1st Week of Advent, Wednesday, 01-12-2021

Isaiah 25:6-10 / Matthew 15:29-37     

As much the basic needs of life are food, clothing and shelter, there is one fundamental and essential need that is presupposed above these needs.

That fundamental and essential need is to be healthy and well enough to live life.

Because when there is illness or diseases, then the best food, or clothing, or shelter, do not really matter that much.

What is most needed is to be cured and to be well enough to get on with life.

In the gospel, Jesus cured the sick who were brought to Him and the people praised God.

But the next need came in, and that was hunger, and again Jesus miraculously provided food for the people.

But more than just curing illness and diseases and providing food, there is a fundamental human need that was fulfilled.

Jesus showed God's love by curing illness and diseases and providing food for the hungry.

Indeed, when there is love, we will be able to bear whatever pains and difficulties and the burdens of life.

May we always be filled with God's love and may we also share that love with those in need so that they too will know that God loves them.

St. Andrew, Apostle, Tuesday, 30-11-2021

Romans 10:9-18 / Matthew 4:18-22    

We have heard of the term "sibling rivalry". 

It is not just a concept but a reality that can exist between siblings.

But on the other hand, there is also sibling unity, and it is heart-warming when siblings look out and care for one another.

According to Christian tradition, Andrew is the older brother of Peter.

But Peter is the more prominent sibling and also more vocal and impulsive.

Andrew may seem to the quieter one, and maybe more pensive and thoughtful.

And it was he who brought Peter to Jesus, and that was how Peter got his calling.

St. Andrew gave us an example of not just being a caring sibling and a thoughtful person.

He also gave us an example of being a missionary of Christ and bringing people to know Christ.

May we follow his example of being a caring brother or sister to others and to let them know who Jesus is by our actions.

1st Week of Advent, Monday, 29-11-2021

Isaiah 2:1-5 / Matthew 8:5-11   

A soldier is one who is engaged in military service and commonly in the army.

So it can generally be presumed that a soldier is trained to fight with weapons and will do so in a battle.

But what is really the role of a soldier and what does he fight for?

A good soldier can be said to be one who fights, not because of what he hates is in front of him.

Rather, a good soldier fights, because of what he loves is behind him.

So, a good soldier fights to defend and not so much to destroy.

What humanity needs to understand is that war and violence does not prove who is right.

What is right is the need for reconciliation and to work for peace.

Then swords will be hammered into ploughshares and spears into sickles.

And we pray that those with military power and might will be like the centurion who recognises and acknowledges the authority of Jesus.

For Jesus is the Prince of peace. And we will have peace when we listen to His Word.

1st Sunday of Advent, Year C, 28.11.2021

Jeremiah 33:14-16 / 1 Thess 3:12 – 4:2 / Luke 21:25-28, 34-36

One of the easily available nutritious tropical fruit is the humble papaya. 

The papaya has a sweet taste and a vibrant colour and the wide variety of health benefits make the papaya a popular fruit. 

It is available at most times of the year and it is also not that expensive. In fact, it may be called a budget fruit. 

And it can be eaten in many ways. It can be sliced up and refreshing to eat when it is chilled. It can be added to salads, or blended into smoothies, or for toppings on the ice cream, or even added into soup. 

The nutrients found in the papaya are thought to have a range of health benefits, and may help to protect against a number of health conditions. 

But of course, having said all that, as in everything that is good and beneficial, it has to be eaten in moderation. 

What is usually done when we want to eat the papaya, is to cut it up and the roundish black seeds are removed and discarded. 

But here is where we might just want to take a moment to do a reflection. 

The seeds, unlike the skin of the papaya, is not useless just because we don't consume them. 

In fact, each seed, if planted and nurtured, has the potential to germinate and grow into a tree and bear fruit. 

So, each seed is a sign of life, and it is up to us whether we want to do something about it. 

In the gospel, Jesus talked about signs when He said that there will be signs in the sun and the moon and the stars. He goes on to give a disturbing and terrifying picture of what might seem to be the end times. 

But Jesus also added by saying that it is in those times that the Son of Man will come in a cloud with power and great glory. 

With that, Jesus tells us what we should do for now, and that is to watch ourselves, or our hearts will be coarsened with the unimportant things of life. 

