, Friday, 26-03-2021

Jeremiah 20:10-13 / John 10:31-42       

Generally it can be said that charity begets charity and one good deed deserves another.

But if one good deed is not returned with another, then we may need to do some re-thinking.

And if we expect one good deed to be returned with another, then we may need to revise our expectations.

In the 1st reading, the prophet Jeremiah was lamenting that though he had not done anything evil, in fact he was only doing what the Lord God wanted him to do, men were plotting to harm him and inflict evil upon him.

What he was doing was a good deed, but what he got in return was "terror from every side".

It was the similar situation in the gospel when the people wanted to stone Jesus, not so much for doing good works, but for speaking the truth.

The people couldn't comprehend the truth, hence they rather not accept it, and even turned hostile and violent against it.

But whether it is doing good deeds or speaking the truth, let us ask God to guide us to do what He wants of us.

And if we face opposition and resistance, let us trust in the Lord and like what the prophet Jeremiah said: Sing to the Lord, praise the Lord, for He has delivered the soul of the needy from the hands of evil men.