33rd Ordinary Sunday, Year C, 13.11.2022

Malachi 3:19-20 / 2 Thess 3:7-21 / Luke 21:5-19

When God created man, God set man above all creation by creating man in His image. 

And we can see that image of God when we look at what we are endowed with and how human beings are unique. 

We have intellect and will, we have creativity and other abilities that set us apart and above all other creatures. 

So naturally, we want to be healthy and strong, we want to look good, feel good, and of course be good. 

And we want to face adversities and difficulties, bravely and courageously. 

But no matter how healthy and strong we are, no matter how brave and courageous we may be, we have one common adversary. 

And that adversary is none other than fear, which can be anything from a paralyzing fear, to a bone chilling fear to a fear of being alone. 

There can be the fear of insects like lizards or cockroaches or spiders. There can also be a fear of heights, or that something may seem normal to most people but causes phobia in some people. 

Whatever it is, the effects of fear can be anything from worry and anxiety, to panic and chaos. 

In life, there are fears that keep recurring, like the fear of poverty, which may make us obsessed with getting financial security. 

Or the fear of losing our jobs, or the fear of illness and diseases, and all sorts of other fears. 

In the gospel passage, Jesus addressed three realities that are rather disturbing. 

First, He talks about the passing of things, that not one stone will be left on another. In other words, nothing lasts forever. 

Then He talks about turmoil and distress, about natural disasters, plagues and famine. 

And then He talks about persecution and mortal danger and death. 

But despite all that, the last sentence of Jesus gives us the hope that God will protect and save us as He says: Your endurance will win you your lives. 

Endurance is to hold on to our faith in God as our Protector and Saviour, especially in the darkest and most frightening moments of our lives. 

To have faith means that we must trust in God that He has His ways of protecting and saving us.

There is this story that during World War II, a soldier was separated from his unit on a Pacific island. The fighting had been intense, and in the smoke and the crossfire, he had lost touch with his comrades.

Alone in the jungle, he could hear enemy soldiers coming in his direction. Scrambling for cover, he found his way up a high ridge to several small caves in the rock. Quickly he crawled inside one of the caves. 

Although safe for the moment, he realized that once the enemy soldiers looking for him swept up the ridge, they would quickly search all the caves and he would be killed. 

As he waited, he prayed, “Lord, if it is your will, please protect me. Whatever your will though, I love you and trust you. Amen.”

After praying, he lay quietly listening to the enemy drawing close. He thought, “Well, I guess the Lord isn’t going to help me out of this one.”

Just then he saw a spider begin to build a web over the front of his cave. As he watched, listening to the enemy searching for him all the while, the spider layered strand after strand of web across the opening of the cave.

“Hah” he thought, “what I need is a brick wall and what the Lord has sent me is a spider web. God does have a sense of humor.”

As the enemy drew closer, he watched from the darkness of his hideout and could see them searching one cave after another. As they came to him, he got ready to make his last stand. 

To his amazement, however, after glancing in the direction of his cave, they moved on.

Suddenly, he realized that with the spider web over the entrance of the cave, it looked as if no one had entered it for quite a while.

“Lord, forgive me,” prayed the young man, “I had forgotten that in You, a spider’s web is stronger than a brick wall.”

We all face times of great trouble, distress and turmoil. It is so easy to fear and forget the victories that God would work in our lives, sometimes in the most surprising ways.

But let us endure, let us keep believing, let us keep hoping and let us keep praying.

God is our Protector and our Saviour. We will not be lost as long as we put our trust in Him.

32nd Week, Ordinary Time, Saturday, 12-11-2022

3 John 5-8 / Luke 18:1-8

There is no doubt that God listens to our prayers. And God would certainly pay attention to earnest and persevering prayers.

And if we think that God is not answering our prayers, then maybe we have to see what our prayers are all about.

In other words, we have to listen to our own prayers, for a change.

Prayer is not about trying to change God's mind or God's will.

It would be rather absurd to assume that if we say long and persistent prayers, God would finally give in and grant us what we want.

That would make prayer look like some kind of magical method that can make God do something.

Rather prayer is an act of faith and it is the source of strength which will empower us.

It is with prayer that we will continue to strive for justice and work for peace.

It may mean that we come to realize and accept that some things cannot be changed immediately.

It may also mean that we put our trust in God and believe that with God, nothing is impossible.

Whatever it may be, our earnest and persistent prayer should bring our wills to conform to God's will.

It is God's will "to see justice done, and done speedily".

32nd Week, Ordinary Time, Friday, 11-11-2022

2 John 4-9 / Luke 17:26-37    

To go travelling as a group has its challenges.

Especially so when travelling abroad and communication is not that convenient.

So keeping together and watching out for one another and staying in contact is important.

But as we might know, there can be many distractions and anyone can be easily distracted with something and break contact with the group.

