26th Ordinary Sunday, Year A, 01.10.2023

Ezekiel 18:25-28 / Philippians 2:1-11 / Matthew 21:28-32

When it comes to making impressions on others, we know the importance of the first impression. 

Because the first impression can be pressed into the minds of others and stay on for quite some time. 

So obviously, we want to give others a good first impression. Especially when we are meeting a person or a group of people for the first time, we would do our best to impress. 

So, we would try to impress them with our eloquence, our fine social etiquette, our education and qualification and our profession. 

We want people to think that we are reliable, honest and trustworthy. 

Generally, that is what we will do during interviews and in our social and business interactions. 

In the eyes of the world, image and impression are important if we want to succeed and move up in life. 

But that also raises questions, and it is for us to reflect on those questions if we want to. 

One of the questions would be, why are we trying to impress others, and what is the purpose for doing so. 

Another question is what is our true self, and what is it that we really want to be in life. 

In a gospel parable, Jesus told the story of the two sons. The father asked the two sons to go and work in the vineyard. 

The first son said he will not go, but then thought better of it and went. The Second Son replied with apparent eagerness, but then did not go. 

The different responses from the two sons would help us reflect on the impressions that we give to others. 

Like the first son, we may often say No to any request, and that would be the convenient and safe answer. 

We would give that kind of response to those who don't really matter to us, or to those from whom we don't have much to gain from. And if they are offended by our attitude, it wouldn't bother us much. 

On the other hand, we may also be like the second son in that we want to impress others, but we have our own motives for doing so. 

Whatever it may be, we have the shades of the two sons, and we have to decide on what kind of son we want to be. 

We don't want to give a fake Yes just to impress. Others will come to know our true character and integrity alone the way. 

And if we keep saying No, then eventually we will find ourselves lonely and isolated in our own world. 

But whether it is a Yes or No, let us think about it and about the kind of person we want to be. 

We don't want to live lonely and isolated lives, nor do we want to be a fake just to impress others. 

Let us think the better of it, and think about the kind of person that God wants us to be.

God created us with love and in love. God created each of us to be a loving person. 

The 2nd reading tells us something of what a loving person is like. A loving person is not conceited, he is self-effacing, always not thinking of his own interest first but other people's interest instead. 

To be a loving person is not for impressing others. 

To be a loving person is to be who God wants us to be. 

Let us begin by saying Yes to God and No to ourselves.

25th Week, Ordinary Time, Saturday, 30-09-2023

Zechariah 2:5-9., 14-15 / Luke 9:43-45      

Whether it is peace time or during a war, one of the main priorities is protection.

From countries to cities to fortifications, the question is about the effectiveness of the protection.

Even for the individual, the concern is about how good the protection is whether it has been tested.

All this may sound like concerns during a war.

But in peace time, the protection is about security and safety.

The prominent image that comes up is the image of a wall.

Walls are built to demarcate, to keep those within the wall safe and protected, and to keep those outside from entering or breaking in.

In the 1st reading, the Lord God says this: Jerusalem is to remain unwalled. I will be a wall of fire all round her.

In other words, Jerusalem will need no walls to protect her because God is her protection.

It also means that Jerusalem will be so prosperous, with a great number of people and livestock that it will be a city to reflect the glory of God.

We too must believe that God is our safety and protection.

And more than that, God is our glory and our salvation.

May the walls of insecurity and fear give way to the wonder of God’s glory and majesty.

The Holy Archangels Michael, Gabriel and Raphael, Friday, 29-09-2023

Daniel 7:9-10, 13-14  or Apocalypse 12:7-12 / John 1:47-51  

In today’s feast of the Archangels St. Michael, St. Gabriel and St. Raphael, we are brought to an awareness of the spiritual world of angels.

St. Michael, St. Gabriel and St. Raphael are called archangels as they were entrusted with a particular mission of God’s plan of salvation.

St. Michael is mentioned in the book of the Apocalypse as the leader of the heavenly host of angels who defeated the devil and his angels and drove them out of heaven.

St. Gabriel is mentioned in the book of Daniel to explain some of the prophet’s visions, and he was also the bearer of the Annunciation to the Blessed Virgin Mary.

St. Raphael is mentioned in the Book of Tobit, and he is the angel who heals Tobit of his blindness. His name means “God heals”.

In celebrating the feast of these three archangels and remembering their mission in God’s plan of salvation, we reflect on our existence and meaning in life.

St. Gabriel announced to Mary that she would conceive and give birth to the Son of God. 

We too came into this world and God has a plan for us. May St. Gabriel help us understand and fulfil God’s plan in our lives.

