21st Week, Ordinary Time, Friday, 01-08-2023

1 Thess 4:1-8 / Matthew 25:1-13     

The flame of a candle does not burn by itself. The wax of the candle fuels the flame and hence the candle gives light.

Similarly for an oil lamp. The lamp does not burn on its own. It needs the oil to keep the flame burning.

These are just two examples of the fact that for something good to happen, something must be offered.

Or to put it in another way, in order to gain something good, something has to be given up.

In the 1st reading, St. Paul reminds us that what God wants is for us to be holy.

In order to be holy, we must give up our sins of the flesh as well as sins of the heart.

Just like the candle and the oil lamp that gives light because the wax and the oil is burnt up, we can only be holy when we give up our sins and let the God’s love burn it up.

In the gospel parable, Jesus reminds us to stay awake and to be alert, because the devil is like a roaring lion looking for someone to tempt and fall into sin.

Whenever we sin, let us quickly come back to Lord to ask for forgiveness.

When we keep giving up our sins and burning them up with God’s love and forgiveness, then we will also grow in holiness.

21st Week, Ordinary Time, Thursday, 31-08-2023

1 Thess 3:7-13 / Matthew 24:42-51   

When the clouds are heavy, the rains come down. (Ecclesiastes 11:3). Similarly when the heart is heavy, the tears will fall.

The earth has received many tears from humanity since time began and the tears have yet to cease.

We shed tears when in pain; we shed tears when in grief and sorrow; we shed tears when overcome by emotions. When the heart is heavy, the tears will fall.

In the 1st reading, St. Paul mentioned a little about his own troubles and sorrows but with not much details.

But in other letters to the other early Christian communities, he did mention about shedding tears for them.

To shed tears over our own trials and tribulations is understandable; but to shed tears for someone would mean that the person(s) really matter to us.

It may not be tears literally, but those times when we pour out our life and time looking out for those whom we care about, but have gone astray.

Our worry and anxiety for them, the pain that we feel in our heart for them, those are like invisible tears that only we ourselves will know.

But still, may we stay awake at all times, praying and making sacrifices for them, so that their tears will cease, and so that there will be no more weeping and grinding of teeth.

21st Week, Ordinary Time, Wednesday, 30-08-2023

1 Thess 2:9-13 /  Matthew 23:27-32   

When it comes to parents, the mother-figure expresses a tender love that is caring and guiding.

Also, the maternal instinct is usually to look out for her children and to gather them together in the safety of her arms.

On the other hand, there is the father-figure that is an expression of authority and discipline.

But in the father-figure is also where there is security, strength, duty and responsibility.

In the 1st reading, St. Paul tells the Thessalonians that he treated every one of them as a father treats his children.

And just as what a good father does for his children, St. Paul taught them what is right, encouraging them and appealing to them to live a life worthy of God so that they can have a share in the glory of the kingdom of God.

And St. Paul’s reward is that as soon as they heard the message, they accepted it for what it really is, God’s message and not some human thinking.

In the gospel, Jesus pointed out that the scribes and Pharisees had done exactly what their fathers had done, disregarding the law of God and persecuting the prophets.

Good parents will teach their children good values and the good principles of life.

As Christians, we have the duty to guide others in God’s ways, especially in the way of love.

In union with Jesus, we lead them to God the Father who is the source of all love.

The Passion of St. John the Baptist, Tuesday, 29-08-2023

Jeremiah 1:17-19 / Mark 6:17-29  

We might wonder how Jesus would have felt when he heard about the death of his cousin, John the Baptist.

Not much is said about their relationship, but we can guess they knew each other from their earliest days, probably played together, talked about life.

Both knew they had a mission.

And both also know that the mission cannot be accomplished without putting their lives on the line.

John the Baptist was the first to do it and that line was drawn across his neck.

For Jesus, it was drawn at the cross.

And for us, that line will also be drawn for us.

A line that will cut across the various aspects of our lives when we have to decide between whose side to stand on.

To stand on God's side, then there will be lines drawn right across our faith, our love, our hope, our security, our future, which will result in sorrow and pain, and maybe even some scars and wounds.

But it is through those sorrows and pain, and those scars and wounds that God will continue to save the world.

For it is by Christ's wounds that we ourselves have been healed and saved.

May we, like St. John the Baptist, put our lives in the hands of God, and bear witness to truth and love.

21st Week, Ordinary Time, Monday, 28-08-2023

1 Thess 1:1-5, 8-10 / Matthew 23:13-22   

God speaks to us in the Bible, which is the Holy Book of the Church.

The Bible contains the Word of God, and essentially it is about the Good News of salvation.

So, we not only hear the Word of God, we also hear that Good News of salvation that will change our lives.

The Good News is not just mere words but it has the power to save us and help us keep walking along the road of salvation.

In the 1st reading, St. Paul tells the Thessalonians that God loves them and that they have been chosen to hear the Good News.