And when someone is not accounted for, it is quite alarming and the group will be in turmoil.

Certainly, out of concern for that missing person, there will be a search for that person.

And when the missing person is found, it will be a relief, but undeniably, there will also be frustrations and the situation can be rather sour.

It would be unthinkable for the group to just leave the missing person behind and continue with the itinerary.  

Similarly, as a faith community, we must look out for each other and help each other to journey along to our destination in heaven.

Salvation is not about myself going to heaven and not caring about the rest.

When Jesus gave that imagery of “where the body is, there too will be vultures gather”, we can vividly imagine those who are lost and left behind.

They are left to rot in loneliness and helplessness and become the final end for scavengers.

So in our journey of faith, let no one be left behind. Let us bear with each other in love and journey together and look forward with hope where we will rejoice with each other in heaven.

32nd Week, Ordinary Time, Thursday, 10-11-2022

Philemon 7-20 / Luke 17:20-25     

Human beings are social beings.

And as social beings we form relationships with one another.

And these relationships become meaningful and enriching when there is communication and understanding, care and kindness, and all those beautiful human aspects.

But life becomes complicated and difficult when people forget the priority of human relationship and slide in mechanical transactions.

By mechanical transactions, we are talking about productivity, efficiency and effectiveness, which are usually measure in numbers and quantity.

In the 1st reading, when St. Paul appealed to Philemon for Onesimus, he had recourse to relationships.

There was the relationship between him and Philemon, between him and Onesimus, and also between Philemon and Onesimus.

It was upon these relationships that St. Paul believed that the matter would be resolved between Philemon and Onesimus.

God entered into a relationship with humanity by sending His only Son to teach us how to love God and to love others.

Let us place this love relationship first and above all other things, so that we can be truly human and be who God wants us to be.

The Dedication of the Lateran Basilica, Wednesday, 09-11-2022

Ezekiel 47:1-2, 8-9, 12  or 1 Cor 3:9-11, 16-17 / John 2:13-22

The Lateran Basilica was built around 324 by the Roman emperor Constantine, and it is the cathedral of the city of Rome.

The Lateran Basilica is the official church of the Pope since the 4th century.

It is also called the "Mother of all churches" and on Holy Thursday, the Pope and priests will celebrate the Eucharist there.

This feast reminds us that we belong to the universal church, with Christ as the Head of the Church which is His Body.

Hence we acknowledge that the Church is not just a building, but the body of believers who are scattered all over the world, yet spiritually united in the body of Christ.

We also acknowledge, in the celebration of this feast, that the Pope is the head of the Church and we pledge our obedience to him and our unity with the whole Church.

May we continue to be united as Church and as the Body of Christ and be a sign of salvation to the world.

32nd Week, Ordinary Time, Tuesday, 08-11-2022

Titus 2:1-8, 11-14 / Luke 17:7-10     

We may think that to be older is to be wiser.

But it may not necessarily always be the case.

Of course, it is the expectation of others that a senior person is wiser, more experienced in life, more exemplary and more dignified.

That can only be possible when a person has the moral guideposts as he/she advances in age.

The 1st reading gives good directions for people as they advance in years.

The older men should be reserved, dignified, moderate, sound in faith and love and constancy.

The older women should behave as though they were religious, with no scandal-mongering and no habitual wine-drinking, and they are to be teachers of the right behaviour to the younger women.

All that might sound rather old-fashioned, given the modern liberal thinking.

But it cannot be denied that there is a firm grounding in what the 1st reading is saying, because God reveals His grace for the salvation of the human race.

And God’s grace teaches us what we have to do is to give up everything that does not lead to God.

So regardless of what our age is, as we advance in years, let us also grow in the grace of God so that we will be examples of sincerity and earnestness with which no one can really find fault with.

After all, we are only God’s servants who must do what God wants of us.

32nd Week, Ordinary Time, Monday, 07-11-2022

Titus 1:1-9 / Luke 17:1-6     

We may not think of ourselves as a bad or evil person.

At least we don’t commit serious crimes that cause harm or endanger others.

But we have to admit that we are not that good either.

We have had our share of telling lies, gossiping about others, being selfish and greedy … just to name a few.

We may not think that those are so serious that would sentence us as being obstacles for others, and that we deserved to be punished by being thrown into the sea with a millstone tied to our necks.

Yet, we also must remember that people don’t trip over hills and mountains; people trip over stones and pebbles.

Jesus warned us not to lead astray a single one of those who are little and lowly, and He told us to watch ourselves.

Yes, we need to watch ourselves and not to let our hearts be hardened that we let anger and bitterness block us from forgiving others.

We need to watch our words and actions that we do not spurt out harsh and hurtful words, or do things that will get others into trouble and cause division.

Let us ask the Lord to remove the obstacles that are in our lives so that we can become openings of God’s blessings for others.