St. Michael is the protector of God’s people from the wickedness and snares of the devil. May St. Michael protect us from evil and danger as we carry out God’s will.

And when we stumble and fall into sin, may St. Raphael pray for us to be forgiven and healed, and also to recover quickly from illness and sickness.

May St. Michael, St. Gabriel and St. Raphael pray for us, that like them, we will fulfil God’s plan for us and do His will always.

25th Week, Ordinary Time, Thursday, 28-09-2023

Haggai 1:1-8 / Luke 9:7-9    

Human beings stand out from the rest of creation as a species that has intellect and will.

That makes human beings really unique in that a person can think about a situation that he encounters and chooses what to do next.

Along with this, a person is also able to remember what has gone on before and reflect about his choices.

In the 1st reading, the word of the Lord was addressed to the people through the prophet Haggai.

What the Lord said can be summed up in one sentence: Reflect carefully how things have gone for you.

The Lord told the people to reflect on the situation of their lives as they cared more about building their own homes instead of building the Lord’s Temple.

In thinking more for themselves than about what the Lord wants of them, they ended up always being in need and not being able to accomplish anything.

Indeed, to live life without reflecting on what life has been and what life is about, we will not be able to see what the Lord is showing and telling us.

In the gospel, king Herod heard the amazing accounts about Jesus, and his thoughts were on John the Baptist whom he had executed.

But if Herod had reflected on the message of Jesus, he would have avoided being a tragedy unto himself.

So let us listen to the Word of God, let us also reflect on what we are listening and seeing.

May we see that the Lord is showing us the way of peace and that He is also leading us to a life of peace.

25th Week, Ordinary Time, Wednesday, 27-09-2023

Ezra 9:5-9 / Luke 9:1-6   

It is so easy to forget to be thankful and grateful when our difficulties and struggles are over.

Just like previous generation would look at the present generation and say that the present generation are not grateful and thankful that there is so much to eat and can even throw away food.

And then the present generation would look at the next generation and say that they take so many things for granted and that they waste money even before they have to earn it.

In the 1st reading, when Ezra looked at his people, he remembered how they were sent into exile.

They had sinned against the Lord and hence they were punished as their enemies conquered  them and sent them into captivity and slavery.

But the Lord was merciful and now a remnant has come back to rebuild the Temple.

But Ezra remembered the past and he was taking nothing for granted in the present.

Even when Jesus sent His disciples to proclaim the Good News, He sent them off with nothing but with His authority and empowerment.

This was to remind them to take nothing for granted because all they needed had already been granted.

Even for us, all we ever needed has already been granted. We need to be thankful and grateful.

That will be the first step for us in proclaiming the Good News.

25th Week, Ordinary Time, Tuesday, 26-09-2023

Ezra 6:7-8, 12, 14-20 / Luke 8:19-21    

It is often the case that when it comes to giving advice to others, we can offer wise and practical directions and solutions to their problems.

But when we are faced with our own problems, we may not seem to be able to have any ideas.

Then it will be others who will be offering advice to us, and it will be up to us to decide what options we would want to take.

So when it comes to other peoples problems, we are able to give an objective opinion because we are not personally involved in it.

But when it comes to our own problems, we are swamped with subjective views and emotional attachments.

When the mother and the brothers of Jesus came looking for Him, they probably had emotional concerns about Him.

The response of Jesus brings about clarity and objectivity to the situation and to the relationship between Him and His mother and brothers.

The teaching of Jesus is that family relationships, as well as other relationships, must be founded and rooted in God’s Word and God’s will.

Similarly, when we give or receive any advice with regards to problems and difficulties, may the Word of God speak to us first.

Then any advice or suggestions will lead to doing God’s will with clarity and objectivity.

25th Week, Ordinary Time, Monday, 25-09-2023

Ezra 1:1-6 / Luke 8:16-18  

We believe that God speaks to us through the Bible, which is the written Word of God.

The teaching authority of the Church, which is the Magisterium, interprets the Word of God for the Church.

In other words, the Church, through the Word of God and the guidance of the Holy Spirit, speaks to the Church and teaches what comes from God.  

But can God speak to the Church through other means and even sources outside of the Church?

In the 1st reading, God spoke through Cyrus, the king of Persia, and it was a message for the People of God.

They were to go back to Jerusalem to rebuild the Temple.

But how would they know it was a message from God?

And it was not even spoken by a prophet, but by a pagan king?

But the people sensed that the message was from God.

It was like a light shining for them when they were in exile in another country, and it gave them hope.

In the gospel, Jesus tells us to take care how we hear.

Let us listen to what God is saying to us through the Bible and through the teachings of the Church.

We will know that it is the voice of God when it gives us hope in the darkness.