They hear it, not only as words, but as power from the Holy Spirit and it gave them the conviction.

They also saw how the disciples testified to the Good News with their lives, and they followed their example.

In the gospel, Jesus pointed out the wrong actions of the scribes and Pharisees and warned against following them.

Let us be aware of our actions too. May we live our lives according to the Good News that we hear.

By living our lives in Christ, we bear testimony of the saving love of God for us and for the world.

21st Ordinary Sunday, Year A, 27.08.2023

Isaiah 22:19-23 / Romans 11:33-36 / Matthew 16:13-20

This coming Friday is a public holiday, but unlike other public holidays, there is something that we are required to do. We are required to cast our votes for the next President of Singapore. 

So it means that we are called upon to choose a leader. Essentially that is what voting means. 

When it comes to choosing a leader, the inclination is to choose someone who is most qualified and capable. 

So the leadership qualities to be considered would be academic qualifications, status, experience, achievements, success and a respectable standing in life. 

We would certainly want to choose someone that we have confidence in, as well as someone who will meet our requirements. 

As for the candidate for the leadership role, what he or she says or promises the people will be scrutinized when he or she assumes the office. 

That is generally how it goes in the secular world, and we are familiar with that. 

In the gospel, we hear of a different structure and a different process. 

When Jesus asked His disciples who do they say He is, it was Peter who declared that He is the Christ, the Son of the living God. 

It was God who inspired Peter to make that declaration, and with that, Jesus appointed Peter to be, as we call it now, the first Pope. 

By worldly standards, Peter, or for that matter of fact, the rest of the disciples, were hardly qualified or capable for any leadership role. 

The appointment of Peter, which by secular standards, is questionable, says a lot about Jesus. 

But it goes to show that in the Church, all power and authority that comes with the appointment, comes from God. 

Jesus also promised that Peter will be the rock on which He will build His Church. And the gates of the underworld can never hold out against it. 

But throughout the history of the Church, there are numerous occasions when the Church, and the Pope, faced mortal danger and yet there was divine intervention. 

One was in the year 452, when Attila the Hun and his barbaric horde came upon Rome to kill and to plunder. 

Going out to meet him was the old and frail Pope Leo the Great, hoping to negotiate with Attila the Hun, and prepared to lay down his life for his people. 

In an unexpected and surprising turn of events, Attila the Hun and his barbarians turn back and left Rome untouched. 

One account has it that when Attila the Hun met the Pope, he saw two looming figures flanking the Pope, said to be Saint Peter and St Paul, and they were wielding swords and warning Attila. 

He also saw a huge heavenly army behind the Pope, and he recoiled and immediately retreated. 

So, on that day when he met Attila the Hun, Pope Leo showed that meekness is the mightiest of Heaven's powers. 

And again, later on, the famous French emperor, Napoleon Bonaparte, once threatened the Church saying that in a few months he will destroy the Church. 

The Pope's spokesman, replied: If in the 1800 years, we Catholics have failed to destroy the Church, do you really think that you will be able to do so? 

Napoleon Bonaparte would later find out the answer after his defeat and during his exile. 

It is often said that the Church is human, even too human, with the weakness, failings, scandals and whatever.

But it also must be said that the Church is divine, because Jesus Christ is the Head, and we are the members of His Body. 

Yes, the Church, at all levels, has its flaws, it has failed, and it even has been faithless at times. 

But let us remember that Jesus Christ is our Head, and He will protect us from the destructive power that comes out of the gates of the underworld. 

Like Pope Leo the Great, who showed that meekness is the mightiest power from heaven, let us walk the path of simplicity, humility and charity. 

Then we, the Church, will be able to lead the world in the way of salvation.

20th Week, Ordinary Time, Saturday, 26-08-2023

Ruth 2:1-3, 8-11; 4:13-17 / Matthew 23:1-12     

The word retribution has this meaning of punishment inflicted on someone as vengeance for a wrong or criminal act.

But retribution is just one of the negative expressions of that rule of life that tells us not to do unto others what we do not want others to do unto us.

Another expression of that rule of life is vindication, which has a more positive aspect.

It means that for the good that we do, we will be recognized and rewarded along the way.

In the 1st reading, when Ruth asked Boaz how had she so earned his favour that he took notice of her, he said this to her:

I have been told all you have done for your mother-in-law since your husband’s death, and how you left your own father and mother and the land where you were born to come among a people whom you knew nothing about before you came.

For Ruth, it was a vindication moment for her for the love and the good that she had done for Naomi.

And more blessings will be bestowed on Ruth in time to come for the sacrifices she had made.

Let us believe that for all the good and the sacrifices that we have made and offered to the Lord, we will be blessed and rewarded.

Because God sees all we have done and He knows the intentions of our hearts.

Let us continue to believe in the God of love and goodness, and we will be persons of love and focused on doing good always.