Jesus ends off by urging us to stay awake, praying at all times and to stand in confidence. 

Yes, we have to watch ourselves and stay awake and keep our hearts from being coarsened and hardened by the cares of this world, and ignoring the signs that God is showing us. 

As we begin the season of Advent, we light the first candle of the Advent wreath. This first Sunday of Advent marks a new beginning in the liturgical life of the church. 

The lighted candle is a sign for us to reflect deeper about life, so that we can see more signs that are pointing to life and love. 

There is this story of a traveller who came upon an empty plot of land. He noticed an elderly man walking about in the barren land with a metal pipe in his hand. 

As he walked around, he would stop now and then to poke the metal pipe into the ground and then he would drop a seed from the other end of the pipe. 

The traveller was curious and asked the elderly man what he was doing. The man replied, “When I came into this world, there were fruit trees and I enjoyed the fruits that others before me had planted. I want to do the same, so that the next generation can have fruits to enjoy.” 

So, the next time when we cut up a papaya, let us take a moment to look at the seeds. 

We may know the number of seeds in a papaya, but only God knows the number of papayas there can be in a seed. 

The signs that God wants us to look at are not in the sun or moon or stars. 

God wants us to look at the signs in the people that we encounter. 

God wants us to see that in each person, there is a potential to bear fruits of life and love. 

When we can see that, then the season of Advent would prepare us for a joyful celebration of life and love.

34th Week, Ordinary Time, Friday, 26-11-2021

Daniel 7:2-14 / Luke 21:29-33       

Every generation faces a crisis that seemed like the end of the world.

The generation that faced WW II had thought that the end of the world was near.

Those who survived became more resilient and grew stronger to face the challenges ahead.

We have to learn from that generation and to know that we can only grow stronger when we persist and persevere.

In the 1st reading, the visions of the prophet Daniel began with terrifying and disturbing signs. 

But those signs gave way to a glorious triumph of good over evil.

In the end, God triumphed over evil. Evil may cause much distress but it will be destroyed in the end.

Jesus promised that evil does not have the last say.

Heaven and earth may pass away, but His words will not pass away.

Let us believe that eventually God will triumph over evil.

Let us persist and persevere and we will only grow stronger with each crisis.

34th Week, Ordinary Time, Thursday, 25-11-2021

Daniel 6:12-28 / Luke 21:20-28   

In a time of danger or distress, it is only natural that we face and try to overcome the danger, or if possible, to find a way out of the danger or distress.

It is inevitable that our focus and energies are concentrated on avoiding the danger or overcoming the distress.

But faith tells us not to just look at the things of earth, but also to look at the things above.

In other words, with faith, we believe that God will come to our help and save us from the danger and distress.

In the 1st reading, the prophet Daniel was about to be thrown into the lion's pit.

The king had tried to save him but in vain, and he could say to Daniel, "Your God, whom you have served so faithfully, will have to save you."

So Daniel was thrown into the lions' pit and the opening was sealed, and with that, so was Daniel's fate.

But the next morning, Daniel was found to be still alive and unharmed by the lions.

This story tells us that as much as we will face danger and distress on earth, let us lift our eyes and hearts to God above.

And the God that we believe and put our trust in will save us from the dangers and distress that we face.

34th Week, Ordinary Time, Wednesday, 24-11-2021

Daniel 5:1-6, 13-14, 16-17, 23-28 / Luke 21:12-19    

There are many written words that we read everyday.

We read words written in the papers, in text messages, in emails, in notes, in signboards, etc.

But no one would write anything serious on the wall. 

That would be considered as graffiti or even vandalism.

But in the 1st reading, a hand appeared and wrote something on the wall.

And it shocked king Belshazzar and he knew the message was for him.

Those four words "Mene, Mene, Tekel, Parsin" meant that God had measured the kings's sovereignty and will put an end to it. 

He has been weighed in the balance and found wanting. His kingdom will be divided and given to others.

It was a message that the king could not ignore.

God will also write messages on the walls of our hearts.

Let us not ignore His messages, and let His message of love enter into our hearts and let us listen to His voice in the messages.

Then we will live our lives according to His will and we will have peace in our hearts.